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The Six Qi (Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) invade the human body, among which Dryness pathogenesis is the most difficult to elucidate. Among diseases caused by Dryness Qi, White Throat (Bai Hou, diphtheria) is the most perilous. Due to its severity and diagnostic difficulty, patients may not seek medical help; if physicians fail to recognize the disease, premature death often ensues, with deaths occurring in succession, making the crisis of saving lives urgent. The root of this pathology lies in physicians' failure to study classics or their inability to comprehend them after reading. The *Suwen: Yin-Yang Yingxiang Dalun* and *Shengqi Tongtian Lun* both lack the section on "Autumn Injury by Dryness," causing the variations of Autumn Dryness pathogenesis to remain obscure. In our dynasty, Yu Jieyan (Yu Chang), following Shen Nan, each presented their unique insights in treatises on formulas. Wu Jutong (Wu Tang) integrated these theories into his book, thereby providing a pathway for understanding Dryness syndromes. However, White Throat was still not addressed. My friend Chen Li'an was an excellent physician. In the spring of the Guisi year, four members of his household contracted White Throat, with his eldest daughter being the most severely affected. He consulted with me and Mr. He Zhishi to discuss prescriptions. The Sanjiang Longdan (Three-Step Dragon-Subduing Pill) and other formulas recorded were newly created and verified remedies. Later, due to the loss of his beloved son, he thoroughly examined his family's library to exhaustively investigate the essential principles. He then realized that White Throat belongs entirely to Dryness-Fire. Consequently, he wrote a volume titled *Dingzheng Lun* (Treatise on Corrections) for appraisal. I stated that medicine must be practical and applicable, and one should not be confused by modern stylistic conventions. It would be better to follow Wu's style but revise it into *Tiaobian* (Clause-by-Clause Analysis). Before revisions could be completed, the school launched a medical journal with periodic assessments. As Chen Li'an was frail and prone to illness, he instructed his son-in-law and top disciple, Hu Xin, to organize the original manuscript into a book, which was subsequently published in the journal. Although there are only fifteen clauses, the general principles are clear and details are well-organized, each fitting appropriately. This serves not only as the orthodox method for treating White Throat but also contains methods for all throat disorders. "He who has broken his leg three times becomes a good doctor," is this not true? Since ancient times, there have been over ten authors discussing Autumn Dryness, with Wu's view generally considered superior. However, his theoretical framework is still incomplete. He stated: "Pathogenesis of Dryness Qi: mild cases manifest as Dryness, severe cases as Cold, transformation Qi as Dampness, and counteracting Qi as Fire." This is indeed baseless speech, obstructed and lacking flow. Heaven has Six Qi, but Fire is divided into Ministerial Fire and Sovereign Fire; thus, the classics mention only Five Qi: Cold, Summer-heat, Dryness, Dampness, and Wind. When they act according to their seasons, they are Normal Qi and do not cause disease. Disease arises from Excessive Qi. For instance, when Dryness Qi prevails, it disturbs the other Four Qi. Why is this? When Dryness acts in the season it generates (Earth generates Metal), Qi feels Dampness; when it acts in the season it is generated by (Metal generates Water), Qi leaks into Cold; when it acts in the season it overcomes (Metal overcomes Wood), Qi transforms into Wind; when it acts in the season that overcomes it (Fire overcomes Metal), Qi submerges into Fire. Extending this logic to all Six Qi reveals the same pattern. Generally, when Metal is excessive, Wood is constrained, leading to Wind syndromes. As mentioned in the *Neijing*, when Year Metal is excessive, Liver Wood suffers evil, causing fullness and pain in the hypochondrium radiating to the lower abdomen. When Yangming governs the heaven, Liver Qi follows upward, resulting in tremors, chills, tendon flaccidity preventing prolonged standing, and hernias in men—all examples of Dryness transforming into Wind. Even Wu Jutong wrote: "When Dryness Metal commands, causing headache, alternating cold and fever, chest and hypochondriac pain, and even hernia masses, Gui Zhi Chai Hu Ge Ban Tang (Half-Guizhi Half-Chaihu Decoction) with modifications is the primary formula." Yet regarding transformation Qi, he failed to recognize Wind. He only knew that Six Qi require tonifying Dryness, failing to realize that Dryness can transform into Wind. Focusing on one aspect while losing another, the Six Qi remain incomplete. A single gap in understanding renders the effort like digging a well just short of completion. In the Song Dynasty, Sun Zhao corrected the *Neijing*, rectifying over six thousand erroneous characters and adding two thousand annotations, yet he did not realize that "Autumn Injury by Dampness" was actually a missing text (should be Dryness). To integrate, interweave, and comprehend fully requires waiting for the right person. Alas! This Dao has been buried for nearly four thousand years. Theories on Autumn Dryness only gained definitive status in our dynasty; the origins of White Throat only received dedicated monographs through our hospital. How fortunate! Li'an's enlightenment surpassed his peers. Upon the hospital's founding, he graduated first. After the book's completion, people from near and far imitated the treatment, saving many lives. Therefore, I am pleased to write this preface, elaborating on the transmission of Dryness syndromes. This not only critiques Wu's deficiencies to perfect the work but also spreads our hospital's intent: knowing Dryness allows deduction of the Six Excesses (Liu Yin); clarifying the Six Excesses enables curing hundred diseases. Is it merely about Autumn Dryness and White Throat? Inferring others from one example, valuing comprehensive understanding—this depends on those in the world who read this editor's work wisely.
Written in the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), in the year of Jiawu, during the month of Zhonglv, at Zijinzhen, Tianjin, by Chen Qiu Zhisanzhong of Dong'ou.