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Heaven has four seasons, with Spring as the beginning. The Sages established the classics, calling it "Lüduan" (Starting at the correct foundation). This means adhering to the right path at the beginning, so that order will not err. Examining according to seasonal timing: when the Qi of generation has arrived, if one uses substances under the "Great Taboo" without promoting the flourishing of mid-season vitality, all things will perish and vanish, revealing its desolate and killing nature. Cold foods and cold medicines, having been born from this transformation, when applied to humans, should only be used flexibly according to circumstances, stopping when Qi becomes balanced. If one rigidly aids a bias, causing the Zang-Fu Qi to become unbalanced, alas! The mechanism of life and death is swift as shadow following form or echo responding to sound; it must not be neglected. Treat cold with warm, treat heat with cool, but stop once the disease is addressed; correcting deviation beyond measure leads to excess. Frequent use of cool medicines inevitably leads to fatigue and deep cold; frequent use of warm medicines inevitably leads to irritability, dryness, heat, and stifling sensation. The value lies in weighing and measuring, ensuring no overuse whatsoever; this is the living method.

Qian Niu (Pharbitidis Semen) is not an herb from the time of Shennong. The *Bencao Mingyi Zhuxu* states: Bitter and cold, it can remove dampness and promote urination, treating lower-jiao Hong Kong foot (podagra/ulcerative foot swelling). This statement regarding taste, nature, and indications is entirely wrong. How do we know? Whenever Qian Niu is used medicinally, in small doses it moves the bowels; in large doses, it causes watery diarrhea. It is a medicine that drains Qi. Try tasting it, and you will find a pungent flavor; chewing it for a long time reveals a fierce and vigorous quality that persists, which is undoubtedly Pungent. Where, then, is the Bitter and Cold mentioned in the *Zhuxu*? To say Bitter serves as a purgative for dampness patients is especially ignorant of its true nature. Why? Because it can drain Damp-Heat from the Qi level but cannot remove Damp-Heat from the Blood level. Moreover, Dampness is acquired from below; the Lower Jiao governs Blood. Therefore, Dampness in the Blood should be treated with Bitter-Cold flavors. Now, using Pungent drugs to drain it will surely cause injury.

Dampness is another name for Earth; it is tangible. If the Lung first receives Dampness, then [Qian Niu] might be appropriate. Or whether there is Dampness or not, if there is merely food stagnation or need to move the bowels, or if there are Heat syndromes, or if one simply takes digestive-purging drugs regularly, using only Qian Niu—would this not be a mistake? One does not realize that Qian Niu is Pungent and fierce, draining human Yuan Qi (Original Qi), even more so than other Pungent drugs, due to its fierce Pungency. The Classics state: Pungent drains Qi; Pungent travels through Qi; Pungent drains Lung Qi. Those with Lung diseases should not eat much Pungent food. Furthermore, irregular diet and labor injury cause Stomach Qi to fail to circulate; Heart Fire exploits this, invading the intestines and stomach, named "Re Zhong" (Internal Heat). The Classics state: Spleen and Stomach govern Blood; one should drain Fire within the Blood, moisten dryness, nourish Blood, drain Damp-Heat from the Stomach Meridian, and clear Heat in the chest. This addresses Lung affected by Fire Evil. Use Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix, Scutellaria Root) Bitter-Cold to suppress it; use Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Chinese Angelica Root) Pungent-Warm to harmonize Blood; use Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix, Prepared Rehmannia Root) Bitter-Cold to cool Blood and benefit Blood; add a little Hong Hua (Carthami Flos, Safflower) Pungent-Warm to drain blood collaterals; use Tao Ren (Persicae Semen, Peach Kernel) Pungent-Warm and greasy/oily medicines to remove dryness and moisten the bowels. However, these should not be used exclusively; they must be combined with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction) and medicines that drain Yin Fire. Why? Because Upper Jiao Yuan Qi is already weak; if one instead uses Qian Niu, a drug with strong Pungency and Yang-natured taste and qi, to drain Water and Qi, is this advisable? Jin Ye (Body Fluids) are already insufficient, with dry mouth and tongue; heavily draining fluids again via diuresis will injure and exhaust Yuan Qi, causing Yin Fire to become even more severe. I now elaborate further.

Qian Niu is generated by sensing the transformation of South Polarity Fire-Heat. Draining Qi due to Blood Heat is a grave error. It is only appropriate if Dampness is excessive, preventing Dampness from transforming, leading to obstruction of urination and defecation. Once Dampness is removed, Qi circulates freely, known as the mutual balancing of the Five Zang organs when afflicted by evil. The Classics state: When one Zang is unbalanced, balance it with what controls it. Fire controls Metal and drains the Lung; this is what is meant. In modern times, Qian Yi's Xie Huang San (Drain Yellow Powder) uses only Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix, Divaricate Saposhnikovia Root), in double the amount of other herbs, because Fang Feng is Pungent-Warm, allowing it to drain Metal within Earth without assisting Dampness. The Classics state: What comes from the preceding element is Excess Evil, meaning the Child can make the Mother full; when Full, drain the Child. This is called balancing with what controls it. Ancients said: Do not indulge in Qian Niu, or it will deplete human Yuan Qi. The Classics state: Do not eat Ginger in Autumn, as it drains Qi. Thus, eating Ginger in Summer is not prohibited, as Qi is prosperous at that time. Summer suits dispersing Fire via sweating, allowing Heat to escape through perspiration; hence, it is forbidden in Autumn. Zhu Xi's recorded sayings warn against eating Ginger in Autumn, stating it shortens lifespan, warning deeply. If Ginger is thus restricted, how much more so Qian Niu?

[Regarding Qian Niu] in the Lower Jiao, it is a Qi disorder within the Blood level; one must not use Pungent-Aromatic Qi-draining drugs, because the intention is to drain Upper Jiao Tai Yin (Lung) Qi. Even Zhang Zhongjing dared not use such [potent drugs] lightly; how can physicians today use them indiscriminately?