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Figure of the Renzi Year's Climate and Pathology

Shao Yin Jun Huo (Ministerial Fire) governs Si Tian (Heavenly Command), Yang Ming Zao Jin (Dryness Metal) governs Zai Quan (Earthly Command), and the central movement is Tai Jiao Wood Movement. The year's Wood Qi is excessive, causing the climate transformation to operate ahead of time. Ministerial Fire is above; on the left is Tai Yin, on the right is Jue Yin. Dryness Metal is below; on the left is Tai Yang, on the right is Shao Yang. Therefore, the Heavenly Administration distributes clear Qi, while Earthly Qi is solemn and its command is sharp. Cold intersects with Heat, and Heat adds to Dryness. Clouds race in the Rain Mansion, Humidity transformation proceeds, and seasonal rains descend. Metal and Fire combine their virtues, corresponding above to Yinghuo (Mars) and Taibai (Venus). The grains are red and white. The Heat transformation number is two, the Wind transformation number is eight, and the Clear transformation number is four; this is the standard degree of transformation. Feathered creatures remain quiet, shelled creatures breed; this is the suitability of yearly matters. Hairy creatures diminish, and damp toxins do not arise, as Earthly Qi restrains them. The Qi of Cold and Heat holds sway at the intersection of Qi, initiating disease. Heat diseases arise from above, Clear diseases arise from below, and Cold and Heat clash and contend in the middle. The people suffer from cough and asthma, hematemesis, hematochezia, rhinorrhea, sneezing, red eyes, and skin sores. Cold jue enters the Stomach, causing heart pain, lower back pain, abdominal distension, dry throat, and swelling extending upwards. In this year, Fire is the Heavenly Qi, Metal is the Earthly Qi, and Wood Movement is in the middle. Fire overcomes Metal, and Wood generates Fire. Heavenly Qi is abundant. One should first select the source of Fire's transformation, must suppress the excessive Wood Movement, nourish the victorious Qi of the year, and prevent the illness from becoming violent and excessive. Eat red and white grains to preserve true Qi; eat grains of the inter-qi to ward off empty evils. For the year's Qi, it is suitable to use salty flavors to regulate the upper part; if severe, use bitter flavors to disperse. Use sour flavors to astringe and calm the lower part; if severe, use bitter flavors to drain. Since the movement matches the Heavenly Qi, it is suitable to use cold and clear transformations. The transformation for the upper part is salty-cold, the middle is sour-cool, and the lower is sour-warm; this is appropriate for medicines and foods. Before the midpoint of the year, Heat transformation dominates. If Heat is excessively prevalent, stifling heat arrives, and Fire exercises its administration. The people suffer from vexation and heat in the chest, dry throat, fullness in the right hypochondrium, skin pain, aversion to cold with fever, cough, and asthma. When heavy rain is about to arrive, there may be bloody saliva, bloody stool, rhinorrhea, epistaxis, sneezing, vomiting, and changes in urine color. In severe cases, sores and edema appear, pain in the shoulders, back, arms, and supraclavicular fossa, heart pain, lung distension, and abdominal fullness with bloating, cough, and asthma. The root of the disease lies in the Lung. Diagnosis is made by examining the pulse at Chize (LU 5). The treatment method should be balanced with salty-cold, assisted by bitter-sweet, and using sour flavors to astringe. After the midpoint of the year, Dryness transformation dominates. If Dryness is excessively prevalent, fog becomes clear and dim. The people suffer from frequent vomiting with bitter fluid, frequent sighing, pain in the heart and hypochondrium preventing turning over. In severe cases, dry throat, dusty complexion, lack of body luster, and reverse heat in the outer foot occur. The treatment should be governed by bitter-warm, assisted by sweet-acrid, and using bitter flavors to purge. The transformation of the yearly movement is recorded as "Fa Sheng" (Initiating Growth), which is called opening the decree. Earth's Qi is dispersed and excreted, Azure Qi (Wood) reaches out, Yang Qi spreads transformation, and Yin Qi follows. The generating Qi is pure and transformative, and all things flourish. Its transformation is generation, its Qi is beautiful, its administration is scattered, and its command is flexible and comfortable. Its movement involves trembling, dizziness, and head diseases. Its virtue manifests as rustling, withering, opening, and splitting. Its change involves shaking, tearing, destroying, and uprooting. Its transformation combines with what it overcomes, and its disease manifests as anger. If Shang (Fire) appears above, the Qi rebels, causing vomiting and diarrhea. Thus, it is said that when yearly Wood is excessive, Wind Qi prevails, Spleen Earth suffers evil, and the people suffer from undigested diarrhea, reduced appetite, weight gain, mental distress, borborygmus, and abdominal fullness. In severe cases, they become irritable, dizzy, and suffer from head diseases. Transformation Qi does not exercise authority, and Generating Qi rules alone. Clouds and objects fly and move, grass and trees are restless, and in severe cases, leaves fall. Instead, there is hypochondriac pain and severe vomiting. Diagnosis is made by examining the pulse at Chongyang (ST 42). The flavor should be adjusted with sour-cool.

