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“Using heaven and earth as yin and yang, the sweat of yang is named after the rain of heaven and earth, and the qi of yang is named after the fierce winds of heaven and earth. Violent qi resembles thunder, and reverse qi resembles yang; therefore, treating those who do not follow the laws of heaven and do not utilize the principles of earth will lead to disasters.” —Huangdi Neijing, Suwen, Chapter 5 on the Correspondence of Yin and Yang
I personally come from a background in the Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage), which emphasizes the differentiation of the six channels. This differentiation progresses from the three exterior channels to the three interior channels of the body, layer by layer, including Taiyang, Yangming, Shaoyang, Taiyin, Shaoyin, and Jueyin. Some diseases are referred to as channel transmission. For example, if a Taiyang disease is not treated properly, it may transmit inward to Shaoyang, Yangming, or even directly to Taiyin or Shaoyin, right?
(Please follow WeChat: pengxinboshi) The correct treatment method should expel the pathogenic factors from the inside out, driving them away and preventing the enemy from penetrating deeply.
Thus, you see that the classical formulas used by practitioners are particularly simple and direct. After taking the medicine, patients often have quite intense reactions. Of course, one should not pursue such intense reactions; some individuals may not experience such dramatic bowel movements after taking the medicine and can still recover. I am referring to a certain phenomenon observed in clinical practice, not implying that this applies to all cases.
This reflects the thinking of ancient physicians. In the medical cases we see from before the Song Dynasty, most of them are like this: after taking the medicine, the reactions are quite intense, whether it be diarrhea, sweating, prolonged drowsiness, or severe vomiting. Zhang Zihe’s method of inducing vomiting involved using a goose feather; after taking the medicine, he would use the feather to induce vomiting, expelling phlegm and fluids, whether yellow, white, or sticky, and then the patient would recover.
Sometimes, among the Four Great Masters of the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, the most unique person is Zhang Zihe. The title of his book, “Rumen Shiqin,” suggests a particularly peaceful person, but upon reading the content, one finds that this physician has a very straightforward character, speaking plainly and honestly. When treating illnesses, the medicines he used included some that we might hesitate to use today. For instance, Mangxiao (Glauber’s salt) was one of his common medicines. I suspect that some of my fellow TCM practitioners here may not use Mangxiao even once a year, although certain specialties like proctology or gastroenterology might use it more frequently. Generally speaking, it is rarely used in a year, and Dahuang (Rhubarb) is also seldom used, right? And Gansui (Kansui) is even less frequently used, as this medicine can be toxic if overused. However, Zhang Zihe frequently used these three medicines.
(Please follow WeChat: pengxinboshi) This indicates that he was bold due to his high skill level; through sweating, vomiting, and purging, he treated 90% of diseases, especially those that others had struggled to cure for a long time, which were stubborn and difficult cases. Zhang Zihe could resolve them quickly. Therefore, many of his ideas are quite enlightening for us today. Unfortunately, there are not many practitioners studying these methods, especially among contemporary physicians; this is a topic worth discussing. We can achieve health through the use of Chinese medicine or through wellness practices.
As I mentioned earlier, these reactions after taking medicine can include sweating, vomiting, and purging.
Some wellness methods are similar. I used to practice Baguazhang (Eight Trigram Palm) and would walk in circles. Back in college, I would find a tree and start walking around it. I would also practice changing palms, both single and double. Normally, I would place my hands on my lower dantian and embrace it while walking, striking outward. Walking in a circle consists of eight steps, corresponding to the eight trigrams: Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui. After walking for a while, you would feel your stomach rumbling, and then you would rush to the bathroom, experiencing diarrhea and expelling some waste. But think about it: in the morning, having not eaten anything, how could you still expel? Actually, it is expelling accumulated waste.
This is, in fact, also a method of wellness.
