1. Supporting the Right and Expelling the Evil
1. Concept of Supporting the Right and Expelling the Evil
(1) Supporting the Right: The principle of supporting the right qi to cure diseases involves using herbs or other therapies that assist the right qi, along with appropriate nutrition and functional exercises, to enhance the body’s constitution, improve resistance to diseases, and expel evil qi, thereby achieving the goal of overcoming illness and restoring health.
(2) Expelling the Evil: The principle of expelling the evil involves using herbs or other therapies to eliminate pathogenic factors, achieving the goal of removing the evil and restoring health. The principle of “draining the excess” is a specific application of this principle.
2. Application of Supporting the Right and Expelling the Evil:
Supporting the right and expelling the evil are two interrelated aspects. Supporting the right is aimed at expelling the evil; by enhancing the right qi, the evil is driven out, thus restoring health, known as “when the right is strong, the evil is expelled by itself.”
Expelling the evil is aimed at supporting the right, eliminating pathogenic factors to protect the right qi and restore health, known as “when the evil is removed, the right is naturally stable.”
Supporting the right and expelling the evil complement each other. Therefore, when applying the principle of supporting the right and expelling the evil, one must carefully analyze the comparative strength of the right and the evil, distinguish the primary from the secondary, and decide whether to support the right or expel the evil, or determine the order of supporting the right and expelling the evil.
Generally, supporting the right is used for deficiency syndromes; expelling the evil is used for excess syndromes. If it is a mixed deficiency and excess syndrome, both supporting the right and expelling the evil should be used, but this does not mean equal measures; rather, it is necessary to clarify the primary and secondary urgency of deficiency and excess to determine the priority of supporting the right and expelling the evil. In summary, the principle should be “support the right without leaving the evil, expel the evil without harming the right.”
Specific situations are as follows:
(1) Supporting the Right: Supporting the right is suitable for deficiency syndromes where the right is primarily deficient and the evil is not strong. For example, in cases of qi deficiency or yang deficiency, one should adopt methods to tonify qi and strengthen yang; in cases of yin deficiency or blood deficiency, one should adopt methods to nourish yin and tonify blood.
(2) Expelling the Evil: This is suitable for excess syndromes where the evil is primarily strong and the right is not deficient. Common clinical methods such as sweating, vomiting, purging, clearing heat, promoting urination, guiding digestion, moving qi, and invigorating blood are all guided by this principle, formulated according to the different conditions of the evil qi.
(3) Attack First, Then Supplement: This means to expel the evil first and then support the right. It is suitable for cases where the evil is strong and the right is deficient, but the right qi can still withstand the attack, with the primary contradiction being the strong evil. If one tries to support the right at this stage, it may actually assist the evil. For example, in cases of bleeding due to blood stasis, if the blood stasis is not resolved, the bleeding will not stop; thus, one should first invigorate the blood and resolve the stasis, and then proceed to tonify the blood.
(4) Supplement First, Then Attack: This means to support the right first and then expel the evil. It is suitable for mixed deficiency and excess syndromes where the right qi is deficient and cannot withstand an attack. In this case, expelling the evil first would further harm the right qi, so one must first use tonifying methods to support the right, allowing the right qi to gradually recover to a level that can withstand an attack before expelling the evil, to avoid unexpected complications. For example, in cases of abdominal distension, when the primary contradiction is the deficiency of the right qi, and the right qi cannot withstand an attack, one must first support the right, and when the right qi has adequately recovered, then expel the evil to avoid complications.
(5) Simultaneous Attack and Supplement: This means to use both supporting the right and expelling the evil. It is suitable for cases where both the right is deficient and the evil is strong, but neither is particularly severe. In practical application, one must distinguish the primary relationship between deficiency and excess and apply flexibly. For example, if the primary contradiction is deficiency of the right, simply using tonifying methods may still leave the evil; simply attacking the evil may easily harm the right. In this case, one should primarily support the right while also expelling the evil. For example, in cases of qi deficiency with a cold, one should primarily tonify qi while also releasing the exterior. If the primary contradiction is the strong evil, simply attacking the evil may easily harm the right, and simply tonifying the right may easily leave the evil; in this case, the treatment should primarily expel the evil while also supporting the right.
2. Priority of Symptoms and Root Causes
1. Concept of Priority of Symptoms and Root Causes: The symptom refers to the branches and twigs, not the root; the root refers to the fundamental basis. Generally speaking, in the doctor-patient relationship, the patient is the root, and the doctor is the symptom; in the relationship of evil and right, the right qi of the body is the root, and the pathogenic evil qi is the symptom; in the relationship of cause and symptoms, the cause is the root, and the symptoms are the branches; in the order of diseases, the old disease is the root, and the new disease is the symptom; in terms of the location of the disease, the disease inside is the root, and the disease outside is the symptom; in terms of essence and phenomenon, the essence is the root, and the phenomenon is the symptom. It can be seen that the relationship between root and symptom is not absolute but relative and conditional. In clinical practice, based on the different priorities of root and symptom in disease, the principle of “treat the symptom urgently, treat the root slowly” is adopted to achieve the goal of treating the disease at its root, which is the basic principle of priority of symptoms and root causes. The theory of root and symptom has important guiding significance for correctly analyzing the condition, distinguishing the primary and secondary, the root and branches, the severity, and the urgency of the disease, and providing appropriate treatment.
