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Human beings live within heaven and earth, contracting diseases in response to the movement of Qi. Physicians treating diseases should act according to what is suitable for the Qi. Generally speaking, Yin and Yang undergo different transformations, leading to variations in Qi among the East, South, West, and North. The *Neijing* (Classic of Internal Medicine) states: "Earth has high and low points; Qi has warm and cool temperatures. Where it is high, the Qi is cold; where it is low, the Qi is hot." Therefore, it is said: In areas where Qi is cold and cool, treatment employs cold and cool methods; in areas where Qi is warm and hot, treatment employs warm and hot methods. It is also stated: People in the East are suited for treatment with Bian stones (lithotherapy); people in the West are suited for treatment with medicinal substances (poisons/drugs); people in the North are suited for treatment with Moxibustion (Ai Jiu); people in the South are suited for treatment with fine needles (Wei Zhen); and people in the Central regions are suited for treatment with Daoyin (qigong guidance and pulling) and Anqiao (massage and manipulation). Thus, treating according to the suitability of the Qi can certainly be understood. As for Lingnan being prone to miasma, and Jianghu (rivers and lakes) being prone to dampness, or the climatic conditions of mountain shadows, watersides, and sandy/stony areas causing entirely different diseases, how can treatment methods be uniform? Furthermore, the *Neijing* discusses that the Qi of each province results in different biological processes and lifespans. From this, we know that territories vary in size; small differences yield minor variations, while large differences yield major variations. Only a sage can synthesize various treatments to ensure each person receives what is suitable for them.

Ancients generally enumerated ten thousand diseases, some of which healed spontaneously without treatment. This was likely intended to prevent the reckless administration of drugs and acupuncture/moxibustion, thereby keeping the Five Viscera (Wu Zang) peaceful and uninterfered with, avoiding the pretense of creating difficult cases to feign medical skill. Let us briefly cite one or two examples: If the Liver pulse is suddenly affected by fright, resulting in an absent pulse or aphonia, it will heal spontaneously without treatment. If the Heart pulse is firm and long, accompanied by tongue retraction and inability to speak, but if the pulse becomes scattered, the pathogen at the Huantiao point will dissipate and health will return naturally. If the pulse is rapid like a Shu pulse, causing sudden fright, it will heal spontaneously after three to four days. Aphonia during pregnancy will resolve after ten months (childbirth). The disease of Yang Jue (Yang reversal) resolves primarily by stopping food intake. These cases are all documented in the classics. If one understands them by categorization, then those diseases that heal without treatment become clear in mind. If these are not observed, one must inevitably use drugs to attack internally and needles, stones, decoctions, and fire to cauterize externally. In such chaotic turmoil, energy is insufficient to cope, let alone discuss the way of balanced treatment.

Diseases have a Root (Ben) and a Branch (Biao); treatments have urgency and slackness. Knowing the sequence allows one to find the appropriate method. Regarding Root and Branch, there are three interpretations: 1. The Root and Branch of Qi, e.g., the Six Qi (Liu Qi) as Root, and the Three Yin and Three Yang (San Yin San Yang) as Branch. 2. The Root and Branch of Disease, e.g., the origin of hundred diseases may lie in the Root, the Branch, or the Middle Qi (Zhong Qi). 3. The Root and Branch of Treatment, e.g., curing by treating the Root or curing by treating the Branch. Although these three seem different, essentially they regard the cause as the Root and the manifestation/response as the Branch. For instance, in Taiyang Cold Damage (Shanghan), the disease arises from Cold, so Cold is the Root. Depending on transmission, whether lodging in Yang or Yin, the Yang or Yin syndrome becomes the Branch. Similarly, Wind, Summer-heat, Dryness, Dampness, diet, fatigue, and emotions like anger, joy, worry, and fear can be classified thus. However, pathogens like wind, rain, cold, and heat originate externally; visceral diseases caused by emotions originate internally. Once the disease forms and changes, there are cases of exterior preceding interior. Generally, treatment should target the Root. Exceptions are cases where fullness in the middle jiao occurs first, or cases of difficulty in urination and defecation; these are treated by targeting the Branch. There is no other reason than that rescuing the interior is urgent. Thus, it is said: If the disease is not the Root but a Branch manifestation, and the treatment is not targeting the Root but addressing the Branch, one must carefully study the principles of contrary and compliant approaches to apply medicines. When Root and Branch harmonize, the pathogenic factor submits. If patients understand this, they know that treating the Root is primary. If physicians achieve this, they know that appropriateness constitutes skill. Hence, the *Neijing* further states: The patient is the Root, and the physician is the Branch.