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Wind and cold are two types of pathogenic factors, distinguished by Yin and Yang, and often cause disease in conjunction. Generally, wind without cold is gentle wind; once mixed with cold, it invades the human body causing illness, thus easily confused with Shanghan (Cold Damage) and can also be named as such. Therefore, wind-cold exists in all four seasons, but is most severe in winter.

Shanghan and Fengzhong (Wind Strike) each have degrees of severity, which lies not in their names but in clinical manifestations. In the *Taiyang Chapter*, there are two descriptions of pulse and symptoms for Fengzhong: The first states that Taiyang Fengzhong presents with a floating-yin and weak-yang pulse (Yang floating indicates spontaneous heat, Yin weakness indicates spontaneous sweating), accompanied by aversion to cold, aversion to wind, mild fever, nasal congestion, and dry retching; this is treated with Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction). The second states that Taiyang Fengzhong presents with a floating-tight pulse, fever, aversion to cold, body pain, absence of sweat, and irritability; this is treated with Da Qinglong Tang (Major Green Dragon Decoction). Comparing these two presentations: A floating-yang pulse indicates lighter cold, while a floating-tight pulse indicates heavier cold; presence of sweat indicates lighter cold, absence of sweat indicates heavier cold; "Sese" (shivering/cold sensation) and "Xixi" (chilly feeling) indicate lighter wind-cold, while "Xixi" (warmth) indicates lighter fever; simultaneous fever and aversion to cold indicate both heavy cold and heat; nasal congestion indicates lighter wind, while body pain indicates heavier wind; spontaneous sweating and dry retching indicate lighter irritability, while absence of sweat and irritability indicate heavier irritability.

There are also two descriptions of pulse and symptoms for Shanghan: One states that Taiyang disease may present without fever or with fever, must include aversion to cold, body pain, vomiting/reversal of Qi, and a pulse that is tight at both Yin and Yang positions; this is named Shanghan. Another describes a floating pulse, spontaneous sweating, frequent urination, mental restlessness, slight aversion to cold, and cramping in the feet. Comparing these: Slight aversion to cold implies that "must aversion to cold" is heavier; body pain is lighter compared to foot cramping; spontaneous sweating, frequent urination, and mental restlessness indicate lighter Shanghan; absence of initial fever indicates difficulty in generating heat (deeper condition); necessity of vomiting/reversal indicates heavier Shanghan; a floating pulse indicates lighter cold, while tightness at both Yin and Yang positions indicates heavier cold. Thus, the severity of Fengzhong and Shanghan varies as described.

Currently, people assume that Shangfeng (Wind Injury) is mild and Fengzhong is severe, knowing only to distinguish between wind-injury and cold-injury, but failing to differentiate the intrinsic severity of wind and cold. This leads to excuses like "Shanghan presenting with wind symptoms" or "Fengzhong presenting with cold symptoms." Wind is a Yang pathogen, and cold is a Yin pathogen. Although both arise from seasonal cold, they retain their respective Yin-Yang natures. Therefore, mild Shanghan resembles Fengzhong completely, except for foot cramping, because the upper body is Yang and wind injures the upper part. Severe Fengzhong resembles Shanghan completely, except for irritability, because cold causes vomiting without irritability and reversal without dryness. However, Yin and Yang are interdependent. Irritability (Fan) is a Yang pathogen; extreme irritability leads to restlessness (Zao), which is a Yin pathogen. Extreme restlessness leads back to irritability. Thus, mild Fengzhong has mild irritability, severe Fengzhong has irritability and restlessness; severe Shanghan has restlessness and irritability, and severe Shangfeng has slight irritability. Slight irritability implies slight aversion to cold, meaning weak Yang can overcome weak cold, resulting in a floating but not tight pulse. As stated in the *Ben Lun* (Original Treatise), when self-resolution occurs, one must first experience irritability, followed by sweating and resolution, because the pulse is floating and not tight. If one does not wait for self-resolution but wrongly attacks the exterior, Yang collapse (Wang Yang) occurs due to weak Yang. When Shanghan presents with irritability, it indicates cold is resolving; restlessness and irritability indicate Yang is constrained by cold and pathogens are flourishing. Thus, on the first day of Shanghan, restlessness and irritability suggest transmission; on the sixth or seventh day, it suggests Yang leaving and entering Yin channels. Because individuals differ in innate Yang Qi and the location of pathogen invasion differs in Yin-Yang nature, Yang Qi varies in quantity, and heat varies in intensity.

