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The *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues) states that "seven transmissions" refers to transmission to what it overcomes (Wu Xing mutual restriction), while "intermittent transmission" refers to transmission to what it generates (Wu Xing mutual generation). Both types of transmission involve only the five Zang organs. Commentators, unable to grasp the logic, argued that if the Heart transmits back to the Lung, the count would actually stop at six transmissions, with no such thing as a "seven transmission." Moreover, since "intermittent transmission" is like a ring without beginning or end, how could it not be so? Yet the classic text uniquely refers to "transmission to what it overcomes" as "seven transmission," which seems quite forced when measured against reason. I privately believe that the character "seven" (Qi) is likely a phonetic error for "successive" (Ci). In ancient pronunciation, the departing tone (Qu Sheng) and entering tone (Ru Sheng) were not sharply distinguished. For instance, in the *Book of Documents* (Shang Shu), chapter *Kang Gao*, it says "Do not use [force], but arrange your enfeoffment successively" (Wu Yong Yi Ci Ru Feng). The character "Ci" is cited in *Xunzi* as "Ji Zhi Bi." Why do I say this? Because in two chapters of the *Su Wen* (Basic Questions)—*Yu Ji Zhen Zang Lun* (Treatise on the Jade Machine and True Viscera) and *Biao Ben Bing Chuan Lun* (Treatise on Root and Branch Disease Transmission)—the case of "transmission to what it overcomes" is always referred to as "successive transmission" (Ci Chuan), never "seven transmission." Furthermore, the end of the *Biao Ben Bing Chuan Lun* explicitly states: "When diseases transmit successively, there will be a fixed time of death, and acupuncture should not be used; if one Zang organ is skipped, limiting the transmission to three or four Zang organs, then acupuncture may be used." This meaning aligns very well with several passages in the *Zhen Zang* chapter, from "Wind is the chief of all diseases" to "This is the successive nature of disease." Since the classic texts explicitly state that "transmission to what it overcomes" is called "successive transmission," this is the established rule for disease transmission. The original text of the *Nan Jing* must be correct, and the error lies in later copying! Volume 7 of the *Qian Jin Fang* (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) also mentions "successive transmission" and "intermittent transmission," which serves as further evidence. Additionally, when the *Nan Jing* speaks of "intermittent transmission" being like a ring without end, it is referring to the process of one Zang organ transmitting to what it generates, which is fundamentally consistent with the *Su Wen*. Xu Shi’s rigid adherence to the texts of the *Su Wen* and *Nan Jing*, using them to refute each other, is truly unnecessary.

In ancient times, cold pathogens contracted in winter from proper evil (Zheng Xie) and cold pathogens contracted in summer from epidemic trends (Shi Xing) were both collectively termed Shang Han (Cold Damage). Therefore, Zhang Zhongjing preserved both "already having fever" and "not yet having fever" in the Shang Han clauses. Those with existing fever belong to epidemic cold; those without fever belong to proper evil cold. The intent was unification, making it easier for people to recognize. It was not until the *Chao Yuan Fang* (Source of Pathological Changes) that Shang Han and Shi Qi (Seasonal Qi) were separated into two categories. In the section on pediatric Shang Han, both types of cold were listed side by side, distinguished specifically by the phrase "Shi Xing Shang Han" (Epidemic Cold Damage), which was concise and prudent. Tang dynasty physicians began calling it Tian Xing Re Bing (Heavenly Movement Heat Disease), where "Tian Xing" is synonymous with "Shi Xing." However, the original meaning of the term "Shi Qi" encompassed all four seasons, whereas the name "Shi Qi" seemed to be monopolized by heat diseases, creating some confusion. Nevertheless, historical records indicate that epidemics occurred in spring, summer, and autumn, with summer being particularly prevalent. Zhang Zhongjing stated that non-seasonal sudden cold between the Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox belongs to Shi Xing Han Yi (Epidemic Cold). This further confirms that ancients referred to summer heat pathogens contracted from proper evil and winter heat pathogens contracted from epidemic trends collectively as Shang Shu (Summerheat Injury). The *Su Wen* (Chapter *Sheng Qi Tong Tian Lun*) mentions "Qi deficiency with body heat" as Shang Shu, indicating that Shang Shu is not exclusively limited to summer. Zhang Zhongjing began distinguishing these conditions into Zhong Yue (Heat Stroke/Summerheat Strike) and Dong Wen (Winter Warmth). However, the *Nan Jing* does not specify a particular pulse for Wen Bing (Warm Diseases), and Zhang Zhongjing only briefly described their symptoms, implying that the onset is not fixed and does not necessarily involve fever and aversion to cold. Conditions such as coughing and swelling/abscesses can also present similarly. Although Zhang Zhongjing did not explicitly state this, examples can be inferred from scattered references in the *Qian Jin Fang* and *Wai Tai Mi Yao*. Essentially, while the meaning of "Shang Shu" can apply to all four seasons, the term itself cannot be broadly applied to winter. This explains the difference in nomenclature between ancient and modern times.