黄帝曰∶人之善忘者，何气使然？岐伯曰∶上气不足，下气有余、肠胃实而心气虚，虚则荣卫留
于下，久之不以时上，故善忘也。肾盛怒而不止则伤志，志伤则喜忘其前言。血并于下，气并于上，
乱而喜忘。火不及曰伏明，伏明之纪，其病昏惑悲忘。太阳司天，寒气下临，心气上从，善忘。太阳
之复，甚则入心，善忘善悲。
人生气禀不同，得气之清，则心之知觉者明，得气之浊，则心之知觉者昏。心之明者，无有限量，虽
千百世已往之事，一过目则终身记而不忘，岂得忘其目前者乎。心之昏者，精神既短，则目前不待于
伤心，而不能追忆其事矣。刘河间谓水清明而火昏浊，故上善若水，下愚若火，此禀质使之然也。设
禀质清浊混者，则不耐于事物之扰，扰则失其灵而健忘也。盖气与血，人之神也。经曰∶静则神藏，
躁则消亡。静乃水之体，躁乃火之用。故性静则心存乎中，情动则心忘于外，动不已则忘亦不已，忘
不已则存乎中者几希，存乎中者几希则语后便忘，不俟终日已。所以世人多忘者，役役扰扰，纷纭交
错，当事于一生，其气血之阴者将竭，必禀质在中人以上，清明有所守，不为事物所乱者，百难一人
也。由是言之，药固有安心养血之功，不若平其心，易其气，养其在己而已。若夫痰之健忘者，乃一
时之病。然病忘之邪，非独痰也。凡是心有所寄，与诸火热伤乱其心者，皆得健忘。如《灵枢》谓盛
怒伤志，志伤善忘。《内经》谓血并于下，气并于上，乱而善忘。夫如是，岂可不各从所由而为治耶。
思虑过度，病在心脾，宜归脾汤，有痰加竹沥。有因精神短少者，人参养荣汤、小定志丸、宁志膏。
有因痰迷心窍者，导痰汤下寿星丸，或加味茯苓汤。
上虚下盛，于补心药中加升举之剂。心火不降，肾水不升，神志不定，事多健忘，宜朱雀丸。《千金》
孔子大圣枕中方，龟甲、龙骨、远志、菖蒲四味，等分为末，酒服方寸匕，日三服，常令人大聪明。
治多忘方，菖蒲一分，茯苓、茯神、人参各五分，远志七分，为末。酒服方寸匕，日三夜一，五日效。
《圣惠方》菖蒲、远志各一分，捣为细末。戊子日服方寸匕，开心不忘。《肘后方》治人心孔 塞，
多忘喜误，丁酉日密自至市，买远志着巾角中，为末服之，勿令人知。本草∶商陆花主人心 塞，多
忘喜误，取花阴干百日捣末，日暮水服方寸匕，卧思念所欲事，即于眼中自见。
黄帝问道：人容易健忘，是什么气机导致的？岐伯回答：上部之气不足，下部之气有余；肠胃充实而心气虚弱。气虚则营卫之气滞留于下，长时间不能按时上行，所以容易健忘。肾在盛怒且不止息时会损伤志，志受损就会喜欢忘记以前说过的话。血气偏聚于下，气机偏聚于上，气血逆乱而容易健忘。火气不及称为“伏明”，在伏明之纪（火运不及之年），其病症表现为昏惑、悲伤和健忘。当太阳寒水司天时，寒气下行，心气随之上浮，导致容易健忘。太阳之复气（报复之气）发作严重时，病邪侵入心脏，会导致容易健忘和悲伤。
人的先天禀赋不同，若禀受清气，则心的知觉功能清明；若禀受浊气，则心的知觉功能昏昧。心的知觉清明者，记忆力没有极限，即使是千百世以前的事，只要看过一次就能终身记住而不遗忘，怎么会忘记眼前的事呢？心的知觉昏昧者，精神短少，那么即使不经过伤心之事，也无法追忆往事。刘河间认为水性清明而火性昏浊，所以上善的人像水一样清明，下愚的人像火一样昏浊，这是由禀赋体质决定的。如果禀赋清浊混杂，就不能耐受事物的干扰，受到干扰就会失去灵明而健忘。大概气和血是人的神志基础。《内经》说：“静则神藏，躁则消亡。”静是水体的本性，躁是火性的作用。所以性情安静则心神存守于内，情欲发动则心神遗忘于外，动个不停则遗忘也没完没了，遗忘没完没了则存守于内的神志就很少了，存守于内的神志很少就会说完就忘，甚至不到一天就已经忘记了。所以世人多健忘的，是因为终日忙碌纷扰，思绪交错，在一生中处理各种事务，导致气血中的阴液将竭。必定是禀赋在中人以上，内心清明有所坚守，不被事物扰乱的人，百人中难有一人。由此而言，药物固然有安心养血的功效，但不如平定心境，改变气质，修养自身的本原罢了。至于因痰致健忘的，只是一时的病症。然而致病健忘的邪气，不仅仅只有痰。凡是心神有所寄托，以及诸般火热扰乱心神的情况，都会导致健忘。如《灵枢》所说盛怒伤志，志伤则善忘。《内经》所说血并于下，气并于上，乱而善忘。像这样，怎么能不根据病因分别治疗呢？
