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Uncle Fang contracted a seasonal pestilence in autumn, presenting with mental restlessness and chest oppression, vomiting and diarrhea, muscle spasms, retraction of the scrotum, coldness of the hands and feet, and a faint pulse. This indicates the pathogen has sunk into the Jueyin (Jueyin Meridian Disease) channel. He was prescribed Liuhe Tang (Six-Harmony Decoction), with Faba Bean (Faba Bean Seed) and Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) removed, and added with Evodia Fruit (Evodiae Fructus) and roasted ginger. After the vomiting and diarrhea ceased and the extremities warmed, he suddenly developed spasms, stiffness of the neck and back, occasional opisthotonos (backward arching of the body), coldness extending from the head and face to the chest and back, irritability with a desire for iced beverages, closed eyes, clear consciousness but inability to speak. This occurred because severe depletion of True Yin followed vomiting and diarrhea, causing rebellious Jue Qi to ascend, leading to disharmony between Yin and Yang, and deficiency wind entering the collaterals, thus manifesting as severe spasm and syncope. Although the spirit remained unconfused, Kidney Water was nearly exhausted and slight Yang was on the verge of collapse. Desperately, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ginseng Root) (2 qian) and Prepared Aconite Lateral Root (Prepared Aconite Root) (3 fen) were used to restore Yang; Angelica Sinensis Radix (Angelica Root) (2 qian) and White Peony Root (White Peony Root) (3 qian) to nourish Yin; Ophiopogon Tuber (Ophiopogon Tuber) (1.5 qian) and Schisandra Berry (Schisandra Fruit) (4 fen) to generate fluids; Quince Fruit (Quince Fruit) and Uncaria Ramulus cum Uncis (Uncaria Stem with Hook) (each 1.5 qian) to relax sinews; Poria Cocos (Poria) and Polygala Tenuifolia Radix (Polygala Root) (each 2 qian) to calm the spirit. After administration, Yang returned and irritability settled; after two more doses, all symptoms receded.

