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The *Bao Ming Quan Jiao Lun* (Treatise on Preserving Life and Completing the Horn) states: Salt that tastes salty causes moisture to exude from vessels; (Saltiness is associated with bitterness, arising from water. Water moistens and descends, having a draining nature, thus it causes fluids to generate within the vessel and seep out.) When a string breaks, its sound becomes hoarse and ruined; (When the string breaks, the sound is hoarse and harsh, destroying the original tone.) When wood decays, its leaves fall off; (Old wood inevitably sheds its leaves.) When disease is deep-seated, the patient exhibits hiccups or borborygmus. (Hiccups refer to turbid and foul sounds.) If a person presents these three signs, it is called "failure of the fu organs" (Three signs refer to broken strings, falling leaves, and hiccups). At this stage, toxic medicines are ineffective, and short needles cannot be applied. This indicates damage to the skin and flesh, where blood and qi contend and turn black. (Pathogens remain internally, rendering medicines useless and needles ineffective. The contention between skin, flesh, blood, and qi leads to their destruction, hence the blood appears black. To know the signs of disease, one must recognize these indicators. Just as seeing fluid exuding from a vessel reveals the saltiness of the salt, or hearing a hoarse voice indicates a breaking string, or seeing fallen leaves shows exhausted wood, these signs of decay illustrate how hoarseness indicates deep disease. Thus, acupuncture and herbs fail because skin, flesh, blood, and qi are no longer harmonious.)

The *Ba Zheng Shen Ming Lun* (Treatise on Eight Norms and Divine Clarity) states: Therefore, when the weather is warm and sunny, human blood flows smoothly and defensive qi floats superficially, so blood is easily drained and qi moves freely; when the weather is cold and cloudy, human blood coagulates and stagnates, and defensive qi sinks internally. (Stagnation resembles snow in water.) When the moon begins to wax, blood and qi become refined, and defensive qi begins to circulate; when the moon is full, blood and qi are abundant, and muscles are firm; when the moon wanes, muscles diminish, meridians become empty, defensive qi departs, and only the form remains. Thus, one should regulate blood and qi according to heavenly timing. Therefore, do not puncture when the weather is cold (blood stagnates and defensive qi sinks); do not cause stagnation when the weather is warm; do not use draining methods when the moon is waxing; do not use tonifying methods when the moon is full; do not treat when the moon is new. (Acupuncture methods must follow heavenly timing.) "Eight Norms" refers to observing the deficiency pathogens of the eight winds arriving at their proper times. (Eight Norms refer to the righteous qi of the eight solar terms. Eight Winds include Infant Wind from the East, Great Weak Wind from the South, Rigid Wind from the West, Great Rigid Wind from the North, Ominous Wind from the Northeast, Weak Wind from the Southeast, Plotting Wind from the Southwest, and Breaking Wind from the Northwest. Deficiency pathogens are those that attack during vulnerability. Arriving at proper times refers to the Taiyi star's movement, where winds arrive at the central palace before and after the eight solar terms.) "Four Seasons" are used to distinguish the locations of spring, summer, autumn, and winter qi for timely regulation; one must avoid the deficiency pathogens of the Eight Norms and not offend them. (The location of four-season qi refers to spring qi in the channels, summer qi in the collateral vessels, autumn qi in the skin, and winter qi in the bone marrow. Contracting deficiency pathogens damages true qi; avoiding them prevents illness. Sages avoid pathogens as they avoid arrows and stones, because they harm true qi.) When a deficient body encounters deficient heaven, two deficiencies interact, the pathogen reaches the bone, and enters to damage the five zang organs. (Deficiency meets deficiency, resonating through similar qi.) A skilled practitioner who anticipates and intervenes can prevent damage. (By anticipating and stopping it, damage is prevented.) Thus it is said: Heavenly taboos must not be unknown. (Humans are tabooed by heaven, hence "Heavenly Taboo"; offending it causes illness, so it must be known.) Deficiency pathogens are the deficiency qi of the Eight Norms. (Deficiency pathogens of the Eight Norms refer to deficiency pathogens of the eight solar terms. Because they come from a place of deficiency and attack deficiency to cause disease, they are called Eight Norms Deficiency Pathogens.) Righteous pathogens refer to situations where the body exerts force and sweats, pores open, and deficiency wind strikes. The invasion is slight, so people do not perceive its condition nor see its form. (Righteous pathogens do not come from a place of deficiency. Because the invasion is slight, one does not perceive its intent or see its shape.) Superior practitioners intervene at the bud stage, first regulating the qi of the Three Regions and Nine Palpations to ensure they are not disrupted before treating, thus they are called superior doctors. Inferior practitioners intervene when the disease has already formed or failed. Treating formed disease means failing to recognize the disharmony of the Three Regions and Nine Palpations, thereby worsening the condition due to the disease itself.
Therefore, those who nourish spirit must know the fatness or thinness of the form, and the abundance or decline of nutritive qi, defensive qi, blood, and essence. Blood and qi are the foundation of human spirit, and must be carefully nourished. (When spirit is peaceful, longevity extends; when spirit departs, the form deteriorates, so careful nourishment is essential. These interpretations explain the meaning of the *Zhen Jing* [Classic of Acupuncture].)