人身不过表里，气血不过虚实。良工先治其实，后治其虚。粗工或治实，或治虚。谬工
则实实、虚虚。惟庸工能补其虚，不敢治其实。举世不省其误，此余所以着三法也。夫病非
人身素有之物，或自外入，或自内生，皆邪气也。邪气中人，去之，可也；揽而留之可乎？
留之轻则久而自尽；甚则久而不已；更甚则暴死矣。若不去邪而先以补剂，是盗未出门而先
修室宇，真气未胜而邪已横骛矣。惟脉脱下虚、无邪无积之人，始可议补尔。他病惟先用三
法，攻去邪气，而元气自复也。《素问》一书，言辛甘发散、淡渗泄为阳，酸、苦、咸涌泄
为阴。发散归于汗，涌归于吐，泄归于下。渗为解表同于汗；泄为利小便同于下，殊不言补。
所谓补者，辛补肝，咸补心，甘补肾，酸补脾，苦补肺，更相君臣佐使，皆以发腠理、致津
液、通气血而已，非今人所用温燥邪僻之补也。盖草木皆以治病，病去则五谷、果、菜、肉
皆补物也，犹当辨其五脏所宜，毋使偏倾可也。若以药为补，虽甘草、苦参，久服必有偏胜
增气而夭之虑，况大毒有毒乎？是故三法犹刑罚也；粱肉犹德教也。治乱用刑，治治用德，
理也。余用三法，常兼众法，有按有跷，有 有导，有减增，有续止。医者不得余法而反诬
之，哀哉！如引涎漉涎、取嚏追泪，凡上行者，皆吐法也。熏蒸、渫洗、熨烙、针刺、砭射、
导引、按摩，凡解表者，皆汗法也。催生、下乳、磨积、逐水、破经、泄气，凡下行者，皆
下法也。天之六气，风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火，发病多在上；地之六气，雾、露、雨、雪、
水、泥，发病多在乎下；人之六味，酸、苦、甘、辛、咸、淡，发病多在乎中。发病者三，
出病者亦三。风寒之邪，结搏于皮肤之间，滞于经络之内，留而不去，或发痛注麻痹、肿痒
拘挛，皆可汗而出之。痰饮宿食在胸膈为诸病，皆可涌而出之。寒湿固冷火热客下焦发为诸
病，皆可泄而出之。吐中有汗，下中有补。《经》云∶知其要者，一言而终，是之谓也。
吐法（凡病在胸膈中脘以上者，皆宜吐之。考之本草∶吐药之苦寒者，瓜蒂、栀子、茶
末、豆豉、黄连、苦参、大黄、黄芩。辛苦而寒者，常山、藜芦、郁金；甘而寒者，桐油。
甘而温者，牛肉。甘苦而寒者，地黄、人参芦。苦而温者，青木香、桔梗芦、远志、浓朴。
辛苦而温者，薄荷、芫花、菘萝；辛而温者，萝卜子、谷精草、葱根须、杜衡、皂荚；辛而
寒者，胆矾、石绿、石青。辛而温者，蝎梢、乌梅、乌头、附子尖、轻粉。酸而寒者，晋矾、
绿矾、齑汁。酸而平者，铜绿。甘酸而平者，赤小豆。酸而温者，饭浆。咸而寒者，青盐、
沧盐、白米饮。甘而寒者，牙硝。辛而热者，砒石。诸药惟常山、胆矾、瓜蒂有小毒。藜芦、
芫花、乌、附、砒石有大毒；他皆吐药之无毒者。凡用法∶先宜少服；不涌渐加之，仍以鸡
羽撩之；不出，以齑投之；不吐再投，且投且探，无不吐者。吐至瞑眩，慎勿惊疑，但饮冰
水新水立解。强者可一吐而安；弱者作三次吐之。吐之次日，有顿快者；有转甚者，引之未
尽也，俟数日再吐之。吐后不禁物，惟忌饱食酸咸硬物干物、油肥之物。吐后心火既降，阴
道必强，大禁房室悲忧，病患既不自责，必归罪于吐法也。不可吐者有八∶性刚暴好怒喜淫
者；病势已危老弱气衰者；自吐不止者；阳败血虚者；吐血咯血衄血嗽血崩血溺血者；病患
粗知医书不辨邪正者；病患无正性反复不定者；左右多嘈杂之言者，皆不可吐。吐则转生他
病，反起谤端；虽恳切求之，不可强从也。
汗法 风寒暑湿之邪，入于皮肤之间而未深，欲速去之，莫如发汗，所以开玄府而逐邪
气也。然有数法∶有温热发汗，寒凉发汗，熏渍发汗，导引发汗，皆所以开玄府而逐邪气也。
以本草校之∶荆芥、薄荷、白芷、陈皮、半夏、细辛、苍术、天麻、生姜、葱白，皆辛而温
者也。蜀椒、胡椒、茱萸、大蒜，皆辛而热者也。青皮、防己、秦艽，其辛而平者乎。麻黄、
人参、大枣，其甘而温者乎。葛根、赤茯苓，其甘而平者乎。桑白皮，其甘而寒者乎。防风、
当归，其甘辛而温者乎。官桂、桂枝，其甘辛而大热者乎。浓朴、桔梗，其苦而温者乎。黄
芩、知母、枳实、苦参、地骨皮、柴胡、前胡，其苦而寒者乎。羌活、独活，其苦辛而微温
者乎。升麻，其苦甘且平者乎。芍药，其酸而微寒者乎。浮萍，其辛酸而寒者乎。凡此皆发
散之属也。善择者，当热而热，当寒而寒；不善择者反此，则病有变也。发汗中病则止，不
必尽剂。凡破伤风、小儿惊风、飧泄不止、酒病火病，皆宜汗之，所谓火郁则发
下法 积聚陈 于中，留结寒热于内，必用下之。陈 去而肠胃洁，症瘕尽而营卫通，
下之者所以补之也。庸工妄投，当寒反热，当热反寒，故谓下为害也。考以本草∶下之寒者，
戎盐之咸，犀角之酸咸，沧盐、泽泻之甘咸，枳实之苦酸，腻粉之辛，泽漆之苦辛，杏仁之
苦甘。下之微寒者，猪胆之苦。下之大寒者，牙硝之甘，大黄、牵牛、瓜蒂、苦瓠、牛胆、
蓝汁、羊蹄根苗之苦，大戟、甘遂之苦甘，朴硝、芒硝之苦咸。下之温者，槟榔之辛，芫花
之苦辛，石蜜之甘，皂角之辛咸。下之热者，巴豆之辛。下之凉者，猪羊血之咸。下之平者
，郁李仁之酸，桃花之苦，皆下药也。惟巴豆性热，非寒积不可轻用；妄下则使人津液涸竭
，留毒不去，胸热口燥，转生他病也。其不可下者凡四∶洞泄寒中者，表里俱虚者，厥而唇
青手足冷者，小儿病后慢惊者，误下必致杀人。其余大积大聚、大痞大秘、大燥大坚，非下
不可，但须寒热积气用之，中病则止，不必尽剂也。
