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Reading requires recognizing characters; upon seeing a name, one should ponder its meaning. Human affairs are no different from this: if done so, drawbacks will naturally decrease and benefits increase.

Today, doctors are everywhere. If we ask them to explain the character "Yi" (Medicine), none can answer without gaping in confusion, as if lost in smoke. If they cannot even recognize the character, how can they be expected to possess excellent skills and profound Dao?

The etymology of the character "Yi" consists of *fang* (匚, a container), *shi* (矢, arrow), *jian* (幵, weapons), and *you* (酉, wine). *Fang* is a vessel for holding objects; receiving arrows within the vessel constitutes "Yi". *Shuowen Jiezi* defines it as "a vessel for holding short bows and arrows." Adding *jian* (also a weapon) to the upper right, and *you* below, where *you* is the ancient character for wine, which was considered toxic in antiquity, hence Yu the Great prohibited it (Shiwan incorrectly believed that ancients used wine to assist in taking medicine). Shennong tasted toxins; the *Neijing* states that medicines are mostly toxic substances. Treating a certain disease by saying "use the toxicity of substance X to cure it" appears frequently in the *Neijing*. This illustrates the principle of using toxicity to combat toxicity. Thus, the function of "Yi" is entirely a tool for harming people. Patients already accumulate arrows, toxic wines, and other hazards within their bodies; their danger is evident. If doctors are not extremely cautious, will they not be even more dangerous? The Yellow Emperor treated diseases after managing military affairs. Thus, the character "Yi" incorporates elements related to warfare. The *Guoyu* states that military strategy and medicine share the same origin. This is what is meant by "using medicine like using troops." Anyone wishing to become a doctor must know their direction of endeavor.

Ancient doctors were regarded as sacred and divine. Some were as noble as emperors, possessing the four seas; others were high ministers, such as Qibo and Yi Yin; or high officials, such as Zhang Zhongjing, Governor of Changsha. Although ministers and officials were not as wealthy as emperors, their personal and family lives were comfortable enough to allow them to focus exclusively on medicine without distraction. Moreover, they tasted and prepared their own herbs (modern Western and Eastern doctors also prepare their own medicines, aligning with ancient Chinese methods, which is one advantage). When encountering patients, they achieved immediate effects. This is because they had clear insight into meridians and zang-fu organs, and could anticipate and prevent the transmission of Qi transformation. Unlike modern Western medicine, which waits for death to purchase corpses for dissection to locate disease—claiming this as experimentation, which people accept but ultimately fails to identify the true source of disease. Only when alive does Qi transformation occur; after death, Qi ceases, leaving no trace. For example, coughing may result from external pathogens, internal injury, or external pathogens transforming into internal injury. It may affect only the primary organ, or involve Fire insulting Metal, Child affecting Mother, Mother affecting Child, or failure to overcome what it normally controls, leading to being controlled by what it cannot overcome. The *Neijing* states: "All five Zang organs can cause coughing, and severe cases may transmit to the six Fu organs." These principles of Qi transmission, elucidated by ancient sages, remain accurate to this day. Western medicine, however, observes scorched or ulcerated lung lobes post-dissection and names it pneumonia. All coughs are treated as pneumonia, regardless of cold or heat differentiation. Even limiting diagnosis to pneumonia, they fail to recognize whether inflammation stems from the Heart, Kidney, Spleen/Stomach, or Liver/Gallbladder. They stubbornly treat from a single anatomical site. No wonder efficacy is low, and they attribute failure to incurability. This stems from ignorance of the Five Movements and Six Qi and reliable pulse diagnosis. Thus, they die without understanding the root cause. Those who value and study Western medicine today dream the same dream as Westerners. Therefore, I prescribe self-medication formulas for doctors and aim to enlighten Western medicine, for this very reason. Countless similar cases exist.

