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Question: Wind-cold injury also produces phlegm, and cold damage also produces phlegm. Why does the Master categorize the discussion of phlegm under the category of internal injury?

Answer: Phlegm is generated from drinking water that fails to transform; it resides within the body's flesh and muscles. Therefore, it is categorized under internal injury.

Question: Various medical texts state that Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) treats rebellious phlegm, Yiren (Coicis Semen) treats flowing phlegm, Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens) treats cold phlegm, Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix) treats hot phlegm, Nanxing (Arisaematis Rhizoma) treats wind-phlegm, and Huafen (Trichosanthis Radix) treats alcohol-induced phlegm. The variety of names is so extensive that it seems no disease exists without phlegm. What is the explanation for this?

Answer: This statement is indeed correct, but when discussing phlegm, one must detail its origin. Essentially, phlegm is water, and water is transformed by Qi. No disease is unrelated to Qi; therefore, no disease is devoid of phlegm. When Qi is cold, cold phlegm forms; it is clear and not viscous. In ancient times, it was called "Yin" (fluid retention), but now it is mixedly referred to as phlegm. This occurs because fire (Yang) fails to transform water, causing water to stagnate as Yin. Treatment should primarily focus on tonifying fire. Ganjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma) tonifies Spleen fire, using Earth to control Water; Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) tonifies the True Fire of the Mingmen (Gate of Life), using Fire to transform Water; Fuling (Poria) promotes urination to leach out dampness, and Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) descends rebellious Qi. These are all standard treatments for fluid retention diseases. If water stagnates to form accumulation, initial treatment should involve purging. Gansui (Kansui Radix), Daji (Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix), and Yuanhua (Genkwa Flos) move water with great speed. After purging, nourishment should follow, primarily using Dazao (Jujubae Fructus), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) to fortify the Earth. Wine is water transformed by Qi. Those who drink wine often generate hot phlegm because wine belongs to Yang Qi; its steaming effect transforms body fluids into phlegm. People with heat in their Zang organs often develop hot phlegm due to wine consumption. Such cases should be treated with Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Shegan (Belamcandae Rhizoma), Pengsha (Borax), and Huafen (Trichosanthis Radix) to clear heat and promote diuresis to resolve phlegm. For those with cold in their Zang organs, water fails to transform into Qi and stagnates as Yin; they should be treated with Sharen (Amomi Fructus Rotundus), Baikou (Cardamomi Fructus), Yuanhua (Genkwa Flos), and Fuling (Poria) to warm and promote diuresis. Drinking wine can also lead to cold phlegm stagnation causing pain; the treatment method is similar. In cases of lower cold and upper heat, water in the lower Jiao fails to transform and rebels upward, while heat in the upper Jiao steams it, condensing it into phlegm. This condition should be treated primarily with Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex), Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata), Fuling (Poria), and Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), with slight addition of Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix) as an assistant. When phlegm knots between the heart and diaphragm, only Niuhuang (Bovis Calculus) can penetrate and dissipate it. Gualouren (Trichosanthis Semen) moistens and descends phlegm. Chuanbeimu (Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus) is white in color and neutral in nature; its shape is sharp and penetrating, thus it descends Lung Qi to expel phlegm. Nanxing (Arisaematis Rhizoma) is pungent and dispersing, capable of dispersing wind, thus it expels wind-phlegm. However, wind pathogens have both cold and hot syndromes. Therefore, [the herb] with bitter taste and descending root properties treats wind-phlegm by clearing heat to remove phlegm, which stands in direct contrast to Nanxing. Mengshi (Lepidocrocitum) has a heavy descending property; it must be calcined with Huoxiao (Natrii Nitratis Crystal) for its nature to activate, enabling it to descend phlegm. Its nature is fierce and rapid, belonging to drying and descending agents. Hongpi Shu grows on mountains where Qingmengshi (Lepidocrocitum) is found, absorbing much of Mengshi's Qi, and possesses strong bitter-pungent dispersing and descending functions. Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium): any drug that moves Qi can move phlegm. It is evident that phlegm is produced by the failure of Qi transformation. There are many other drugs, too numerous to list.

Question: Regarding Yu (stagnation) disease, why did Danxi categorize it into six types of stagnation?

