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The so-called "Xu Lao" (Deficiency and Emaciation Syndrome) of today is what the ancients called "Zheng" (Steaming Sensation); the "Xu Lao" of the ancients is what is called "Tuo Li" (Collapse of Strength) today. The *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet) specifically lists "Xu Lao" to demonstrate that Shang Han (Cold Damage) naturally includes types caused by "Tuo Li"; the common term "Tuo Li Shang Han" originates from this understanding. Grasping this allows one to correctly apply the various formulas for Xu Lao found in the *Jin Gui Yao Lue*. (The common term "Tuo Li" does not refer exclusively to physical fatigue; it encompasses all five types of chronic overstrain.) Diseases resulting from Tuo Li may become entrenched, occur transiently, or be localized to a specific area. As long as Qi and Blood are damaged by exertion and fail to recover, they can all be termed Xu Lao. People often rigidly believe that only those weak and emaciated conditions that deteriorate and prove incurable are called Xu Lao, failing to realize that this is merely one aspect. If the Xu Lao occurs transiently or locally, it may heal after treatment or resolve spontaneously without treatment, which is hardly surprising. Since there is a cause of Xu Lao, Wind-Cold pathogens enter along with it. The *Jin Gui Yao Lue* originally aimed to exhaustively describe the variations of Wind-Cold, thus generally referring to it as Xu Lao without distinguishing the specific type of strain. Extending this logic, "Shang Han Lao Fu" (Relapse of Cold Damage due to Overexertion) belongs to Xu Lao occurring transiently, without distinguishing whether it results from physical labor or sexual activity. According to principle, this section should have been placed at the end of the *Shang Han Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage), but the compilers moved it here for ease of reference! Similarly, the *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic) states: "If a patient's arm becomes immobile and the condition shifts between arms, this is minor Laos (overstrain), caused by uneven circulation of Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi). It will heal on its own after a long time." This refers to Xu Lao localized to one area, again without specifying the type of strain, because the underlying disease symptoms allow for classification. This classic also mentions "Lao Nüe" (Malaria due to Overstrain); the *Qian Jin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) and *Wai Tai Mi Yao* (Secret Essentials of the Outer Cabinet) mention "Lao Sou" (Chronic Cough due to Overstrain) and "Lao Er" (Deafness due to Overstrain). All cases occurring transiently or locally follow this pattern. When reading ancient texts, one must distinguish names to investigate their true meanings; physicians must do the same. Only by truly understanding this would one avoid mistakenly applying formulas like Jian Zhong Tang (Middle-Builder Decoction) to treat Zheng diseases?

The name "Chuan Shi Lao" (Transmitting Corpse Consumption) first appeared in the *Wai Tai Mi Yao*, recorded continuously from the Song Dynasty to the present. I once wished to ask what disease this was, but many experienced physicians could not explain it. After practicing medicine in Quanzhou for several years, I came to know that "Chuan Shi Lao" is named by combining four major syndromes: "Shi" (Corpse), "Zhu" (Infectious/Passing On), "Gan" (Ulceration/Emaciation), and "Zheng" (Steaming). Initially, due to constitutional deficiency and pathogenic invasion, infection by "corpse worms" occurs. The patient becomes listless and silent, feeling discomfort everywhere but unable to pinpoint the pain; this stage can be called "Shi". Progressing to fever, panting, and malar flush, it can be called "Zheng". When lumps appear on the neck and ulcers form on the lips, mouth, throat, and tongue, it can be called "Gan". When the disease recurs severely after apparent recovery, or spreads to others after death, it is called "Zhu". Having these four syndromes, treatment methods vary, each addressing the currently manifest symptoms. Ancient terms such as "Gui Zhu" (Ghost Zhu), "Wu Gu" (Gu-Free), "Fu Lian" (Hidden Link), and "Shi Zhu" were also based on specific aspects of the syndrome. In my childhood, my paternal aunt died of this disease, and later my full sister also died of it; however, neither case was infectious, suggesting they were similar but not definitively diagnosed. In summary, they possessed the three major syndromes of "Shi", "Gan", and "Zheng". For patients with this syndrome, if differentiated treatment is applied, utilizing ancient methods such as clearing heat, regulating the Stomach, and eliminating parasites, errors might be avoided, though complete cure is not guaranteed.