人身不过表里，气血不过虚实。良工先治其实，后治其虚。粗工或治实，或治虚。谬工 则实实、虚虚。惟庸工能补其虚，不敢治其实。举世不省其误，此余所以着三法也。夫病非 人身素有之物，或自外入，或自内生，皆邪气也。邪气中人，去之，可也；揽而留之可乎？ 留之轻则久而自尽；甚则久而不已；更甚则暴死矣。若不去邪而先以补剂，是盗未出门而先 修室宇，真气未胜而邪已横骛矣。惟脉脱下虚、无邪无积之人，始可议补尔。他病惟先用三 法，攻去邪气，而元气自复也。《素问》一书，言辛甘发散、淡渗泄为阳，酸、苦、咸涌泄 为阴。发散归于汗，涌归于吐，泄归于下。渗为解表同于汗；泄为利小便同于下，殊不言补。 所谓补者，辛补肝，咸补心，甘补肾，酸补脾，苦补肺，更相君臣佐使，皆以发腠理、致津 液、通气血而已，非今人所用温燥邪僻之补也。盖草木皆以治病，病去则五谷、果、菜、肉 皆补物也，犹当辨其五脏所宜，毋使偏倾可也。若以药为补，虽甘草、苦参，久服必有偏胜 增气而夭之虑，况大毒有毒乎？是故三法犹刑罚也；粱肉犹德教也。治乱用刑，治治用德， 理也。余用三法，常兼众法，有按有跷，有 有导，有减增，有续止。医者不得余法而反诬 之，哀哉！如引涎漉涎、取嚏追泪，凡上行者，皆吐法也。熏蒸、渫洗、熨烙、针刺、砭射、 导引、按摩，凡解表者，皆汗法也。催生、下乳、磨积、逐水、破经、泄气，凡下行者，皆 下法也。天之六气，风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火，发病多在上；地之六气，雾、露、雨、雪、 水、泥，发病多在乎下；人之六味，酸、苦、甘、辛、咸、淡，发病多在乎中。发病者三， 出病者亦三。风寒之邪，结搏于皮肤之间，滞于经络之内，留而不去，或发痛注麻痹、肿痒 拘挛，皆可汗而出之。痰饮宿食在胸膈为诸病，皆可涌而出之。寒湿固冷火热客下焦发为诸 病，皆可泄而出之。吐中有汗，下中有补。《经》云∶知其要者，一言而终，是之谓也。
吐法（凡病在胸膈中脘以上者，皆宜吐之。考之本草∶吐药之苦寒者，瓜蒂、栀子、茶 末、豆豉、黄连、苦参、大黄、黄芩。辛苦而寒者，常山、藜芦、郁金；甘而寒者，桐油。 甘而温者，牛肉。甘苦而寒者，地黄、人参芦。苦而温者，青木香、桔梗芦、远志、浓朴。 辛苦而温者，薄荷、芫花、菘萝；辛而温者，萝卜子、谷精草、葱根须、杜衡、皂荚；辛而 寒者，胆矾、石绿、石青。辛而温者，蝎梢、乌梅、乌头、附子尖、轻粉。酸而寒者，晋矾、 绿矾、齑汁。酸而平者，铜绿。甘酸而平者，赤小豆。酸而温者，饭浆。咸而寒者，青盐、 沧盐、白米饮。甘而寒者，牙硝。辛而热者，砒石。诸药惟常山、胆矾、瓜蒂有小毒。藜芦、 芫花、乌、附、砒石有大毒；他皆吐药之无毒者。凡用法∶先宜少服；不涌渐加之，仍以鸡 羽撩之；不出，以齑投之；不吐再投，且投且探，无不吐者。吐至瞑眩，慎勿惊疑，但饮冰 水新水立解。强者可一吐而安；弱者作三次吐之。吐之次日，有顿快者；有转甚者，引之未 尽也，俟数日再吐之。吐后不禁物，惟忌饱食酸咸硬物干物、油肥之物。吐后心火既降，阴 道必强，大禁房室悲忧，病患既不自责，必归罪于吐法也。不可吐者有八∶性刚暴好怒喜淫 者；病势已危老弱气衰者；自吐不止者；阳败血虚者；吐血咯血衄血嗽血崩血溺血者；病患 粗知医书不辨邪正者；病患无正性反复不定者；左右多嘈杂之言者，皆不可吐。吐则转生他 病，反起谤端；虽恳切求之，不可强从也。
汗法 风寒暑湿之邪，入于皮肤之间而未深，欲速去之，莫如发汗，所以开玄府而逐邪 气也。然有数法∶有温热发汗，寒凉发汗，熏渍发汗，导引发汗，皆所以开玄府而逐邪气也。 以本草校之∶荆芥、薄荷、白芷、陈皮、半夏、细辛、苍术、天麻、生姜、葱白，皆辛而温 者也。蜀椒、胡椒、茱萸、大蒜，皆辛而热者也。青皮、防己、秦艽，其辛而平者乎。麻黄、 人参、大枣，其甘而温者乎。葛根、赤茯苓，其甘而平者乎。桑白皮，其甘而寒者乎。防风、 当归，其甘辛而温者乎。官桂、桂枝，其甘辛而大热者乎。浓朴、桔梗，其苦而温者乎。黄 芩、知母、枳实、苦参、地骨皮、柴胡、前胡，其苦而寒者乎。羌活、独活，其苦辛而微温 者乎。升麻，其苦甘且平者乎。芍药，其酸而微寒者乎。浮萍，其辛酸而寒者乎。凡此皆发 散之属也。善择者，当热而热，当寒而寒；不善择者反此，则病有变也。发汗中病则止，不 必尽剂。凡破伤风、小儿惊风、飧泄不止、酒病火病，皆宜汗之，所谓火郁则发
下法 积聚陈 于中，留结寒热于内，必用下之。陈 去而肠胃洁，症瘕尽而营卫通， 下之者所以补之也。庸工妄投，当寒反热，当热反寒，故谓下为害也。考以本草∶下之寒者， 戎盐之咸，犀角之酸咸，沧盐、泽泻之甘咸，枳实之苦酸，腻粉之辛，泽漆之苦辛，杏仁之 苦甘。下之微寒者，猪胆之苦。下之大寒者，牙硝之甘，大黄、牵牛、瓜蒂、苦瓠、牛胆、 蓝汁、羊蹄根苗之苦，大戟、甘遂之苦甘，朴硝、芒硝之苦咸。下之温者，槟榔之辛，芫花 之苦辛，石蜜之甘，皂角之辛咸。下之热者，巴豆之辛。下之凉者，猪羊血之咸。下之平者 ，郁李仁之酸，桃花之苦，皆下药也。惟巴豆性热，非寒积不可轻用；妄下则使人津液涸竭 ，留毒不去，胸热口燥，转生他病也。其不可下者凡四∶洞泄寒中者，表里俱虚者，厥而唇 青手足冷者，小儿病后慢惊者，误下必致杀人。其余大积大聚、大痞大秘、大燥大坚，非下 不可，但须寒热积气用之，中病则止，不必尽剂也。
The human body is limited to exterior and interior; qi and blood are limited to deficiency and excess. A skilled physician first treats excess, then deficiency. An incompetent physician may treat either excess or deficiency. A misguided physician exacerbates excess (making excess more excessive) and deficiency (making deficiency more deficient). Only a mediocre physician can tonify deficiency but dares not treat excess. The world does not realize this error, which is why I have written about these three methods. Disease is not something inherently present in the human body; whether it enters from outside or arises from inside, it is all pathogenic qi (evil energy). When pathogenic qi invades the person, it is appropriate to eliminate