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The human body is fundamentally based on Qi and Blood. Qi belongs to the defensive (Wei) function, while Blood belongs to the nutritive (Ying) function. Qi is Yang and Blood is Yin. Yang is active; thus, it unblocks the meridians and collaterals and moves the joints and pivot mechanisms. Yin is static; thus, it eliminates excess from the Zang-Fu organs and irrigates the entire body. However, what is most important lies in the Spleen and Stomach. Therefore, the Spleen and Stomach are the great source of generation and transformation for the five Zang organs and six Fu organs. The Classics state: "The Qi that humans receive comes from grain. Where grain enters is the Stomach. The Stomach is the sea of water-grain, Qi, and Blood." As for smallpox (Dou Chuang), it relies entirely on Qi and Blood. If Qi and Blood are sufficient and unobstructed, the eruption will be easy to produce and easy to resolve (scab over). If Qi and Blood are insufficient, myriad complications will arise. Thus, at the initial stage of eruption, Qi and Blood carry the toxin outward; subsequently, they cause the lesions to swell and fill with pus; finally, they complete the scabbing and shedding process. None of this occurs without the transformation driven by Qi and Blood. If Qi and Blood are slightly deficient, and the Spleen and Stomach are damaged, then the vital energy ceases, and the source of transformation is cut off.

Why did Song Linxiang's *Dou Zhen Zheng Zong* (Orthodox Manual on Smallpox) mistakenly use cold and purgative drugs, causing ignorant and blind pediatricians to avoid the complexities of renowned physicians' treatments and greedily rely on the simplicity of the single formula *Gui Zong Tang* from *Dou Zhen Zheng Zong*? Consequently, everyone adopted it indiscriminately, regardless of deficiency, excess, cold, or heat, practicing reckless purgation. This resulted in damage to both Yin-Yang and Spleen-Stomach Qi, leading to a swarm of complications and many deaths. Generally speaking, reckless sweating damages Yang Qi, thereby depriving the processes of eruption, filling, and scabbing of their necessary support. This inevitably leads to rotting throat, hoarseness, thin skin, itching, external peeling, and death. Therefore, predecessors prohibited the use of *Sheng Ma Ge Gen Tang* (Cimicifugae Rhizoma and Puerariae Radix Decoction) after the appearance of macules, fearing it would cause exterior deficiency. Reckless purgation damages Yin fluids, thereby ruining the generative sources of the Zang-Fu organs, the locks of spirit, and the granaries of food and drink. This inevitably leads to sunken lesions that fail to erupt or fill, grayish-white inverted scabs, cold extremities, vomiting and diarrhea with anorexia, chills, teeth grinding, abdominal pain with false distension, and internal collapse leading to death. Therefore, predecessors prohibited the use of Da Huang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma), Shi Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum), Zhi Ke (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix), Niu Bang Zi (Arctii Fructus), Zi Cao (Lithospermi Radix), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), and Zhi Zi (Gardeniae Fructus), fearing it would cause interior deficiency.

Thus, Qian Yi stated: "For sores and rashes, only warm and neutral medicines should be used; one must not practice reckless purgation or attack." This is well-founded. Chen Shi said: "Smallpox primarily involves the Taiyin Spleen and Lung meridians; the Lung should be warmed, and the Spleen dried." Wan Quan said: "Smallpox always centers on the Spleen and Stomach; the Stomach should be nourished, and the Spleen tonified." Ma Shi said: "Smallpox primarily involves the Shaoyin Heart meridian; Fire should not be cleared too excessively, and Blood should not be cooled too much." All three statements are correct. Because the Spleen is a solitary organ that irrigates the four directions, the other four Zang organs all rely on this one organ for nourishment. Moreover, the Spleen belongs to Earth and governs muscles. If it can transform water-grain into Jin-Ye (body fluids) and irrigate the meridians, keeping the muscles from withering and assisting Qi and Blood, how could smallpox be difficult to form? However, cold Earth cannot generate things; there must be Yang Qi steaming from below to enable growth and development. Just as plant roots are in the soil, why do they not grow in winter? It is due to the nurturing breath of True Yang. Thus, it is evident that when the Spleen receives water-grain and transforms Jin-Ye, it must rely on Fire Qi to accomplish the work of decomposition and transformation. This is what is meant by "Fire generates Earth"; Fire is the mother of Earth. The Heart is the Sovereign Fire, which can command Ministerial Fire and govern the blood vessels. If Heart Fire does not cease, and Blood does not congeal from cold, it will naturally circulate with the Spleen's Jin-Ye, making the smallpox lesions red and vibrant. This means Blood moistens them, and Qi protects them. Qi cannot move without Blood, and Blood cannot travel without Qi; Qi is the commander of Blood. When Qi moves, Blood moves with it. The Lung unifies the Qi of the whole body and governs the skin and hair. If Lung Qi is abundant, it will naturally circulate with the Heart's blood vessels, making the smallpox lesions pointed, round, plump, and moist. This indicates that sufficient Qi and Blood converge beforehand, and the Spleen produces Jin-Ye to assist and nourish afterward. For the success of smallpox, these three Zang organs are indispensable. The Liver has no part in this. As for the Kidney, if attacked too severely, or following diarrhea, Kidney Qi is damaged, causing the smallpox lesions to turn black, returning to the Kidney and resulting in death.

Xue Ji stated: "Those who die between the fourth and fifth days have excessive toxin and deficient True Qi, unable to erupt; those who die between the sixth and seventh days have deficient Yuan Qi, unable to fill with pus; those who die after ten days have exhausted pathogens and failed Spleen-Stomach, with Yuan Qi collapsing internally." Practitioners may judge that death is inevitable, but they do not realize that death is fundamentally rooted in the depletion of Qi and Blood. If one could trace back the cause and provide preventive regulation and tonification, surely there would be a chance for life. Eruption, filling, and scabbing all depend on Spleen-Stomach nourishment; one must not recklessly administer exterior-releasing or purgative agents, lest one harm patients during their vulnerable years. Pediatricians should beware! Let me explain further. Ask yourself: Does *Dou Zhen Zheng Zong*, relying solely on *Gui Zong Tang* and recklessly using cold and purgative methods, truly possess the logic to address the infinite variations of smallpox? Any wise person would naturally perceive its error. Why do pediatricians act against their conscience and deliberately tread this path? Benevolent individuals with influence should burn the book and destroy the printing blocks, silencing heretical doctrines and allowing the orthodox way to prevail. This would bring immense benefit to infants.