实气相搏，血气入脏，唇口青、身冷死。如身和、汗自出为入腑，此为尸厥。
经云∶诸痛皆因于气。百病皆生于气。怒则气上，喜则气缓，悲则气消，恐则
气下，寒则气收，热则气泄，惊则气乱，劳则气耗，思则气结，九气不同也。按子
和云∶天地之气，常则安，变则病。而况人禀天地之气，五运迭侵于外，七情交战
于中，是以圣人啬气如持至宝，庸人役物而反伤太和，此轩岐所以论诸痛皆因于气，
百病皆生于气，遂有九气不同之说。气本一也，因所触而为九，怒、喜、悲、恐、
寒、热、惊、思、劳也。盖怒气逆甚则呕血及餐泄，故气逆上矣。怒则阳气逆上
而肝木乘脾，故甚则呕血及餐泄也。喜则气和志达，荣卫通利，故气缓矣。悲则
心系急，肺布叶举，而上焦不通，荣卫不散，热气在中，故气消矣。恐则精却，却
则上焦闭，闭则气逆，逆则下焦胀，故气不行矣。寒则腠理闭，气不行，故气收矣。
热则腠理开，荣卫通，汗大泄，故气泄矣。惊则心无所倚，神无所归，虑无所定，
故气乱矣。劳则喘息汗出，内外皆越，故气耗矣。思则心有所存，神有所归，正气
留而不行，故气结矣。尝考其为病之详，变化多端，如怒气所至为呕血，为餐泄，
为煎厥，为薄厥，为阳厥，为胸满胁痛，食则气逆而不下，为喘渴烦心，为消瘅，
为肥气，为目暴盲，耳暴闭，筋缓，发于外为痈疽。喜气所至，为笑不休，为毛革
焦，为内病，为阳气不收，甚则为狂。悲气所至，为阴缩，为筋挛，为肌痹，为脉
痿，男为数溲血，女为血崩，为酸鼻辛 ，为目昏，为少气不能报息，为泣则臂麻。
恐气所至，为破 脱肉，为骨酸痿厥，为暴下绿水，为面热肤急，为阴痿，为惧而
脱颐。惊气所至，为潮涎，为目HT ，为口 ，为痴痫，为不省人，为僵仆，久则为
痹。劳气所至，为嗌噎病，为喘促，为嗽血，为腰痛骨痿，为肺鸣，为高骨坏，
为阴痿，为唾血，为冥目视，为耳闭，男为少精，女为不月，衰甚则溃溃乎若坏都，
汨汨乎不可止。思气所至，为不眠，为嗜卧，为昏瞀，为中痞，三焦闭塞，为咽嗌
不利，为胆瘅呕苦，为筋痿，为白淫，为得后与气，快然如衰，为不嗜食。寒气所
至，为上下所出水液，澄彻清冷，下利清白（云云）。热气所至，为喘呕吐酸，暴注下
迫（云云）。窃又稽之《内经》治法，但以五行相胜之理，互相为治。如怒伤肝，肝属
木。怒则气并于肝，而脾土受邪。木太过则肝亦自病。喜伤心，心属火。喜则气并
于心，而肺金受邪。火太过则心亦自病。悲伤肺，肺属金。悲则气并于肺，而肝木
受邪。金太过则肺亦自病。恐伤肾，肾属水。恐则气并于肾，而心火受邪。水太过
则肾亦自病。思伤脾，脾属土。思则气并于脾，而肾水受邪。土太过则脾亦自病。
寒伤形，形属阴。寒胜热则阳受病。寒太过则阴亦自病。热伤气，气属阳。热胜寒
则阴受病。热太过则阳亦自病。凡此数者，更相为治。故悲可以治怒，以怆恻苦楚
之言感之。喜可以治悲，以谑浪亵狎之言娱之。恐可以治喜，以迫遽死亡之言怖之。
怒可以治思，以污辱欺罔之言触之。思可以治恐，以虑彼志此之言夺之。凡此五者，
必诡诈谲怪无所不至，然后可以动人耳目，易人视听。若胸中无才器之人，亦不敢
用此法也。热可以治寒，寒可以治热，逸可以治劳，习可以治惊。经曰∶惊者平之。