it; is it acceptable to retain and keep it? If retained lightly, it may eventually dissipate on its own over time; if severe, it will persist indefinitely; if even more severe, it will lead to sudden death. If one does not eliminate the pathogen but instead first uses tonifying agents, it is like repairing the house before the thief has left; the healthy qi (true qi) has not yet prevailed, while the pathogen has already run rampant. Only for those with pulse sinking and deficiency without pathogenic factors or accumulation can tonification be considered. For other diseases, one should first use the three methods to attack and eliminate pathogenic qi, after which the primordial qi will naturally recover. The *Suwen* states that pungent and sweet substances that disperse and diffuse, as well as bland substances that promote leaching and draining, belong to Yang; sour, bitter, and salty substances that induce vomiting and purging belong to Yin. Dispersing and diffusing correspond to sweating; inducing vomiting corresponds to emesis; draining corresponds to purgation. Leaching for releasing the exterior is similar to sweating; draining for promoting urination is similar to purgation. There is hardly any mention of tonification. What is called "tonification" refers to: pungent tonifies the Liver, salty tonifies the Heart, sweet tonifies the Kidney, sour tonifies the Spleen, and bitter tonifies the Lung. Through mutual roles of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier, they all function by opening the interstices (cou li), generating fluids, and unblocking qi and blood. This is not the warm, dry, and deviant tonification used by people today. Generally, herbs and plants are used to treat disease; once the disease is gone, grains, fruits, vegetables, and meats become tonifying substances. One should still distinguish what is suitable for the five Zang organs to avoid imbalance. If drugs are used for tonification, even licorice root (Gancao) and sophora root (Kushen) taken for a long time will inevitably cause an imbalance of qi leading to premature death, let alone highly toxic or toxic substances. Therefore, the three methods are like punishments; meat and grain are like moral education. Using punishment to govern chaos and using virtue to govern order is the principle. In my use of the three methods, I often combine various other methods, including pressing, kicking, moxibustion, guidance, reduction, addition, continuation, and cessation. Physicians who do not understand these additional methods falsely slander them, how