《千金》紫菀汤云∶小儿六十日至百日，一服二合半，百日至二百日，一服三合（若如今之八勺有奇，百日以内之
小儿能顿服耶？）。
（以上辨古升）
夫以药秤药升，农、轩创造之法物，晋、宋以来 失古意，故梁·陶贞白先生着《名医别录》，论用药分剂法则，一
遵神农之秤，而不用子谷 黍之制。孙真人祖述其意，定《千金方》，首言“今根据四分为一两称为定”，亦不根据隋人以三
两为一两之法，其述古药升制度下即曰∶“今人分药，不复用此”，盖有存羊爱礼之思焉。继此有王刺史者，辑《外台秘
要》，每万必纪其所出，凡六朝诸名家所定分两升合，皆兢兢法守，间有大升大两，必分别注明。今良方具在，顾以权量
难求，弃若弁髦，强作解事者，从而武断之，而医宗之微旨，势不至尽坠于地不止。
武断之最者，莫如景岳，以其所宗者，悉本之伪造夏律周 之郑世子也。
微旨者何？圣人治病之枢机也。升降浮沉之气，顺者生，逆者死，但得拨之使转，即行所无事矣。故药也者，求其
中，不贵多也；求其循序，不贵速也。药必有毒，非毒无以驭病，非节制无以驭毒。故升秤之以小为度者，诚慎之也。
陶隐居曰∶一物一毒，服一丸如细麻大；二物一毒，服二丸如大麻；三物一毒，服三丸如胡豆；四物一毒，服四丸
如小豆；五物一毒，服五丸如大豆；六物一毒，服六丸如梧子，从此至十，皆以梧子为度。按《千金》论如梧子者（准
上论重一分），以二大豆准之；如大豆者（重五厘），以二小豆准子；如小豆者（重二厘半），以三大麻准之；如胡豆者（重
一厘七毫），以二大麻准之；如大麻者（重八毫半），准三细麻（每一细麻重二毫八丝）。
今人疑古方立法太峻，而不详其用意之谨密，反谓古人禀浓，能胜重剂，则所见益颠倒矣。得吾说而通之，庶儿能
师古之意，用古之法乎。
《千金》论云∶“古者，药在土中，自养经久，气味真实。今时药力轻虚，人多巧诈。学人须加意，重复用药，药乃
有力。”此亦不可不知也。然观东垣方，药味多而分量轻，又宋时一切作煮散者，每服皆以五钱为例，可知仍不贵多也。
古人疑汉方汤液，大剂三十余两，小剂十余两，用水六七升，煎取二三升，并分三服，若以古龠量水七升，煎今之
三十两，未淹得过？又疑散末药只服方寸刀圭匕，圆子如梧子大，极至三十粒，汤液岂得如此悬绝？又疑风引汤一料计
五十五两，每用三指撮，水三升，煮三沸，去渣，温服一升，观其煮制，每只三指撮末，应料剂如此之多？今一旦考而
正之，三疑尽释矣。
古方惟百合汤用百合七只，配水三升，似与前说不相合，顷友人言；吾苏阳山澄照寺前一片地上，天然自产百合，
仅如钱大，煮之清香绝胜，疗病极效。可知百合入药者，以小为贵耳。
《千金方》中的紫菀汤记载：小儿出生六十天至一百天，每次服用二合半；一百天至二百天，每次服用三合（如果按照现在的八勺多一点来计算，百日以内的小儿能一次性喝完吗？）。
（以上辨析古代的升量单位）
用药物秤和升来计量药材，是神农、轩辕时代创造的法度器物。自晋朝、宋朝以来，人们失去了古人的本意。因此，梁代的陶弘景先生撰写了《名医别录》，在论述用药分量和法则时，完全遵循神农时代的药秤，而不采用子、谷、黍这种微小的计量制度。孙思邈真人继承并阐述了这一意思，制定《千金方》时，开篇就说“现在根据四分作为一两的标准”，也不依据隋代人将三两当作一两的做法。他在叙述古代药升的制度后随即说道：“现在的人分药，不再使用这种方法了。”这大概是有着保存羊皮、爱惜礼制的深意吧。此后有王焘刺史，编纂《外台秘要》，每引用一处必定记录其出处，凡是六朝时期各位名家所确定的分量、升、合标准，都谨慎地效法遵守，偶尔遇到大升、大两的情况，必定分别注明。现在好的方剂都还在，只是由于难以考证准确的权量标准，就将其像弃置帽带一样抛弃，那些强作聪明的人，进而武断地解释，导致医学宗师的精微旨意，势必要全部坠落于地才肯罢休。
其中最为武断的，莫过于张景岳，因为他所宗奉的依据，完全来源于伪造的夏律和周朝的郑世子（的相关学说）。
什么是医道的精微旨意呢？这是圣人治疗疾病的关键枢纽。气机的升降浮沉，顺则生，逆则死，只要能够拨动使其运转，就能从容不迫地处理事务。所以用药，追求的是适中，不在于多；追求的是循序渐进，不在于快速。药物必然有毒性，没有毒性就无法驾驭疾病，没有节制就无法驾驭毒性。所以提升药秤以小巧为标准，确实是出于谨慎考虑。
陶隐居说：一种药物有毒，服用如细麻大小的丸药一丸；两种药物有毒，服用如大麻大小的丸药二丸；三种药物有毒，服用如胡豆大小的丸药三丸；四种药物有毒，服用如小豆大小的丸药四丸；五种药物有毒，服用如大豆大小的丸药五丸；六种药物有毒，服用如梧桐子大小的丸药六丸，从此到十种，都以梧桐子的大小为标准。参照《千金方》中关于如梧桐子大小的论述（相当于上面论述中的一分重），用两粒大豆来折算；如大豆大小的（重五厘），用两粒小豆来折算；如小豆大小的（重二厘半），用三粒大麻来折算；如胡豆大小的（重一厘七毫），用两粒大麻来折算；如大麻大小的（重八毫半），相当于三粒细麻（每一粒细麻重二毫八丝）。
现代人怀疑古方的立法过于峻猛，而不详细探究其用意的严谨精密，反而认为古人禀赋浓厚，能承受重剂，这种见解就更加颠倒了。如果能理解我的说法并贯通它，或许就能师法古人的用意，运用古人的方法了吧。
《千金方》论述说：“古时候，药材生长在土壤中，自然生长经久，气味真实。现在的药材药力轻浮虚弱，人多巧诈。学习的人必须加意留心，重复用药，药力才能发挥出来。”这也是不可不知道的。然而观察李东垣的方剂，药味多而分量轻，还有宋代一切做成煮散剂的，每次服用都以五钱为例，可知仍然不推崇药量多。
