典藏书目

In summer, Yin-cold lurks within the body; this is fundamentally the correct principle of the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang between Heaven and Earth. However, Zhu Danxi specifically formulated this argument, which contradicts its true meaning, thereby causing doubt among people. What exactly did he say? Observing his discussion: "Humans and Heaven and Earth share the same 'tuoyu' (bellows, metaphor for the movement of Qi in nature). In the Zi month (11th lunar month), one Yang is born; this is when Yang first stirs. In the Yin month (1st lunar month), three Yangs are born; this is when Yang first emerges from the earth; this represents the ascending phase of Qi. In the Si month (4th lunar month), six Yangs are born; Yang has completely emerged upwards; this represents the floating phase of Qi. The human abdomen corresponds to the Earth. At this time, Qi floats on the muscle surface and scatters into the skin and hair, leaving the abdomen empty. When people say 'Yin lurks inside during summer,' the character 'Yin' here carries the meaning of 'deficiency.' If it is interpreted as 'coolness or cold,' the error is significant. Moreover, at this time, Yang floats above ground, blazing like fire, melting metals and scorching stones; where is there any coolness or cold? If one recklessly administers warming and hot herbs during the Fire command period of summer, how can one avoid the harm of 'making excess more excessive and deficiency more deficient'!" Danxi's statement regarding 'deficiency' is indeed reasonable. However, if one considers the term 'Yin-cold' to be erroneous and thus advocates prohibiting warming and hot herbs in summer, I cannot agree with this view.

Why do I hold this view? The way of Heaven and Earth consists solely of Yin and Yang. The changes of Yin and Yang consist solely of waxing and waning. Thus, as one comes, another goes; as one ascends, another descends. The mechanism of creation lies precisely in their mutual containment and utilization. The Classics state: "Yin governs cold, Yang governs heat." It also states: "When Qi is substantial, it is heat; when Qi is deficient, it is cold." This is the inherent nature of Yin and Yang. Now, if it is claimed that the Yang of summer floats entirely outward, then Yin must lurk inward. When Yin is abundant, Yang declines; is this not cold? When Yang floats outward, Qi becomes deficient internally. Qi deficiency is equivalent to Yang deficiency; is this not cold? This is indeed an unchangeable principle. However, there is an even more obvious evidence found in well water. During the bitter cold of the three winter months, well water remains warm; during the sweltering heat of midsummer, spring sources remain cold. Is this not clear proof of 'cold outside and heat inside, and heat outside and cold inside'? This occurs every year and is a regular phenomenon of the dominant Qi (Zhu Qi). Beyond the dominant Qi, there is also the controlling Qi (Ke Qi). Heaven cycles through Five Movements, and Earth completes Six Qi. Cold and warmth alternate, and climates respond differently. For instance, in the 'Fu Ming' cycle, cold and clarity frequently occur; in the 'Bei Jian' cycle, wind and cold arise together; in the 'Jian Cheng' cycle, Yang Qi follows Yin in governance and transformation; in the 'Liu Yan' cycle, Cold governs the transformation of things, and Heaven and Earth are strictly frozen; when Taiyang governs the upper realm, Cold Qi descends, and cold clarity frequently occurs; when Taiyin governs the upper realm, the Earth stores Yin, and severe cold arrives. These principles show that regardless of winter or summer, there are non-seasonal climatic factors that trigger diseases in the people. How can one claim there is no cold simply because summer is the Fire command period, and thus prohibit warming herbs? Furthermore, the meaning of 'lurking Yin' is originally discussed in terms of the opposition of Yin and Yang, and cold and heat. If 'Yin' is merely interpreted as 'deficiency,' then summer lurking Yin should result in many deficiency syndromes, while winter lurking Yang would have no deficiency. Is this really the case? Additionally, if warming herbs are prohibited in summer, then cooling herbs should be prohibited in winter, which goes without saying. Currently, we see that in seasonal diseases, vomiting and diarrhea are common in midsummer, while sores and rashes are prevalent in deep winter. Are these not examples of internal heat being common in winter and middle-jiao cold being common in summer? In summary, summer has both heat syndromes and cold syndromes; winter has both excess syndromes and deficiency syndromes. Although treatment should follow the season and the syndrome, prioritizing adaptation to the specific disease, the meaning of 'summer lurking Yin' is actually a resonance between Heaven and humanity, and a mystery of disease. It is something that must not be neglected or ignored. Danxi's argument, therefore, contrad reason and offers little practical utility. Even without this argument, what harm would there be?

Recently, Xu Donggao also expounded upon Danxi's theory, stating: "There is no cold in summer. People fail to examine this and use warming herbs, which has become a common malpractice in the world. If one says that summer lurking Yin warrants warming herbs, then winter lurking Summer-Yang warrants cooling herbs. If so, does Mencius's saying about drinking hot soup in winter and cold water in summer lack credibility?" Alas! This was a statement by Gongduzi, used merely as a metaphor for internal and external relations, originally not intended to analyze Yin and Yang. Yet Xu distortedly cited it as evidence. Did he not consider that the scriptural and I Ching meanings might contradict each other? The Neijing states: "Within Yin there is Yang, and within Yang there is Yin." It also states: "Extreme cold generates heat; extreme heat generates cold." It states: "Heavy Yin transforms into Yang; heavy Yang transforms into Yin." It states: "Below the Ministerial Fire, Water Qi acts as a counterbalance; below the Sovereign Fire, Yin Essence acts as a counterbalance." It further states: "These are all instances of mutual correspondence between Yin and Yang, interior and exterior, male and female, thus responding to the Yin and Yang of Heaven." Similarly, in the I Ching, the Two Modes (Liangyi) imply that where there is Yin, there must be Yang. From Two Modes to Four Images, there is Yin and Yang within Yin and Yang. In the hexigram Tai, it means "Yang inside and Yin outside," indicating the growth of the Way of the Gentleman and the decline of the Way of the Petty Man. In the hexigram Pi, it means "Yin inside and Yang outside," indicating the growth of the Way of the Petty Man and the decline of the Way of the Gentleman. From this perspective, I do not believe in Danxi's argument nor Xu Donggao's citations. Therefore, I have written this continuation of the discussion.