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The *Classic* (Huangdi Neijing) states: What is the name for a state of balance? Wood is called "Fuhe" (Spreading Harmony), Fire is called "Shengming" (Ascending Brightness), Earth is called "Beihua" (Complete Transformation), Metal is called "Shenxia" (Judicious Submission), and Water is called "Jingshun" (Quiet Obedience). What happens when there is insufficiency (Buji)? Wood is called "Weihe" (Lax Harmony), Fire is called "Fuming" (Hidden Brightness), Earth is called "Beijian" (Low Supervision), Metal is called "Congge" (Following Change), and Water is called "Helou" (Dried-up Stream). What constitutes excess (Taiguo)? Wood is called "Fasheng" (Vigorous Growth), Fire is called "Hexi" (Blazing Heat), Earth is called "Dunfu" (Mounded Mound), Metal is called "Jiancheng" (Solid Formation), and Water is called "Liuyan" (Overflowing Flow). If virtue is not constant (relying on oneself to encroach upon other positions), then the conquered element will retaliate (the conquered must come to take revenge). If governance remains consistent with its principles, then the conquered element will transform in harmony (if one does not arbitrarily exert power, and governance is harmonious and constant, then both the conqueror and the conquered will share in the same transformative governance. From this perspective, the Way of Medicine shares commonalities with the Way of Governance).

By matching Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water to the Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney respectively, their mutual generation and restriction are well known. Various texts claim that among the Five Elements, only one is unique, specifically Fire having two aspects. This statement is plausible but incorrect. When discussing the Five Elements, each has two aspects; why single out Fire? If discussing the ultimate reality, each of the Five Elements has five variations, totaling twenty-five (5x5). Each Element possesses a Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), which is how changes are accomplished and spiritual transformations occur. Now, speaking of Yin and Yang life and death within the Five Elements: Wood includes Jia Wood (Yang) and Yi Wood (Yin). In the human body, the Gallbladder belongs to Jia Wood and corresponds to the Foot Shaoyang channel; the Liver belongs to Yi Wood and corresponds to the Foot Jueyin channel. Jia Wood is born at Hai and dies at Wu; Yi Wood is born at Wu and dies at Hai. Fire includes Bing Fire (Yang) and Ding Fire (Yin). The Ministerial Fire (Sanjiao Fire) in the body belongs to the Hand Shaoyang channel, while Heart Fire belongs to the Hand Shaoyin channel. Bing Fire is born at Yin and dies at You; Ding Fire is born at You and dies at Yin. Water includes Ren Water (Yang) and Gui Water (Yin). Kidney Water in the body belongs to the Foot Shaoyin channel, and the Bladder belongs to the Foot Taiyang channel. Ren Water is born at Shen and dies at Mao; Gui Water is born at Mao and dies at Shen. Earth includes Wu Earth (Yang) and Ji Earth (Yin). Stomach Earth in the body belongs to the Foot Yangming channel, and Spleen Earth belongs to the Foot Taiyin channel. Wu Earth is born at Yin and dies at You; Ji Earth is born at You and dies at Yin. Metal includes Geng Metal (Yang) and Xin Metal (Yin). Lung Metal in the body belongs to the Hand Taiyin channel, and Large Intestine Metal belongs to the Yangming channel. Geng Metal is born at Si and dies at Zi; Xin Metal is born at Zi and dies at Si. To observe pathological conditions, one should focus on the birth, prosperity, rest, and imprisonment of time and day elements to verify their Yin-Yang attributes. For example, if Gallbladder Fire is prosperous, it is prosperous at Yin and Mao hours and weak at Wu and Wei hours; if Liver Fire is prosperous, it is peak at Wu and Wei hours and weak at Hai and Zi hours. The Five Elements can be inferred by analogy.

Only Earth and Metal parasitize according to their mother (Fire); therefore, those wishing to tonify Earth and Metal should tonify their mother from the point of parasitization. Thus, Li Dongyuan proposed the "Treatment Separated by Two" (Ge Er Zhi), which acts through the mother organ. There is also the "Treatment Separated by Three" (Ge San Zhi), which acts through the mother's external family (the mother's parents). Because Earth and Metal rely solely on parasitization, their "death" is true death. Only Water and Fire are born from the true source, so their "death" is not true death; they find life in despair. "Returning to the Storehouse" refers to cutting off vital energy and entering storage. "Returning the Soul" refers to continuing dead energy and transforming it. Water and Fire have vitality everywhere; fire can be obtained by drilling wood, striking stone, or using a pearl; water can be collected using Fangzhu (ancient dew collector) or by digging into the earth. If Metal dies, it cannot be saved; if Earth dies, it cannot be saved; if Wood dies, it cannot be saved. Therefore, among the Five Elements, Water and Fire are uniquely emphasized, and their subtle functions of generation and restriction stem from the congenital root.

