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(From *Ling Shu: Sui Lu Lun*)

Huangdi asked Shaoshi, "I have heard that the eight winds of the four seasons invade the human body, resulting in cold and heat. When it is cold, the skin becomes tight and the couli (pores) close; when it is hot, the skin becomes loose and the couli open. Do evil winds (Zei Feng) and pathogenic factors take this opportunity to enter? Or must one wait for the empty pathogens (Xu Xie) of the Eight Norms (Ba Zheng) to harm people?" (This passage states that evil winds can also harm people, not just referring to the empty pathogens of the Eight Norms.)

Shaoshi replied, "Incorrect. The invasion of evil winds and pathogenic factors is not restricted by fixed times. However, if they enter while the couli are open, the penetration is deep, the internal injury is severe, and the onset of disease is sudden and violent. If they enter while the couli are closed, the penetration is shallow and lingering, and the onset of disease is slow and gradual." (Any abnormal qi from the four seasons that is discordant is called evil wind or pathogenic factor. Unlike the empty pathogens associated with Tai Yi and the Eight Norms which have regular patterns, these have no fixed schedule or location, hence 'not restricted by fixed times.' Yet, their invasion requires the opening of the skin and couli to penetrate deeply; deep penetration leads to severe internal pathology, causing sudden and violent illness. If invasion occurs during closure, it remains shallow; if not expelled, the pathogen lingers, causing disease but with a slower onset.)

Huangdi said, "If the climate is mild and appropriate, and the couli are not open, yet sudden illness occurs, what is the reason?"

Shaoshi replied, "Do you not know how pathogens enter? Even during peaceful times at rest, the opening, closing, slackening, and tightening of the couli have their own timing." (This refers to sudden illnesses occurring due to changes in the couli even when there is no external disturbance, often caused by seasonal qi.)

Huangdi said, "Could you explain this to me?"

Shaoshi said, "Humans correspond to Heaven and Earth, and resonate with the Sun and Moon. Therefore, when the moon is full, the sea water swells towards the west; human blood and qi accumulate, muscles are full, skin is dense, hair is firm, the couli are closed, and soot-like grime adheres to the skin. At this time, even if one encounters evil winds, the penetration is shallow and not deep. When the moon wanes (moon outline is empty), the sea water swells towards the east; human blood and qi become deficient, Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) departs, leaving only the physical form; muscles diminish, skin becomes lax, couli open, hair becomes brittle, the texture is thin, and grime falls off. At this time, encountering evil winds leads to deep penetration and sudden, violent illness." ('Zhi' means dense; 'Bi' means closed; 'Zong' means loose/lax. Humans correspond to Heaven, Earth, Sun, and Moon, but here emphasis is placed on the Moon and Water because the human physical form belongs to Yin, corresponding above to the Moon and below to Water. Earth belongs to Yin; the northwest is Yin within Yin, and the southeast is Yang within Yin, hence the terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast. When the moon is full and sea water swells westward, Yin occupies its proper position and is substantial. Correspondingly in humans, blood and qi are substantial, so evil winds cannot penetrate deeply. When the moon wanes and sea water swells eastward, Yin loses its position and is weak. Correspondingly in humans, blood and qi are deficient, so evil winds penetrate deeply, causing sudden and violent illness. 'Yan Gou' refers to greasy grime like smoke. Substantial blood leads to a robust physique, so grime adheres, indicating a solid exterior. Deficient blood leads to emaciation, so grime peels off, resembling wind-consumption, indicating a deficient exterior. All these relate to Wei Qi. 'Li' is synonymous with 'Xi', referring to skin pores/texture.)

Huangdi said, "What causes sudden death or acute severe illness?"

Shaoshi replied, "Those who encounter the 'Three Deficiencies' (San Xu) die suddenly and rapidly. Those who obtain the 'Three Excesses' (San Shi) are not harmed by pathogens."

Huangdi said, "I wish to hear about the Three Deficiencies."

Shaoshi said, "When the annual fortune is declining, coinciding with the waning moon, and losing the harmony of the season, such that one is injured by evil winds, this is called the 'Three Deficiencies'. Thus, if physicians do not understand the Three Deficiencies, they appear crude." ('Cheng Nian Zhi Shuai' refers to years where the annual qi is insufficient, allowing pathogens to prevail excessively, as discussed in the *Supplemental Acupuncture Methods* and *Root Disease* treatises regarding the failure of the ruling Qi. 'Feng Yue Zhi Kong' refers to the waning moon, as stated in *Ba Zheng Shen Ming Lun*: 'When the moon begins to grow, blood and qi begin to refine, and Wei Qi begins to circulate,' and the aforementioned concepts of sea swelling. 'Shi Shi Zhi He' refers to seasons lacking warmth in spring, heat in summer, coolness in autumn, or cold in winter, indicating disharmony between guest and host Qi. The Three Deficiencies exist in Heaven, but must coincide with human deficiency and loss of Qi stability to be easily invaded, leading to sudden death or illness. If one knows how to regulate and avoid hazards, pathogens cannot harm. Hence, the terms 'ride', 'meet', and 'lose' include human agency.)

Huangdi said, "I wish to hear about the Three Excesses."