思虑过度，病位在心脾，宜用归脾汤，若有痰加竹沥。有因精神短少的，用人参养荣汤、小定志丸、宁志膏。有因痰迷心窍的，用导痰汤送服寿星丸，或者用加味茯苓汤。
上部虚而下部实，在补心药中加入升举阳气的药剂。心火不降，肾水不升，神志不定，做事多健忘，宜用朱雀丸。《千金方》中的孔子大圣枕中方，由龟甲、龙骨、远志、菖蒲四味药组成，等分为末，酒送服方寸匕，每日三次，常服可使人聪明。治多忘方，菖蒲一分，茯苓、茯神、人参各五分，远志七分，研为末。酒送服方寸匕，白天三次晚上一次，五日见效。《圣惠方》用菖蒲、远志各一分，捣为细末。在戊子日服用方寸匕，可开心窍不忘事。《肘后方》治人心窍闭塞，多忘喜误，在丁酉日秘密前往集市，买远志放在头巾角中，研为末服用，不要让人知道。本草记载：商陆花主治人心窍闭塞，多忘喜误，取花阴干一百天研为末，傍晚用水送服方寸匕，躺下思念想做的事，眼睛中自然就能看见。
Huangdi asked: What qi mechanism causes people to be prone to forgetfulness? Qibo replied: The qi in the upper part is insufficient, while the qi in the lower part is excessive; the intestines and stomach are full, but the Heart qi is deficient. Due to this deficiency, Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) qi remain stagnant in the lower part for a long time and fail to ascend to the upper part on schedule, thus causing forgetfulness. Excessive anger that does not subside damages the Zhi (Will), and damage to the Zhi leads to a tendency to forget previous statements. When blood accumulates in the lower part and qi accumulates in the upper part, the resulting disorder causes forgetfulness. Insufficient fire is called "Fu Ming" (Hidden Brightness). In years of Fu Ming (Fire Deficiency), the diseases manifest as confusion, sorrow, and forgetfulness. When Taiyang Cold Water governs the year, cold qi descends, and Heart qi follows it upward, leading to forgetfulness. When the retaliatory qi of Taiyang becomes severe and invades the Heart, it causes forgetfulness and sorrow.
