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It is stated: In treating diseases, one must clearly understand the transformation and separate management of the Six Transformations (the six climatic factors: wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness, and fire), the dominion of the Five Flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty) and Five Colors (green, red, yellow, white, black), the suitability for the Zang organs, the operational numbers of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and the governing transformations of the Six Qi. Only then can one clarify the numbers of Yin and Yang and the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, Human). Therefore, what can be counted refers to the Yin and Yang within humans. However, those numbers that are combined can be deduced. The numbers of Yin and Yang can be extended to ten, and further to a hundred; they can reach a thousand, and further to ten thousand. Thus, the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth cannot be deduced merely by numbers, but must be understood through their manifestations (Xiang). The Classic states: The Qi of Dan Tian (Fire Qi) passes through Niu and Nu mansions and the Wu position; the Qi of Tian (Yang Qi) passes through Xin and Wei mansions and the Ji position; the Qi of Cang Tian (Wood Qi) passes through Wei, Shi, Liu, and Gui mansions; the Qi of Su Tian (Metal Qi) passes through Kang, Di, Ang, and Bi mansions; the Qi of Xuan Tian (Water Qi) passes through Zhang, Yi, Lou, and Wei mansions. The so-called Wu and Ji positions refer to Kui, Bi, Jiao, and Zhen mansions, which are the gates of Heaven and Earth. Therefore, by combining the first three sets of numbers with celestial phenomena, one can understand the high and low positions governed by the Six Qi throughout the year, the depth and shallow nature of the In-Fountain Qi regarding winning and retaliating changes, the similarities and differences in the left and right interstitial Qi, and the principles of excess and deficiency in the three periods (initial, middle, final). This allows one to distinguish the transformations of Heaven and Earth producing things, and the Qi suitability (appropriate treatment principles) for people's diseases.

The Classic states: When Taiyang (Cold-Water) governs from above (Si Tian), the yearly regimen should favor Bitter flavor to dry dampness and Warm nature to disperse cold; when Yangming (Dry-Metal) governs from above, it is suitable to use Pungent and Bitter flavors, employing methods of sweating, clearing heat, and dispersing, and also suitable to use Salty flavor; when Shaoyang (Ministerial-Fire) governs from above, the yearly regimen should favor Salty, Pungent, and Sour flavors, employing methods of渗利 (percolation/drainage), purging, soaking, and sweating, observing the cold and warmth of Qi to regulate its excess; when Taiyin (Damp-Earth) governs from above, it is suitable to use Bitter flavor to dry dampness and warm the center; for severe cases, employ sweating or purging methods. If neither sweating nor purging is used, dampness will overflow externally, leading to muscle ulceration, skin splitting, and the mixing of water and blood; when Shaoyin (Monarch-Fire) governs from above, the yearly regimen should favor Salty flavor to soften hardness or guide, and regulate the upper part; for severe cases, use Bitter flavor to disperse, and Sour flavor to astringe, to stabilize the lower part; for extreme cases, use Bitter flavor to purge heat; when Jueyin (Wind-Wood) governs from above, the yearly regimen should favor Pungent flavor to regulate the upper part and Salty flavor to regulate the lower part, necessarily breaking the stagnant Qi and first supporting its source of transformation. This is the method of "meeting and depriving" (Ying Er Duo Zhi) for ruling Qi. Therefore, it is said that when the Six Qi are in excess, when using Hot drugs, avoid the time of Hot Qi; when using Warm drugs, avoid the time of Warm Qi; when using Cold drugs, avoid the time of Cold Qi; when using Cool drugs, avoid the time of Cool Qi. Dietary adjustments should follow the same principle. This is the Dao of treatment.

Wang Bing's commentary states: If the cold is very severe in summer, one may use Hot drugs to confront the heat condition (referring to true cold/false heat or cold binding the exterior); if the cold is not severe, one should not offend the heat condition. If there is an Exterior syndrome, or an Interior syndrome, thus the method states: To release the exterior, do not stay far from Hot drugs; to attack the interior, do not stay far from Cold drugs. If one does not sweat or purge, yet offends with cold and heat, allowing cold and heat pathogens to invade and harm internally, the disease will become more severe. Therefore, do not generate what is absent, and do not exacerbate what is present. Not staying far from Hot drugs leads to Heat arriving; not staying far from Cold drugs leads to Cold arriving. When Cold arrives, diseases such as hard masses, abdominal pain, urgent diarrhea arise; when Heat arrives, diseases such as body fever, vomiting, cholera-like disorder, carbuncles, ulcers, mental cloudiness and depression, profuse diarrhea with convulsions, swelling, vomiting, epistaxis, headache, bone joint pain, muscle pain, hemorrhage, stranguria, and retention arise.

Wang Bing's commentary states: Eating without digestion, vomiting and diarrhea with fishy and foul odors, are also diseases of Cold. Sudden aphonia, coma, inability to recognize people, restlessness, agitation, mania, delirious speech, cursing, fright, and epilepsy are also diseases of Heat. Therefore, the Classic states: Do not lose faith in the seasons, do not go against the Qi suitability, do not assist the winning Qi, do not aid the retaliating Qi. This is called reaching the highest state. If one does not know this, cold and heat will invade internally, losing the harmony of Qi suitability. Because one does not understand the four seasons and five phases, one adds excessive overcoming, releasing pathogens to attack healthy Qi, cutting off human longevity. Medical skills not comprehending the classics serve as a warning for crude practitioners.

Therefore, the Six Qi govern the Nine Palaces from above, the Nine Origins in the middle, and the Nine Declarations below. When these three numbers are all understood, and host and guest Qi are distinguished separately, handling winning, retaliating, and excessive treatments, and suppressing the main diseases, considering the thickness and thinness of the yearly substances' flavors and natures, the Classic states: Flavors and natures have thickness and thinness; functions have activity and stillness; treatment preservation has more and less; power and transformation have shallow and deep levels. Thus, when Shaoyang is in the Fountain, Cold toxins do not arise; when Taiyang is in the Fountain, Heat toxins do not arise, because its Qi is specialized and its flavor is pure. When Shaoyin is in the Fountain, Cold toxins do not arise; when Taiyin is in the Fountain, Dryness toxins do not arise. This is referred to as Heavenly transformation and Earthly production. Thus, when Heavenly and Earthly Qi combine, the Six Sections divide, and all things are generated. The Classic states: Carefully observe the Qi suitability, do not miss the Pathogenesis. Pathogenesis refers to Cold, Summer-heat, Dryness, Dampness, Wind, and Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth. All diseases arise from here. Therefore, carefully examining the root of pathogenesis and obtaining the essence of treatment enables one to cure diseases. It is often the case that those who do not understand the suitability of the Six Qi and Five Phases, the application of thick and thin flavors, and the causes of human illness rarely achieve certain efficacy.