Taiyang is the Great Yang of congenital origin; its heat arises from Ying and Wei, causing robust heat in the whole body and limbs. Yangming is the combination of Shaoyang and Taiyang Yang; its heat arises in the muscles, causing steaming heat. Shaoyang is the Half-Exterior Yang; its heat arises in the interstices, opening and closing intermittently, causing alternating chills and fever. These are the differences in heat among the Three Yang channels.

Taiyin is the Ultimate Yin, having no heat to emit; since the Stomach distributes fluids to nourish the four extremities, it governs the limbs and generates heat in the hands and feet. Therefore, in Taiyin Shanghan, the hands and feet remain warm; in Taiyin Fengzhong, the limbs are painful and uncomfortable. Shaoyin is the root of storage; if Shaoyin fails to store, Kan Yang (Kidney Yang) lacks protection. Thus, some initially suffer wind-cold with a deep pulse and fever; others initially have no exterior heat, but after eight or nine days, heat enters the Bladder, causing heat throughout the body and limbs. Jueyin represents the end of Yin and the beginning of Yang. In Jueyin Shanghan, some progress from Yin experiencing cold extremities first then fever, while others progress from Yang experiencing fever first then cold extremities. Some have more heat and fewer cold extremities as Yang advances, or less heat and more cold extremities as Yang retreats, or harmonious Yin-Yang where cold extremities and fever correspond. These are the differences in heat among the Three Yin channels.

Taiyang is the Father, prone to Yang-excess diseases. For example, after taking Guizhi Tang, relief is followed by irritability; half a day later, irritability returns; after purgation, the pulse remains floating, and there is a sensation of Qi rushing upward; or there is absence of sweat with irritability; or after medication, symptoms slightly subside but are followed by drowsiness and epistaxis. All these are due to heavy Yang Qi. Shaoyin is the Female, prone to Yang-collapse diseases, such as diarrhea with undigested food, cold extremities, faint pulse nearly imperceptible, aversion to cold with curling up, vomiting/diarrhea with sweating, interior cold with exterior heat, and restlessness without irritability. All these are due to Yang collapse.

Furthermore, the *Neijing·Bingxing Chapter* states: Pathogens striking the neck enter Taiyang; striking the face enter Yangming; striking the cheeks enter Shaoyang. Those striking the chest, back, and flanks enter their respective meridians. Hence, in this chapter, Taiyang pathogen invasion distinguishes between neck and back strikes. Neck strike causes stiffness and pain in the head and neck; back strike causes stiffness in the back. Yangming distinguishes between face and chest strikes. Face strike causes eye pain and dry nose; chest strike causes fullness and hardness in the chest and hypochondrium. This follows Qibo’s principle of "Yang strikes flow into meridians." It also states: Pathogens striking Yin start from the arm, moving from meridians to Zang organs. If Zang Qi is solid and cannot contain the pathogen, it returns to the Fu organs. Hence, in the discussion of the Three Yin channels, spontaneous diarrhea appears, indicating cold returning to Fu organs. The Three Yin channels also present conditions suitable for purgation, indicating heat returning to Fu organs. This follows Qibo’s principle of "Yin strikes flow into Fu organs."

The locations of the Six Channels vary in height, so the timing of pathogen invasion varies. Taiyang, being the outermost of the Three Yang and highest in position, is most susceptible to cold, hence affected on Day 1. Yangming, being the Second Yang and anterior, is affected on Day 2. Shaoyang, being the First Yang and lateral, is affected on Day 3. Taiyin, being the Third Yin and highest among Yin, is affected on Day 4. Shaoyin, being the Second Yin and central among Yin, is affected on Day 5. Jueyin, being the First Yin and at the end of the Three Yin, is affected on Day 6. These refer to the timing of symptom appearance, not the sequential transmission of the Six Channels. The *Neijing* states: Qi has high and low positions, diseases have near and far origins; reaching the target site follows this principle.