Humans have different innate constitutions. Those who receive clear qi have clear perceptual functions in the Heart, whereas those who receive turbid qi have dull perceptual functions. For those with clear Heart perception, memory has no limit; even events from thousands of centuries ago can be remembered for life after a single glance, so how could they forget what is before their eyes? For those with dull Heart perception, due to shortness of spirit, they cannot recall past events even without experiencing heartbreak. Liu Hejian stated that water is clear and bright, while fire is dull and turbid; thus, the superior resemble water in clarity, and the inferior resemble fire in dullness, which is determined by their constitution. If one's constitution is mixed with both clear and turbid elements, they cannot tolerate disturbances from external matters. Such disturbances cause a loss of spiritual clarity, resulting in forgetfulness. Qi and blood are the foundation of human spirit. The Classics state: "Stillness allows the Shen (Spirit) to reside within; restlessness causes it to dissipate." Stillness is the nature of water, while restlessness is the function of fire. Therefore, a calm nature keeps the Heart-Shen stored within, while emotional agitation causes the Heart-Shen to wander outside. Continuous agitation leads to continuous forgetting; if forgetting continues, the Shen stored within becomes scarce. When the internal Shen is scarce, one forgets immediately after speaking, or even within a single day. Thus, most people suffer from forgetfulness because they are busy and disturbed, with tangled thoughts throughout their lives, depleting the yin aspect of their qi and blood. Only those with above-average constitutions, who maintain inner clarity and are not confused by external matters, can avoid this—one in a hundred. Therefore, although medicines have the merit of calming the Heart and nourishing blood, it is better to calm the mind, transform the qi, and cultivate one's own essence. Forgetfulness caused by phlegm is merely a temporary condition. However, pathogenic factors causing forgetfulness are not limited to phlegm. Any situation where the Heart-Mind is attached to something, or where various heat-fire pathogens disturb the Heart, can lead to forgetfulness. As stated in the *Ling Shu*, excessive anger damages the Zhi, and damage to the Zhi causes forgetfulness. As stated in the *Nei Jing*, blood accumulating below and qi accumulating above causes disorder and forgetfulness. In such cases, treatment must be tailored to the specific cause.
For forgetfulness due to excessive overthinking, affecting the Heart and Spleen, Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction) is indicated; add Zhu Li (Bamboo Sap) if phlegm is present. For cases due to shortness of spirit, Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang (Ginseng Decoction for Nourishing the Vitality), Xiao Ding Zhi Wan (Minor Pill for Stabilizing the Will), or Ning Zhi Gao (Calming the Will Paste) may be used. For cases due to phlegm confusing the Heart orifices, Dao Tan Tang (Phlegm-Draining Decoction) administered with Shou Xing Wan (Longevity Star Pill), or Jia Wei Fu Ling Tang (Modified Poria Decoction), is appropriate.
For deficiency in the upper part and excess in the lower part, add herbs that lift yang to the Heart-nourishing formula. If Heart Fire fails to descend and Kidney Water fails to ascend, resulting in unstable Shen and frequent forgetfulness, Zhu Que Wan (Vermilion Bird Pill) is indicated. Kong Zi Da Sheng Zhen Zhong Fang (Confucius the Great Sage Pillow-Center Formula) from *Qian Jin* consists of Gui Jia (Tortoise Shell), Long Gu (Dragon Bone), Yuan Zhi (Polygala Root), and Chang Pu (Acorus Rhizome) in equal parts, ground into powder. Take one cun bi (a measure of volume) with wine, three times daily, to enhance intelligence. The formula for treating excessive forgetfulness consists of Chang Pu (1 fen), Fu Ling (Poria), Fu Shen (Poria with Hostwood), and Ren Shen (Ginseng) each at 5 fen, and Yuan Zhi at 7 fen. Grind into powder. Take one cun bi with wine, three times during the day and once at night; effectiveness should appear within five days. *Sheng Hui Fang* uses Chang Pu and Yuan Zhi (1 fen each), ground into fine powder. Take one cun bi on Wu Zi days to open the orifices and prevent forgetfulness. *Zhou Hou Fang* treats blocked Heart orifices causing forgetfulness and errors. On Ding You days, secretly go to the market, buy Yuan Zhi, place it in the corner of a headscarf, grind into powder, and take it without others knowing. Materia Medica records that Shang Lu Hua (Phytolacca Flower) treats blocked Heart orifices and forgetfulness. Take flowers, shade-dry for 100 days, grind into powder, and take one cun bi with water at dusk. Lie down and contemplate desired matters, and you will see them clearly in your vision.