Through certain wellness methods, what can we achieve? We can enhance the energy in our lower dantian, ensuring that the qi and blood throughout the body flow smoothly. As a result, our body can naturally expel pathogenic factors.
It is not necessary to take medicine or specifically weight-loss medicine; taking weight-loss medicine may cause your stomach to rumble, but it is not essential to do so. It is better to expel through natural means, right? By using your own wellness methods and nourishing your vital energy, you can naturally expel these factors. This is not the same as expelling through medication, and it is very beneficial for the body. So, I want to emphasize that this is a natural phenomenon of the body; when the vital energy is sufficient, it may lead to the expulsion of pathogenic factors.
However, some people say, “Dr. Peng, I have been taking medicine for a long time, but I have not experienced any expulsion reactions. Does this mean the medicine is ineffective?” Let me clarify: this does not mean the medicine is ineffective. It reflects individual constitution; it may indicate that your body does not require expulsion or that it is not so deficient and does not have much pathogenic factor to expel. It is simply a matter of adjusting through Chinese medicine, and it does not necessarily require intense reactions. Everyone should not pursue such intense situations.
For example, consider a battle: some enemies resist fiercely. This battle is very intense, lasting all night, and it is won; this is one way of fighting. Another way is that the enemy sees our strength and surrenders without a fight. This is called winning without a battle. In this case, there are no sounds of gunfire, so it is not intense. In other words, some people experience expulsion reactions, such as vomiting, sweating, and diarrhea, while others do not; they transition smoothly to a healthy state.
(Please follow WeChat: pengxinboshi) Therefore, you should not feel that you must sweat, vomit, or have diarrhea for the medicine to be effective. This is not the case. Most people do not have reactions after taking medicine; they simply improve day by day, and that is fine. This is normal.
It is not necessary for everyone to expel in this way, as there are differences in individual constitutions.
So, I wanted to share a few more words on this topic, as it relates to our clinical practice.
Today’s lecture ends here. Thank you all for listening, and see you in the next program.
[This article is: Methods for Expelling Pathogenic Qi | Essentials from the Huangdi Neijing Series 168 (Original 275) (For more exciting content, please see the “Recommended Reading” below)]Disclaimer: This article is a health knowledge sharing. The medicines, prescriptions, acupuncture, and various treatment and wellness methods mentioned should be applied under the guidance of a professional physician. Do not apply them on your own. We are not responsible for any issues arising from improper use.Copyright Statement: This article is authored by Peng Xin, and it is an original article. If you need to reprint or quote it, please leave a message to the editor and indicate the source. Commercial use is prohibited.(Copyright belongs to the original author, and all legal rights are reserved)Recommended ReadingFollow “Dr. Peng Xin’s TCM Studio” on WeChat, reply with the number 2025, to view popular reading collections.[Audio] Dr. Peng Xin explains the “Moxibustion Wellness” series of courses[Audio] Dr. Peng Xin discusses “Wellness in the Twenty-Four Solar Terms”[Audio] Dr. Peng Xin discusses the “Essentials from the Huangdi Neijing” series[State Council Information Office] Dr. Peng Xin: The ultimate point of integration between Chinese and Western medicine lies in clinical practice[Tsinghua University] Dr. Peng Xin’s public lecture — Modern Insights from Pengzu’s Wellness Philosophy[Video] Complete set of Baduanjin wellness exercises — Dr. Peng Xin presents you with a gift[Video] Vortex Gathering Energy: Method of Walking in Circles to Elevate Clarity and Lower Turbidity[Video] Dr. Peng Xin guesting on CCTV — How to perform back rubbing for babies[Featured Articles] “Winter Solstice” — The Birth of Yang, the Correct Method of Wellness is Like This[Featured Articles] Can Folk Remedies Be Consumed? [Featured Articles] Great Virtue Must Attain Longevity: Open-Mindedness is the First Principle of WellnessDr. Peng Xin’s TCM StudioWeChat Public Platform: pengxinboshi
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