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"Shu" (belonging/subordination) refers to the relationship of subordination. Understanding which organ or meridian a disease belongs to allows one to grasp the general principles, from which specific symptom categories can be deduced.

All wind diseases characterized by tremors and dizziness belong to the Liver.
The Liver is the zang-organ governing Wind; therefore, all Wind diseases belong to the Liver. "Zhufeng" (various winds) includes conditions such as Zhongfeng (wind-stroke), Shangfeng (wind-cold injury), Jingfeng (wind-induced convulsions in children), and Lifeng (leprosy-like diseases), encompassing a vast array of symptoms. "Diao" refers to rotational movement or trembling; this includes sudden collapse, spasms, epilepsy with convulsions, and shaking. The Liver governs the sinews (tendons); thus, these are pathologies of the sinews. "Xuan" refers to vertigo or blurred vision; conditions such as visual hallucinations, spinning sensations of the head and eyes, occur because the Liver opens into the eyes. Western medicine attributes vertigo, blurred vision, spasms, and convulsions to disorders of the brain marrow and sinews, positing that the optic nerve connects to the brain, causing dizziness, and excessive effort of "brain qi" leads to muscle contraction and convulsive extension. However, Western medicine remains puzzled regarding the etiology of "brain qi" disorders. It is unknown that the Liver meridian connects to the brain, opens into the eyes, and links to the sinews. Whatever Western medicine describes as "brain qi" function is actually governed by the Liver meridian. Pathologies of the meridians and sinews are ultimately driven by Liver Wind. Therefore, all tremors and dizziness belong to Wind, and all Wind diseases ultimately belong to the Liver.

All cold syndromes characterized by contraction and pulling belong to the Kidney.
The Kidney governs Cold Qi; thus, all Cold syndromes belong to the Kidney. The Kidney also governs the bones. When Kidney Yang reaches all parts of the body, the skeletal structure is flexible and movement is light. If the limbs and bones are cramped, contracted, or flaccidly elongated, it indicates the bones are not functioning properly. One must distinguish between cramping/contraction/pulling and convulsive shortening; the former is a Cold syndrome, while the latter is a Wind syndrome.

All qi stagnation and constraint belong to the Lung.
The qi of the five zang and six fu organs is universally commanded by the Lung, as the Lung is the master of qi. Therefore, treating qi disorders should focus on the Lung. The Lung corresponds to the skin and hair. "Zhi" refers to rough, ugly skin texture, such as purpura, tumors, black moles, and rhinophyma. Western medicine notes oil glands under the pores with ducts extending to the skin surface; blackheads indicate blocked ducts. This aligns with the *Neijing*. "Yu" (stagnation) refers to qi constrained internally, unable to disperse. Conditions like "Bi" (obstruction), including qi rebellion with phlegm stasis, blood coagulation, and constipation, represent qi deviation within the abdomen. Yu is the opposite of smooth flow; when Lung qi is not free-flowing, it becomes stagnant, requiring dispersing and descending methods.

All dampness syndromes characterized by edema and fullness belong to the Spleen.
Edema affects the skin and limbs; fullness involves abdominal distension. These result from dampness obstruction and water failing to descend, accumulating in the diaphragmatic membranes. However, dampness syndromes include more: dizziness/heaviness of the head and eyes, malaria, summerheat dysentery, generalized bi-syndrome pain, and phlegm-fluid accumulations. All belong to Spleen Earth failing to control Water. The Spleen generates oily membranes; the upper membrane constitutes the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), governing water pathways. Oil is a product of the Spleen; since oil repels water, this is how the Spleen promotes water metabolism. If the Spleen's oily membranes lose their function, dampness hides within. Thus, treating dampness requires addressing the Spleen.

All pain, sores, ulcers, and itching belong to the Heart.
Regarding various sores and ulcers: if blood stasis obstructs, qi and blood contend, causing pain; if blood deficiency generates heat and agitates Wind, Wind and Fire scorch each other, causing itching. All these belong to pathologies of the Heart meridian and Blood aspect. Treatment should harmonize the blood. Generally, diseases not involving the Blood aspect do not cause pain; thus, masses, distension, and swelling are typically painless. Conversely, abdominal or limb pain invariably relates to the Blood aspect and thus belongs to the Heart.

