典藏书目

Hezi (Zhang Yuansu's disciple, Zhang Congzheng) said: "All wind diseases causing tremors and dizziness belong to Liver Wood. Trembling, vertigo, visual disturbances, tendon stiffness, hand spasms, and syncope are manifestations of Yin meridian Liver Wood dysfunction. The *Classic* states: 'When Wind is excessive, treat it with coolness.' Why do people today use hot medicines to treat Wind pathogens? I have frequently used the sweating, vomiting, and purging methods to treat convulsive wind and epilepsy, achieving cures according to the syndrome. Regarding 'releasing Liver depression,' vomiting allows Qi mechanism to flow freely; sweating expels Wind pathogens through perspiration; purging eliminates old pathogenic factors and promotes renewal. For patients with aphonia, mental confusion, and deviation of the mouth and eyes, *Sansheng San* (Three Holy Powders) can be used for emesis. If the jaw is tightly closed, the medicine can be instilled into the nose; once phlegm-saliva is expelled, the mouth will open naturally. Subsequently, *Tongsheng San* (Universal Salvation Powder), *Liangge San* (Cool the Diaphragm Powder), *Daren Shen Banxia Wan* (Great Ginseng and Pinellia Pill), and *Ganlu Yin* (Sweet Dew Drink)—cold-natured drugs that clear heat and nourish fluids—should be used to eliminate heat."

Commentary: This is indeed applicable to cases where pathogenic factors strike suddenly, with abundant phlegm-saliva and excess-heat syndromes; otherwise, one dare not use these methods lightly.

Danxi said: "The so-called wind diseases in today's world are largely treated together with various Wei (flaccidity) syndromes. This is largely because the *Formulas of the Imperial Medical Bureau* (*Ju Fang*) uses wind-dispelling drugs to treat flaccidity generally. The ancient sages discussed Wind and Wei separately, with different origins and distinct treatment methods. Wind disease is caused by external pathogens, characterized by rapid movement and change, and its pathology is mostly excess. Therefore, using methods to release the exterior and move stagnation is appropriate. However, *Ju Fang*, besides treating wind, also lists symptoms such as spirit restlessness, need for assistance to rise or sit, paralysis of limbs, mental obtundation, hemiplegia, dragging of limbs, tendon atrophy, vertigo and falling, hemiplegia, weak knees and feet, limb weakness, tremors, spasms, mutism, and speech impediment, treating all these Wei syndromes indiscriminately. They fail to realize that all Wei syndromes originate from Lung Heat, which transmits to the five Zang organs and manifests as various syndromes. Symptoms like mental confusion, spasms, blurred vision, oppression, sudden illness with mental clouding, and sudden aphonia belong to Fire; inability to lift limbs, stiff tongue root, foot flaccidity, and audible phlegm belong to Earth. All are damp-heat diseases and should be treated as Wei syndromes. If treated as external Wind pathogens, would this not lead to the disaster of reinforcing excess and depleting deficiency? As for Qibo, Zhongjing, and Sun Simiao, their discussions on Wind seem to refer to external pathogens. Liu Hejian’s discussion on Wind clearly points to internal injury and heat-excess syndromes, which aligns with the statement that 'all Wei syndromes arise from heat.' External pathogens involve cold, heat, excess, and deficiency, often accompanied by cold; internal heat injuries are mostly deficiency syndromes, with no cold to disperse and no heat to purge as an excess condition."

Respectfully noted: The disease of Stroke (Zhong Feng) is listed first in ancient formulas because it is a major disease affecting humans. Wind is one of the Six Excessive Pathogens (Six Evils), a heavenly pathogenic factor entering from the exterior. Ancient medications were primarily dispersants for exterior pathogens and agents to unblock meridians, as the pathogen enters from the exterior and should exit via the exterior. Li Dongyuan distinguished between involvement of the meridians, fu organs, and zang organs, employing sweating, purging, and nourishing methods, which was detailed and precise, integrating exterior, interior, and middle jiao treatments. Liu Hejian argued that excessive heat controls Metal (Lung), failing to restrain Wood (Liver), or excessive damp-Earth mimics Wood transformation. These views suggest that the condition arises from internal heat rather than external Wind intrusion, differing significantly from ancient theories. My late teacher, Mr. Danxi, stated: "Among thousands of years, only Liu Hejian truly grasped the essence of the Classics." From this perspective, if the disease results from external pathogens and the patient has robust Yuan Qi, one should follow the ancient precedent of dispersion, but avoid using *Xuxing Tang* (Continued Survival Decoction); instead, differentiate based on accompanying cold, heat, warmth, or coolness, and the specific organ and meridian affected. If the disease arises from internal heat, one should follow Liu Hejian’s theory, but avoid using the sweating, vomiting, and purging methods exclusively as advocated by Hezi. Pathogenic factors can be deficient or excess, so they cannot be generalized. Furthermore, Wei syndromes are indeed similar to those generated by internal heat; physicians must recognize this. A question was raised: Which is more common, external pathogenic invasion or internal heat injury? Danxi replied: "In the northwest, the climate is cold, and being struck by Wind does occur. In the southeast, the climate is warm and the land is humid. Cases labeled as Wind disease there are not due to Wind, but rather Dampness generating Phlegm, Phlegm generating Heat, and Heat generating Wind-like symptoms. The *Classic* says: 'Excess leads to harm, restraint restores balance.' Methods for treating Wei syndromes are detailed in the Wei section; this topic is not repeated here."