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To drain (reduce) this is to tonify (supplement) that, (e.g., draining Fire is equivalent to tonifying Water.) To tonify this is to drain that, (e.g., tonifying Fire is equivalent to dispelling Cold.) Therefore, draining is tonifying, and tonifying is draining.
Using cold-natured substances to tonify Yin explains why one drinks water in summer; using warm-natured substances to tonify Yang explains why one drinks hot soup in winter. The notion that only warm substances constitute tonification and cold substances constitute reduction is erroneous.
Zihehe stated: "A skilled physician treats excess patterns first and deficiency patterns later, and sometimes does not treat the deficiency at all. An mediocre physician treats only deficiency, daring not to treat excess. They believe that by first consolidating Qi, when Yuan Qi (Original Qi) becomes sufficient, pathogenic factors will naturally depart. They do not realize that when pathogens invade the human body, if mild, they may resolve spontaneously after a period; if severe, they may persist for a long time without healing; if even more severe, sudden death may occur. If tonification is applied at this stage, before Zheng Qi (Upright Qi) can overcome the pathogen, the pathogen will have already spread wildly and become uncontrollable." Only those with weak pulses indicating sinking/collapse, and who lack pathogens or accumulations, are candidates for discussion of tonification. For others harboring pathogens and accumulations, the three methods of emesis (inducing vomiting), diaphoresis (sweating), and purgation must be used first to attack the pathogens; once the pathogens are eliminated, Yuan Qi will recover naturally.
He further stated: "The methods of diaphoresis, emesis, and purgation utilize herbs and minerals to treat disease, analogous to a ruler's punishments. Tonification utilizes grains, meats, fruits, and vegetables to nourish the mouth and body, analogous to a ruler's moral education." Thus it is said: "Moral education is the grain and meat of a peaceful era; punishments are the medicinal stones for managing chaos." If a person is healthy, grain and meat suffice; but when illness occurs, one must first employ punitive measures (attack pathogens); after the illness is gone, grain and meat are used for tonification. Just as when a state is well-governed, punishments are set aside and unused, how can medicinal stones be considered tonics?
He also stated: "When there is severe fullness and excess heat above the chest, with conditions resembling sticky porridge, using small doses of pills or powders is child's play. Without emesis, how can the pathogen be expelled?"
He further stated: "For wind, cold, summer-heat, and dampness pathogens entering the skin but not yet deep, there is no better way to quickly eliminate them than diaphoresis."
He also stated: "People know that purgation is a draining method, but do not realize that purgation is also tonifying. When stale matter is removed and the intestines and stomach are cleansed, and when masses and accumulations are cleared and Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) Qi flourish, true tonification exists within what appears to be non-tonification."
He further stated: "Dietary flavors—sour, salty, sweet, bitter—all gather in the Stomach. If they stagnate and fail to circulate, sweeping away the old to make way for the new is what the Spleen and Stomach desire." His words demonstrate profound logical coherence.
Examining Zihehe’s treatment approach, he achieved efficacy with the three methods of emesis, diaphoresis, and purgation regardless of the syndrome, implying profound principles at work. Generally, diseases are either Heat or Cold. Cold causes Qi stagnation and obstruction; Heat also causes Qi congestion and failure to circulate. When Qi fails to circulate, Heat stagnates and Phlegm generates, Blood stasis and Food retention occur, leading to various obstructions in the middle jiao. Human Qi and Blood value free flow over blockage; without these three methods, how can flow be restored?
Moreover, eliminating pathogens is tantamount to supporting Zheng Qi; once pathogens are gone, Zheng Qi recovers. With simple dietary regulation, spirit and vitality revive within days. Thus, women suffering from infertility may conceive after this method is applied, indicating harmonious Yin and Yang. Men also experience a sudden resurgence of Yang function. (Zihehe noted: "For those suffering from prolonged closure/stagnation, sudden relief via emesis or purgation harmonizes Qi and Blood, causing Heart and Kidney to interact, resulting in erection; sexual intercourse should be strictly avoided.") Is this not clear evidence? Zhu Danxi’s Daocang Method was actually inspired by these insights. Later generations, failing to understand the principle, dared not use these methods, relying instead on warm tonification as a safe option, resulting in countless deaths—a lamentable situation.