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For "Duikou" (Opposite Mouth) sores and "Fabei" (Back Carbuncle), regardless of whether they are lateral or central, the primary focus is on their morphology and coloration. The color should avoid being dull and stagnant; it is prized when pale red and bright/moist. The morphology should avoid being crooked, flat, or sunken; it requires a pointed, round, and elevated appearance.

Therefore, elevation belongs to Yang, while depression belongs to Yin; redness belongs to Yang, while whiteness belongs to Yin. If the skin and muscles receive cold pathogenic factors, even if the sore is elevated, it may appear white. In such cases, *Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang* (Decoction for Resolving Muscle Layer with Bupleurum and Kudzu) must be used. Alternatively, if it is extremely cold, clean *Perillae Folium* (Perilla Leaf) can be used for warm dispersion to induce heavy sweating, thereby allowing the pathogen to exit via sweat. If the pain penetrates the sinews and bones, with no obvious external shape changes and normal muscle color, and the pulse is wiry/hard, fine/tight, deep/fixed, or fine/slippery, this constitutes *Liu Zhu* (Deep Abscess). One must use *Atractylodis Rhizoma* (Cangzhu), *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium* (Chenpi), *Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex* (Houpo), *Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma* (Gancao), and *Perillae Folium*. If ineffective, then use *Ephedrae Herba* (Mahuang), *Zingiberis Rhizoma* (Jiang), *Cinnamomi Ramulus* (Guizhi), and *Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata* (Fuzi) to resolve it. The dosage of *Ephedrae Herba* is not fixed; start from a few fen and go up to two qian. For "Dry Crane's Knee" (a condition where the lower leg does not swell, the large muscles above atrophy completely, and the knee appears disproportionately large), one dose of *Ephedrae Herba* uses three qian.

For Duikou sores, regardless of left or right, the main treatment is to raise Yang fire. On the right side initially, *Bupleuri Radix* (Chaihu) and *Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma* (Chuanxiong) can be slightly delayed, using *Cimicifugae Rhizoma* (Shengma) immediately. On the left side initially, *Shengma* can be slightly delayed, and *Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang* should be used first. If the swelling spreads from left to right or right to left, one dose should combine *Shengma*, *Chaihu*, *Chuanxiong*, and *Platycodonis Radix* (Jiegeng). The dosage per herb ranges from one qian to one-and-a-half qian, serving as guiding herbs to lift the other medicines upward. For areas behind the ears, between the skull bones, and in the center of the soft palate, *Angelicae Pubescentis Radix* (Duhuo) must be used to extract kidney toxins. Since the head is the summit of all Yang meridians, Duikou sores located there are not treated as Yin syndromes even if not elevated; instead, strong dispersing methods are heavily utilized. Occasionally, during severe cold weather with no sweat and unresolved symptoms, *Ephedrae Herba* (3-5 fen, stir-fried until black) is used, while *Cinnamomi Ramulus* and *Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata* are avoided. Fabei sores similarly do not favor heavy dispersal. After extensive ulceration, clearing and tonifying methods are predominantly used. *Platycodonis Radix* is used for sores above the nipple line but not below. For Duikou, *Shengma* is the sovereign herb for the right side, and *Chaihu* for the left. If the fire is intense, body heat feels like roasting, and pain is extreme, *Chuanxiong* is omitted. As stated in classics: *Chuanxiong* assists the clear Yang in ascending. For fire flaring in the temporal region, hot/fire stimuli should be avoided. If pain is severe, very red, and old/hard, and raising Yang/dispersing fire fails, increase *Shengma* significantly and add *Rhei Radix et Rhizoma* (Dahuang) 1-2 qian, known as *Jiang Jun Ding Tong San* (General's Pain-Relieving Powder). Fabei sores with severe pain also use this powder.

