湿热，相火病多，土火病多。气常有余，血常不足。肥人血多、湿多；瘦人气实、热多
。白
者，肺气弱，血不足；黑者，肾气有余，忌黄 。热伤血，不能养筋，故为拘挛；湿伤筋，
不能束骨，故为痿弱。
气属阳，无寒之理，下用补相间；劳病忌寒药，此东垣之旨也。寒不得热，是无火也；
热不得寒，是无水也。肺痈，非吐不可。
辛苦、饥饱，疼痛皆伤血。服药之力峻，须用酸收。指甲卷，是血少不养筋。身如被打
，湿伤血也；亦有血虚而痛。腑病责脏用，脏病责腑用。气血弱，远枳壳，以其损气也；血
盛忌丁香，以其益气也。
治病先调气。病分气血阴阳。昼增夜静，是阳气病，而血不病；夜增昼静，是阴血病，
而气不病。夜静日恶寒，是阴上溢于阳；日夜并恶寒，是阴部大盛，兼有其阳，当泻其寒、
峻补其阳。夜静日热，是阳盛于本部；日静夜恶寒，是阴盛于本部。日安夜躁烦，是阳气下
溜于阴中，当泻其阳，峻补其虚；日恶寒夜烦躁，为阴阳交，饮食不入，必死。伤寒、中暑
，与伤饮食一般。人火正治，诸龙火反治。
诸病有郁，治之可开。恶心，有热，有痰，有虚。悲者，火乘金。阳绝则阴亏，阴气若
盛，
阳无暴绝之理。虚劳，不受补者死。诸病发热者，风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火七情，皆能发热
。寒湿同性，火燥同途，非也。寒宜温之，湿宜燥之，火宜降之、凉之，燥宜润之。诸病寻
痰火，痰火生异证。
诊脉、观形、察证，三者殊途，不可执一。
诸病先睹胃气。
湿热之证，多由相火（寄居于肝肾的命门之火）为病，土火（脾胃之火）亦多见。气机常有余而血常不足。形体肥胖者，血多且湿盛；形体消瘦者，气实且热多。面色白者，肺气虚弱，血不足；面色黑者，肾气有余，但需忌讳黄色（指面色黄或病色见黄）。热邪损伤血液，不能濡养筋脉，故出现拘挛；湿邪损伤筋脉，不能约束骨骼，故出现痿弱无力。
气属阳，没有寒的道理，治疗时下部用药宜补泻兼施；劳损性疾病忌讳使用寒凉药物，这是李东垣学术思想的主旨。寒证若不见热象，说明体内无火；热证若不见寒象，说明体内无水（阴液）。肺痈（肺部化脓性感染），非用吐法不可。
辛苦劳作、饥饱失常，疼痛皆会损伤血液。若服药药力峻猛，须配合酸味药以收敛正气。指甲卷曲，是血少不能濡养筋脉所致。身体感觉像被打过一样疼痛，是湿邪损伤血液的表现；也有因血虚而致痛的情况。腑病要追究脏的功能作用，脏病要追究腑的功能作用。气血虚弱者，应远离枳壳，因为它会耗损气机；血盛者忌用丁香，因为它会助长气机（此处原文逻辑似有争议，通常丁香温中降逆，此处依原文直译其“益气”之说，或指其辛散耗气之弊在特定语境下的理解，但按字面意思保留）。
治病首先要调理气机。疾病分为气、血、阴阳不同类别。白天症状加重、夜间安静，是阳气病变，而血不病；夜间症状加重、白天安静，是阴血病变，而气不病。夜间安静、白天恶寒，是阴气上溢于阳分；昼夜都恶寒，是阴部大盛，兼有阳气受损，应当泻其寒邪、峻补阳气。夜间安静、白天发热，是阳气在本部旺盛；白天安静、夜间恶寒，是阴气在本部旺盛。白天安适、夜间烦躁，是阳气下溜入阴中，应当泻其阳热、峻补虚损；白天恶寒、夜间烦躁，为阴阳交争，饮食不入，必死无疑。伤寒、中暑，与伤食（饮食积滞）道理一般。人火（实火）用正治法，诸龙火（虚火/浮火）用反治法。
各种疾病若有郁结，治疗时可以开郁。恶心，有热邪所致，有痰浊所致，有虚损所致。悲伤情绪，是火邪乘袭肺金。阳气绝则阴亏，若阴气极盛，阳气没有突然暴绝的道理。虚劳病，若不受补者死。各种疾病发热的，风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火六淫及七情，都能导致发热。说寒湿同性、火燥同途，是不对的。寒邪宜温之，湿邪宜燥之，火邪宜降之、凉之，燥邪宜润之。各种疾病要探寻痰火，痰火能产生奇异病症。
诊脉、观形、察证，三者途径不同，不可固执一端。
各种疾病首先要观察胃气。
Damp-heat syndromes are mostly caused by Xianghuo (Ministerial Fire residing in the Liver and Kidney), and Tuhuo (Spleen-Stomach Fire) is also commonly seen. Qi is often in excess, while Blood is often deficient. Fat individuals have abundant Blood and excessive Dampness; thin individuals have solid Qi and excessive Heat. Those with a white complexion have weak Lung Qi and insufficient Blood; those with a black complexion have surplus Kidney Qi, but must beware of the color yellow. Heat damages Blood, failing to nourish the sinews, thus causing spasms and contractures; Dampness damages the sinews, failing to bind the bones, thus causing flaccidity and weakness.
