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Human life depends on water and grain (dietary intake). When the essence of water and grain is distributed throughout the body, the five zang organs remain harmonious. If the transformation and transportation of water and grain are obstructed or reversed, myriad diseases will arise. If water and grain are cut off, life becomes perilous. This is because the stomach is the sea of water and grain and the root of the five zang organs. However, if pathogenic factors accumulate in the stomach, preventing it from performing its functions of receiving and discharging, one must not force-feed the patient, as this would only exacerbate the pathogenic factors.

Due to the accumulation of pathogenic heat in the stomach and obstruction by phlegm and food retention, even if a person does not eat for ten days or more, there is no need to worry. This differs from healthy individuals whose spleen qi constantly digests food; they cannot go without food day or night. Thus, Bian Que (Yue Ren) stated that a healthy person who does not consume water and grain for seven days will die, which is a critical prohibition. However, in cases of *Shanghan* (Cold Damage) characterized by anhidrosis and a tight pulse, indicating cold injuring the Ying level, or cases where sweating fails to relieve restlessness, indicating simultaneous disease of Ying and Wei levels, the Ying qi in the stomach has been injured by cold pathogens and constrained into heat. If diet is not restricted, it will inevitably aid the pathogens in causing havoc, leading to significant harm. Furthermore, in conditions resembling cholera with chaotic Qi rebellion, ingesting food can lead to immediate disaster. In contrast, for Wind-injuring-the-Wei level syndromes characterized by spontaneous sweating and a slow pulse, although external pathogens are contracted, the disease transmits only through the meridians and does not enter the Stomach Fu organ; thus, there is no prohibition against eating. As Zhang Zhongjing noted after administering Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction), "drink hot thin porridge to assist the medicinal power," demonstrating that dietary restriction should not be universal.

Not only does Guizhi Tang use hot thin porridge to assist its efficacy, but even in Cold-injuring-Ying cases with a weak Chi pulse, Xiao Jianzhong Tang is used. It utilizes the sweet nature of maltose (Jiaoyi) to guide the acrid-warm properties of Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) to linger in the Middle Jiao, assisting the Stomach in expelling pathogens. This is essentially a variation of the hot porridge method. Since the dregs are removed during decoction, there is no cloying residue to aggravate pathogenic heat, making it suitable for Cold-injuring-Ying cases. This approach is superior to simply using hot porridge. Zhang Zhongjing, the ancestor of *Shanghan* therapeutic laws, would certainly not make absurd claims to deceive future generations. The reason lies in the fact that these sacred methods have long been obscured. Consequently, modern practitioners, upon encountering symptoms like fever and headache resembling external contraction, indiscriminately diagnose them as *Shanghan*, regardless of deficiency or excess, exterior or interior, true or false heat. They invariably prohibit diet and administer generic wind-dispersing and food-resolving drugs. For robust individuals with strong Zheng Qi, although the medication may not be perfectly targeted, the slight exterior-releasing effect may suffice to reduce fever and cool the body. They fail to realize that those with strong Stomach Qi, having contracted shallow pathogens, can naturally generate correct sweat even without medication. As the saying goes, "When the vigorous ones move their Qi, the illness resolves." Conversely, for individuals with deficient Yuan Qi and scant Stomach fluids, depriving them of diet makes it difficult to produce sweat even with appropriate medication, let alone tolerate excessive exterior-releasing drugs that severely damage the already weak Stomach Qi.

How can one ignore that Spleen and Stomach Qi rely entirely on dietary intake for transformation and transport, much like a wheel drawing water? Now, for a diseased and near-collapse Stomach, waiting for the chest and diaphragm to feel clear before allowing food intake is like burying a wheel at a dry mountain foot and waiting for water to rise before drawing it; the chances of the seedlings surviving are slim. Even if death is avoided, Yuan Qi is depleted. Young people become emaciated, developing deficiency consumptive diseases; the elderly suffer hidden damage to their primordial spirit, shortening their lifespan. These outcomes result from the custom of favoring attacking and purging methods while neglecting the protection of Righteous Qi. Fever and headache do not always indicate *Shanghan*. If internal injury from overwork or Yin deficiency with fire flaring is treated as *Shanghan*, it accelerates premature death. I have specialized in *Shanghan* for sixty years and have witnessed numerous deaths caused by erroneous dietary deprivation, too many to list.

I have seen individuals starved for long periods whose Spleen Qi fails to transform. Despite going days or months without appetite, quacks mistakenly assume food retention and aggressively prescribe Qi-moving and chest-opening drugs. This often stirs up deficient Yang, causing flushing of the head and face. Physicians then misinterpret this as residual exterior pathogens and heavily prescribe dispersing agents such as Natrii Sulfas (Xiaoshi), Rheum Radix et Rhizoma (Dahuang), Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu), Puerariae Radix (Gegen), Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (Zhishi), and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Ju Pi) without restraint, until death ensues. Others have intestines and stomachs devoid of grain for a long time, with dry stool constipation, yet physicians rashly consider purgation. This indicates extreme Stomach Qi deficiency; neither attacking nor tonifying drugs are well-tolerated. One should frequently provide rice soup to gently support Stomach Qi while awaiting fluid recovery, which might save the patient. However, for those starved for long periods, even delicious porridge may induce vomiting upon ingestion, acid regurgitation shortly after eating, chest oppression, dull abdominal pain, or borborygmus. These are due to constriction of the three Xi (Upper, Middle, Lower Epigastrium) and obstruction by Phlegm-Qi. Unaware of this, families hesitate to feed the patient based on advice from shamans or relatives, delaying treatment until it becomes incurable.

One must understand that in chronic Stomach Qi deficiency, intermittent flushing requires dietary support to extinguish deficient fire; chest fullness requires dietary support to move Grand Qi; and dry stool requires dietary support to restore fluids. Only when new Grain Qi moves can old stagnation descend. By seizing this critical moment and frequently providing thin gruel, once Stomach Qi recovers slightly, one can gradually regulate with Dushen Tang (Single Ginseng Decoction), Baoyuan Tang (Preserve the Origin Decoction), Sijunzi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction), or Yigong San (Extraordinary Efficacy Powder). Many are saved this way. However, one must not force-feed excessively or serve improperly reheated food, which merely delays the inevitable and further damages the failing Stomach Qi, leading to blame on the treatment. The Classic states: "When gruel enters the Stomach, the deficient survive." Therefore, sometimes abstaining from medication yields perfect results.

Feichou treated a woman with vomiting, nausea, chest distension, body heat, wiry-rapid-deficient pulses, and fatigue. She reported that after seasickness and vomiting during a trip to Tiger Hill, she sweated and developed fever, headache, and dizziness. After four doses of dispersing herbs, her headache eased, but distension and dizziness persisted. Three to four doses of resolving herbs worsened her chest distension, causing vomiting and dizziness at the smell of food. Her fever persisted, and doctors had prohibited porridge and solid food for half a month; she drank only 3-4 cups of clear tea daily. Now, her whole body ached, and turning caused dizziness and retching. I said: Vomiting and sweating after wind exposure suggests exterior contraction, but it has already been dispersed. Vomiting removes dietary content, causing Stomach Qi to rebel. Resolving drugs further injure Spleen Qi, causing severe distension due to Spleen deficiency. There is now no exterior to disperse and no food to resolve. Spleen failure to receive grain causes vomiting; Earth overwhelmed by Water causes dizziness. Medication cannot act without Stomach Qi to transport it. Provide rice drink, then thin gruel, to establish Spleen and Stomach dominance, followed by tonification. Strictly following this advice, she recovered without taking any medicine.