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In diseases of cold damage (Shanghan), physicians often fail to carefully examine the root cause of the illness. They merely state that it is a case of "cold damage," unaware that it originates from the internal stagnation and knotting of Yang Qi, which subsequently transforms into a heat disease. After the Winter Solstice, the generation of one Yang begins; at this time, Yang Qi is weak and insufficient to ascend upward, as described in the *I Ching* (Book of Changes): "The hidden dragon does not act." By the time after Minor Cold until before Start of Spring, when the killing and severe qi of cold toxins prevails, if humans are affected, the pathogen transmits to the Zang-Fu organs. The internally latent Yang Qi is suppressed by the cold toxin, sinking deep into the marrow, failing to circulate freely according to the seasonal timing. For those who contracted shallow cold, by spring, the latent Yang can be released early, resulting in a milder illness named warm disease (Wenbing). For those who contracted heavy cold, by after Summer Solstice, when True Yin gradually emerges, the latent Yang cannot remain stagnant. If triggered by external wind-cold or injured by improper diet or bathing, the Yang Qi knotted in the marrow is drawn out by external pathogens and finally released. Once the latent Yang emerges to the skin and muscle layer, and encounters hot weather, the two heats interfere with each other, leading to varied symptoms, named heat disease (Rebing).

According to the *Suwen: Shengqi Tongtian Lun* (Plain Questions: Treatise on the Communication of Vital Energy with Heaven), it states: "Winter injury by cold." The annotation explains: Winter cold is condensing; in spring, Yang Qi erupts, but the cold is not dissipated. Yang is blocked internally, contending with cold, thus causing warm disease. Furthermore, the *Rebing Lun* (Treatise on Heat Diseases) states: "When humans are injured by cold, they suffer from heat." The annotation explains: Cold toxins attack the skin and muscles, preventing Yang Qi from dissipating, causing internal blockage and knotting. Therefore, those suffering from cold damage instead develop heat diseases. Based on this verification, it is evident that the disease of cold damage fundamentally stems from the harm caused by internally latent Yang Qi.

From the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, through Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, up to Song, Jin, Yuan, and Ming, no one was unaware that Zhang Zhongjing's *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage) was designed for treating illnesses across all four seasons. However, since the Kangxi and Yongzheng reigns of the Qing Dynasty, theories of warm-heat diseases were newly created, distinguishing between Foot and Hand meridians, and San Jiao (Triple Burner) differentiation. This arbitrarily created boundaries, causing later readers to blindly follow due to the fame of the originators. Consequently, patients suffering from warm-heat diseases were denied the opportunity to try Zhang Zhongjing's prescriptions, leading to critical and dangerous conditions. Is this not the result of those who wrongly divided warm-heat diseases and cold damage into two separate entities? Alas! Since Ye Tianshi's *Wenre Lun* (Discourse on Warm-Heat) became prevalent, later scholars rose successively with various innovations, occasionally supplementing what was incomplete in Zhang Zhongjing's *Shanghan Lun*. Yet, no one anticipated that the initiator, Old Master Ye (Ye Tianshi), and the first author, Wu Jutong, would reject Zhang Zhongjing's established methods, erroneously create new formulas, and use cloying and sticky herbs that retain pathogens, doing more harm than good. The world failed to investigate, allowing this to become custom, misleading the common people, yet they remained unawakened throughout their lives. Thus, Ye Tianshi alone is indeed the chief of merit and the head of guilt in the field of warm-heat diseases. However, tracing the source of this disaster, it all stems from the mistaken belief that the *Shanghan Lun* is exclusively for treating winter cold injuries. This single thought led to this disastrous precedent, resulting in countless deaths. It is truly a catastrophe spanning two hundred years. How sorrowful! As for the frequent use of Rhinoceros Horn (Xijiao), Rehmannia Root (Dihuang), Scrophularia Root (Xuanshen), and Ophiopogon Tuber (Maidong), these are Ye Tianshi's habitual techniques. The *Lin Zheng Zhi Nan Yi An* (Clinical Guide to Medical Cases) and Gu Shi's *Wenre Lun*, though differing in text, share the same erroneous viewpoint, causing disasters to spread nationwide, with toxic effects lasting to this day. The term "originator" (Zuoyong) absolutely forbids shielding this old master from blame. Regarding Wu Ziyin's forged works *San Jia Yi An* (Medical Cases of Three Masters), *Yi Xiao Mi Chuan* (Secret Transmission of Medical Efficacy), *Wenre Zhuo Yan* (Superfluous Remarks on Warm-Heat), and Wu Jutong's *Tiaobian* (Differentiation), they all implement this life-ending talisman, acting as major envoys of the underworld. In recent times, the worthy physician Wang Mengying's cases show he was not constrained by the Ye school, proving himself a true great master. However, his *Wenre Jingwei* (Classic and Comprehensive Works on Warm-Heat) still acts like an echo to Ye's views, vague and obscuring true nature. He even stated that warm-heat diseases also transmit to Foot meridians, and Hand meridians are affected first. This shows he was subtly ensnared by this old master's magic power, unable to free himself. Then how can this old master's crime of misleading people not reach heaven?

Furthermore, regarding why Ye advocated the San Jiao theory: he likely knew well that warm and heat diseases must involve many symptoms of Yangming Meridian and Fu organ involvement. However, since he had firmly asserted that warm-heat diseases transmit only to Hand meridians and not Foot meridians, and since the Stomach belongs to the Foot meridians, he could not justify his stance. Thus, in extreme boredom, he proposed the concept of "San Jiao" hoping to compete with the Six Meridian theory. Fearing that his self-invented theory would lack credibility, he further spoke falsely, claiming Liu Hejian previously held this view. He implicitly attributed his proposed Lung and Heart diseases to Upper Jiao, and commonly seen Yangming Stomach diseases to Middle Jiao. Plugging his ears while stealing a bell, his scheme was undoubtedly cunning. However, deceiving oneself and others, he ultimately could not prevent the world and future generations from reading Liu Hejian's books. Then, what was the basis for Liu Hejian's words on San Jiao? Such speculative theories would inevitably collapse. To forge lies and dare to severely slander ancients is simply a method of framing and陷害 (framing/frame-up). Lu Jiuzhi said that Liu Hejian's three articles on warming should be subject to execution; I believe this remark should also be gifted to Old Master Ye. Wu Jutong, being unlearned, actually treated these baseless statements as grand secrets, which is particularly laughable. Nevertheless, those who listen to gossip revere these two masters as treasures, like precious books from the Rabbit Garden, causing the so-called "Ye School" to spread throughout China. This is why warm-heat diseases involving Yangming often result in death upon onset, ten cases lead to ten deaths, and nearly one in a hundred survives. How sorrowful!