2. Application of the Theory of Root and Symptom in Treatment
(1) Treat the Root Slowly: The principle of treating the root slowly generally applies to chronic diseases or when the disease is improving, the right qi is already deficient, and the evil has not yet been completely eliminated. For example, in cases of internal injury, the onset is gradual, and the qi and blood of the organs have already declined, so it is necessary to wait for the qi and blood of the organs to be sufficiently replenished before the right qi can gradually recover. Therefore, treatment should be slow and not rushed. Thus, “treat the main condition slowly, treat the secondary condition urgently” (from Suwen, Treatise on Root and Symptom Diseases).
(2) Treat the Symptom Urgently: The principle of treating the symptom urgently generally applies to acute diseases that are very serious or when certain life-threatening symptoms appear during the progression of the disease. For example, in the case of acute diseases, it is not advisable to be slow; when the evil has not deeply invaded, it is urgent to treat it to remove the evil. Once the evil is removed, the right qi will not be harmed, and the patient will recover easily. Therefore, it is said: “When a chronic disease is combined with an acute disease, the first thing to treat is the chronic disease” (from Jin Kui Yao Lue). For example, in cases of significant blood loss, the bleeding is the symptom, and the cause of the bleeding is the root, but the situation is critical, so stopping the bleeding is often the first priority, and after the bleeding stops, the cause of the bleeding should be treated to address the root. Additionally, “treat the symptom first when the disease is prior to the internal fullness” and “for difficulties in urination, treat the symptom first” (from Suwen, Treatise on Root and Symptom Diseases). The prior disease is the root, and the later disease is the symptom; all diseases should first treat the root, except for the two symptoms of internal fullness and difficulties in urination, which should first treat the symptom. In cases of internal fullness, the evil is in the stomach. The stomach is the major source of the five organs and six bowels; if there is fullness in the stomach, then the medicinal and food qi cannot circulate, and all organs will lose their nourishment, leading to a more urgent condition, so the symptom should be treated first. This is called treating the symptom, but in reality, it is treating the root of the organs, which is also treating the root. In cases of difficulties in urination and defecation, because of the obstruction of the two excretions, the condition is critical, and although it is a symptomatic disease, it must be treated first. However, it should be noted that difficulties in urination and defecation refer to urgent conditions of constipation and diarrhea, such as “guan ge” and similar cases. If it is a general condition, it can be handled according to the situation and does not necessarily have to be treated first.
It must be pointed out that the principle of “treat the symptom urgently, treat the root slowly” should not be absolute. In urgent situations, it may also be necessary to treat the root, such as in cases of yang collapse, where urgent methods to restore yang and rescue the reverse are used, which is treating the root; after significant blood loss, when the qi is lost with the blood, urgent use of Du Shen Tang to tonify qi and stabilize the collapse is also treating the root. Regardless of root or symptom, the principle of treating the urgent condition first is fundamental.
At the same time, when treating slowly, it is not impossible to treat the symptom. For example, in patients with spleen deficiency and qi stagnation, using regulating qi herbs along with treating the symptom is more effective than simply tonifying the spleen.
(3) Simultaneous Treatment of Root and Symptom: This means to consider both root and symptom together. Simultaneous treatment of root and symptom is suitable for cases where both the symptomatic disease and the root disease are urgent. For example, in patients with dysentery, the inability to eat is due to deficiency of the right qi (root), while the continuous diarrhea is due to strong evil qi (symptom). At this time, both root and symptom are urgent, and it is necessary to use both tonifying herbs and herbs to clear and transform damp-heat simultaneously, which is simultaneous treatment of root and symptom. Another example is in patients with spleen deficiency and qi stagnation, where the spleen deficiency is the root and the qi stagnation is the symptom. One should use Ren Shen (Ginseng), Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes), Fu Ling (Poria), and Gan Cao (Licorice) to tonify the spleen and qi, while also using Mu Xiang (Aucklandia), Sha Ren (Amomum), and Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel) to regulate qi and relieve stagnation. The principle of simultaneous treatment of root and symptom is widely applicable, such as in the use of Shen Su Yin for both tonifying and dispersing, Zhi Zhu Wan for both reducing and tonifying, and Zeng Ye Cheng Qi Tang for both attacking and tonifying. According to the needs of the condition, simultaneous treatment of root and symptom not only does not contradict but can also complement each other.
