余向释《内经》，于君火以明，相火以位之义，说固详矣，而似犹有未尽者。及见东垣
云∶相火者，下焦包络之火，元气之贼也，丹溪亦述而证之。予闻此说，尝掩口而笑，而觉
其不察之甚也。由此兴感，因再绎之。
夫《内经》发明火义，而以君相明位四字为目，此四字者，个个着实，是诚至道之纲领
，有不可不阐扬其精义者。亦何以见之？盖君道惟神，其用在虚；相道惟力，其用在实。故
君之能神者，以其明也；相之能力者，以其位也。明者明于上，为化育之元主；位者位于下
，为神明之洪基。此君相相成之大道，而有此天不可无此地，有此君不可无此相也，明矣。
君相之义，岂泛言哉！
至若五运之分，各职其一，惟于火字独言君相，而他则不及者何也？盖两间生气，总曰
元气，元气惟阳为主，阳气惟火而已。第火之为用，其道最微，请以火象证之。如轻清而光
焰于上者，火之明也；重实而温蓄于下者，火之位也。明即位之神，无明则神用无由以着；
位即明之本，无位则光焰何从以生。故君火之变化于无穷，总赖此相火之栽根于有地，虽分
之则一而二，而总之则二而一者也。此君火相火之辨。凡其为生化，为盛衰，为本末，重轻
攸系，从可知矣。人生所赖者惟此，故《内经》特以为言。
然在《内经》则但表其大义，原无分属之条，惟《刺禁论》曰∶七节之傍，中有小心。
此固隐然有相火所居之意。故后世诸家咸谓相火寄在命门，是固然矣。然以予之见，则见君
相之义，无藏不有。又何以辨之？盖总言大体，则相火当在命门，谓根 在下，为枝叶
之本也。析言职守，则脏腑各有君相，谓志意所出，无不从乎形质也。故凡以心之神，肺之
气，脾胃之仓廪，肝胆之谋勇，两肾之伎巧变化，亦总皆发见之神奇，使无其地，何以生此
？使地有不浓，何以蕃此？此皆从位字发生，而五脏各有位，则五脏亦各有相，相强则君强，
此相道之关系，从可知矣。故圣人特命此名，诚重之也。而后人指之为贼，抑何异耶！此万
世之疑窦，故予不得不辨。
或曰∶是若谬矣。第彼之指为贼者，亦有深意。盖谓人之情欲多有妄动，动则俱能起火
，火盛致伤元气，即所谓元气之贼，亦何不可？予曰∶此固邪正之歧，最当明辨者也。夫情
欲之动，邪念也，邪念之火为邪气。君相之火，正气也，正气之蓄为元气。其在身家，譬之
产业，贤者能守之。不肖者能荡之。罪与不罪，在子孙之废与不废， 基何与焉？相火
之义亦犹此耳。夫既以相称之，而竟以贼名之，其失圣人之意也远矣。且凡火之贼伤人者，
非君相之真火，无论在内在外，皆邪火耳。邪火可言贼，相火不可言贼也。矧六贼之中，火
惟居一，何二子独知畏火，其甚如是，而并昧邪正之大义，亦何谓耶？予闻其言，固知其错
认面目矣，不觉因而失笑。
我过去注释《黄帝内经》时，对于“君火以明，相火以位”的含义，解释得已经很详细了，但似乎还有未尽之处。等到看到李东垣说：“相火，是下焦包络之火，是元气的贼害”，朱丹溪也阐述并证实了这一观点。我听到这种说法，曾掩口而笑，觉得他们观察得非常不透彻。由此产生感慨，因此再次推演探讨这一理论。
《黄帝内经》阐发火的义理，用“君、相、明、位”四个字作为纲领，这四个字个个切实有用，这确实是至高之道的纲领，有不可不阐明其精义的地方。怎么见得呢？大概君道的特点是神妙，其作用在于虚空；相道的特点是力量，其作用在于实存。所以君火之所以能显神妙，是因为它光明；相火之所以能显力量，是因为它有定位。光明体现在上方，是化育万物的根本主宰；定位体现在下方，是神明活动的宏大基础。这是君火与相火相辅相成的根本大道，有了天就不能没有地，有了君主就不能没有宰相，这是显而易见的。君火与相火的含义，难道是泛泛之谈吗！
至于五运六气中各有所职，唯独对“火”字单独提及君相，而其他五行则不及此，为什么呢？大概天地间的生气，统称为元气，元气以阳气为主，阳气就是火罢了。只是火的作用，其道最为微妙，请允许用火的形象来证明它。比如轻清而光芒火焰在上的，是火的“明”；重实而温热蓄积在下的，是火的“位”。明是位的神用，没有明，神用的功能就无法显现；位是明的根本，没有位，光芒火焰从哪里产生呢？所以君火的变化无穷无尽，总依赖相火在有根基的地方扎根，虽然分开看是一分为二，但总体看是二合为一。这就是君火与相火的区别。凡是涉及生化、盛衰、本末、轻重所系的关键，从此就可以知道了。人生所依赖的只有这个，所以《黄帝内经》特别对此进行论述。
然而在《黄帝内经》中只表达了大义，原本并没有明确分属的条文，只有《刺禁论》中说：“第七椎骨旁边，中有小心。”这固然隐约含有相火居所的意思。所以后世各家都说相火寄居在命门，这也是对的。但是依我的见解，君火与相火的含义，没有哪个脏器是不具备的。又怎么辨别呢？如果从大体上来说，相火应当在命门，因为根在下部，是枝叶的根本。如果从具体职守来分析，脏腑各有君火和相火，意思是意志意念的产生，无不依赖于形体实质。所以凡是心的神妙、肺的气机、脾胃的仓廪功能、肝胆的谋略与勇敢、两肾的技巧与变化，也都总括为显现的神奇，如果没有这些位置（脏腑实体），怎么能产生这些功能呢？如果地基不深厚，怎么能繁茂这些功能呢？这些都是从“位”字引申出来的，五脏各有其位，那么五脏也各有其相，相强则君强，相道的重要性，从此就可以知道了。所以圣人特意赋予这个名字，确实是很重视的。而后人却把它指认为贼害，这多么荒谬啊！这是万世的疑窦，所以我不得不辩驳。