Hong Kong Foot (Foot Qi / Beriberi) is an obstructive disease, mostly caused by dampness accumulation, as described in the classics as "slow wind-damp bi syndrome." Limb weakness is termed slow wind, while fixed pain is termed damp bi. However, etiologies include wind-damp, cold-damp, heat-damp, Jue rebellion, and attacking migration. Li Dongyuan stated that the South is prone to cold-damp invasion, while the North is prone to heat-damp injury. The *Qianjin Fang* directly attributes it to wind-toxin invasion due to sitting or standing on wet ground, allowing wind-damp to invade meridians, skin, and flesh, resulting in Hong Kong Foot. Initially subtle and unnoticed, it suddenly presents with foot flexion and weakness, immobility, swelling or non-swelling, numbness and bi-sensation, flaccidity, or contracture. Onset may involve generalized body pain and high fever resembling Taiyang disease, or insensibility of the lower abdomen, abdominal pain with diarrhea, constipation, palpitations with confusion, vomiting with tendon contraction. Since the disease originates in the feet, whether swollen or emaciated, it should be treated as Hong Kong Foot, not using formulas for Taiyang or other exterior diseases. If there is numbness and insensibility of the lower abdomen without foot swelling, and vomiting occurs three days later, this indicates the pathogen has entered the Heart, signaling imminent death. This represents Kidney Water overcoming Heart Fire. Zhu Danxi treated this with Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) minus Dioscorea Rhizome (Dioscoreae Rhizoma). Later practitioners classified swollen cases as Damp Hong Kong Foot, requiring damp-draining and wind-dispelling; non-swollen cases as Dry Hong Kong Foot, requiring blood-nourishing and dryness-moistening, where "dry" implies heat. The general principle is to dredge the obstruction. For Qi stagnation, use Bing Su San (Betel Nut and Perilla Powder) or Si Qi Tang (Four-Seven Decoction). For Food stagnation, use Zhi Huang Tang (Immature Bitter Orange and Rhubarb Decoction). For Wind predominance (spontaneous sweating, wandering pain, floating-wiry pulse), use Yue Bi Jia Bai Zhu Tang (Ma Huang Decoction plus Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome). For Cold predominance (no sweating, cramping pain, deep-choppy pulse), administer Niu Xi Wan (Cyathula Root Pill) with wine. For Summerheat predominance (fever, thirst, irritability, surging-rapid pulse), use Qing Shu Yi Qi Tang (Clear Summerheat and Benefit Qi Decoction). For Damp predominance (swelling, heaviness, soggy-fine pulse), use Chu Shi Tang (Remove Dampness Decoction). For Cold-Damp predominance (numbness, weakness, fine-slow pulse), use Hu Lu Ba Wan (Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Seed Pill). For severe heat, use Jia Wei Cang Bai San (Modified Cangbai Powder). For severe swelling, use Sheng Shi Bing Zi (Dampness-Overcoming Cake) or Sang Bai Pi San (Mulberry Root Bark Powder). For initial onset with generalized pain, joint swelling, and bowel/bladder obstruction, first use Qiang Huo Dao Zhi Tang (Notopterygium Rhizome and Root Decoction to Guide Out Stagnation), then Dang Gui Nian Tong San (Angelica Sinensis Radix and Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizoma Powder to Remove Pain). For severe wind-toxin (headache, fever, joint pain, unilateral leg weakness), use Xiao Xu Ming Tang (Minor Continuation Brightness Decoction) plus Quince Fruit. For Heat-toxin in the Three Yang channels affecting the ankle (redness, swelling, pain, alternating chills and fever like malaria), use Bai Du San (Defeat Toxin Powder) plus Atractylodes Rhizome (Atractylodis Rhizoma). For Cold-damp in the Three Yin channels adhering to the shank and knee (emaciation, pale complexion, lower abdominal insensibility, abdominal cramping, wheezing), use Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) plus Aquilaria Wood (Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum). For pathogen entering the abdomen and rushing to the chest threatening collapse, use Qian Jin Ban Xia Tang (Thousand Gold Pinellia Decoction). For pathogen entering the hypochondrium forming a mass, use Shan Mu Jie Tang (Chinese Fir Node Decoction). For Foot Qi rushing to the Heart (rebellious fire Qi), use Jin Ling Zi San (Melia Toosendan Fruit Powder) plus Phellodendron Bark (Phellodendri Cortex); additionally, apply Prepared Aconite Lateral Root (Prepared Aconite Root) powder mixed with saliva to Yongquan (KI 1). For chest fullness and pain with urinary/fecal retention, use Chen Xiang Dao Qi Tang (Aquilaria Wood Guiding Qi Decoction). For abdominal distension and wheezing, use Su Zi Jiang Qi Tang (Perilla Fruit Descending Qi Decoction) assisted by Yang Zheng Dan (Nourish Righteousness Pill). For vomiting and nausea, use Ping Wei San (Peaceful Stomach Powder) plus Aucklandia Root (Aucklandiae Radix). For calf cramps, rub the sole of the foot with garlic until warm to relieve; subsequently consume one clove of garlic soaked in cold water. For rebellious Qi and descending failure of turbid dampness, use Mu Yu Tang (Cornus and Evodia Decoction). For Kidney Qi deficiency with difficult urination, use Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill from Golden Cabinet). For Qi and Blood deficiency with difficulty bending/extending, use Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang (Angelica Pubescens Root and Taxillus Decoction) or Qiang Huo Xu Duan Tang (Notopterygium Rhizome and Root and Dipsacus Root Decoction). For wandering pain unbearable in Hong Kong Foot, use Zhuo Hu Dan (Tiger-Catching Elixir). For bone/joint swelling and pain, use Wu Jia Pi Wan (Eleutherococcus Bark Pill). For tight leg tendons, use Zhu Gen Tang (Boehmeria Root Decoction). For rebellious Qi attacking upwards with constipation, use San Jiang Jun Wan (Three Generals Pill). For abdominal distension and wheezing, take 2 qian of Clematis Root (Clematis Root and Rhizome) powder with wine. For foot swelling turning into sores, use Shen's Hong Kong Foot Decoction. For damp sores with insect-like itching, burn sugarcane dregs to ash, mix with raw pork fat, apply externally, and wrap with oil paper. For ankle infiltration forming fistulas, apply Indigo Naturalis Processed Product (Processed Halitum) powder to the opening. This condition strictly forbids sexual intercourse and consumption of beef, mutton, chicken, duck, fish, meat, green onion, garlic, alcohol, and wheat noodles; violation leads to chronic stubborn disease. Li Dongyuan stated that Hong Kong Foot stems from water-dampness, having two origins: Southern low-lying dampness invading deficiency from outside (exogenous); Northern excessive consumption of dairy and alcohol impairing Spleen/Stomach transformation, causing water-damp to sink (endogenous generating exogenous manifestation). Hong Kong Foot with shank swelling is an obstructive disease, requiring draining and descending; too much damages Spleen, too little fails to remove disease. In the South, large legs are common lifelong conditions; initial treatment uses Bin Lang Tang (Areca Seed Decoction) or Xiang Su San (Aucklandia and Perilla Powder), adding Areca Seed (Areca Seed) and Tangerine Peel (Citrus Reticulatae Pericarpium) to circulate Qi and prevent obstruction. Once obstruction forms, use Bian (Stone Needling) to expel evil blood before administering medicine.

The *Qianjin* treatise states: Hong Kong Foot differs in cold and heat, corresponding to the Three Yin and Three Yang channels. Cold invading Three Yang results in cold pathology; Summerheat invading Three Yin results in heat pathology. Spleen affected by Yang toxin causes hot numbness/bi; Kidney affected by Yin dampness causes cold bi.

The *Huo Ren Shu* states: It is a major medical taboo to use tonifying medicines or herbal washes for Hong Kong Foot, as this forces pathogens into the meridians.

The *Yi Tong* states: For Hong Kong Foot patients who took excessive tonics and developed urinary retention, use Ginger-processed Gardenia Fruit (Gardeniae Fructus), Wood Vetch Root (Akebia Caulis), Red Peony Root (Red Peony Root), Red Poria (Red Poria), Angelica Sinensis Radix (Angelica Root), and Licorice Root Tip (Licorice Root Tip), decocted and taken frequently. For generalized swelling, wheezing, and irritability, use Mu Tong San (Akebia Caulis Powder). For pathogen ascending to the lower abdomen with insensibility, use Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill).

Generally, Hong Kong Foot arises from summer-dampness, so swelling and pain usually indicate heat-damp. Cases complicated by cold or wind should be treated according to the Six Excesses based on spring/summer etiologies. Emaciation with heat indicates Yin deficiency; thinness with cold indicates Yang deficiency. These should be treated according to their specific patterns.