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The *Ni Tiao Lun* (Treatise on Counterflow Regulation) states: When Yin Qi is deficient and Yang Qi is excessive, heat and vexation with fullness occur. (This refers to diseases characterized by heat and vexation/fullness, caused by a deficiency of Yin Qi and an excess of Yang Qi.)

When Yang Qi is deficient and Yin Qi is excessive, the body feels cold, as if emerging from water. (This refers to diseases where cold arises from within, caused by a deficiency of Yang Qi and an excess of Yin Qi.)

Inability to lie down accompanied by audible breathing indicates counterflow in the Yangming Channel. The Foot Three Yang Channels normally descend; now they ascend counterflow, hence the audible breathing. The Yangming Channel is the Stomach Meridian, the Sea of the Six Fu Organs (i.e., the Sea of Water and Grain), and its Qi also descends. If Yangming Qi counterflows and cannot follow its proper pathway, one cannot lie down. "When the Stomach is disharmonious, sleep is uneasy," this is what is meant. If daily activities remain normal but breathing is audible, this is due to counterflow in the collaterals of the Lung. Collateral Qi cannot move up and down with the main channels, so it remains stagnant in the channels without circulating. This is a minor disorder of the collaterals, hence daily activities are normal but breathing is audible. As for inability to lie down and panting when lying down, this is due to the invasion of Water Qi. Water follows Jin Ye (Body Fluids) in its flow. The Kidney is the Water Organ, governing Jin Ye, and also controls sleep and panting.

The *Ju Tong Lun* (Treatise on Pain Caused by Pathogenic Factors) states: All diseases arise from Qi. (The function of Qi, whether deficient, excessive, counterflow, smooth, slow, or urgent, can all cause disease, thus this inquiry is raised.) Anger causes Qi to ascend; joy causes Qi to relax; grief causes Qi to dissipate; fear causes Qi to sink; cold causes Qi to contract; heat causes Qi to leak; shock causes Qi to become chaotic; labor causes Qi to be exhausted; thought causes Qi to knot. These Nine Qi differ; what diseases do they produce? Anger causes Qi counterflow; severely, it leads to hematemesis and undigested food diarrhea, thus Qi ascends. (Anger causes Yang Qi to counterflow upward, and Liver Qi invades the Spleen, hence severe cases involve hematemesis and undigested food diarrhea.) Joy harmonizes Qi, allows the will to reach, and ensures Ying Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi) flow smoothly, thus Qi relaxes. (Harmonized Qi vessels allow the will to reach freely; smooth Ying Wei flow makes Qi slow and relaxed.) Grief tightens the Heart Tie (Heart connections), lifts the Lung Lobes, obstructs the Upper Jiao, prevents Ying Wei from dispersing, and traps heat in the center, thus Qi dissipates. (Grief damages the Heart; tight Heart connections affect the Lung; Lung connections link all channels; counterflow causes Lung lobes to lift.) Fear causes Jing (Essence) to retreat; retreat leads to closure of the Upper Jiao; closure causes Qi to return; return leads to distension of the Lower Jiao, thus Qi does not flow. (Fear causes Yang Essence to retreat upward and not flow downward, hence retreat closes the Upper Jiao. Once the Upper Jiao is closed, Qi cannot flow; Lower Jiao Yin Qi also returns and fails to disperse, gathering into distension. Since the Upper Jiao is sealed and Lower Jiao Qi returns, each staying in place, Qi does not flow.) Cold closes Cou Li (Pores/Skin texture), preventing Qi flow, thus Qi contracts. (Cold body causes Wei Qi to sink, so skin texture and sweat pores close tightly, Qi does not circulate, and Wei Qi converges internally without dispersing.) Heat opens Cou Li, unblocks Ying Wei, causes profuse sweating, thus Qi leaks. (Heat develops skin pores, unblocks Ying Wei greatly, Body Fluids seep outward causing profuse sweating.) Shock leaves the Heart without support, Shen (Spirit) without refuge, and thoughts without certainty, thus Qi becomes chaotic. (Qi rushes and overflows, hence illogical.) Labor causes panting and sweating, with internal and external Qi overflowing, thus Qi is exhausted. (Physical exhaustion causes Qi to rush fast, hence panting. Fast-rushing Qi causes Yang to emit externally, hence sweating. Panting and sweating mean both internal and external aspects exceed normal limits, thus Qi is exhausted.) Thought keeps the Heart focused, Shen has a refuge, Zheng Qi (Upright Qi) stays and does not flow, thus Qi knots. (Heart connection does not scatter, so Qi also stagnates. This is discussed through the question of the Nine Qi.)