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The Heart desires softness; in cases of tension, urgently consume salty foods to soften it. The Kidney desires firmness; in cases of deficiency, urgently consume bitter foods to firm it. This is because, in terms of trigram symbolism, the Heart corresponds to Li (☲), and the Kidney corresponds to Kan (☵). In Kan, the bright yang line is within, acting outwardly with robust strength; thus, the Kidney desires firmness. In Li, the brightness is outward, requiring gentleness and compliance to nourish the interior; thus, the Heart desires softness. To achieve softness, one must use salty flavors; to achieve firmness, one must use bitter flavors. Salty flavors transform from Water, and bitter flavors transform from Fire. Kan represents Water, which flows downward; the more it flows down, the more it sinks into the lower jiao, so its virtue lies in "movement" (circulation). The *I Ching* states: "Movement is esteemed for auspiciousness; going forward achieves merit." Li represents Fire, which flares upward; the more it flares up, the more it burns, so its virtue lies in "accumulation" (retention/nourishment). The *I Ching* states: "Li favors perseverance and success; accumulating like a mare brings good fortune." Therefore, the methods used to firm the Kidney and soften the Heart are indeed intended to facilitate the ascent of Kidney Water and the descent of Heart Fire, thereby achieving the wondrous interaction between the Heart and Kidney.

External contractions affecting the Three Yang meridians are diagnosed at the Renying point (ST9); Renying is located at the pulsating arteries on both sides of the laryngeal prominence, hence it is said that the Three Yang manifest in the head. Internal injuries affecting the Three Yin meridians are diagnosed at the Qikou (Cunkou) pulse; Qikou is synonymous with Cunkou, hence it is said that the Three Yin manifest in the hand.

A pulse that is floating, large, and empty indicates the external severance of Spleen Qi, where Stomach Qi departs from the Spleen and returns to the Yangming (Large Intestine). This means that due to Spleen deficiency and sinking of Qi, the Spleen fails to transport essence and qi to the Stomach, instead allowing it to mix with the feces expelled by the Large Intestine. Do not individuals who cannot eat but have frequent bowel movements suffer from this condition of Spleen departing from Stomach to join Yangming?

Laofeng (Wind-Strike due to Exhaustion) typically resides below the Lung. Its symptoms include stiffness of the neck and upper back, blurred vision, expectoration of thick phlegm resembling mucus, aversion to wind, and chills. How should it be treated? It is answered: The primary goal is to restore ease of flexion and extension. For those with abundant essence and vitality (e.g., youth), guiding essence via the Taiyang meridian leads to recovery in three days; middle-aged individuals recover in five days; those with deficient essence recover in seven days. During this process, green-yellow sputum resembling pus, roughly the size of a bullet, is coughed up from the mouth or nose. If it does not exit, it injures the Lung; if the Lung is injured, death ensues. Reading this, one can understand how unresolved common colds evolve into consumptive diseases. Laofeng refers to contracting wind pathogen while already exhausted. Exhaustion generates internal fire, which the wind pathogen exploits; wind and fire clash, causing Qi to rush upward, hence the pathology is described as being below the Lung. The Lung governs Qi and respiration; with wind-heat in the Lung, body fluids congeal and Qi becomes obstructed, making flexion and extension difficult; thus, one must rescue these functions. Rescuing flexion and extension implies promoting Lung Qi and dispersing pathogens. However, whether pathogens disperse depends on the strength of healthy Qi. If Yang Qi is vigorous and essence is sufficient, after three, five, or seven days, green-yellow sputum will be coughed up; once expelled, wind and heat leave, and the Lung remains unharmed. If it is not expelled, wind-fire stagnates in the Lung, injuring it; Lung injury leads to asthma, cough, hoarseness, eventually affecting the Five Zang organs, forming consumptive disease. Why do modern treatments using daily nourishing herbs fail to improve such conditions? Is it not because the pathogen has not been expelled? For pathogens lingering for a long time, tonification is useless, and clearing heat alone is ineffective; this is why consumptive disease is difficult to treat.

Furthermore, referencing the *Maijie Pian* (Chapter on Pulse Explanation): "What the Taiyang chapter calls 'stiffness of the neck pulling to the back' is due to excessive Yang Qi rushing upward and contending, hence the stiffness." In Laofeng disease, fire is above and wind attacks it; both wind and fire are Yang pathogens. Wind moves freely, and fire flares upward; is this not exactly what is meant by "excessive Yang Qi rushing upward and contending"?