People generally say Water restricts Fire, but Zhao Shi alone says Water nourishes Fire. People generally say Metal generates Water, but Zhao Shi alone says Water generates Metal. People generally say Earth restricts Water, but Zhao Shi alone supplements Earth within Water. People generally say Wood restricts Earth, but Zhao Shi alone says ascending Wood qi tonifies Earth. Such theories seem to reverse conventions; who would believe them? Yet, they do not realize that Sovereign Fire (Heart Fire) and Ministerial Fire (Mingmen Fire) use the Kidney as their palace. "Water restricts Fire" refers to postnatal, tangible Water and Fire. "Water nourishes Fire" refers to prenatal, intangible Water and Fire. Gold in the sea, not yet separated from sand and soil, unrefined, fears no fire, and restricts no wood; this is the fundamental basis of the Huangzhong pitch pipe. Human voice originates from Lung Metal; its clarity, turbidity, lightness, and heaviness are related to the Dantian. Not seeking the origin but merely working on the Lung is focusing on the branch rather than the root. Currently, those discussing Lung tonification use Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and Astragali Radix (Huangqi); Lung clearing uses Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin) and Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong); Lung astringing uses Schisandrae Fructus (Wuweizi) and Terminalia Chebulae Fructus (Hezi); Lung purging uses Thladianthae Fructus (Tinglizi) and Morus Cortex (Sangbaipi). For mild diseases, is there no effect? However, if the root source is deficient, it is irrelevant. Generally, Lung Metal Qi returns to Kidney Water during sleep, which Daoists call "Mother hides in the子宫 (uterus), Son hides in Mother's womb." This organ is called the Delicate Organ, fearing heat and cold. If there is Fire in the Kidney, Metal fears Fire punishment and dares not return; if there is no Fire in the Kidney, Water becomes cold and Metal becomes cold, and it dares not return. This results in wheezing and distension, or coughing and hiccups, or insomnia, or anorexia, like a dog without a home. At this time, attempting to tonify the Earth Mother to benefit the Child (Lung) will worsen wheezing and distension; clearing or purging will cause Lung Qi to diminish daily, approaching death. Only astringents seem reasonable, but without finding the door, how to enter? *Ren Zhai Zhi Zhi Fang* states: The Lung exudes Qi, the Kidney receives Qi. The Lung is the master of Qi, the Kidney is the root of Qi. Whenever coughing suddenly worsens, moving the whole body, with a sensation of Qi rushing upward from below the navel, this is Kidney deficiency failing to receive Qi and return it to the Yuan (Source). Do not merely work on the Lung; either strengthen the Master of Water (nourish Kidney Yin) or benefit the Origin of Fire (warm Kidney Yang), and Fire will generate within Water. As for Earth, it parasitizes from Fire, so it should be supplemented following Fire. However, supplementing Fire has profound principles. Yangming Stomach Earth is generated along with Shaoyin Heart Fire; thus, to tonify Stomach Earth, one tonifies Heart Fire. The Guipi Decoction (Guipi Tang) further supplements from the Fire's external family (Liver Wood generates Heart Fire, so tonifying Liver aids Heart), causing Wood to generate Fire and Fire to generate Earth. Taiyin Spleen Earth is generated along with Shaoyang Ministerial Fire; thus, to tonify Spleen Earth, one tonifies Ministerial Fire. The Bawei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) combines Water and Fire achieving mutual interaction to steam and rot food, which is the supreme principle. What people do not know is that in the beginning of chaos, there was only One Qi; where was Earth? Since Heaven generates One Water, Earth forms where Water condenses. In the postnatal trigrams, Gen Earth resides in Kan Water position, being secondary to Water. The solid part is Stone, and the most sacred is Metal; thus, Water, Earth, and Metal share a congenital origin. There is also the meaning of tonifying the child: Lung is the child of Earth. Tonifying the child first is like eating the child's food instead of the mother's milk; the mother will not decline, illustrating Metal generating Earth. There is also the wonder of transformation to be aware of: Jia Wood and Wu Earth fear what they overcome. Reluctantly, the elder sister is married to her, forming a couple; this is Jia-Ji transforming into Earth. Transformations are primarily led by Dragon (referring to dynamic medicinal properties or pairs). Where Dragon meets, transformation occurs; where it does not meet, it does not transform. Zhang Zhongjing established Jianzhong Decoction (Jianzhong Tang) to establish Spleen Earth. Wood is described as "Quzhi" (Bending and Straightening), producing Sour flavor; Paeoniae Radix Alba (Shaoyao) is sour and belongs to Jia Wood. Earth is described as "Jiashe" (Sowing and Reaping), producing Sweet flavor; Glycyrrhizae Radix (Gancao) is sweet and belongs to Ji Earth. Sour and Sweet combine, and Jia-Ji transforms into Earth. Similarly, Cinnamomi Cortex (Rougui) belongs to Dragon Fire, assisting transformation. The subtlety of Zhang Zhongjing's prescriptions is like this. This also reveals the meaning of Wood generating Earth. Earth has no fixed position above, prospering in the Four Seasons, where all seasons have physiological activity, hence mentioned here. Regarding Wood, it is mentioned because it restricts Earth. The world wants to cut it down, but Zhao Shi believes Wood relies on Earth for growth; how can it restrict it in reverse? It is only because Wood is depressed below that its roots restrict downward. Wood Qi is the Qi of main generation, starting in the East. Why not observe rulers who prioritize agriculture and first sacrifice to Mangshen (God of Agriculture)? Mangshen is Wood Qi, which is Spring Ascending Qi, Yang Qi, Yuan Qi, and Stomach Qi; they are different names but the same essence. Cultivating trees involves rain moistening them, wind dispersing them, and sun warming them, allowing them to fulfill their natural growth. When development is prolonged and vitality exhausted, one should converge the generating Qi and return it to Water and Earth to serve as the root for next spring's generation. This is the meaning of Heaven and Earth's Spring Generation and Winter Storage; where is the logic in cutting it down? Li Dongyuan, in his *Pi Wei Lun* (Treatise on the Spleen and Stomach), uses Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma) and Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix) to vent Wood Qi, explaining in detail. Clarifying the subtle functions of the Five Elements focuses solely on Water and Fire.