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Mr. Liu Yunweng's eldest son suffered from a hemorrhagic disease, recurring two or three times a year. Later, the volume of blood loss gradually increased. He presented with cough, fever, reduced appetite, and emaciation. Although his condition improved temporarily on several occasions, he paid no attention to it. During summer and autumn, he occasionally experienced chills and fever resembling malaria (malaria-like syndrome), lasting until dawn each night, resolving only after slight sweating. Subsequently, the chills and fever subsided slightly, but the condition turned into diarrhea. The physician considered it a deficiency syndrome and administered tonics such as Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu). After taking these, he felt chest and diaphragmatic oppression and hoarseness with airway obstruction. He then took Poria (Fuling), Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shanyao), and pre-prepared Red Lead Powder (Hongqianmo). This resulted in the passage of several sheng (a traditional Chinese unit of volume) of black blood clots. His chest and throat instantly felt relieved, and his complexion improved somewhat. Mr. Liu found this miraculous, believing he had discovered the method of "repairing bamboo with bamboo" (using similar substances to repair damaged tissues). Consequently, he added Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) and Prepared Aconite Root (Fuzi) for two doses. This led to diarrhea occurring more than ten times in a day and night, difficulty in ingesting food, confusion of consciousness, and a severe worsening of the critical illness.

Upon examining his Spleen pulse, I found it large and empty; his Kidney pulse was small and chaotic; his Lung pulse was deep and hidden. Mr. Liu, claiming medical knowledge, asked me to prescribe and inquire about the diagnosis. I said: "The root of this syndrome lies in the exhaustion of Yin. Moreover, the harsh hot medicines used act like powerful ministers and fierce generals; they will not cease their rebellion against the upper body until they have caused chaos. The crisis is predicted to occur three days after the Start of Winter. Calculating from today, it will be no more than two nights. There is no point in prescribing further." Why do I say so? The Classic states: "Acute diseases are rarely purely Yang; chronic diseases are rarely purely Yin." Therefore, years of hemorrhage undoubtedly indicate Excess Yang and Deficiency of Yin. Furthermore, reduced appetite leads to insufficient generation of blood, resulting in progressive emaciation and daily depletion of blood. The deficient becomes more deficient, and the excessive becomes more excessive. This inevitably leads to intense blazing of Yin Fire, flaming upward and damaging Lung Metal, causing cough and phlegm production. The clear descending function becomes completely obstructed. Consequently, Kidney Water lacks the generating Qi (from Lung Metal) and fails to nourish the entire body. The patient is extremely emaciated, experiencing chills every Shen and You hours (3 PM–7 PM), which turn into fever until dawn, resolving only after slight sweating. This is exactly like the steaming heat of summer, which cannot be resolved without rain. The internal state clearly shows only Spring and Summer (Yang/Heat) without Autumn and Winter (Yin/Cold). The treatment method must urgently employ strategies to make the Metal cold and Water cool to suppress this momentum; otherwise, the condition will become irreversible.

However, due to the misapplication of Ginseng and Atractylodes tonics for diarrhea, the extreme Lung Heat was ignored. Originally, there was only one pathway for the heat to escape through the skin and hair. Now, tonification without dispersion forces the pathogen to shift to the Large Intestine. This is what is meant by 'Lung transferring heat to the Large Intestine, transmitting as intestinal dysentery' (Chang Pi). Regarding the expulsion of black blood clots via Red Lead Powder: Blood belonging to the Yang aspect, traveling with clear Qi, had long been vomited out. Blood belonging to the Yin aspect, traveling with turbid Qi to the chest, was obscured by the Membrane Source (Mo Yuan) and stagnated in the Diaphragm for a long time. The introduction of menstrual-type blood (Red Lead, possessing Yin characteristics) from below guided the stasis to exit through the lower orifices, demonstrating the subtle interaction of resonance between sound and Qi. The long-standing accumulation was suddenly relieved, the complexion improved slightly, and speech and laughter became more comfortable. This was due to the power of purgation (downward draining), not tonification.

He had previously stockpiled this medicine, likely misled by Daoist alchemists who regarded it as a supreme Yang tonic, leading him to boldly increase its dosage. Cinnamon and Aconite are dry and hot, thoroughly plundering his Yin fluids. It is regrettable that this was not stopped earlier. Now, both Chi pulses (Kidney positions) are chaotic, indicating fire blazing and spring water exhausted; the Spleen and Stomach pulses are floating, indicating Yin loss from excessive diarrhea, leaving Yang without attachment; the Lung pulse is deep and hidden, indicating Lung Metal Qi contracting and failing to circulate; consciousness is unclear, and the Po (Corporeal Soul) has already perished. As ancient physicians said: "In chaotic times, turbidity resembles cremation. To add fire to fire, while Dong Xian and Cao Gong hold power, how can the Han Dynasty not end?"

Mr. Hu Youchen stated: "The discussion of symptoms and medicines flows from profound insight. It is a work of great significance."