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The *Neijing* states: "Wind is the chief of all diseases, for it can command the other qi." The wind of spring often combines with warm qi; the wind of summer often combines with summer-heat qi; the wind of autumn often combines with dampness qi; the wind of winter often combines with cold qi. Now, when discussing Wind-Cold disease, we discuss it in spring rather than winter because the emphasis is on "Wind." If it were winter's Wind-Cold, the emphasis on "Cold" would be obvious. By distinguishing them thus, using acrid-warm medicines in spring should not be excessive, while using acrid-hot medicines in winter is also applicable. Therefore, the ancients' principle that medication should vary by the four seasons is indeed not erroneous.

The Wind-Cold discussed here arises because residual cold remains in early spring. The wind blowing at this time carries cold within it. When humans contract this pathogen, symptoms include aversion to cold and fever, headache, scanty sweating, or cough, body aches/discomfort, a floating and large pulse, or a pulse that is additionally wiry and tight. It is appropriate to treat it with the Acrid-Warm Exterior-Resolving method. However, this condition is slightly milder than the Cold Plague (Han Yi) typical of spring, and even milder than the Cold Damage (Shang Han) of winter. With proper treatment, recovery is not difficult within one or two doses. The key is to carefully examine concurrent syndromes: if phlegm is present, add *Poria* (Fuling) and *Pinellia* (Banxia); if food stagnation is present, add *Medicated Leaven* (Shenqu) and *Hawthorn* (Shanzha). Adjusting the prescription according to the syndrome will likely yield efficacy.

When spring should be warm but becomes excessively hot, this constitutes an "out-of-season climate" (Fei Shi Zhi Qi). The wind contracted under such conditions must carry heat, hence it is named Wind-Heat Disease. This differs not only from Wind-Warmth (Feng Wen) but also from Heat Disease (Re Bing). Wind-Warmth and Heat Disease are both latent qi diseases (Fu Qi), whereas Wind-Heat pathogen is a newly acquired external contraction (Xin Gan). Initially, there is slight aversion to cold but significant fever, headache with mental cloudiness, profuse sweating, or cough, red eyes, yellow nasal discharge, yellow tongue coating, and a floating-rapid pulse. The primary treatment should be the Acrid-Cool Exterior-Resolving method. If aversion to cold and headache subside, turning into thirst with a desire to drink, and the tongue coating becomes yellow and scorched, this indicates the Wind-Heat pathogen has transformed into Fire. The treatment should then change to Clearing Heat and Preserving Fluids. If dry tongue, delirium, or macules/papules appear, one should follow the methods outlined in the Heat Disease chapter.

A question arises: "I have seen the ancients state that spring should be warm but turns cold, which is out-of-season climate; yet you, Sir, say spring should be warm but becomes too hot, which is also out-of-season climate. Why do these past and present theories seem contradictory? Please explain in detail."

The answer is: "The ancients' theory is certainly not wrong; my humble opinion is also based on authority. What I call 'spring should be warm but becomes too hot' corresponds to what the *Jingui Yaolue* calls 'arrival but excessive' (Zhi Er Tai Guo) and what the *Liji* calls 'Spring executing Summer commands.' What the ancients called 'spring should be warm but turns cold' corresponds to what the *Jingui Yaolue* calls 'arrival but non-departure' (Zhi Er Bu Qu) and what the *Liji* calls 'Spring executing Autumn commands.'"