In summary, generally speaking, for diseases that develop slowly, one should treat the root; for diseases that develop rapidly, one should first treat the symptom; and for cases where both root and symptom are urgent, one should treat both simultaneously. In clinical practice, one must adopt a dynamic perspective to handle diseases, adeptly grasping the main contradiction to determine the order and urgency of treatment. Therefore, it is said: “Carefully observe the intervals, and adjust accordingly. Intervals mean simultaneous treatment, while urgency means independent treatment” (from Suwen, Treatise on Root and Symptom Diseases).
The basic principles of treating diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine have been summarized for you, with both positive and negative treatments being interrelated, demonstrating the sincerity of great physicians.
3. Positive and Negative Treatments
1. Positive Treatment
(1) Concept: Positive treatment refers to a treatment principle that treats against the nature of the symptoms, hence also known as “reverse treatment.” Positive treatment is the most commonly used treatment principle in clinical practice.
(2) Application: It is suitable for diseases where the essence and phenomenon are consistent. Since the nature of diseases can be classified into cold, heat, deficiency, and excess, the positive treatment method can be divided into treating cold with heat, treating heat with cold, supplementing deficiency, and draining excess.
① Treating Cold with Heat: This refers to treating cold-type diseases that present cold symptoms with warm and hot herbs, i.e., using heat to treat cold. For example, for exterior cold syndrome, one uses pungent warm herbs to release the exterior; for interior cold syndrome, one uses pungent hot herbs to warm the interior.
② Treating Heat with Cold: This refers to treating heat-type diseases that present heat symptoms with cold and cool herbs. For example, for exterior heat syndrome, one uses pungent cool herbs to release the exterior; for interior heat syndrome, one uses bitter cold herbs to clear heat.
③ Supplementing Deficiency: This refers to treating deficiency syndromes that present deficiency symptoms with tonifying herbs. For example, for yang deficiency syndrome, one uses methods to strengthen yang; for yin deficiency syndrome, one uses methods to nourish yin.
④ Draining Excess: This refers to treating excess syndromes that present excess symptoms with draining methods to eliminate the evil. For example, for food stagnation syndrome, one uses methods to guide digestion; for water retention syndrome, one uses methods to expel water; for blood stasis syndrome, one uses methods to invigorate blood and resolve stasis; for parasitic accumulation syndrome, one uses methods to expel parasites.
2. Negative Treatment
(1) Concept: Negative treatment refers to a treatment principle that follows the false appearance of the disease. This means using herbs or measures that align with the false appearance of the disease, hence also known as “following treatment.” Essentially, it is a method of treatment guided by the principle of treating the disease at its root, thus still adhering to the principle of “treating the disease at its root.”
(2) Application: It is suitable for diseases where the symptoms and essence are not completely consistent. In clinical practice, it generally includes the following:
① Using Heat for False Heat: This refers to using hot herbs to treat diseases that present false heat symptoms. It is suitable for true cold with false heat syndrome, where internal cold is strong, and the yang is constrained externally, resulting in true cold internally and false heat externally. When treating, one targets the essence of the disease, using hot herbs to treat the true cold; once the true cold is resolved, the false heat will also disappear. This method is an example of using heat to treat heat.
For example, in cases of yin excess with yang constraint, due to internal cold being strong, the yang qi is constrained externally, clinically presenting with true cold symptoms such as diarrhea with clear stools, cold limbs, and a weak pulse, while also showing false heat symptoms such as fever and flushed face. Since the essence is cold, one cannot use the method of “treating heat with cold”; instead, one should use warm herbs to treat the true cold. Once the internal cold is resolved, the yang qi will recover, and the false heat will also disappear, which is the specific application of “using heat to treat heat.”
② Using Cold for False Cold: This refers to using cold herbs to treat diseases that present false cold symptoms. It is suitable for true heat with false cold syndrome, where internal heat is excessive, and the yang is constrained by the yin, resulting in true heat internally and false cold externally. For example, in cases of heat stroke, due to internal heat being strong and the yin being constrained externally, only the symptoms of cold limbs are present, while true heat symptoms such as fever, thirst, dry stools, and red urine are the essence of the disease. Therefore, one should use cold herbs to treat the true heat, and the false cold will naturally disappear. This method is an example of using cold to treat cold.
③ Using Supplementation for Obstruction: This refers to using tonifying herbs to treat diseases that present symptoms of obstruction. It is suitable for true deficiency with false excess syndrome. For example, in cases of spleen and stomach weakness leading to abdominal distension, one should adopt methods to tonify the spleen and benefit the stomach, restoring the spleen’s ability to raise and the stomach’s ability to lower, allowing the qi to flow normally and the abdominal distension to resolve. This method of using supplementation to open obstructions is known as using supplementation for obstruction.
④ Using Movement for Obstruction: This refers to using herbs that promote movement to treat diseases that present symptoms of excess. It is suitable for true excess with false deficiency syndrome, such as food stagnation leading to diarrhea, treated with methods to guide digestion and purge; or bleeding due to blood stasis, treated with methods to invigorate blood and resolve stasis. This method of using movement to treat movement is known as using movement for obstruction.