lamentable! For example, drawing out saliva, filtering saliva, inducing sneezing, and chasing tears—all upward-moving actions—are emetic methods. Fumigation, washing, hot compresses, acupuncture, stone needle therapy, qigong guidance, and massage—all actions that release the exterior—are diaphoretic methods. Inducing labor, promoting lactation, grinding accumulations, driving out water, breaking menstrual stasis, and venting qi—all downward-moving actions—are purgative methods. The six Qi of Heaven—wind, cold, summer heat, dampness, dryness, and fire—cause diseases mostly in the upper part; the six Qi of Earth—fog, dew, rain, snow, water, and mud—cause diseases mostly in the lower part; the six flavors of Humans—sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty, and bland—cause diseases mostly in the middle. There are three types of disease onset, and also three ways to expel disease. Pathogenic wind and cold, binding between the skin and muscles, stagnating within the meridians, remaining without being expelled, may manifest as pain, numbness, swelling, itching, or spasms; all can be expelled through sweating. Phlegm-fluids and old food retention in the chest and diaphragm causing various diseases can all be expelled through vomiting. Cold-dampness, solidified cold, and fire-heat invading the Lower Jiao causing various diseases can all be expelled through purgation. Emesis contains elements of sweating; purgation contains elements of tonification. The Classics say: "He who knows the essentials needs only one word to conclude." This is what is meant.
Emetic Method: Any disease located above the epigastrium in the chest and diaphragm is suitable for emesis. Examining the Materia Medica: Bitter-cold emetic herbs include melon stalk (Gua Di), gardenia (Zhi Zi), tea powder, fermented soybean (Dou Chi), coptis rhizome (Huang Lian), sophora root (Ku Shen), rhubarb (Da Huang), and scutellaria root (Huang Qin). Pungent-bitter and cold herbs include dichroa root (Chang Shan), veratrum (Li Lu), and turmeric tuber (Yu Jin); sweet-cold herb includes tung oil (Tong You); sweet-warm herb includes beef (Niu Rou); sweet-bitter and cold herbs include rehmannia root (Di Huang) and ginseng rhizome (Renshen Lu); bitter-warm herbs include indigo naturalis root (Qing Mu Xiang), platycodon root (Jie Geng Lu), polygala root (Yuan Zhi), and magnolia bark (Hou Po); pungent-bitter and warm herbs include mint (Bo He), genkwa flower (Yuan Hua), and radish vine (Song Luo); pungent-warm herbs include radish seed (Luo Bo Zi), cyathula flower (Gu Jing Cao), green