《史记》（五百）扁鹊传载扁鹊饮长桑君药，三十日见垣一方人，由是诊病洞见五脏症结
，特
以诊脉为名。注∶方，边也。言见墙垣彼边之人也。案如注说，是谓能隔墙见人矣。长桑何
药，而乃变易形质若此耶？窃谓此当与纪昌贯虱同义。大抵久竭目力，则所见必异。虱大如
轮，以径言也；垣一方人，以深言也。迹虽不同，理则一致。想扁鹊学望诊时，必日视其垣
以炼目力，而以意合之人面，久之则垣中浅者深者，一一分明，便似其中有人在。云一方者
，正就其日所注视者言，非彼边之谓。且“彼”字尤属添释，《史》文无此义也。余尝师其
意而为之，虽未能见人，亦似有眉目可别，虽未能洞见脏结，临症时看人面及舌色浮沉、大
、小、浓淡，一目了然，不待多时而细察。故谬揣史迁此言，系形容之词，非果隔墙见人。
且扁鹊脉法，具载《脉经》，果以诊脉为名，岂其言皆虚饰耶？史迁于此及仓公两传，皆未
能实疏所以，但据人间形容之词，不复顾其过当，良由其于医事未能了了耳！班书不录，岂
无故欤？范书不为仲景作传，亦当以其妙难言喻，恐转滋人惑也。陈志华佗传，多据实质言
之。
古有五劳、七伤、六极之目，皆言虚也，核之则劳、极二端而已。劳是过用其气，极则
几于
无气，其浅深不同。以《病源》所记言之，五劳中之志劳、心劳、忧劳，是过用其神；其疲
劳，是过用其形。七伤则房劳之病，亦劳属也，以其病多，故别出之。然精为七神之一，是
亦过用其神也。约之，特形、神二者尽之矣。若风寒暑湿及一切病之久而不去，甚虚其气者
，皆极也。极有气、血、筋、骨、肌、精六症者，谓病于气，其极也不欲言；病于血，其极
也无颜色，眉发堕落，喜忘。余极仿此。然约之亦不外形、神也。大抵劳言其始，极言其终
，分别截然。近世不知有极，概目为劳，则将以治极者治劳，而劳永无愈期矣。嘻！
《史记》（卷一百三十）的扁鹊传中记载，扁鹊服用了长桑君给的药，经过三十天后，能够隔着墙看见另一边的人，从此诊断疾病时能洞察五脏的病灶，这主要是以诊脉作为名义上的手段。注释说：“方”，就是边的意思。说的是能看见墙垣另一侧的人。按照这个注释的说法，这就意味着能够隔墙看见人了。长桑君给的是什么药，竟然能让人的形体质变到这种地步呢？我私下认为这应当和纪昌练习射虱子的故事含义相同。大抵上长时间耗尽目力，那么所看见的景象必然不同。虱子大得像车轮一样，这是从直径的角度来说的；墙那边的人，是从深度的角度说的。踪迹虽然不同，但道理是一致的。想来扁鹊在学习望诊的时候，一定是每天盯着墙壁来锻炼目力，并且用心意去契合人脸的形象，时间久了，那么墙中浅显的和深远的景象，都能一一分明，就好像其中真有人一样。说“一方”，正是就他日常所注视的对象而言，并不是指墙的那一边。而且“彼”字更是属于多余的解释，《史记》原文并没有这层意思。我曾经揣摩他的意图并加以实践，虽然没有达到能看见人的境界，但也似乎能分辨出一些眉目特征，虽然不能洞察脏腑的结聚，但在临症时看人的面色以及舌色的浮沉、大小、浓淡，都能一目了然，不需要花费太多时间就能细致观察。所以我胡乱推测司马迁这句话，是形容性的词句，并非真的隔墙见人。况且扁鹊的脉法，详细记载在《脉经》中，如果真是以诊脉为名义，难道他的话都是虚饰吗？司马迁在这里以及仓公的传记中，都没有能够确切地梳理出其中的原因，只是依据民间形容的词句，不再顾及是否过分夸张，大概是因为他对医事未能彻底明了吧！班固的《汉书》没有收录，难道没有原因吗？范晔的《后汉书》不为张仲景作传，也应当是因为他的医术精妙难以言喻，恐怕反而增加人们的困惑。陈寿写华佗传，多是依据实质内容来叙述的。
古代有五劳、七伤、六极的名目，都是讲虚损，核实起来不过是“劳”和“极”两个方面罢了。“劳”是指过度使用气，“极”则几乎到了没有气的程度，它们的深浅不同。根据《诸病源候论》所记载的内容来说，五劳中的志劳、心劳、忧劳，是过度使用神志；其疲劳，是过度使用形体。七伤中的房劳之病，也属于劳的范畴，因为这类病症较多，所以单独列出来。然而精液是七神之一，这也是过度使用神志的表现。概括起来，不过是形和神两个方面而已。至于风寒暑湿以及一切久治不愈的疾病，严重耗损人体气的，都属于“极”。极有气、血、筋、骨、肌、精六种症状表现，说是病在气，其极的状态是不想说话；病在血，其极的状态是没有血色，眉毛头发脱落，喜欢遗忘。其他的极仿照此类推断。然而概括起来也不外乎形和神两个方面。大抵“劳”说的是起始阶段，“极”说的是最终阶段，界限截然分开。近代人不知道有“极”的概念，一概称之为“劳”，那么就会用治疗“劳”的方法来治疗“极”，这样“劳”就永远没有痊愈的时期了。唉！
The Biography of Bian Que in the *Records of the Grand Historian* (Shiji, Vol. 130) records that after taking medicine given by Changsang Jun, Bian Que was able to see people on the other side of a wall after thirty days. From then on, when diagnosing diseases, he could perceive the pathological accumulations within the five Zang organs, primarily under the guise of pulse diagnosis. The annotation states: "Fang" means edge or side. It refers to seeing people on the far side of the wall. According to this annotation, it implies the ability to see through walls. What medicine did Changsang Jun give that could alter one's physical constitution to such an extent? I privately believe this should be interpreted similarly to the story of Ji Chang practicing archery through a fly. Generally speaking, when visual effort is exhausted over a long period, what one sees will inevitably differ. Describing a fly as large as a wheel refers to its diameter; describing a person on the other side of a wall refers to depth. Although the phenomena differ, the underlying principle is consistent. It is likely that when Bian Que learned observation diagnosis (Wang Zhen), he must have stared at walls daily to train his visual acuity and mentally superimposed human facial features upon them. Over time, both superficial and deep aspects within the field of vision became distinct, creating the illusion that there were people