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1. Da Jia Xie (Great Mass Diarrhea), Xiao Chang Xie (Small Intestine Diarrhea), and Da Chang Xie (Large Intestine Diarrhea), along with Chang Pi (Intestinal Dysentery) and Zhi Xia (Stagnant Downward Discharge), are ancient names for Li Ji (Dysentery). The external causes involve contracting Wind, Summerheat, Dampness, and Steaming-Heat pathogens; the internal causes arise from improper diet. White dysentery damages Qi (Vital Energy); red dysentery damages Blood. Cold and Deficiency patterns present with mild pain, while Heat and Excess patterns present with severe, distressing pain. In Excess patterns, tenesmus occurs before defecation; in Deficiency patterns, it occurs after defecation. Early-stage dysentery is mostly attributed to Damp-Heat, while chronic dysentery is mostly attributed to Cold and Deficiency.

[Note] Da Jia Xie is characterized by Li Ji Hou Zhong (tenesmus: urgent abdominal pain with a feeling of incomplete evacuation), frequent trips to the toilet with inability to pass stool, and pain in the urethra. Xiao Chang Xie presents with painful, difficult urination accompanied by pus and blood in the stool, and pain in the lower abdomen. Da Chang Xie presents with immediate urgency after eating, white-colored stool, prominent borborygmus, and colicky abdominal pain. Chang Pi results from irregular diet and lifestyle, where pathogens enter through the Yin meridians, affecting the Five Zang Organs, leading to abdominal distension and obstruction, progressing downward to Sun Xie (diarrhea with undigested food), and eventually becoming Chang Pi, characterized by abdominal pain and hematochezia. Zhi Xia refers to the downward discharge of stagnant, greasy fluids mixed with Damp-Heat pathogens retained in the intestines. These are all ancient terms for dysentery. However, the disease of Li Ji primarily manifests as tenesmus, passage of pus and blood in the stool, and dark, scanty, painful urination. "Li Ji" refers to abdominal pain due to stagnation; "Hou Zhong" refers to the sensation of rectal heaviness due to Qi stagnation; "dark, scanty urination" refers to the stagnation of Damp-Heat. All these conditions arise from external contraction of Wind, Summerheat, Dampness, and Steaming-Heat, combined with internal injury from excessive consumption of raw or cold foods. White dysentery originates from the Large Intestine. The Large Intestine and Lung are exterior-interiorly related; the Lung governs Qi, thus white dysentery is associated with Qi damage. Red dysentery originates from the Small Intestine. The Small Intestine and Heart are exterior-interiorly related; the Heart governs Blood, thus red dysentery is associated with Blood damage. When Cold obstructs, pain is severe; when Cold dissipates, pain is mild; when dysentery episodes subside, pain decreases, hence "mild pain." In Deficiency patterns, there is shortness of breath and lack of Qi stagnation, hence pain is also mild. In Heat patterns, there is often Excess; the nature is irritable and lacks smooth flow, hence severe, distressing pain. Tenesmus pressing on the anus, which stops after stool passage, is called pre-defecation tenesmus, indicating stagnation, thus termed "Excess tenesmus." Tenesmus that persists after stool passage is called post-defecation tenesmus, indicating no stagnation, thus termed "Deficiency tenesmus." Early dysentery mostly belongs to Damp-Heat; chronic dysentery mostly belongs to Cold and Deficiency.

Jin Kou Li (Anorexic Dysentery), Shui Gu Li (Water and Grain Dysentery), Feng Li (Wind Dysentery), Xiu Xi Li (Intermittent Dysentery), Re Li (Heat Dysentery), Han Li (Cold Dysentery), Shi Li (Damp Dysentery), Wu Se Li (Five-Color Dysentery).

2. Jin Kou Li presents with complete inability to ingest food or water, with feces mixed with pus and blood being discharged. Feng Li presents with heavy tenesmus and passage of clear blood. Xiu Xi Li presents with intermittent attacks and remissions. Re Li presents with thick, sticky, foul-smelling stool resembling fish brains. Han Li presents with thin, watery, clear stool with a fishy odor. Shi Li presents with turbid stool resembling black bean juice. Wu Se Li presents with a mixture of five colors of pus and blood, indicating fierce pathological changes in the Zang Organs.

[Note] Jin Kou Li is characterized by dysentery accompanied by anorexia or vomiting preventing food intake. Shui Gu Li is characterized by the simultaneous discharge of feces, pus, and blood. Feng Li resembles Chang Feng (a type of hemorrhoidal bleeding), presenting with clear blood and tenesmus pain. Xiu Xi Li is characterized by periodic exacerbations and remissions. Wu Se Li is characterized by the discharge of pus and blood in five different colors; if accompanied by a smell of rotting organs or corpse-like odor, the prognosis is ominous.