onion root hairs (Cong Gen Xu), hemsleya root (Du Heng), and soap pod (Zao Jiao); pungent-cold herbs include alum (Dan Fan), malachite (Shi Lv), and azurite (Shi Qing); pungent-warm herbs include scorpion tail (Xie Shao), smoked plum (Wu Mei), aconite root (Wu Tou), aconite tip (Fuzi Jian), and calomel (Qing Fen); sour-cold herbs include alum from Jinxiang (Jin Fan), green vitriol (Lv Fan), and vinegar juice (Ji Zhi); sour-neutral herb includes copper verdigris (Tong Lv); sweet-sour and neutral herb includes adzuki bean (Chi Xiao Dou); sour-warm herb includes rice gruel liquid (Fan Jiang); salty-cold herbs include blue salt (Qing Yan), Cang salt (Cang Yan), and white rice decoction (Bai Mi Yin); sweet-cold herb includes mirabilite (Ya Xiao); pungent-hot herb includes realgar (Pi Shi). Among these drugs, only dichroa root, alum, and melon stalk have slight toxicity. Veratrum, genkwa flower, aconite, prepared aconite, and realgar have great toxicity; the rest are non-toxic emetic herbs. Usage method: First take a small dose; if no vomiting occurs, gradually increase it, and still stimulate with a chicken feather; if nothing comes out, administer vinegar juice; if still no vomiting, administer again, stimulating simultaneously, and there will be no case of failure to vomit. If dizziness and vertigo occur during vomiting, do not be alarmed or suspicious; simply drink ice water or fresh water to resolve it immediately. Strong individuals may be cured with one emesis; weak individuals may undergo three emeses. The day after emesis, some feel instantly better; others worsen because the pathogen was not fully drawn out; wait several days and emese again. After emesis, dietary restrictions are not strict, except avoiding overeating, sour/salty/hard/dry foods, and oily/fatty foods. After emesis, heart fire descends, and yin channels strengthen. Strictly abstain from sexual activity, sorrow, and worry. If patients do not blame themselves, they will surely blame the emetic method. There are eight conditions where emesis is contraindicated: those with violent temper prone to anger and lust; those with critical illness, old age, weakness, and declining qi; those with uncontrollable spontaneous vomiting; those with yang collapse and blood deficiency; those with hematemesis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, coughing blood, metrorrhagia, or hematuria; patients who superficially know medical books but cannot distinguish pathogenic from healthy qi; patients with unstable temperament and indecisiveness; and those surrounded by noisy gossip. All these must not undergo emesis. Emesis may generate other diseases and provoke slander; even if earnestly requested, it must not be forced.
