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The *Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon* states: Wind is the leader of all diseases. If one maintains purity and stillness, the flesh and pores will close and resist, so that even strong winds and severe toxins cannot cause harm. Otherwise, the eight winds of heaven will invade while taking advantage of deficiency. It is also said: One should avoid thief wind and empty evil at appropriate times. "Thief wind" refers to specific seasonal winds that become pathogenic due to the five-element overcoming relationship: during the seventy-two days after the Beginning of Spring when Liver Wood is dominant, the West Wind becomes a thief evil because Metal overcomes Wood; during the seventy-two days after the Beginning of Summer when Heart Fire is dominant, the North Wind becomes a thief evil because Water overcomes Fire; during the seventy-two days after the Beginning of Autumn when Lung Metal is dominant, the South Wind becomes a thief evil because Fire overcomes Metal; during the seventy-two days after the Beginning of Winter when Kidney Water is dominant, the Southwest Wind becomes a thief evil because Earth overcomes Water; in the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth lunar months, Spleen Earth is dominant for eighteen days each season, and the East Wind becomes a thief evil because Wood overcomes Earth. These opposing winds are most harmful to humans, but those with sufficient Middle Qi and dense pores can remain unharmed. Those who fall ill from these pathogens do so because they have weak constitutions, allowing Wind Evil to take advantage of them. For instance, if one carelessly contracts wind, sudden headache, nasal congestion, yawning, rapid breathing, fever, and a floating pulse may occur. Since the Lung governs the skin and hair, wind invading the skin and hair often causes coughing; in children, a red and purple fingerprint extending long indicates an external contraction syndrome. There are also cases where wind injury leads to spontaneous diarrhea, abdominal distension, and cold hands and feet, indicating Spleen Deficiency; treatment should harmonize the Spleen while dispersing the exterior. Cases presenting with tidal fever, excessive sleepiness, coarse breathing, vomiting, indigestion of milk and food, yellowish-white stools, and coughing indicate Cold affecting the Spleen and Lung, leading to inability to receive and transform, resulting in vomiting. If wind injury is accompanied by excessive tearing, hypochondriac pain, swollen eyes, and coughing, it involves the Liver syndrome; bitter taste, reddish face, sweating, and coughing involve the Heart syndrome; yellowish face, swollen lips, poor appetite, and nausea involve the Spleen syndrome; pale face, swollen eye orbits, upper body asthma, and rapid breathing indicate the primary disease of the Lung; coughing with lower back pain involves the Kidney syndrome.

Renshen Baidu San (Ginseng Decoction for Overcoming Toxicity)
(If Renshen is unavailable or too expensive, it may be omitted.)
Treats pediatric common colds in all four seasons, as well as coughs caused by wind injury. For coughs with phlegm that is difficult to expectorate, administer twice daily without limiting the number of doses, until the phlegm is cleared.
Selected Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) (2g) Bai Jiegeng (Platycodonis Radix) Chen Zhike (Aurantii Fructus Perfricatus) Zheng Chuanxiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma) Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) Bai Yunling (Poria) Chuan Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix) Chuan Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) Xin Qianhu (Peucedani Radix) Bei Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix) Bei Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) Jingjie Sui (Schizonepetae Spica) (each 3g)
Use one small slice of Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens) as a guide, decoct in water, and take hot. Avoid oily foods.
For Spleen Deficiency, double the dosage of Yunling, add Huaishan (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) and Biandou (Dolichoris Semen); for Spleen-Lung Cold, double Yunling, add Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Huaishan, and Huojing (Agastachis Herba); for concurrent Liver syndrome, double Chaihu, add Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), and add a small amount of Qingpi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus); for concurrent Heart syndrome, double Duhuo, add Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus) and Mutong (Akebiae Caulis); for concurrent Spleen syndrome, add Liuqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata), Shanzha (Crataegi Fructus), and Maiya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus); for concurrent Lung syndrome, double Zhike, add Beijiezi (Sinapis Semen); for concurrent Kidney syndrome, double Duhuo.