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[The Classic states]: The Lung is the residence of the Po (Corporeal Soul) and the source of Sheng Qi (Vital Energy). It is called "Xiang Fu" (the Prime Minister who assists the ruler) and is the Hu Gai (Canopy over the Five Viscera), being the highest among them. Externally, it nourishes the skin and hair; internally, it enriches the stomach and intestines. It forms an exterior-interior relationship with the Large Intestine, and the Hand-Taiyin Meridian (along with its paired Yangming Meridian) is its channel. Lung Qi connects to the nose; when harmonious, one can distinguish odors. When diseased, one tends to cough and have a runny clear nose. Any deficiency, excess, cold, or heat pathogenic factors will cause wheezing and coughing. In cases of excess, one may dream of weapons, war, and fear, breathe with raised shoulders (Jian Xi), and feel chest fullness. In cases of deficiency, there are alternating cold and fever, wheezing, diarrhea, shortness of breath, lack of strength, and excessive sadness. The pulse is vigorous in Autumn. A pulse that is floating and light like hair indicates a normal state. If it is both floating and short and choppy, it is the Lung pulse. If the pulse comes feeling like hair but is firm in the center and deficient at both ends, it is termed "Tai Guo" (Excessive), which causes Qi rebellion, chest fullness, and back pain. If it is "Bu Ji" (Deficient), it causes wheezing, calling out, coughing, rebellious Qi, and hemoptysis.

Furthermore, if the Lung pulse comes gently and softly, like stroking elm seeds, it is normal. If it feels like stroking chicken feathers, it indicates disease. If it floats like an object or like wind blowing the feathers on a bird's back, it indicates death. A true Lung pulse arriving large and empty, like feathers piercing the skin, with a complexion that is white-red and lusterless, and with brittle hair, indicates death. A pulse slightly showing the hair quality is normal; too much hair quality indicates disease; hair quality combined with wiry indicates spring illness, and severe wiriness indicates immediate illness. Additionally, in Lung disease, if there is vomiting blood or epistaxis, hot skin, rapid pulse, and red cheeks, it indicates death. If there is chronic cough with blood, fever, and shortness of breath, and the pulse should be choppy but is instead floating and large, and the color should be white but is instead red, this represents Fire overcoming Metal, which is fatal. In Lung disease with wheezing, coughing, and cold body, if the pulse is slow and faint, it is treatable. In Autumn, Lung Qi is vigorous, and the pulse is often floating, choppy, and short, which is normal; the reverse indicates disease. If it is instead flooding and long, it is Fire punishing Metal, also untreatable. If it is instead sinking, soft, and slippery, it is Kidney Qi invading the Lung, which will heal spontaneously without treatment. If it is instead floating, large, and moderate, it is Spleen Qi generating the Lung, which will also heal spontaneously. If it is instead wiry and long, the Lung is constrained by Liver Qi, representing a minor pathogen; although ill, it is not harmful.

Deficiency leads to inability to breathe and heavy body. Excess leads to dry throat and pharynx, wheezing, coughing, rebellious Qi, and shoulder/back pain. If there is accumulation, there is distension and pain in the hypochondrium. Wind-stroke leads to dry mouth, wheezing, dizziness, heaviness, swelling resembling stupor, and a pulse that feels weak like a scallion leaf upon pressure; if the root is absent below, it indicates death. Heat-strike leads to spitting blood; pulses that are fine, tight, floating, rapid, or vacuous all indicate blood loss, caused by restlessness, anger, and labor injury, resulting in Qi stagnation and knotting. Lung distension causes wheezing, coughing, and eyes protruding as if falling out, corresponding to a floating and large pulse. Lung萎 (Lung Withering) causes spitting of saliva and foam, with dry throat and desire to drink; if they desire to drink, recovery is expected; if not, the disease persists. Coughing with urinary incontinence occurs because upper deficiency fails to control the lower. A sinking and choppy pulse indicates internal disease; a floating and slippery pulse indicates external disease. Death of the Lung manifests as open nostrils that are black and withered, wheezing, and fixed staring eyes. Extinction of Lung Qi leads to death in twelve days, with symptoms of abdominal fullness, involuntary fecal incontinence, white face, and blue-green eyes; this is disorder of the meridians, and even if destined, it is untreatable. Drinking alcohol while exposed to wind, with pathogens striking the Lung, causing cough, wheezing, chest oppression, and blood, is untreatable. Yellow face and white eyes are also untreatable. Red cheeks in Lung disease indicate death. Delirium, urgent wheezing, shortness of breath, and frequent spitting of saliva indicate harm from true ghosts; ten deaths for ten, hundred deaths for hundred, signifying great reversal. When Yang Qi rises and does not descend, burning in the Lung, and Lung Qi knots with evil, causing distension, urgent wheezing, delirium, and closed eyes, this is different from the previously described condition. Instead, with open mouth and nose, distension of bowel and bladder, and unquenchable thirst, this is due to Heat injuring the Lung, transforming into blood, leading to death in half a year. Lung Malaria causes coldness in the heart; when cold is severe, fever follows, with alternating cold and heat, irregular onset, frequent fright, and coughing/wheezing as if seeing things. Pulses that are floating and tight, or slippery and rapid, or slow and small/choppy are all pulses of Lung Malaria. If a person whose voice is normally clear and resonant suddenly loses resonance, has choking, shortness of breath, difficulty speaking loudly, and fixed gaze, although not yet diseased, death is near. Lung excess presents as upper body wheezing and oppression, coughing, fever, and large pulse. Deficiency presents as lack of strength, urgent wheezing, right hypochondriac distension, and short speech. Alternating cold and heat, nasal congestion, red chin, and white face are all signs of Lung disease. These are the methods for determining the deficiency/excess, cold/heat, life/death, and reversal/normalcy of Lung diseases via pulse and symptoms.

*Zhu Zhi Bei Yao* states: Movement of the meridian causes Lung distension and fullness, bloating with wheezing and coughing, severe pain in the suprasternal fossa (Que Pen), crossing hands leading to vertigo, known as Bi Jue (Arm Jue). The Lung governs diseases generated within itself: coughing, rebellious Qi, wheezing, thirst, vexation, chest fullness, pain and Jue in the anterior medial aspect of the arm, and heat in the palm. With excess Qi, there is shoulder/back pain, susceptibility to wind-cold, sweating, wind-stroke, frequent urination with yawns. With deficient Qi, there is shoulder/back pain with cold sensation, shortness of breath insufficient for respiration, change in urine color, and uncontrolled defecation. The Lung dislikes rebellious Qi; Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix) is used. The Lung desires astringency; Bai Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Alba) is used. Tonification is achieved with the sour taste of Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus); purging is achieved with the acrid taste of Sang Bai Pi (Mori Cortex). For deficiency, tonify with Wu Wei Zi; for excess, purge with Sang Bai Pi. If no other syndromes exist, Qian Shi's Xie Bai San (Drain White Powder) is used; for deficiency, use E Jiao San (Donkey-Hide Gelatin Powder). To tonify the mother, tonify Earth with Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma); to purge the child, purge Water with Ze Xie (Alismatis Rhizoma).