Toxic manifestations include wandering redness, tender redness, spreading base redness, and purple-red resembling pig liver. Severe cases use *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride* (Qingpi) and *Chaihu* to soothe Liver Qi; mild cases use *Chaihu*, *Tribuli Fructus* (Bijili), and *Moutan Cortex* (Danpi) to calm them. Wandering redness is crimson-purple, indicating slight blood deficiency and flaming Yin fire. Mild cases use *Scrophulariae Radix* (Xuanshen) 2-3 qian; if night pain/fever worsens, use *Rehmanniae Radix* (Shengdi) 2-3 qian to nourish Yin. This must not be used arbitrarily, lest it guide pathogens into the Kidney. *Angelicae Sinensis Radix* (Danggui) removes stasis and generates new blood; *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium* (Xinhui Pi) harmonizes the middle and tonifies the Stomach. These are praised as superior surgical herbs, but must not be used arbitrarily before the disease recedes, as they may guide pathogens into the Stomach. *Boswelliae Resina* (Ruxiang) and *Commiphorae Resina* (Moyao) harmonize Qi and Blood but can damage the Stomach; thus, caution is needed for those with weak Spleen/Stomach. *Ephedrae Herba*, *Zingiberis Rhizoma*, and *Cinnamomi Ramulus* were detailed earlier. Cold-natured herbs like *Anemarrhenae Rhizoma* (Zhimu), *Phellodendri Cortex* (Huangbai), *Scutellariae Radix* (Huangqin), and *Coptidis Rhizoma* (Huanglian) are rarely used: *Huangqin* is not used unless fever persists; *Huanglian* is not used unless there is dry retching, restlessness, and furnace-like heat; *Zhimu* is not used unless there is extreme bitterness in the mouth, scorched yellow coating, and thirst; *Huangbai* (stir-fried with salt water) is used only for scanty dark urine and hot tearing eyes.

The Spleen favors moist lips, the Liver favors light body movement, the Lung favors resonant voice, the Heart favors bright spirit, and the Kidney favors abundant clear urine; these are the Five Good Signs (Wu Shan). There are also Seven Bad Signs (Qi E): 1. Confusion/delirium, 2. Stiff back/body, 3. Emaciation, 4. Dry/withered skin, 5. Development of Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst), 6. Generalized edema, 7. Ulcer inversion/collapse. According to *Waike Zhengzong*: If the lesion is firm/heavy, dull in color, flat/crooked, with hidden blackness in the muscles, the toxin hides in the Stomach, which is incurable. Why? The Stomach governs muscles, the Lung governs skin/hair; Lung is Metal, Stomach is Earth, and Earth is the mother of Metal. Restlessness with non-red fingertips indicates Liver disease; delirium indicates Heart disease; tasteless mouth, dryness, aversion to food indicates Spleen disease; dry skin/hair with phlegm indicates Lung disease; scanty dark urine, joint pain, insomnia, indigestion, loose stools indicate Kidney disease. Toxin color like pig liver without pus signifies death. Ulcerated but not rotting: fearing grape-like flesh protrusion is bad; if both toxin and flesh swell, it is good; if only flesh swells but toxin does not, it signifies death. Removing rot and generating new tissue resembling pomegranate seeds is good; after rot falls off, red filaments appearing signify death; new tissue like flat plates with anorexia signifies death. Another difficult scenario: toxin ulcerated, base unclear, pus not surging, anorexia, body weak. Attacking is impossible due to ulceration/weakness; tonifying is impossible due to unclear base/no pus/stagnant pathogens in Lung/Stomach. Classics say: Attacking leads to death, tonifying leads to demise; harmonizing the Six Fu Organs is best. New tissue filling the wound with closed exterior, feeling empty upon pressure like a skin bag, is incurable.

