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The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states: Lung heat causes the leaves to wither and dry out, and the five Zang organs are thereby affected, leading to Wei syndrome (flaccidity syndrome). Heart heat generates Mai Wei (Pulse Flaccidity), resulting in flaccid lower legs that cannot support standing on the ground; Liver heat generates Jin Wei (Tendon Flaccidity), resulting in relaxation and laxity of the Zong Jin (Major Sinews); Spleen heat generates Rou Wei (Flesh Flaccidity), resulting in numbness and inability to bear weight; Kidney heat generates Gu Wei (Bone Flaccidity), resulting in feet unable to support the body. However, in treating Wei syndrome, one should exclusively focus on the Yangming channel. The Yangming channel is the sea of Qi and Blood of the five Zang and six Fu organs, primarily moistening the Zong Jin. The Zong Jin governs binding the bones and facilitating joint movement... Therefore, when Yangming is deficient, the Zong Jin becomes lax, and the Dai Mai (Girdle Vessel) fails to draw, resulting in foot flaccidity and inability to use them. (See detailed text herein)

Chen Wuyue stated: The human body is formed by skin, hair, blood vessels, fascia, muscles, and bone marrow, internally governed by the Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney. If one acts recklessly according to emotions, experiencing excessive anger or joy, labor or rest, it leads to the depletion of essence and blood in the five internal organs, causing the skin, blood, tendons, bones, and flesh to become weak and powerless for movement, thus resulting in Wei syndrome. Its symptoms are similar to Rou Feng (Soft Wind) and Xiangjiao Jiao (Hong Kong Foot/Charley Horse). Rou Feng and Xiangjiao Jiao are caused by external pathogens, whereas Wei syndrome is caused by insufficiency within the five internal organs.

The *Yuan Bing Shi* (Book on Disease Origins) states: Wei diseases all belong to Metal of the Lung. Generally, the Lung governs Qi; when diseased, Qi stagnates, leading to flaccidity and weakness of the hands and feet that cannot grasp or hold. This is because Lung Metal is inherently dry; dryness leads to a decline in blood and fluids, which fail to nourish the entire body.

Zhang Zihe stated: Wei syndrome arises from Lung heat transmitting to the four other Zang organs, and their pulses are often floating and large. Nowadays, people treat it as Cold-Damp Xiangjiao Jiao, suddenly using drying herbs, acupuncture with moxa, and steam baths, causing the flaccidity to worsen. This condition differs significantly from Bi syndrome (Obstruction Syndrome). For Bi syndrome caused by Wind-Cold-Damp, steaming and burning moxibustion can still be used. However, Wei syndrome is formed by Heat; if treated as Cold, it is fatal.