All heat syndromes characterized by mental confusion and convulsions belong to Fire.
"Zhure" (various heats) includes fever, aversion to heat, plague, and summerheat syndromes. "Mao" refers to blurred vision, darkness, or seeing ghosts. "Chi" refers to inability to extend the sinews, i.e., convulsions. These belong to Fire because various heat syndromes involve Fire damaging the Qi aspect (Fire overcoming Metal/Lung). "Mao" indicates the Heart Spirit being disturbed, leading to visual confusion; Fire corresponds to the Heart, and Heart Fire disturbs the Spirit. "Chi" occurs when Liver sinews are scorched by Fire and lack Blood nourishment, causing retraction. This differs from "Wen" (flaccidity) and must be distinguished.

All jue (reversal cold), retention, and incontinence belong to the Lower Jiao.
"Jue" refers to cold extremities. "Gu" refers to abdominal masses, such as Hanhan (cold hernia). "Xie" refers to persistent diarrhea. All belong to the Lower Jiao, specifically the Kidney meridian. If Kidney Yang cannot circulate, Jue occurs; if it cannot ascend, Xie (diarrhea) occurs; if it cannot transform Qi, Gu (retention/constipation) occurs. Thus, they belong to the Lower Jiao and require warming treatment.

All wei (atrophy), panting, and vomiting belong to the Upper Jiao.
Wei syndromes have two types: Feiwei (Lung atrophy), where lung leaves are dry and fluid distribution fails, leading to consumptive cough; and Zuwei (foot atrophy), where calves waste away, preventing walking. Foot atrophy always originates from the Lung. The Lung governs fluid transport, sending fluids via the Stomach Meridian to moisten the Zongjin (general sinews), enabling leg movement. If Lung fluids fail, Zongjin lose nourishment, causing foot atrophy. Though manifesting in the lower body, it belongs to the Upper Jiao. Panting results from impaired Lung exhalation; vomiting results from rebellious Stomach Qi. Both Lung and Stomach belong to the Upper Jiao. The Upper Jiao is Yang and prone to Fire rebellion, requiring clearing methods.

All mouth closure, shivering, and loss of mental control belong to Fire.
"Jin" refers to locked jaws, as seen in Jin Kou Li (lockjaw dysentery) or spasm-related jaw locking. "Guli" refers to chattering teeth and shivering, as in malaria. "Ru Sang Shenshou" refers to delirium, Baihe Bing (lily disease), and agitation, indicating a loss of mental hold. This is an image of extreme heat turning to cold, a sign of Fire disturbing the Heart Spirit. Treatment should target the Fire.

All spasms and neck stiffness belong to Dampness.
Cold-Damp causes sinew constriction; Heat-Damp causes sinew swelling. Both can induce spasms and neck stiffness.

All rebellious upward rushing Qi belongs to Fire.
"Zhuni" (various rebellions) includes vomiting, coughing, and choking. Any upward rushing of Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) Qi affecting the head, eyes, throat, or chest is due to Heart and Liver Fire carrying the Chong Mai upward. Suppression is indicated.

All abdominal distension and enlargement belong to Heat.
"Zhuzhang" refers to internal abdominal fullness; "Fuda" refers to monolithic abdominal distension (ascites). This arises from Liver failure to soothe and Spleen failure to transform. Liver stagnation leads to difficult urination and water retention causing distension. Spleen dysfunction leads to monolithic distension. This is attributed to Heat because it involves Liver Wood overacting on Spleen Earth. Unlike the previous "Fire" (Blood aspect), this "Heat" is in the Qi aspect, causing excessive accumulation of Qi-phase fluids, leading to distension.

All restlessness, mania, and transgression belong to Fire.
"Zao" is irritability; "Kuang" is mania; "Yue" is climbing high or behaving excessively. These result from excessive Fire in the Sanjiao and Stomach, causing vigorous eruption of Qi and Blood.

All sudden rigidity belongs to Wind.
Rigidity and falling are sudden. Wind is swift, hence sudden onset. All Wind belongs to the Liver, which governs sinews. Wind invading sinews prevents normal movement, causing rigidity. Wind has both Yin (Cold Wind) and Yang (Hot Wind) aspects. Regardless of type, rigidity occurs and must be differentiated carefully.

