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"Qi" (strange/unusual) refers to the abnormal, indicating that such diseases cannot be treated according to the regular meridians. There are ten cases in total, each with profound significance, and they should be observed separately.

The Yellow Emperor asked: A person is pregnant ("Chongshen", carrying a fetus), and at the ninth month becomes aphonic ("Yin", unable to speak). What is the cause of this? (Note: At nine months of pregnancy, the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian nourishes the fetus.) Qibo replied: The collateral vessels of the uterus ("Baogong") are obstructed. (Note: "Jue" here does not mean severed, but rather tense or constricted. It refers to the collateral vessels connecting the uterus. By the ninth month, the body becomes heavy, causing these collaterals to become tense and blocked.) The Emperor asked: Why do you say so? Qibo said: The uterine collaterals are connected to the Kidney. The Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian passes through the Kidney and connects to the root of the tongue; therefore, speech is impaired. The Emperor asked: How should it be treated? Qibo said: No treatment is needed; it will recover after the tenth month. (Note: After delivery in the tenth month, the uterine collaterals reopen, the Kidney meridian nourishes the tongue root again, and speech returns to normal.)

The Emperor asked: A person suffers from fullness under the costal margin and rebellious Qi for two or three years without relief. What disease is this? Qibo said: This disease is named "Xi Ji" (Accumulation of Breath/Qi). It does not affect eating, and moxibustion and acupuncture are contraindicated. It requires long-term guidance exercises ("Daoyin") and herbal medicine; herbs alone cannot cure it. (Since the Qi stagnation is not in the Stomach, eating is unaffected. Moxibustion would generate internal heat, transforming Qi into Wind; acupuncture would drain the meridians, leading to deficiency and collapse. Thus, neither is suitable. Long-term Daoyin can promote Qi flow, and herbs can resolve internal stasis. Relying solely on herbs is insufficient. Note: "Xi" refers to breath. Years of persistence imply a specific etiology. Generally, this is either Liver injury from frustration or Yin deficiency with Yang floating. Improper treatment leads to stagnation in the meridians. This condition resembles asthma but is not, and distension but is not true distension.)

The Emperor asked: A person has swelling in the thighs and calves, with pain encircling the navel. What disease is this? Qibo said: This disease is named "Fu Liang" (Hidden Beam). It is rooted in Wind pathogen. The Qi overflows into the Large Intestine and adheres to the "Huang" (Sanjiao membrane/epigastrium). The source of the Huang is below the navel, hence the pain encircling it. (Note: There are two types of Fu Liang; one is an accumulation of the Heart. Wind is an external pathogen, yet it has a root because it enters from outside and lodges around the navel. Pain often relates to Wood/Wind. "Bi" refers to the thigh bone; "Gu" to the thigh; "Heng" to the shin bone.) This condition must not be aggressively treated ("Dong"), or it will lead to difficult urination. (The Chong Mai originates below the Kidney, emerges at Qichong, and its ascending branch rises from the uterus, passing through Guanyuan below the navel. Aggressive treatment disrupts water metabolism. Note: This parallels the discussion in *Fu Zhong Lun*. Wind causes general edema. Entering the Fu organs, specifically the Large Intestine (paired with Lung), causes periumbilical pain. Since the area below the navel corresponds to the Bladder, purgatives are contraindicated unlike other edemas. For this case, if the patient is deficient with open pores allowing Wind invasion, use light dispersing herbs like Jingjie and Jiegeng for the exterior, and Sangbaipi, Xingren, Digupi, and Guizhi for the interior to unblock Lung and Large Intestine Qi, thereby uprooting the Wind.)

The Emperor asked: A person has a rapid pulse at the Chi position, with visible tendon tension. What disease is this? Qibo said: This is called "Zhen Jin" (Rash Tendon). The abdomen will necessarily be tight. If white or black colors appear on the face, the disease worsens. (The Chi position reflects the abdomen; thus, Chi pulse tension indicates abdominal tightness. Facial color changes: White and Black both indicate Cold; their appearance signifies severe disease. Note: Chi corresponds to Kidney/Water; Liver/Wood governs tendons. Rapid Chi pulse indicates Water deficiency failing to nourish Wood, causing tendon and abdominal tension. White represents Metal (Lung) overcoming Wood; Black represents Kidney pathology. Hence, severe disease.)

The Emperor asked: A person suffers from headache for many years without relief. How did this occur? What is the name of the disease? Qibo said: It results from exposure to severe Cold, which penetrated to the bone marrow. Marrow is dominated by the Brain. Cold rebels upward to the Brain, causing headache and toothache. This disease is named "Jue Ni" (Rebellious Counterflow). The Emperor said: Excellent! (Note: The Brain is the Sea of Marrow. Severe Cold entering the marrow travels from the branches to the root, rebelling to the Brain. Teeth are the surplus of bones; cold in bones causes toothache. Treatment should involve warm herbs like Guizhi, Fuzi, and Xixin. Mistaking this for Heat and using cooling herbs is a major error.)