Positive and negative treatments both target the essence of the disease and belong to the category of treating the disease at its root. However, the concepts of positive and negative treatments differ, and in terms of the properties, effects, and relationships between the herbs used and the essence and symptoms of the disease, there is a distinction between reverse and follow. Additionally, their applicable diseases differ: for diseases where the essence and clinical manifestations are consistent, positive treatment is used; for diseases where the essence and clinical manifestations are not completely consistent, negative treatment is suitable. In clinical practice, most diseases have a consistent essence and symptoms, thus positive treatment is the most commonly used treatment principle.
The basic principles of treating diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine have been summarized for you, with both positive and negative treatments being interrelated, demonstrating the sincerity of great physicians.
4. Adjusting Yin and Yang
1. Concept: Adjusting yin and yang refers to the principle of reducing the excess and supplementing the deficiency based on the changes in the body’s yin and yang. The fundamental issue in human disease is the disruption of the coordination and balance between yin and yang, resulting in excess or deficiency. Therefore, adjusting yin and yang, “with balance as the goal,” is the fundamental principle of Traditional Chinese Medicine in treating diseases.
2. Application
(1) Reducing the Excess: Reducing the excess, also known as reducing the excess of one side, refers to diseases where either yin or yang is excessively strong. These should be treated using the method of “draining the excess.”
① Suppressing Excess Yang: For excess heat syndrome caused by excessive yang, one should use cooling methods to clear and drain the excess yang heat, treating heat with cold.
② Reducing Excess Yin: For excess cold syndrome caused by excessive yin, one should warm and disperse the excess yin cold, treating cold with heat.
Since yin and yang are interdependent, “excess yin leads to yang disease” and “excess yang leads to yin disease.” In cases of excess yin and yang, if one side is relatively deficient, one should also consider its deficiency and use methods to support yang or nourish yin.
(2) Supplementing the Deficiency: Supplementing the deficiency refers to the principle of treating diseases where yin and yang are deficient by using the method of “supplementing the deficiency.” There are distinctions between yin deficiency, yang deficiency, and deficiency of both yin and yang, and the treatment principles include nourishing yin, supplementing yang, and dual supplementation of yin and yang.
① Treating Yang Disease with Yin: Treating yang disease with yin is suitable for yin deficiency syndrome. “Yin deficiency leads to heat” resulting in symptoms of deficiency heat, and one should use the principle of “treating yang disease with yin” to nourish yin to control the excess yang.
② Treating Yin Disease with Yang: Treating yin disease with yang is suitable for yang deficiency syndrome. “Yang deficiency leads to cold” resulting in symptoms of deficiency cold, and one should use the principle of “treating yin disease with yang” to supplement yang.
③ Seeking Yin within Yang and Seeking Yang within Yin: According to the theory of interdependence of yin and yang, in clinical practice, when treating yin deficiency, one should appropriately add yang tonics to the nourishing yin herbs, known as “seeking yin within yang.” When treating yang deficiency, one should appropriately add yin tonics to the yang tonics, known as “seeking yang within yin.” Because yang is supported by yin, it can generate boundless transformations, and yin is elevated by yang, it can provide endless sources. Therefore, in clinical practice, when treating blood deficiency, one often adds qi tonics to the blood tonics; when treating qi deficiency, one often adds blood tonics to the qi tonics.
④ Dual Supplementation of Yin and Yang: Since yin and yang are interdependent, yin deficiency can affect yang, and yang deficiency can affect yin, leading to diseases of both yin and yang deficiency. In treatment, one should supplement both yin and yang. Since yin and yang are the general principles of differentiation, various pathological changes of diseases can be summarized by the imbalance of yin and yang. Therefore, broadly speaking, methods such as releasing the exterior, attacking the interior, elevating the clear, descending the turbid, supplementing the deficiency, and draining the excess all fall within the scope of adjusting yin and yang.
5. Harmonizing Qi and Blood
1. Concept: The essence of life is based on qi and blood, and all diseases affect qi and blood. Therefore, “the key to treating diseases lies in understanding qi and blood” (from Yi Lin Gai Cuo). Harmonizing qi and blood refers to the principle of addressing the insufficiency of qi and blood and their respective functional abnormalities, as well as the pathological changes of the dysfunction of qi and blood, by using the principle of “draining the excess and supplementing the deficiency” to ensure smooth qi and harmonious blood. This is an important principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating diseases, suitable for conditions of qi and blood imbalance.
2. Application: Qi is yang, and blood is yin. The generation and movement of qi and blood depend on the normal physiological activities of the organs and meridians, so harmonizing qi and blood must also closely integrate with adjusting yin and yang and regulating the organs.
