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Hua Shi's "Shi Xin Jing" states: Diseases may be suitable for treatment with decoctions (Tang), pills (Wan), powders (San), purgatives (Xia), emetics (Tu), or diaphoretics (Han). Decoctions can cleanse the Zang-Fu organs, open and unblock the meridians, and regulate Yin and Yang; pills can drive out wind-cold, break down hard accumulations, and promote appetite; powders can dispel wind, cold, summer-heat, and dampness, descend the knotted and latent qi of the five Zang organs, and open the intestines while benefiting the stomach. If purgation is indicated but not used, it causes chest and abdominal distension, restlessness, and drum-like bloating; if sweating is indicated but not used, it causes closure of the pores, leading to suffocation and death; if vomiting is indicated but not used, it leads to chest binding with panting, inability to take in water and food, resulting in death.

The treatment principles in the "Nei Jing" state: Pathogenic qi from heaven affects the five Zang organs (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, Kidney), presenting as fullness without emptiness, which can be treated by purgation. Cold and heat from food and water affect the six Fu organs (Gallbladder, Stomach, San Jiao, Bladder, Large Intestine, Small Intestine), presenting as emptiness without fullness, which can be treated by emesis. Dampness from earth affects the skin and muscles, entering from the exterior, which can be treated by diaphoresis.

The commentary states: Externally, there are wind, cold, summer-heat, and dampness, which are the four commands of Heaven, formless pathogens; internally, there are hunger and satiety, labor and rest, which are also four conditions of humans, forming tangible pathogenic factors. The first category refers to diseases formed internally due to the movement of Qi, such as accumulations (Ji Ju), masses (Jia), tumor qi, goiter qi, tubercles, mania, confusion, epilepsy. The second category refers to diseases formed externally due to the movement of Qi, such as carbuncles, sores, ulcers, scabies, leprosy, gangrene, hemorrhoids, convulsions, edema, red eyes, rashes, swelling, pain, and itching. The third category refers to diseases arising internally not due to Qi movement, such as retained fluid and癖食 (food stagnation), improper hunger/satiety or labor/rest, residual food, cholera, excessive grief/fear/joy/anger, obsessive longing, and sorrowful knotting. The fourth category refers to diseases arising externally not due to Qi movement, such as miasma, malevolent spirits, insect and snake venom, gu poison, flying corpse attacks, ghost strikes, collisions, falls, wind-cold-summer-heat-dampness, cuts, stabs, and lacerations.

(The commentary states: This is the theory of the Five Movements.)

Diseases of Wood Depression involve the Liver, sour taste, and wood-wind.
Commentary: Therefore, people suffer from epigastric pain centered behind the heart, discomfort in the bilateral hypochondrium, obstruction in the throat and diaphragm, difficulty swallowing, tinnitus, vertigo, inability to recognize people, sudden stiff collapse, rigidity of sinews and bones with loss of function, and sudden fainting with unconsciousness. The Classic states: "Wood depression should be reached," meaning using emesis to make it smooth and unobstructed.

Diseases of Fire Depression involve the Heart, bitterness from fire and summer-heat.
Commentary: Therefore, people suffer from shortness of breath, carbuncles, sores, and swellings in the hypochondrium, abdomen, chest, back, face, head, and limbs; distension, ulcers, flaccidity, vomiting, and counterflow; convulsions, bone pain, joint tremors, diarrhea, warm malaria, sudden abdominal pain, blood extravasation, depletion of essence and fluids, red eyes, heart heat, severe mental cloudiness and vexation, and sudden death. The Classic states: "Fire depression should be dispersed," meaning using sweating to allow dispersion.

Diseases of Earth Depression involve the Spleen, sweet taste, and earth-dampness.
Commentary: Therefore, people suffer from chest and abdominal distension, borborygmus with frequent defecation, severe heart pain and hypochondriac pain, vomiting, cholera, fluid retention with diarrhea, edema, and heavy body, which arise from spleen heat. The Classic states: "Earth depression should be seized," meaning using purgation to remove stagnation.

Diseases of Metal Depression involve the Lung, pungent taste, and metal-dryness.
Commentary: Therefore, people suffer from cough and reverse flow of Qi, chest and hypochondriac fullness, pulling pain in the lower abdomen, sudden pain preventing turning over, dry throat, and a dusty, ugly complexion, caused by Metal overcoming Wood. The Classic states: "Metal depression should be drained," meaning releasing the exterior and promoting urination.

Diseases of Water Depression involve the Kidney, salty taste, and water-cold.
Commentary: Therefore, people suffer from cold invading causing heart pain, lumbar spine pain, dysfunction of large joints, difficulty in flexion and extension, frequent cold extremities, palpable hardness and abdominal fullness, caused by Yin overcoming Yang. The Classic states: "Water depression should be restrained," meaning suppressing it to control its rushing and counterflow.

The administration of the Five Movements is like a balance: what is high is suppressed, what is low is lifted, what transforms is responded to, and what changes is restored. This is the principle of growth, transformation, and storage. If this order is失常 (abnormal), the four directions of Heaven and Earth become blocked.