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According to the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica): Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) has a sweet taste and a slightly cold nature, is non-toxic. Its main functions are tonifying the five Zang organs, calming the spirit (Shen), stabilizing the soul (Hun and Po), arresting palpitations and fright, eliminating pathogenic factors, brightening the eyes, opening the heart orifices, and enhancing wisdom. Fu Zi (Aconite Lateral Root) has a pungent and sweet taste, a great heat nature, and possesses great toxicity. Its main functions are treating cough and rebellious Qi caused by wind-cold and pathogenic factors, warming the Middle Jiao, breaking up hard accumulations and blood masses (Xia), relieving spasms and knee pain due to cold-dampness, and improving walking ability. In tonic prescriptions, cooked Fu Zi should be used; for warming and dispersing cold, raw Fu Zi should be used. Ren Shen tonifies the Yuan Qi of the Zang organs, while Fu Zi benefits the True Yang of the Zang organs. When Fire is deficient and Yang is weak, only these two can restore life. For chronic illnesses resulting in extreme deficiency of Qi and Blood, and all types of deficiency damage, Ren Shen can be used. When the Fire of the Gate of Vitality (Mingmen) is extinguished, the Qi of the Middle Jiao is daily depleted, and in all types of deficiency-cold conditions, Fu Zi can be used. Ancient sages, when using tonic prescriptions, would invariably add a few fen of Fu Zi to strengthen the efficacy of Ren Shen and Fu Zi, recovering and restoring scattered Yuan Yang. The assistance provided by Ren Shen and Fu Zi is certainly not a minor benefit! Whenever there are signs of emaciation, deficiency, and cold, they should be urgently employed. However, if pathogens such as malaria have not yet dissipated, physicians often stubbornly adhere to the saying that "when Zheng Qi (Upright Qi) is sufficient, pathogens naturally avoid it," and exclusively use tonification methods. This is like closing the door to chase thieves; how will the thieves exit? Moreover, pathogens become more vigorous with tonification, thereby assisting the pathogen, causing significant harm. This is what is meant by "damaging the insufficient and increasing the excessive." If Lung Heat injures the Lung again, Ren Shen should not be used indiscriminately. Modern physicians, upon encountering wealthy patients, often worry about their deficiency without distinguishing between excess and deficiency patterns, applying tonification uniformly, which also leads to errors. This is equivalent to those who fail to use necessary treatments; both are like losing sheep and not seeking them, stemming from an inability to thoroughly perceive the condition.

Zhang Hezi’s treatment of diseases revolves around the three methods: sweating (Han), vomiting (Tu), and purging (Xia). Originally intended for acute and sudden illnesses, these methods can also yield rapid results for chronic diseases. For acute illnesses, such as Taiyang disease contracted from external pathogens, sweating is indicated; for Da Tou Wen (Big Head Plague) causing facial swelling, where heat is trapped by cold, leading to panting, urgency, and insomnia, and various wind-dampness syndromes, a single application of sweating can bring peace. For early-stage carbuncles and toxins, the classics state: "Sweating will cure the sores." These are cases where pathogens resolve through sweat. For food stagnation and phlegm retention, vomiting is indicated. For throat wind and tonsillar swelling (Ru E) causing severe swelling of the head, face, neck, and throat, inability to swallow even water, loss of voice, and life hanging by a thread, do not puncture; puncturing often leads to immediate death. Only vomiting can reduce swelling and restore appetite. Similarly, dry Huoluan (cholera-like syndrome with abdominal cramping) and related conditions rely on vomiting for survival. The classics say: "When Wood is stagnant, unblock it," which applies here. For interior excess-heat patterns, purging is indicated, including intense heat in the head, eyes, and whole body. For dysentery with abdominal pain, purging brings relief. The classics say: "Pain decreases with free flow, distension widens with purgation," which applies here. For chronic illnesses, such as wind-cold lingering deeply in muscles and marrow, causing slight fever and aversion to wind, or malaria lasting months, and various cold-dampness swellings, sweating is indicated. For long-standing Li Feng (leprosy or severe dermatological conditions), heavy sweating drives out the pathogen. For Guan Ge (obstruction and reversal, characterized by vomiting and inability to urinate) persisting for months, or urinary retention, or latent phlegm and stagnant Qi causing intermittent pain and distension over years, unresponsive to hundreds of medicines, a single vomiting session can cure. For dysentery initially mishandled by lack of purging, presenting with severe pain, thirst, swollen and closed anus, urinary obstruction, inability to eat, and faint breath, a single purgation brings immediate relief. For Qi knotting and phlegm coagulation, accumulated blood and retained stasis, purging is essential to push out the old and generate the new. Thus, the wonder of these three methods is evident: whether for acute or chronic diseases, they are highly effective. Whether for the young and strong or the elderly, they often succeed. Today, people use these methods for acute diseases but dare not apply them to chronic ones. Furthermore, when facing acute diseases, they erroneously fear deficiency, hesitate, and refrain from using them, allowing pathogens to penetrate deeply until incurable. Although for excess patterns, even in critical distress, treatment can produce immediate results; for deficiency patterns, these methods are difficult to apply and require utmost caution.