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Labor refers to the accumulation of fatigue in the five Zang organs; injury refers to damage caused by the excessive influence of the Seven Emotions (Joy, Anger, Worry, Pondering, Sorrow, Fear, Fright). Countless worries trouble the mind, and myriad affairs exhaust the body, wearing down the limited Qi and Blood until they are nearly depleted.

Excessive pondering leads to Heart labor; excessive speech leads to Lung labor; long-standing anger and depression lead to Liver labor; irregular diet combined with overexertion leads to Spleen labor; and excess in alcohol and sexual activity leads to Kidney labor. In the early stages, when Qi and Blood are still robust, although one labors daily, there is little awareness of it; however, as labor increases and deficiency deepens, the essence and blood generated from food and water by the Stomach each day become insufficient to meet daily demands. Consequently, Ying Blood (nutritive blood) gradually depletes, and True Qi (Zhen Qi) declines daily. Symptoms such as dizziness, tinnitus, mental restlessness, fatigue, dry mouth and throat, poor appetite, shortness of breath, and pain in the lower back and legs appear successively. In severe cases, cough, sore throat, hematemesis (vomiting blood), and epistaxis occur, rendering the disease incurable. Qin Yue-ren (Bian Que) stated that deficiency-labor necessarily involves damage, a precise and unassailable view. He said: When deficiency is complicated by cold, Yang Qi is damaged. Yang deficiency leads to Yin excess, and damage proceeds from top to bottom: First damage affects the Lung, manifesting as flaccid skin and hair loss; second damage affects the Heart, manifesting as the inability of blood vessels to nourish the Zang-Fu organs; third damage affects the Stomach, manifesting as the failure of food intake to transform into muscle tissue. When deficiency is complicated by heat, Yin fluids are damaged. Yin deficiency leads to Yang excess, and damage proceeds from bottom to top: First damage affects the Kidney, manifesting as bone atrophy and inability to rise from bed; second damage affects the Liver, manifesting as lax tendons and inability to control movement; third damage affects the Spleen, manifesting as the inability to digest food. If damage progressing from top to bottom exceeds the Stomach, it is untreatable; if damage progressing from bottom to top exceeds the Spleen, it is untreatable. This underscores the understanding that the body's Qi and Blood rely entirely on the Qi derived from food and water to be generated, highlighting the critical importance placed on the Spleen and Stomach. Thus, the mechanism of labor leading to deficiency, and deficiency leading to damage, becomes as clear as lifting a veil. Regarding treatment methods, he stated: For damage to the Lung, benefit its Qi; for damage to the Heart, regulate Ying and Wei (nutritive and defensive) Qi; for damage to the Spleen, regulate diet and adapt to cold and warmth; for damage to the Liver, soothe the interior; for damage to the Kidney, benefit its Essence. Every word is precise, offering golden needles of wisdom. Later generations who strictly follow these established methods will not be misled onto wrong paths. Regarding the Seven Injuries, the *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet) lists them as dietary injury, emotional injury, improper diet injury, sexual injury, fasting injury, labor injury, and meridian Ying-Wei Qi injury. These seven are all internal injuries, which constitute the cause of deficiency-labor. Later authors erroneously defined the Seven Injuries as Yin-cold, impotence, inner urgency, rapid ejaculation, and scanty semen, focusing exclusively on the Kidney. How can the labor of the Five Zang organs be attributed solely to one organ? Essentially, the Seven Injuries refer to damage caused by the excessive dominance of the Seven Emotions. Joy, anger, worry, pondering, sorrow, fear, and fright are states shared by everyone. If one rejoices when appropriate, gets angry when appropriate, and worries when appropriate, this represents the emotions arising in accordance with proper measure, achieving the highest harmony of the world, leaving no room for injury. However, if one anticipates events before they happen or clings to them after they pass, one remains constantly within the realm of joy, anger, worry, and pondering, depriving the mind of any peaceful days. Although one wishes to avoid injury, is it possible? Although the injuries of the Seven Emotions are distributed among the Five Zang organs, they ultimately root in the Heart. Joy injures the Heart; this is a disease of the home organ. Excessive joy causes Yang Qi to float too high, opening all meridians, thus injuring the Heart. As for anger injuring the Liver, the Liver itself does not initially know anger; the Heart knows it should be angry, but anger becomes excessive, so when the Liver is injured, the Heart is also injured. Worry injures the Lung; the Lung itself does not initially know worry; the Heart knows it should worry, but worry becomes excessive, so when the Lung is injured, the Heart is also injured. Pondering injures the Spleen; the Spleen itself does not initially know pondering; the Heart engages in thinking with it, but pondering becomes excessive, so when the Spleen is injured, the Heart is also injured. Extending this logic to sorrow, fear, and fright, all unified under the Heart, why would it be different? Therefore, in treating injuries caused by the Seven Emotions, although the diseases may reside in the Liver, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney, treatment must concurrently address the Heart to be effective.