(1) Treatment Principles for Qi Disorders: Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that qi has the functions of warming, transforming, promoting, defending, and consolidating. Qi is omnipresent, and any imbalance can lead to various diseases. The place where qi is not balanced is where the disease is located. Therefore, when treating, it is essential to prioritize regulating qi, and there are many methods to regulate qi. As stated in “Du Yi Sui Bi: On Ascending and Descending”: “If qi is excessive above, suppress and descend it; if it is trapped below, elevate and lift it; if it is scattered outside, gather and consolidate it; if it is stagnant inside, flow and disperse it.” Broadly speaking, methods such as warming, cooling, and even massage, acupuncture, and diet all fall under the category of regulating qi.
The treatment principles for qi disorders can be summarized as follows: qi deficiency should be supplemented, qi stagnation should be soothed, qi sinking should be elevated, qi counterflow should be descended, qi collapse should be consolidated, and qi obstruction should be opened.
① Qi deficiency should be supplemented: Qi deficiency refers to the pathological change of insufficient original qi, declining organ function, and low resistance to diseases. The lungs govern qi for the entire body, and the spleen is the foundation of postnatal qi, the source of qi and blood generation. Therefore, tonifying qi primarily focuses on supplementing the qi of the spleen and lungs, especially emphasizing the cultivation of middle qi. The original essence relies on the physiological function of the kidneys to store essence to fully exert its physiological effects. Therefore, in cases of extreme qi deficiency, one should also start from tonifying the kidneys.
Qi is the commander of blood, and blood is the mother of qi; they are interdependent. Therefore, tonifying qi is often combined with tonifying blood: qi deficiency is a gradual manifestation of yang deficiency, and yang deficiency is the extreme of qi deficiency. Thus, in cases of extreme qi deficiency, one should also use yang tonics together.
Tonifying qi herbs can easily cause stagnation; generally, in cases of internal phlegm-dampness, they should not be used. However, if necessary, tonifying qi can be combined with phlegm-dissolving and damp-expelling methods. Additionally, if qi deficiency leads to distension and fullness, one should also use methods to regulate qi.
② Qi stagnation should be soothed: Qi stagnation refers to the obstruction and stagnation of qi movement. This often results from emotional disturbances, phlegm-dampness, food accumulation, or blood stasis, which hinder the flow of qi, leading to dysfunction of certain organs and meridians. Therefore, it is said: “When qi and blood are harmonious, no diseases arise; when there is stagnation, various diseases occur” (from Dan Xi Xin Fa). Since the movement of qi is closely related to the functions of the liver (which governs smooth flow), lungs (which govern descending), spleen (which governs ascending), stomach (which governs descending), and small and large intestines (which govern excretion), qi stagnation is often associated with dysfunction of the liver, lungs, spleen, and stomach. The liver governs smooth flow; if the liver fails to regulate, qi stagnation occurs. Therefore, the treatment of qi stagnation must focus on soothing qi and promoting its movement. The terms regulating qi, soothing qi, and promoting qi, although different in name and varying in intensity, all aim to achieve the goal of “soothing qi to restore balance.”
Since qi stagnation can occur in the body, in the organs, due to cold, heat, deficiency, or excess, one should not simply break or promote qi indiscriminately. Instead, one should adjust according to the cold, heat, deficiency, or excess of the organs and meridians. Use bitter cold to drain heat without harming the stomach; use pungent warmth to regulate qi without breaking it; use moistening and lubricating methods without causing dampness; and use dispersing methods without forcing growth.
Soothing qi herbs are mostly pungent and aromatic; large doses or prolonged use can consume qi, disperse qi, and deplete body fluids, so they should be used cautiously in cases of blood deficiency, yin deficiency, and excessive heat.
③ Qi sinking should be elevated: Qi sinking refers to the pathological change where qi is unable to rise and instead sinks, losing its ability to contain. This often results from insufficient constitution or prolonged illness leading to weakness, causing damage to the organs’ ability to maintain and the qi and fluids’ ability to contain. When the qi is unable to rise, it leads to various symptoms of qi sinking. Therefore, one should use methods to elevate the qi. Elevating qi methods are mainly used for cases of middle qi sinking, presenting symptoms such as sunken fontanelle, drooping eyelids, prolapse of the rectum, and continuous leakage, as well as conditions of instability in the Chong and Ren meridians leading to abnormal bleeding and discharge.
④ Qi counterflow should be descended: Qi counterflow refers to the abnormal rise of qi in the organs and meridians. Qi counterflow is often seen in the lungs, stomach, and liver. When lung qi counterflows, it leads to cough and chest tightness; when stomach qi counterflows, it leads to nausea and belching; when liver qi counterflows, it leads to headaches and dizziness, and in severe cases, fainting; when kidney qi (Chong qi) counterflows, it leads to running piglet syndrome. When qi counterflows, it should be descended; it is said: “When qi counterflows in the organs, it should be treated by harmonizing the qi” (from Jing Yue Quan Shu, Blood Disorders). Descending qi is also known as harmonizing qi and balancing qi. Qi counterflow is primarily associated with excess conditions and should be used temporarily, not as a long-term strategy. If it is due to deficiency, one should supplement the deficiency, and the qi will descend naturally; one should not use descending herbs.
