柯韵伯曰。经云。壮气行则愈。怯者着而为病。盖人在气交之中。因气而生。而生气总
以胃气为本。食入于阴。长气于阳。昼夜循环。周于内外。一息不运。便有积聚。或胀满不
食。或生痰留饮。因而肌肉消瘦。喘咳呕哕。诸证蜂起。而神机化绝矣。四君子。气分之总
方也。人参致冲和之气。白术培中宫。茯苓清治节。甘草调五脏。诸气既治。病从何来。然
拨乱反正。又不能无为而治。必举夫行气之品以辅之。则补品不至泥而不行。故加陈皮以利
肺金之逆气。半夏以疏脾土之湿气。而痰饮可除也。加木香以行三焦之滞气。砂仁以通脾肾
之元气。而 郁可开也。四君得四辅。而补力倍宣。四辅有四君。而元气大振。相须而益彰
者乎。
治阴虚内热。头痛口渴。表热自汗。不任风寒脉洪大。心烦不安。四肢困倦。懒于言语。
无
补中参草术归陈。 得升柴用更神。（黄 蜜炙钱半。人参甘草炙白术各一钱。陈皮归
身各五分。升麻柴胡各三分。加姜枣煎。）劳倦内伤功独擅。阳虚外感亦堪珍。
柯韵伯曰。仲景有建中理中二法。风木内干于中气。用建中汤。寒水内凌于中气。用理
中汤。至若劳倦形气衰少。阴虚而生内热。（阴者。太阴也。）表症颇同外感。惟东垣知其为
劳倦伤脾。谷气不盛。阳气下陷于阴而发热。故制补中之剂。得发表之品。而中自安。益气
之剂。赖清气之品。而气益倍。此用药相须之妙也是方也。用以补脾。使地道卑而上行。亦
可以补心肺。损其肺者益其气。损其心者调其荣卫也。亦可以补肝木。郁则达之也。惟不宜
于肾。阴虚于下者。不宜升。阳虚于下者。更不宜升也。
柯韵伯说：《内经》记载，正气通畅运行则病愈，正气虚弱停滞则形成疾病。大概人在气机交感的环境中生存，依靠气而生命得以延续，而生生不息之气总以胃气为根本。食物进入阴分（体内），化生阳气于阳分（体表及功能活动），昼夜循环往复，周流于身体内外。一旦气息停止运转片刻，就会产生积滞或痞块，出现腹胀满、不能进食的症状；或者产生痰饮停留体内，进而导致肌肉消瘦、气喘咳嗽、呕吐呃逆等各种病症蜂拥而起，最终神机（生命活力）断绝。四君子汤是调理气分的总方。人参能够致中和之气，白术培补中焦脾胃，茯苓清利上焦治节之官（肺），甘草调和五脏。各种气机既已调理顺畅，疾病从何而来？然而拨乱反正，又不能无所作为地治理，必须举起行气的药物来辅助它，这样补益的药物才不会凝滞而不流通。所以加入陈皮来疏通肺金（肺脏）的逆气，半夏来疏理脾土（脾脏）的湿气，从而痰饮可以消除。加入木香来运行三焦的滞气，砂仁来通达脾肾的元气，从而郁结可以开解。四君子汤得到这四味辅佐药，补益之力加倍宣通；四味辅佐药有四君子汤为基础，元气大大振奋。这大概是相互需要而更加彰显功效吧。
治疗阴虚内热，头痛口渴，表热自汗，不耐受风寒，脉象洪大，心烦不安，四肢困倦，懒于言语。
[歌诀] 补中益气汤中含有参、草、术、归、陈，若得升麻、柴胡使用，功效更加神奇。（黄芪蜜炙一钱半，人参、炙甘草、白术各一钱，陈皮、当归身各五分，升麻、柴胡各三分，加生姜、大枣煎服。）此方对于劳倦内伤的功效独擅胜场，对于阳虚外感也值得珍视。
柯韵伯说：张仲景有建中汤和理中汤两种方法。风木之气内犯中气，用建中汤；寒水之气内凌中气，用理中汤。至于因劳倦导致形体和气衰少，阴虚而产生内热。（这里的“阴”，指太阴脾土。）表证颇像外感病，只有李东垣知道这是劳倦损伤脾气，谷气不旺盛，阳气下陷于阴分而发热，所以制定补中益气的方剂，借助发表的药物，中气自然安和；益气方剂，赖清气药物的配合，气机加倍充沛。这就是用药相互辅助的妙处。这个方子，用来补脾，使地道卑顺而上行（脾主升清），也可以补心肺，肺气亏损就益其气，心气亏损就调和营卫。也可以补肝木，肝气郁结就用疏达的方法。唯独不适合用于肾脏，肾阴虚在下部的，不宜升提；肾阳虚在下部的，更不宜升提。
Ke Yunbo said: The *Classic of Difficult Issues* (Jing) states, "When vital Qi flows smoothly, recovery occurs; when it is timid and stagnates, disease forms." Generally, humans exist within the interaction of Qi, born from Qi, and the generative Qi fundamentally relies on Stomach Qi. Food enters the Yin (interior), generating Yang Qi in the Yang (exterior/functional aspects), circulating day and night, flowing throughout the interior and exterior. If respiration/Qi movement ceases even for a moment, accumulations or masses may form, leading to abdominal distension and anorexia, or the retention of phlegm and fluids. Consequently, muscles emaciate, wheezing, coughing, vomiting, and hiccups arise, various symptoms swarm forth, and the Shen mechanism (vital spirit/life force) becomes severed. Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) is the master formula for regulating Qi. Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix) induces harmonious Qi; Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma) cultivates the Middle Jiao (Spleen/Stomach); Fu Ling (Poria) clears the Zhi Jie (Governance and Regulation, referring to the Lung); Gan Cao (Licorice Root) harmonizes the Five Zang organs. Once all Qi is regulated, where would disease come from? However, to restore order, one cannot govern through non-action (Wu Wei). One must employ Qi-moving herbs to assist, so that tonifying herbs do not become cloying and stagnant. Therefore, Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) is added to diffuse the rebellious Qi of Metal (Lung); Ban Xia (Pinelliae Tuber) to disperse dampness in Earth (Spleen), thereby eliminating phlegm and fluids. Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix) is added to move stagnant Qi in the San Jiao (Triple Burner); Sha Ren (Amomi Fructus) to unblock the Yuan Qi (Original Qi) of the Spleen and Kidney, thereby opening depression. With these four assistants, Si Jun Zi Tang's tonifying power is doubly disseminated; with Si Jun Zi Tang as the foundation, the four assistants greatly strengthen the Yuan Qi. This is likely the mutual reinforcement that enhances efficacy.
It treats Yin deficiency with internal heat, headache, thirst, exterior heat with spontaneous sweating, intolerance to wind-cold, a flooding pulse, mental restlessness, fatigue in the four limbs, and reluctance to speak.
[Verse] Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang contains Ren Shen, Gan Cao, Bai Zhu, Dang Gui, and Chen Pi; obtaining Sheng Ma and Chai Hu makes its efficacy more miraculous. (Huang Qi [Astragali Radix], honey-fried, 1.5 qian; Ren Shen [Ginseng Radix], Gan Cao [Licorice Root, roasted], and Bai Zhu [Atractylodis Rhizoma], each 1 qian; Chen Pi [Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium] and Dang Gui Shen [Angelicae Sinensis Radix], each 0.5 qian; Sheng Ma [Cimicifugae Rhizoma] and Chai Hu [Bupleuri Radix], each 0.3 qian. Decoct with Sheng Jiang [Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens] and Da Zao [Jujubae Fructus].) It excels uniquely in treating injury by fatigue and overwork; it is also precious for exterior contraction due to Yang deficiency.
Ke Yunbo said: Zhang Zhongjing had two methods: Jian Zhong Tang (Middle-Builder Decoction) and Li Zhong Tang (Regulate the Middle Decoction). When Wind Wood pathogen invades the Middle Qi internally, Jian Zhong Tang is used; when Cold Water pathogen overwhelms the Middle Qi internally, Li Zhong Tang is used. As for cases where fatigue leads to decline in form and Qi, and Yin deficiency generates internal heat (here, "Yin" refers to Tai Yin/Spleen). The exterior symptoms resemble external contraction, but only Li Dongyuan knew this was Spleen injury from fatigue, where Grain Qi is insufficient, and Yang Qi sinks into the Yin causing fever. Thus, he formulated Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. By utilizing releasing herbs, the Middle Qi is secured; by relying on clearing herbs, the Qi-tonifying effect is doubled. This is the subtlety of mutually assisting medication. This formula, when used to tonify the Spleen, allows the Earth pathway to be humble yet ascend (Spleen governs ascending clear Yang), and can also tonify the Heart and Lungs. For Lung damage, benefit its Qi; for Heart damage, regulate Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi). It can also tonify Liver Wood; if there is depression, use dispersing methods. It is唯独 unsuitable for the Kidney. For Yin deficiency below, ascending is inappropriate; for Yang deficiency below, ascending is even more inappropriate.