Take common malaria, characterized by alternating chills and fever at specific times. Since there is a pattern of coming and going, there must be a place of origin and cessation. Where does it come from? Where does it stop? Doctors are ignorant and fail to investigate. Even famous masters since ancient times did not know the disease's location. The slightly wiser could distinguish the twelve meridians, yin or yang, focusing on the meridian boundaries during pathogen arrival. Once boundaries are correct, medicinal power reaches specifically without harming the innocent. However, treatment must be consistent and prolonged for pathogens to gradually decline; it does not directly target the disease source. Inferior practitioners treat indiscriminately, copying several prescriptions for the syndrome, aiming to intercept malaria or waiting for spontaneous recovery upon pathogen decline. Consequently, malaria patients suffer for years. Western medicine uses Cinchona bark powder to intercept, but efficacy varies (ineffective and unsuitable for Yin deficiency). Even if temporary relief occurs, relapse is inevitable, potentially leading to untreatable complications. I have witnessed countless such cases. Do they not know that all diseases relate to meridians and zang-fu organs? Only when this disease resides elsewhere, transmitting via meridians to zang-fu during onset, and returning from zang-fu to meridians during remission, does it follow this pattern. Timely alternation is governed by Stomach Qi. The Stomach corresponds to Earth in the Five Elements and Trustworthiness in the Five Virtues, hence its regularity resembles tides, just as hunger prompts eating (daily trust) and menstruation (monthly trust). Though this is my personal view, physical verification supports it; even if sages rose again, they would not change my words. In the *Neijing*'s discussion on Yin-Yang Malaria, Qibo stated: "When malaria is about to arrive, Yin and Yang are shifting, starting from the four extremities. Bind firmly at these points and rupture them to expel it." These four sentences cover pathology, symptoms, location, and treatment perfectly. Following this method, any malaria resolves instantly, destroying the nest and eliminating the thief. Only a sage could achieve this. Only one with profound insight into zang-fu and meridians could do so. Why emulate Western dissection for experimentation? Even dissection would yield confusion.

I reveal this now as the most economical prescription for doctors to heal themselves and others, and to enlighten Western medicine regarding ancient Chinese methods that洞察 (insight into) meridians and zang-fu without dissection (Only Zhang Zihe and Yu Jiayan touched upon this essence, but failed to strictly adhere to sage methods, mixing multiple approaches).

Modern doctors are largely foolish, far inferior to ancient sages. Having failed in studies and other professions, driven by extreme boredom, they flee into medicine. Thus, the sacred Dao of participating with Heaven and Earth becomes a refuge for the foolish and bored. Given the current world, where superficiality and contempt are entrenched, those seeking profit find little hope. Some use this to climb social ladders; encountering illness in superiors or their families, they volunteer uninvited like Mao Sui. With luck, they succeed, gaining lucrative positions. Superiors are pleased, achieving benefit without cost. Wealth and status may force themselves upon them, rendering their medical ethics irrelevant. Those unable to flatter and lacking real skill merely struggle to survive, often failing even that, facing scorn from society and ridicule from foreigners who assume all Chinese doctors are incompetent guessers. Reflecting on this, I discourage others from entering this field. However, for those determined to pursue it, come receive my prescriptions. Do not fear stupidity; learning cures it. Do not fear poverty; diligence cures it. Do not fear starvation. Compared to Boyi and Shuqi starving on Mount Shouyang or Confucius stranded in Chen, starvation is minor. If one can endure this, what task cannot be accomplished? Then accept my multiple prescriptions for self-healing.

Medical practice must take Righteous Mind and Broad Learning as its foundation, and inheriting the past while opening the future as its application. Efforts to reject false doctrines and resist evil practices to integrate therapeutic paths are indispensable. Merely treating a few patients daily, curing a few monthly, and saving many annually as one's life's work, contributing nothing to national vitality or the world, shows that although others value me highly, I undervalue myself. The saying "Good Doctor, Good Minister" is not empty talk. Regulating Yin and Yang can remedy heavenly disasters, let alone human affairs. While political office is uncertain, the underlying principles are consistent. A gentleman contemplating duties beyond his station should reflect on this. Regardless of how the court or world treats doctors, one should expand compassion, constantly thinking of relieving hunger and drowning, especially for the poor and lowly, maintaining heart unchanged by wealth or status. "Better that others wrong me than I wrong others." This is the doctrine of Righteous Mind, the first prescription for self-healing.