⑤ Qi collapse should be consolidated: Qi collapse refers to the weakened ability of qi to contain and guard, leading to the external escape of qi. This often results from extreme qi deficiency. Due to severe depletion of qi, blood, and body fluids, the functions of the organs decline, and the balance between yin and yang is disrupted, leading to the risk of collapse and death. There are degrees of collapse, so in clinical practice, there are distinctions between deficiency collapse and sudden collapse. Conditions such as sweating leading to yang collapse, uncontrollable seminal discharge, continuous diarrhea, loose stools, involuntary urination, and prolonged cough leading to fluid loss are all classified as qi collapse. The deficient should be supplemented, and the loose should be consolidated. Therefore, in cases of qi collapse, one should add astringent herbs to the tonifying herbs to consolidate and supplement. In cases of sudden collapse, consolidation and astringency are ineffective; one should supplement yang and assist yin to stabilize the collapse. The astringent method is often used in conjunction with the tonifying method, and depending on the condition, it can be combined with warming or cooling methods.
⑥ Qi obstruction should be opened: Qi obstruction occurs due to external obstruction by turbid evils or extreme qi stagnation, leading to sudden fainting. Clinically, it is characterized by sudden loss of consciousness or accompanied by cold limbs. When there is obstruction, one should open it; if the orifices are blocked, it leads to fainting, hence it is also known as opening the orifices. Opening the orifices can be done through warming or cooling methods. Qi obstruction can be classified as either deficiency or excess; if it is excess, the evil has not diminished, and the right is weak, treatment should focus on opening the obstruction. If it is deficiency, it is a case of internal closure and external escape, and one should supplement qi and nourish blood to restore the collapse. One should not simply use pungent and aromatic herbs to open the obstruction without distinguishing between deficiency and excess, to avoid leaving the door open for the enemy.
(2) Treatment Principles for Blood Disorders: Blood is the essence of food and fluids, originating from the middle jiao, produced by the spleen, distributed by the lungs, governed by the heart, stored in the liver, and transformed by the kidneys. It functions to nourish, moisten, and harmonize the five organs, maintaining normal life activities. Clinically, blood disorders can be classified into blood deficiency, blood stasis, bleeding, blood cold, and blood heat, with treatment principles varying between supplementation, movement, stopping, and cooling.
① Blood deficiency should be supplemented: Blood deficiency refers to the pathological change of insufficient blood or reduced nourishing function of blood. The heart governs blood, the liver stores blood, the spleen produces and governs blood, and the kidney essence can transform into blood, so blood deficiency is closely related to the heart, liver, spleen, and kidneys. Qi is yang, and blood is yin; qi can generate blood, and blood can carry qi. According to the theory of yang generating yin, in cases of severe blood deficiency, blood tonics are often combined with qi tonics to achieve the effect of tonifying qi and generating blood. Blood deficiency and yin deficiency often have a reciprocal relationship, so for blood deficiency with concurrent yin deficiency, one often combines yin tonics to enhance the effect.
Blood tonics are often nourishing and can hinder digestion, so they should be used cautiously in cases of damp stagnation in the middle jiao, abdominal distension, and reduced appetite. If they must be used, they should be combined with herbs that strengthen the spleen and harmonize the stomach to avoid promoting dampness and harming the spleen, affecting the healthy movement of the spleen and stomach.
② Blood collapse should be consolidated: Continuous bleeding, abnormal uterine bleeding, and significant blood loss all fall under blood collapse, which requires astringent methods to consolidate the collapse. Since collapse leads to dispersion and not consolidation, astringent and warming herbs should be used to restrain the loss. When treating blood collapse, one should also add qi tonics to the astringent herbs. For example, in cases of significant blood loss, one should also use methods to consolidate the collapse and benefit qi. Qi can move blood, and blood can carry qi, so blood collapse must lead to qi collapse, which is not simply blood collapse; in severe cases, it can lead to the collapse of both yin and yang.
③ Blood stasis should be moved: Blood stasis refers to the pathological state of slow and unflowing blood. “For blood that is stagnant, it should be resolved” (from Suwen, Yin Yang Correspondences). Therefore, the principle of treating blood stasis is to invigorate blood and resolve stasis. When using methods to invigorate blood and resolve stasis, the following principles should be noted:
Accurate differentiation: When using methods to invigorate blood and resolve stasis, in addition to correctly grasping the diagnostic criteria for blood stasis, one must also distinguish the location of the disease, whether it is superficial or deep, the nature of the disease, whether it is cold or heat, and the severity of the disease, to achieve the desired effect. Although invigorating blood and resolving stasis is the general principle for treating blood stasis, blood stasis can vary in severity. Therefore, invigorating blood and resolving stasis can be categorized into “harmonizing blood and moving stasis,” “invigorating blood and resolving stasis,” and “breaking blood and expelling stasis.” Generally, one should follow the order of harmonizing blood and moving stasis, invigorating blood and resolving stasis, and breaking blood and expelling stasis, starting from the lighter cases to the heavier ones. One should not indiscriminately break stasis, as this may lead to quick results but can harm the right qi.
