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Various Wind Diseases: The origin of wind lies in heat, with heat as the root and wind as the manifestation. When referring to "wind," it actually denotes wind-heat disease.

Various Heat Diseases: Excessive heat generates wind; or if heat is mild but wind is severe, both wind and heat should be treated simultaneously. If wind is mild but heat is severe, only heat needs to be treated, and the wind will naturally dissipate.

Various Dampness Diseases: Dampness is the native qi of Earth. Fire and heat can generate Earth-dampness; thus, in summer heat, all things are moist, while in autumn coolness, dampness returns to dryness. Dampness diseases do not arise spontaneously but result from the stagnation of fire-heat, which prevents the normal distribution and circulation of body fluids, leading to their accumulation and transformation into water-dampness. Most dampness diseases originate from heat, where excessive heat often serves as a concurrent syndrome, hence they should be termed damp-heat. This is analogous to wind-heat. Even when cold-water stagnation fails to circulate properly, it can also give rise to dampness. Although such cases differ, they are rare. For instance, edema of the dorsum of the foot accompanied by cold body and fluid retention is considered deep-seated accumulated heat within the interior, rather than a cold disease. Conversely, alternating chills and fever with vomiting and diarrhea arise from contracting dampness.

Various Dryness Diseases: Dryness and withering are the intrinsic nature of Metal (Lung). The Lung stores Qi; if internal blood damage occurs, Qi deficiency generates internal wind, leading to skin cracking and scaling. Wind can overcome dampness, and heat can consume fluids, both resulting in dryness. Thus, the classics state: Wind, Fire, and Heat belong to Yang, while Cold, Dampness, and Dryness belong to Yin. However, Dryness differs from Dampness. Although Dryness belongs to Autumn Yin, its nature differs from Cold-Dampness. Dryness Yin prevails over Wind-Heat; therefore, when Wind-Heat is severe, Cold-Dampness manifests similarly to Dryness. Nevertheless, vomiting and diarrhea due to middle-jiao cold, resulting in fluid loss and subsequent dryness, also follow this principle. Hence, the classics state: Various instances of astringency, withering, depletion, hardness, and skin cracking all belong to Dryness.

Various Cold Diseases: Cold syndromes present with clear, cold, and transparent body fluids above and below, undigested food in stool, clear white urine without dysuria, a cool body without thirst, and no signs of Yang-heat symptoms throughout. The pulse is slow. This results from excessive consumption of cold foods, causing Yin to prevail over Yang, leading to Middle-Jiao Cold. Alternatively, when Cold and Heat pathogens combine, Yang Qi may become stagnant and unable to disperse, generating internal郁-heat and forming a Heat syndrome; in such cases, it cannot be classified as Cold but must be differentiated as Heat. In damp-heat vomiting and diarrhea, Yang pulses should appear; however, if fluids are lost and Qi is deficient, Yin pulses may paradoxically appear. One must clarify the root and branch to avoid erroneous treatment. If a Heat syndrome is mistakenly treated with Baizhu Tiaozhong Decoction, the warm herbs can still promote dispersion and unblocking, allowing Yang Qi to circulate freely for recovery, without causing further harm.