王氏曰∶咳为有声，肺气伤而不清，嗽为有痰，脾湿动而生痰，此咳之所从生也。然必
其所由以治，庶中肯綮，何也？外邪致咳，风则始必鼻塞声重，自汗恶风，法当解之。寒则
始必恶寒无汗，声清气壮，法当散之。若表证重者，但或头痛发热，又当汗之，此外感咳嗽
之证治也。若内伤之咳，痰火则甚于清晨，法当清痰降火。火浮于肺，为咳则甚于黄昏，治
在清金。土郁食积为咳，则甚于长夜，治在消导理脾。若夫阴虚为咳，证则不然，有多种证
谛可征，咳必甚于午后，或兼诸血而有潮汗遗滑等候，其法则异于诸咳天渊矣。贵在清金以
益水源，壮水以制火亢，伐木无令脾虚，庶五脏无偏胜之害，乃令生化之源复行而生生之
机再续，加之调摄如宜，或可超之寒谷，而登阳和之境。不尔而一概妄治，致人于颠连之乡
，则杀人于无形之刃也，哀哉！
圣谓六淫之邪，近肺为咳，湿积痰涎，壅喉为嗽，二者脾肺病也。若夫痨症咳嗽，由则
不然
火日旺，金受火之 炼，则自燥而烈矣，是以一火而致金水悉伤，母子俱病。故咳血声嗄咽
痛，益水清金之法，可少待耶？当此之际，五脏已病其三，所未亢者，惟肝脾而已，然金既
为
贼土败之祸，于此倘无抑扬之策，而反颠倒以治，则五脏之气，亏者愈亏，而亢者愈亢，其
不食脾泄，肌脱肉消，势所必至，其能免乎？
王氏说：咳嗽有声，是因为肺气受伤而不清肃；嗽有痰液，是因为脾湿扰动而生痰，这就是咳嗽产生的原因。然而必须针对其病因进行治疗，才能切中要害，为什么呢？外邪导致的咳嗽，风邪所致起初必然鼻塞、声音重浊、自汗、怕风，治法应当解表散邪。寒邪所致起初必然恶寒、无汗、声音清亮但气息壮盛，治法应当发散寒邪。如果表证严重，或者出现头痛发热，又应当发汗解表，这是外感咳嗽的证治方法。如果是内伤引起的咳嗽，痰火咳嗽在清晨加重，治法应当清化痰热、降火。火气浮越于肺，导致咳嗽在黄昏加重，治疗关键在于清润肺金（肺）。土郁和食积导致的咳嗽，在长夜（深夜）加重，治疗关键在于消食导滞、调理脾胃。至于阴虚导致的咳嗽，证候则不同，有多种证据可以验证，咳嗽必定在午后加重，或者兼见各种出血症状以及潮热盗汗、遗精滑泄等情况，其治法与其他咳嗽截然不同了。贵在清润肺金以滋益水源（肾阴），壮水制衡亢盛的虚火，疏伐肝木以防其克制太过导致脾虚，这样五脏就没有偏胜的危害，从而使生化之源恢复运行，生生之机再次延续，再加上适当的调养摄生，或许可以脱离寒冷的困境，而达到阳气调和的境界。不这样做而一概胡乱治疗，使人陷入困苦不堪的境地，那就是用无形的利刃杀人啊，可悲啊！
圣人说六淫之邪，靠近肺部引起咳嗽，湿气积聚成痰涎，阻塞咽喉引起嗽，这两者都是脾肺的疾病。至于痨症（肺结核类疾病）引起的咳嗽，原因则不是这样。火气日益旺盛，肺金受到火的煎熬，就会变得干燥猛烈，因此一火导致金和水都受伤，母子两脏同时患病。所以出现咳血、声音嘶哑、咽痛等症状，补充肾水、清润肺金的治法，难道可以等待吗？在这个时候，五脏已经有三脏患病，尚未亢盛的只有肝和脾而已，然而肺金既然被火邪所贼害，脾土也败坏，在此时如果没有抑制与扶正的策略，反而颠倒错乱地治疗，那么亏虚的气会更亏虚，亢盛的气会更亢盛，最终导致不能进食、腹泻、肌肉消瘦脱失，这是势所必至的结果，怎么能避免呢？
Wang stated: Cough (Ke) with sound indicates that the Lung Qi is injured and lacks clearness; Sough (Sou) with phlegm indicates that Spleen dampness stirs up and generates phlegm. This is the origin of coughing. However, one must treat based on the specific cause to hit the mark accurately. Why? For coughs caused by external pathogens: if due to Wind, it initially presents with nasal congestion, heavy voice, spontaneous sweating, and aversion to wind; the treatment method should be to release the exterior. If due to Cold, it initially presents with aversion to cold, absence of sweating, clear voice but robust breath; the treatment method should be to disperse Cold. If the exterior syndrome is severe, manifesting as headache or fever, one should induce sweating to resolve the exterior; this is the treatment for coughs due to external contraction.
For coughs due to internal injury: Phlegm-Fire cough worsens in the early morning; the treatment method should be to clear phlegm and descend fire. Fire floating in the Lung causes cough to worsen at dusk; the treatment focuses on clearing Metal (Lung). Stagnation of Earth and food accumulation causing cough worsens during the deep night; the treatment focuses on resolving stagnation and regulating the Spleen. As for cough due to Yin deficiency, the presentation is different, with various signs available for verification. The cough necessarily worsens in the afternoon, or is accompanied by various bleeding symptoms, tidal fever, night sweats, seminal emission, and sliding discharge. Its treatment method differs vastly from other types of coughs. The key lies in clearing Metal (Lung) to benefit the Water source (Kidney), strengthening Water to control hyperactive fire, and suppressing Wood to prevent Spleen deficiency. In this way, the five Zang organs will not suffer from excessive dominance, allowing the source of transformation and generation to resume its function and the mechanism of life to continue. With appropriate care and regulation, one might escape the valley of cold and reach the realm of harmonious Yang. Otherwise, indiscriminate and reckless treatment leads people to a state of extreme distress, which is killing them with an invisible blade—how tragic!
The Sage said: Pathogens of the Six Excesses (Six Evils) approaching the Lung cause cough; dampness accumulating into phlegm and saliva obstructing the throat causes sough. These two are diseases of the Spleen and Lung. However, for cough caused by Consumption (Lao Zheng/Tuberculosis), the cause is different. Fire becomes increasingly prosperous daily; Metal (Lung) is refined/burned by Fire, becoming dry and fierce. Thus, a single fire injures both Metal and Water, affecting both mother and child organs. Therefore, when hemoptysis, hoarseness, and sore throat occur, can the method of supplementing Water and clearing Metal be delayed? At this juncture, three of the five Zang organs are already diseased; only Liver and Spleen remain un-hyperactive. Yet, since Metal has been attacked by Fire and Earth is ruined, if there are no strategies to suppress excess and tonify deficiency, but instead treatment is reversed and chaotic, then the deficient Qi will become more deficient, and the hyperactive Qi will become more hyperactive. The inevitable result will be inability to eat, diarrhea, emaciation, and muscle wasting. How can one avoid this fate?