夫惊以其忽然而遇之也，使习见习闻则不惊矣。如丹溪先生治一女子，许婚后，夫
经商二年不归，因不食困卧如痴，他无所病，但向里床坐，此思想气结也，药难独
治，得喜可解，不然令其怒。（脾主思，过思则脾气结而不食。怒属肝木，怒则木气升发
而冲开脾气矣。）因激之大怒而哭至二时许，令解之，与药一帖，即求食矣。然其病
虽愈，必得喜方已，乃 以夫回，既而果然病不举。又如子和治一妇人，久思而不眠，令触
其怒，妇果怒，是夕困睡，捷于影响。惟劳而气耗，恐而气夺者为难治。喜者少病，百脉舒
和故也。又闻庄先生治喜劳之极而病者，庄切其脉，为之失声，佯曰∶吾取药去，
数日更不来，病者悲泣，后即愈矣。《素问》曰∶惧胜喜，可谓得玄关者也。凡此
之类，《内经》自有治法，庸工废而不行，亦已久矣。幸河间、子和、丹溪数先生
出，而其理始明，后之学人，宜知所从事。丹溪云∶冷气、滞气、逆气，皆是
肺受火邪，气得炎上之化，有升无降，熏蒸清道，甚而转成剧病，《局方》类
用辛香燥热之剂，以火济火，咎将谁执。气无补法，世俗之言也。以其为病，痞闷
壅塞，似难于补，不思正气虚者不能营运，邪滞着而不出，所以为病。经曰∶壮者
气行则愈，怯者着而成病。苟或气怯，不用补法，气何由行。气属阳，无寒之理。
上升之气觉恶寒者，亢则害，承乃制也。气有余，便是火。冷生气者，高阳生之谬
言也。自觉冷气自下而上者，非真冷也。盖上升之气，自肝而出，中挟相火，自下
而上，其热为甚，火极似水，阳亢阴微也。（按河间论气为阳而主轻微，诸所动乱劳伤。
乃阳火之化，神狂气乱而病热矣。又云∶五志过极，皆为火也。而其治法，独得言外之意。
凡见喜、怒、悲、恐、思之证，皆以平心火为主。至于劳者伤于动，动便属阳，惊者骇于心，
心便属火，二者必以平心火为主。俗医不达此者，遂有寒凉之谤。）气郁，用香附、苍术、抚芎。
调气用木香，然味辛，气能上升，如气郁而不达，固宜用之。若阴火冲上而用之，则反助火邪矣。
故必用黄柏、知母，而少用木香佐之。气从左边起者，肝火也。气刺痛，皆属火。当降火药中
加枳壳。破滞气用枳壳，枳壳能损至高之气，二三服即止，恐伤真气，气实者可服。实热在内，
相火上冲，有如气滞，用知母、黄柏、芩、连。阴虚气滞，用四物以补血。因事气郁不舒伸而痛
者，木香调达之。忧而痰气，香附五钱，栝蒌一两，贝母、山楂各三钱，半夏一两。禀受
素壮而气刺痛，用枳壳、乌药。因死血而痛者，桃仁、红花、归头。解五脏结气，
益少阴经血，用栀子炒黑为末，入汤同煎，饮之甚效。河间云∶妇人性执，故气疾
为多，宜正气天香汤先导之。戴复庵云∶七气致病，虽本一气，而所以为气者，随
症而变，《三因方》论最详。喜、怒、忧、思、悲、恐、惊，谓之七气。有痰在咽喉
间，如绵絮相似，咯不出，咽不下，并宜四七汤，未效，进丁沉透膈汤。（内有热者不宜。）
审知是思虑过度，宜四七汤去茯苓，加半夏、人参、菖蒲。审知是盛怒成疾，面色
青黄，或两胁胀满，宜调气散，或四七汤加枳壳、木香各半钱。因惊恐得疾，心下
怔忡者，见惊悸门。脉滑者，多血少气。涩者，少血多气。大者，血气俱多。小者，
血气俱少。下手脉沉，便知是气。其或沉滑，气兼痰饮。脉弦软，或虚大，虚滑微弱，
