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I often maintain that administering medicine is like executing punishment; if there is any error, human life hangs in the balance. Therefore, the *Book of Documents* states: "It is not difficult to speak, but difficult to practice." For instance, Zhang Zhongjing's *Treatise on Cold Damage* contains 113 prescriptions, yet one is still missing; its 397 methods are so numerous that even counting on fingers cannot fully encompass them. This is what is meant by this statement.

The general principles of prescribing include the "Seven Forms" (Qi Fang) and the "Ten Categories" (Shi Ji). The Seven Forms refer to Odd Form (Qi Fang), Even Form (Ou Fang), Large Form (Da Fang), Small Form (Xiao Fang), Slow-acting Form (Huan Fang), Rapid-acting Form (Ji Fang), and Compound Form (Fu Fang). The Ten Categories refer to Dispersion (Xuan), Unblocking (Tong), Tonification (Bu), Purging (Xie), Lightness (Qing), Heaviness (Zhong), Astringency (Se), Slipperiness (Hua), Dryness (Zao), and Dampness (Shi). However, these can only be applied after accumulating knowledge through study.

Regarding the treatment of Cold Damage disease: The Taiyang channel belongs to the Bladder; without sweating, it will not heal, so herbs like Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang) must be used because their nature can unblock Yang Qi and repel external cold. The Yangming channel belongs to the Stomach; without purgation and drainage, it will not heal, so Rhizoma et Radix Rhei (Dahuang) and Natrii Sulfas (Mangxiao) must be used to promote drainage. The Shaoyang channel belongs to the Gallbladder, which has no direct exit or entry pathway; Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu) and Pinelliae Tuber (Banxia) can facilitate flow and induce sweating, and when assisted by Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin), the pathogen is resolved. The Taiyin channel belongs to the Spleen, whose nature abhors Cold-Dampness; without Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens (Ganjiang) and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu), dampness cannot be dried. The Shaoyin channel belongs to the Kidney, whose nature fears Cold and Dryness; without Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi), warmth cannot be restored. The Jueyin channel belongs to the Liver, which stores blood and nourishes sinews; without Middle-Warming herbs, moistening cannot occur.

Beyond this, there are three methods: Sweating (Han), Purgation (Xia), and Vomiting (Tu); a discrepancy of a hair's breadth is unacceptable. The Classics state: "If Guizhi Tang enters the throat while Yang is excessive, death ensues; if Chengqi Tang enters the stomach while Yin is excessive, demise follows." Therefore, for exterior syndromes, sweating is appropriate; for interior syndromes, purgation is appropriate; for chest/thoracic syndromes, vomiting is appropriate; for half-exterior/half-interior syndromes, harmonization is appropriate. If exterior and interior signs appear simultaneously, treat according to the syndrome with渗泄 (shen xie - permeating and draining). Body heat without thirst indicates Heat in the Exterior; thirst with irritability indicates Heat in the Interior. When Cold Damage presents with Wind, Da Qinglong Tang is the most suitable treatment. For Yang Du (Yang Toxin) with internal and external binding heat, mild cases use Baihu Tang, while severe cases use Chengqi Tang and similar formulas. Yang Jue (Yang Reversal) also uses this method; if the tongue is curled and scorched black, and smoke-like coal appears in the nose, Water Immersion Method (Shui Zi Fa) is indispensable. For Yin Du (Yin Toxin), where the disease is critical, the face is black, and limbs are cold, Lizhong Tang and Sini Tang should be administered. If ineffective, Moxibustion is excellent, assisted by Cong熨 (Cong Yi - Green Onion Fomentation). Yin Jue (Yin Reversal) is treated similarly.

For Fever with Diarrhea, Baitouweng Tang and Huanglian Ejiao Wan are most precise. For Zhong Han (Cold Strike), urgently place the patient in a warm room, ignite firewood to warm them until the whole body is thoroughly warm. Or place them on a hot kang, have strong people support and rub them, keep hands near fire or in bosoms for warmth, and quickly massage the extremities, chest, and abdomen. Subsequently administer Jiangfu Tang internally. If still unconscious, apply moxibustion according to the above methods.

