Library

[Suwen] The Yellow Emperor asked: When wind pathogen invades the human body, it may manifest as cold-heat syndrome (Han Re Zheng), heat-in-the-middle syndrome (Re Zhong Zheng), cold-in-the-middle syndrome (Han Zhong Zheng), li-feng (Leprosy/Mal Feng), or pian-ku (Hemiplegia). The diseases vary, and their names differ. Some penetrate internally to the five zang and six fu organs. I do not understand the explanation; I wish to hear the cause of these conditions? Qibo replied: Wind qi hides between the skin and hair follicles, unable to communicate internally nor discharge externally. Wind is agile and changes rapidly. When the couli (pores) open, one feels chilly and cold; when they close, one feels hot and stifled. In its cold manifestation, food and drink intake decline; in its hot manifestation, muscles are consumed. Thus, it causes shivering and inability to eat, named Cold-Heat Syndrome (The treatment for "Wind Lun" is seen in the "Cold-Heat Section", Tuo Gu means sudden forgetfulness; Li means fear). Wind qi entering the Yangming meridian and going into the stomach, follows the vessels upward to the inner canthus. If the person is obese, wind qi cannot be discharged externally, leading to Heat-in-the-Middle Syndrome with yellow eyes; if the person is thin, it discharges externally causing cold, leading to Cold-in-the-Middle Syndrome with tearing (Treatment for Heat-in-the-Middle is seen in the "Jaundice Section"; Treatment for Cold-in-the-Middle is seen in the "Tearing Section"). Wind qi enters together with the Taiyang meridian, travels through the acupoints of various vessels, and scatters between the flesh partitions. It interferes with Wei Qi (Defensive Qi), obstructing the pathways, thus causing muscle swelling and sores. If Wei Qi coagulates and fails to circulate, the flesh becomes insensible (Treatment is seen in the "Bi Syndrome Section"). If Wind-Cold lingers in the vessels without departing, it is called Li-Feng (Leprosy), also known as Cold-Heat. (Li refers to where Ying and Wei Qi are hot and swollen, the qi is impure, causing the nasal bridge to collapse, complexion to deteriorate, and skin to ulcerate). Wind contracted on Jia-Yi days in Spring affects the Liver, called Liver Wind. Wind contracted on Bing-Ding days in Summer affects the Heart, called Heart Wind. Pathogenic factors contracted on Wu-Ji days in Late Summer affect the Spleen, called Spleen Wind. Pathogenic factors contracted on Geng-Xin days in Autumn affect the Lung, called Lung Wind. Pathogenic factors contracted on Ren-Gui days in Winter affect the Kidney, called Kidney Wind. Wind invading the Shu points of the five zang and six fu organs also becomes Wind of the Zang-Fu. Entering through respective gates, it is called Pian-Feng (Partial Wind/Stroke-like symptoms) (Treatment is seen in the "Zhong Feng Section"). Wind qi ascending along the Fengfu point becomes Brain Wind (Treatment is seen in "Headache"). Wind entering the head connections becomes Eye Wind/Cold Eyes (Treatment is seen in "Eye Diseases"). Wind after drinking alcohol becomes Lou Feng (Leaking Wind) (Treatment is seen in the "Liver Section"). Wind during sweating after intercourse becomes Nei Feng (Internal Wind) (Wang Bing's commentary: considers Lao Feng as Internal Wind. Treatment is seen in a certain section). Wind after washing hair becomes Shou Feng (Head Wind) (Treatment is seen in "Headache"). Long-standing wind entering the interior becomes Chang Feng (Intestinal Wind) with Sund Xie (Dysentery with undigested food) (Treatment is seen in "Dysentery"). Wind remaining at the exterior couli becomes Xie Feng (Escaping Wind). Therefore, wind is the chief of all diseases. Its transformations lead to other diseases without fixed patterns, yet it always results from wind qi.