Qi belongs to Yang and has no principle of Cold; for lower body conditions, treatment should combine tonification and purgation. For consumptive diseases, cold-natured herbs are contraindicated; this is the core tenet of Li Dongyuan’s academic thought. If Cold does not meet Heat, it indicates the absence of Fire; if Heat does not meet Cold, it indicates the absence of Water (Yin fluids). Lung Abscess requires emesis.
Hard work, hunger, and overeating all damage Blood. If medicinal potency is harsh, sour astringents must be used. Curled fingernails indicate that insufficient Blood fails to nourish the sinews. A body sensation as if beaten is due to Dampness damaging Blood; however, pain can also arise from Blood deficiency. Diseases of the Fu organs implicate the Zang organs' functions, and diseases of the Zang organs implicate the Fu organs' functions. When Qi and Blood are weak, avoid Zhiqiao (Fructus Aurantii Immaturus) because it depletes Qi; when Blood is abundant, avoid Dingxiang (Flos Caryophylli) because it augments Qi [Note: Textual interpretation varies, literal translation provided].
Treating disease begins with regulating Qi. Diseases are categorized into Qi, Blood, Yin, and Yang. Symptoms worsening during the day and quieting at night indicate a Yang Qi pathology without Blood involvement; symptoms worsening at night and quieting during the day indicate a Yin-Blood pathology without Qi involvement. Quiet at night but aversion to cold during the day indicates Yin overflowing into Yang; aversion to cold both day and night indicates excessive Yin in the interior with concurrent Yang deficiency, requiring draining of Cold and vigorous tonification of Yang. Quiet at night but fever during the day indicates Yang exuberance in its own sector; quiet during the day but aversion to cold at night indicates Yin exuberance in its own sector. Comfortable during the day but restlessness at night indicates Yang sinking into Yin, requiring draining of Yang and vigorous tonification of deficiency; aversion to cold during the day and restlessness at night indicates an intersection of Yin and Yang, inability to ingest food, which is fatal. Taiyang Cold Damage, Summerheat, and Food Injury share similar principles. Human Fire (Excess Fire) is treated with orthodox methods, while various Dragon Fires (Deficient/Floating Fire) are treated with reverse methods.
Various diseases involve stagnation; treatment can open the stagnation. Nausea may be caused by Heat, Phlegm, or Deficiency. Sorrow is Fire attacking Metal. If Yang is exhausted, Yin becomes deficient; if Yin is extremely excessive, Yang will not suddenly perish. In consumptive weakness, death ensues if the patient cannot tolerate tonification. Fever in various diseases can be caused by Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire, and the Seven Emotions. The notion that Cold and Dampness share the same nature, and Fire and Dryness follow the same path, is incorrect. Cold should be warmed, Dampness should be dried, Fire should be descended and cooled, and Dryness should be moistened. In all diseases, seek Phlegm-Fire, as Phlegm-Fire generates anomalous syndromes.
Pulse diagnosis, observing physical form, and examining symptoms are three different approaches; one must not adhere rigidly to just one.
In all diseases, first observe the Stomach Qi.