Zhu Danxi stated: In the *Wei Lun* (Treatise on Flaccidity) of the *Neijing*, it says Lung heat causes leaf withering, affecting the five Zang organs and generating Wei syndrome. It also states that all Wei syndromes belong to Earth, indicating the root of the disease lies in the Lung. It further states that confusion, convulsions, oppression, dizziness, and sudden illnesses all belong to Fire. It also states that limbs failing to move, stiffness of the tongue base, foot flaccidity and inability to retract, and audible phlegm-rattle all belong to Earth. Furthermore, the commentary on the *Liji* (Book of Rites) states that fish and meat are products of nature, used to nourish Yang and constitute Yang Virtue; all fatigue is due to Damp-Heat and should be treated as various Wei syndromes. Why do the prescriptions in the *Ju Fang* (Standard Formulas) treat Wind and include treatments for Wei in eighty or ninety percent of cases? One fails to consider that all Wei syndromes originate from Lung Heat, which transmits to the five Zang organs and disperses into various manifestations. Generally, only tonification and nourishment are suitable. If treated as an external Wind pathogen, how can one avoid the disaster of "reinforcing excess and depleting deficiency"? Someone asked: All wind-induced tremors and vertigo belong to the Liver; all sudden rigidity belongs to Wind. As for trembling inability to stand long and sudden stiff falls, these are discussed as Wood diseases related to Wind. Why does the Qi of Wood belong to Fire? Why do tongue stiffness and audible phlegm belong to Earth? The *Wei Lun* does not mention this, yet you combine diseases of Fire and Earth with fatigue and treat them all as Wei syndromes. Why? I reply: According to the *Yuan Bing Shi*, Wind diseases are mostly due to extreme Heat. Commonly calling it "Wind" is focusing on the branch and forgetting the root. Thus, stroke with paralysis occurs due to extreme Heat. Also, the *Bing Yuan* states the Spleen meridian connects to the tongue base and spreads under the tongue; now Spleen Dampness receiving pathogenic factors causes tongue stiffness. Also, Hejian (Liu Wansu) stated that extreme Heat in the Stomach and Diaphragm causes Fire Qi to flare upward, so body fluids surge and transform into phlegm-saliva, rising turbulently, becoming thick and sticky and difficult to expel, thus making sound. One belongs to Spleen, one to Stomach Heat; calling them belonging to Fire and Earth is appropriate, is it not? Someone asked: Why does the *Neijing* state that the method for treating Wei syndrome is exclusively taking Yangming? I say: "All Wei syndromes arise from Lung Heat." Just this sentence reveals the general idea of treatment. The *Neijing* says: When the East is Excess and the West is Deficient, drain the South and tonify the North. This is indeed discussing supplementation and drainage based on generation and restriction, but the great principles do not go beyond this. Among the Five Elements, there are two Fires. Although the Kidneys have two Waters, the One Yang is always in excess and Yin is always insufficient. Thus, the scripture says one Water cannot overcome two Fires; this is logically inevitable. Metal is dry and resides above, governing Qi, and fears Fire. Earth is damp and resides in the center, governing the four limbs, and fears Wood. Fire nature flares upward. If desires are unregulated, Water loses its nourishment, Fire lacks restraint and overacts upon what it conquers, and the Lung receives Fire pathogenic factors and becomes hot. Wood nature is rigid and urgent. When the Lung receives pathogenic heat, Metal loses nourishment, Wood lacks restraint and overacts upon what it conquers, and the Spleen is injured by Wood pathogenic factors. Lung heat fails to manage and regulate the whole body; Spleen injury causes the four limbs to be unusable, and the diseases of various Wei syndromes arise. Draining the South clears Lung Metal and prevents East from being Excess; how can Spleen injury occur? Tonifying the North lowers Heart Fire and prevents West from being Deficient; how can Lung heat occur? Thus, when Yangming is full, the Zong Jin is moistened, able to bind the bones and facilitate the joints. The method for treating Wei syndrome does not go beyond this. Luo Longji also said: When Wind and Fire blaze together, one should nourish Kidney Water. Dongyuan (Li Gao) took Huangbai (Phellodendron Bark) as the sovereign herb, and Zhimu (Anemarrhena Rhizome) etc. as supporting herbs, without a fixed formula. There are cases with concurrent Phlegm accumulation, cases with much Dampness, cases with much Heat, cases with half Dampness and half Heat, and cases with夹杂 Cold. Adapting formulas to the disease, is this not good at treating Wei syndrome? Although the medication hits the mark, if nursing care is improper, even a sage doctor cannot cure it. However, for those suffering from Wei syndrome, if they do not eat bland food, I know they will certainly not recover safely.

Respectfully noting: The *Neijing* established specific chapters for the five Wei syndromes, discussing them in great detail. Later prescriptions generally lack coverage for this condition. Investigating the reason, it is because they were mixed into the Stroke (Zhong Feng) category. Mr. Danxi lamented this ancient malpractice and pitied those afflicted by this disease who were often misled by mediocre doctors, hence his earnest warnings were extremely clear. Those with ambition must study this carefully. Regarding Chen Wuyue's statement that Wei syndrome is caused by insufficiency of the five internal organs, this is indeed correct. However, what is insufficient in Wei syndrome is Yin and Blood, yet all prescriptions are agents that tonify Yang and Qi. Can they avoid the harm of reinforcing excess and depleting deficiency? Moreover, Chen Wuyue establishing formulas based on two causes can be considered the crown of prescriptions, but other aspects of this condition remain unclear, let alone seeking them elsewhere.