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Fang (方) means comparison. Shengshuai (盛衰, Excess and Deficiency) refers to the Qi of Yin and Yang. This passage discusses inquiring about the excess and deficiency of the two Qi of Yin and Yang and comparing them. However, while the preceding text introduced the discussion of excess and deficiency as a premise, the latter half also covers diagnostic methods.

Leigong asked: Regarding the quantity of Qi, which conditions are Ni (逆, Rebellious/Abnormal) and which are Cong (从, Following/Normal)? The Yellow Emperor answered: Yang Qi originates from the left, and Yin Qi originates from the right. (The quantity of Yang Qi all stems from the left, and the quantity of Yin Qi all stems from the right; following this order is Shun (顺, Smooth/Normal), and opposing it is Ni (逆, Rebellious/Abnormal). The *Da Liao Lun* states: "Left and right are the pathways of Yin and Yang.") For the elderly, normalcy follows from above; for the young, normalcy follows from below. (The elderly have declining Stomach Qi, so Qi moving upward is normal; the young have strong desires, so Qi moving downward is normal.) Therefore, in Spring and Summer, returning to Yang indicates life, while returning to Autumn and Winter indicates death. (Returning to Autumn and Winter means reverting to Yin; reverting to Yin aligns with the Qi of killing and harvesting, hence death.) Conversely, [if one returns to Yang in] Autumn and Winter, it indicates life. (Conversely refers to Autumn and Winter; if Yang Qi returns in Autumn and Winter, it leads to life within Yin.) Thus, whether Qi is excessive or deficient, if it is Ni (Rebellious), it results in Jue (厥, Cold Extremities/Qi Rebellion). (If Yang Qi is excessive but moves to the right, and Yin Qi is excessive but moves to the left, this is abnormal, hence "Qi excess or deficiency becomes Ni." Such abnormalities in movement from left or right lead to Jue; Jue signifies Qi rebellion, hence all are termed Jue.) It was asked: Does excess Qi lead to Jue? (Meaning: Abnormality due to deficient Qi is called Ni; does excess Qi then form a disease of Jue Ni? Note: Saying Jue is Qi rebellion involves both the quantity of Qi, but the implication is that it mostly refers to excess.) The answer is: If Yang Qi goes up but does not come down, Cold Jue reaches the knees. The young will die in Autumn and Winter, while the old will survive in Autumn and Winter. (The four limbs are the root of all Yang Qi; they should be warm but instead become cold and ascend, hence Cold Jue. The young have Yang Qi in command, so they die in Autumn/Winter; the old have Yin Qi in command, so they survive in Autumn/Winter. Note: Some annotations interpret "Yi Shang" (一上) as the Qi of one meridian rebelling upward, which is incorrect. "Yi Shang" means Yang Qi exclusively ascends, causing coldness below the knees. Yang Shangshan stated: "Yang Qi ascends solely to the head and does not descend to the feet, leaving the calves empty, thus Cold Jue reaches the knees." This is correct.) If Qi rises but does not descend, it causes headache and disorders of the vertex. (Note: This means if Blood and Qi ascend, not only do the feet become cold to the knees, but diseases must also arise at the vertex.) Seeking signs of Yang yields nothing; seeking signs of Yin remains unclear. The five Zang regions are separated and lack reliable signs, resembling being in a vast wilderness or lying in an empty room, with faint, lingering consciousness that cannot last even a full day. (Called Yang, yet the pulse resembles Yin excess; called Yin, yet the pulse resembles Yang excess, hence "seeking Yang yields nothing, seeking Yin remains unclear." The five regions refer to the pulse positions of the five Zang organs; "separated" implies distance; "no sign" implies lack of credible evidence. However, seeking Yang fails to reveal heat, and seeking Yin fails to clarify cold; the Zang regions are distant and lack reliable signs, hence "seeking Yang yields nothing, seeking Yin remains unclear, five regions separated without signs." Such cases result from long-term Qi rebellion, not directly from Yin/Yang or Cold/Heat Qi. "Like being in a wilderness" describes scattered Shen (Spirit); "like lying in an empty room" describes sinking Yi (Intent). Scattering occurs because Qi rebellion causes severe, unceasing pain; sinking occurs because after pain subsides, fear of recurrence sets in. "Mianmian" describes faint breathing. Although the body persists faintly, the mind's hope cannot last a full day, hence "lingering faintly, unable to last a day.") Therefore, Jue due to Qi Deficiency causes wild dreams, and at its extreme, confusion and loss of consciousness. When the three Yang meridians are exhausted and the three Yin meridians are minute, this is called Sha Qi (少气, Shortness of Qi/Low Qi). (Note: The previous section discussed Jue due to abundant Qi; this discusses Jue due to low Qi. Low Qi also causes Jue, not just excess. People with low Qi have both Yin and Yang deficiency, leading to many absurd dreams. If deficiency is extreme, beyond wild dreams, they may fall into coma. "Jue" means suspended/extreme; "Wei" means minute/faint. *Tai Su* reads "Zhi Yang Jue Yin".) Thus, when Lung Qi is deficient, one dreams of white objects or seeing people slaughtered with bloodstains. (White is the color of Metal. Slaughter is the function of Metal. Note: "Jiejie" means injured and lying on the ground; annotating it as a state of death is incorrect. Pronunciation: Xie.) At its appropriate season, one dreams of battles. (Appropriate season refers to the three months of Autumn; Metal represents weapons and armor, hence dreaming of battle. Note: This discusses dreams caused by Zang deficiency, linking back to the statement that low Qi causes wild dreams, implying Zang Qi deficiency also causes many dreams, not that Qi Jue specifically causes such dreams.) When Kidney Qi is