饮食不节，劳伤过度，精神倦怠，四肢困乏，法当补益。补中益气汤、调中益气汤、
十全大补汤。夏月清暑益气汤、四君、四物之类加减。脉结涩，或沉弦，急疾收敛，
四肢腹胁腰胯间牵引疼痛，不能转侧，皆由七情郁滞，HT 闪伤损，谨察病原，随证
疏导。《三因》七气汤、流气饮子、大七气汤、苏子降气汤、化气散、四磨汤、大
玄胡汤选用。脉沉滑，气兼痰饮者，二陈汤、桔梗半夏汤、四七汤，枳壳、乌药、
紫苏、大腹皮、桑白皮之类，随证加减。
气与实邪相互搏结，血气侵入内脏，出现嘴唇和口唇发青、身体冰冷，这是死亡的征象。如果身体温和、自然出汗，说明病邪入腑，这称为尸厥。
经典记载说：所有的疼痛都源于气机失调。各种疾病都是由气机紊乱引起的。愤怒会导致气机上逆，喜悦会使气机舒缓，悲伤会消耗气机，恐惧会使气机下陷，寒冷会使气机收敛，炎热会使气机外泄，惊吓会使气机紊乱，劳累会耗损气机，思虑会使气机郁结，这就是所谓的“九气”不同。按照张子和的说法：天地之气，常态则安宁，变化则致病。何况人禀受天地之气，外界的五行运气交替侵袭，内在的七情互相交战，所以圣人像对待珍宝一样爱惜气机，普通人却役使外物反而伤害了太和之气，这就是黄帝岐伯论述所有疼痛皆因于气、百病皆生于气，从而有了九气不同的说法。气本是一体，因为接触的不同刺激而分为九种，即怒、喜、悲、恐、寒、热、惊、思、劳。大概怒气上逆严重时会导致呕血或腹泻，所以气是上逆的。愤怒导致阳气上逆，肝木乘克脾土，所以严重时会出现呕血和腹泻。喜悦使气和顺、意志通达，营卫运行通畅，所以气机舒缓。悲伤使心脉拘急，肺叶扩张，导致上焦不通畅，营卫不能布散，热气郁积在中焦，所以气被消耗。恐惧使精气退缩，精气退缩则上焦闭塞，闭塞则气机逆乱，逆乱则下焦胀满，所以气机不行。寒冷使腠理闭塞，气机运行不畅，所以气机收敛。炎热使腠理开泄，营卫通畅，大汗淋漓，所以气机外泄。惊吓使心神无所依托，神志无所归依，思虑没有定准，所以气机紊乱。劳累使人喘息出汗，内外气机都向外越出，所以气机耗损。思虑使心神有所存留，神志有所归依，正气停留而不运行，所以气机郁结。曾经考察这些病因致病的详细情况，变化多端，如怒气所致可表现为呕血、腹泻、煎厥、薄厥、阳厥、胸满胁痛、进食后气逆不下、喘渴心烦、消瘅、肥气、突然失明、突然失聪、筋脉弛缓，发于体表则为痈疽。喜气所致，可表现为笑个不停、毛发枯焦、内部病变、阳气不收，严重时甚至发狂。悲气所致，可表现为阴部收缩、筋脉挛急、肌肉痹阻、脉痿，男性多次尿血，女性崩漏，鼻酸辛，视力昏花，气短不能深吸气，哭泣时手臂麻木。恐气所致，可表现为肌肉消瘦脱失、骨骼酸痛痿软厥冷、突然排出绿色水样便、面部发热皮肤紧绷、阳痿、恐惧到下巴脱臼。惊气所致，可表现为潮涌般的涎沫、眼睛抽搐、口角歪斜、痴呆癫痫、不省人事、僵仆倒地，久则形成痹证。劳气所致，可表现为咽喉噎塞、气喘急促、咳血、腰痛骨痿、肺部鸣响、高骨坏死、阳痿、唾血、视物昏暗、耳闭、男性精少、女性闭经，衰败严重时就像堤坝崩溃，水流滔滔不可止住。思气所致，可表现为失眠、嗜睡、头昏眼花、中脘痞满、三焦闭塞、咽喉不利、胆热呕吐苦水、筋痿、白淫（男子滑精、女子带下），排便排气后感觉轻松，食欲减退。