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(The full text of *Ling Shu: Wu Bian Pian*. Involving conditions such as Feng Jue with sweating, Xiao Dan, Cold and Heat, Liu Bi, and Ji Ju.)

Huangdi asked Shaoyu: I have heard that the onset of various diseases must originate from the invasion of wind, rain, cold, and heat. The pathogenic factors enter the Couli (skin texture and muscle interstices) via the fine hairs; some return to the exterior, while others remain inside. Some manifest as wind-induced swelling and sweating, some develop into Xiao Dan (a condition characterized by polydipsia, polyphagia, and emaciation), some present as alternating chills and fever, some form Liu Bi (bi-syndrome caused by the stagnation of wind-cold-damp pathogens in meridians and joints), and some result in Ji Ju (abdominal masses causing pain or distension). The overflow of strange pathogens is countless. I wish to understand the reasons behind this. Why do people exposed to the same external pathogens at the same time suffer from different diseases? Is it that Heaven intentionally generates wind to make people sick? Why are there such differences? ("Dan" is pronounced "dan", and also has rising and departing tones.)

Shaoyu replied: Heaven's generation of wind is not for the sake of favoring any particular person; its movement is fair and upright. Those who encounter it get sick, and those who avoid it remain safe. It is not that Heaven seeks out people to harm them, but rather that people inadvertently encounter it. ("Dai" means danger. Heaven does not actively seek to harm people, yet people suffer from it; thus, some have few illnesses and many have many, depending on whether one is cautious or careless.)

Huangdi said: Encountering wind at the same time and getting sick simultaneously, yet having different diseases, I wish to hear the reason.

Shaoyu said: Excellent question! Let me use a carpenter as an analogy. A carpenter sharpens axes and knives to chop wood. Within the wood, there are differences between hard and brittle textures. Hard wood resists the axe, while brittle wood has loose skin. At the knots, the axe may even break. Even within a single tree, hardness and brittleness differ; hard wood is tough, while brittle wood is easily damaged. How much more so for different types of wood, which vary in bark thickness and sap content? (This borrows the material properties of wood to compare with human innate constitution. "Li" is pronounced "li". "Zhuo" is pronounced "zhuo". "Cui" is pronounced "cui". "Chi" is pronounced "shi", meaning loose.)

Trees that flower early and grow leaves first, when encountering spring frost and fierce winds, will have their flowers fall and leaves wither. Under long exposure to sun and drought, brittle trees with thin bark will have reduced sap in branches and withered leaves. During prolonged heavy rain, trees with thin bark and abundant sap will have their bark rot and ooze water. When suddenly struck by violent storms, both hard and brittle trees will have broken branches and damaged trunks. With autumn frost and gale-force winds, hard and brittle trees will have shaken roots and falling leaves. These five situations each cause specific damage; how much more so for humans? (This states that the decay of trees has various causes, analogous to human diseases, which also have specific etiologies. "Wei" is pronounced "wei", meaning withered. "Nian" is pronounced "yan", referring to objects losing freshness and color. "Kui" is pronounced "hui", meaning rotten. "Lu" is pronounced "lu", describing a wet appearance. "Wu" is pronounced "wu", referring to a tree without branches.)

Huangdi said: How does the comparison between humans and trees apply?

Shaoyu answered: Damage to trees affects their branches; the hardness or brittleness of branches does not constitute severe injury initially. Humans often suffer from chronic diseases because their bones, joints, skin, and Couli are not firm enough, providing a residence for pathogenic factors, hence they frequently fall ill. (Wood has hard and brittle parts, leading to varying degrees of injury; humans have strong and weak constitutions, leading to varying severity of illness. Thus, even when exposed to wind simultaneously, some get sick and others do not, which explains the difference in diseases.)

Huangdi said: How can one identify those prone to Feng Jue and profuse sweating (sweating like flowing water)? (When wind pathogen reverses in the Couli, causing continuous profuse sweating, the disease is named Feng Jue. See detailed meaning in the previous 30 articles of this category.)

Shaoyu answered: Those with unfirm muscles and loose Couli are prone to wind diseases.

Huangdi said: How can one identify unfirm muscles?

Shaoyu answered: Those with unfirm muscles and unclear tissue lines have coarse texture; those with coarse texture and non-tight skin have loose Couli. This refers to the general state. (The popliteal fossa is called Guo, which is the Weizhong acupoint of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. Guo is the major confluence of Xi-Gu (valleys); thus, if the texture here is coarse and skin is not tight, it indicates that the Couli throughout the body are loose. "Guo" is pronounced "guo". "Zhi" is pronounced "zhi", meaning dense.)

Huangdi said: How can one identify those prone to Xiao Dan?

Shaoyu answered: Those whose Five Zang organs are all weak are prone to Xiao Dan. (See detailed meaning of Xiao Dan in the previous 60 articles.)

Huangdi said: How can one know the weakness of the Five Zang organs?

Shaoyu answered: Weakness is necessarily accompanied by rigidity; those who are rigid tend to be angry, and those with weak constitutions are easily injured. (Those with a harsh temperament and weak muscles are prone to injury and thus susceptible to Xiao Dan.)

Huangdi said: How can one distinguish between weak and rigid constitutions?

