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Gong Juzhong posits that the root of human vitality lies in the Lung (Metal) and Kidney (Water) organs. Once Kidney Water is deficient, the Fire of the Five Zang organs flares up accordingly, scorching Lung Metal upwards and damaging its source of transformation. Consequently, the mechanism of life ceases, and the syndrome of Lao Zhai (consumption disease, such as tuberculosis) manifests. Why is this? Since True Yin Water is depleted, Yang naturally becomes excessive. Yang assists Yang, and things follow their kind; Qi, empowered by Fire, moves vigorously. Thus, Yang becomes urgent while Yin/Yin Blood becomes slack; Qi moves rapidly while Blood flows slowly, failing to coordinate with each other. This leads to irregular and erratic menstruation, bleeding from the upper orifices, and symptoms such as coughing and expectoration. However, excessive blood loss results in Yin deficiency and Yang hyperactivity. Once Yang is excessively dominant, it invades the Yin aspect causing hyperactive harm, which is referred to as "Yin deficiency generating internal heat." Therefore, syndromes such as tidal fever, night sweats, seminal emission, and slipping are all conceived here. Once these syndromes appear, Yin is consumed daily, and Fire exclusively dominates. Upwards, it scorches Metal causing cough; downwards, it dries Water causing emission. Since Metal cuts off its source of generation, Water becomes a dried-up stream. Thus, spirit diminishes daily, muscles waste away, and hair and skin become withered, leading to this extreme state. At this juncture, it is like a fish swimming in a rut's water; even if one were to draw down the Milky Way to replenish it, what good would it do? Only those skilled in treatment may hope for a one-in-ten-thousand chance of recovery. Nevertheless, although the disease is indeed due to Water deficiency, if one does not investigate the cause of the deficiency to treat it, how can one seize the opportunity? For instance, if it begins with Wind-Cold, which does not manifest immediately, causing Fire to be constrained and resulting in chronic cough that damages Lung Metal, this is called "Mother causing Child deficiency" (referring to the Metal-Water relationship). The method should employ clearing and moistening Metal as the sovereign herb, assisting with nourishing Water, to descend Fire. This embodies the meaning of tonifying the Mother and benefiting the Child, suppressing pathogenic excess. Again, in cases of chronic illness or long-standing malaria where True Qi is already deficient, further damage to Heart and Kidney from labor and sexual indulgence constitutes "adding deficiency to deficiency." The method should employ tonifying Qi as the sovereign herb, assisting with nourishing Water, and using blood-nourishing herbs, embodying the principle of not disrupting the natural harmony of Heaven (the body). Again, if excessive force injures the sinews, moving and generating Yang, and the Liver fails to store Blood, causing sudden erratic bleeding leading to extreme Yin deficiency, the method should employ blood-nourishing herbs as the sovereign, assisting with descending Fire and regulating Qi, and using blood-stasis-resolving herbs, representing a method of both attack and defense. As for the pampered and idle scholars who indulge in alcohol and lust, causing dual deficiency of Spleen and Kidney, drying Water and flaming Fire, weakening Metal and flourishing Wood, affecting both Mother and Child, the method should employ tonifying Water and nourishing Blood as the sovereign, assisting with clearing Lung Metal and benefiting Earth, and using herbs to descend Fire and calm the Liver, embodying the principle that treating disease requires seeking its root. Regarding the previously discussed syndromes of transmission among the Five Zang organs, although they are necessarily subject to the law of hyperactivity and constraint (Kang-Hai Cheng-Zhi), the recorded symptoms may not always present completely. Physicians must have these principles firmly in mind and primarily diagnose based on facial complexion. If one fails to observe subtle signs and indiscriminately applies methods to suppress hyperactivity and ruthlessly attack pathogens, prescribing aggressively, thereby causing the disaster of "deficiency inducing deficiency" (making the deficient more deficient), whose fault shall it be?