寒气所致，可表现为上下排出的水液清澈寒冷，大便清白。热气所致，可表现为气喘呕吐酸水、急性腹泻里急后重。我又考证《内经》的治法，只是运用五行相克的原理，互相治疗。比如怒伤肝，肝属木。怒则气机汇聚于肝，脾土受邪。木气太过则肝也自病。喜伤心，心属火。喜则气机汇聚于心，肺金受邪。火气太过则心也自病。悲伤肺，肺属金。悲则气机汇聚于肺，肝木受邪。金气太过则肺也自病。恐伤肾，肾属水。恐则气机汇聚于肾，心火受邪。水气太过则肾也自病。思伤脾，脾属土。思则气机汇聚于脾，肾水受邪。土气太过则脾也自病。寒伤形体，形体属阴。寒胜热则阳受病。寒气太过则阴也自病。热伤气，气属阳。热胜寒则阴受病。热气太过则阳也自病。以上几种情况，互相制约治疗。所以可以用悲伤来治疗怒气，用凄惨痛苦的话语感动他；可以用喜悦来治疗悲伤，用戏谑轻浮的话语娱乐他；可以用恐惧来治疗喜悦，用紧迫死亡的话语恐吓他；可以用愤怒来治疗思虑，用污辱欺骗的话语触动他；可以用思虑来治疗恐惧，用谋划此事彼事的话语转移他的注意力。这五种方法，必须使用诡诈怪异的手段，无所不用其极，然后才能打动人的耳目，改变人的视听。如果胸中没有才识的人，也不敢使用这种方法。热可以治疗寒，寒可以治疗热，安逸可以治疗劳累，习惯可以治疗惊吓。经典说：惊吓要用平常心对待。惊吓是因为突然遇到意外，如果经常见到、经常听到，就不会惊吓了。比如朱丹溪先生治疗一个女子，许婚后，丈夫经商两年不归，因此不吃东西、困倦卧床像痴呆一样，没有其他病症，只是面向里床坐着，这是思虑导致的气机郁结，药物难以单独治愈，得到喜悦可以解除，否则让她发怒。（脾主思，过度思虑则脾气郁结而不进食。怒属肝木，发怒则木气升发冲开脾气。）于是激怒她大哭约两个小时，解开束缚，给她一帖药，她就要求吃东西了。然而她的病虽然好了，但必须得到喜悦才会痊愈，于是假称丈夫回来，果然病就好了。又比如张子和治疗一个妇人，长期思虑导致失眠，让他触怒她，妇人果然发怒，当晚就睡得香甜，见效迅速。只有劳累导致气耗、恐惧导致气夺的情况比较难治。喜悦的人少生病，是因为百脉舒和的缘故。又听说庄子治疗因过度喜悦致病的人，庄子切脉后，假装失声，谎称去取药，几天都不再来，病人悲伤哭泣，之后病就好了。《素问》说：恐惧能克制喜悦，可以说是掌握了关键。凡此之类，《内经》自有治法，庸医废弃不用，已经很久了。幸好河间、子和、丹溪几位先生出现，其中的道理才阐明，后来的学人，应该知道如何从事学习。朱丹溪说：冷气、滞气、逆气，都是肺受到火邪的影响，气具有炎上的特性，有升无降，熏蒸清道，严重甚至转为重病，《局方》类常用辛香燥热的药剂，以火济火，罪责归于谁呢？气没有补法，这是世俗的说法。因为气病表现为痞闷壅塞，似乎难以补益，但不思考正气虚弱者不能营运，邪气滞留而出不来，所以才生病。经典说：强壮的人气行则愈，怯弱的人气滞而成病。如果气怯，不使用补法，气怎么能运行。气属于阳，没有寒冷的道理。上升的气觉得恶寒，是亢盛为害，承制乃制的表现。气有余，就是火。认为冷能生气，是高阳生的谬论。自觉冷气从下往上，并非真冷。大概是上升的气，从肝而出，中间夹杂相火，自下而上，热度很甚，火极似水，是阳亢阴微的表现。