Library

The *Wu Chang Zheng Da Lun* (Great Discourse on the Five Regular Administrations) states: Heaven is deficient in the northwest, where the left is cold and the right is cool; Earth is incomplete in the southeast, where the right is hot and the left is warm. What is the reason for this?

(This refers to facing the Xun trigram.) It concerns the principles of Yin and Qi, high and low terrain, and differences in magnitude. ("High and low" refer to topography. "Magnitude" refers to the differences in the prosperity and decline of Yin and Yang Qi. The terrain of the Central Plains is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast; the West is cool, the North is cold, the East is warm, and the South is hot.) The southeast belongs to Yang. The essence of Yang descends downward, hence the right is hot and the left is warm. (Because the essence of Yang descends, the earthly Qi becomes warm and harmonizes below. Yang Qi arises in the East and flourishes in the South, hence the East is warm and the South is hot, clearly indicating the quantity of Qi.) The northwest belongs to Yin. The essence of Yin is offered upward, hence the left is cold and the right is cool. (Because the essence of Yin is offered upward, the earthly Qi becomes cold and harmonizes above. Yin Qi arises in the West and reaches its peak in the North, hence the West is cool and the North is cold. This discourse faces the Xun trigram, while the response faces the Qian trigram.) Therefore, the earth has highs and lows, and the Qi has warmth and coldness. In high places, the Qi is cold; in low places, the Qi is hot. (The *Liu Yuan Zheng Ji Da Lun* says: At the highest places, Winter Qi is always present. At the lowest places, Spring Qi is always present.) Where Yin essence is offered upward, people live long; where Yang essence descends, people die young. (Yin essence being offered upward corresponds to high lands. Yang essence descending corresponds to low lands. In Yin regions, Yang does not leak recklessly, Cold Qi holds the exterior, pathogenic factors do not frequently strike, and Righteous Qi remains firm, thus extending life. In Yang regions, Yang Qi dissipates, excretion is unrestrained, Wind-Dampness frequently strikes, and True Qi is exhausted, thus leading to premature death. In the current Central Plains region, people in the northwest tend to live long, while those in the southeast tend to die young, with variations in degree within each group.) For the Qi of the northwest, one should disperse and treat with cold methods; for the Qi of the southeast, one should warm and treat with astringent methods. This is called treating the same disease differently based on different etiologies. (People in the West and North have dense skin and tight interstices, and eat hot foods, so dispersal and coldness are suitable. People in the East and South have loose skin and open interstices, and eat cold foods, so astringency and warmth are suitable. "Dispersal" refers to warm bathing to promote free flow inside and out; "astringency" refers to warming the interior without releasing the exterior.) That which is rooted within is called Shen Ji (Spirit Mechanism); when Shen departs, the mechanism ceases. That which is rooted externally is called Qi Li (Qi Establishment); when Qi stops, transformation ends. (All that is endowed by Heaven focuses on Shen; all that is endowed by Earth focuses on Qi. Among all有形 entities, the key lies within; the source of life is connected to Heaven, and their movements and floating are primarily driven by Shen Qi as the initiator. Their actions are unknown to other things. Thus, when the dwelling of Shen leaves, the way of initiation and movement ceases. Furthermore, since the root of Sheng Qi originates from within the physical form, it is said to be rooted in the middle. Those rooted externally have their source connected to Earth; thus, their growth, transformation, completion, and storage are established by the Qi of Creation. Their emergence is also unknown to other things. Hence, if Qi ceases, the path of biochemical formation is cut off. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Dryness, Dampness, Fluidity, Tension, Softness, though having constant natures, when encountering external objects, if Sheng Qi departs and the root of transformation is severed, their constant physical characteristics and colors must change from their original state.) When Qi begins, there is biochemical generation; when Qi scatters, there is form; when Qi spreads, there is multiplication and nourishment; when Qi ends, phenomena change. (Initiation leads to biochemical generation, scattering leads to form, spreading leads to結, and the ultimate end leads to the transformation of all phenomena.) In cases of reversed Qi, if the disease is above, treat below; if the disease is below, treat above; if the disease is in the middle, treat laterally. ("Treating below" refers to Cold reversing downward while Heat attacks upward, unfavorable to the lower part, with Qi overflowing above; thus, warm the lower part to regulate it. "Treating above" refers to Cold accumulating below; warming it moves it downward. If Yang Zang is insufficient, tonify its Yang. "Treating laterally" refers to Qi merging to the left, then applying medicinal heat to the right; if Qi merges to the right, apply medicinal heat to the left to harmonize it.) Regarding toxic and non-toxic herbs, is there a fixed rule for administration? Diseases vary in duration and novelty, formulas vary in size, and the presence or absence of toxicity follows standard protocols. For highly toxic herbs used to treat disease, stop when six-tenths of the disease is removed. (Lower-grade herbs have strong toxicity.) For commonly toxic herbs, stop when seven-tenths is removed. (Middle-grade herbs have moderate toxicity.) For slightly toxic herbs, stop when eight-tenths is removed. (Upper-grade herbs have mild toxicity.) For non-toxic herbs, stop when nine-tenths is removed. (Non-toxic herbs of upper, middle, and lower grades are all considered neutral/flat). Use grains, meats, fruits, and vegetables to complete the dietary therapy, ensuring no excess to avoid damaging Zheng Qi (Righteous Qi). (The nature of great toxicity is fierce, causing much damage; the nature of slight toxicity is mild, causing little damage. One should adjust according to the nature of toxicity, reducing the great toxicity by one grade and increasing the slight toxicity by one grade, making the potential damage known. Therefore, one must set limits and stop, removing six, seven, or eight tenths accordingly. Although non-toxic herbs have mild nature, long-term excessive use leads to biased Qi abundance and biased Zheng Qi depletion, which cannot be sustained; thus, stop at nine-tenths. After medication, use five grains, five meats, five fruits, and five vegetables, chosen according to the needs of the Five Zang, to complete the dietary therapy.) If the disease is not fully resolved, repeat the method. (The "method" refers to the four preceding limitations. If residual disease remains, repeat the process, limiting the toxicity and stopping appropriately to ensure no excess.) First, observe the annual Qi, do not violate Tian He (Heavenly Harmony), do not reinforce excess, do not deplete deficiency, thereby avoiding bringing premature death upon patients. (Failing to examine deficiency and excess, yet only thinking of attack, causes excess to become more excessive and deficiency to become more deficient. All kinds of diseases worsen from this. True Qi diminishes daily, pathogenic forces invade daily. The coming of calamity and the rise of premature death are hard to escape.) Do not cause pathogenic factors to enter, do not lose Zheng Qi, do not cut short people's long lives. (This is what is meant by violating Tian He. Attacking deficiency as if it were excess causes pathogenic factors to enter; failing to recognize Zang deficiency constitutes losing Zheng Qi. Once Zheng Qi is lost, it becomes the cause of death.) When meridians are unblocked and Blood-Qi flows smoothly, restore insufficiency to match the norm, nurture and harmonize, wait quietly for the right time, guard the Qi carefully, prevent it from collapsing, so that the physical form becomes distinct and Sheng Qi grows. (When the disease passes but emaciation remains, it means meridians are unblocked and Blood-Qi is smooth. One should restore the deficient Zang organs to match the sufficient ones, nurturing and harmonizing them. Waiting quietly for the time, the form naturally becomes distinct and no longer emaciated.)