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Shengshengzi said: The Eighty-first Difficulty of the *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues) states: "The Classics say, 'Do not make excess more excessive and deficiency more deficient; do not damage what is insufficient and benefit what is in excess.' Does this refer to the Cun Kou pulse? Or does it mean that diseases themselves have their own excess and deficiency? What are the principles of reduction and supplementation?" It answers: "This refers to the disease itself, not to the Cun Kou pulse; it means that diseases naturally possess excess and deficiency." Those who annotated the *Nan Jing* argued that the two characters "shi bing" (this disease) were either errors or interpolations. I believe these two characters are neither errors nor interpolations, but rather part of the responsive discourse. It means referring to the deficiency (or excess) of the disease, not the Cun Kou pulse. This is similar to Confucius answering Zilu by saying, "Yes, there is such a statement." These are all examples of question-and-answer rhetorical structures. Such instances are common in the Classics. Those who thoroughly study the Classics can grasp the author's intent by inferring meaning and savoring the wording.

Shengshengzi said: I hold that medicine takes the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot) and *Su Wen* (Basic Questions) as its ancestors. However, these texts emerged after the burning of books in the Qin dynasty; they consist of broken slips and fragmented chapters, nearly lost to oblivion. Even renowned masters like Qian Yueren (Bian Que), Chunyu Yi, Zhang Zhongjing, and Hua Tuo, who were sought after for their miraculous medical skills, did not annotate them. It was not until Wang Bing (courtesy name Qixuanzi) that he began to compile excerpts from the *Su Wen* into volumes, categorizing them chapter by chapter and providing explanatory notes, which was indeed a great achievement. Yet, narrow-minded and biased individuals still nitpicked and falsely criticized. Regarding the *Ling Shu*, they not only dared not write a single annotation but also ignored the book entirely, never even glancing at it. The *Ling Shu* comprehensively details the fullness and emptiness, smoothness and reversal of the Zang-Fu organs and meridians, and the rapidity and slowness of acupuncture techniques. If one abandons it without reading, how can one be called a physician! How can one be called a physician! I read in Mr. Shi Song's preface to the *Ling Shu*: "To be a physician lies in reading books; there are those who read but cannot become physicians, but there has never been one who could become a physician without reading." Having practiced these words, I have excerpted several passages from the *Ling Shu* below for reference.

The Yellow Emperor asked Qibo: "What are De (Virtue/Heavenly Qi), Qi, Sheng (Life), Jing (Essence), Shen (Spirit), Hun (Ethereal Soul), Po (Corporeal Soul), Xin (Heart/Mind), Yi (Intent), Zhi (Will), Si (Reflection), Lv (Deliberation), and Zhi (Wisdom)? Please explain their origins." Qibo answered: "De bestowed by Heaven resides within us; Qi bestowed by Earth resides within us. When De flows and Qi condenses, life is generated. Therefore, the source of life is called Jing. When the two Jings combine, it is called Shen. That which accompanies Shen in its movement is called Hun. That which exits and enters with Jing is called Po. That which bears external stimuli is called Xin. Memory arising from Xin is called Yi. The retention of Yi is called Zhi. Reflection based on Zhi is called Si. Deliberation extending far based on Si is called Lv. Handling matters based on Lv is called Zhi. Thus, the wise nourish life by conforming to the four seasons and adapting to cold and heat, harmonizing joy and anger while dwelling peacefully, regulating Yin and Yang, and balancing rigidity and flexibility. In this way, pathogenic factors will not approach, allowing for long life and clear vision. Therefore, excessive fear and deliberation injure Shen; when Shen is injured, fear arises, and essence flows uncontrollably. Sorrow moving internally exhausts vital energy and leads to loss of life. Excessive joy causes Shen to scatter and fail to store. Excessive worry causes Qi to block and stagnate. Extreme anger causes confusion and loss of control. Fear causes Shen to agitate and fail to gather.

The Heart: Fear and deliberation injure Shen; when Shen is injured, fear arises and self-control is lost, muscles waste away, hair becomes brittle, complexion fades, and death occurs in Winter. The Spleen: Unresolved worry injures Yi; when Yi is injured, limbs become weak and immobile, hair becomes brittle, complexion fades, and death occurs in Spring. The Liver: Sorrow moving internally injures Hun; when Hun is injured, madness and forgetfulness occur, leading to improper behavior, retraction of the genitals and tendon spasms, inability to move the costal bones, hair becomes brittle, complexion fades, and death occurs in Autumn. The Lung: Unrestrained joy injures Po; when Po is injured, madness occurs, the mad person lacks regard for others, skin and leather dry up, hair becomes brittle, complexion fades, and death occurs in Summer. The Kidney: Unchecked anger injures Zhi; when Zhi is injured, one forgets previous words, the waist and spine cannot bend or stretch, hair becomes brittle, complexion fades, and death occurs in Late Summer. Unresolved fear injures Jing; when Jing is injured, bone soreness, flaccidity, and cold extremities occur, and essence leaks spontaneously. Therefore, the Five Zang organs store Essence and must not be injured. Injury leads to loss of control and Yin deficiency; Yin deficiency leads to lack of Qi; lack of Qi leads to death. Thus, practitioners of acupuncture must observe the patient's state to know the existence or absence of Spirit, Hun, and Po, and the gain or loss of Yi and Zhi. If these five are injured, acupuncture cannot treat them.

The Liver stores Blood, and Blood houses Hun. Liver Qi deficiency leads to fear; Liver Qi excess leads to anger. The Spleen stores Ying (Nutritive) Qi, and Ying Qi houses Yi. Spleen Qi deficiency leads to inability to use the limbs and disharmony of the Five Zang; Spleen Qi excess leads to abdominal distension and difficult urination and defecation. The Heart stores Mai (Vessels/Pulse), and Pulse houses Shen. Heart Qi deficiency leads to sorrow; Heart Qi excess leads to incessant laughter. The Lung stores Qi, and Qi houses Po. Lung Qi deficiency leads to nasal congestion and shortness of breath; Lung Qi excess leads to wheezing and chest fullness requiring仰息 (supine breathing). The Kidney stores Jing, and Jing houses Zhi. Kidney Qi deficiency leads to cold extremities; Kidney Qi excess leads to distension. To address disharmony of the Five Zang, one must carefully examine the pathological manifestations of the Zang organs to determine the excess or deficiency of Qi and regulate them cautiously.