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Zhong (Middle/Center) means not deviating from the mean; Yong (Constant) means unchanging. A physician, by employing the Way of Zhongyong (the Doctrine of the Mean), keeping it in their heart, will tonify deficiency, drain excess, warm cold, and cool heat, following a certain ultimate principle. If one leans towards warming and tonifying, or towards cooling and draining, this is neither "Zhong" nor "Yong".

The Way of Medicine connects upwards with the Heaven's Four Seasons and Six Qi (Six Climatic Factors), and downwards with the Earth's Five Directions and Five Elements. Whether dealing with Cold, Heat, Warmth, Coolness, or the movements of Ascending, Descending, Floating, and Sinking, everything can be handled effortlessly and logically. Acute conditions are treated urgently, chronic conditions are treated gradually. If one merely adheres to the mild properties of Jupi Tang (Tangerine Peel Decoction), this represents holding fast to the middle without exercising discretion (Quan).

Observing past and present, many physicians have biases: those biased towards warming and tonifying only use warming and tonifying methods; those biased towards cooling and clearing habitually use cooling methods. This results in patients suitable for warming and tonifying recovering when treated thus, and patients suitable for cooling and draining healing when treated thus. This is merely the patient's luck in finding a suitable doctor, rather than the doctor treating the disease based on the syndrome differentiation. How can such an approach be discussed as the supreme Way that is "unbiased and unchanging"?

The term "Miscellaneous Diseases" refers to cases where a single patient presents with a complex array of symptoms. One must understand that although the initial cause of illness is singular, if left untreated over time, it spreads and becomes complicated. Therefore, treating miscellaneous diseases is like untangling a knotted rope: once the head is found, one can clear it step by step; otherwise, the more one tries to untangle it, the more tangled it becomes. The herbs used should focus on the key ingredients; using too many leads to confusion, and confusion yields no efficacy. The Classics state: "One obtains it through the Cause." And again: "Treatment lies in the One." Alas! The path of precision and unity is difficult. Humans are born inheriting the Qi of Heaven and Earth. Within the body, there is the interaction of Yin and Yang Qi above and below, the transformations of the Five Movements and Six Qi, the circulation of Ying and Wei Qi and Blood, and the origin and development of the Zang and Fu Organs. Only by understanding these infinite derivations can one return to the "One". Without carefully studying the *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot) and *Suwen* (Basic Questions) classics, this is hard to attain.

The Yellow Emperor asked: Regarding the numbers of the Five Movements, Earth corresponds to Jia and Ji, Metal to Yi and Geng, Water to Bing and Xin, Wood to Ding and Ren, and Fire to Wu and Gui. I wish to ask about their origin. Qibo replied: Your question is indeed profound! I have reviewed the text of the *Taishi Tianyuan Ce*. The Crimson Qi of Heaven passes through Niu, Nu, and the Wu sector; the Azure Qi of Heaven passes through Xin, Wei, and the Ji sector; the Green Qi of Heaven passes through Wei, Shi, Liu, and Gui; the White Qi of Heaven passes through Kang, Di, Mao, and Bi; the Black Qi of Heaven passes through Zhang, Yi, Lou, and Wei. The sectors referred to as Wu and Ji are Kui, Bi, Jiao, and Zhen, which are the gates of Heaven and Earth. Observation of phenomena is the beginning; the Dao arises from it, and it cannot fail to be understood. This is Qibo discussing the transformation of the Five Elements, starting from the celestial phenomena of the Five Directions: Crimson (Red) is the Qi of Fire; Niu and Nu are at the Gui degree, passing through the Niu-Nu-Wu sector, where Wu and Gui combine to transform into Fire; Yellow is the Qi of Earth; Xin and Wei are at the Jia degree, passing through the Xin-Wei-Ji sector, where Jia and Ji combine to transform into Earth; Green/Cyan is the Qi of Water; Wei and Shi are at the Ren degree, Liu and Gui are at the Ding degree, where Ding and Ren combine to transform into Water; White is the Qi of Metal; Kang and Di are at the Yi degree, Mao and Bi are at the Geng degree, where Yi and Geng combine to transform into Metal; Black is the Qi of Water (Note: Traditional theory states Bing-Xin transforms to Water, though the text lists Black/Water here associated with Bing/Xin); Zhang and Yi are at the Bing degree, Lou and Wei are at the Xin degree, where Bing and Xin combine to transform into Water. The Crimson, Azure, Green, White, and Black represent the Five Qi of Heaven. (The Crimson, Azure, Green, White, and Black are the Five Colors of Heaven; Green, Yellow, Red, White, and Black are the Five Colors of Earth. The Five Colors of Heaven transform into the Five Colors of Earth.) Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth are the Five Elements of Earth. The Ten Heavenly Stems pass through the divisions of the Five Directions, combining Yin and Yang to generate the Five Qi. The Five Qi of Heaven transform into the Five Elements of Earth, as stated: "In Heaven form images, on Earth form shapes." Among the Five Elements, there are two Fires. On Earth manifesting as Wood, in Heaven manifesting as Wind; on Earth manifesting as Fire, in Heaven manifesting as Heat; on Earth manifesting as Earth, in Heaven manifesting as Dampness; on Earth manifesting as Metal, in Heaven manifesting as Dryness; on Earth manifesting as Water, in Heaven manifesting as Cold; on Earth manifesting as Fire, in Heaven manifesting as Summer Heat. Thus, the Five Elements of Earth generate the Six Qi of Heaven. This is the mutual generation and transformation of Yin and Yang between Heaven and Earth. Hence it is said: Cold, Summer Heat, Dryness, Dampness, Wind, and Fire are the Yin and Yang of Heaven, upheld by the Three Yin and Three Yang; Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Fire are the Yin and Yang of Earth, corresponding below to Growth, Flourishing, Transformation, Harvest, and Storage. The relationships of the Three Yin and Three Yang are: Zi and Wu correspond to Shaoyin Junfire (Ministerial Fire of the Heart), Chou and Wei correspond to Taiyin Shitu (Damp Earth), Yin and Shen correspond to Shaoyang Xiangfire (Ministerial Fire of Sanjiao), Mao and You correspond to Yangming Zaojin (Dry Metal), Chen and Xu correspond to Taiyang Hanwater (Cold Water), and Si and Hai correspond to Jueyin Fengmu (Wind Wood). Thus, the Ten Heavenly Stems of Heaven transform into the Five Elements of Earth, and the Twelve Earthly Branches of Earth receive the Six Qi of Heaven. Later generations, failing to investigate the ancient scriptures and not understanding the transformation and movement of Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang, propose theories such as "transformation upon meeting the branch" or "transformation through restriction and overcoming." These are all pedantic arguments of technical practitioners.