凡言治国者，多借医为喻。仁哉斯言也！真气，民也。病邪，贼盗也。或有盗贼，势须剪除而后已。良相良将，必
先审度兵食之虚实，与时势之可否，然后动。动涉轻妄，则吾民先困于盗，次困于兵，民困而国弱矣。行险侥幸，小人
所为。万象森罗，果报昭显。其可不究心乎？请举一二以为凡例。
永康吕亲，形瘦色黑，平生喜酒，多饮不困，年近半百，且有别馆。忽一日，大恶寒发战，且自言渴，却不饮。予
诊其脉大而弱，惟右关稍实略数，重取则涩。遂作酒热内郁，不得外泄，由表热而不虚也。黄 一物，以干葛汤煎与之，
尽黄 二两，干葛一两，大得汗，次早安矣。
又叶先生患滞下，后甚逼迫，正合承气证。予曰∶气口虚，形虽实而面黄稍白，此必平昔食过饱而胃受伤。宁忍一
二日辛苦，遂与参、术、陈皮、芍药等补药十余帖。至三日后，胃气稍完，与承气两帖而安。苟不先补完胃气之伤，而
遽行承气，吾恐病安之后，宁免瘦惫乎！
又一婢，色紫稍肥，性沉多忧，年近四十，经不行三月矣。小腹当中有一气块，初起如栗，渐如炊饼。予脉之，两
手皆涩，重取却有。试令按其块痛甚，扪之高半寸，遂与千金消石丸。至四五次，彼忽自言乳头黑且有汁，恐有娠。予
曰∶非也，涩脉无孕之理。又与三五帖，脉之稍觉虚豁。予悟曰∶药太峻矣，令止前药。与四物汤倍加白术，佐以陈皮。
至三十帖，候脉完再与消石丸。至四五次，忽自言块消一晕，便令莫服。又半月，经行痛甚，下黑血半升，内有如椒核
数十粒，乃块消一半，又来索药，以消余块。余晓之曰∶勿性急。块已开矣，不可又攻。若次月经行当尽消矣。次月经
行下少黑血块，又消一晕，又来问药。余曰∶但守禁忌，至次月必消尽。已而果然。大凡攻击之药，有病则病受之。病
邪轻而药力重，则胃气受伤。夫胃气者，清纯冲和之气也。惟与谷、肉、菜、果相宜。盖药石皆是偏胜之气，虽参、
辈为性亦偏，况攻击之药乎？此妇胃气自弱，好血亦少，若块尽而却药，胃气之存者几希矣。议论此至，医云乎哉？
凡是谈论治国的人，大多借用医学来作比喻。这话说得多么仁爱啊！人体的真气，就像百姓；病邪，就像盗贼。既然有了盗贼，势必需要剪除它们才能罢休。优秀的宰相和将领，必定先审察兵力与粮草的虚实，以及当时局势是否可行，然后才采取行动。如果行动轻率妄为，那么我们的百姓就会先受盗贼之苦，接着又受军队征伐之苦，百姓困苦而国家就衰弱了。冒险投机取巧，是小人做的事。世间万象森罗密布，因果报应昭然若揭。对此怎能不深入研究呢？请举一两个例子作为通用的法则。
永康吕某亲属，身体消瘦，肤色黑，平生喜欢喝酒，喝多了也不觉得困倦，年龄接近五十岁，还另有外室（妾）。忽然有一天，极度恶寒并发生战栗，并且自己说口渴，却不喝水。我诊察他的脉象，脉大而弱，只有右关部稍微充实且略快，重按则涩滞。于是判断为酒热内郁，不能向外宣泄，属于表热而非虚证。用黄芩一味药，以干葛汤煎服给他，总共用了黄芩二两，干葛一两，出了大汗，第二天早晨就好了。
又有叶先生患痢疾（滞下），后重感非常紧迫，完全符合承气汤证的特征。我说：寸口脉虚弱，虽然形体看似实证，但面色黄中带白，这一定是平时饮食过饱而损伤了胃气。宁可忍受一两天的辛苦，于是给予人参、白术、陈皮、芍药等补益药物十余帖。到了第三天，胃气稍微恢复，再给予承气汤两帖而痊愈。如果不先补益修复受损的胃气，而立即使用承气汤攻下，我恐怕病愈之后，难道能避免身体瘦弱疲惫吗！
又有一个婢女，肤色紫稍胖，性格沉静多忧，年龄接近四十岁，月经三个月没来了。小腹正中间有一团气块，初起时像栗子大小，逐渐变得像蒸饼一样大。我诊察她的脉象，两手脉都涩，重按却还能触及。试着让她按压那个肿块，疼痛剧烈，摸起来高出皮肤半寸，于是给予千金消石丸。服药四五次后，她忽然自己说乳头变黑且有乳汁分泌，担心是怀孕了。我说：不是的，涩脉没有怀孕的道理。又给她服用三五帖，诊脉感觉稍微有些虚豁。我醒悟道：药力太猛烈了，让她停止前面的药。给予四物汤，加倍加入白术，佐以陈皮。服到三十帖，等到脉象完整有力后再给予消石丸。服药四五次后，她忽然自己说肿块消退了一圈，便让她不要再服用。又过了半个月，月经来潮，疼痛剧烈，排出黑色血液半升，里面有几十粒像花椒核一样的东西，这是肿块消除了一半，她又来索要药物，以消除剩余的肿块。我开导她说：不要性急。肿块已经松动，不可再继续攻伐。如果下次月经来潮时应该能完全消除。下次月经来潮时排出少量黑色血块，又消退了一圈，她又来问药。我说：只要遵守禁忌，到下个月一定能完全消除。后来果然如此。大凡攻伐的药物，有病时由病邪承受。病邪轻微而药力沉重，就会损伤胃气。所谓胃气，是清纯冲和之气。只适宜与谷物、肉类、蔬菜、水果相配合。因为药物都是偏胜之气，即使是人参、白术这类药，性质也有偏颇，何况是攻伐的药物呢？这位妇女胃气本来虚弱，好血也少，如果肿块完全消除却停药，剩下的胃气就寥寥无几了。议论到这里，医理也就说完了吧？
Those who discuss the governance of a state often use medicine as an analogy. How benevolent this statement is! The True Qi (Zhen Qi, vital energy) is like the people; pathogenic factors are like thieves and robbers. If there are thieves, it is necessary to eliminate them before stopping. A virtuous chancellor or general must first examine the reality and emptiness of troops and provisions, and whether the current situation permits action, before moving. If movement is rash and frivolous, our people will first suffer from the thieves, then from the military campaigns; when the people are exhausted, the state becomes weak. Taking risks for luck is what petty people do. All phenomena in the universe are clearly manifested with karmic retribution. How can one not study this carefully? Let me give one or two examples as general principles.