（按刘河间论述气为阳而主轻微，各种动乱劳伤，乃是阳火的变化，神狂气乱而病热了。又说：五志过极，皆为火也。而其治法，独得言外之意。凡是见到喜、怒、悲、恐、思的证候，都以平抑心火为主。至于劳累伤于动，动便属阳，惊吓骇于心，心便属火，这两种情况必须以平抑心火为主。俗医不懂这个道理，于是遭到寒凉药的指责。）气郁，使用香附、苍术、抚芎。调气使用木香，但味道辛，气能上升，如果气郁而不达，固然适宜使用。如果是阴火上冲而使用它，反而会助长火邪。所以必须用黄柏、知母，少量用木香佐助。气从左边起的，是肝火。气刺痛，都属于火。应当在降火药中加入枳壳。破滞气使用枳壳，枳壳能损伤至高之气，二三服就停止，恐怕损伤真气，气实证者可服用。实热在内，相火上冲，好像气滞，使用知母、黄柏、黄芩、黄连。阴虚气滞，使用四物汤补血。因为事情气郁不舒展而痛的，用木香调理通达。忧思兼痰气，用香附五钱，栝蒌一两，贝母、山楂各三钱，半夏一两。体质素来壮实而气刺痛的，用枳壳、乌药。因为死血而痛的，用桃仁、红花、当归头。解五脏结气，益少阴经血，用栀子炒黑为末，入汤同煎，饮用非常有效。刘河间说：妇人性情执拗，所以气疾较多，宜用正气天香汤先导。戴复庵说：七气致病，虽然本于一气，但所以成为气的表现，随症状而变化，《三因方》论述最详细。喜、怒、忧、思、悲、恐、惊，称为七气。如果有痰在咽喉间，像棉絮相似，咯不出，咽不下，都适宜用四七汤，无效，进丁沉透膈汤。（内有热者不宜）。确知是思虑过度，宜用四七汤去茯苓，加半夏、人参、石菖蒲。确知是盛怒成疾，面色青黄，或两胁胀满，宜用调气散，或四七汤加枳壳、木香各半钱。因惊恐得病，心下怔忡的，见惊悸门。脉滑的，多血少气。涩的，少血多气。大的，血气俱多。小的，血气俱少。下手脉沉，便知是气病。或者沉滑，是气兼痰饮。脉弦软，或虚大，虚滑微弱，饮食不节，劳伤过度，精神倦怠，四肢困乏，法当补益。补中益气汤、调中益气汤、十全大补汤。夏月清暑益气汤、四君子汤、四物汤之类加减。脉结涩，或沉弦，急疾收敛，四肢腹胁腰胯间牵引疼痛，不能转侧，皆由七情郁滞，跌闪伤损，谨慎察病原，随证疏导。《三因》七气汤、流气饮子、大七气汤、苏子降气汤、化气散、四磨汤、大玄胡汤选用。脉沉滑，气兼痰饮的，二陈汤、桔梗半夏汤、四七汤，枳壳、乌药、紫苏、大腹皮、桑白皮之类，随证加减。
When qi and excess pathogens contend with each other, blood and qi enter the zang organs, leading to cyanosis of the lips and mouth and coldness of the body, which indicates death. If the body is warm and there is spontaneous sweating, it indicates that the pathogen has entered the fu organs; this is termed Shijue (Corpse-like Fainting).