For Shang Feng (Wind Injury): If sweating and aversion to wind occur, release the muscle layer. Although interior signs exist, if aversion to wind persists, the exterior must first be resolved. For Wind Injury combined with Cold, Da Qinglong Tang is used for regulation. For Zhong Feng (Wind Stroke) causing coma, first use Tongguan San, probe the nose to induce sneezing, then use Suhexiang Wan to move Qi. Differentiate between Cold and Heat for treatment; do not mix them up. If the Five Zang organs are directly struck, it is as sudden as lightning. For hemiplegia, slowly administer herbs for regulating Qi, dispersing Wind, and resolving Phlegm; avoid harsh Wind-dispersing herbs. Rushing treatment prevents reaching a full lifespan. For locked jaw, use Tongguan San to snuff the nose; sneezing opens the jaw.

For Shang Shu (Summerheat Injury): Summerheat consumes Blood and Qi and generates Phlegm; quickly use Summerheat-resolving agents, stop hot drinks, and recovery occurs upon sweating. For Zhong Shu (Summerheat Strike), urgently move to a cool place; do not give cold drinks. Use cloth or clothes dipped in hot water to foment the navel (Shenque) and Qihai acupoint. Pour hot water over the cloth to penetrate; once the navel and abdomen are warm, the patient gradually regains consciousness. If no hot water is available in an emergency, scoop up hot earth from the road and place it on the navel (more is better); replace when cold. Ancient methods: if no hot water is available on the road, scoop hot earth into the navel, make a depression, and have someone urinate into it to substitute for hot water. Then administer Summerheat-resolving drugs, and urgently chew a large piece of fresh Ginger, swallowing with cold water. If already comatose, chew 1-2 cloves of Garlic, swallow with cold water; if unable to chew, grind with water and灌 (administer) to restore consciousness immediately. In places without hot water, chew about 2 cun of raw Scallion, swallow with saliva, which is equivalent to drinking two sheng of water.

For Shang Shi (Dampness Invasion) and Zhong Shi (Dampness Strike), only promote urination is suitable; forbid Fire therapy and excessive purgation. If a Dampness patient is wrongly purged, leading to sweat on the forehead and slight panting, soothe the middle and promote eating, and regulate with mild-warm herbs. If old Blood stasis and stagnant Qi condense into Zheng Jia (masses), forming hard, painful abdominal lumps, use Qi-breaking herbs to attack them. Or use "like attracts like" methods: e.g., broken combs for Lice-masses, copper filings for Dragon-masses, Qu (fermented starter) for Rice-masses, and Steel scale (Duanshi) for Hair-masses. This is called "The physician relies on intuition."

For severe Qi urgency and distending pain, or Heat Pi (glomus) accumulation, must vent and drain. For deficiency consumptions, prepare large decoctions; for vigorous tonification, Aconite (Wutou), Prepared Root of Aconite (Fuzi), Tianxiong, Ginger, and Cinnamon are indispensable; for moistening tonification, Deer Antler (Lurong), Angelica Sinensis Radix (Danggui), and Cistanche Deserticola (Rongrongs) are essential; for clearing tonification, Asparagi Radix (Tianmendong), Ophiopogon Japonicus Radix (Mendong), Ginseng Radix (Renshen), and Rehmanniae Radix (Dihuang) are suitable.

Regarding various Heat treatments: There is General Heat (Fan Re) and Excess Heat (Shi Re). For General Heat, Schizonepetae Spica (Jingjie), Menthae Haplocalycis Herba (Bohe), Gardeniae Fructus (Zhizi), and Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin) are appropriate. For Excess Heat, only Rheum Palmatum Radix et Rhizoma (Dahuang) and Natrii Sulfas (Mangxiao) are effective.

