岐伯曰∶五味入胃，各归所喜。酸先入肝，苦先入心，甘先入脾，辛先入肺，咸先入
肾。久而增气，物化之常；气增而久，夭之由也。
王冰曰∶入肝为温，入心为热，入肺为清，入肾为寒，入脾为至阴而四气兼之，皆为
增其味而益其气。故各从本脏之气，久则从化。故久服黄连、苦参反热，从苦化也。余味
仿此。气增不已，则脏气偏胜，必有偏绝；脏有偏绝，必有暴夭。是以药不具五味，不备
四气，而久服之，虽暂获胜，久必致夭。故绝粒服饵者，不暴亡，无五味资助也。
杲曰∶一阴一阳之谓道，偏阴偏阳之谓疾。阳剂刚胜，积若燎原，为消、狂、痈疽之
属，则天癸竭而荣涸。阴剂柔胜，积若凝水，为洞泄、寒中之病，则真火微而卫散。故大
寒、大热之药，当从权用之，气平而止。有所偏助，令人脏气不平，夭之由也。
李杲曰∶夫治病者，当知标本。以身论之，外为标，内为本；阳为标，阴为本。
故六腑属阳为标，五脏属阴为本；脏腑在内为本，十二经络在外为标。而脏腑、阴阳
、气血、经络，又各有标本焉。以病论之，先受为本，后传为标。故百病必先治其本，后
治其标。否则邪气滋甚，其病益蓄。纵先生轻病，后生重病，亦先治其轻，后治其重，则
邪气乃伏。有中满及病大小便不利，则无问先后标本，必先治满及大小便，为其急也。故
曰∶缓则治其本，急则治其标。又从前来者，为实邪；后来者，为虚邪。实则泻其子，虚
则补其母。假如肝受心火，为前来实邪，当于肝经刺荣穴以泻心火，为先治其本；于心经
刺荣穴以泻心火，为后治其标。用药则入肝之药为引，用泻心之药为君。《经》云∶本而标
之，先治其本，后治其标是也。又如肝受肾水为虚邪，当于肾经刺井穴以补肝木，为先治
其标；后于肝经刺合穴以泻肾水，为后治其本。用药则入肾之药为引，补肝之药为君。《经
》云∶标而本之，先治其标，后治其本是也。
岐伯说：五味进入胃中，各自归属于它所喜好的脏腑。酸味先入肝，苦味先入心，甘味先入脾，辛味先入肺，咸味先入肾。长期食用会使相应脏腑之气增加，这是事物变化的常规规律；但如果气机增加的时间过长，就会导致早夭，这是致病的原因。
王冰说：（五味）入肝表现为温性，入心表现为热性，入肺表现为清性，入肾表现为寒性，入脾属于至阴而兼有四季之气，这些都是通过增加味道来增益相应的脏气。因此，各味都顺应本脏的气化特性，久服就会发生从化现象。所以长期服用黄连、苦参反而会产生热象，这是因为从苦味所化的结果。其他味道也可以依此类推。如果气机增加不停止，就会导致脏气偏盛，必然出现某方面功能的衰竭；脏气出现偏废衰竭，必然导致突然死亡。因此，药物如果不具备完整的五味，也不备齐四气，长期服用虽然暂时获得疗效，但长久必致早夭。所以那些断绝谷物只服药饵的人，之所以没有突然死亡，是因为缺乏五味的资助。
李杲说：一阴一阳交替运行叫做“道”，偏于阴或偏于阳叫做“疾”。阳剂刚强胜则积聚如烈火燎原，导致消渴、发狂、痈疽等疾病，致使天癸枯竭、营血干涸。阴剂柔顺胜则积聚如凝水，导致洞泄、寒中等疾病，致使真火微弱、卫气散失。所以大寒、大热的药物，应当权变使用，待气机平和就停止。有所偏颇地助长，会使人脏气不平衡，这是导致早夭的原因。
李杲又说：治病的人，应当懂得标本的道理。以身体而言，外部为标，内部为本；阳为标，阴为本。所以六腑属阳为标，五脏属阴为本；脏腑在体内为本，十二经络在体表为标。而脏腑、阴阳、气血、经络，又各自有标本之分。以疾病而言，先受邪为本，后传变为标。所以各种疾病必须先治其本，后治其标。否则邪气会更加猖獗，病情会更加蓄积。即使先产生轻病，后产生重病，也应当先治轻病，后治重病，这样邪气才能潜伏消退。如果有脘腹胀满以及大小便不通利的情况，则不论先后标本，都必须先治疗胀满及大小便不通，因为这是急症。所以说：病势缓则治其本，病势急则治其标。又从五行相生关系来看，母病及子（从前来者），称为实邪；子病及母（后来者），称为虚邪。实证应当泻其子，虚证应当补其母。假如肝受到心火的侵害，这是从前来者的实邪，应当在肝经刺荣穴以泻心火，这是先治其本；或者在心经刺荣穴以泻心火，这是后治其标。用药时，入肝的药作为引经药，泻心的药作为君药。《内经》说：本而标之，即先治其本，后治其标，就是这个意思。又如肝受到肾水的侵害，这是虚邪，应当在肾经刺井穴以补肝木，这是先治其标；后在肝经刺合穴以泻肾水，这是后治其本。用药时，入肾的药作为引经药，补肝的药作为君药。《内经》说：标而本之，即先治其标，后治其本，就是这个意思。
Qibo said: The five flavors enter the stomach and each returns to its preferred organ. Sourness first enters the Liver, bitterness first enters the Heart, sweetness first enters the Spleen, pungency first enters the Lung, and saltiness first enters the Kidney. Long-term consumption increases the Qi of the respective organs, which is the normal law of transformation; however, if this increase in Qi persists for too long, it becomes the cause of premature death.
