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(Dryness) Dries dampness, eliminates heat, resolves phlegm, removes accumulation, and calms fright.

Miduo Seng (Litharge, *Lithargyrum*) specifically enters the Spleen channel. It originates from silver mines. Genuine specimens are rare; what is used today mostly comes from the bottom of silver smelting furnaces. Its taste is pungent and salty, its nature is neutral with slight toxicity. Generally, it belongs to the category of products that dry dampness, eliminate heat, resolve accumulation, wash away phlegm, and suppress Yin pathogenic factors. Therefore, texts record that it can cure malaria and dysentery, calm fright and stabilize the spirit, stop bleeding and dissipate swelling, remove accumulation and kill parasites, as well as treat sores and toxic swellings, and apply to frostbite (mixed with tung oil for application). It can also relieve fox odor (wash with grain water, mix Miduo Seng with oil and apply, using one qian mixed into a steamed bun, cut open, sprinkle powder inside, and sandwich it). It dyes hair and beard. Unless it resolves phlegm, eliminates heat, clears dampness, and uses heavy sedation to soften hardness, how could the disease be cured? (Shizhen said: Miduo Seng absorbs the qi of lead and silver; its nature is heavy, sinking, and descending, going directly to the Lower Jiao. Thus, it can sink phlegm, stop vomiting, resolve accumulation, calm fright, treat malaria and dysentery, stop polydipsia, and heal sores and swellings. Hong Mai's *Yijian Zhi* states: When fright qi enters the Heart, causing network vessels to become mute and unable to speak, using one spoonful of Miduo Seng powder mixed with tea and taken orally will result in immediate recovery.) However, since this comes from silver smelting furnaces, copper qi may mix in, making it unsuitable for medicinal use. Moreover, it can only be applied externally and should not be ingested. If used internally, it must be boiled for a full day-and-night period (12 hours).

Generally, diseases caused by the Seven Emotions should be treated with tonification. Diseases caused by the Six Excesses should be treated with dispersing and clearing. Since diseases caused by the Seven Emotions require tonification, there are distinctions in the degree of tonification and differences between congenital and acquired conditions. Since diseases caused by the Six Excesses require dispersing, there are distinctions in meridians and differences in pathogenic factors. If the pathogen is light and superficial, it remains only in the skin and hair, still considered an "infection"; its dispersal should not be too harsh. If it progresses sequentially, the pathogen has entered the channels, and its dispersal cannot be cured by mild agents alone. As it penetrates deeper, the pathogen enters areas beyond hair growth (deep interior); such pathogens should be purged from below, and cannot be cured by dispersing agents! Therefore, if the pathogen originates from Wind, its dispersal must be called "driving," because Wind moves swiftly and changes frequently; without driving, one cannot control its rapid fleeing momentum. If the pathogen originates from Cold, its dispersal is merely called "scattering," because Cold condenses and does not resolve; without scattering, one cannot initiate the image of ice-frozen obstruction. If the pathogen is obtained from fog, dew, yin-cold dampness, it is originally received from above; thus, dispersal should be resolved from above and not applied from below. If the pathogen gradually stagnates and transforms into Heat, its dispersal should use sweet-neutral and pungent-neutral herbs, and should not use pungent-dry herbs. As for pathogen retained in the diaphragm, wanting to go up but unable, wanting to go down but unable, it should be induced to vomit by reaching high; vomiting is appropriate. If the pathogen is fixed in the middle, lingering unresolved, it should be scattered from the middle; warming is convenient. If the pathogen is light and contracted, requiring harsh or inferior drugs is inappropriate; instead, mild and plain herbs must be advanced to allow the pathogen to scatter lightly without causing damage variations. This is the general principle of using dispersing methods. Furthermore, when Yin is excessive, Yang becomes weak; when Yang is victorious, Yin becomes deficient. Those who receive Yin-cold and肃杀 (killing/severe) qi naturally must use pungent-hot herbs to treat them. However, when the pathogen is initially at the Exterior, there is still an "Exterior within the Exterior" for distinction. For example, when the pathogen initially enters the Taiyang channel via skin and hair, symptoms must coincide with the Lung channel. Therefore, herbs must first use Ephedra (*Ephedrae Herba*, Mahuang) to release Cold from the Taiyang Bladder channel, or assist with Almond Seed (*Prunus armeniaca seed*, Xingren), Fresh Ginger (*Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens*, Shengjiang) entering the Lung, or solely use Platycodon Root (*Platycodonis Radix*, Jiegeng), Perilla Leaf (*Perillae Folium*, Zisu), Scallion Tube (*Allii fistulosi Caulis*, Conguan), and Codonopsis Root (*Codonopsis Radix*, Dangshen) flavors entering the Lung to advance. But Almond Seed specifically enters the Lung to scatter Cold, direct Qi downward, and stop asthma; Fresh Ginger specifically enters the Lung to ward off evil and stop vomiting; Scallion Tube specifically enters the Lung to induce sweating and release the muscle layer; Platycodon Root specifically enters the Lung to lift and raise Wind-Cold in the Lung and carry drugs upward. Codonopsis was fabricated based on Saposhnikovia Root (*Saposhnikoviae Radix*, Fangfeng) and Platycodon Root; thus, its flavor and nature are equal to Saposhnikovia and Platycodon to diffuse Lung Qi. As for Asarum (*Asari Radix et Rhizoma*, Xixin) and Vitex Fruit (*Viticis Fructus*, Manjing), although they are all cold-scattering herbs like other drugs, Asarum disseminates Wind-Cold from the Kidney channel, while Vitex Fruit eliminates Cold-Dampness in bones and muscles and releases Wind-Cold on the head and face; neither are specific drugs for the Taiyang Bladder channel or the Hand-Taiyin Lung channel. Others such as White Cardamom (*Amomi Fructus Rotundus*, Baiko), Long Pepper (*Piperis Longi Fructus*, Bibie), Galangal (*Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma*, Liangjiang), Dried Ginger (*Zingiberis Rhizoma*, Ganjiang), Sichuan Pepper (*Zanthoxypi Pericarpium*, Chuanjiao), and Red Cardamom (*Amomi Fructus Ruber*, Hongdoukou) have pungent-hot flavors and aromas; Mugwort Flower (*Artemisiae Argyi Flos*, Xunxiang) has a pungent-neutral flavor; Aristolochia Root (*Aristolochiae Radix*, Madouling), Purple/White Quartz (*Quartzum Purpureum/Album*), Winter Jasmine (*Jasmini Floridium*, Donghua), and Stemona Root (*Stemonae Radix*, Baibu) have pungent-warm flavors. Although they treat the Lung channel, they are ultimately not specific herbs entering the Lung, and should be distinguished and viewed differently.