inside. The phrase "one side" refers precisely to the object of his daily gaze, not the "other side." Moreover, the character "bi" (that/other side) is likely an extraneous addition, as the original text of the *Shiji* does not carry this meaning. I once attempted to emulate his method. Although I could not see people, I seemed able to distinguish certain features. While I could not perceive internal organ accumulations, when examining patients clinically, I could clearly observe the complexion and the floating/sinking, large/small, and thick/thin qualities of the tongue coating at a glance, without needing much time for detailed inspection. Therefore, I speculate that Sima Qian's statement is rhetorical description, not a literal claim of seeing through walls. Furthermore, Bian Que’s pulse methods are fully recorded in the *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic). If he truly relied solely on pulse diagnosis, would his words all be mere embellishments? In these biographies and that of Cang Gong, Sima Qian fails to substantiate the reasons, relying instead on folk descriptions without regard for exaggeration, likely because he himself did not thoroughly understand medical affairs. Is it without reason that Ban Gu omitted this in the *Book of Han*? Fan Ye did not write a biography for Zhang Zhongjing, perhaps because his medical skills were too profound to be easily described, fearing it might only cause further confusion. Chen Shou’s biography of Hua Tuo relies mostly on substantial facts.
In ancient times, there were categories of Five Exhaustions (Wu Lao), Seven Injuries (Qi Shang), and Six Extremes (Liu Ji), all referring to deficiency. Upon examination, these reduce to two categories: "Lao" (Exhaustion) and "Ji" (Extreme Deficiency). "Lao" refers to the excessive use of Qi, while "Ji" approaches a state of having no Qi; their depths differ. According to the *Zhu Bing Yuan Hou Lun* (Treatise on the Pathogenesis and Symptoms of All Diseases), among the Five Exhaustions, Zhi Lao (Mental Exhaustion), Xin Lao (Heart/Mind Exhaustion), and You Lao (Worry/Sorrow Exhaustion) involve the excessive use of Shen (Spirit/Mind); fatigue involves the excessive use of the Xing (Form/Body). Among the Seven Injuries, Fang Lao (Sexual Exhaustion) also belongs to Lao; because there are many such conditions, they are listed separately. However, Jing (Essence) is one of the Seven Spirits, so this too involves the excessive use of Shen. Summarizing, it encompasses only Form and Spirit. As for Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, and all chronic diseases that fail to resolve and severely deplete Qi, these belong to Ji. There are six manifestations of Ji concerning Qi, Blood, Tendons, Bones, Flesh, and Essence. When Ji affects Qi, the extreme state is unwillingness to speak; when Ji affects Blood, the extreme state is lack of luster, falling eyebrows and hair, and forgetfulness. Other types follow this pattern. Summarizing again, they do not exceed Form and Spirit. Generally, "Lao" refers to the initial stage, while "Ji" refers to the terminal stage, with clear distinctions. Modern practitioners, unaware of "Ji," categorize everything as "Lao." Consequently, treating "Ji" with methods for "Lao" ensures that "Lao" never reaches a point of recovery. Alas!