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When Liver Qi is deficient, fear arises; when it is excess, anger occurs. When Liver Qi is deficient, one dreams of gardens and growing grass; if this occurs during its governing season (Spring), one dreams of crouching under a tree, daring not to rise. When Liver Qi is excessive, one dreams of anger. When Jueqi (rebellious qi) lodges in the Liver, one dreams of mountains, forests, and trees.

In Liver disease, clarity prevails at dawn, severity increases in the late afternoon, and calmness returns at midnight.

If a disease originates in the Liver, dizziness and vertigo occur, accompanied by hypochondriac pain and distending fullness; after one day, it transmits to the Spleen, causing obstruction and blockage, with body pain and heaviness; after two days, it transmits to the Stomach, resulting in abdominal distension; after three days, it transmits to the Kidney, causing pain in the lower abdomen, waist, and spine, and soreness in the shins; if not resolved within ten days, death ensues. Death occurs at sunset in Winter and around breakfast time in Summer.

If the Liver pulse is firm and long upon pressing, but the complexion is not green, the cause may be a fall or blow, leading to blood stasis accumulating under the hypochondrium, causing wheezing and rebellious qi. If the Liver pulse is soft and scattered, yet the luster is bright, the patient likely suffers from Yi Yin (Overflowing Drink). Yi Yin results from sudden excessive drinking of water, causing fluid overflow into the muscles, skin, and outside the intestines and stomach.

If the Liver pulse is rapid on deep palpation and equally so on superficial palpation, the patient suffers from hypochondriac pain, a sensation of qi distending and filling, radiating pain to the lower abdomen, occasional difficulty in urination, dizziness, headache, backache, cold feet, and occasional strangury. In women, amenorrhea or intermittent bleeding may occur, often due to past falls during youth. A blue pulse arriving, long and flicking to both sides, indicates accumulation of qi beneath the heart causing distending pain, named Gan Bi (Liver Bi). Caused by cold-dampness, it is treated similarly to Shan (Hernia), presenting with back pain, cold feet, and headache.

Wind invading the Liver causes dizziness and blurring of vision, bilateral hypochondriac pain, habitual stooping while walking, and an craving for sweet foods resembling that of a pregnant woman.

Cold invading the Liver causes shivering aversion to cold, slight fever, flushed face, sweating on the forehead, and irritability and heat in the chest.

Cold invading the Liver causes inability to raise both arms, dryness at the root of the tongue, frequent sighing, chest pain, inability to turn the body, night sweats, cough, and vomiting of sour fluids after eating.

The Liver governs the chest; symptoms include wheezing, cursing, a deep pulse, chest oppression relieved by pressure, heat, and nasal congestion. Any fall causing blood stasis to remain internally, or severe anger causing qi to rebel upward without descending, accumulating under the left hypochondrium, will injure the Liver. Injury to the Liver manifests as emaciation, lying down with mouth open, cyanosis of hands and feet, closed eyes, and pupil pain.

Liver distension presents as fullness and pain under the hypochondrium radiating to the lower abdomen.

Liver water disease presents with abdominal enlargement, inability to turn over independently, pain in the hypochondrium and abdomen, slight production of saliva, and intermittent patent urination.

Lung Metal overcoming Liver Wood leads to carbuncles and swelling; Heart Fire overcoming Liver Wood leads to vomiting and diarrhea.

Liver Zhuo disease is characterized by the patient's constant desire to tread on or press the upper chest. Before suffering begins, the patient only desires hot drinks.

The accumulation in the Liver is named Fei Qi (Fat Qi), located under the left hypochondrium, shaped like an inverted cup with head and tail, resembling a turtle or tortoise. If lingering untreated, it triggers coughing, rebellious qi, and malaria, lasting months. Why does it arise on Wu-Ji days in Late Summer? Lung disease transmits to the Liver; the Liver should transmit to the Spleen. However, in Late Summer, Spleen Earth is prosperous and does not accept pathogenic factors. The Liver attempts to return the pathogen to the Lung, but the Lung refuses. Thus, the pathogen remains and knots into an accumulation. Hence, Fei Qi arises in Late Summer.

In Liver disease, the complexion is green, extremities are stiff and cramped, hypochondrium is full and painful, occasional dizziness occurs, and the pulse is wiry and long; this is treatable. Suitable formulas include Fangfeng Zhuli Tang (Saposhnikovia and Bamboo Juice Decoction) and Qinjiao San (Gentian Powder). In Spring, puncture Dazhun (LR1); in Summer, Xingjian (LR2); in Winter, Ququan (LR8), all using tonification methods. In Late Summer, Taichong (LR3); in Autumn, Zhongfeng (LR6), all using sedation methods. Moxibustion should be applied to Qimen (LR14) 100 moxa cones, and 50 cones beside the 9th thoracic vertebra on the back.

Patients with Liver disease invariably suffer hypochondriac pain radiating to the lower abdomen and frequent anger. Deficiency causes blurred vision, deafness, frequent fear, and a sensation of being pursued. Treatment requires selecting points from the Liver meridian.

Rebellion of Zujyin (Foot Jueyin) and Shaoyang (Foot Shaoyang) meridians causes headache, deafness, cheek swelling; treat by bleeding. Pathogens in the Liver cause pain between the hypochondria and internal cold. Blood stasis internally causes spasms and intermittent joint swelling. Puncture Xingjian (LR2) to guide qi from the hypochondrium, tonify Zusanli (ST36) to warm the Stomach mid-jiao, bleed vessels to dissipate blood stasis, and bleed blue veins behind the ear to stop spasms. The Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian originates at the pubic hair on the big toe, ascends along the medial aspect of the dorsum of the foot, passes one cun anterior to the medial malleolus, ascends eight cun above the ankle, crosses posterior to the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian, ascends along the medial thigh, enters the pubic region, circles the genitalia, reaches the lower abdomen, flanks the Stomach, belongs to the Liver, connects with the Gallbladder, pierces the diaphragm, distributes in the hypochondrium, follows the posterior pharynx, enters the nasopharynx (Hangsang), connects with the eye system, emerges on the forehead, and meets the Du Mai at the vertex. A branch descends from the eye system to the inner cheek, circling the lips internally. Another branch diverges from the Liver, pierces the diaphragm, and flows upward into the Lungs. Disorders of movement manifest as low back pain, inability to bend or extend, hernia in men, and lower abdominal swelling in women; severely, dry throat and dusty, faded complexion. Diseases governed by the Liver include chest fullness, vomiting, diarrhea, hernia, enuresis, and strangury. Excess conditions show the Cun Kou pulse one times larger than the Ren Ying pulse; deficiency shows the Cun Kou pulse smaller than the Ren Ying pulse. The Luo-connecting vessel of the Foot Jueyin is named Ligou (LR5), five cun above the medial malleolus, connecting to the Foot Shaoyang. Its branch ascends along the meridian to the testis, knotting at the penis. Pathological rebellion causes acute testicular swelling and hernia. Excess leads to priapism; heat causes sudden itching; deficiency causes violent itching. Treat by selecting the Luo point.

Liver disease presenting with chest fullness, hypochondriac distension, irritability, shouting, body heat with aversion to cold, immobility of limbs, pale face and eyes, and slippery body texture. The pulse should be wiry, long, and rapid; if instead short and choppy, and the color should be green but appears white, this represents Metal overcoming Wood, a major reversal indicating ten deaths out of ten, untreatable.