When the base clears and pain decreases, even if pus hasn't surged, a small amount of *Astragali Radix* (Huangqi) can be used to assist pus formation. When the base clears, toxin softens, and pain stops, urgently use stir-fried *Huangqi* and *Dioscoreae Rhizoma* (Shanyao) combined with *Ba Zhen Tang* (Eight-Treasure Decoction) to support healthy Qi and expel pathogens. For cold invasion with board-like pain, when toxin clears but pus doesn't (text notes possible error), use *Chaihu*, *Puerariae Lobatae Radix* (Gegen), and *Angelicae Dahuricae Radix* (Baizhi) to resolve. Heavy use of *Perillae Folium* combined with *Zhen Ren Huo Ming Yin* (True Person's Life-Saving Decoction) can also resolve it. For summerheat invasion, use *Liu Yi San* (Six-to-One Powder) and *Elsholtziae Herba* (Xiangru) with *Zhen Ren Huo Ming Yin*. For relapse due to sexual excess, before ulceration/pus formation, use *Duhuo* combined with *Chai Ge Tang* and *Huo Ming Yin*; after ulceration/pus formation, use *Dipsaci Radix* (Chuanduan) and *Polygoni Multiflori Preparata Radix* (Zhi Shouwu), lightly using *Huo Ming Yin*. For qi stagnation, use *Chaihu*, *Qingpi*, *Curcumae Aromaticae Rhizoma* (Yujin), and *Cyperi Rhizoma* (Xiangfu) for both pre- and post-ulceration, combining with *Huo Ming Yin* pre-ulceration and using lightly post-ulceration. Relapse due to wind invasion is called *Po Shang Feng* (Tetanus); many are incurable. Post-ulceration, use *Meliae Semen* (Liandong) 2-3 qian, *Ba Zhen Tang*, and *Huo Ming Yin*; pre-ulceration, use *Huangqin*, *Chaihu*, *Gegen*, and *Huo Ming Yin*.

Postpartum women must not omit *Sheng Hua Tang* (Postpartum Recovery Decoction). During pregnancy or leukorrhea, *Huangqin*, *Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma* (Baizhu), and *Stemoniae Radix* (Zhuma Gen) are used; *Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum* (Jiapian) must not be used arbitrarily. For white discharge, use stir-fried black *Gypsum Fibrosum* (Shigao) as a guide; for red discharge, use stir-fried black salt-brined material, or *Testudinis Plastron* (Guiban), or *Wugao*; post-ulceration, use *Chuanduan*, *Atractylodis Rhizoma* (Taizhu), and *Rehmanniae Radix Preparata* (Shudi). For men and women with blood disorders, add one cup of child's urine as a guide. For male seminal emission, add *Nelumbinis Stamen* (Lianxu) and *Euryales Semen* (Qianshi); post-ulceration, use lotus seed with skin and *Jian Lian* as a guide.

For fish accumulation, one green olive as a guide; for meat accumulation, cured meat ash plus one wild apricot kernel; for rice accumulation, *Hordei Fructus Germinatus* (Maiya) and *Medicated Leaven* (Shenqu); for grain accumulation, white wine pills; for alcohol accumulation, *Puerariae Flos* (Ge Hua) and *Corvis Gaster* (Jineijin - likely typo in source); for flour accumulation, white wine pills and *Houpo*; for taro accumulation, aged wine; for fruit/vegetable accumulation, *Tsaoko Fructus* (Caoguo) and *Moschus* (Shexiang). For foul odor contact during ulceration, use *Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix* (Qianghuo) with *Huo Ming Yin*. For recurrence after eating cold food, use *Pinelliae Rhizoma* (Banxia) and *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium* (Chenpi); for contamination during bathing, use *Chai Ge*. For phlegm-wheezing and急促 breathing, add stir-fried/grinded *Perillae Semen* (Dusu Zi) 3 qian and stir-fried *Aurantii Fructus* (Zhiqiao) 3 qian.