The classics state: All pain arises from qi disorders. Various diseases are born from qi disturbances. Anger causes qi to ascend upward; joy causes qi to relax; grief consumes qi; fear causes qi to sink downward; cold causes qi to contract; heat causes qi to dissipate outward; shock causes qi to become chaotic; overexertion depletes qi; and excessive thinking causes qi to knot. These constitute the "Nine Qi" differences. According to Zhang Hezi: The qi of heaven and earth is peaceful in its normal state but leads to disease when altered. Moreover, humans inherit the qi of heaven and earth; external influences of the Five Movements invade alternately, while internal conflicts of the Seven Emotions clash within. Therefore, sages cherish qi as a supreme treasure, whereas common people exploit external things and thereby damage their Taihe (Great Harmony) qi. This is why Huangdi and Qibo discussed that all pain arises from qi and all diseases are born from qi, leading to the theory of the Nine Qi differences. Qi is originally one, but becomes nine due to different stimuli: anger, joy, grief, fear, cold, heat, shock, thinking, and overexertion. Generally, severe upward reversal of anger leads to hematemesis or diarrhea, indicating ascending qi. Anger causes yang qi to ascend, allowing Liver Wood to overact on Spleen Earth, resulting in hematemesis and diarrhea in severe cases. Joy brings harmony to qi and openness to the will, facilitating the smooth flow of Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive) qi, thus relaxing qi. Grief tightens the Heart vessels and expands the Lung leaves, obstructing the Upper Jiao, preventing the dispersion of Ying and Wei, and causing heat to accumulate in the middle, thereby consuming qi. Fear causes essence to retreat; retreat leads to closure of the Upper Jiao, obstruction causes qi to reverse, and reversal leads to distension of the Lower Jiao, thus impeding qi movement. Cold closes the interstices (Couli), hindering qi movement, thus contracting qi. Heat opens the interstices, facilitating Ying and Wei flow, causing profuse sweating, thus dissipating qi. Shock leaves the mind without support, the spirit without refuge, and thoughts without focus, thus chaotic qi. Overexertion causes panting and sweating, with internal and external qi escaping outward, thus depleting qi. Thinking retains the mind and spirit, causing righteous qi to stagnate and not move, thus knotting qi. Examining the details of diseases caused by these factors reveals diverse changes. For instance, anger can cause hematemesis, diarrhea, Jianjue (Frying Fainting), Bojue (Thrusting Fainting), Yangjue (Yang Fainting), chest fullness and hypochondriac pain, postprandial qi rebellion, panting, thirst, vexation, Xiao-dan (Consumption Diabetes), Feiqi (Lump Disease), sudden blindness, sudden deafness, flaccid sinews, and sores/carbuncles on the exterior. Joy can cause incessant laughter, dry and brittle hair, internal diseases, unrestrained yang qi, and even mania in severe cases. Grief can cause genital retraction, tendon cramping, muscle bi (obstruction), pulse atrophy, frequent hematuria in men, metrorrhagia in women, nasal sourness/acridity, blurred vision, shortness of breath unable to complete inhalation, and arm numbness when crying. Fear can cause emaciation, bone soreness and flaccidity/coldness, sudden green watery diarrhea, facial heat and skin tension, impotence, and jaw dislocation from terror. Shock can cause tidal salivation, eye twitching, facial deviation, dementia/epilepsy, unconsciousness, stiff collapse, and eventually bi syndrome. Overexertion can cause throat obstruction, rapid panting, hemoptysis, lower back pain and bone flaccidity, lung rales, necrosis of high bones, impotence, spitting blood, dim vision, ear deafness, scanty sperm in men, amenorrhea in women, and in severe decline, a catastrophic collapse like a breached dam. Thinking can cause insomnia, hypersomnia, dizziness, epigastric fullness, closure of the Three Jiao, dysphagia, bitter vomiting from Gallbladder heat, tendon flaccidity, Baiyin (seminal emission/leukorrhea), relief after defecation/qi passage, and loss of appetite. Cold can cause clear and cold fluids excreted from above and below, and clear white diarrhea. Heat can cause panting, vomiting of acid, and acute diarrhea with tenesmus.
