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(Su Wen: Yi Jing Bian Qi Lun, with appendices on Zhuyou and Ghosts/Spirits)

The Yellow Emperor asked: I have heard that in ancient times, to treat diseases, one only needed to shift the spirit and change the qi, using the method of Zhuyou (incantation therapy); but in today's world, people use internal medicine and external acupuncture/stone therapy. Some recover, some do not. Why is this?

(In the ancient times of complete virtue, evil pathogens could not invade, so for any disease, only Zhuyou was used, because the illness was not severe and treatment was easy. Wang Bing said: 'Yi' means to shift/change; 'Bian' means to alter. Both aim to prevent evil from harming the righteous qi, allowing the spirit to become strong again and remain internally guarded. According to the thirteen departments of medical practice in our dynasty: Da Fang Mai (Internal Medicine), Xiao Fang Mai (Pediatrics), Fu Ren (Gynecology), Shang Han (Cold Damage), Chuang Ji (Dermatology/Sores), Zhen Jiu (Acupuncture and Moxibustion), Yan (Ophthalmology), Kou Chi (Stomatology/Dentistry), Yan Hou (Otolaryngology), Jie Gu (Orthopedics/Traumatology), Jin Zu (Surgery/Arrowheads), An Mo (Massage), and Zhu You (Incantation Therapy). Today, Massage and Zhuyou have lost their transmission, remaining only among the folk. 'Zhu' is pronounced as 'zhi jiu qie'.)

Qibo replied: In ancient times, people lived among birds and beasts. They moved about to avoid cold and dwelled in shady places to avoid heat. Internally, they had no burdens of attachment or longing; externally, they had no forms of servitude or official striving. This was an era of tranquility and emptiness, where evil could not penetrate deeply. Therefore, internal medicine was not needed, nor were needles and stones. Thus, shifting the spirit and using Zhuyou sufficed. (Ancient people lived in nests or caves, hence living among beasts. Movement generates yang warmth, thus avoiding cold. Dwelling in shade seeks coolness and avoids heat, thus avoiding summer heat. 'Shen' refers to physical exertion; 'Huan' refers to the burden of fame and profit. With no internal attachments and no external pursuits, it is called an era of tranquility and emptiness. Tranquility preserves innate truth and solidifies qi and blood, preventing evil entry. Hence, no need for drugs or needles/stones; simply Zhuyou can shift and transform essence and qi to cure the disease. 'Zhu' is synonymous with 'Zhou' (curse/incantation); 'You' refers to the origin of the disease. Hence, Zhuyou. Wang Bing said: Reciting the causes of the disease eliminates the need for needles and stones.)

Today's world is different. Worries and anxieties trouble the interior; bitter labor damages the exterior. Furthermore, people fail to follow the four seasons, violating the appropriateness of cold and heat. Treacherous winds arrive frequently; empty evils (deficient pathogens) come morning and night. Penetrating inward to the five zang organs and bone marrow, and outwardly injuring the orifices, skin, and muscles, minor illnesses inevitably worsen, and major illnesses inevitably lead to death. Therefore, Zhuyou cannot cure them.

The Emperor said: Excellent. (Internal injury to the five zang and external violation of the four seasons result in damage to both interior and exterior, making the disease severe, thus Zhuyou is ineffective. 'Shuo' is pronounced 'shuo'. 'Kong' is the same as 'Kong' [hole/orifice]. My commentary: Zhuyou involves talismans, spells, and exorcisms. Using talismans to treat disease—how can this be anything other than ghosts and spirits? Thus, in the *Ze Feng* chapter: The Emperor asked: Those who encounter no pathogenic factors and have no fright or mental agitation, yet suddenly fall ill—what is the cause? Is it solely due to matters of ghosts and spirits? Qibo answered: There are also residual old pathogens lingering without manifesting. When combined with mental aversion or longing, causing internal chaos of qi and blood, and the struggle between righteous and evil qi, the origin is subtle, invisible, and inaudible, hence resembling ghosts and spirits. The Emperor asked again: Why can those treated by Zhuyou be cured? Qibo answered: Ancient shamans knew the mutual overcoming of the hundred diseases and understood their origins beforehand, allowing them to be cured by Zhuyou. These few sentences exhaust the principles of Zhuyou and ghosts/spirits. Let me elaborate further. 'Resembling ghosts/spirits' means appearing so but not being so. 'Aversion and longing' mean ghosts are born from the mind. 'Knowing the overcoming and the origin, thus curable by Zhuyou' means seeking the cause of illness and dispelling the 'ghosts' in the heart. Why? The seven emotions arise from likes and dislikes. If likes/dislikes are biased, qi becomes aggregated. Aggregation leads to victory/defeat dynamics, confusing the spirit and will. Once the spirit/will is biased, evil occupies it, and ghosts are born in the heart. Thus, what one hates appears; what one loves appears; what one doubts appears; what one fears appears. This applies not only to waking life but also to dreams. This is 'mental aversion and external longing, causing internal qi chaos, thus resembling ghosts/spirits.'

