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(Su Wen, Chapter 74: The Most Essential and Demanding Treatise)
The Yellow Emperor asked: What is meant by the principle of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier in the formulation of prescriptions? Qibo replied: The drug that primarily treats the disease is called the sovereign (Jun, 君药, sovereign herb); the drug that assists the sovereign is called the minister (Chen, 臣药, minister herb); the drug that responds to the minister is called the courier (Shi, 使药, courier herb). This does not refer to the classification into upper, middle, and lower grades. (Treating the primary disease refers to the key medicine against the syndrome, hence it is called the sovereign. The sovereign herb is characterized by few types and heavy dosage, relying on it as the main force. Assisting the sovereign is called the minister, with slightly more types and lighter dosage, used to correct the deficiencies of the sovereign. Responding to the minister is called the courier, with flexible quantity and even lighter dosage, used as a guide for passage and direction. This is the meaning of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier, not the distinct hierarchy of good and bad as described in the upper, middle, and lower grades below. 'Courier' is pronounced with the departing tone.) The Yellow Emperor asked: What is meant by the three grades? Qibo replied: This is to clarify the distinction between good and bad properties. (Previously discussing prescription formulation referred to the system of prescribing, hence there is a distinction of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier; here discussing the three grades refers to the goodness or badness of drug properties, hence there is a difference among upper, middle, and lower. Shennong said: Upper-grade drugs serve as sovereigns, mainly nourishing life to correspond to Heaven; middle-grade drugs serve as ministers, mainly nourishing nature to correspond to Humanity; lower-grade drugs serve as assistants and couriers, mainly treating diseases to correspond to Earth. Therefore, in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), there is a division into upper, middle, and lower grades, which is what is meant by the distinction of good and bad.)

(Su Wen, Chapter 74: The Most Essential and Demanding Treatise; Chapter 75: The Great Administration of the Five Constants)
The Yellow Emperor asked: How are diseases situated internally and externally? Qibo replied: When pathology originates internally and manifests externally, regulate the interior; when pathology originates externally and invades internally, treat the exterior. (Su Wen, Chapter 74 states: When originating from within and affecting the outside, the interior is the root; when originating from outside and affecting the inside, the exterior is the root. By treating the root, recovery is inevitable.) If pathology originates internally and symptoms are severe externally, first regulate the interior and then treat the exterior; if pathology originates externally and symptoms are severe internally, first treat the exterior and then regulate the interior. (Although the branch symptoms are severe, treatment must address the root first, after which recovery is possible. This is the great method of treating diseases, hence it is said that treating diseases requires seeking the root.) If the interior and exterior do not affect each other, then treat the primary disease. (Interior and exterior not affecting each other means neither originating from the interior nor from the exterior; thus, one should only seek and treat the primary disease currently manifested. My commentary: This section embodies the concept of the Three Causes. As stated in the *Jin Gui Yu Han Yao Lue*: "A thousand calamities do not exceed three categories": First, pathogens entering meridians and organs constitute the internal cause; second, blockage and transmission in blood vessels of limbs and orifices constitute the external cause affecting the skin; third, injuries from intercourse, metal blades, insects, and beasts. Thus, Chen Wuzhe in his *San Yin Fang* (Formulas of the Three Causes) stated there are internal causes, external causes, and causes neither internal nor external. This originates from Zhang Zhongjing's three categories, whose theory actually derives from this text. Zhu, pronounced Changzhen qie, refers to disease.)
The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent. How exactly are diseases situated internally and externally? (The following content originates from the same chapter as before, but since the previous inquiry was answered with the principle of root and branch, this repeated question aims to elucidate the details of yin-yang treatment methods.) Qibo replied: In formulas for regulating Qi, one must distinguish yin and yang, determine the location as interior or exterior, and adhere strictly to their respective regions. Internal diseases are treated internally, external diseases are treated externally. Mild conditions are regulated, moderate conditions are pacified, and severe conditions are subdued. Methods include sweating and purging. For cold, heat, warmth, and coolness, reduce them according to their nature, acting according to what is beneficial. (Formula refers to method. The way of yin and yang relates to all aspects of diagnosis, pulse reading, and medication, so they must be carefully distinguished. Interior and exterior refer to deep and superficial levels. Regulating mild conditions means harmonizing slight cold with warmth and slight heat with coolness. Pacifying moderate conditions means using heat to balance significant cold and cold to balance significant heat. Subduing severe conditions means attacking and removing severe pathogens, such as inducing sweat for severe exterior pathogenesis and purging for severe interior pathogenesis. Whether cold, heat, warm, or cool treatments are appropriate, one should seek their corresponding nature to reduce the pathogen, simply acting according to what is beneficial. You refers to 'where'. Bie, pronounced Bilie qie.) By diligently following the Dao and these methods, every action will be successful, Qi and Blood will remain balanced, and one may long enjoy natural lifespan. (If one is diligent in the Dao and conforms to the methods, actions will be appropriate, and natural lifespan can be perpetuated.) The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent.
The Yellow Emperor asked: What should be done if the disease is located internally, yet feels neither solid nor firm, appearing and disappearing intermittently? Qibo replied: Your question is indeed thorough. For cases without accumulation, seek the deficient Zang organ; if deficient, tonify it. (Su Wen, Chapter 75 states: Accumulation is a tangible disease. If accumulation exists internally, it would be firm and unscattered. Since it is neither firm nor solid and appears and disappears, it is known that there is no accumulation. Disease located internally without accumulation indicates deficiency of the Zang organs. Therefore, one should follow the location of the disease, identify the affected Zang organ, and tonify it. When Zang Qi is充盈 (full/abundant), the disease will naturally settle.) Use herbs to dispel the pathogen, use food to follow up with nourishment, use water immersion to promote circulation, harmonize the interior and exterior, and the disease can be cured. (Using herbs to dispel removes the disease. Using food to follow up nourishes Qi. Water immersion promotes meridian flow. With such measures, the interior and exterior will harmonize, and the disease can be resolved. Dispelling does not mean aggressive attack; any removal of disease can be termed dispelling. Zi, pronounced Zisi qie, refers to soaking/washing.)