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Lei Zhenjun said: Spring, summer, autumn, and winter each have their respective seasonal commands. Adhering to the season results in no illness, while deviating from it leads to disease. The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) has elaborated on this in detail. I reiterate these points to advise people to be cautious before the season arrives, rather than relying on medicine only after falling ill. There is also a Dao Yin method (a traditional Chinese exercise combining movement and breathing for health preservation), which I have long wished to pass down. Knowing that the Heavenly Master (referring to Zhang Daoling) had previously recorded similar methods, yet this method is not inferior and can coexist without contradiction. The methods are as follows.

**Nourishing Yang Before Spring**: Every day, sit with eyes closed and mind centered, focusing the heart spirit into the Liver. Swallow saliva seven times, sending it down to the Lower Dantian (the area three inches below the umbilicus). Stand up, embrace both hypochondriac regions with both hands, and sway gently three times, resembling a bowing gesture. Wait until the Qi settles, then sit again as before, swallow saliva seven times, and send it to the Lower Dantian. This ensures one will never be invaded by Wind pathogenic factors. Practicing six times a month is sufficient; more is better.

**Nourishing Yin Before Summer**: Every day, sit with eyes closed and mind centered, focusing the heart spirit into the Heart. Swallow saliva fourteen times, sending it to the center of the Heart. This ensures one will never be invaded by Summerheat pathogenic factors.

**Nourishing Yin Before Autumn**: Every day, sit with eyes closed and mind centered, focusing the heart spirit into the Lungs. Swallow saliva twelve times, sending it to the Lower Dantian. Grasp the soles of the feet three times with both hands. Wait until the Qi settles, then swallow saliva seven times and send it to the Lower Dantian before stopping. This ensures one will never suffer from Dryness-Heat diseases.

**Nourishing Yang Before Winter**: Wake up at the Wugeng period (early morning, 3–5 AM), focus the heart spirit into both Kidneys. When saliva accumulates in the mouth, send three swallows to the Lower Dantian. Do not rinse the mouth. Rub the soles of the feet with your hands until they feel hot. Send another three swallows of saliva to the Lower Dantian, then go back to sleep. This ensures one will never suffer from Cold Damage (Shanghan) symptoms. Methods for longevity are included within this practice. No specific method is needed for the Late Summer period.

Zhang Zhenjun said: These are excellent prescriptions. It is a pity that people are unwilling to practice them. If practiced, they will surely dispel disease.

Lei Zhenjun said: When there is illness, one must observe the complexion. Observing the complexion requires examining the face, where different areas correspond to different organs. This is essential knowledge.

The area between the two eyebrows at the top of the face corresponds to the Lungs. Red color indicates Fire, green/blue indicates Wind, yellow indicates Dampness, black indicates Pain, and white indicates Cold. The space between the two eyes is called Mingtang (Bright Hall), corresponding to the Heart. Below Mingtang, in the center of the nose, corresponds to the Liver. The areas flanking the Liver position correspond to the Gallbladder. The tip of the nose corresponds to the Spleen. The areas flanking the nasal tip correspond to the Stomach. The area above the cheekbones corresponds to the Kidneys. Above the Kidney position corresponds to the Large Intestine. Below the Liver and Gallbladder positions, on both sides of the nose, corresponds to the Small Intestine. Above the Lung position is the forehead, corresponding to the throat. Above the forehead corresponds to the head and face. Beside the Heart position corresponds to Danzhong (Chest Center). The point below the nose, known as Chengjiang (Chin Center), corresponds to the Bladder. Sanjiao (Triple Burner) has no fixed location; its Upper Jiao resides with the Lungs, Middle Jiao with the Liver, and Lower Jiao with the Bladder. All other locations follow the descriptions in the *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot) without error. The five colors appear in their respective sectors; diseases can be diagnosed based on these colors. Following the method of the Lung Meridian yields accurate results. However, there are generating and overcoming relationships among them. For instance, if green appears with yellow, Wood overcomes Earth; if red appears with black, Water overcomes Fire; if yellow appears with red, Fire generates Earth; if black appears with white, Metal generates Water. Overcoming indicates a poor prognosis (death), while generating indicates a favorable prognosis (life). The treatment principle for overcoming is to rescue the life force, and for generating is to restrain the excess; otherwise, the disease will not heal quickly.

Furthermore, diseases may manifest moving from interior to exterior or from exterior to interior. Moving from interior to exterior means the disease is resolving but reluctant to stay hidden; moving from exterior to interior means the disease is deepening but reluctant to disperse. Resolving indicates mild disease, while deepening indicates severe disease. The treatment for resolving is to support the Healthy Qi (Zheng Qi), and for deepening is to expel the Pathogenic Factors (Xie Qi); otherwise, the disease will not subside rapidly. The observation sites are the same for men and women; the claim in the *Lingshu* that they differ is incorrect. How then to distinguish interior from exterior? A sinking and turbid complexion indicates interior disease, while a floating and lustrous complexion indicates exterior disease. Since the five colors appear in specific sectors, one must carefully observe their floating or sinking to determine the depth of the disease; their withered or moist appearance to judge survival or death; their gathering or dispersal to know the proximity of the disease; and their vertical position to identify the affected Zang-Fu organs. The most subtle aspect lies in observing whether the five colors possess Shen (Spirit). A dark complexion with preserved Shen indicates life even in severe illness; a bright complexion with lost Shen indicates death even if seemingly healthy. How to distinguish Shen? Observe the brightness of the yellow hue. If the color is yellow with luster, hidden within the skin and hair follicles, one need not worry about the manifestation of the five colors. This method of observing Shen is also indispensable.