deficient, one dreams of boats and drowning people. (Boats and drowning are functions of Water; Kidney corresponds to Water, hence dreaming of these forms.) At its appropriate season, one dreams of hiding in water, feeling fear. (The three months of Winter.) When Liver Qi is deficient, one dreams of junxiang (fragrant herbs) and growing grass. (Junxiang and growing grass belong to Wood. Liver harmonizes with plants, hence dreaming of them. Note: Quan Yuanqi's edition claimed junxiang is cinnamon, which is wrong. Junxiang is the root of wood. *Li Sao* says: "Mixing pepper and jun gui." Jun and Gui are likely two different things. Pronunciation: Qiong.) At its appropriate season, one dreams of hiding under trees, afraid to rise. (The three months of Spring.) When Heart Qi is deficient, one dreams of saving fires and yang objects. (Heart harmonizes with Fire, hence dreaming of these; yang objects are also of the Fire category.) At its appropriate season, one dreams of burning and scorching. (The three months of Summer.) When Spleen Qi is deficient, one dreams of insufficient food and drink. (Note: Spleen governs grain and water; deficiency leads to insatiability.) At its appropriate season, one dreams of building walls and houses. (Appropriate season refers to the Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei months, each ruling for eighteen days. Building walls and houses is the function of Earth.) These are all cases of Zang Qi deficiency, with Yang Qi in excess and Yin Qi insufficient. (...Fu organs belong to Yang, Zang organs belong to Yin. Note: Dreams are images of Yin; Zang deficiency leads to Yin insufficiency, manifesting in dreams. This shares the same principle as low Qi causing wild dreams.) Diagnosis involves ten measurements: measuring the person, pulse, Zang, flesh, sinews, and acupoints. (Each measurement has two aspects, making ten measurements in total. Note: Ten measurements refer to numerical degrees; measuring the person, pronounced Duo, means to measure.) When Yin and Yang Qi are exhausted, the disease manifestations naturally appear. ... Extreme Yin deficiency leads to the severance of Heavenly Qi; Extreme Yang excess leads to the insufficiency of Earthly Qi. (Note: Yin and Yang are the true Qi of the human body; when Qi is exhausted, disease arises, which is natural law. However, "Qi exhaustion" does not necessarily mean complete depletion; partial deficiency or excess can also cause harm. Just as with Heaven and Earth Qi. Yang roots in Yin; Yin is the root of Yang, called Extreme Yin. Yin deficiency cannot sustain Yang, causing Qi to float upward, which is the severance of Heavenly Qi. Yin solidity is based on Yang; Yang is the root of Yin, called Extreme Yang. Yang excess makes Heavenly Qi hyperactive, scorching water with fire, thus causing Earthly Qi to be insufficient.) The intersection of Yin and Yang is the practice of the Perfect Person. Intersection of Yin and Yang means Yang Qi arrives first, and Yin Qi arrives later. (...Note: Intersection means Yin and Yang support each other without harmful dominance, achievable only by the Perfect Person. From the perspective of mutual support, we see intersection; from the perspective of Qi mechanism movement, there is inevitably a sequence of priority. Why? The way of Heaven and Earth is: Earth follows Heaven, Moon follows Sun, Wife follows Husband, Blood follows Qi generation. Their priority is an immutable truth, not merely as annotations suggest, that Yang is fast and Yin is slow.) Therefore, weak form and deficient Qi lead to death. (Both interior and exterior are insufficient.) Excess form and Qi, but deficient pulse Qi, lead to death. (Zang decline causes deficient pulse Qi.) Excess pulse Qi, but deficient form and Qi, lead to survival. (Zang abundance causes excess pulse Qi.) Therefore, diagnosis has great principles; sitting and rising follow routines. (Sitting and rising with routine ensures regulated breath and strength, so diagnostic methods must first apply this.) Entry and exit follow patterns, turning the Shen (Spirit), requiring clarity and purity, observing above and below, monitoring the Eight Regularities' pathogenic factors, distinguishing the central parts of the Five Zang, pressing the pulse to observe dynamics. (Note: Externally moving the Shen mechanism, internally purifying hearing and sight, allows knowing diseases of the eight solar terms and five Zang regions through Cun and Chi pulses.) Following the meanings of sliding/sluggish and cold/warm on the Chi skin, observing stool and urine, combining with pathological capabilities, determining reversal or compliance to understand the condition, and knowing the disease name, diagnosis can be perfect, without failing to account for human circumstances. (Note: "Xun" means to stroke. "Chi" refers to Chi skin. Sliding indicates solid Blood, sluggish indicates deficient Blood, cold indicates declining Qi, warm indicates abundant Qi. Stroking the Chi skin, observing bowel/bladder obstruction, and verifying pathology completes the diagnostic method. However, this is merely the physician's duty; the hardest to manage and discern is human circumstance. There are patient circumstances, bystander circumstances, and colleague circumstances. Human circumstances vary greatly; one must ensure harmony among them before treating the disease. Hence, not failing human circumstances is difficult. Predecessor Zhang Jingyue wrote *Lei Jing*, including the essay "On Not Failing Human Circumstances," which is thorough and expansive, filled with emotion. Alas! To treat disease while navigating such complexities is indeed challenging.) Thus, diagnosis sometimes observes respiration, sometimes observes intent, thereby not losing logical order. (...Note: Respiration is one aspect of disease symptoms; intent reflects the variability of human circumstances. Both are logical elements in medicine, requiring careful observation without error.)