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When the Spleen and Stomach are diseased, it is appropriate to treat the Spleen. However, as the Spleen is an Earth organ responsible for irrigating the four peripheries (distributing nutrients to surrounding organs), the Qi of the Spleen exists within all five Zang organs, while the Qi of the five Zang organs also exists within the Spleen and Stomach. This mutual assistance implies that there are aspects that can be distinguished and aspects that cannot. Therefore, a skilled practitioner who treats the Spleen can regulate the five Zang organs, which is essentially treating the Spleen and Stomach; conversely, by treating the Spleen and Stomach to improve appetite and strengthen Stomach Qi, one thereby pacifies the five Zang organs.

Currently, people only recognize herbs such as Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Fuling (Poria), Zhishi (Immature Bitter Orange), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Shanzha (Crataegi Fructus), Maiya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus), Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata), and Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) as medicines for the Spleen and Stomach. They fail to realize that Wind, Cold, Dampness, and Heat pathogens can all invade the Spleen, and improper diet and fatigue can all injure the Spleen. For instance, if Wind pathogen predominates, dispersing methods should be used; thus, Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba), Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus), Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), and Genge (Puerariae Lobatae Radix) are applicable. If Cold pathogen predominates, warming methods should be used; thus, Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex), Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata), Ganjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma), Dingxiang (Eugeniae Flos), and Zhuyu (Evodiae Fructus) are applicable. If Heat pathogen predominates, cooling methods should be used; thus, Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex), Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus), and Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum) are applicable. If Dampness pathogen predominates, drying methods should be used; thus, Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), and Zhuling (Polyporus) are applicable. If food stagnation occurs, promoting movement methods should be used; thus, Sanleng (Sparganii Rhizoma), Ezhu (Curcumae Rhizoma), Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma), and Mangxiao (Natrii Sulfas) are applicable. If injury from fatigue and overwork occurs, tonifying methods should be used; thus, Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Huangqi (Astragali Radix), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), and Duzhong (Eucommiae Cortex) are applicable.

Although the Zang-Fu organs are divided into eleven, they all share Yin-Yang attributes and rely on Blood and Qi. Moreover, the Taiyin (Spleen) channel typically has abundant Blood and deficient Qi, while the Yangming (Stomach) channel typically has abundant Blood and abundant Qi. If Blood stasis occurs within them, formulas such as Chengqi Tang (Gastrointestinal Releasing Decoction) and Didang Tang (Blood-Invigorating Decoction) belong to medicines for the Spleen and Stomach. If Blood deficiency occurs within them, formulas such as Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction), Wuwu Tang (Five Ingredients Decoction), Liyin Jian (Yin-Nourishing Decoction), and Wufu Yin (Five Blessings Decoction) are none other than medicines for the Spleen and Stomach.

Furthermore, pathogens from the five Zang organs affect the Spleen and Stomach. For example, when Liver pathogen invades the Spleen: if both Liver and Spleen are excess patterns, one may simply soothe the Liver Qi; if the Liver is strong and the Spleen weak, one should abandon direct treatment of the Liver and rescue the Spleen. When Heart pathogen invades the Spleen: if Heart Fire is blazing, one should clear the Fire; if Heart Fire is insufficient, one should tonify Fire to generate Spleen Earth. When Lung pathogen invades the Spleen: if Lung Qi is obstructed, one should drain the Lung to relieve Spleen stagnation; if Lung Qi is insufficient, one should tonify the Lung to prevent Spleen deficiency. When Kidney pathogen invades the Spleen: if Spleen deficiency allows Water to counter-attack the Spleen, saving the Spleen is primary; if Kidney deficiency leads to loss of opening and closing control, strengthening the Kidney is paramount.

Regarding the Stomach's function of receiving and the Spleen's function of transportation and transformation: if one can receive food but not transform it, this is an obvious sign of Spleen deficiency. If one cannot receive nor transform, this indicates a severe depletion of Spleen and Stomach Qi. In such cases, even urgently using potent tonics like Shiquan Dabu Tang (Ten Significant Tonifying Decoction) or Liuwei Huiyang Tang (Six-Ingredient Return-to-Yang Decoction) might still be insufficient. How could one rely merely on mild herbs like Shanzha, Fuling, Zhishi, and Baizhu for the long-term sustenance of the Spleen and Stomach?

Therefore, when the Spleen and Stomach are injured, any medicine that removes the cause of injury can be considered a medicine for the Spleen and Stomach. The principles here are profound and the mechanisms circular. I have briefly mentioned these to illustrate the general idea. Adapting to changes according to circumstances is indeed beyond what words can fully exhaust. Furthermore, all medicines enter the mouth and must first enter the Stomach before circulating to the meridians. If inappropriate or conflicting substances are used recklessly, having entered the Fu organ (Stomach), how could they avoid injuring the Spleen and Stomach first and directly act on other Zang organs? If one does not understand this principle and rigidly adheres to fixed prescriptions, claiming "this attacks pathogens" or "this strengthens the stomach," their limited understanding is evident.