Shaoyu answered: Such individuals have thin skin, deep-set eyes with a firm, direct gaze, long eyebrows that rise straight up, and a rigid heart/mind. (Thin skin implies weak muscles. Deep-set eyes with a direct, upward gaze imply a rigid mind. "Chong" refers to the protruding nature of the gaze.) Rigidity leads to anger; anger causes Qi to reverse upwards, accumulating in the chest, causing blood and Qi to stagnate and reverse. The skin becomes congested, muscles tense, and blood vessels fail to circulate properly. This transforms into heat, which consumes the flesh and skin, resulting in Xiao Dan. This describes individuals who are outwardly aggressive and rigid but have weak muscles. (Anger causes Qi reversal; Qi stagnation leads to blood stagnation,郁结 generating heat and forming Xiao Dan. " ", same as "kuan".)

Huangdi said: How can one identify those prone to Cold and Heat diseases?

Shaoyu answered: Those with small bones and weak muscles are prone to Cold and Heat diseases. (Bones belong to the Kidney, and muscles belong to the Spleen; both are locations of extreme Yin. Insufficiency of Yin allows Yang pathogens to easily invade, hence susceptibility to Cold and Heat diseases.)

Huangdi said: How can one assess bone size, muscle firmness, and complexion variations?

Shaoyu answered: The zygomatic bone (Quan) is the root of the bones; large Quan indicates large bones, and small Quan indicates small bones. (The cheekbone below the eye is called Quan; the size of the entire skeletal structure can be verified here. "Quan" is pronounced "quan". "Ge" is pronounced "ge".) Thin skin, lack of firm muscle nodules, soft arms, and a dull complexion that differs from the natural brightness (Heavenly Qi), appearing murky and distinct, are these signs. (" ", refers to firm, aggregated muscle tissue. "Nuonuo ran" means soft/weak. "Di Qi" (Earthly Qi) is turbid and Yin, while "Tian Qi" (Heavenly Qi) is clear and Yang. If physical color is excessive but spiritual luster is lacking, Earth does not match Heaven, hence appearing dull and murky. Variations in muscle firmness and complexion allow one to verify strength and weakness. " ", pronounced quyun qie. "Nuo", pronounced ru, nuo, ruan.) Furthermore, those with thin arms have insufficient marrow, making them prone to Cold and Heat diseases. (Marrow fills the bones and is the essence of Yin; thus, insufficient marrow predisposes one to Cold and Heat diseases.)

Huangdi said: How can one identify those prone to Bi syndrome?

Shaoyu answered: Those with coarse texture and unfirm muscles are prone to Bi syndrome. (Unfirm muscles allow wind-cold-damp pathogens to easily invade.)

Huangdi said: Does Bi syndrome have fixed locations of high and low?

Shaoyu answered: To know the location, observe each part of the body separately. (The upper/lower and left/right aspects of the human body naturally differ in deficiency and excess, so each part should be observed individually.)

Huangdi said: How can one identify those prone to intestinal Ji Ju?

Shaoyu answered: Thin skin without luster, and unfirm yet moist muscles indicate poor gastrointestinal function. Poor function allows pathogenic factors to linger, leading to the formation of Ji Ju and bodily injury. Between the Spleen and Stomach, if cold and warmth are disordered, even slight pathogenic invasion causes accumulation and stagnation, leading to large accumulations. (Thin skin implies unfirm muscles. Lack of luster implies blood insufficiency. Moisture implies damp stagnation. This indicates weak and poor gastrointestinal constitution and deficient innate Qi. Thus, whether internal or external pathogens linger, or if gastrointestinal cold/warmth is disordered, all can attract pathogens and initiate large accumulations. For detailed meaning, see *Bai Bing Shi Sheng Pian*, previous two articles of this category. "Nao" is pronounced "nao". " ", same as "xu".)

Huangdi said: I have known the forms of the diseases; I wish to know the timing. (This summarizes the five changes and asks about the timing of auspicious or inauspicious occurrences.)

Shaoyu answered: First establish the annual cycle to know the timing. When the timing is high (prosperous), the disease arises (recovers); when the timing is low (declining), the disease becomes critical. (Establishing the annual cycle reveals the dominance of the Five Movements and Six Qi, allowing one to know the timing. Whenever one encounters a generating/prosperous phase, it is "high," hence recovery is possible; "qi" means recovery. If one encounters a overcoming/declining phase, it is "low," and the disease becomes critical. *Liu Yuan Zheng Ji Da Lun* also states: Establish the year first to clarify the Qi. See detailed discussion in the Luck/Qi category, article 17.) Even if not in a declining phase, if there is a clash-through in the current year, the disease will definitely arise. This is called becoming ill due to physical constitution, which is the principle of the Five Changes. (Even if not in a overcoming/declining phase, a yearly clash allows Qi to connect, and the disease arises accordingly. This is not the "arise" (recovery) mentioned in the previous section. For example, Water and Fire clash; Fire fears Water. Metal and Wood clash; Wood fears Metal. However, if Fire prevails, Water also suffers; if Wood prevails, Metal also suffers. Thus, a Metal-type person may fall ill in Ding-Ren years, and a Wood-type person may fall ill in Jia-Ji years. This is called becoming ill due to constitution, which is the principle of the Five Changes.)