Diaphoretic Method: Pathogenic wind, cold, summer heat, and dampness entering the skin but not deeply, if one wishes to remove them quickly, nothing is better than sweating, which opens the pore apertures (Xuan Fu) to drive out pathogenic qi. However, there are several methods: warm diaphoresis, cool diaphoresis, fumigation/moisture diaphoresis, and guided diaphoresis, all serving to open the pore apertures and drive out pathogenic qi. Comparing with the Materia Medica: schizonepeta (Jing Jie), mint (Bo He), angelica dahurica (Bai Zhi), tangerine peel (Chen Pi), pinellia tuber (Ban Xia), asarum (Xi Xin), atractylodes macrocephala (Cang Zhu), gastrodia rhizome (Tian Ma), ginger (Sheng Jiang), and green onion white (Cong Bai) are all pungent and warm. Sichuan pepper (Shu Jiao), black pepper (Hu Jiao), cornus fruit (Zhu Yu), and garlic (Da Suan) are all pungent and hot. bitter orange peel (Qing Pi), stephania root (Fang Ji), and gentian macrophylla root (Qin Jiao) are likely pungent and neutral. ephedra stem (Ma Huang), ginseng (Ren Shen), and jujube (Da Zao) are likely sweet and warm. pueraria root (Ge Gen) and red poria cocos (Chi Fu Ling) are likely sweet and neutral. mulberry root bark (Sang Bai Pi) is likely sweet and cold. saposhnikovia root (Fang Feng) and angelica sinensis (Dang Gui) are likely sweet-pungent and warm. cassia twig (Guan Gui) and cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi) are likely sweet-pungent and very hot. magnolia bark (Hou Po) and platycodon root (Jie Geng) are likely bitter and warm. scutellaria root (Huang Qin), anemarrhena rhizome (Zhi Mu), immature bitter orange (Zhi Shi), sophora root (Ku Shen), wolfberry root bark (Di Gu Pi), bupleurum root (Chai Hu), and peucedanum root (Qian Hu) are likely bitter and cold. notopterygium root (Qiang Huo) and ligusticum chuanxiong (Du Huo) are likely bitter-pungent and slightly warm. cimicifuga rhizome (Sheng Ma) is likely bitter-sweet and neutral. peony root (Shao Yao) is likely sour and slightly cold. duckweed (Fu Ping) is likely pungent-sour and cold. All these belong to dispersing categories. Those who choose well will use heat for heat conditions and cold for cold conditions; those who choose poorly will do the opposite, leading to disease transformation. Stop diaphoresis when the disease is addressed; there is no need to finish the entire dosage. For traumatic wind, pediatric convulsions, persistent diarrhea, alcoholism, and fire diseases, sweating is indicated, as stated: "When fire is constrained, it should be dispersed."
