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*Guang Wuxing Ji* (Record of the Broad Five Elements) records: During the Yonghui era, a monk in Jiangzhou suffered from *Yegex* (dysphagia/obstruction of the throat), unable to eat for several years. On his deathbed, he left instructions to have his throat incised for examination. Inside, they found an object resembling a fish with two heads, covered entirely in fleshy scales. When placed in a bowl, it jumped incessantly. Various foods thrown into the bowl turned into water. At that time, the temple was harvesting knotweed (*Polygonum tinctorium*) to make indigo dye. A small amount of indigo was tested and added to the bowl; the creature circled the bowl in fear and soon dissolved into water. Wu Kun believed this creature was generated by damp-heat. Dampness transforms from Earth, and heat transforms from Fire. Indigo is green in color and cold in nature, embodying the Wood element of the East and possessing the strongest flavor of Water from the North. Water can control Fire, and Wood can overcome Earth; this is the principle of the Five Elements. Thus, it is sufficient to dissolve creatures generated by damp-heat. Since the existence of the Five Elements, from the myriad phenomena above to all living things below, once subjected to overcoming, nothing remains undissolved, let alone this creature?

During the reign of Emperor Liezu of Southern Tang, he suffered from throat obstruction after eating malt sugar syrup. The imperial physicians could not cure him. At that time, Wu Tingshao was not yet famous. He prescribed *Chushu Tang* (Broussonetia Papyrifera Decoction), and after one dose, the illness disappeared. The other doctors memorized the prescription secretly and used it later, but it was ineffective. When asked why, he replied: "Obstruction arises from sweetness, therefore *Chushu Tang* is used to treat it." The formula cannot be verified today, but merely from these two sentences, one can know he was a good physician. *Neijing* states: "Sweetness causes fullness in the middle jiao," so the qi overflows upward, how can it not cause pharyngeal obstruction? It also says: "Sourness overcomes sweetness," thus half of the treatment method is understood.

Preface: Extreme emotional states cannot be cured by medicine alone; they must be treated by overcoming emotions with opposing emotions. Thus it is said: Anger injures the Liver, Sorrow overcomes Anger; Joy injures the Heart, Fear overcomes Joy; Overthinking injures the Spleen, Anger overcomes Overthinking; Grief injures the Lungs, Joy overcomes Grief; Fear injures the Kidneys, Thought overcomes Fear. This single statement from *Neijing* has been revered for a hundred generations; this is the invisible medicine. Now, examining eleven cases of miraculous physicians, those who are wise will understand by analogy, and the art will be in their hands.

Wen Zhi was from Qi. King Wei of Qi fell ill and sent for Wen Zhi. Upon arrival, Wen Zhi told the Crown Prince: "The King's illness will heal if he becomes angry. If the King kills me immediately, what should I do?" The Prince said: "Do not worry, I will save you." Wen Zhi then did not appear before the King at the appointed time. When he finally came, he climbed onto the bed without removing his shoes. The King became furious and ordered his attendants to drag him down to be boiled alive. Later, the Crown Prince kowtowed to beg for mercy, the King's anger subsided, he pardoned Wen Zhi, and the illness healed. The reason is that the King's illness stemmed from excessive thinking, so Anger was used to overcome it.

*Records of Wei* states: A prefect suffered from an illness. Hua Tuo believed that if the patient became very angry, he would recover. Therefore, Hua Tuo accepted his gifts but provided no treatment, and shortly after abandoned him, leaving a letter insulting him. The prefect indeed became furious and ordered pursuit. The prefect's son knew of this and instructed officials not to chase. The prefect's resentment continued, he vomited several sheng of dark blood, and recovered. The reason is that the prefect's illness also originated from thinking. The classics say: "Thinking causes qi stagnation." Qi stagnation is the root of yin obscuration. Therefore, violent anger is used to damage the yin pathogen, returning the body to balance.

*Shaoshi Wenjian Lu* records: A military supervisor suffered from grief and longing. His son invited He Yun to treat him. Yun told the son: "According to the method, he must be made extremely fearful to recover." At that time, Li Songqing, the Vice Prefect and Censor, was very strict, and the supervisor feared him internally. Yun and the son requested an audience with Li Songqing to reprimand the supervisor for his faults. The supervisor was terrified and sweated profusely, and the illness was cured.

Zhao Zhize, from Taiyuan, became ill due to excessive joy. Chao Yuanfang diagnosed his pulse, felt surprised for him, went out to fetch medicine, but ultimately did not give it to him. Several days later, Zhao Zhize wept bitterly and bid farewell to his family, saying: "I will not live long in this world." Chao Yuanfang knew he was about to recover and sent someone to comfort him. When asked for the reason, Zhao cited *Suwen*: "Fear overcomes Joy," showing he had grasped the key principle.