Understanding the properties of herbs: The effects of methods to invigorate blood and resolve stasis are reflected through the properties of the herbs and formulas used. Therefore, it is essential to understand the characteristics of the herbs. First, treating cold with heat and treating heat with cold are fundamental principles in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The causes of blood stasis can be classified into cold and heat. “Blood that is affected by cold will coagulate into clots,” and “blood that is affected by heat will boil into clots” (from Yi Lin Gai Cuo). Therefore, herbs should be selected according to their cold, heat, warm, or cool properties. Second, herbs for invigorating blood and resolving stasis not only have the common effects of promoting blood circulation, regulating blood qi, and removing stagnation but also have different effects such as moving qi, nourishing blood, cooling blood, stopping bleeding, resolving symptoms, unblocking meridians, promoting urination, healing injuries, and treating abscesses. Third, certain herbs for invigorating blood and resolving stasis are sensitive to specific diseases or locations. For example, San Leng (Sparganium), E Zhu (Curcuma), and Wu Ling Zhi (Flying Squirrel Feces) are effective for treating lumps; Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum) is used for blood stasis in the upper body, while Niu Xi (Achyranthes) is used for blood stasis in the lower body, and Yu Jin (Curcuma) is used for blood stasis in the heart, while Ze Lan (Lycopus) is used for blood stasis in the liver. Understanding these properties allows for appropriate selection of herbs and formulation.
Familiarity with combinations: Blood stasis is often caused by multiple factors, so invigorating blood and resolving stasis must be combined with other therapies based on the differentiation results to fully exert its effects. Common combinations include regulating qi and promoting movement, tonifying qi and nourishing blood, stopping bleeding and resolving symptoms, cooling blood and warming the meridians, and clearing heat and detoxifying.
④ Blood cold should be warmed: Blood cold refers to the invasion of cold evils into the meridians, leading to obstruction of qi and blood flow, or inherent yang deficiency, resulting in internal cold, causing stagnation of qi and blood, characterized by cold pain. Warming and dispersing herbs should be used to open the meridians and activate the collaterals, combined with warming and blood-moving herbs.
⑤ Blood heat should be cooled: Blood heat refers to the excessive heat in the organs, which forces heat into the blood, or the invasion of warm heat evils into the blood. It is characterized by bleeding and heat symptoms. Therefore, treating heat with cold is essential; thus, blood heat is often treated with cooling and blood-stopping herbs. Blood that is cooled will coagulate, and blood that is warmed will flow. Therefore, when using cooling and blood-stopping herbs, one should stop at the right moment and not exceed the dosage. If there is significant stasis, one should not simply use large doses of cold and cooling herbs to stop the bleeding; if necessary, one should also combine invigorating blood and moving blood herbs to avoid leaving stasis behind. Excessive heat will harm yin, so in addition to combining cooling and blood-stopping herbs with those that nourish yin, one can also add herbs that nourish yin.
The basic principles of treating diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine have been summarized for you, with both positive and negative treatments being interrelated, demonstrating the sincerity of great physicians.
⑥ Stopping bleeding: Any blood that does not follow the normal path, whether it overflows from the mouth or nose, or exits from the two lower orifices, or overflows from the skin, is referred to as bleeding. Stopping bleeding is essential. Correctly applying methods to stop bleeding requires attention to the following points:
Distinguishing the causes and nature of bleeding: The causes of bleeding are often related to fire and qi. “The movement of blood is due to fire and qi” (from Jing Yue Quan Shu, Blood Disorders): qi is the commander of blood, and blood follows qi. Either excessive fire causes qi to counterflow and blood to overflow, or cold causes stagnation and blood stasis, and there are also cases of qi deficiency with cold. However, bleeding is mostly associated with heat. Additionally, internal stasis can lead to obstruction of blood flow, causing bleeding. The pathogenesis of bleeding is primarily based on qi, encompassing cold, heat, deficiency, and excess.
Stopping bleeding must also distinguish the location of the bleeding, as coughing blood, epistaxis, hematemesis, melena, hematuria, and vaginal bleeding not only differ in terms of cold, heat, deficiency, and excess but also involve different organs. Therefore, stopping bleeding must be treated according to differentiation; one should not simply stop the bleeding, which is known as “seeing blood and stopping treatment.” It is advisable to avoid using large doses of cold and astringent herbs; although bleeding is mostly associated with heat, in the early stages of bleeding, one should avoid using large doses of cooling and blood-stopping herbs, as cold and cooling herbs should not be used for long periods to prevent internal stasis and damage to the spleen yang. If the spleen is damaged, blood will not return to the meridians. It is also crucial to avoid solely using astringent herbs to stop bleeding, especially in cases of bleeding with concurrent blood stasis, to prevent “closing the door and leaving the enemy inside.” Regarding the use of charcoal for stopping bleeding: charcoal is an important measure in Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating bleeding. It is often said that “red meets black to stop bleeding,” but one should not use charcoal indiscriminately for all bleeding without distinguishing between the nature of the disease and the properties of the herbs.
