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Mercury (Hydrargyrum) and Calomel (Calomelas) are both toxic. Although they are said to purge phlegm, their nature is cold and damages Heart Qi (Heart Qi). Cinnabar (Cinnabaris), although said to anchor and subdue, has a cold nature that damages Shen (Spirit). Children taking these are easily injured, and many mistakes occur due to them.

Infants within one week of birth should not be bathed frequently or lightly. Their skin and muscles are tender, and the Couli (pores and interstices) are not dense. Bathing may cause damp-heat qi to stagnate and steam without dissipating, leading to the generation of Red Wandering Carbuncle (a type of acute infectious skin disease characterized by spreading redness). The lesions appear like slices of carmine, accompanied by high fever; if the toxin enters the abdomen, death ensues. Furthermore, catching a Cold damage (Shanghan) during bathing, resulting in cough and rebellious Qi, and other exterior syndromes, often arise from this cause.

The *Yueji* (Record of Music) states: "All music arises from the human heart." The movement of the human heart is caused by external objects. Moved by objects, it manifests as sound; sounds resonate with each other, thus generating variation. Generally, disease accumulates internally, while sound manifests externally. If musical sounds are chaotic, the five tones are discordant; if human voices are chaotic, the five Zang organs are discordant. Therefore, one verifies disease by listening to sounds.
The *Suwen* (Basic Questions) says: "Observe breathing and listen to voice to know the suffering." Thus, the *Zhouguan* (Rites of Zhou) states: "Use the five Qi, five colors, and five sounds to observe life and death." Sun Simiao said: "When the five Zang organs are discordant, the five sounds are unsmooth, and the five colors are indeterminate; this must indicate disease." The *Sanyin Fang* (Formulas of Three Causes) states: "To observe the excess and deficiency of the five Zang organs, the throat is the guardian of sound. When the interior is full, Qi is abundant; when the interior is deficient, Qi is weak. Thus, sound resembling speech from inside a room indicates dampness obstructing Qi. Speech that is faint, repeated only once throughout the day, indicates depletion of Qi. Incoherent speech, disregarding propriety and distance, indicates chaos of Shen (Spirit). Zheng-Wei sounds (sounds lacking continuity) indicate loss of Yin-Yang balance. Hence it is said: 'Those who retain balance live; those who lose balance die.'"

Qian Yi said: "The Heart governs fright. Excess presents as crying, shouting, fever, and convulsions upon drinking water; deficiency presents as lethargy, lying down, palpitations, and restlessness. Heart disease often involves shouting, shaking of hands and feet, and fright/palpitations. If Heart Qi is hot, the chest and heart feel hot; the patient wishes to speak but cannot, and seeks coolness, hence sleeping face down. This indicates Heart Heat. Observing sleep: warm breath from the mouth, sleeping face down, upward staring, head shaking, and grinding teeth all indicate Heart Heat. Treat with Daochi San (Guide Out Red Powder Decoction). In Heart Excess, Qi becomes stagnant above and below. Sleeping face down blocks Qi flow; thus, the patient prefers supine position to allow Qi to circulate freely. Treat with Xiexin Tang (Drain the Heart Decoction)."

"The Liver governs Wind. Excess presents as fixed gaze, loud crying, yawning, neck stiffness, and dizziness. Deficiency presents with teeth grinding and frequent yawning. Heat generates outwardly; cold generates inwardly. Liver heat causes the patient to seek clothing collars and fiddle with objects. Liver Wind causes eye twitching without convulsion; if combined with Heart Heat, convulsions occur. Treat the Liver with Xieqing Wan (Drain the Green Pill); treat the Heart with Daochi San. Severe Liver Heat causes opisthotonos (body arched backward) without convulsion; treatment is the same as for Wind. Any disease, new or old, can draw out Liver Wind. Wind moves to the head, causing eye twitching. If heat enters the eyes, it pulls the sinews, tightening both sides of the back, preventing eye movement, resulting in fixed gaze. If Heart Heat is present, convulsions occur because the mother (Liver/Wood) and child (Heart/Fire) both have excess heat, and wind-fire struggle together. Li Gao (Jiegu) said: 'The Liver governs planning. Heat causes seeking clothes and fiddling, eye twitching, fixed gaze, inability to turn eyes, or severe opisthotonos; all are Wind-Heat. The eyes are the opening of the Liver. The Liver belongs to Wood; Wood's nature is urgent, hence such symptoms.'"

"The Spleen governs lethargy. Disease presents as drowsiness, diarrhea, and refusal of milk/food. Excess presents as drowsiness, body heat, and thirst; deficiency presents as vomiting, diarrhea, and generation of Wind."

"The Lung governs panting. Excess presents as chest oppression, restlessness, and rapid panting; some patients desire water, others do not. Deficiency presents with belching and long sighs. Lung Heat causes the patient to pinch eyebrows, eyes, nose, and face. If Lung Excess is complicated by Wind-Cold, there is chest fullness, shortness of breath, and urgent panting/cough/rebellious Qi. One must first disperse Lung Heat, then disperse Wind-Cold. If the Lung is affected only by Cold Damage, there is no chest fullness. Lung deficiency-heat presents with deep red lips; treat by dispersing deficiency-heat. Spleen-Lung deficiency-cold presents with white lips; tonify. If there is oppression, restlessness, coarse breathing, and rapid panting, it is difficult to treat, due to Lung deficiency-damage. Chronic Spleen-Lung disease leads to deficiency and dry lips. The Spleen is the Mother of the Lung; if both mother and child are deficient and cannot nourish each other, it is named 'Qie' (Timidity/Weakness). The Spleen governs the lips; white and lustrous lips are auspicious; white like dead bone indicates death. Li Gao (Jiegu) said: 'The Lung governs Qi. Dryness causes high fever, thirst, panting, oppression, nasal dryness, and touching the brow/face. Treat with Xiebai San (Drain White Powder Decoction). Chest fullness, shortness of breath, urgent panting/cough/rebellious Qi are all signs of Lung Qi excess complicated by Wind pathogen invasion, called 'Minor Evil'; treat by draining first, then dispersing.'"

"The Kidney governs deficiency and has no excess. Deficiency arises from incomplete prenatal Qi, leading to insufficient Shen. There is excessive white in the eyes, open fontanelles, and pale complexion; these are hard to nurture and rarely survive past 64 years (8x8). If indulgence is excessive, death occurs before age 40. Some say illness causes Kidney deficiency; this is incorrect. Additionally, insufficient Kidney Qi causes downward curling of the feet, as bones are heavy and wish to sink, causing the body to shrink. Kidney Water is Yin. Kidney deficiency causes fear of light; tonify. Li Gao (Jiegu) said: 'Downward curling indicates insufficient Kidney Water, heat in both feet, and dislike of covering feet with clothes.' However, everything below the umbilicus is governed by the Kidney, because Heart Qi descends to the Kidney region. This is Kidney deficiency with Heart excess; treat with Dihuang Wan (Rehmannia Pill)."