Toxins that are elevated but not red/painful are "Yang within Yin," requiring warm resolution. Those that are flat, very red, very painful, and rotting are "Yin within Yang," requiring clearing resolution. When a toxin arrives, if the base is clear, surrounding area painless/hard-free, and lesion soft, Yang syndromes need clearing-tonification, Yin syndromes need warming-tonification. All pre-ulceration conditions are treated as Excess; post-ulceration as Deficiency. If the base is loose, color delicate/tender like raw meat, painless, lesion soft despite no ulceration, and tongue is clear without coating, it is a severe Deficiency syndrome. Even pre-ulceration Fabei may require one liang of stir-fried *Huangqi* in one dose. Tonification should proceed gradually; delayed tonification harms Yuan Qi, mistaken tonification increases pain. Better to delay than to mistake. For those with weak constitution where delayed tonification slows pus formation (pre-pus stage), use 3 qian raw *Huangqi*, gradually increasing to stir-fried *Huangqi*. Once pus emerges, continue with stir-fried *Huangqi*, stopping raw *Huangqi*. For severe ulceration/large syndromes, use 7-8 qian, even up to one liang. Severe ulceration always involves Qi and Blood deficiency; tonify Qi with *Ren Shen* and *Huangqi*, tonify Blood with *Shudi*, and use *Danggui* and *Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix* (Danshen) for Blood-Yang. After ulceration, besides tonifying Qi, urgently tonifying Kidney Water is essential. Why? Kidney is Water; Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal. Water is the mother of all things. Kidney houses Mingmen, Left is Water, representing the intersection of Water and Fire. For post-ulceration Yang syndromes, *Chuanduan* is the holy medicine for clearing-tonification. Using *Chuanduan* for warming-tonification will cause urinary obstruction. For clearing-tonification, once pathogens are exhausted and appetite returns, *Shudi* is mandatory. For warming-tonification, once appetite returns, *Shudi* can also be used (must be boiled in aged wine until soft, adding 5-6 fen *Amomi Fructus* (Sharen) per liang; clearing-tonification uses this method too). Fabei can have mixed Yin/Yang and Deficiency/Excess: flesh swelling without sore swelling indicates mixed Deficiency/Excess; crooked shape, unclear base, white protrusion unresponsive to meds indicates mixed Yin/Yang. Initially use warm dispersion to observe dynamics, then use 1-2 fen *Ren Shen* (decocted juice), stir-fried *Trichosanthis Radix* (Huafen), 1-2 fen *Cinnamomi Cortex* (Rougui, decocted juice), stir-fried *Trichosanthis Semen* (Gualou Ren), and others normally. If lesion is slightly blue-green and patient prone to anger, use *Rougui* and processed *Gualou Ren*. If irritability/anger post-ulceration, use 1-2 fen *Rougui* (decocted juice) mixed with stir-fried *Paeoniae Radix Alba* (Baishao). Generally, soft toxins are Deficiency, hard are Excess. Swelling without softness or pain indicates pathogen in Blood level; heavily use *Schizonepetae Herba* (Jingjie) to disperse Blood-level pathogens. Overly red/hard texture indicates Blood-level fire; use 1-2 qian *Schizonepetae Spica* (Jingjiesui, stir-fried black with salt water). Post-ulceration, weak spirit/insomnia: use *Polygalae Radix* (Yuanzhi, soaked in boiling water), *Poria Cum Radio* (Baifushen), and *Ziziphi Spinosae Semen* (Suanzaoren); if ineffective, add *Longan Arillus* (Longyanrou). Weak Qi/Blood, non-healing ulcer: use 1+ qian or 2 qian *Corni Fructus* (Yurou), plus carbonized *Baizhu* and earth-stir-fried *Baishao*. Loose stools, weak/pale complexion, no abdominal pain, lethargy: use several fen *Shengma*, 2-3 qian stir-fried *Phaseoli Semen* (Baidoudou), *Houpo*, and 2-3 qian stir-fried *Eucommiae Cortex* (Duzhong). Fullness without eating, epigastric pain, bloating: use digestion-promoting herbs based on ingested food. For dysentery/chest tightness, use stir-fried *Zhiqiao*; severe cases add *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium* (Qingpi), *Finger Citron* (Foshou), *Aucklandiae Radix* (Muxiang), and *Houpo*. After dysentery subsides, use *Shengma* to raise Yang (clear rises, turbid descends); use *Baidoudou* to tonify Spleen; subsequently use *Duzhong* to assist Fire. Urinary retention: use 2-3 stalks *Plantaginis Herba* (Cheqian) or sugarcane juice to promote urination. Avoid triggering foods, cold/raw items, bathing, labor, grief, and anger. Widows are particularly suitable for resolving depression. Unbearable pain: use stir-fried whole *Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum* (Jiapian), wrapped in stir-fried *Gypsum Fibrosum* (Shigao), boiled to calm its drying/acrid nature. Treating disease must address the root: recurrence from cold food, mild cases use *Sharen* to awaken Stomach, severe cases use *Banxia* to dry Stomach. Though diseases vary infinitely, rescue medications and recurrences ultimately return to one principle.