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Among the diseases of the world, there are indeed those unsuitable for medication, such as **huangdan** (jaundice). For this condition, Zhang Zhongjing originally provided decoction prescriptions. However, while these are effective for mild cases, they are ineffective for severe cases where a "sac-like" pathology (referring to severe accumulation or cystic formation) has formed. In such instances, administered drugs either augment the pathogenic factor or damage the healthy qi, thereby causing harm. If the disease is mild, the sac-like pathology has not yet formed, and medication is effective. Once the sac-like pathology has formed, however, there is virtually no efficacy. One must employ light and penetrating prescriptions to either break the sac or resolve the fluid accumulation. There are secret formulas passed down that cannot be treated by ordinary decoctions or pills. Diseases such as **tanyin** (phlegm-fluid retention) also involve similar sac-like pathological products, which ordinary medicines cannot cure. Besides these, in conditions such as hematemesis (vomiting blood) and chronic pi (abdominal masses), few benefit from medication, while many suffer from mismedication. Without extremely stable and invariably effective prescriptions, one would merely be testing drugs on one's own body; thus, it is better to abstain from medication to maintain the middle way (avoiding major errors)!

Prescriptions (fang) and herbs (yao) appear combined but are essentially distinct. Herbs, imbued with the qi of heaven and earth, possess unique natures and functions capable of altering the body's blood and qi to eliminate disease; this is the power of herbs. However, the nature of herbal materials differs from the human constitution. Upon entering the stomach and intestines, how can they align with human intent to achieve therapeutic effects? The sages formulated prescriptions to regulate them: some are used for targeted attack, others for concurrent treatment; some mutually assist, others mutually constrain; some utilize each other, others counteract each other. Thus, once a prescription is composed, it can either preserve the inherent nature of the herbs or alter their nature. The method of manipulation holds significant authority; this is the subtlety of prescriptions. If one selects herbs according to the disease, and although the herbs hit the mark, the prescription lacks structural principle, it is called "herbs without a prescription." Conversely, if one rigidly adheres to a single prescription, and although the formula is sound, one or two herbs are irrelevant to the disease, it is called "a prescription without relevant herbs." This is akin to calligraphy: even if the brushwork is skilled, if the character structure is disordered; or if the character forms are present but the strokes are incomplete, neither constitutes mastery of writing. Therefore, a skilled physician, viewing individually, ensures no herb is irrelevant to the patient's condition; viewing collectively, ensures no prescription deviates from ancient principles. Only then, if treatment fails, is it due to the disease itself, not the physician's fault. Otherwise, even if occasional success is achieved, hidden harms will likely abound, effectively equating to killing the patient. As for the methods regarding the size and odd/even parity of prescriptions, these are detailed in the *Neijing* (Inner Canon), so I shall not repeat them here.