For broad learning, start reading *Ling Shu*, *Su Wen*, *Neijing*, *Nanjing*, *Shanghan Lun*, *Jingui Yufan Jing*, *Jiayi Jing*, *Huo Ren Shu*, along with the *Four Books*, *Five Classics*, and *Erya*. Read extensively on moral philosophy and statecraft. Then study *Shennong Bencao Jing* and *Changsha Fang*. Proceed through major works of Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, European texts like *Rumen Shiqin*, compilations of Western medicine, and key British obstetrics books. Miscellaneous encyclopedic works like *Qianjin Fang*, *Waitai Miyao*, *Shengji Zonglu*, *Zhengzhi Zhunsheng*, *Gujin Yitong*, *Mingyi Leian*, and *Sanyin Fang* are merely reference materials; skim them. Discard false doctrines and harmful texts violating sage methods, even burning them. Carefully verify ancient texts for missing bamboo slips and later Confucian interpolations to avoid deception. Especially, comprehend medical principles hidden within historical and philosophical classics—the "medicine between the lines." This is broad yet wise learning, the second prescription for self-healing.

The greatest taboo in learning medicine is studying Materia Medica and formula books first. Doing so allows superficial recognition of herbs and memorization of decoctions, leading to haphazard prescription composition. Ignorance of Heaven-Earth Yin-Yang, Five Movements, and Six Qi; lack of awareness of meridians, zang-fu, pathology, and pulse conditions. Upon encountering patients, one feels eager to demonstrate skills. Accidental success breeds arrogance. Others perceive this as medical knowledge, leading to mass harm and never entering the true Dao. Modern doctors are mostly like this. Moreover, the Materia Medica studied is rarely the authentic *Shennong Bencao Jing*, and formula books are not ancient classics but popular commercial editions like *Bencao Beiyao*, *Yifang Jijie*, *Yanfang Xinbian*, *Sanzhi Chan*, *Bihua Yijing*, *Wanbing Huichun*, *Fengshi Jinnang*, *Dongyi Baojian*, and *Yizong Bidu*. These misleading books are prevalent, found in almost every home, mistaken for the entirety of medical knowledge. Furthermore, even these are not thoroughly mastered. Families try these practitioners first; only after repeated errors do they seek famous doctors. But "famous doctors" are often followers of Xue Lizhai, Zhao Yangkui, Zhang Jingyue, Li Shicai, and Chen Xiuyuan. Though proud of being scholar-doctors, they scratch the surface of medicine, failing to aim high. Aiming high yields medium results; aiming medium yields low results. How much worse is aiming lower? Those aspiring to the medical Dao must reject false doctrines and enter the Sage's chamber directly.

The greatest error in learning medicine is misunderstanding the *Shanghan Lun*. According to Zhang Zhongjing's preface, he wrote *Shanghan Zabing Lun* in sixteen volumes, establishing laws for all diseases. These laws refer to the Six Channels' Qi transformation and corresponding formula variations. Using Six Channel outlines ensures doctors understand channel boundaries, encompassing all diseases within the Six Channels. Since Tang and Song, over a hundred scholars have commented on the *Shanghan Lun*. Their works fall into two categories: annotations akin to Gongyang and Guliang commentaries on the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, or theoretical expansions akin to Han Ying's commentary on the *Book of Songs*. Deviating from the text harms the meaning. Wang Shuhe separated Shanghan and Zabing into two books, removing Zabing from the main text but retaining scattered references, altering Zhongjing's original text with personal biases. This led readers to believe treating Shanghan equates to treating Zabing, causing confusion. In reality, Zabing is more common than Shanghan, except in northwest regions during extreme cold. In southeast regions, Zabing and warm diseases dominate; even cold weather causes mild cold exposure. Doctors ignoring Six Channel laws treat all diseases with Shanghan formulas, failing to differentiate Zabing by Six Channels. This disaster stems from Wang Shuhe. His preface altered *Neijing* quotes; imagine his handling of Zhongjing! To know true Zhongjing, examine the original text's style. Just as *Kaogong Ji* differs from *Zhou Li*, and Chu Sheng's writings differ from Sima Qian's, the world mistakes *Jingui Yaolue* for Zhongjing's *Zabing Lun*, a view contested by Zengzi. Ke Yunbo's *Shanghan Lun Yi* analyzes this precisely. I agree: Wang Shuhe is the enemy of Qibo and Zhongjing, and a pest of later medical Dao. Although *Jingui* gained prominence through him, his merit does not outweigh his fault. Those aspiring to the medical Dao must read the original sixteen volumes of *Shanghan Zabing Lun*. Do not use Shanghan formulas for Zabing and harm the people.