In the *Ben Lun*, the term "transmission" (Chuan) has various meanings. Forcing it into a theory of meridian transmission is erroneous. On Day 1 of Shanghan, Taiyang is affected; if the pulse is quiet, it is not transmitting. This refers to heat staying within the affected channel, not transmitting to Yangming meridians. Yangming has nothing further to transmit; initial aversion to cold stops spontaneously on Day 2, meaning cold transmission to the current channel ceases, not transmission to Shaoyang. If on Days 2-3 of Shanghan, Yangming and Shaoyang symptoms do not appear, it is not transmitting. This all refers to heat staying within the current channel, not Day 2 to Yangming and Day 3 to Shaoyang. Taiyang disease healing after seven days is because the channel cycle is complete ("walking through its course"). Seven days marks the time of recovery; the Taiyang channel disease should end, not daily transmission to a new channel. Saying it transmits back to Taiyang after seven days is incorrect, as "end" implies completion. If it were daily transmission, it would not be called "walking through its course." If it were to restart a cycle, Taiyang would not cease, leading to concurrent disease with Yangming, preventing transmission. This prevents Yangming from receiving Taiyang heat, not transmitting to Shaoyang. Since Taiyang is close to Yangming and Shaoyang, persistent Taiyang excess may transfer to Yangming; declining Yang may attach to Shaoyang. If Yang sinks, it attaches to Taiyin; if Yang deficiency, it enters Shaoyin; if Yang rebels, it enters Jueyin. Yangming is the destination of all things, so all Six Channels can transfer to it, but Yangming has nothing further to transmit. Thus, Yangming does not transmit to Shaoyang. Yangming and Taiyin both belong to the Stomach; if Stomach is excess, Taiyin transfers to Yangming; if Stomach is deficient, Yangming transfers to Taiyin. Shaoyin is close to the other Yin channels; receiving Taiyin cold causes vomiting and diarrhea with undigested food; receiving Jueyin heat causes sore throat and bloody stool. Jueyin is the end of Yin, similar to Yangming having nothing further to transmit. However, if Yin emerges to Yang, there is more heat and fewer cold extremities; if Yin extreme leads to Yang collapse, there is less heat and more cold extremities. This is a variation of Shaoyang's alternating chills and fever.

According to the *Ben Lun*: Taiyang disease with fever, sweating, aversion to wind, and a slow pulse is Fengzhong. Also, Taiyang Fengzhong with a floating-tight pulse, absence of sweat, and irritability. Also, Yangming Fengzhong with a string-like, floating, large pulse and inability to sweat. Observing these together, one cannot say absence of sweat excludes Fengzhong. The *Ben Lun* states: Taiyang disease, whether without fever or with fever, must have aversion to cold, body pain, vomiting/reversal, and a pulse tight at both Yin and Yang positions, named Shanghan, without mentioning absence of sweat. Also, Taiyang disease with headache, fever, body/low back/joint pain, aversion to wind, absence of sweat, and wheezing is treated with Mahuang Tang (Ephedra Decoction). This does not prefix "Shanghan" nor mention aversion to cold. Also, Shanghan with a floating pulse, spontaneous sweating, and slight aversion to cold. Observing these together, one cannot say presence of sweat excludes Shanghan. People today only rely on Guizhi Tang treating Fengzhong with spontaneous sweating, ignoring that Shanghan can also have spontaneous sweating. They force Mahuang syndrome to be defined as Shanghan without sweat, ignoring that Fengzhong often lacks sweat. They claim Shanghan has a floating-tight pulse and Fengzhong has a floating-slow pulse, ignoring that Shanghan can have floating-slow pulses and Fengzhong can have floating-tight pulses. They know Three Yang pulses are floating and Three Yin pulses are sunken, ignoring that Three Yin can have floating pulses and Three Yang can have sunken pulses. This is relying on isolated statements and ignoring the whole book. One should know that Mahuang Tang and Da Qinglong Tang are heavy formulas for treating severe Fengzhong, while Guizhi Tang and Gegen Tang are light formulas for mild Fengzhong; Shanghan can use them generally, but they are not exclusive to Shanghan. The world promotes Guizhi Tang as the main formula for Fengzhong and dares not use Da Qinglong Tang for Fengzhong due to confusion over "Fengzhong showing cold signs, Shanghan showing wind signs." They dare not use Mahuang Tang for Fengzhong due to the fallacy that "sweating is Fengzhong, non-sweating is Shanghan."

Wind is a Yang pathogen, changing with seasons and even within a single day, with varying stagnation and excess. Hence methods like Mahuang, Guizhi, Gegen, and Qinglong exist. One must know that Fengzhong and Shanghan occur in all seasons, not just "Spring wind injury, Winter cold injury." Taiyang channel has many Fengzhong formulas, such as Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Tang, Zhenwu Tang, Fuzi Lizhong Tang, Baitong Tang, Sini Tang, Tongmai Tang, etc. Fengzhong formulas can be adapted for Shanghan, but Shanghan formulas cannot treat Fengzhong, because cold can be warmed, but wind cannot be treated with heat. Wind is Yang, so Fengzhong in Shaoyin often presents Yang syndromes; Cold is Yin, so Shanghan in Taiyang often presents Yin syndromes. Taiyang channel has many Fengzhong syndromes because Yang follows Yang; Shaoyin channel has many Shanghan syndromes because Yin follows Yin.

