A disciple asked, "Master Zhang Zhongjing's *Treatise on Cold Damage* (Shanghan Lun) is inherently not a complete work. Various scholars have compiled and arranged it, each claiming their own correctness and incorrectness. Which version should we regard as the definitive text?"

I replied, "This cannot be fixed, nor is there any need to fix it. Master Zhang's writings were already lost and scattered by the transition between the Han and Wei dynasties. If it were not for Wang Shuhe, how could we see his works today? Wang Shuhe collected and gathered old treatises, placing his own preface and examples at the beginning of the chapters, and occasionally inserted content within various sections. The original treatise of Zhang Zhongjing authentically retains the writing style of the Han dynasty, whereas Wang Shuhe's literary power differs from Zhang Zhongjing's by more than a heaven and an abyss. This distinction can originally be discerned through textual meaning. For instance, in the chapter 'Differentiating Spasm, Dampness, and Heatstroke' (Bian Jing Shi Yue Pian), it states: 'Cold damage resulting in Taiyang disease involves three types: spasm, dampness, and heatstroke; these should theoretically be discussed separately because they resemble cold damage, hence they appear here.' This passage is clearly the introductory tone of Wang Shuhe when compiling the treatises. Furthermore, in the section regarding 'Methods of Vomiting, Sweating, and Purging,' it says: 'The general principle is that spring is suitable for vomiting, spring and summer are suitable for sweating, and autumn is suitable for purging.' Such assertions are absolutely not words spoken by Zhang Zhongjing. Since Yu Jiayan, although Wang Shuhe's preface and examples have been refuted, many scholars still treat the clauses inserted by Wang Shuhe into various chapters as sacred scriptures, providing detailed interpretations and annotations. As for the order of chapter titles, the ancient versions are already lost; how can one definitively point out that a certain clause must follow another specific clause? This is what I mean by 'cannot be fixed.'

However, what cannot be fixed are merely the chapter titles; what can be fixed are the medical principles and methods. To read this book, one must first be able to distinguish the method of Six Channels Syndrome Differentiation (Liujing Bianzheng). Once distinguished, each channel has its own fixed syndromes, preventing disturbance by side discussions, thereby allowing one to understand the constant nature of the disease entity. One must also be able to integrate the method of Six Channels Syndrome Differentiation. Once integrated, one channel will reveal concurrent syndromes of other channels, preventing confusion by ambiguous cases, thereby allowing one to exhaust the variable changes of the disease condition. If the pulse and syndromes of one clause interappear with those of another, one should consult and consider them to observe their connectivity. If the annotations of one school conflict with those of another, one should strike a balance to seek the truth. In this manner, regardless of who annotated the *Treatise on Cold Damage*, and regardless of how chaotic or disordered the chapter arrangements may be, relying on our firm insight and determination, wandering spiritually day and night within the text, one can utilize the intricate complexities to comprehend the flexible and dynamic methods (Yuanji Huofa) of Zhang Zhongjing at that time. Once Zhang Zhongjing's flexible and dynamic methods are acquired, one's own flexible and dynamic methods will naturally arise. However, such attainment cannot be expected to be achieved immediately by those of below-average intelligence; the effort of persevering through difficulties is indispensable."