Furthermore, if spiritual energy loses its post, inviting evil, as discussed in *Bu Yi Ci Fa*: When human qi is deficient, the spirit wanders and loses its post, allowing evil ghosts to interfere externally. For example, if liver qi is deficient and the Jueyin year qi is insufficient, White Corpse Ghosts attack; if heart qi is deficient and Fire year qi is insufficient, Black Corpse Ghosts attack; if spleen qi is deficient and Taiyin year qi is insufficient, Green Corpse Ghosts attack; if lung qi is deficient and Yangming year qi is insufficient, Red Corpse Ghosts attack; if kidney qi is deficient and Taiyang year qi is insufficient, Yellow Corpse Ghosts attack. It is not just Corpse Ghosts; all evil invasions occur because the spirit has lost its post. This describes righteous qi deficiency leading to evil dominance, generating the Five Ghosts, known as 'old pathogens,' and relating to 'knowing the overcoming of diseases.' As Guan Yinzi said: If the heart is obscured by fortune/misfortune, Spirit Ghosts seize it; if obscured by lust, Lust Ghosts seize it; if obscured by sorrow, Depressing Ghosts seize it; if obscured by indulgence, Wild Ghosts seize it; if obscured by oaths, Strange Ghosts seize it; if obscured by drugs, Material Ghosts seize it. This means when the mind focuses on something, the spirit finds a foothold. If this foothold is不正 (unrighteous), evil ghosts arise. This is 'knowing the origin of the disease.' Once the root is found, treatment methods exist. By observing aversion, longing, victory/defeat, and origin, Zhuyou will be effective.

For instance, Wang Zhongyang treated a woman suspected of her husband's infidelity, leading to mental confusion and madness. Medicines helped slightly but did not fully resolve it. He secretly arranged for someone to pretend another woman died suddenly, evoking pity. The patient felt relieved, and the illness cured. Though not a shaman, this removed her aversion. Similarly, Han Shiliang treated a daughter who loved her mother deeply. After marriage, the mother died, and grief caused illness resistant to medicine. Han said: This stems from excessive thinking; medicine won't work easily. Use technique. He bribed a female shaman with secret words. One day, the husband told his wife: "You miss your mother so much; does she miss you in the underworld? I am going away; why not ask the shaman?" The wife agreed. The shaman performed rituals, and the mother's spirit descended. Her mannerisms resembled her life. The daughter wept bitterly. The 'mother' scolded her: "Stop crying! Your life overcomes mine, causing my early death. My death is your fault. Now in the underworld, I seek revenge. Your illness is my doing. Alive, we were mother and son; dead, we are enemies." Hearing this, the daughter became angry: "My mother harmed me while sick. What joy was there in missing her?" The illness cured. This removed her longing.

As stated in *Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun*: Anger injures the Liver; Grief overcomes Anger. Joy injures the Heart; Fear overcomes Joy. Pensive worry injures the Spleen; Anger overcomes Worry. Sorrow injures the Lungs; Joy overcomes Sorrow. Fear injures the Kidneys; Thought overcomes Fear. This uses emotional overcoming to control pathology. *Wai Tai Mi Yao* records Zhuyou. Danxi noted: Talisman water clears upper-jiao phlegm-heat like cold water clears stomach heat, effective for such cases. But for internal deficiency or winter cold, swallowing talisman water damages stomach qi, often causing harm. This uses cold to overcome heat. Recently, malaria patients treated with talismans often recovered. Why? Mild malaria occurs once daily, located in the Shaoyang Gallbladder channel (half-exterior, half-interior). During the struggle between righteous and evil qi, talismanic suppression gives the Gallbladder qi support, allowing righteousness to prevail and the disease to retreat. This borrows opposing qi to shift the righteous-evil dynamic.

