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Diagram of the Guide for Taiyin Meridian \pt2.bmp
Diagram of the Guide for Yangming Meridian \pt3.bmp
Diagram of the Guide for Jueyin Meridian \pt4.bmp
Diagram of the Guide for Shaoyang Meridian \pt5.bmp
Diagram of the Guide for Taiyang Meridian \pt6.bmp
Diagram of the Guide for Shaoyin Meridian \pt7.bmp

Medicinals possess four natures: Cold (Han), Heat (Re), Warm (Wen), and Cool (Liang); and six flavors: Sour (Suan), Bitter (Ku), Acrid/Pungent (Xin), Salty (Xian), Sweet (Gan), and Bland (Dan). Each has its specific capabilities, which must be thoroughly understood. The nature and flavor of medicinals differ from other substances growing at the same time (such as those that are all salty in flavor and cold in nature). All things sharing the same nature necessarily possess various flavors; all things sharing the same flavor necessarily possess various natures. Their mutual interactions of nature and flavor vary in intensity and thinness, resulting in unequal therapeutic effects. Those who formulate prescriptions must clearly understand their uses. The Classics state: Flavor is Yin; strong flavor is Pure Yin, while weak flavor is Yang within Yin. Nature is Yang; strong nature is Pure Yang, while weak nature is Yin within Yang. However, strong flavor causes purgation/drainage, while weak flavor promotes unblocking; weak nature promotes sweating/venting, while strong nature generates heat. It is also said: Acrid and Sweet flavors promote dispersing and diffusing, belonging to Yang; Sour and Bitter flavors promote vomiting and purging, belonging to Yin; Salty flavor promotes vomiting and purging, belonging to Yin; Bland flavor promotes seeping and draining, belonging to Yang. All these flavors have specific functions. Specifically, Acrid can dissipate nodules and moisten dryness; Bitter can dry dampness and firm softness; Salty can soften hardness; Sour can astringe and restrain dispersion; Sweet can relieve urgency; Bland can open orifices. Thus, the Classics state: When the Liver suffers from tension/urgency, urgently consume Sweet medicinals to relax it; when the Heart suffers from flaccidity/laxity, urgently consume Sour medicinals to astringe it; when the Spleen suffers from Dampness, urgently consume Bitter medicinals to dry it; when the Lung suffers from rebellious Qi ascending, urgently consume Bitter medicinals to drain it; when the Kidney suffers from dryness, urgently consume Acrid medicinals to moisten it, by opening the interstices (Cou Li), generating body fluids, and promoting Qi circulation. The Liver desires dispersion, so urgently consume Acrid medicinals to disperse it; the Heart desires softening, so urgently consume Salty medicinals to soften it; the Spleen desires relaxation, so urgently consume Sweet medicinals to relax it; the Lung desires consolidation/restriction, so urgently consume Sour medicinals to astringe it; the Kidney desires firmness, so urgently consume Bitter medicinals to firm it. These clarify the functions of nature and flavor. If using the flavor, one must determine if the nature is appropriate; if using the nature, one must determine if the flavor is suitable. By identifying the root and branch of the disease, the involved Zang-Fu organs, the Cold-Heat status, the Deficiency-Excess condition, and the severity and urgency, one selects medicinals with appropriate natures and flavors, formulating prescriptions according to the syndrome. Therefore, prescriptions follow principles of Sovereign-Minister-Assistant-Courier roles, weightiness-lightness, urgency-slowness, size, reversal/concordance, and following/opposition.

The Sovereign (Jun) herb treats the main disease; the Minister (Chen) herb assists the Sovereign; the Assistant (Zuo) and Courier (Shi) herbs respond to the Minister. These are used according to the needs of the disease, thereby completing and supporting the prescription's function.
One Sovereign and two Ministers constitute an Odd (Qi) formula; two Sovereigns and four Ministers constitute an Even (Ou) formula; two Sovereigns and three Ministers constitute an Odd formula; two Sovereigns and six Ministers constitute an Even formula. For diseases near the throat, use Odd formulas; for distant diseases, use Even formulas. For diaphoretic (sweating) treatments, do not use Odd formulas; for purgative treatments, do not use Even formulas. Tonifying the upper or treating upper diseases requires slow-formulated prescriptions; tonifying the lower or treating lower diseases requires urgent-formulated prescriptions. "Urgent" refers to strong/nature-rich medicinals; "slow" refers to weak/flavor-thin medicinals. Thin-natured medicinals should be taken in small doses frequently; rich-natured medicinals should be taken in large doses at once.

Furthermore, one must understand the five types of Qi stagnation: Wood stagnation is resolved by "reaching" (Da), meaning inducing vomiting to allow free flow; Fire stagnation is resolved by "venting" (Fa), meaning inducing sweating to allow dispersion; Earth stagnation is resolved by "seizing" (Duo), meaning purging to remove obstruction; Metal stagnation is resolved by "draining" (Xie), meaning releasing the exterior and promoting urination; Water stagnation is resolved by "checking" (Zhe), meaning restraining its rebellious upward surge. Mastering these five methods constitutes the major essentials of treating disease.