The Yellow Emperor said: Why do the manifestations of wind affecting the five zang organs differ? I wish to hear about their diagnosis and pathological characteristics. Qibo said: The signs of Lung Wind include profuse sweating, aversion to wind, pale complexion, frequent coughing, and shortness of breath. Symptoms improve during the day and worsen at night. Diagnosis is observed above the eyebrows, where the color is white ("Bai" pronunciation indicates whiteness. Zhang Zhongjing stated: Lung wind patients have dry mouth with saliva, dizziness and heaviness, and distension). The signs of Heart Wind include profuse sweating, aversion to wind, dry throat, irritability, and red complexion. Severe cases involve slurred speech. Diagnosis is on the tongue, where the color is red ("He" is a superfluous character. Zhang Zhongjing stated: Heart wind patients have mild fever, inability to rise, hunger sensations, and vomiting after eating). The signs of Liver Wind include profuse sweating, aversion to wind, sadness, bluish-green complexion, dry throat, irritability, and occasional aversion to women. Diagnosis is below the eyes, where the color is green (Zhang Zhongjing stated: Liver wind patients experience dizziness, hypochondriac pain, frequent vomiting, and craving for sweet foods). The signs of Spleen Wind include profuse sweating, aversion to wind, lethargy, reluctance to move limbs, sallow complexion, and anorexia. Diagnosis is on the nose, where the color is yellow (Zhang Zhongjing stated: Spleen wind patients have mild fever, appear intoxicated, abdominal heaviness, twitching eyelids, and shortness of breath). The signs of Kidney Wind include profuse sweating, aversion to wind, puffy face resembling edema, back pain preventing upright standing, dark complexion, and difficult urination. Diagnosis is on the muscles, where the color is black (Qibing Lun states: A condition where the face looks like water retention, pulse is large and tight, no body pain, not emaciated, but unable to eat or eats little. Qibo answered: This originates in the Kidney, named Kidney Wind. If Kidney Wind leads to inability to eat, fright, and heart qi failure, death ensues. Zhang Zihe treated Sang Huimin's wind disease: dark face, aversion to wind, itching, eyebrow loss resembling leprosy, untreated for three years. Zhang Zihe said: This is not leprosy but matches Suwen's description of Kidney Wind: sweating, aversion to wind, back pain, dark face, facial edema. He advised bleeding the face. The blood was initially ink-black. After three bleedings, the color changed. Needles were placed from forehead to chin, bleeding all swollen areas except near the outer canthus (Shaoyang channel has less blood and more qi). Two days later, blood turned purple; two days after that, red. Initial needling caused itching, second caused temple pain, third caused unbearable pain due to pathogen retreat. After 20+ days, light needling finished the cure. Ice water was used to wash blood after each session. Black faded in 10 days, slightly red in 1 month, red-white in 3 months. Without clearing lower jiao heat, relapse occurred. No one in the East could cure this). The signs of Stomach Wind include neck sweating, aversion to wind, dysphagia, chest obstruction, abdominal fullness, bloating when underdressed, diarrhea from cold food, emaciation with a distended abdomen. The signs of Head Wind include sweating and aversion to wind on the head and face. Symptoms worsen one day before windy weather, with headache preventing going out; symptoms improve on windy days. The signs of Leaking Wind include profuse sweating, inability to wear single clothes, sweating upon eating, severe whole-body sweating, panting, aversion to wind, wet clothes, dry mouth, thirst, and inability to perform labor. The signs of Escaping Wind include profuse sweating soaking clothes, dry mouth, wind stagnation above, inability to perform labor, and generalized body pain with chills.

For the above five zang wind syndromes, characterized by sweating and aversion to wind, the treatment method uses Zhang Zhongjing's Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) and similar formulas. Sun Simiao moxa-points on the back corresponding to the affected zang organ, combined with Xuming Tang (Continuing Life Decoction).

[LingShu] The Yellow Emperor asked: How can we predict who is prone to Feng Jue (Wind Jue) and dripping sweat? Shaoyu answered: Those with unfirm muscles and loose couli are prone to wind diseases. The Yellow Emperor asked: How to identify unfirm muscles? Shaoyu answered: Unfirm muscles lack distinct texture lines. Rough texture lines and non-tight skin indicate loose couli, describing the general constitution. (From "Wu Bian Lun")

[Suwen] Sudden jue (fainting) with deafness and unilateral blockage is due to violent internal qi pressure. It is not a disease from external/internal wind invasion, hence emaciation and lingering pathogens (From "Tong Ping Xu Shi Lun", this item is not a wind disease). Sweating with body heat indicates Wind (Full text in "Xu Fan"). Smooth and glossy skin on the chi position indicates Wind (Full text in "Zhen Fa"). Smooth and oily skin on the chi position indicates Wind (Full text in "Zhen Fa").

[Mai Jing] A floating and large pulse indicates Wind. Patients with Wind disease die at dusk or night (Full text in "Diagnosing Life and Death").