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Yu Tianmin stated: The disease of edema arises from the deficiency of Qi in Spleen Earth and the rebellion of Qi in Liver Wood, leading to the reckless flow of water-dampness. Although there is retained phlegm and lingering fluid, there is essentially no stagnation or accumulation, nor is there slipping or unconsolidated loss. Therefore, Renshen (Ginseng Radix) and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) are used as sovereign drugs, assisted by herbs that clear Metal (Lung), promote diuresis, and remove heat, achieving a perfect cure. Those with yellowish swelling, whether due to wine jaundice or grain jaundice, have stubborn phlegm deposited and firmly knotted in the middle jiao, causing Spleen Qi to overflow outwardly resulting in yellowness. Thus, herbs such as Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex), Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma), and Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) are used to pacify the excessive abundance of Spleen Qi; Tie Fen (Ferrum Preparatum) and Qingpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride) are used to pacify the horizontal rebellion of Liver Qi; along with Qu (Medicated Leaven) to assist the Spleen in digesting accumulations. After the yellowness recedes, Renshen and Baizhu are used again to complete the treatment. This is a method of treating the branch first and then the root. If the treatments for these two conditions are reversed, disaster will follow immediately.

Hu Yuhai stated: When Shaoyang disease progresses to black tongue coating, the pathogenic factor has entered the Taiyin stage, and Gengyi San can be administered to induce purgation. After ingestion, within about a week, bowel movements should not remain unrelieved. If upon administration, relief does not occur when it should, and the Liver has no longer any sticky retention, with toxins fully returning to the Lamen (a point near the large intestine), Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma) can be immediately used for purgation. Why? Because the True Yin of humans is stored in the Liver, while Dahuang is a drug entering the Spleen meridian. One must wait until the toxin no longer adheres to the Liver before using it. By distinguishing the sequence in this manner, True Yin is not damaged, and Yuan Qi (Original Qi) can be easily restored. Note: This requires first using sweet-cold herbs to generate fluids and invigorate blood, clearing heat from the Blood level, so that heat-toxins float into the Qi level (empty spaces), allowing them to descend together with dregs. If toxins are in the blood vessels but one attacks the intestines and stomach, both Jin Ye (Body Fluids) and Qi will be injured, and the stagnant toxins in the Blood level will become more stuck without an exit. The Liver corresponds to the Blood level, and the Spleen corresponds to the intestines and stomach.

The above two passages illustrate the distinction between the Qi level and the Blood level. Diseases in the Qi level versus those in the Blood level require distinct treatments and cannot be confused. In diseases of the Qi level, pathogenic factors hang loosely without sticking, allowing for direct sweating or direct purgation, so pathogens exit with sweat or stool. If pathogens infiltrate the tortuous parts of collaterals and meridians, causing stagnation and blocking circulation, they must first be extracted and guided back to the Qi level before they can be completely eliminated; one cannot simply sweep them away rapidly. Methods to guide pathogens back to the Qi level include: using slow support and lifting methods to induce slight sweating repeatedly, gradually reaching the exterior; using methods to nourish blood and generate fluids to make body fluids abundant, floating pathogens to the surface, and then eliminating them with a single sweat; using gentle purgation to repeatedly clear the intestines and stomach, allowing pathogens in the membranes and collaterals to unload step-by-step into the intestines and stomach until clean; using sour and astringent herbs within formulas containing Dahuang, Mangxiao (Natrii Sulfas), Qianniu (Pharbitidis Semen), and Badou (Crotonis Fructus) to suck pathogens from the four corners of the intestinal membranes and collaterals into the empty space, descending them with dregs. Using methods to tonify blood and boost Qi to move them; using methods to break blood and resolve stasis to search them out. Zhang Zhongjing used Chengqi Tang to treat dry feces and Didang Tang to treat accumulated blood; physicians specializing in smallpox and measles believe that using Honghua (Carthami Flos) and Zicao (Arnebiae Radix et Rhizoma) loosens the Blood level, making it easier for pathogens to emerge. The principle here is worthy of deep thought.

The traditional theory of pathogens entering Zang (Viscera) and Fu (Organs) states that Fu and Zang are actually aliases for Qi and Blood. Analyzed in detail, there is Qi and Blood in the meridians and collaterals, and Qi and Blood in the Zang and Fu organs. In the Qi level of the meridians and collaterals, symptoms manifest as wandering cold and heat; in the Blood level of the meridians and collaterals, symptoms manifest as pain and numbness. In the Fu organs, consciousness is clear; in the Zang organs, consciousness is confused. When pathogens infiltrate the Blood level and merge with blood, the quality of the blood must deteriorate. Treatment must involve draining and purging the deteriorated blood, which may result in the excretion of foul-smelling yellow sweat. In the meridians and collaterals, foul impure juices may be discharged; in the Zang and Fu organs, external pathogens disrupt the blood. If the disease is internal injury, blood deteriorates spontaneously, becoming dry and knotted, appearing externally as withered and flaccid, internally as blood bi (obstruction); or becoming damp and putrid, appearing externally as carbuncles and ulcers, internally as the downward pouring of the five fluids; or becoming overflowing, where blood transforms into water, presenting as abdominal swelling—this is the transformation of Blood level disease into Water level disease. Diseases in the meridians and collaterals are still treatable; diseases in the Zang organs are untreatable because new blood cannot be generated, and bad blood cannot be removed. This is ultimately due to deep and prolonged stagnation in the Qi level, leaving turbid Qi with no outlet. Treatment must employ the aforementioned supporting and tonifying methods to push pathogens out of the Qi level, only then is there hope for recovery. Generally, diseases of the Blood level always take the Qi level as their exit route.