古人怀疑汉代方剂中的汤液，大剂量三十多两，小剂量十多两，用水六七升，煎取二三升，并分三次服用。如果用古代的龠量水七升，去煎现在称量的三十两药材，恐怕浸泡都浸不过去吧？又怀疑散末药只服用方寸匕或刀圭匕的量，丸子像梧桐子那么大，最多三十粒，汤液的用量怎么会如此悬殊？又怀疑风引汤一料计五十五两，每次只用三指撮的量，用水三升，煮三沸，去掉药渣，温服一升，看它的煮制过程，每次只取三指撮的药末，应该不需要如此多的料剂吧？现在一旦考证并纠正这些疑问，三个疑惑就全部消除了。
古方中只有百合汤使用百合七只，配水三升，似乎与前文的说法不相符合。近来朋友说：我们苏州阳山澄照寺前的一片地上，天然自产百合，仅仅像铜钱那么大，煮起来清香极佳，治疗疾病极有效。可知入药的百合，是以小的为珍贵罢了。
The *Ziwan Tang* (Aster Decoction) in the *Qianjin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) states: For infants aged 60 to 100 days, one dose is 2.5 *he* (a unit of volume); for those aged 100 to 200 days, one dose is 3 *he* (If calculated as slightly more than eight modern spoons, can an infant under 100 days old swallow it all at once?).
(Above discusses the ancient unit of *Sheng*)
Using drug scales and measuring vessels (*Sheng*) was the method created by Shennong and Xuanyuan. Since the Jin and Song dynasties, people have lost the original intent of the ancients. Therefore, Tao Hongjing, a gentleman of the Liang Dynasty, wrote the *Mingyi Bielu* (Record of Famous Physicians), discussing the rules for dosage and measurement, strictly following Shennong's scale, and not adopting the system of *zi*, *gu*, and *shu* (tiny units of weight). Sun Simiao honored this intent and established the *Qianjin Fang*, stating at the beginning, "Now we take four *fen* as one *liang* as the standard," and did not follow the Sui Dynasty method of treating three *liang* as one *liang*. After describing the ancient system of measuring vessels for herbs, he immediately said, "People today do not use this when dividing medicines." This likely reflects a desire to preserve the essence of ritual and propriety. Subsequently, Wang Tao, a prefect, compiled the *Waitai Miyao* (Secret Essentials from the Imperial Library), recording the source of every citation. He carefully adhered to the weights, measures, *sheng*, and *he* determined by various masters of the Six Dynasties, and whenever there were large *sheng* or large *liang*, he clearly noted them. Good prescriptions are still available today, but because accurate weights and measures are hard to find, they are discarded like worn-out headgear. Those who act arrogantly and make arbitrary judgments cause the subtle principles of medical orthodoxy to fall into ruin.
