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The principle of medication lies in understanding change. For instance, climate differs between ancient and modern times; geographical qi varies between north and south; heavenly timing alternates between cold and heat; innate constitution varies in thickness or thinness; disease acquisition differs in newness or chronicity; lifespan varies by age (young vs. old); living conditions vary by status (noble vs. humble). When administering medicine, do not seek novelty, do not adhere rigidly to one method, do not act rashly, and do not rush. One must be cautious, precise, flexible, and adaptable. It is advisable to ponder deeply to ensure absolute safety, so that the medicinal efficacy may be achieved. In the past, sages did not elucidate these principles, leading later scholars to neglect them; thus, their error in misleading the world has been significant.

Diseases may require tonification, yet can be treated via purgation methods to achieve tonification. Diseases may require purgation, yet can be treated via tonification methods to achieve purgation. Diseases suitable for cold agents may use hot agents as guiding troops. Diseases suitable for hot agents may use cold agents as similar-guiding引 (guides). When the disease is in the upper part, treat the lower part; when the disease is in the lower part, treat the upper part. The same disease may require different medicines; different diseases may require the same medicine. The meaning here is extremely subtle, and students should investigate it deeply.

The taboo in medication lies in impatience. Impatience leads to excessive application of cold, heat, warm, cool, moving, dispersing, tonifying, and purging methods. Before efficacy is achieved, harm follows immediately. Medicines without order are like an army without discipline; even with brave generals, recklessness will lead to failure. It is like sorting silk threads: slowly, one can clear the ends; hastily, the knots become tighter.

Medicines have Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi (Sovereign-Minister-Assistant-Courier) roles; flavors have weight, lightness, density, and thinness—everyone knows this. However, when administering medicine, re-decocting the dregs is common, ignoring that after initial boiling, the light and thin components have lost their flavor, while heavy and dense ones remain unchanged. Where, then, is the appropriate balance of Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi? For superficial diseases, this causes little harm; for deep diseases, one must absolutely avoid this.

When preparing pills, each herb must be ground into fine powder separately, and weights combined accurately. Otherwise, easily crushed herbs are fully processed at once, while hard-to-crush herbs remain incomplete despite repeated grinding. Such negligence explains why there is no efficacy.

Bitter herbs move straight down and drain; pungent herbs move horizontally and disperse; sour herbs bind and astringe; salty herbs stop and soften hardness. Only the sweet flavor can ascend or descend, float or sink, enter inside or reach outside, harmonize or moderate, tonify or purge. This is because Earth's flavor is sweet, Earth resides in the center, and can encompass the Five Elements.

Herbs growing in soil: the upper half above ground is the root, its qi moves upward, used for diseases in the Middle and Upper Jiao. The lower half below ground is the tip/shoot, its qi moves downward, used for diseases in the Lower Jiao. Emergent plants: the upper half is the sprout, its aroma and flavor rise. The lower half is the stem/body, its aroma and flavor stay central and descend downward, both suitable. Adjust according to the disease to ensure harmony with Yin and Yang.

For medicines acting on the upper body, frequent small doses are preferred. For medicines acting on the lower body, single large doses are preferred. Small doses nourish the upper body; large doses strongly tonify the lower body.

For diseases in the upper body, eat first, then take medicine. For diseases in the lower body, take medicine first, then eat. For diseases in the four limbs, take on an empty stomach during the day. For diseases in the bone marrow, take after a full meal at night.

Water for decoction also has specific suitability. To treat damp swelling and floating distension, aiming to promote urination, use long-flowing water. Its nature is penetrating due to its long source, directing flow to the four limbs. To treat obstruction of urine and stool, or wind-damp below the knees, use rapid-flowing water. Its turbulent nature acts quickly downwards. To treat phlegm-fluid retention aiming for vomiting and dispersion, use reverse-flowing water. Its nature flows backward and surges. To treat deficiency of Middle Qi, use spring rainwater, possessing the intent of Yang energy generation. To treat deficiency of the Lower Yuan, use well water. The Tian-Yi Qi in well water floats on the surface in the early morning; scooping lightly with a porcelain vessel greatly benefits Yin tonification. To treat Fire-Heat Yang syndromes, use snow water, which greatly reduces heat. To treat Cold Damage Yin syndromes or Ben-Tun (running piglet), use Gan-Lan Water (sweet ripple water). Stirred vigorously over a thousand times in a vat until foam covers the surface, its nature is soft and smooth, flavor sweet and warm, greatly harmonizing Qi. To treat Spleen-Stomach weakness, diarrhea, and anorexia, use pond rainwater. Stagnant in earthen ponds for long periods, unmoving, it possesses strong Earth Qi, assisting Spleen Yuan. To treat disorders where Yin does not ascend and Yang does not descend, causing separation, use Yin-Yang Water (half river water, half well water). Yin and Yang complement each other, capable of ascending and descending, thereby calming Qi.

Ancients used medicine like Yi shooting at a target: not only mastering theory, but especially selecting authentic regional materials and processing them perfectly. Otherwise, expecting efficacy from inferior agents, even if Bian Que were reborn, would it be possible?

Herbs have relationships of Fear (Wei), Dislike (E), and Opposition (Xiang Fan). "Fear" means fearing control by another, preventing free action, e.g., Pinellia Rhizome (Banxia) fears Ginger (Shengjiang). "Dislike" means disliking heterogeneity, preventing full efficacy, e.g., Ginger (Shengjiang) dislikes Scutellaria Root (Huangqin). Generally, what one fears, the other dislikes; what one dislikes, the other fears. Within mutual fear and dislike, there are also mutual achievements. It depends on formulating prescriptions based on disease and balancing weight and quantity. Regarding "Opposition," each harbors harsh toxicity; like two enemies, they cannot coexist, and coexistence causes harm. However, for severe toxic diseases, highly toxic drugs must be used to seize control, e.g., the ancient formula Gan-Ying Wan uses Croton Seed (Badou) and Morning Glory Seed (Qianniu) together to break accumulations. Si-Wu Tang added with Ginseng (Renshen) and Trogopterus Dung (Wulingzhi) treats blood masses. Er-Chen Tang added with Veratrum Rhizome (Lilu) and Asarum Root (Xixin) induces vomiting of wind-phlegm. Danxi’s Lotus Heart Powder for Corpse Consumption (Shizhai) uses Licorice Root (Gancao) and Genkwa Flower (Yuanhua) together, claiming the miracle lies here. It ultimately depends on how skilled physicians apply them.