I have further examined the treatment methods in the *Neijing*, which utilize the principle of mutual overcoming among the Five Elements. For example, anger injures the Liver, which belongs to Wood. Anger gathers qi in the Liver, injuring Spleen Earth. Excessive Wood also damages the Liver itself. Joy injures the Heart, belonging to Fire. Joy gathers qi in the Heart, injuring Lung Metal. Excessive Fire also damages the Heart. Grief injures the Lung, belonging to Metal. Grief gathers qi in the Lung, injuring Liver Wood. Excessive Metal also damages the Lung. Fear injures the Kidney, belonging to Water. Fear gathers qi in the Kidney, injuring Heart Fire. Excessive Water also damages the Kidney. Thinking injures the Spleen, belonging to Earth. Thinking gathers qi in the Spleen, injuring Kidney Water. Excessive Earth also damages the Spleen. Cold injures the form (body), which belongs to Yin. Cold overcoming heat injures Yang. Excessive Cold also damages Yin. Heat injures qi, which belongs to Yang. Heat overcoming cold injures Yin. Excessive Heat also damages Yang. These factors treat each other mutually. Thus, grief can treat anger by evoking pity through sorrowful words; joy can treat grief by entertaining with playful words; fear can treat joy by terrifying with imminent death; anger can treat thinking by provoking with insults/deception; thinking can treat fear by distracting with complex planning. These five methods must employ deceptive and bizarre tactics to affect the senses and perception. Only those with talent and wisdom dare use such methods. Heat treats cold; cold treats heat; rest treats overexertion; habituation treats shock. The classics say: Shock is treated by making it ordinary. Shock arises from sudden encounters; familiarity breeds no fear. For instance, Zhu Danxi treated a woman whose husband had been away for two years trading. She refused food, lay listless like a dummy, facing inward—this was qi knotting from thinking. Medicine alone could not cure it; joy could resolve it, or inducing anger. (The Spleen governs thinking; excessive thinking knots Spleen qi and stops eating. Anger belongs to Liver Wood; anger raises Wood qi to break Spleen knot.) By provoking her to cry angrily for two hours, then giving one dose of medicine, she requested food. However, she needed joy to fully recover, so they feigned the husband's return, and she recovered. Similarly, Zhang Hezi treated a woman with insomnia from chronic thinking by provoking anger; she slept soundly that night. Cases of qi depletion from overexertion or qi loss from fear are difficult to treat. Joyful people rarely get sick because their pulses are relaxed and harmonious. I heard of Zhuang treating someone ill from excessive joy: Zhuang took the pulse, feigned alarm, said he would fetch medicine and never return. The patient wept in grief and recovered. The *Suwen* states: Fear overcomes Joy, mastering the key mechanism. Such treatments exist in the *Neijing*, but quacks have ignored them for ages. Fortunately, Liu Wansu, Zhang Hezi, and Zhu Danxi clarified these principles, guiding future scholars.
Zhu Danxi stated: Cold qi, stagnant qi, and rebellious qi all result from the Lung suffering fire evil. Qi has an ascending nature; if it rises without descending, it steams the clear pathways, potentially becoming severe. The *Ju Fang* often uses acrid-aromatic drying-hot agents, adding fire to fire—who bears the blame? Saying "qi has no tonification method" is secular ignorance. Qi diseases present as fullness and obstruction, seemingly hard to tonify, but one must consider that deficiency of righteous qi fails to circulate, allowing pathogenic stagnation to persist. The classics say: The strong recover as qi moves; the weak develop disease as qi stagnates. If qi is weak, without tonification, how can it move? Qi belongs to Yang and does not inherently possess cold. Feeling chills from ascending qi is due to hyperactivity causing harm, requiring control. Excess qi is fire. Gao Yangsheng's claim that cold generates qi is erroneous. Sensations of cold rising from below are not true cold; rather, qi ascending from the Liver carries Minister Fire, creating intense heat where extreme fire mimics water (Yang hyperactivity/Yin deficiency). (Liu Wansu argued qi is Yang and subtle; disturbances/injuries are transformations of Yang fire, causing mental frenzy, qi chaos, and heat. Also, extreme emotions become fire. Treatment focuses on calming Heart Fire. Overexertion involves movement (Yang); shock affects the heart (Fire); both require calming Heart Fire. Unskilled doctors misunderstand this, criticizing cold-cooling herbs.)