Wind moves quickly and changes frequently, so pulse and symptoms cannot be rigidly fixed. From variable symptoms: spontaneous sweating/nasal congestion, or no sweat/wheezing, or no sweat/irritability, or diarrhea/vomiting, or thirst/water craving, or alternating chills/fever, or dry mouth/tongue/throat, or shortness of breath/abdominal fullness, dry nose/drowsiness, red eyes/deafness, chest fullness/irritability, or limb pain/uncomfortableness—various forms exist. Pulses may be floating-slow, floating-tight, string-like-floating-large, Yang-micro/Yin-choppy, or Yang-micro/Yang-floating—various forms exist. From invariant aspects: Floating is the main pulse of Fengzhong; aversion to wind is the definitive symptom of Fengzhong. Wind pulses change unpredictably, but floating is the true form; wind symptoms vary greatly, but aversion to wind is the true emotion. Zhang Zhongjing designed numerous formulas to cover constant and variable patterns.

Cold injuring humans comes from three sources: Morning/evening fog/dew, seasonal wind/rain, winter/spring frost/snow—this is Heaven's cold air. Living in dark/empty rooms, brick/earth floors, large rivers/deep marshes, deep valleys/famous mountains—this is Earth's cold air. Drinking cold spring water, eating raw/cold food, loving melons/fruits, mistakenly taking cold medicines—this is Human cold air. This principle is shallow, yet few Shanghan books address it, covering it instead with "Winter cold, Spring warmth, Epidemic diseases." Why not seek the cause of disease and attribute it to seasonal changes? Cold is indeed Winter Qi, but do the other seasons lack cold? Cold has severity, and injury has severity, not limited to Winter. Warmth is indeed Spring Qi, but other seasons also see warmth diseases. Warmth often arises with the season, rarely caused by Winter Shanghan; it is not an absolute rule. Even if warmth occurs in Winter, it is due to individual Yin deficiency, not because Winter warmth is toxic. If epidemic Qi is the toxicity of Heaven/Earth warmth, it disperses with cool wind; why would it worsen with cold? Epidemics and cold are unrelated; why label epidemic Qi with cold? If illness results from sudden cold, it is simply Shanghan in other seasons, not an epidemic.

Suhé claimed: In March/April, Yang Qi is weak, so cold injury results in mild heat; in May/June, Yang Qi is strong, so cold injury results in heavy heat; in July/August, Yang Qi declines, so cold injury results in slight heat. This is Suhé's fabrication. When suffering from cold or heat, one must assess the individual's Yin-Yang balance, not rigidly follow seasonal climate. Climate injures based on individual Yin-Yang quantity and Yuan Qi (Primordial Qi) deficiency/excess, not solely on seasonal Yin-Yang. Therefore, Zhang Zhongjing's prescriptions focus primarily on balancing pulse and differentiating symptoms, not on the cause of infection or timing of onset. For example, in midsummer heat, Shanghan with vomiting/diarrhea often responds to Ginger, Aconite, and Evodia. In deep winter cold, warmth disease often resolves with Gypsum, Mirabilite, and Rhubarb. Claiming Mahuang and Guizhi decoctions are only for Winter Shanghan and should not be used lightly in other seasons is a great error. Speaking of Shanghan but using cold/cooling attacking agents contradicts the name. Cold injuring the exterior requires warming dispersion; cold injuring the interior requires warming tonification. Zhang Zhongjing's treatment of Shanghan uses only warming dispersion and warming tonification. Clearing fire, cooling, purging, and vomiting methods are designed for Warmth, Summerheat, and Epidemics to treat Heat, not Cold. Treating internal Heat excess is not treating exterior Cold injury. Today's Shanghan practitioners claim Zhang Zhongjing had separate methods for Warmth/Summerheat, now lost. They claim Shanghan has only Sweating, Vomiting, and Purging methods, ignoring Warming Tonification, and falsely stating Shanghan has no tonification method. Thus, people injured by Heaven/Earth cold suffer lightly, but suffer heavily from physicians' errors. Few die from internal cold-food injury; many die from internal cold-medicine injury.