A woman was in labor when the midwife mistakenly gave her warm water mixed with deer antler fat (used by women to coat their hair). Due to vomiting, her tongue protruded and remained extended for several days postpartum despite repeated medical treatments. Zhen Liyan arrived last. He applied cinnabar to the tongue and commanded others to simulate childbirth, holding her with two women. Then, he had people secretly outside the wall throw earthenware jars to the ground near the dangerous area. Hearing the noise, her tongue retracted. The reason is that fear causes qi to descend.

Prime Minister Han fell ill while there was no rain. Ten physicians failed to produce results. Zuo Youxin arrived last. After taking his pulse, he counted on his fingers using the sexagenary cycle and said: "It will rain on such-and-such day," then left. Prime Minister Han suspected: "Does this mean my illness is incurable? Why speak of rain and not mention my medicine?" That night, it indeed rained. Han was happy, got up and walked in the courtyard until dawn, and the illness seemed to vanish. He summoned Zuo Youxin to ask why. Zuo replied: "Your illness was caused by worry. Privately, I deduce that you are loyal and benevolent; during this long drought, you must be worried about the people. Being worried about drought, you will surely recover when it rains. This is the natural logic; why wait for medicine?" This also follows the *Suwen* principle that Joy overcomes Grief.

A young woman, after being betrothed, saw her husband leave for business for two years without returning. She stopped eating, lay listlessly like a fool, with no other symptoms, lying facing the wall all day. Her father invited Master Danxi to treat her. After hearing the cause and taking her pulse, Danxi told her father: "This is qi stagnation due to thinking. Medicine alone is difficult to cure; joy can resolve it. Otherwise, make her angry." He slapped her face and falsely accused her of infidelity. She indeed became furious and cried for three hours. When persuaded to stop, she began asking for food. The reason is that sorrow dissipates qi, and anger overcomes thinking. Danxi told her father: "Although the illness has improved, it will only fully resolve upon receiving joy." He informed her that her husband would return, which indeed happened, and the disease did not recur.

A county runner captured a criminal, shackling him with iron chains to the county seat. Midway, the criminal threw himself into a river and died. The criminal's family accused the runner of extortion and coercion leading to death. Although the runner avoided criminal liability, he suffered financial loss. He fell ill with grief and indignation, acting drunk and foolish, speaking nonsense, and losing consciousness. The master invited Dai Nianren to treat him. Dai said: "This illness is caused by financial loss; it will surely be cured by gaining wealth." He ordered the making of three ingots shaped like silver but made of tin, hidden in a muddy ditch beforehand. When the runner arrived, they pretended keys were dropped there and had him retrieve them, producing the three tin ingots. The master said: "These are silver. I will not use this ill-gotten wealth; I give it all to you."

A young woman's mother loved her dearly. After marriage, her mother died. She missed her endlessly, her spirit diminished, she was lethargic and sleepy, and various medicines failed. Her husband invited Han Shiliang to treat her. Han said: "This illness stems from thinking; medicine is not easy to cure. It must be treated with arts/spells." He bribed a female shaman and taught her secret words. One day, the husband told his wife: "You miss your mother so much; I wonder if she misses you underground. I am going away; why not ask the shaman to divine?" The wife happily agreed and summoned the shaman. After burning incense and bowing, the mother's spirit descended. Every word and silence resembled the mother in life. The girl burst into tears. The 'mother' scolded her: "Do not cry. Your life force overcomes mine, causing my early death. My death is all your fault. Now in the underworld, I seek revenge. Your lingering illness is actually my doing. While I lived, we were mother and son; now dead, I am your enemy." Upon finishing, the girl changed expression, became furious, and cursed her: "Because my mother was sick..." (Text ends here)

Tan Zhi usually spoke cautiously and served as an assistant official in Shaozhou. One day, at a gathering of colleagues, a particularly large radish appeared on the table, drawing admiration. Tan said: "There are even ones as big as a person." Everyone laughed, believing it impossible. Tan regretted and blamed himself: "Others haven't seen such large ones, and I said this; I should be considered absurd and laughed at." Consequently, he became grieved and indignant, unable to eat for days. His son, Tan Huang, educated and sensible, considering his father rarely spoke lightly, realized the illness stemmed from shame and embarrassment. To cure him, the truth must be proven. He sent someone home to fetch a radish as big as a person to the office, reconvened the colleagues, forced his father to attend despite his illness, and after several rounds of wine, presented the radish... (Text ends here)

He Jie, from Chenliu. One day, he drank with Le Guang, the Inspector of Henan, at the residence of Zhao Xiuwu. After drinking several cups, he suddenly saw something resembling a small snake at the bottom of his cup. He swallowed it, feeling no foreign object, but constantly thought about and doubted it. After many days, he felt heart pain, thinking the small snake had grown and eaten his five zang organs. Medical treatment failed. Long afterwards, he drank again at Zhao's residence. As he lifted the cup, he saw the small snake again. He put the cup down and examined it closely, seeing a horn bow hanging on the beam of Zhao's house. It was the shadow of the bow's tip reflected in the wine. With this understanding, his doubt was resolved, and the illness disappeared. This was an illness caused by emotional suspicion, cured only by resolving the suspicion. Previous treatments with medicine were all ineffective.