The First Qi begins from the Yin hour of the Great Cold day in the Xin Hai year until the Zi hour of the Spring Equinox day of this year, lasting sixty days and eighty-seven-and-a-half ke. The Master Position is Tai Jiao Wood, the Guest Qi is Tai Yang Water, and the central view is Wood Movement. Earthly Qi migrates, Dryness is about to leave, and Cold begins. Hibernating creatures hide again, water freezes, frost descends again, and wind arrives. Yang Qi is depressed, and the people feel overly tight and confined. Joints are stiff and fixed, waist pain occurs, and as summer heat approaches, sores and ulcers arise inside and outside. It is suitable to regulate the Guest Qi of Tai Yang: tonify with bitter, drain with salty, firm with bitter, and moisten with acrid. Year grains should be red, inter-grains should be Ji (Millet), so Cold Qi cannot cause harm.

The Second Qi begins from the Zheng hour of the Spring Equinox day until the Xu hour of the Grain Buds day, lasting sixty-plus days. The Master Position is Shao Zheng Fire, the Guest Qi is Jue Yin Wood, and the central view is Wood Movement. Qi and Movement are the same, called Si Qi (Sovereign Qi). Yang Qi spreads, wind flows, Spring Qi is correct, and all things respond with prosperity. Cold Qi arrives at times, and the people are harmonious. Diseases include strangury, closed eyes or red eyes, Qi stagnating above causing heat. It is suitable to regulate the Guest Qi of Jue Yin: tonify with acrid, drain with sour, and soothe with sweet. Year grains should be red, inter-grains should be rice, so Wind Qi cannot cause harm. This Qi should not violate the warmth of Si Qi.

The Third Qi begins from the Hai hour of the Grain Buds day until the You hour of the Great Heat day, lasting sixty-plus days. The Master Position is Shao Zheng Fire, the Guest Qi is Shao Yin Fire, and the central view is Wood Movement. Wood generates Fire, and Fire occupies its position. Heavenly Administration spreads, Great Fire moves, various species multiply and shine. Cold Qi arrives at times. People suffer from Qi reversal and heart pain, alternating cold and heat, cough, asthma, and red eyes. It is suitable to treat the Guest Qi of Shao Yin: tonify with salty, drain with sweet, and astringe with sour. Year grains should be red, inter-grains should be beans, so Heat Evil cannot cause harm.

The Fourth Qi begins from the Zheng hour of the Great Heat day until the Wei hour of the Autumn Equinox day, lasting sixty-plus days. The Master Position is Tai Gong Earth, the Guest Qi is Tai Yin Earth, and the central view is Wood Movement. Earth occupies its position, humid heat arrives, heavy rain occurs frequently, and cold and heat alternate. People suffer from cold and heat, dry throat, jaundice, rhinorrhea, epistaxis, and fluid retention diseases. It is suitable to regulate the Guest Qi of Tai Yin: tonify with sweet, drain with bitter, and soothe with sweet. Year grains should be white, inter-grains should be hemp seeds, so Dampness Qi cannot cause harm.

The Fifth Qi begins from the Shen hour of the Autumn Equinox day until the Wu hour of the Light Snow day, lasting sixty-plus days. The Master Position is Shao Shang Metal, the Guest Qi is Shao Yang Fire, and the central view is Wood Movement. Wood generates Fire, Feared Fire (Shao Yang Xiang Huo) descends, summer heat returns, Yang transforms, and all things grow and flourish. The people are healthy. Their disease is warm disease. It is suitable to treat the Guest Qi of Shao Yang: tonify with salty, drain with sweet, and [text missing] with salty. Year grains should be white, inter-grains should be beans, so Fire Qi cannot cause harm.

The Final Qi begins from the Zheng hour of the Light Snow day until the Chen hour of the Great Cold day, lasting sixty-plus days. The Master Position is Tai Yu Water, the Guest Qi is Yang Ming Metal, and the central view is Wood Movement. Metal overcomes Wood, Dryness command operates, residual fire is internally blocked, swelling occurs above with cough and asthma, and in severe cases, hematemesis. Cold Qi rises frequently, causing foggy obscurity. Disease arises in the skin and pores, resides internally in the hypochondrium, connects downward to the lower abdomen causing cold middle-jiao syndrome. Earth is about to change. It is suitable to treat the Guest Qi of Yang Ming: tonify with sour, drain with acrid, and drain with bitter. Year grains should be white, inter-grains should be broomcorn millet, so Dryness Qi cannot cause harm. At the intersection of yearly Qi, if Heavenly Qi wins, Tai Yang restores it; if Earthly Qi wins, Shao Yang restores it. Observe the arrival of Qi and treat according to the method. Heat is treated with cold, cold is treated with heat, clear/cold is treated with warm. Do not assist the winning Qi, do not endorse the restoring Qi. This is the general principle of treatment.