在中國這個藥性來講，它分這個寒，熱，溫，平這個四種的藥性。（編按：中藥的四氣包括寒熱溫凉，五味包括酸、苦、甘、辛、鹹）。寒，這個就治熱病的 ，熱性的藥呢， 就治療寒性的病。溫性的藥，就是治也不寒也不熱的。平，藥性它平和。就是吃了，他對身體會有一點好處。也不會有什麼妨礙的。這是平，平就是平安。那麼這四種藥性，我們學中藥的人應該要知道。
In China, the herbal characteristics are categorized into cold, hot, warm, and neutral. (Editor’s note: The four energies Qi uses in Chinese medicine include cold, hot, warm, and cool. The five flavours include sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, and salty.)
Cold. These are used to treat heat diseases. Herbs with hot characteristics are used to treat diseases with cold characteristics. Herbs with warm characteristics are used to treat diseases that are not cold or hot. Herbs with neutral characteristics are harmonizing. This means that when eaten, they are slightly beneficial to the body. They will not have any obstacles. This is neutral. Neutral can also mean peaceful. So those of us studying Chinese Medicine must know these four herbal characteristics.
在中醫又講望聞問切，神聖工巧。
Chinese Medicine also discusses Observation, listening, questioning, and palpation—as Divine, Sagely, Skilled, and Inexplicable.
望，望而知之為之神，就這麼一看就知道，不要號脈，不要看你的脈呀，就這麼一看您的面色就知道你有什麼病了。望而知之為之神，這叫神，神就是不可思議。就是這種智慧的照亮，這是神。
Observation, to observe and know, is classified as divine. Just by looking, the doctor knows. He does not have to go for your pulse or look at your pulse; just by looking at your facial colors, he knows what sickness you have. To observe and know this is classified as Divine; this is called Divine. Divine means inconceivable; it refers to the brightness of this wisdom; this is Divine.
聞而知之謂之聖。聞就聽你這個說話的聲音。或聽你出呼吸氣的味道，就知道你的病在什麼地方，這叫聞而知之。是聖，聖醫。
To listen and know, this is classified as Sagely. To listen is to hear the sound of your speech or the sound and characteristic of the breath, and the doctor knows where your illness is lodged. This is called listening and knowing. This is classified as sagely, a sage doctor.
前一種是神醫，這個第二種是聖醫。神就神乎其神地，不可思議。這個聖就是很聰明的，他這個耳朵裡頭也通神了。一聽你說話這個聲音，他就知道你這個病在什麼地方。在心，肝，脾，肺，腎 在哪一經，他就知道了。這叫聞而知之，不用眼睛看。只用耳朵這麼一聽，用眼睛看的，這是神，用耳朵聽的呢，這叫聖。
The earlier kind is a divine doctor; the second is a sage doctor. This is divine, like beyond the gods, inconceivable. This sagely refers to being very brilliant that even his ears have become divine. Just by listening to the sounds of your speech, he will know where your illness is lodged. Whether it is in the Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lungs, Kidneys, in which channel, he will know. This is called listening and knowing. There is no need to use the eyes; just use the ears to listen. By using the eyes to see, this is Divine. By using the ears to listen, this is called Sagely.
那個用口來問的，一見著，沒有給您屏脈的。沒有看您的脈，就問你。你什麼地方痛，你譬如說您頭痛。他知道您這病在哪一經。你要說你肚子痛，他又知道你這個病在什麼地方了。總而言之，他問你，你老老實實告訴他，在什麼地方覺的不舒服，有什麼病痛他就知道了。這叫問而知之謂之工。工醫，工就是做工的工。這個意思呢，就是他對這個看病這一行，他是很有功夫了。很有功夫了。那麼這是問而知之謂之工。
Then, by using the mouth to ask, he doesn’t take your pulse the moment he meets you. Without seeing your pulse, he just questions you, asking you where it hurts, and if, for example, you say that your head hurts, he knows which meridian your illness is at. If you say that your stomach hurts, once again, he knows where this illness of yours is located. In short, when he questions you, you just have to tell him where you feel uncomfortable truthfully, and he will know what kind of illness or pain you have. This is called to question and know; this is classified as Skillful. A skillful doctor; the word skillful ” or “gong” comes from the word “zuo gong,” which means to work. This means that with regards to diagnosis, this doctor is very skillful; he has lots of kungfu concerning it. So this is called question and know and classified as skillful.
切脈而知之謂之巧。那個他也不看你也不聽你也不問你。他就用那麼三個手指頭往你那個寸關尺，這個地方叫寸關尺。寸，一寸的寸，關就是這個關，尺就是那個一尺的尺。這個醫理一看你寸關尺的脈，他就知道你病在什麼地方。這叫巧，很巧妙的。
Palpating the pulse and knowing this is classified as inexplicable. The doctor does not look at you, neither does he listen to you, nor does he question you. He uses three fingertips and places them on your cun, chi, or guan. This area is called the Cun, Chi, Guan. Cun, refers to the cun of an inch. Guan refers to this gate. Chi refers to the Chi of one foot. This doctor looks at the pulse of the Cun, Chi, Guan positions and knows where your illness is located. This is called inexplicable, very ingenious.
那麼有這四種的關係，我們都要知道。那麼又要知道，這個藥有君臣佐使。君就好像以它為主，以這一味藥做主體。臣就是幫助這一味藥的。佐也是哪個，臣就是聽命君主的命令，那個佐呀就是幫助臣來去做事的。使就是好像一個工人似的，就好像一個Laborer。那麼是使喚。那麼這個藥有這麼四種的分別。
We have to know all four of these relationships. We also have to understand that materia medica has the categories of the ruler, the minister, the assistant, and the envoy. The ruler is the centerpiece; this medical herb will be the main ingredient. The minister aids this first herb. As for the assistant, just like how the minister obeys the ruler’s orders, the assistant helps the minister to do his work. The envoy is like a worker, just like a laborer. That is the envoy. So, in materia medica, there are these four kinds of differentiations.