Learning medicine requires understanding Qi transformation. To know Qi transformation, one must first understand Yin-Yang, avoiding confusion and distinguishing Six Channel boundaries. Zang-Fu have Yin-Yang, and each Zang/Fu has its own Yin-Yang, requiring clear distinction to understand Qi transmission. Ancient masters rarely saw this; modern practitioners worldwide lack it. Dreaming of only Yin-Yang leads to complexity in disease. Without correcting boundaries, one falls astray. A slight error leads to huge mistakes. Scholars unaware of the Great Way, seeking neither high levels nor rigorous study, settle for mediocrity, compounding errors. Ignorant of Qi transformation, how can they dream of Qibo and Zhongjing? Without glimpsing their realm, how can they discuss medical Dao? The gentleman's path is like traveling far from near, climbing high from low—learning basics to reach higher truths. Medical Dao requires foundational learning and broad extension, strictly adhering to sage methods, then expanding widely within the sage's scope, constituting orthodox medicine.

One must know diseases change with Zang-Fu Qi and medicinal Qi. Taiyang aversion to cold is not exclusive to cold damage; any pathogen entering Taiyang causes aversion because Taiyang is a Cold-Water channel, and pathogens disturb Cold-Water Qi. Yangming fever is not exclusive to heat damage; Yangming is the Southern Fire region; any pathogen entering causes fever. Shaoyang, the pivot between Taiyang and Yangming, located between exterior and interior, causes alternating chills and fever. Medicinal Qi also induces changes. Hence, Taiyang Shanghan uses Guizhi and Mahuang formulas; Yangming/Shaoyang uses Gegen, Baitu, Chengqi, and Chaihu formulas. Within one channel boundary, distinctions exist between channel, Zang, and Fu. Using Gegen while pathogen is still in Taiyang drives it to Yangming. Using Chaihu in Taiyang/Yangming drives it to Shaoyang. These are results of Zang-Fu Qi transmission and medicinal Qi transmission. This applies to Zabing and all Six Yin/Yang channels. Zhongjing's Six Channel outlines serve this purpose. Learners must悟 (comprehend) and reflect. Those confusing Yin-Yang and discussing only cold/heat/deficiency/excess cannot discuss medical Dao, let alone distinguish these patterns. Can Western medicine hear of this?

Using medicine is like using troops; military strategy emphasizes terrain, medicine emphasizes channel boundaries. Treat diseases by defining Six Channel boundaries to identify pathogen origin. Incoming paths resemble border Three Yang channels; outgoing paths resemble inner Three Yin channels. Taiyang is the main road, Shaoyang the remote path, Yangming the direct route, Taiyin the close path, Shaoyin the rear path, Jueyin the diagonal path. External pathogens usually enter via Three Yang; internal pathogens originate from Three Yin. Like invaders from borders or rebels from interior. Understanding Six Channel terrain grasps the pivot of all diseases; detailing incoming paths dictates treatment rules. Shanghan is a major invasion from outside; Fengzhong is a roaming bandit spreading from sides; Zabing/internal disease is internal rebellion arising from within. Identifying the type of "thief" and its origin allows defense in the originating territory. If threat spreads to neighboring territories, attack from both routes. If pathogen enters Taiyang, induce sweating to disperse it, like deploying elite troops at strategic points to strike before consolidation. Light pathogens are in Wei (Defensive) level, heavy in Ying (Nutritive) level, critical in Chest/Diaphragm. Like enemies outside, inside, or deep within the pass. Mahuang is the army outside the pass, Guizhi at the pass, Da/Xiao Qinglong inside. Unrest outside invites internal rebellion; thus, dual-resolution formulas like Da/Xiao Qinglong and modified Guizhi/Mahuang are used. If front-line discipline fails causing internal chaos, prioritize internal over external, using Wuling, Shizao, Xianxiong, Didang decoctions. Pathogens entering Shaoyang territory require mixed exterior-interior, cold-heat, attack-tonification strategies for defense and reconciliation, like narrow paths favoring short weapons over spears, defense over offense. Light pathogens enter Couli (Pores), heavy enter Muyuan (Membrane Source), critical enter Spleen/Stomach. Xiao Chaihu treats Couli, Da Chaihu treats Muyuan. Xiao Jianzhong, Banxia Xiexin, Huangqin, Huanglian treat Shaoyang-Spleen. Chaihu plus Mangxiao...