All diseases with sounds, where pressing feels like a drum, belong to Heat.
This differs from intestinal borborygmi (rumbling), which involves gas, cutting pain, and watery diarrhea due to water entering the intestines (Cold syndrome). Here, the sound arises within the subcutaneous membranes and omental networks. These networks constitute the Sanjiao, the residence of Ministerial Fire and pathway for water. Interaction between Water and Fire generates sound. The sound is continuous, unlike the loud rumbling of Cold. Pressing elicits sound and tenderness, feeling like a drum skin, because it lies between membranes. This indicates Sanjiao Fire opposing Water. Thus, it belongs to Heat. The Sanjiao is the residence of moving Qi; excess Qi blows through the membranous tubes, creating sound, similar to squeezing a rubber figure.

All diseases with dorsal foot swelling, pain, soreness, fright, and terror belong to Fire.
"Fu" refers to the dorsum of the foot. Foot swelling originates in the Jueyin and Yangming meridians. Yangming runs along the dorsum; Jueyin starts at the big toe and connects to the ankle. Liver Wood generating Heat obstructs Stomach Meridian Dampness, which flows downward, causing foot swelling and severe soreness. "Suan" (sour/sore) has significant meaning. Western medicine notes that in podagra (gout), acidic fluid forms in the stomach, protein appears in urine, and urine smells sour, leading to foot swelling and pain. However, Western medicine lacks the etiological explanation for acidity and swelling, which TCM clarifies. The *Neijing* states Liver Wood tastes sour. Wood generates Fire and controls Earth. If Earth fails to transform Water and Fire steams it, the taste becomes sour. Sourness is the flavor of combined Dampness and Heat. Soup turns sour in summer due to Damp-Heat interaction, but not in winter (Damp without Heat). Understanding that acidity causes pain and swelling aids in treating podagra. Additionally, sudden fright and terror stem from Liver Wood stagnation and Fire eruption, causing the Hun (Ethereal Soul) to fail to reside. Thus, they belong to Fire.

All twisting, opisthotonos, and curvature, with turbid fluids, belong to Heat.
"Zhuan" is lateral twisting; "Fan" is opisthotonos; "Li" is curvature, such as in Yangming spasm where the head bends to the knees. Turbid fluids refer to cloudy urine. Twisting involves the Shaoyang meridian; opisthotonos involves the Taiyang meridian; curvature involves the Yangming meridian. The water pathways are in the diaphragmatic membranes, belonging to the Sanjiao. Turbid urine indicates Sanjiao Heat. Similarly, twisting, opisthotonos, and curvature also relate to the Sanjiao. The Sanjiao's net-membranes (omentum), called "lianwang" by Westerners, extend inward and outward, enveloping muscles, with tendons connecting to bones for flexion and extension. Thus, twisting and curvature are caused by tendon traction driven by membrane contraction. The *Neijing* groups these with turbid fluids to show they all stem from Heat in the Sanjiao omentum. Western medicine attributes convulsions to nerves, seeking depth but finding shallowness, leaving them without effective treatment.

All diseases with clear, cold fluids belong to Cold.
Lower fluids are urine; upper fluids are saliva. Their pathways lie within the Sanjiao membranes. Regardless of the disease, if fluids are clear and cold, it indicates severe deficiency of the Sanjiao. Thus, they belong to Cold.

All vomiting of acid, sudden diarrhea, and tenesmus belong to Heat.
"Ou" is dry heaving, caused by Fire rebellion. "Tu" (vomiting) can be Cold, but vomiting acid is never Cold. "Baozhu Xia Po" refers to sudden diarrhea with tenesmus (urgency and straining), commonly known as dysentery. This belongs to Heat, specifically Liver Heat. Liver Fire rebelling upward causes vomiting of acid; Liver Fire sinking downward causes dysentery. Tenesmus arises because the Liver desires dispersion while the Lung desires convergence; Metal-Wood disharmony leads to the desire to defecate without relief. Dysentery often occurs in autumn, reflecting Metal controlling Wood.

The mechanisms of disease are myriad and cannot be fully recorded. Only the general principles are listed here to illustrate the rest.