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The *Neijing* (Inner Canon) states: Heaven has the four seasons and the Five Phases, which govern growth, flourishing, gathering, and storage, thereby generating cold, heat, dryness, dampness, and wind. Humans have five zang organs that transform into five qi, thereby generating joy, anger, worry, thought, and fear; this is what is referred to as the "Five Wills" (Wu Zhi). The transformation of these five wills stems from the five zang organs, and the transformation of the five zang organs stems from the Five Phases. Therefore, in the Heart it manifests as joy, because the Heart governs Fire; in the Liver it manifests as anger, because the Liver governs Wood; in the Spleen it manifests as thought, because the Spleen governs Earth; in the Lung it manifests as worry, because the Lung governs Metal; in the Kidney it manifests as fear, because the Kidney governs Water. These five wills each have their specific affiliations and originally should not be discussed indiscriminately. Moreover, once humans possess life, they possess these wills; without these wills, what would be the purpose of life? Thus, life and wills are inherently inseparable and should not be separated. In the daily routine of eating and breathing, who does not regard the five wills as the manifestation of life and who does not regard them as functional activities, yet no one has heard that the movement of the five wills constitutes all fire pathogens. It is only when the use of wills is improper that it inevitably damages the qi of the zang organs. Therefore, in the *Neijing*, it is merely stated that injuries to the five zang organs belong to their respective organs, and injuries to the five qi result in respective diseases; there is no mention that injuries to the five wills are all classified as fire. The theory of "Five Fires" originated with Liu Hejian, who claimed that injuries caused by the five wills are all heat syndromes. Zhu Danxi elaborated on Liu Hejian's view, stating: The movement of the five wills gives rise to fire in each case. Liu Zongnong further elaborated on Zhu Danxi's view, stating: Great anger causes fire to arise in the Liver; drunkenness and overeating cause fire to arise in the Stomach; sexual exhaustion causes fire to arise in the Kidneys; sorrow and grief moving the interior cause fire to arise in the Lungs; the Heart, being the Sovereign Ruler, if it burns itself, death ensues. Since the theories of these three scholars became prevalent, it seems as though the Five Phases all transform into fire; can this reasoning be correct?

I have often observed patients injured by the five wills, seeing only their gradual emaciation and decline, but never seeing them all suffering from heat diseases. Even in cases where fire arises due to emotional agitation, while not impossible, nine out of ten cases involve damage to qi, whereas only one out of ten involves the stirring of fire. How can it be said that all five wills stir fire! Furthermore, regarding those whose liver qi is stirred by anger, it most easily injures the Spleen; if the Spleen is injured, it cannot be described as a fire syndrome. While drunkenness and overeating can stimulate stomach fire, if the Stomach qi is strong, it remains unharmed; however, if illness arises due to Spleen weakness, it cannot be described as a fire syndrome. Sexual exhaustion originally stirs kidney fire; if essence is lost and yang becomes hyperactive, it can be described as fire; but if essence is lost and qi also departs, it cannot be described as fire. Additionally, injuries from the five wills are essentially conditions that damage qi and ruin yang; how can they still be considered fire? Treating non-fire conditions with fire-clearing methods will inevitably lead to deterioration. There is another discussion under the second point analyzing Zhu Danxi's views in Volume 3; readers should consult it mutually.