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Among the five zang organs of the human body, only the Liver is prone to agitation and difficult to remain calm. When other zang organs are diseased, they typically suffer from their own illness alone, or the disease may spread to other organs after a long duration due to the dysfunction of the generation and restriction cycles (Sheng-Ke relationships) caused by prolonged illness. However, once the Liver is diseased, it immediately affects other organs. The Liver is located on the left, but its functional manifestation is on the right. Once Liver Qi moves, it overacts on Spleen Earth, causing pain and distension, and in severe cases, diarrhea. Alternatively, it may invade Stomach Earth upward, causing rebellious Qi leading to vomiting, and pain and distension in both hypochondriac regions. The main meridian of the Liver distributes through the hypochondriac regions, as does the large collateral of the Stomach. Furthermore, it may rush upward to attack the Heart, resulting in palpitations and restlessness. Or it may insult Lung Metal upward; Lung belongs to Metal, which originally controls Liver Wood, but when Liver Qi is too vigorous, it resists Metal's control and insults Metal instead, causing the Lung's descending and purifying function to fail, leading to incessant dry coughing, known as "Wood striking Metal ringing." Additionally, Fire may transform into Wind, causing severe vertigo. Or the pathogenic factor may reach the vertex, causing unbearable pain. If Blood fails to nourish the Liver, it consequently fails to nourish the sinews, leading to spasms and convulsions of the four limbs and twitching of the whole body. Excessive dispersal may cause Kidney to fail in its storing function, resulting in irregular urination and defecation. Distension may extend to the back, and pain to the head and neck. Its changes are unpredictable and cannot be fully described; its coming and going are capricious and inconceivable. In short, the Liver is called the "General Officer," like the Chariot in Chinese chess, moving freely纵横 without anyone daring to oppose it. Among diseases of the five zang organs, Liver Qi disorders account for the majority, especially in women. If one can treat Liver Qi disorders, then half of the treatment success is achieved. *Neijing* (The Inner Canon) proposes three methods for treating the Liver: use Pungent flavors to disperse it, Sour flavors to astringe it, and Sweet flavors to moderate it. Later physicians created formulas combining these three methods into one prescription, called Xiaoyao San (Free and Easy Wanderer Powder). Using Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) as the sovereign herb for its pungent dispersing action; using Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba) for sour astringency, and Zhi Gan Cao (Prepared Licorice Root) for sweet moderation. Since Liver Qi stagnation inevitably involves Liver Fire, Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex) and Shan Zhi (Gardeniae Fructus) are added, creating Jiawei Xiaoyao San (Modified Free and Easy Wanderer Powder). Modern physicians, upon seeing Liver Qi disorders, immediately administer Xiaoyao San; if ineffective, they administer Jiawei Xiaoyao San; if still ineffective, they are at a loss. They do not realize that *Neijing*'s discussion on treating the Liver is merely a general principle; clinically, conditions change unpredictably, and there are many treatment methods, so how can one be confined to just these three methods?

I have deeply pondered and examined, and found ten methods for treating the Liver. The Heart is the child organ of the Liver; for excess patterns, drain the child—this is the first method. The Kidney is the mother organ of the Liver; for deficiency patterns, tonify the mother—this is the second method. The Lung governs Qi; when Liver Qi rebels upward, clear and descend Lung Qi to pacify it—this is the third method. The Gallbladder lies beneath the liver lobes; when Liver Qi rebels upward, it must carry Gallbladder Fire with it. When attacking the Stomach, vomiting may contain acid or bitter fluids. Liver Fire manifests as bitter taste; thus, Gallbladder Fire should be treated with Wendan Method (Warm the Gallbladder Method) to calm Gallbladder Fire, thereby calming Liver Qi as well. This is what is meant by "pacifying Jia Wood (Gallbladder) to harmonize Yi Wood (Liver)"—this is the fourth method. When Liver Yang is too vigorous, nourish Yin to subdue it; if ineffective, use Oyster Shell (Muli), Turtle Shell (Guiban), and other shell-type herbs to subdue it. This is "using shells to subdue Yang"—this is the fifth method. Strengthening the Spleen to treat Liver disease is an old method of Zhang Zhongjing—this is the sixth method. For Liver Excess Fire, mild cases use Zuojin Wan (Left Metal Pill), and severe cases use Longdan Xiegan Tang (Gentian Liver-Draining Decoction), both effective—this is the seventh method. Combined with the three methods from *Neijing*, are these not ten methods? As for exclusively using Qi-breaking herbs, although providing temporary relief, pain and distension return quickly, worsening with each use; this is the practice of incompetent physicians and does not constitute a proper method. However, mediocre physicians generally prioritize Qi-breaking herbs, or otherwise prescribe Xiaoyao San. When it fails, they deem the disease severe and incurable, which is unjust! Therefore, I specifically wrote this treatise on Liver Qi.

Someone asked: "Xiaoyao San is collected in all formularies and universally adopted. According to your words, is this formula unusable?" I replied: "Xiaoyao San is indeed a good formula, but incompetent physicians do not know how to use it properly, hence it seems ineffective! The formula uses Chai Hu as the sovereign herb, primarily to disperse stagnation, which corresponds to 'when Wood is stagnant, unblock it.' If the patient truly has Liver Qi stagnation, or is suppressed by external factors, unable to vent Qi, leading to stagnation generating Fire, causing pain and distension, with a pulse that is Wiry and Rapid but feels Deep, administering Xiaoyao San to disperse with Pungent flavors will naturally yield results. However, if the person is not suppressed but prone to anger, has an unstable temperament, becomes angrier and more intense, causing Liver Qi to run rampant, alternating pain and distension, frequent heat sensations, headache, dizziness, with a Wiry and Rapid pulse lacking a Deep quality, this indicates Liver Fire transforming into Wind. It is already insufficient to merely pacify it, yet treating with Pungent dispersal is like fanning a blazing charcoal fire; surely the fire will intensify and the disease worsen. Thus, Xiaoyao San is not unusable; the problem lies in users who do not seek deep understanding!"