辨认一切阴虚证法

Diagnosis of Yin deficiency

凡阴虚之人，阳气自然必盛（阳气二字，指火旺。火旺则水亏，此阴虚之所由来也）。外虽现一切阴象，近似阳虚症，俱当以此法辨之，万无一失。

When the Yin is in deficiency, the Yang Qi must be overwhelming (Yang Qi here refers to Fire overwhelming. When the Fire is overwhelming, the Water will be in deficiency. This is the reason for the Yin deficiency). Though the overall condition looks similar to the Yang deficiency, it is needed to find the evidence for the Yin deficiency.

阴虚病，其人必面目唇口红色，精神不倦，张目不眠，声音响亮，口臭气粗，身轻恶热，二便不利，口渴饮冷，舌苔干黄或黑黄，全无津液，芒刺满口，烦躁谵语，或潮热盗汗，干咳无痰，饮水不休，六脉长大有力，种种病形，皆是阴虚的真面目，用药即当益阴以破阳（益阴二字，包括六阴在内，照上气血盛衰篇，论气有馀便是火一段，存阴、救阴、化阴、育阴诸方俱备，仔细揣摩，便知阴虚之道也）。

Patients with the Yin deficiency condition, have red color in the face, mouth lips or eyes. The patients appear very energized, have no desire to go to sleep. The voice sound loud, the mouth is with bad odor, the breath is strong, the body is light and dislike hot, the bowel movement and the urine is hard, the mouth is dry and thirsty and wants to drink cold water. The tongue cover is dry-yellowish, or dark-yellowish, without moist. The patient shows irritable, anxiety, chattering without consciousness, or has hot flash, waving hot, night sweat, has dry cough, keeps drinking water. The pulse is long and  strong. All of such clinic conditions suggest the Yin deficiency. For the treatment, the herbs used should supply more Yin and suppress the Yang (supplying more Yin includes the six Yin in the body. Referring to the above chapter for the meaning of the Qi and the Yin, the overwhelming of the Qi will create Fire. Check the therapies for the saving Yin, storing the Yin, nourishing the Yin, and transforming the Yin. Study that chapter carefully, so to know the way to solve the Yin deficiency.).

然亦有近似阳虚者，历指数端。阴虚症，有脉伏不见，或细如丝，而若阳虚极者（热极则脉伏也，定有以上病形可凭），

However, in clinic, some patients’ conditions are similar to the Yang deficiency. Let’s take some examples here. Some patients with the Yin deficiency may have pulse  very deep to touch, or feel as thin as silk, similar to the Yang deficiency. (When the fever is extremely high, the pulse will shrink to the bottom and hard to touch. However, the patient must have the typical symptoms indicating the Yin deficiency as introduced above).

有四肢冷如冰，而若阳绝者（邪热内伏，而阳气不达于四末也，定有以上病情可凭），

Some patients with the Yin deficiency have the hands and feet very cold, similar to the Yang deficiency (This is because the Fire is hidden deep inside and cannot move to the extremes. The patient however has other evidence suggesting the Yin deficiency).

有忽然吐泻，大汗如阳脱者（此热伏于中，逼出吐泻也，定有以上病形可凭），

Some patients with the Yin deficiency could have sudden vomiting or sudden diarrhea, sudden heavy sweat, similar to the Yang escaping conditions (This is because the Fire is hidden inside of the body, forcing the vomiting or diarrhea. The patients must have other evidence for the exist of the Yin deficiency).

有欲言不能，而若气夺者（热痰上升蔽壅也，定有以上病情可凭）。此处不过具其一二，余于阴虚证作有问答数十条，反复推明，细玩便知。

Some patients feel to talk but hard to talk, similar to the exhaust of Qi (This is because the hot phlegm floating up to block the upper opening organ. The patients must have other evidence for the exist of the Yin deficiency).

按阴虚症皆缘火旺（火即气），火盛则伤血，此千古不易之理。后贤专以火立论，而阴虚症之真面目尽掩矣。仲景存阴、化阴、育阴、救阴之法俱废，无人识矣，今特证之。

Since the reason for the Yin deficiency is due to the Fire overwhelming (the Fire here means the Qi). When the Fire is over, it will hurt, damage, burn off the Blood. This is truth for ever. Later doctors only focus on the Fire, blurring the true reason for the Yin deficiency, which makes the Master Zhang Zhongjing’s herbal therapy for saving the Yin Qi all wasted, such as the storing-Yin therapy, nourishing-Yin therapy, saving-Yin therapy, etc.

【阐释】阴虚之人，由于气有馀，则火旺，故多水亏血衰，其所现病情，多与阳虚相反。阳虚之人，由于气不足不能统血，血行郁滞缓慢，体温常偏低。阴虚之人，水亏火旺，故体温常偏高而多有各种发热现象。临症凡见有所举阴虚病情的，用药即当益阴以抑阳。外虽现阴象，貌似阳虚，如郑氏所举的几种情况，只要有阴虚的各种病情，仍当按阴虚施治。

(This paragraph is the explanation by others, so not translated here).