Shaoshi said, "When the annual fortune is prosperous, coinciding with the full moon, and obtaining the harmony of the season, even if evil winds and pathogenic factors exist, they cannot cause harm." (This is the opposite of the Three Deficiencies, thus constituting the Three Excesses, so pathogens cannot invade.)

Huangdi said, "Excellent is this discussion! Clear is this Dao! Please store it in the Golden Casket and name it the 'Three Treasures', though this is merely the theory of an ordinary man." ('Theory of One Man' uses individual pathology as an example. There are common diseases each year, as explained in the following text.)

Huangdi said, "I wish to hear why people suffer from the same diseases each year, and what causes this?"

Shaoshi said, "This is observed through the monitoring of the Eight Norms." (The four cardinal directions and four intercardinal directions are called the Eight Norms, also known as the Eight Palaces.)

Huangdi said, "How is this monitored?"

Shaoshi said, "To monitor this, one usually observes on the day of Winter Solstice, when Tai Yi stands in the Ye Zhe Palace. Upon arrival, Heaven responds with wind and rain. Wind and rain coming from the south are Empty Winds (Xu Feng), which are harmful evil winds." (The meaning of 'Tai Yi' is seen in the previous chapter. Tai Yi standing in the Kan Palace with wind/rain from the south indicates the 'chong hou' direction, which is an Empty Wind harming people.) "If it arrives at midnight, all people are asleep and not exposed, so fewer people fall ill that year. If it arrives during the day, people are lazy and exposed to Empty Winds, so many people fall ill. Empty pathogens enter the bones but do not manifest externally. By Li Chun (Start of Spring), Yang Qi expands greatly, and couli open. If wind comes from the west on the day of Li Chun, people are again struck by Empty Winds. These two pathogens interact, causing stagnation and alternation in the meridians." (On Li Chun, the moon's construction is in the East, but wind from the West is also an Empty Wind. Struck by pathogens at Winter Solstice and again at Li Chun constitutes two pathogens. Pathogens lingering without departing are called 'stagnation' (Jie). The qi present is not the correct seasonal qi, so it is called 'alternation' (Dai). As stated in *Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun*: 'Injury by cold in winter leads to warm diseases in spring,' which is what this refers to.) "Therefore, those who encounter wind and rain are called 'meeting the Yearly Dew' (Sui Lu). If the year is harmonious with few evil winds, people have few illnesses and deaths; if the year has many evil winds and pathogenic factors, with discordant cold and heat, people suffer many illnesses and deaths." ('Sui Lu' refers to the concept of 'Lin Lu' in the previous chapter; 'Sui' encompasses time. The previous sections discussed Empty Winds harming people; this section discusses Evil Winds and Pathogenic Factors harming people, noting that years with excessive pathogenic qi lead to more illness.)

Huangdi said, "Regarding Empty Wind, how severe is the damage? How is it monitored?" (The following discusses annual prognostication, focusing on New Year's Day.)

Shaoshi replied, "On the first day of the first month (Zheng Yue Shuo Ri), Tai Yi resides in the Tian Liu Palace. If there is a northwestern wind without rain on that day, many people will die. On Zheng Yue Shuo Ri, if there is a north wind at dawn, many people will die in spring. If the north wind prevails at dawn on Zheng Yue Shuo Ri, three out of ten people will fall ill. If there is a north wind at noon on Zheng Yue Shuo Ri, many people will die in summer. If there is a north wind at dusk on Zheng Yue Shuo Ri, many people will die in autumn. If there is a north wind all day, six out of ten people will die from severe illness." (New Year's Day marks the beginning of Meng Chun and the initial generation of Qi. A strong north wind indicates Yin overcoming Yang, causing much harm.) "On Zheng Yue Shuo Ri, wind from the south is named 'Land of Drought'; wind from the west is named 'White Bones', predicting national calamity and mass death. Wind from the east on Zheng Yue Shuo Ri, overturning houses and scattering sand and stones, predicts major national disaster. Wind from the southeast on Zheng Yue Shuo Ri leads to deaths in spring." (Evil winds on New Year's Day are inauspicious; disasters vary by direction.) "On Zheng Yue Shuo Ri, if the weather is warm and windless, grain prices are low, and people are healthy; if cold and windy, grain prices are high, and people are sickly. This is how one monitors the yearly wind to predict harm." (The Qi of New Year's Day should be warm and clear for a auspicious year and public health. Winds from other directions are unsuitable. 'HT' is synonymous with 'Can' (remnant/damage).) "If there is no wind on Chou days in the second month, people suffer many heart and abdominal diseases. If it is not warm on Xu days in the third month, people suffer many cold-heat diseases. If it is not hot on Si days in the fourth month, people suffer many jaundice diseases. If it is not cold on Shen days in the tenth month, people suffer sudden death." (In the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th months, when Yang Qi is dominant, lack of wind on Chou days, warmth on Xu days, and heat on Si days indicate Yin prevailing and Yang failing to reach, causing illness. In the 10th month, when Yin Qi is dominant, lack of cold on Shen days indicates Yang prevailing and Yin failing to store, causing sudden death.) "The winds mentioned above are those capable of overturning houses, breaking trees, scattering sand and stones, raising body hair, and opening couli." (This explains that the winds mentioned earlier must be abnormally strong to be considered ominous; otherwise, they should not be generalized.)