A relative of Mr. Lu from Yongkang was thin with dark skin. He enjoyed drinking wine throughout his life and did not feel sleepy even after heavy drinking. Approaching fifty years of age, he also had a concubine. Suddenly, one day, he experienced severe aversion to cold with shivering, and claimed to be thirsty but did not drink. I palpated his pulse: it was large and weak, except for the Right Guan position which was slightly full and rapid, becoming choppy upon deep pressure. Thus, I diagnosed it as internal stagnation of heat from alcohol, unable to vent outward, belonging to exterior heat rather than deficiency. I prescribed a single herb, Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), decocted in Gan Ge Tang (Puerariae Decoction). He consumed a total of Liang Er (approx. 75g) of Huang Qin and Liang Yi (approx. 37.5g) of Gan Ge. He sweated profusely and was well by the next morning.
Mr. Ye suffered from dysentery (Zhi Xia), with severe tenesmus, fitting the syndrome for Cheng Qi Tang (Gut-Draining Decoction). I said: The Cun Kou (Inch Position) pulse is deficient. Although the physical appearance suggests excess, his face is yellowish-white. This must be due to overeating in the past, injuring the Stomach Qi (Wei Qi, digestive energy). It is better to endure hardship for one or two days. Therefore, I administered more than ten doses of tonifying herbs such as Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), and Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix). By the third day, the Stomach Qi had slightly recovered, and I gave two doses of Cheng Qi Tang, after which he recovered. Had I not first tonified and repaired the injured Stomach Qi, and instead immediately used Cheng Qi Tang to purge, I fear that after the illness subsided, would he not avoid becoming emaciated and exhausted?
Another maid, with purplish skin and slightly fat, had a沉 (calm/depressed) nature and worried much. Approaching forty years of age, her menses had stopped for three months. In the center of the lower abdomen, there was a Qi mass (gas lump). Initially the size of a chestnut, it gradually grew to the size of a steamed bun. I palpated her pulse: both hands were choppy, yet palpable upon deep pressure. When asked to press the mass, she felt severe pain; it projected half a cun above the skin. I prescribed Qian Jin Xiao Shi Wan (Thousand-Gold Stone-Dissolving Pill). After four or five doses, she suddenly stated that her nipples had turned black and secreted fluid, fearing pregnancy. I said: No, a choppy pulse does not indicate pregnancy. I gave another three or five doses. Palpating the pulse again, it felt slightly hollow. I realized: The medication was too harsh. I instructed her to stop the previous medicine. I prescribed Si Wu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) with doubled Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), assisted by Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium). After thirty doses, waiting for the pulse to become complete and robust, I resumed giving Xiao Shi Wan. After four or five doses, she suddenly reported that the mass had receded by one circumference, so I told her to stop taking it. Half a month later, menstruation occurred with severe pain, discharging half a sheng of dark blood containing dozens of particles resembling pepper seeds. This indicated the mass had reduced by half. She came again to request medicine to eliminate the remainder. I advised her: Do not be impatient. The mass has loosened; do not attack further. If the next menstruation occurs, it should completely disappear. The next time menstruation occurred, small dark blood clots were discharged, and the mass receded by another circumference. She came again to ask for medicine. I said: Just observe dietary and lifestyle taboos; it will completely disappear next month. Later, it indeed happened so. Generally, attacking medicines are borne by the disease when the disease exists. If the pathogen is light but the medicinal force is heavy, the Stomach Qi will be injured. The Stomach Qi is pure, clear, and harmonious Qi. It is only compatible with grains, meats, vegetables, and fruits. Medicinal substances all possess biased/overbearing Qi. Even herbs like Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) have biased properties, let alone attacking medicines. This woman’s Stomach Qi was naturally weak, and her good blood (Jingxue, nutritious blood) was also scant. If the mass were completely eliminated and the medicine stopped, very little Stomach Qi would remain. Having discussed this to the utmost, what more is there to say about medicine?