夫抑火升水。养阴退阳。流湿润燥。推陈致新。渍形为汗。润肠为下。温经散寒。补中
益气
。调经破血。痛随利减。风从汗出。发表攻里。敛表渗泄。双解独攻。应变从权。治由有五
。其细味之。和取从折。属其备兮。如假小热。以凉和之。和之不已。次用取之。为热势大
。寒药以取。取之不已。更用从之。因热既甚。从以温药。从之不已。以法折之。为恐冲逆
。味随所为。寒因热用。或更发之。折之不已。求属衰之。求属之法。同气同声。法制之体
。五治所因。经言不分。邪僻内作。工不能禁。此之谓也。
七方之法为绳墨。大小缓急奇偶复。小方剂少饮须徐。大方剂兼宜顿服。恋膈味薄自缓
迟。
攻下气浓乃峻促。奇谓单奇只一法。偶方相合如配匹。复重并制三四方。病谓寒温反佐术。
剂和六合实类聚。各据方隅更审悉。大抵处方要在合宜而用。不可务取品味。数多过制。越
此反不为效矣。本草云。三百六十五种内。相须者止二十种。其单行者七十一。相使者九十
。畏者七十八。相恶者六十。相反者十八。相杀者二十六。是以丹溪先生曰。余以某药治某
病。某药监某药。某药为引经。其意则得之矣。
十剂补泻宣与通。滑涩燥湿重轻伦。泻为泄实治闭满。补即能调虚损人。宣非泻剂乃越吐。
通因开流轻义匀。滑知养窍濡结燥。涩以酸同收敛因。燥攻水液寒清冷。湿润干枯涸揭皴。
重当镇坠抑而减。轻为熏扬泄汗陈。十剂由来三法中。发汗燥涩轻可 。下本重湿通滑泻。
吐唯宣剂旨须论。三法用之犹有补。驱邪扶正益天真。
抑火、升水，是滋养阴液、消退阳亢；流湿润燥，是推陈出新。通过浸渍形体以发汗，润通肠道以通便；温通经脉以散寒，补益中气以益气；调理经血以破瘀，疼痛随气血通畅而减轻；风邪从汗而解，发散表邪或攻逐里实；收敛表虚或渗利泄浊；双解表里或单独攻邪，这些都是随机应变的权宜之法。治疗的方法主要有这五种，请仔细体味其中的精妙。调和取法与折损法，属于完备的治疗原则。例如遇到轻微的热证，用凉性的药物进行调和；如果调和无效，接着使用折损法（直折其热）。因为热势盛大，需用寒药直折其热；如果直折无效，再采用从治法（顺从病性用药）。既然热势已经极盛，就用温药来顺从（反佐）。如果从治无效，再用正治法折损它。这是为了防止药力冲逆。药物的气味随着治疗目的而变化，寒药可以热服（寒因热用），或者再次发汗。如果折损无效，就要寻求病因所属的性质并加以衰减。寻求病因所属的方法，在于同气相求、同声相应。法制药物的原理，源于这五种治疗方法。经文没有明确区分，是因为邪气异常内生时，医生难以控制，说的就是这个道理。
七方的法则是处方的准绳：大、小、缓、急、奇、偶、复。小方药味少，服用需缓慢；大方药味多兼杂，适宜顿服。留恋胸膈、药味淡薄者自当缓迟；攻下、药气浓烈者则峻猛急促。“奇”指单方，只有一种治法；“偶”方是两方相合，如同匹配伴侣；“复”方是多重并制，由三四方组成，用于病情寒温错杂时的反佐之术。和剂包含六合，同类相聚。各据一方隅更需审慎详察。大抵处方关键在于合乎适宜而使用，不可追求药味繁多超过常规，超越此度反而不能见效。《本草》说：三百六十五种药材中，相须的只有二十种，单行的有七十一，相使的九十，相畏的七十八，相恶的六十，相反的十八，相杀的二十六。所以丹溪先生说：我用某药治某病，某药监制某药，某药作为引经药，其中的意旨就得到了。
十剂包括补、泻、宣、通、滑、涩、燥、湿、重、轻。泻法是泄除实邪，治疗闭满；补法能调治虚损之人。宣不是泻剂，而是通过越吐的方式；通是因势利导，开通水流，取其义均匀。滑能滋养孔窍，濡润结燥；涩以酸味为主，用于收敛。燥能攻治水液停聚，清冷以治寒；湿能滋润干枯皴裂。重能镇坠抑制而减除病势；轻能熏扬发散，通过出汗排出陈积。十剂由来于三法之中：发汗、燥涩、轻可去上焦之邪；下焦本属重、湿、通、滑、泻；吐法唯宣剂的宗旨需要论述。三法运用得当，犹有补益作用，能驱邪扶正，增益天真元气。
Suppressing fire and ascending water, nourishing yin and retreating yang; moistening dryness and promoting circulation to eliminate the old and generate the new. Steeping the body induces sweating; moistening the intestines promotes purgation; warming meridians dispels cold; tonifying the middle replenishes qi; regulating menstruation breaks blood stasis; pain decreases as obstruction is relieved. Wind exits through sweating; releasing the exterior or attacking the interior; consolidating the exterior or draining dampness; dual resolution of exterior and interior or solitary attack on pathogens—all are adaptive measures according to circumstances. There are five main methods of treatment; ponder their subtleties carefully. Harmonizing (He) and reducing (Qu) belong to comprehensive principles. For instance, in cases of slight heat, use cool herbs for harmonization; if harmonization fails, proceed to reduction (Zhi). Since heat is intense, use cold herbs for direct reduction; if reduction fails, employ following treatment (Cong) using warm herbs to follow the pathogenic nature. If following treatment fails, apply orthodox reduction (Zhe) to prevent rebellious drug action. The flavors and properties of drugs vary with the