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(This commentary is copied from Yao Yujiu's version. It is unknown who wrote the explanation. It is now indented by one character to distinguish it.)

The Five Elements (Wuxing) have relationships of mutual generation (Xiangsheng) and mutual restriction (Xiangke). Mutual generation refers to Metal generating Water, Water generating Wood, Wood generating Fire, Fire generating Earth, and Earth generating Metal. Mutual restriction refers to Metal restricting Wood, Wood restricting Earth, Earth restricting Water, Water restricting Fire, and Fire restricting Metal. Generally, a pulse encountering a generative relationship is auspicious, while one encountering a restrictive relationship is inauspicious. For example: if the Heart presents with a deep and fine pulse (Chenxi Mai), the Liver with a short and choppy pulse (Duase Mai), the Kidney with a slow and relaxed pulse (Chihuan Mai), the Lung with a flooding and large pulse (Hongda Mai), and the Spleen with a string-taut and long pulse (Xianchang Mai), these all indicate encountering restriction (referred to as "Ghost and Thief invasion"), which constitutes a critical condition. Conversely, if the Heart presents with a moderate pulse (Huan Mai), the Liver with a flooding pulse (Hong Mai), the Lung with a deep pulse (Chen Mai), the Spleen with a choppy pulse (Se Mai), and the Kidney with a string-taut pulse (Xian Mai), this indicates the Child organ supporting the Mother organ, representing the element I generate. Although illness is present, recovery will be easy. As for cases such as Kidney disease transmitting to the Liver, or Liver disease transmitting to the Heart, this represents the Mother organ suppressing the Child organ. The illness may not be fatal, but it will likely persist for a long time. Furthermore, what I restrict is considered the "Wife." For instance, in Spring when Wood is prosperous, if the pulse reveals the Spleen-Earth pulse, this is the Husband obtaining the Wife's pulse (Wife overcoming Husband). Although this is not a standard restriction, if the Spleen pulse appears exclusively in Spring, it implies that Earth overcomes Wood due to Wood's weakness. If Earth overcomes, Metal will come to restrict Wood. However, if the pulse shows string-tautness with moderation (Xian Huan), the original constitution remains intact; although Earth overcomes, there is little cause for concern. If the original pulse completely disappears and only the Spleen-moderate pulse is seen alone, harm is inevitable. The *Mai Fu* states: "Spring obtains Spleen and cannot be treated; Winter sees Heart and cannot be cured; Summer obtains Lung and is hard to heal; Autumn obtains Liver, why doubt?" This illustrates the meaning of generation and restriction based on the waning and waxing of pulses across the four seasons.

However, human pulse rates are counted by breaths. Exhalation is Hu, inhalation is Xi. One exhalation and one inhalation constitute one breath (Xi). Between breaths, if the pulse beats four or five times, it is a balanced pulse—neither too large nor too small, gentle and smooth—which indicates no disease. Three beats per breath or two failures indicate coldness and danger. Six beats or seven extremes indicate severe heat. Eight indicates depletion, nine indicates death. Reaching eleven or twelve beats, or being so weak that one beat occurs every two breaths, represents scattering and transformation. Six beats and seven extremes indicate Heat. Strength within the pulse indicates Shen (Spirit/Vitality); one should drain the Heat. Three slowness and two failures indicate Cold. Strength within the pulse indicates Shen; one should dispel the Cold. If, amidst rapid/extreme/slow/failing pulses, there is no longer strength, it indicates absence of Shen. What can be relied upon then? One can determine the time of death. (This theory originates from Li Dongyuan.)

Nevertheless, there are pulses that are strong but lack Shen, and pulses that are weak but possess Shen. The presence or absence of Shen is not determined solely by strength or weakness. If strength equaled Shen and weakness equaled absence of Shen, then any string-taut and finger-restricting pulse could be said to have Shen and thus predict survival? And any gentle and soft pulse could be said to lack Shen and thus predict death? This is unlikely to correspond to reality. Therefore, it is better to say: for excess syndromes, the pulse must be strong, yet within strength, Shen is precious; for deficiency syndromes, the pulse should be weak, yet within weakness, Shen is entirely crucial. These few words capture the essence of pulse diagnosis.

Combining the five diagrams into one diagram means the five diagrams form a single Five Elements system. Combining them results in one Five Elements. Dividing one diagram into five diagrams means each of the five diagrams possesses its own complete Five Elements system. Thus, dividing yields five sets of five, totaling twenty-five. "Master Disease" (Zhu Bing) refers to diseases governed by each Zang-Fu organ, such as various wind-induced dizziness and tremors belonging to Wood, and various rebellious upward rushing belonging to Fire. "Variable Manifestations of Five Symptoms" (Bian Jian Wu Zheng) refer to the five pathogenic factors inherent to each Zang-Fu organ. For example, Wood's Fire disease implies Wood lacks Fire; Wood's Water disease implies Wood lacks Water. "Self-disease" (Zi Bing) and the character "Zi" differ from "Master Disease" (Zhu Bing) and "Zhu." "Master Disease" encompasses the five pathogens: Correct, Excess, Minor, Thief, and Deficient. "Self-disease" refers only to the Correct Pathogen, listed equally with Excess, Minor, Thief, and Deficient pathogens, and subsumed under Master Disease. The character "Zhi" in phrases like "Zhi Xin Bing" (Disease of the Heart) does not mean movement from one to another. It means "Wood's internal Fire disease," "Wood's internal Earth disease." The "Zhi" above is interpreted similarly to the "Zhi" in "Mu Zhong Zhi Mu" (Wood within Wood), functioning as a structural particle ("of"), not as a verb ("to go"). Misinterpreting "Zhi" leads to total confusion. Try inserting "Liver-Gallbladder, Heart, Small Intestine" before the upper "Zhi," and replace "Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water" below with "Correct Pathogen, Excess Pathogen" etc., reading ten characters. For example: "Heart disease within Liver-Gallbladder is an Excess Pathogen"; use Seven-Ingredient Decoction to drain the Excess Pathogen within Wood. "Spleen disease within Heart-Small Intestine is an Excess Pathogen"; use Yuanzhi Yinzi to drain the Excess Pathogen within Fire. The meaning of the diagram becomes clear. The original commentary failed to grasp the meaning of "variable manifestations of five symptoms" in the Siming Twenty-Five Formulas Diagram, perhaps due to misinterpreting the two "Zhi"s and erasing the middle "Zhong" (within). The principle is singular, though expressions vary. Consulting the diagram for explanation requires seeking appropriateness. Based on my understanding, I attach this explanation here. Non-existence precedes restriction in a cycle, originating from Taiji. Thus, combining five diagrams into one is valid, and dividing one diagram into five is also valid. Closing together does not preclude opening apart; opening apart does not preclude closing together. Who manages opening and closing according to convenience? Only those who integrate the principles of Taiji's movement and stillness into a single source.