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In new-onset warm-heat disease, the pathogenic factor enters from the upper orifices and must first sink from the Qi level (Qi level: a diagnostic level in warm disease theory indicating functional disturbance) into the Blood level (Blood level: a diagnostic level indicating pathological changes in blood and organs). All interior syndromes are exterior syndromes invading inward. In latent warm-heat disease, the pathogenic factor emerges from within and must first transition from the Blood level to the Qi level. All exterior syndromes are interior syndromes floating outward to the surface. New-onset cases are mild and easy to treat, whereas latent cases are severe and difficult to cure; this constitutes the general principle.

If you do not believe me, let me cite Lu Jiuzhi's commentary on Wang Mengying: Zhang Zhongjing discussed warm-heat diseases as caused by latent pathogens, while Ye Tianshi discussed them as caused by external infections. Therefore, Ye placed the twelve characters "Warm pathogenic factors enter from above, initially attacking the Lung, and if regressing, transmit to the Pericardium" at the beginning of his chapter to distinguish his views. If this is indeed the case, then the so-called warm-heat diseases refer to what is commonly known as minor wind-warmth or minor wind-heat, such as red eyes, swollen parotids, throat obstruction, and toothache. These require only mild acrid-cool formulas, and the illness will resolve immediately. Furthermore, citing Xue Shouyin: For any disease where there is no latent pathogen internally, even if one contracts Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, or Dampness, the illness will certainly not be severe. Severe illnesses are always those where new pathogens trigger latent pathogens. However, there are two types of latent pathogens: Latent pathogens from Cold damage refer to Spring-Warmth and Summer-Heat diseases; latent pathogens from Summer-heat injury refer to Autumn-Warmth and Winter-Warmth diseases. Since the pathogen has been latent for a long time, Qi and Blood must be damaged. Thus, treatment methods differ significantly from the standard treatments for Cold damage and Summer-heat injury. Moreover, the patient's Qi and Blood become dull and unresponsive. Therefore, regulating Qi mechanism and clearing Blood heat are the primary principles in treating latent pathogens. Nevertheless, among these, the latent pathogen varies in intensity and depth; human constitutions vary in Yin-Yang balance and strength/weakness. Consequently, there are distinctions between mild and severe cases. A physician must recognize latent pathogens to avoid merely treating symptoms as they appear, thereby grasping the opportunity before clinical manifestations arise. However, without mastering the principles of excessive restriction and mutual generation/restriction, how can one predict future diseases? This does not refer to the Six Qi transformation theory (Six Qi: Wind, Heat, Fire, Dampness, Dryness, Cold), but rather requires attentiveness to weather changes—rain, cold, warmth—and understanding will come with time.

From this perspective, although both are warm-heat diseases, new-onset and latent cases differ in the depth of the pathological location, the severity of the condition, and the stability of the disease mechanism. Therefore, their therapeutic approaches differ accordingly.