I once treated a young bride whose stomach was invaded by heat, causing her to believe she was possessed, acting violently and wildly. The family wanted a shaman. I refused, saying I could cure her. I had assistants shout loudly to startle her qi, then entered solemnly. She sat disheveled, staring blankly. I glared fiercely at her. After a long stare, she blushed, looked fearful, and hid. I ordered her searched out; she dared not emerge. I administered Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction). All evil retreated. This used dignity to overcome irreverence and cold-natured herbs to overcome pathogenic fire.

I also treated a scholar who, after Cold Damage, lacked Lung (Metal) and Kidney (Water) qi. At noon, he sighed: "I studied Confucianism all my life, harming no one. Why does a white-bearded man in plain clothes holding a fan watch me for three days? It must be karmic debt." I laughed: "Is he holding a white paper fan?" He startled: "Do you see him too?" I explained the *Ci Fa Lun* concept of spirit losing its post and Five Ghosts interfering. I reasoned: "Your Lung qi is deficient, causing white spots in vision, hence seeing the White Ghost. Kidney deficiency causes black spots, leading to Black Ghosts. These are manifestations of organ colors due to righteous qi deficiency and unanchored spirit, not karmic debt." He rejoiced: "Wonderful logic! I still see a Black Ghost beside my bed. I fear it not but dislike it. Your explanation relieves me." He took tonics for Lung and Kidney and recovered. This addressed the origin with subtle words. Such cases show ghosts are mind-generated, not actual spirits, hence 'resembling ghosts.' However, since the ghost is in the mind, medicines/acupuncture may fail, requiring Zhuyou. If practitioners followed Qibo's wisdom, their efficacy would be miraculous, justifying its place in the thirteen departments, unlike modern charlatans. Refer to Disease Category 31 for *Ze Feng* context.

Note: Ghosts/spirits seem vague, yet the *I Ching* states: "Essence and qi form objects; wandering souls create changes," revealing their nature. Confucius said: "The virtue of ghosts and spirits is great!" Thus, their way cannot be ignored. The *Zhou Li* appointed Da Zhu (Great Shaman) to manage six types of incantations for spirits, praying for blessings and longevity. Commentary: 'Zhu' honors the spirit's name. Male shamans invoked auspiciousness and dismissed calamities in spring to remove disease. Female shamans managed inner sacrifices, performing Zhao (summoning), Geng (blocking), Rang (expiating), and Mi (dispelling) rites to remove disasters. Thus, ancient sages did not abandon shamans, using them to express sincerity, communicate with spirits, and eliminate disaster, aligning with ancient Zhuyou intent. Methods survive for mild conditions like elbow plague, fishbone choking, evil influences, or mental disorders. However, for serious internal deficiency or external excess, abandoning proper medicine for虚无 (emptiness/nihilism) leads to error. Regrettably, fraudsters exploit ghosts/spirits for deception. Modern people, unaware of Zhuyou's specific indications, blindly rely on it, leading to false prophecies, delayed medical treatment, ingestion of harmful talisman water, or psychological disturbance. What aims to cure ends up harming; what aims to expel ghosts invites them. The harm is immense. Such people risk ridicule by genuine shamans. Thus: "One bound by ghosts cannot discuss supreme virtue." And: "Trusting shamans over doctors is one of the untreatable conditions." Alas! Humans live on earth, fate hangs in heaven. Spirits, relying on heaven's virtue and yin-yang functions, cannot violate heaven's mandate for private gain. How could they enjoy flattery and prayers to avert disaster? Confucius said: "To offend Heaven, there is no prayer." And: "Revere ghosts and spirits but keep them at a distance." This is my understanding of Zhuyou. May those engaged in this field heed my humble remarks. See Risk Factor Category Chapter 44 for further notes.)