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The "Yang attaching to Yin" and "Yin attaching to Yang" mentioned in the *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic) refer to "Yin and Yang" as exterior and interior (Biao and Li), and "attaching" means pressing close or encroaching. "Yang attaching to Yin" refers to pathogenic factors from the exterior sinking inward into the interior; "Yin attaching to Yang" refers to pathogenic factors from the interior invading outward toward the exterior. If a disease originates in Taiyang disease (a syndrome in Six Meridians differentiation, often manifesting as an exterior syndrome), the pathogen presses inward; if it originates in Shaoyin disease (a syndrome often manifesting as interior deficiency-cold), the pathogen presses outward. If this pressing continues without cessation, there will inevitably be a struggle between healthy Qi and pathogenic factors. This differs from "Jiao" (interacting/crossing) and "Bing" (merging): "Jiao" means the boundary between exterior and interior is indistinct; "Fu" (attaching) means if exterior pathogens are more, interior pathogens are less, and if interior pathogens are more, exterior pathogens are less; "Bing" means if exterior pathogens merge into the interior, there is no exterior syndrome, and if interior pathogens merge into the exterior, there is no interior syndrome; whereas "Fu" implies the interior still carries characteristics of the exterior, and the exterior still carries characteristics of the interior. As for "Zheng" (struggle/contend), it indicates that the pressing party is about to gain the upper hand; gaining the upper hand means entering completely into the other's domain. If exterior pathogens sink entirely into the interior, it is called "Xian" (sinking), leading to death; if interior pathogens emerge entirely to the exterior, it is called "Chu" (emerging), leading to survival. Yin governs closure; when Yang pathogen adds to it, Yin cannot contain it, resulting in distension and fullness; Yang governs opening; when Yin pathogen adds to it, deficiency leads to leakage, resulting in sweating. The difference from "Bing" is that in "Bing", sweating has already occurred, whereas in "Fu" with struggle, sweating has not yet occurred. Thus, it can be seen that in diagnosing and treating febrile diseases, sweating is generally considered auspicious. Additionally: At this stage, distension and fullness must be accompanied by constipation; using purgation would accelerate death; using diaphoresis at this time would cause confusion; using tonification would delay recovery, and excessive tonification could also lead to death. Between these sequential treatment opportunities, listing these terms demonstrates the urgent intent to instruct clearly.

The *Mai Jing* collects discussions from ancient and modern times; its terminology may vary with eras, so there are many cases where words differ but the essence is the same. Stating that "Bo" (pressing close) is "Fu" (attaching) is one such example.

Whenever the pulse comes strongly and departs weakly, resembling the breathing of a person panting, this is the image of pathogenic factors pressing from the exterior toward the interior; if the pulse is also rapid and irregular, the internal pressing is even more urgent, which is the Jue pulse starting large and gradually becoming small and minute. In Shanghan (Cold Damage) disease, obtaining this pulse indicates severe aversion to cold and abundant heat. If several days have passed since the onset of illness and neither of these two pulses is seen, it is known that the pathogen is weakening, unable to press inward; unable to press inward, it must return to the exterior, indicating an impending sweat. However, there are cases where the pathogen neither presses inward nor returns to the exterior, lingering between the exterior and interior while presenting such a pulse; this corresponds to the Lung organ carrying the pathogen. The Lung resides within the body cavity above the four other Zang organs, precisely in the position of half-exterior half-interior. When pathogen attaches here, the pulse becomes slow; thus, the pulse goes and comes smoothly, uniform at the beginning and end, and the patient should become aphonic. Aphonia occurs because the Lung carries the pathogen and Qi is excess without sound. To dissipate the pathogen, one must still rely on sweating. If sweating does not occur despite the indication, the pathogen will solidify, and the Lung will rot like withering tissue; according to medical principles, this is untreatable. The three clauses in Volume 7 of the *Mai Jing* regarding febrile disease with non-panting lungs actually convey this meaning. Whenever "bu" (not/no) is used, it signifies a change from past affirmation to present negation; "Fu" refers to the chest center, "Zang" refers to the stomach area, "Yin and Yang" refer to exterior and interior; whenever "qi" (expectation/timeframe) is used, it refers to the hope for cure after treatment; "three days" and "four days" are counted from after the seventh day. Seven plus four equals eleven days, the time when pathogen returns to the exterior and completes its meridian circulation. By this time, if there is no sweat, it is evident that it will ultimately not return to the exterior but remain fixed in the Lung, and therapeutic methods are exhausted.