The most arbitrary among them is Zhang Jingyue, whose theories are entirely based on the forged Xia laws and the teachings attributed to the Prince of Zheng in the Zhou Dynasty.
What are the subtle principles of medicine? They are the pivot of curing diseases by sages. The ascending, descending, floating, and sinking of *Qi*: if smooth, life prevails; if reversed, death ensues. If one can merely adjust it to restore circulation, matters will be handled effortlessly. Therefore, regarding medication, one seeks balance, not quantity; one seeks gradual progress, not speed. All medicines possess toxicity; without toxicity, one cannot subdue disease; without moderation, one cannot control toxicity. Thus, using smaller scales for weighing herbs is indeed an act of caution.
Tao Hongjing stated: If one herb is toxic, take one pill the size of a fine hemp seed; if two herbs are toxic, take two pills the size of a large hemp seed; if three herbs are toxic, take three pills the size of a broad bean; if four herbs are toxic, take four pills the size of a small bean; if five herbs are toxic, take five pills the size of a soybean; if six herbs are toxic, take six pills the size of a sophora seed. From this up to ten, all are measured by the size of a sophora seed. According to the discussion in the *Qianjin Fang* regarding pills the size of a sophora seed (equivalent to one *fen* in weight in the above discussion), two soybeans are used as a reference; for pills the size of a soybean (weighing five *li*), two small beans are used as a reference; for pills the size of a small bean (weighing 2.5 *li*), three large hemp seeds are used as a reference; for pills the size of a broad bean (weighing 1.7 *hao*), two large hemp seeds are used as a reference; for pills the size of a large hemp seed (weighing 8.5 *hao*), three fine hemp seeds are equivalent (each fine hemp seed weighs 2.8 *si*).
Modern people suspect that ancient prescriptions were too harsh, failing to appreciate their rigorous and precise intent. Instead, they argue that ancients had robust constitutions and could tolerate heavy doses, which is a further inversion of truth. If one understands my explanation and grasps its logic, perhaps one can emulate the intent of the ancients and apply their methods.
The *Qianjin Fang* states: "In ancient times, herbs grew in the soil, maturing naturally over time, possessing authentic aroma and potency. Today, herbal potency is light and insubstantial, and people are often deceitful. Students must pay close attention and repeat the dosage to ensure efficacy." This is also something one must know. However, observing the formulas of Li Dongyuan, although they contain many herbs, the dosages are light. Furthermore, in the Song Dynasty, decoctions made into powders for boiling (*zhusan*) typically had a single dose of five *qian*. This indicates that abundance in quantity was still not prized.
Ancients questioned Han dynasty liquid prescriptions (*tangye*): large doses exceeded thirty *liang*, small doses over ten *liang*, using six or seven *sheng* of water, boiled down to two or three *sheng*, divided into three doses. If using the ancient *yue* measure for seven *sheng* of water, would it even cover thirty *liang* of modern-weighted herbs? They also questioned powdered medicines, where only a *fangcun bi* or *daogui bi* was taken, or pills the size of a sophora seed, up to thirty grains, wondering how liquid prescriptions could differ so drastically. They also questioned the *Fengyin Tang* (Wind-Driving Decoction), where one batch weighed fifty-five *liang*, yet only a pinch taken with three fingers was used with three *sheng* of water, boiled three times, strained, and one *sheng* taken warm. Observing the preparation, taking only a pinch of powder per dose, why such a large batch size? Now, upon examination and correction, these three doubts are fully resolved.
Among ancient prescriptions, only the *Baihe Tang* (Lily Bulb Decoction) uses seven lily bulbs with three *sheng* of water, which seems inconsistent with the previous statement. Recently, a friend mentioned: In front of Chengzhao Temple in Yangshan, Suzhou, lilies grow naturally on a patch of land, only as large as coins. When boiled, they have an exquisite fragrance and are extremely effective in treating diseases. This shows that for medicinal use, smaller lilies are valued.