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The disease of deficient pathogenic factors (Xu Xie) involves the mother organ's pathogen invading the child organ. For instance, heart fire-heat invading spleen-earth is an example. The disease of excess pathogenic factors (Shi Xie) involves the child organ's pathogen invading the mother organ. For instance, lung metal-dryness invading spleen-earth, with the pathology located in the interior. The disease of slight pathogenic factors (Wei Xie) involves the "wife" (the organ I overcome) invading the "husband" (the organ that overcomes me). For instance, kidney water-cold invading spleen-earth is such a case. The disease of thief pathogenic factors (Ze Xie) involves the "husband" invading the "wife". For instance, liver wood-qi invading spleen-earth is so. The disease of correct pathogenic factors (Zheng Xie) is the self-excess of the primary disease. For instance, spleen-earth itself having excessive dampness is like this.

It is said that slight, excess, correct, and deficient pathogens should be understood by tracing from slight to severe to seek their principles. Specifically, each has its own excess and deficiency; the rest can be inferred by analogy.

Years of Chen and Xu are designated as Taiyang (Solar). To drain water and tonify fire, one should act at the ninth position [acupuncture point]. Years of Mao and You are designated as Yangming (Bright Yang). To drain metal and tonify water, one should select points in the sixth month. Years of Yin and Shen are designated as Shaoyang (Lesser Yang). To drain fire and tonify metal, one acts at the Dragon's Mouth [acupuncture point]. Years of Chou and Wei are designated as Taiyin (Greater Yin). To drain earth and tonify water, one welcomes the Horse's Head [acupuncture point]. Years of Zi and Wu are designated as Shaoyin (Lesser Yin). To drain fire and tonify metal, one observes or selects points at Chen hour. Years of Si and Hai are designated as Jueyin (Termination of Yin). To drain wood and tonify earth, one acts at the Ox position. As long as one extracts the source of transformation beforehand, this is the hand of Xuanzhu (Wang Bing's pseudonym) manipulating the heavens. Qixuanzi (Wang Bing) annotated the *Suwen* with distinct insights; both medication and acupuncture are viable. However, starting from the fourth month, when wind suddenly arises, the first twelve days emit fire qi. Xuanzhu clearly states five acupoints, but the numbers of generation and completion differ. For wood excess, drain Taichong (LR3); for fire excess, drain Daling (PC7); for earth excess, drain Baiyuan (likely referring to Taibai SP3); for metal excess, drain Xixue (likely Jingqu LU8 or similar); for water excess, drain Fuliu (KI7). Those with deficiency should also be pre-tonified. The principles of yin and yang are naturally explained by Xuanzhu.

Upper Jiao Wood (Shang Jiao) or Lower Jiao Wood (Xia Jiao): Treat with pungent-cool methods without impurity. Upper Jiao Fire (Shang Zheng) or Lower Jiao Fire (Xia Zheng): Acupuncture with cold methods will naturally resolve it. Upper Jiao Earth (Shang Gong) or Lower Jiao Earth (Xia Gong): If heat is added, ancient and modern treatments are the same. In Upper Jiao, if encountering Wood or Fire: Use bitter-hot methods for the upper part. In Lower Jiao, if encountering Fire: Use sweet-warm methods in the middle. In Lower Jiao, if additionally encountering Earth: Use bitter-warm methods for the lower part according to exterior-interior dynamics. In Lower Jiao, if encountering Metal or Water: What basis is there for not using sweet-hot? Upper Metal (Shang Shang) and Lower Metal (Xia Shang): Small bitter-warm methods are good. For Lower Metal encountering Wood, Fire, Metal, or Water: Treating the lower part with sour-warm is the correct formula. Upper Water (Shang Yu) should use bitter-warm; Lower Water (Xia Yu) should use bitter-hot. In Upper Water, if encountering Earth, Water, or Metal: The upper part should use sweet-hot, decided in one word. In Lower Water, if encountering Metal, Wood, Water, or Earth: The lower part should definitely use sweet-hot, leaving no other explanation. The lower belongs to Earth, the upper belongs to Heaven. Medication and food should be suitable and cautious, avoiding bias. If Upper Jiao Earth requires bitter-hot, when using bitter flavors, one must vent. Bitter can dry dampness, heat can unblock. For severe cases, further deplete the excess and vent the stagnation. Using bitter-hot to tonify those with dampness is dangerous; even without muscle ulceration, skin cracking will surely occur.