Purgative Method: Accumulations and old stagnation in the center, with lingering cold and heat internally, must be treated with purgation. Once old stagnation is removed, the intestines and stomach are cleansed; once masses and growths are eliminated, defensive and nutritive qi flow freely. Purgation is thus a form of tonification. Mediocre physicians misuse it, treating cold with heat and heat with cold, hence claiming purgation is harmful. Examining the Materia Medica: Cold purgatives include rock salt (Rong Yan - salty), rhinoceros horn (Xi Jiao - sour-salty), Cang salt and alisma rhizome (Ze Xie - sweet-salty), immature bitter orange (Zhi Shi - bitter-sour), calomel (Ni Fen - pungent), euphorbia lathyris (Ze Qi - bitter-pungent), and apricot seed (Xing Ren - bitter-sweet). Slightly cold purgatives include pig bile (Zhu Dan - bitter). Greatly cold purgatives include mirabilite (Ya Xiao - sweet), rhubarb (Da Huang), pharbitis seed (Qian Niu), melon stalk (Gua Di), bitter bottle gourd (Ku Hu), ox bile (Niu Dan), indigo tinctoria leaf juice (Lan Zhi), and sheep's foot root/shoots (Yang Ti Gen Miao - bitter), euphorbia pekinensis (Da Ji) and Kansui root (Gan Sui - bitter-sweet), and thenatum (Pu Xiao) and mirabilite (Mang Xiao - bitter-salty). Warm purgatives include betel nut (Bing Lang - pungent), genkwa flower (Yuan Hua - bitter-pungent), honey (Shi Mi - sweet), and soap pod (Zao Jiao - pungent-salty). Hot purgatives include croton seed (Ba Dou - pungent). Cool purgatives include pig and sheep blood (Zhu Yang Xue - salty). Neutral purgatives include prunus humilis seed (Yu Li Ren - sour) and peach blossom (Tao Hua - bitter). All are purgative drugs. Only croton seed is hot-natured and should not be used lightly unless for cold accumulation; improper purgation causes fluid exhaustion, retention of toxins, chest heat, dry mouth, and generation of other diseases. There are four conditions where purgation is contraindicated: profuse diarrhea with cold in the middle, deficiency in both exterior and interior, cold limbs with cyanotic lips due to jue syndrome, and slow convulsions in children after illness. Improper purgation will certainly cause death. For other cases of large accumulations, large blockages, large constipation, large dryness, and large hardness, purgation is necessary, but one must use it according to cold/heat and accumulated qi, stop when the disease is addressed, and there is no need to finish the entire dosage.