Library

These three methods represent the initial, intermediate, and terminal stages of treatment. The principle of initial treatment dictates that medications should be potent and drastic, meaning the therapeutic momentum must be swift, sharp, fierce, and severe. Since the disease is newly acquired and sudden, with a light pathogenic invasion but heavy clinical presentation, one should employ swift, sharp, fierce, and severe drugs to rapidly eliminate the pathogen. The principle of intermediate treatment requires a balance between mildness and severity. As the disease is neither newly acquired nor chronic, the treatment should be moderate in pace, simultaneously supporting healthy Qi (vital energy) and eliminating pathogens. Specifically, if pathogenic factors are abundant while healthy Qi is deficient, more pathogen-eliminating herbs should be used than healthy Qi-nourishing ones. This approach applies to all modifications of prescriptions. Furthermore, medication dosage should be adjusted according to the specific syndrome at hand, aligned with seasonal climatic conditions, and combined with acupuncture for rapid efficacy. The principle of terminal treatment advocates for mild and gentle approaches. "Mild and gentle" refers to herbs that are balanced and benign, safe for long-term use without toxicity, primarily serving to stabilize the Middle Jiao (central digestive system) and nourish Qi and Blood. Because the disease has persisted for a long time, pathogens are latent, and attempting to purge them would further weaken already deficient healthy Qi. Therefore, treatment involves using benign herbs to support healthy Qi, after which pathogens will naturally dissipate. Combined with acupuncture, this yields certain and rapid results.

The five treatments encompass principles of harmonizing, following, countering, and relating. The first treatment is "Harmonizing." For minor heat conditions, cool-natured herbs should be used to harmonize the body; if harmonization fails, proceed to "Taking/Purging." The second treatment is "Taking/Purging." If the heat intensity increases moderately, cold-natured herbs should be used to purge the heat; if purging fails, proceed to "Following." The third treatment is "Following." When the condition becomes severe, warm-natured herbs should be used to follow the pathogenic trend, as the drug's nature is warm, and its flavor adapts to the therapeutic goal. This may involve using cold herbs in hot conditions (counter-assistance), where the flavor penetrates the targeted area, or using cold herbs in warm conditions, or employing diaphoresis (sweating). If ineffective, proceed to "Countering." The fourth treatment is "Countering." When the pathological momentum is extreme, one must counteract it directly. If direct counteraction fails, use downward purgation to drain excess. If purgation fails, proceed to "Relating/Attributing." The fifth treatment is "Relating/Attributing," which seeks the root cause to diminish the pathology. When fever sinks into the marrow, inaccessible to standard interventions, one seeks the root to reduce it, based on the principle that like sounds resonate and like energies attract. The Classics state: "For sinking conditions, apply reduction." Methods for reducing heat include concepts such as Fire declining at Xu hour and Metal declining at Chen hour. If these methods remain ineffective, a broader range of techniques should be employed.