For Qi Stagnation, use Xiangfu (Cyperus Rhizome), Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), and Fuxiong (Ligusticum Chuanxiong). To regulate qi, use Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix), but since it is acrid and ascending, it is suitable only for stagnation without reach. If Minion Fire rushes upward, using it aids fire; instead, use Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex) and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) with a little Muxiang. Qi rising from the left indicates Liver Fire. Piercing pain belongs to Fire; add Zhiqiao (Aurantii Fructus) to fire-draining formulas. To break stagnant qi, use Zhiqiao, which damages high qi; stop after 2-3 doses to avoid damaging righteous qi; suitable for excess patterns. For internal excess heat and Minister Fire rushing up resembling stagnation, use Zhimu, Huangbai, Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), and Lianqiao (forbidden here, likely meant Huanglian Scutellariae Radix based on context of clearing heat). For Yin deficiency with qi stagnation, use Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) to nourish blood. For pain from emotional stagnation, use Muxiang to promote flow. For melancholy with phlegm-qi, use Xiangfu (5 qian), Gualou (1 liang), Beimu (3 qian), Shanzha (3 qian), Banxia (1 liang). For robust constitution with piercing pain, use Zhiqiao and Wuyao (Tso-wu-yao Rhizome). For pain from fixed blood, use Taoren (Persicae Semen), Honghua (Carthami Flos), and Guitou (Angelicae Sinensis Radix head). To resolve knotting qi in the Five Zang and benefit Shaoyin blood, use Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus) charred and powdered, decocted; very effective. Liu Wensu noted: Women are stubborn, prone to qi disorders; start with Zhengqi Tianxiang Tang. Dai Fu'an stated: Seven Qi diseases stem from one qi but vary by symptom; *San Yin Fang* details this. Joy, anger, worry, thinking, grief, fear, shock are the Seven Qi. Phlegm stuck in the throat like cotton wool, neither expectorated nor swallowed, should be treated with Siqi Tang; if ineffective, advance to Dingchen Touge Tang (contraindicated if internal heat exists). If confirmed as excessive thinking, use Siqi Tang minus Fuling, plus Banxia, Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), and Changpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma). If confirmed as illness from rage with blue-yellow complexion or hypochondriac distension, use Tiaoqi San or Siqi Tang plus Zhiqiao and Muxiang (0.5 qian each). For palpitations from shock/fear, see the Palpitations section. Slippery pulse indicates much blood and little qi; choppy indicates little blood and much qi; large indicates abundant blood and qi; small indicates deficient blood and qi. A deep pulse upon pressing indicates qi disease. Deep-slippery indicates qi with phlegm-fluids. String-taut or soft, or empty-large, empty-slippery, or weak pulses, accompanied by irregular diet, overexertion, mental fatigue, and limb heaviness, require tonification: Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction), Tiaozhong Yiqi Tang, Shiquan Dabu Tang. In summer, Qingshu Yiqi Tang, Sijunzi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction), Siwu Tang, etc., modified. Knotted/choppy or deep-string-taut pulses, rapid contraction,牵引 pain in limbs/abdomen/flanks/waist/hips, inability to turn, caused by Seven Emotion stagnation or trauma, require careful diagnosis and guidance: San Yin Qi Tang, Liuxi Yinzi, Daqi Qi Tang, Suzi Jiangqi Tang, Huqi San, Simo Tang, Da Xuanhu Tang. For deep-slippery pulse with qi-phlegm-fluids, use Erchen Tang (Two Aged Decoction), Jiegeng Banxia Tang, Siqi Tang, plus Zhiqiao, Wuyao, Zisu (Perillae Folium), Dafupi (Arecae Pericarpium), Sangbaipi (Morus Cortex), modified per symptoms.