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Sun Simiao once advised physicians: "Conduct yourself with integrity and principle, keep your aspirations flexible and comprehensive, maintain a meticulous and cautious mind, and possess bold and resolute courage." The master's demeanor is truly admirable. I hereby extend this teaching and encourage all those who harbor benevolence to strive for it together.

To speak of "Xing Fang" (Upright Conduct): One should have a broad mind and harmonious bearing, speak sparingly, keep the heart free from distracting thoughts, uphold righteousness without seeking profit, illuminate the Way without calculating merit. When encountering critical illnesses, one must be as loyal as a minister, steadfast in sincerity, and particularly cautious when treating poor families. Such a person is said to have "Upright Conduct."

To speak of "Zhi Yuan" (Comprehensive Vision): People differ in constitution (thick or thin), age (young or old), temperament (slow or quick), circumstances (noble or humble), time (long or short), and local climate (strong or weak). Diseases vary in depth and violence, and the movement of Qi and Blood (Yunqi) has excess and deficiency. Handling normal situations and preventing changes by fully understanding these factors constitutes "Comprehensive Vision."

To speak of "Xin Xiao" (Meticulous Mind): Through repeated observation, listening, inquiry, and pulse-taking (Wang Wen Wen Qie), carefully recording methods of tonification and purgation, seeking fame only to understand the truth, and humbly asking others for fear of missing patients, such a person is said to have a "Meticulous Mind."

To speak of "Dan Da" (Bold Courage): Using herbs like Sulfur (Huangqi), Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi), and Prepared Aconite Root (Fuzi), if tonifying, one truly tonifies; if warming, one truly warms. Using substances like Mirabilite (Mangxiao), Coptis Rhizome (Lianhua), and Phellodendron Bark (Baihuangbo), if purging, one truly purges; if cooling, one truly cools. One avoids ambiguity and indecision. Such a person is said to have "Bold Courage."

These four aspects seem separate but are actually unified. Thus, a sharp physician never violates established rules to ruin virtue, nor is he confined by rules to cause mistakes; this means that upright conduct necessitates comprehensive vision. An adaptable person never knows the 'what' without exploring the 'why', nor dares not decide firmly when action is required; this means bold courage serves to execute meticulousness. Some say that "Meticulous Mind" and "Bold Courage" combine to form "Comprehensive Vision," and these three combine to form "Upright Conduct," which captures the master's subtle intent. Others argue that "Uprightness" hinders "Comprehensiveness," and "Smallness" obstructs "Bigness," thus misunderstanding the master's main theme. Alas! How can we bring Sun Simiao back from the nine springs to deliberate with us?

Since ancient times, those with great courage and wisdom who educate the state and govern the family succeed by not pandering to human sentiments and fail by being out of touch with them. Medicine is the threshold between life and death; the eyes are the boundary of Yin and Yang. If one does not weigh these two factors regarding people's lives, one fails to understand human nature. Failing to understand human nature leads to failing to grasp the disease condition. This concerns gain and loss. Let me briefly elaborate on three types of human sentiment: the patient's sentiment, the bystander's sentiment, and the physician's sentiment.

Regarding the "Patient's Sentiment": Changes are endless and hard to standardize. There are cases of organ imbalance, abnormal climatic influences, sudden disasters, hidden internal heat, irregular sleep and diet, habitual labor, unfulfilled desires causing daily anxiety, deep emotional attachments causing sleepless nights, interpersonal conflicts leading to thorns everywhere, wandering and degradation, fearful behavior resisting advice even from good friends, stoic endurance of poverty and abuse, altruism or self-promotion met with flattery, misleading statements leading astray, arrogance and rudeness, stinginess, stubborn adherence to symptoms ignoring urgency, rashness prolonging illness despite courage, fear of warm tonics causing chest fullness, fear of purgatives causing spiritual distress, concealment of disease, testing doctors' skills, rigid adherence to ancient texts rejecting new theories, shifting blame, ingratitude, hypocrisy, shyness leading to miscommunication, fear of needles hindering treatment. These are all patient sentiments that must be observed.

Regarding the "Bystander's Sentiment": Uninvolved parties speak easily. Some offer confident opinions unrelated to the disease source. Some say "don't panic," lacking medical knowledge. Some judge based on personal preference, supporting those who agree and rejecting others, leading to chaotic medication and loss of vital energy. Some fabricate supernatural causes for strange or severe symptoms, spreading rumors until they become incurable. Some yield to noble authority or family obstruction. Flatterers may turn bad doctors into perceived virtuous ones. Generosity from others may lead to excessive gifts, causing stingy patients to reject doctors after recovery. Later recommendations depend on reputation or personal connections, bias, or greed for reward. Confusing good and bad advice, trusting the wrong doctor worsens the disease. Some slander medicine and promote superstition, causing financial loss. These are bystander sentiments that must be observed.

Regarding the "Physician's Sentiment": Those claiming to follow the Dao but acting for profit use flattery, exaggeration, deception, or fear tactics. Sycophants cover up faults for relatives or servants. Climbers seek connections. Fraudsters fake lineage, hide ignorance, substitute inferior herbs (e.g., using Radix Peucedani instead of Radix Bupleuri), and overcharge for formulas. Lazy physicians delay treatment, gamble, or rely on colleagues, causing changes. Shameful physicians demand high fees, scratch the surface while praising stability, avoid discussing symptoms, and focus solely on pulse-taking to appear dignified. They mimic pulse diagnosis based on hearsay, boast of esoteric knowledge, and argue falsely. Reckless physicians ignore the Five Wheels and Eight Corollaries, prescribe randomly, make excuses for failures, and shift blame. Greedy physicians target wealthy critical patients, use harsh drugs for high stakes, and flee at night. Envious physicians undermine neighbors, contradict themselves, and act maliciously. Pretentious physicians seek fame, recognize diseases by chance, and exploit patients. Poor scholars display grand titles but know little, wasting resources. Hypocritical elders charge excessively for minor ailments, delaying effective treatment until their pockets are full, smiling while harming. This is essentially murder for profit. These are physician sentiments that must be observed.

Furthermore, some high-minded physicians have biased views, using acupuncture beyond medicinal limits, effectively sentencing patients to death. Some rejoice at others' failures and grieve at others' successes, manipulating situations for personal gain. Optimists are rejected for alarming words; worriers are criticized for concern. Believers in witchcraft see doctors as enemies; suspicious individuals resent deep insights. Even after recovery, patients may show indifference, make excuses, prioritize wealth over health, fight with brothers, violate ethics, blame heaven and men, and feel regret. Are these not human sentiments? Detailed human sentiments are countless. I warn against both pandering to and ignoring human sentiments, hoping future generations will think carefully and avoid bad habits. However, human sentiment is the foundation of kingship. Refusing to compromise seems stubborn, while trying to accommodate seems yielding. Yielding goes against disease conditions, while stubbornness offends human sentiment. There are diseases requiring stubbornness and sentiments requiring accommodation. What can be done? Alas! Extraordinary diseases require extraordinary physicians, who are rarely known by ordinary people. Where can we find those with great courage and wisdom to discuss this matter?