Library

The diseases of the human body number one hundred and four, detailed in the *Suwen* (Plain Questions) and *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot), covering eight or nine out of ten. The remainder involves merely the invasion of the six external pathogenic factors: Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire; and the injury from the seven internal emotional factors: Joy, Anger, Worry, Pensiveness, Fear, Fright, and Sorrow. These changes manifest between the Zang-Fu organs, meridians, skin, and hair to become disease. Where is there such a thing as a "strange disease"? Even if called strange diseases, such as encountering flying corpses, ghost strikes, or adverse influences after entering temples or homes, these arise because the person's original Qi is insufficient, allowing pathogens to invade via deficiency. They present as delirium, hallucinations, and symptoms resembling possession by evil spirits, as if possessed by deities. Thus, the *Lingshu* mentions symptoms of green, yellow, red, white, and black corpse ghosts; none of these are not manifestations of inherent deficiency in the Five Zang organs? Quack doctors, ignorant of disease mechanisms, upon encountering unfamiliar symptoms, often claim that strange diseases mostly belong to Phlegm. Moreover, Phlegm is not something inherently present in the body. Once body fluids become diseased and transform into Phlegm, they manifest symptoms according to the meridians where they reside. How can one use this single phrase as an excuse!

Sweat is the fluid of the Heart and another name for Blood. Ancient texts state that children's night sweats need no treatment because their Shen (Spirit) and Qi are not yet fully formed, and their blood vessels are full and flowing, making them prone to leakage. This refers only to mild cases. If sweating persists for a long time, it leads to a loss of Qi and Blood, leaving nothing for nourishment and growth. Generally, Yang governs Qi, which acts as Wei Qi (Defensive Qi); Yin governs Blood, which acts as Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi). The human body carries Yin and embraces Yang. When balanced, there is peace; when biased, there is disease. Therefore, when Yin is deficient, Yang must escape outward, causing fever and profuse sweating like water, with heat surging. When Yang is deficient, Yin must overpower, causing cold limbs (Jue) and sweating, with sweat flowing cold like water. Spontaneous sweating (Zihan) refers to sweating that occurs naturally, without diaphoresis therapy or physical exertion, whether in coma or sleep. It should be treated promptly; prolonged spontaneous sweating leads to the loss of Yang Qi. Loss of Yang Qi leads to timidity of Qi, timidity of Qi leads to a weak pulse, a weak pulse leads to the scattering of Shen, and scattered Shen loses its ability to control, resulting in fright and convulsions. However, one must not forcibly stop sweating, as this will block and restrain Yang Qi, leading to fever, irritability, and restlessness. Night sweating (Daohan) refers to sweating during deep sleep that stops upon waking, akin to the behavior of a thief. Causes include: unstable Qi and Blood with loose pores, excessive warmth causing steaming heat that binds to the Heart, leading to pathological excess and inability of fluids to remain inside; injury from cold or heat, with cold and heat clashing, Yin and Yang disordered, leading to fluid leakage; Heart deficiency with fright, where Shen cannot retain essence; excessive consumption of cold foods damaging Spleen Earth, where deficient Earth fails to control Water fluids. The general principle is to nourish the Heart and strengthen the Spleen, and to nourish Yin while descending Fire. When the root Yuan is substantial, Shen gathers inward during sleep; when Yuan is deficient, Shen floats outward during sleep, causing sweat to flow. Upon waking, Qi gathers alertly, and sweat stops. Ultimately, this is due to Yin being unbalanced and Yang being unsecured. Head sweating indicates pathogenic transmission to the Yang meridians, with fluids ascending. Hand and foot sweating relates to the Stomach governing the four limbs, indicating Damp-Heat in the Yangming channel. Additionally, Spleen deficiency causing spontaneous sweating often appears on the forehead; the sweat is sticky. One must urgently rescue Stomach Qi, otherwise Yang loss may occur. Furthermore, after profuse sweating or illness, repeated loss of body fluids leads to hyperactive Yang. Water fails to control Fire, causing accumulated heat in the Zang-Fu organs, scorching the body, consuming bone marrow, and transforming into Bone-steaming Fever. Symptoms include afternoon fever, emaciation, malar flush, dry yellow thin skin, night sweats, five-palm heat, limb fatigue, and reduced appetite, forming Kan-Lao (Infantile Malnutrition/Tuberculosis-like syndrome). Humans rely on Wei Qi to secure the exterior, keeping muscles warm, skin plump, and pores tight. If Wei Qi is deficient, muscles are not warm, skin is not plump, and pores are loose, allowing fluids to leak uncontrollably. If Qi does not defend, the six pulses are not full; if Blood does not nourish, Shen is not complete. In treatment, if one does not tonify Qi and Blood but uses formulas to block and forcibly stop sweating, the interior pathology remains, and residual heat in the muscle layer becomes a new hazard. However, there are cases where one should sweat but cannot; this is due to exhaustion of internal fluids or Deep Cold in the Ying level closing the pores. There are also cases where sweating is profuse and unceasing despite treatment; this is because the Original Yang was originally deficient, the pathogen was light, and the practitioner erred by overusing diaphoretic methods.