Wang Bing stated: Entering the Liver manifests as Warmth, entering the Heart as Heat, entering the Lung as Coolness, entering the Kidney as Cold, and entering the Spleen as Supreme Yin, which encompasses the four Qi of the seasons. All these act by increasing the flavor to benefit the corresponding organ's Qi. Therefore, each follows the Qi of its root organ, and long-term use leads to transformation according to that nature. Thus, long-term consumption of Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) or Kushen (Sophorae Flavescentis Radix) may paradoxically generate Heat, due to transformation from Bitterness. The other flavors follow this pattern. If the increase in Qi does not cease, it leads to an excess of one Zang organ's Qi and a subsequent deficiency in another; such deficiency inevitably leads to sudden death. Therefore, if medicines lack the complete Five Flavors or the Four Qi, although they may yield temporary benefits, long-term use will inevitably cause premature death. This is why those who abstain from grains and only take medicinal herbs do not die suddenly, because they lack the support of the Five Flavors.
Gao stated: The alternation of Yin and Yang is called the Dao (Way); deviation towards either Yin or Yang is called disease. If Yang agents dominate with rigidity, accumulation resembles a raging fire, leading to conditions such as Xiao Ke (Wasting and Thirsting), Kuang (Mania), and Yong Ju (Carbuncles and Sores), resulting in the exhaustion of Tian Gui (Heavenly Water/Reproductive Essence) and depletion of Ying Blood (Nutritive Blood). If Yin agents dominate with softness, accumulation resembles congealed water, leading to conditions such as Dong Xie (Profuse Diarrhea) and Han Zhong (Cold in the Middle Jiao), resulting in the weakening of True Fire and dispersion of Wei Qi (Defensive Qi). Therefore, drugs of extreme Cold or extreme Heat should be used flexibly and discontinued once the Qi returns to balance. Any biased assistance causes imbalance in Zang organ Qi, which is the cause of premature death.
Gao further stated: In treating diseases, one must understand the principles of Root (Ben) and Branch (Biao). Regarding the body, the exterior is the Branch, and the interior is the Root; Yang is the Branch, and Yin is the Root. Thus, the Six Fu Organs belong to Yang and are the Branch, while the Five Zang Organs belong to Yin and are the Root; the Zang and Fu organs within are the Root, and the Twelve Meridians on the exterior are the Branch. Furthermore, the Zang and Fu organs, Yin and Yang, Qi and Blood, and meridians each have their own Root and Branch aspects. Regarding disease, the initial manifestation is the Root, and subsequent transmission is the Branch. Therefore, all diseases should be treated at the Root first, and then at the Branch. Otherwise, pathogenic factors will intensify, and the disease will accumulate. Even if a mild condition arises first and a severe one later, one should treat the mild condition first and the severe one later, so that pathogenic factors can be subdued. However, in cases of abdominal fullness or difficulty in urination and defecation, regardless of the sequence of Root and Branch, treatment must prioritize relieving fullness and restoring bowel/bladder function, as these are emergencies. Thus it is said: When the condition is slow, treat the Root; when urgent, treat the Branch. Furthermore, transmission from the generating element (Mother to Child) constitutes Excess Pathogen (Shi Xie); transmission from the generated element (Child to Mother) constitutes Deficient Pathogen (Xu Xie). For Excess, drain the Child; for Deficiency, tonify the Mother. For example, if the Liver is affected by Heart Fire, this is an Excess Pathogen coming from the source. One should puncture the Ying-Spring acupoint on the Liver Meridian to drain Heart Fire, which is treating the Root first; or puncture the Ying-Spring acupoint on the Heart Meridian to drain Heart Fire, which is treating the Branch first. In herbal prescription, herbs entering the Liver serve as guiding herbs, while herbs draining the Heart serve as Sovereign herbs. The Classic states: "Root then Branch," meaning treat the Root first, then the Branch. Conversely, if the Liver is affected by Kidney Water, this is a Deficient Pathogen. One should puncture the Jing-Well acupoint on the Kidney Meridian to tonify Liver Wood, which is treating the Branch first; then puncture the He-Sea acupoint on the Liver Meridian to drain Kidney Water, which is treating the Root second. In herbal prescription, herbs entering the Kidney serve as guiding herbs, while herbs tonifying the Liver serve as Sovereign herbs. The Classic states: "Branch then Root," meaning treat the Branch first, then the Root.