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The human body is originally free of disease. Any illness that arises is self-inflicted. It may result from the depletion of Jing (Essence), the exhaustion of Shen (Spirit), or the loss of Zheng Qi (Upright Qi); all such factors are causes of disease. Only when the Zang organs are abundant, the Fu organs are harmonious, and the meridians are strong, will injury not lead to illness: if the Zang and Fu organs and meridians are inherently deficient, and one fails to exercise caution in regulation and preservation, but instead indulges without restraint, how can illness be avoided!

If Zang Qi is deficient, the disease resides in the Zang; if Fu Qi is deficient, the disease resides in the Fu; if meridian Qi is deficient, the disease resides in the meridians. If Yin Blood is deficient and cannot guard Yang Qi, then Yang pathology occurs; if Yang Qi is deficient and cannot guide Yin Blood, then Yin pathology occurs. Furthermore, if internal Zheng Qi is deficient while pathogenic factors run rampant, the Six Excesses (Liu Yin) cause disease. Thus, these illnesses originate internally; do they come from the exterior? Those that truly come from the exterior are merely sudden cold, sudden heat, abrupt wind, or heavy rain, which injure the skin and interstices (Cou Li). Such illnesses arise suddenly, yet the Zang and Fu organs and meridians function normally. Through dispersing and releasing methods, a single dose can bring recovery. However, if there is prior deficiency in the Zang and Fu organs and meridians, compounded by external pathogens taking advantage of this weakness, the treatment method differs: one must first regulate the Zang and Fu organs and harmonize the meridians. When Zheng Qi is sufficient, pathogenic Qi recedes naturally; this constitutes the method of dispersing and releasing. This is what is meant by "in treating disease, one must seek the root"; seeking the root requires knowing the origin; knowing the origin makes treatment straightforward.

When a person falls ill, medical intervention is required. The physician is the guardian of human life. Since one guards human life, one must understand both the tangible meridians of the body and the intangible Qi; one must distinguish between excess and deficiency in the tangible, and observe the separation, union, reversal, and compliance of the intangible. The tangible refers to the fixed locations of the Zang-Fu organs and collaterals; the intangible refers to the transformation and distribution of Yin-Yang and Qi dynamics. If the Zang-Fu organs and meridals are diseased, but the transformation and distribution of Yin-Yang and Qi remain normal, recovery is possible despite illness; but if the tangible form is diseased and the intangible Qi is also reversed, the condition becomes incurable. Essentially, physicians cannot resurrect the dead; if they do not kill, they are considered good physicians. What is lamentable is that some know nothing of the tangible and intangible, nor do they comprehend the separation, union, reversal, and compliance of Qi. They treat symptoms upon sight, knowing the exterior but not the interior, investigating the branches but not the root. They arrogantly claim "medicine relies on intuition" (Yi Zhe Yi Ye), mistaking presumption for insight and presumption for medical practice. This is like claiming to see the finest down feathers of autumn while blindfolded—can this really be so!