有人说：“这种说法如果是错误的，那么他们将其指认为贼害，也有深意。大概是指人的情欲多有妄动，一动就能起火，火盛导致损伤元气，也就是所谓的元气的贼害，又有什么不可以呢？”我说：“这固然是邪正的分歧，是最应当明辨的。情欲的发动，是邪念，邪念产生的火是邪气。君火和相火，是正气，正气的蓄积就是元气。这就好比在家业中，贤能的人能守住它，不肖的人能挥霍它。罪过与否，取决于子孙是否继承家业，这与家业本身有什么关系呢？相火的含义也是如此。既然称它为‘相’，却竟然用‘贼’来命名，这就大大违背了圣人的本意了。而且凡是伤害人的火之贼害，都不是君火和相火的真火，无论在内在外，都是邪火罢了。邪火可以称为贼，相火不可以称为贼。况且六贼之中，火只占其一，为什么这两个人唯独害怕火，竟然如此严重，却同时不明白邪正的大义，这叫什么话呢？我听到他们的言论，本来就知道他们认错了面目，不禁因此失笑。”
In my previous commentary on the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), I explained the meaning of "Jun Huo (Minister Fire) is bright, and Xiang Huo (Ministerial Fire) has its position" in considerable detail, yet it seems there were still aspects left unexplored. Upon seeing Li Dongyuan state: "Xiang Huo (Ministerial Fire) is the fire of the pericardium and lower jiao (Lower Burner), and it is a thief of Yuan Qi (Primal Energy)," and noting that Zhu Danxi also elaborated and corroborated this view, I heard this saying and covered my mouth in laughter, feeling their observation to be extremely superficial. This prompted me to reflect further, so I re-examined this theory.
The *Huangdi Neijing* elucidates the concept of fire, using the four characters "Jun (Sovereign/Minister), Xiang (Ministerial), Ming (Bright), Wei (Position)" as its heading. These four characters are each substantial and practical; they are indeed the outline of the supreme Dao, and their profound meaning must not fail to be expounded. How do we know this? Generally, the way of the Sovereign lies in spirit, and its function resides in emptiness; the way of the Minister lies in power, and its function resides in substance. Thus, the Sovereign Fire manifests spirit because it is bright; the Ministerial Fire manifests power because it has a fixed position. Brightness is above, serving as the primary master of transformation and generation; Position is below, serving as the grand foundation for spiritual activities. This is the great principle of mutual completion between Sovereign and Ministerial Fire: just as heaven cannot exist without earth, a sovereign cannot exist without a minister, which is obvious. The meaning of Sovereign and Ministerial Fire is certainly not mere generalization!