therapeutic intent; cold drugs may be taken hot (Han Yin Re Yong), or sweating may be induced again. If reduction fails, seek the underlying etiology and attenuate it. The method of seeking etiology relies on resonance of similar energies and sounds. The formulation of drugs stems from these five treatments. The classics do not distinguish them explicitly because when abnormal pathogens arise internally, physicians cannot easily control them—this is what is meant.
The principles of the Seven Formulas serve as the standard: Large, Small, Slow, Rapid, Odd, Even, and Compound. Small formulas have few ingredients and should be taken slowly; large formulas have many ingredients and are suitable for single-dose administration. Formulas lingering in the chest with light flavors act slowly; purgative formulas with strong qi act rapidly and severely. "Odd" refers to a single formula with one method; "Even" refers to two formulas combined like a pair; "Compound" involves multiple combinations of three or four formulas, used for counteracting mixed cold and heat conditions. Harmonizing formulas gather similar categories. One must examine each case carefully. Generally, prescription lies in appropriateness; one should not pursue excessive variety beyond standard limits, as exceeding this leads to inefficacy. *Bencao* states: Among 365 herbs, 20 are mutually enhancing (Xiang Xu), 71 are used alone (Dan Xing), 90 are mutually assisting (Xiang Shi), 78 are mutually feared (Xiang Wei), 60 are mutually loathed (Xiang E), 18 are mutually incompatible (Xiang Fan), and 26 are mutually killing (Xiang Sha). Thus, Mr. Danxi said: I use herb A to treat disease B, herb C to monitor herb D, and herb E as a guiding herb—the essence is thereby achieved.
The Ten Categories include Tonifying (Bu), Purgative (Xie), Dispersing (Xuan), Unblocking (Tong), Slippery (Hua), Astringent (Se), Drying (Zao), Moistening (Shi), Heavy (Zhong), and Light (Qing). Purgation evacuates excess to treat stagnation and fullness; tonification regulates deficiency. Dispersing is not purgation but induces vomiting; unblocking opens flow evenly. Slippery herbs nourish orifices and moisten dryness; astringent herbs, often sour, promote consolidation. Drying herbs address fluid retention and cold; moistening herbs treat dryness and cracking. Heavy herbs suppress and reduce pathogenic factors; light herbs disperse via fumigation or sweating to expel accumulation. The Ten Categories originate from the Three Methods: dispersing, drying/astringency, and lightness treat the upper jiao; heaviness, moisture, unblocking, slipperiness, and purgation treat the lower jiao; vomiting pertains to the principle of dispersing. When applied correctly, these methods still offer benefit, expelling pathogens, supporting healthy qi, and augmenting innate vitality.