典藏书目

Wind and cold pathogens reside within, dryness and fire pathogens reside within, summerheat and dampness pathogens reside within.

The wind in winter is something everyone wishes to avoid, fearing its cold. The biting wind of early spring penetrates the bones; people fear it also because of the cold. When the willow wind is gentle and does not chill the face; or when a cool breeze arrives slowly from the north window in summer, people not only do not avoid it but actually love it. Therefore, wind that carries cold harms the human body; wind that is mild and clear does not harm; if one feels the cold, it harms; if one does not feel the cold, it does not harm. Only wind coming from the back of the neck or through cracks should be avoided. Suppose one is in a sealed room during the dog days of summer; the heat must be intense. If a strong cool breeze blows from outside, and one desires to wear cotton padding for warmth, entering this room does not reduce the internal heat. However, if one opens the windows wide, coolness arrives in an instant. This clearly shows that cold resides in the wind. The Taiyang channel (Foot-Taiyang Bladder Channel) corresponds to true fire; all dampness, upon receiving its shine, evaporates without exception. Fire likes to follow its kind, hence the *I Ching* states "fire follows dryness." Although wind can also cause dryness, it must borrow the敛肃 (contracting and肃降 descending/clearing) energy of autumn air. During times of bright sunlight and open skies, this is not the natural function of wind. Furthermore, hemp stored for many years can spontaneously generate heat/fire, which clearly shows that dryness resides within fire. Summerheat is the residual qi of fire and must form with dampness. The sixth month belongs to the virtue of fire, encompassing the Minor Heat and Major Heat solar terms. Sometimes, under extreme yang, suddenly moisture sweats from the foundation stones, dragon-thunder rises together, and heavy rain pours down. People delight in the coolness, unaware that hot earth accepting dampness causes summerheat qi to steam upward; at this time, contracting pathogens is easiest. Again, fireflies are transformed from rotting grass, also formed by the mutual accumulation of dampness and heat. It begins in late summer and ends at Cold Dew, marking the beginning and end of summerheat. Predecessors said summerheat must carry dampness; this is indeed true! If summerheat did not rely on dampness, it could be called fire; only when fire combines with dampness does it become summerheat.

A physician's use of medicine is like a general's use of troops. Using heat to attack cold, and using cold to attack heat, this is the direct treatment method (Zheng Zhi). Attacking cold with cold, and attacking heat with heat, this is the indirect/conforming treatment method (Yin Zhi). If the "son" organ is deficient, tonify the "mother" organ; if the "mother" organ is deficient, benefit the "son" organ; nourish the East while depleting the West; increase water to assist fire; or treat the branch (biao) to save emergencies, or treat the root (ben) to alleviate chronic conditions. Like military strategy: feign an attack on the east but strike the west; rush left but prepare right; attack where the enemy is undefended; defend where the enemy does not attack. Protect the weak, avoid the solid, strike the sluggish, repel the sharp. Military tactics have no fixed form, nor does medical practice. One who can achieve victory by adapting to the enemy's changes is called divine and enlightened; one who can achieve efficacy by adapting to the disease's changes is called a divine physician.