The Emperor asked: A person complains of a sweet taste in the mouth. What is the disease? How is it acquired? Qibo said: This is the overflow of the Five Qi, named "Pi Dan" (Spleen Heat/Damp-Heat). (Dan means heat. Spleen heat affects the four Zang organs, causing Qi overflow. Etiology is Spleen heat.) Flavors enter the Stomach; the Spleen transports the essence. Fluids remain in the Spleen, causing sweetness in the mouth. (Note: The mouth opens to food and corresponds to the Spleen. The Spleen transports fluids. Excess fluids in the Spleen create internal Damp-Heat, overflowing to the mouth as sweetness.) This arises from rich and fatty foods. Frequent consumption of sweet and fatty foods generates internal heat and middle-jiao fullness. Qi overflows, potentially transforming into Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst). Treatment uses Orchid Rhizome ("Lan") to remove stale accumulation. (Note: Meat generates heat; sweets cause stagnation and fullness. Prolonged accumulation leads to Fire blazing and Water drying, resulting in Wasting-Thirst. Lan is mild; it gradually removes accumulation. Preventing this prevents transformation into Wasting-Thirst. Note: "Fa" in Tai Su is "Zhi". "Xiao Dan" in Jia Yi Jing is synonymous with Xiao Ke.)

The Emperor asked: A person has a bitter taste in the mouth. What is the disease? How is it acquired? Qibo said: This disease is named "Dan Dan" (Gallbladder Heat). (Dan means heat. Gallbladder juice is bitter, hence the bitter taste.) The Liver is the General; decisions depend on the Gallbladder. The throat serves as the conduit. (Note: Liver houses strategy; Gallbladder houses decision. They are paired. Indecision leads to Gallbladder deficiency, causing Qi to overflow and bitterness in the mouth. Treatment targets the Gallbladder Mu and Shu points. Note: Mu points are on the chest/abdomen; Shu points are on the back. Gallbladder Mu is Qimen; Shu is Dashu.)

The Emperor asked: A person suffers from Long (difficulty urinating), urinating dozens of times a day, indicating deficiency. The body is hot as charcoal, the neck and chest feel rigid/blocking, the Renying pulse is restless and vigorous, with wheezing and rebellious Qi, indicating excess. The Taiyin pulse is fine as a hair, indicating deficiency. Where is the disease? What is its name? (Note: Long implies frequent, difficult urination. Neck/chest rigidity implies blockage in the throat/chest. Renying vigor indicates strong Stomach pulse. Taiyin fineness indicates weak Lung pulse.) Qibo said: The disease is in the Taiyin, the excess is in the Stomach, and it significantly involves the Lung. The disease is named "Jue", and it is a fatal, untreatable condition. This is the "Five Excesses and Two Deficiencies." The Emperor asked: Explain. Qibo said: Five excesses refer to five excess pathogenic factors; two deficiencies refer to two deficient vital energies. With external excess and internal deficiency, the disease is neither purely exterior nor interior, making it clearly fatal. (Note: Five Excesses: 1. Body hot as charcoal, 2. Neck/chest rigidity, 3. Renying pulse vigorous, 4. Wheezing, 5. Rebellious Qi. Two Deficiencies: 1. Long/frequent urination, 2. Taiyin pulse fine as hair. Since exterior signs suggest excess but interior signs suggest deficiency, and vice versa, tonification and sedation are impossible. "Jue" here means exhaustion/collapse of Qi and Blood, leading to contradictory symptoms and death.)

The Emperor asked: A person is born with Dian Ji (Head/Epilepsy disease). What is it? How is it acquired? Qibo said: This is named "Tai Bing" (Fetal Disease). It was acquired in the womb when the mother suffered great fright. Qi rose and did not descend, causing Essence and Qi to congregate, leading the child to develop Dian Ji. (Note: "Dian" likely refers to epilepsy ("Dian") rather than just the vertex. Congenital epilepsy exists. Maternal fright causes Qi rebellion, affecting the fetus. If it were merely vertex pain/swelling, fright would not be the cause, nor would it be considered a "strange" disease requiring inquiry.)

The Emperor asked: A person has facial swelling resembling water retention. The pulse is large and tight. The body has no pain, the form is not emaciated, but they cannot eat and eat little. What is the disease? (Note: "Ran" describes swollen, discolored face. Large/Tight pulse indicates Qi excess and Cold. Internal Cold without typical symptoms warrants inquiry.) Qibo said: The disease originates in the Kidney and is named "Ren Feng" (Kidney Wind). If Ren Feng patients cannot eat, are prone to fright, and subsequently suffer from Wei (atrophy/flaccidity) of Heart Qi, they will die. The Emperor said: Excellent! (Note: Mild Ren Feng with poor appetite is treatable. Inability to eat plus fright indicates Wood overacting on Earth. Subsequent Heart Qi failure means Fire cannot generate Earth, leading to certain death.)