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Stomach diseases favor cold drinks. Those with Stomach Heat (Wei Re, 胃热) suffer from oral ulcers and a hollow sensation in the stomach resembling hunger. Those with Stomach Cold (Wei Han, 胃寒) experience cold limbs, abdominal distension, and illness.

Intestinal diseases favor hot drinks. Those with Intestinal Heat (Chang Re, 肠热) have yellow urine and reduced appetite (or require congee to eat). Those with Intestinal Cold (Chang Han, 肠寒) have clear white urine, diarrhea, and borborygmus.

Edema starting from the face is Yang Edema (Yang Shui, 阳水). Edema starting from the feet is Yin Edema (Yin Shui, 阴水). If swelling extends from the hands to the wrists, from the feet to the dorsum pedis, and from the face to the neck, these are signs of Qi deficiency failing to return to its source, representing a fatal condition.

Eating much but having little Qi indicates either excessive Stomach Fire or recent recovery from illness. Eating little but having excessive Qi indicates either Stomach Deficiency or rebellious Qi. Deficient Heat favors hot drinks. Excessive Heat favors cold drinks. Deficient Cold favors cold drinks. Excessive Cold favors hot drinks.

Below the left nipple lies the Great Luo vessel of the Stomach, known as the Xuli acupoint (Xulicue, 虚里穴), used to examine Zong Qi (Gathering Qi). If it pulses slightly, Zong Qi is deficient; if it does not pulse at all, it is a sign of death.

First, inquire about the patient's identity: male or female, old or young, maid, relative, child servant, or unmarried woman/widow. Second, ask when the disease began and what caused it. How is their diet? How are their urination and defecation? What medicines have they taken? How is their condition during the day? How is their sleep at night? Is there stuffiness and distension in the chest and diaphragm? If they do not answer when asked, they are likely deaf. Ask those around them about the patient's usual state. Otherwise, deafness may be due to long-standing illness or damage from improper sweating or purging therapies. Reluctance to answer or merely nodding indicates Deficiency. Confusion and failure to recognize people indicate either sudden Jue syndrome or chronic illness, such as Qi stagnation common in women. For women, first inquire about menstruation. Widows, unmarried women, and nuns often have stagnant Qi and Blood, resulting in slippery pulses at the Chi position (both sides); do not mistakenly diagnose pregnancy. For abdominal distension and pain, ask whether it is new or old, and what flavors or foods they crave—meat, vegetables, tea, or wine. Craving sour indicates Liver Deficiency; craving sweet indicates Spleen Weakness. For pain in the head, body, arms, and legs, ask if they ever suffered from malignant sores or took any specific medicines.

A red face, blue-green sublingual veins, a tongue that curls backward, and cold body indicate the mother survives while the fetus dies. A greenish face and red sublingual veins indicate the mother dies while the fetus survives. If both the face and sublingual veins are blue-green or both are white, accompanied by foaming at the mouth, both mother and fetus die. A yellow-black face and a dry, short tongue require urgent acupuncture; two out of ten may be saved. A moist tongue color indicates safety; a degenerated tongue color indicates death. The pulse before delivery should be deep, fine, and slippery. A wiry and tight pulse indicates survival; a deep and choppy pulse indicates death. A floating and large pulse indicates difficult labor. During labor, pulsation in the middle joint of the left middle finger indicates a male birth; pulsation in the middle joint of the right middle finger indicates a female birth.