General principles of treatment consider regional differences. Northern soil is dense, groundwater deep, water nature sinks; people tend to have Excess patterns rather than Deficiency, and diet consists mainly of meat and fermented grains. In cold weather, they wear heavy fur and sit on heated beds. If treating illness there, use more cooling agents; e.g., Southern use of Dahuang and Crotonis Fructus (Badou) requires double the dosage. Or use Water Immersion Method, or drink 1-2 bowls of sweet water to recover. Occasionally, those with weak constitution who neglect themselves and suffer labor-induced deficiency need only moistening tonification, and they will surely recover.

Southern regions belong to Fire; Fire nature is light and flaming; people tend to have Deficiency patterns rather than Excess, and diet is mostly vegetables. Must administer mild-warm herbs to regulate. Those accustomed to Northern habits, drinking wine all day until drunk, roasting fatty fresh foods, and eating excessively, if they fall ill, must be treated with cooling agents based on their habitual constitution. However, Deficient patients must not be given cooling agents recklessly.

For Malaria with much Heat, administer semi-cool/semi-hot dispersing agents, differentiate Yin/Yang to reduce chills/fever, calculate the day of onset, advance anti-malarial drugs one hour prior, remove Phlegm-fluids, and efficacy will be achieved. For much Cold, administer semi-raw/semi-cooked spleen-strengthening/appetizing agents, followed by anti-malarial drugs; then Phlegm-stagnation leaves and disease heals. Patients must guard diet and daily routine to prevent recurrence. For chronic malaria recurring with deficiency edema and anorexia, cure is unheard of.

For Epidemic Diseases (Shi Yi), treatment must be adjusted to the season, not biased. Physicians must identify the cause before prescribing. Do not assume recovery just because days have passed, leading to wrongful death; this is lamentable. Upon recovery, advance soup and food quickly to break the toxic force; do not let pathogenic Qi attack the person, causing suffocation. Some say this disease arises from unclogged drains, filth, and miasma; or from stagnant dead air in the land; or from officials' unjust grievances and resentment. One may dig at the "Six Harmonies" location of the prefecture, 3 chi deep and wide, fill with clean sand (3 hu), pour 3 sheng of pure wine on top, and have the ruler pray. This is also a good method to eliminate epidemics, so it is recorded.

For panting urgency due to Deficiency, use ascending/descending and sedative/heavy methods; for Heat, clear Heart and cool Lung; all recover. For Dysentery caused by Four Qi (pathogens), first resolve according to the pathogen, differentiate and benefit Yin/Yang. Then distinguish Cold/Heat: warm hands/feet indicate Yang syndrome, use neutral/mild agents; cold limbs indicate Yin syndrome, use warm-dry agents; all are effective. General rules: Tonify Deficiency, Purge Excess, Astringe Slippage, Unblock Closure. Push out Accumulations, Cool Heat, Warm Cold, Balance Cold-Heat imbalance. For Hemorrhage, clarify cause and distinguish Cold/Heat: bright red blood indicates treatment with Clearing/Harmonizing; dark clotted blood indicates Warming/Nourishing. Constipation of both bowels/bladder requires lubrication; Distension/Fullness requires regulating Qi, treating based on Excess/Deficiency. Edema/Fullness: Excess uses diuresis, Deficiency strengthens Spleen Yuan and uses anti-edema agents; miraculous effects follow. Guard against salt and sexual indulgence to prevent recurrence.

