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The disease of asthma and panting is among the most critical conditions. If treatment fails to grasp the key points, it rarely avoids causing harm. To distinguish it, one need only consider two patterns: so-called "two patterns" refer to one being excess panting (Shi Chuan) and the other being deficiency panting (Xu Chuan). These two patterns are opposite and must not be confused. How then can they be distinguished? Generally, excess panting involves pathogenic factors, characterized by an excess of pathogenic qi; deficiency panting involves no pathogenic factors, characterized by a deficiency of primordial qi. In excess panting, breathing is deep and long with surplus strength; in deficiency panting, breathing is short and discontinuous. In excess panting, there is chest distension and coarse breathing, high-pitched voice, and surging, rapid respiration, with the chest feeling bloated as if unable to contain air, finding relief only upon exhalation; in deficiency panting, there is panic and timidity, low-pitched voice, and short breath, with a sense of impending suffocation, where lifting the qi feels impossible to raise, swallowing feels disconnected, symptoms worsen with exertion, presenting merely as rapid panting-like breathing, finding relief only after drawing a long breath. One of these is true panting, the other is panting-like; true panting's responsibility lies with the Lung, while panting-like panting's responsibility lies with the Kidney. Why? Because the Lung is the master of Qi, and the Kidney is the root of Qi. The Lung governs the skin and hair and resides in the Upper Jiao; thus, when pathogenic factors invade, Qi stagnates in the Upper Jiao leading to panting. For Qi stagnation, clearing or breaking methods are appropriate. The Kidney governs essence and marrow and resides in the Lower Jiao; if True Yin is depleted and Essence fails to transform into Qi, lower Qi fails to ascend and connect, leading to急促 (cu, hurried/shortness), which is the basis for Qi interruption. Since Qi is already short and hurried, using dispersing or draining methods would be as dangerous as crushing an egg. Furthermore, the pulse for excess Qi with pathogenic factors must be slippery, rapid, and forceful, whereas the pulse for deficient Qi without pathogenic factors must be weak and faint, lacking spirit; this is the difference in pulse signs. Those appearing floating and flooding, or extremely hollow and large, vanishing slightly upon pressure, are pulses without root. Those that are wiry, coming and going, extremely large and rapid, completely lacking harmony and slowness, indicate the failure of Stomach Qi; both represent severe deficiency. However, while weak pulses make true deficiency easy to recognize, floating, empty, wiry, and pounding pulses make false excess difficult to distinguish. Yet, the distinction between severity and lightness can be observed here. Generally, weak pulses are favorable and easier to treat; floating pulses are most dangerous and variable. If the pulse becomes excessively wiry and strong, it indicates the manifestation of Zang-Fu organ pulses (Zhen Zang Mai); once Zhen Zang Mai appears, the condition is incurable.