Regarding the distribution of the Five Movements and Six Qi, each governs its respective element, yet only regarding "Fire" are the terms Sovereign and Ministerial used, while other elements are not mentioned thus. Why is this? The vital qi within heaven and earth is collectively called Yuan Qi (Primal Energy). Yuan Qi is primarily Yang, and Yang is essentially Fire. However, the application of Fire is subtle in its Dao. Let us use the imagery of fire to demonstrate this. Light and clear flames shining upward represent the "Brightness" of fire; heavy and solid warmth accumulating downward represents the "Position" of fire. Brightness is the spiritual function of Position; without brightness, the function of spirit cannot manifest. Position is the root of Brightness; without position, from where would the flame arise? Therefore, the infinite transformations of Jun Huo (Minister Fire) rely entirely on Xiang Huo (Ministerial Fire) taking root in a specific location. Although divided, it is one into two; although combined, it is two into one. This is the distinction between Jun Huo and Xiang Huo. From this, it can be known how crucial these distinctions are for transformation, generation, prosperity, decline, origin, branch, weight, and lightness. Human life relies solely on this, which is why the *Huangdi Neijing* specifically discusses it.
However, in the *Huangdi Neijing*, only the broad principles are expressed, with no original explicit clauses assigning them to specific locations. Only in the *Ci Jin Lun* (Treatise on Acupuncture Taboos) does it say: "Beside the seventh vertebra, there is the 'Small Heart'." This implicitly suggests the dwelling place of Xiang Huo (Ministerial Fire). Thus, later scholars generally believed that Xiang Huo resides in the Mingmen (Gate of Life), which is correct. But from my perspective, the meaning of Jun Huo and Xiang Huo exists in every organ. How can we distinguish this? Speaking generally, Xiang Huo should be in the Mingmen, as the root is below, serving as the foundation for branches and leaves. Speaking specifically regarding duties, each zang-fu organ has its own Jun Huo and Xiang Huo, meaning that will and intention emerge from physical substance. Thus, the spirituality of the Heart, the qi of the Lung, the granary functions of the Spleen and Stomach, the strategy and courage of the Liver and Gallbladder, and the ingenuity and changes of the two Kidneys are all manifestations of miraculous power. If there were no positions (organs), how could these functions arise? If the foundation were not deep, how could these functions flourish? All these stem from the character "Wei" (Position). Since each of the five zang organs has a position, each has its own Xiang Huo. When the Xiang is strong, the Jun is strong. The significance of the Ministerial Way can thus be understood. Therefore, the sages specially named it, truly valuing it highly. Yet later generations labeled it a "thief," how absurd is this! This is a doubt spanning ten thousand ages, so I must refute it.
Someone might say: "If this is erroneous, then their labeling it a 'thief' also has deep meaning. They likely mean that human desires often move recklessly; when moved, they generate fire. Excessive fire damages Yuan Qi (Primal Energy), which is what is meant by 'the thief of Yuan Qi.' Is this not acceptable?" I reply: "This is indeed a divergence between righteous and evil paths, requiring utmost clarity. The movement of desires is an evil thought; the fire generated by evil thoughts is evil qi. Jun Huo and Xiang Huo are righteous qi; the accumulation of righteous qi is Yuan Qi. Consider this analogy: in a family estate, a virtuous person can guard it, while an unworthy person can squander it. Whether there is guilt or innocence depends on whether descendants maintain the estate; what does this have to do with the estate itself? The meaning of Xiang Huo is similar. Since it is called 'Xiang' (Minister), to label it 'thief' is far from the intent of the sages. Moreover, any fire that harms people as a 'thief' is not the true fire of Jun or Xiang; whether internal or external, it is merely evil fire. Evil fire can be called a thief, but Xiang Huo cannot. Furthermore, among the six thieves, fire occupies only one. Why did these two individuals fear fire so excessively, while simultaneously ignoring the major principle of distinguishing right from wrong? What kind of reasoning is this? Hearing their words, I knew they had mistaken the face of reality, and I could not help but laugh."