For Huoluan (Colic with Vomiting/Diarrhea), clearly distinguish Excess/Deficiency causes, treat urgently without delay; delay leads to death. Gan Huoluan (Dry Huoluan) is even harder to treat. San Xiao (Three Consumptions) treatment focuses on nourishing Kidney, suppressing Heart Fire. Take many Tangyuan (rice balls) to raise Water and lower Fire, ending excessive thirst. Zhen Xin Tong (True Heart Pain) with cyanosis to joints is untreatable. Zhen Tou Tong (True Headache) penetrating Fengfu and entering Ninwan is not curable by medicine. Jin Chuang (Metal Wounds) treatment is detailed later; the skill in medication is admirable. For Gu Poison (Gu Toxin), burn broken drum skin to ash, take one bi with water; the patient will call the name of the Gu master, summon it, and it leaves, curing the disease.

Zhai Ji (Consumption Disease/TB): Once infected, if not deeply established, extract the worm first; otherwise, it damages Heart and Lung. Heart governs Blood, Lung governs Qi; humans rely on these roots for life. After extracting the worm, forget worldly worries, combine with moistening/nourishing food/herbs, and recovery is possible; late treatment is too late. For Nightmares, Childbirth, Hanging, Drowning, and other sudden collapses, memorize the following treatments and Obstetrics section beforehand; otherwise, panic ensues, and verification happens instantly. Otherwise, the world lacks good physicians, and half the deaths are wrongful.

Li Feng (Leprosy/Malignant Wind): At onset, vent and drain; as Wind-Toxin leaves, the disease improves. Long-term, live secluded in forests/springs, and externally seek taboo/warding methods to remove it.

There are Six Untreatable Conditions: 1. Arrogant and unreasonable; 2. Valuing wealth over health; 3. Unable to adapt clothing/food; 4. Yin and Yang mixed, Zang-Qi unstable; 5. Emaciated and unable to take medicine; 6. Trusting shamans instead of doctors. If vital signs remain, complexion unchanged, disease not deep in collaterals, timely acupuncture/medicine, proper care, and entrusting to a good physician ensures cure.

The Five Flavors treat Five Zang diseases: Liver-Sour, Heart-Bitter, Spleen-Sweet, Lung-Pungent, Kidney-Salty. Stop when they hit the target; excess causes Sour to enter Sinews, Salty to enter Blood, Pungent to enter Qi, Bitter to enter Bones, Sweet to enter Flesh, yielding no benefit. Examples: Lung-Dry Cough, chew Sesame, eat oil cakes; Malaria-Spleen-Cold, eat pickled carp, pickled melon. Chronic Cold Dysentery, pheasant, wontons, etc. Fruits/Vegetables can be used according to Cold/Heat to cure disease.

Processing methods involve Mutual Need (Xiang Xu), Mutual Combination (Xiang He), Mutual Opposition (Xiang Fan), Mutual Detraction (Xiang E). Mutual Need: Cinnamon becomes soft with Scallion. Mutual Combination: Magnetite attracts needles. Mutual Opposition: Kansui and Kytospongia oppose Licorice. Mutual Detraction: Realgar avoids Dragon Bone. Prescriptions have taboos; this is a summary. Using Licorice to mitigate Kansui's toxicity requires caution. Distinguish new/old herbs, select local origins, harvest times, assign Sovereign/Minister/Assistant/Courier roles, ensure accurate dosages, roast/fry/process meticulously. This is good treatment.

Those who rely on their own skills, refuse consultation, guess arbitrarily, treat Cold with Cold, Heat with Heat, and rashly prescribe to claim credit, may occasionally succeed by luck. But if they fail, they are condemned. "One bowl of medicine, mistakenly swallowed, tears five Zang apart; can life be restored? Beware!" Physicians are masters of life. Do not refuse calls due to distance or weather. At the patient's home, be respectful, avoid distractions. Dosage: Exterior sweating 4 parts, Vomiting/Purgation 1 part, max add 2. More tonics = better effect; others vary by syndrome. Clearly write instructions. If not cured, ask them to return; then disease heals and treatment has direction. I learned young, practiced long; the way of healing is here. (Ancient saying: To treat disease, trace the cause; life/death predestined, only then is one a physician. Respect this.)