Answer: This originates from the *Neijing* (Inner Canon); it was not divided by Danxi. However, internal knotting stagnation encompasses the Six Qi and discusses Qi and Blood together. Since Danxi’s stagnation is listed outside the Six Qi, it should be discussed solely in terms of the Blood aspect, taking it as relative to Phlegm. Phlegm arises from Qi failing to transform; Yu arises from Blood failing to harmonize. Generally, when Blood is harmonious, Liver Qi flows smoothly, preventing worry and depression. Xiaoyao San (Free and Easy Wanderer Powder) is an excellent formula for treating Yu; it harmonizes Blood to unblock Liver Qi. Guipi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction) treats women’s hidden ailments; it uses Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix) and Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix) to move Qi, and Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) along with Longyanrou (Longan Arillus) to generate Blood. This treats Heart and Spleen Blood to open up stagnation. Yujin (Curcumae Radix) can resolve various stagnations; essentially, it moves Blood. When Blood coagulates, Qi cannot disperse; thus, dispersing Blood is equivalent to dispersing Qi. Yujin’s power to drive out Blood stasis is significant. If animal blood is placed in a dish and Yujin powder is injected into it, the blood separates and flows to four sides, demonstrating its power to drive out stasis. Observing how Yujin treats Yu reveals that Yu is Qi gathering within the Blood. Zhengjia (masses) and blood-stasis pain require Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma), Lihex (Litchi Seed), Binglang (Arecae Semen), Huixiang (Foeniculi Fructus), and Juzhe (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus); these drugs purely enter the Blood aspect to disperse Qi. Ezhu (Curcumae Rhizoma) is particularly effective at breaking Qi stagnation within Blood, making it a general drug for accumulations. If the three accumulations (food, Qi, blood) are white and enter the Qi aspect, their use in breaking accumulations is inferior to Ezhu. All accumulations are Qi stagnation within Blood; thus, for moving Qi, Chenxiang (Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum) and Binglang (Arecae Semen) are used; for moving Blood, Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) and Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma) are added. Blood knotting manifests as cold, treated with Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex) and Aiyi (Artemisiae Argyi Folium) to warm; if Qi is pure and unobstructed, it transforms into fire, treated with Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) and Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix) to clear. Therefore, ancient formulas for breaking accumulations often combine cold and hot drugs to simultaneously regulate Blood and Qi. If Blood does not stagnate, Qi will not be stagnant. Whether biased towards cold, heat, Blood aspect, or Qi aspect depends on the physician’s careful judgment.

Question: The *Shennong Benjing* classifies drugs into Upper, Middle, and Lower categories, totaling 360 species, corresponding to the degrees of the celestial sphere. Successive dynasties added drugs until the *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) had over a thousand species, and *Bencao Congxin* added more. This volume discusses some drugs omitted from the *Benjing*, adopts extra-canonical theories, involves Western methods, and collects new drugs, without adhering to a single style. Will this not cause confusion?

Answer: This is done to distinguish the true nature of drugs. Whatever is obvious, easy to understand, exact, unchangeable, and exquisitely wonderful is discussed and determined one by one. By understanding this principle, one truly knows this drug and can use this knowledge to differentiate other drugs. Extending this logic and applying it by analogy, the meanings already stated in ancient and modern materia medica are comprehensively covered without omission. Furthermore, incorporating Western scientific inquiry (*Gezhi*) helps explain the secrets of the *Lingshu* and *Suwen*. The merits and faults of Western medicines can also be verified through this approach. Although this volume is not a specialized materia medica, the essence of materia medica is fully contained herein.

Question: Materia medica books such as *Bencao Gangmu*, *Bencao Qiuzhen*, *Bencao Gouyuan*, *Bencao Jijie*, *Bencao Baizhong*, and *Bencao Sanzhu* are highly esteemed by the world. You state that each book is imperfect. Should these books then be discarded?

Answer: Not so. Each book has its strengths and weaknesses; one should discard the shortcomings and adopt the strengths, rather than discarding them all. Xu Lingtai’s *Bencao Baizhong Lun* is particularly precise, yet even regarding drugs like Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) and Huangqi (Astragali Radix), it lacks profound insight. However, the book is largely pure with minor flaws; one cannot reject it based on this alone. *Bencao Sanzhu* is also practical but has not reached the realm of perfection. *Bencao Gangmu* is broad but lacks precision; however, its examination of drug appearances and origins is worth referencing. *Bencao Qiuzhen* and *Bencao Gouyuan* merely elaborate on old theories, offering little new exploration. My personal view is that this volume discusses drug natures with extreme truthfulness. Using these principles to compare other books allows for free choice in adoption and rejection, avoiding confusion. I do not intend to discard other books to pursue my own views alone; I hope practitioners who pay attention will jointly verify and discuss this.

The human body is a small universe; Qi and Blood divide Yin and Yang.
If internal and external regulation fails, excess leads to disaster.
Xuanyuan and Qibo, the Great Sages,
Mourned the people, always as if injured.
Sitting in court discussing governance,
Analyzing details down to the finest hair.
Five Elements combined with Six Qi,
Organs including lungs, intestines, liver, and bowels.
To prolong life and benefit the people,
The Dao shines like sun and moon.
Shennong tested herbs with his whip,
Tasting three hundred flavors personally.
He picked drugs to treat all diseases,
Truly able to cure terminal illnesses.
Later generations increased the number of items,
But bitter-tasting good drugs were not necessarily superior.
The Prefect of Changsha rose up,
Carefully following the Decoction Classics.
Ascending to gather the mysteries of Xuanyuan and Huangdi,
Entering the inner chamber and ascending the hall.
Below, famous sages emerged,
Continuing through Han and Tang dynasties.
Words were many but the Dao became obscure,
Debates gathered, each claiming strength.
Among a thousand thoughts, perhaps one is gained,
Like grain mixed with chaff.
Rongchuanzi of Tianpeng,
Served the country through literature.
A hand that plucks flowers in the Apricot Grove,
His skills extended to Changsang (medicine).
Having read ten thousand volumes,
*Lingshu* and *Suwen* stored firmly in his chest.
His essays filled his home,
Highly aspiring to Zhang Zhongjing.
New questions and answers on medicine,
Elucidating with greater precision and detail.
Encompassing the Qi of Heaven and Earth,
Profound words and truths are long-lasting.
Reading it opens the blocked mind,
Leading the people to health.
Reciting aloud in the light of reflected snow,
Every word emits a strange fragrance.