The general principles for using charcoal to stop bleeding are as follows: for bleeding due to excess heat, one should use bitter cold herbs to directly counteract the fire; once the heat is cleared, the blood will naturally stabilize. For bleeding due to deficiency heat, one should nourish yin, clear heat, and reduce fire using sweet and cold herbs. Charcoal, being bitter and cold, has the potential to harm fluids and deplete liquids, so it should not be used. For bleeding due to deficiency cold, one should use warming methods, while cold and cooling herbs are not suitable. If there is a mixture of cold and heat, or both deficiency and excess in the case of bleeding, the herbs should be selected to balance both cold and heat, and both deficiency and excess should be addressed; thus, both cold and hot herbs can be used in charcoal form. When using charcoal to stop bleeding in clinical practice, one must weigh the pros and cons, and correct usage can reflect the wonderful effects of charcoal in stopping bleeding.
(3) Treatment Principles for Qi and Blood Disorders: Qi and blood are interdependent; if qi is deficient, blood will also be weak; if qi is stagnant, blood will also be stasis; if qi sinks, blood will also descend; if qi counterflows, blood will also be chaotic. Qi is yang, and blood is yin; one yin and one yang support each other. Therefore, when qi is diseased, blood will also be affected. Thus, it is said: “Qi is the commander of blood, and blood is the mother of qi; if qi is diseased, blood cannot act independently, so it will also be affected” (from Yi Jia Si Yao). This is the theoretical basis for treating qi disorders with blood treatment. In summary, treating qi without treating blood is not the correct approach. For qi deficiency, one should “seek qi within essence”; for qi stagnation, one should also consider the consumption of yin and blood; for qi counterflow, one should seek harmony between qi and blood. This is an important principle in treating qi disorders.
② Treating Blood Disorders with Qi: When qi is diseased, blood will also be affected; when blood is diseased, qi will also be harmed. Qi and blood are interdependent; when they are harmonious, both will be harmonious; when they are diseased, both will be diseased. However, “qi is primary, and blood is secondary; qi is heavy, and blood is light” (from Yi Xue Zhen Chuan, Qi and Blood). Therefore, “both qi and blood are necessary, but tonifying qi should precede tonifying blood; both yin and yang are needed, but nourishing yang should precede nourishing yin” (from Yi Zong Bi Du, Water, Fire, Yin, and Yang Theory). Although this refers to the treatment of deficiency syndromes, it is also a principle for treating blood disorders. In summary, treating blood must also treat qi; when qi is harmonized, blood disorders can begin to heal.
Blood deficiency should be supplemented, and blood will naturally be generated. The method for treating blood deficiency involves primarily tonifying the spleen and benefiting qi, warming and nourishing heart qi, and supplementing kidney qi. This is because the spleen can promote healthy movement, ensuring sufficient transformation, and the blood vessels can be filled; the heart generates blood, and the essence of food and fluids relies on the warmth of heart yang to transform into blood.
Kidney yang is the source of all yang in the body, and kidney essence relies on true fire for transformation to become blood. In cases of blood stasis, one should promote qi, and blood will naturally adjust. If qi is not moving, blood will not flow. When qi flows, blood flows; when qi stagnates, blood will also stagnate. Therefore, the treatment of blood stasis must emphasize the regulation of qi. Since both qi deficiency and qi stagnation can lead to stasis, and the movement of blood is closely related to the heart, lungs, liver, and spleen, the methods of regulating qi include soothing liver qi, promoting lung qi, warming heart qi, and tonifying original qi, with particular emphasis on regulating liver qi. The liver governs smooth flow; if liver qi stagnates, blood will also stagnate. Therefore, it is essential to use herbs that soothe liver qi to promote the movement of qi; when qi flows, blood will also flow, and stasis will not be treated.
In summary, qi and blood are interdependent; qi is primary, and blood is secondary. Qi is the bellows, and blood is like waves. Therefore, “if there is a qi disorder affecting blood, treat the qi first; if there is a blood disorder affecting qi, treat the blood first” (from Yi Zong Bi Du, Principles of Differentiation and Treatment). In clinical practice, one should take a holistic view, harmonizing yin and yang, ensuring that yin is balanced and yang is hidden, and that qi is regulated and blood is harmonized, so that the disease can heal itself.
6. Adjusting the Organs
1. Concept: The human body is an organic whole, and the organs coordinate and support each other physiologically and influence each other pathologically. A disease in one organ can affect others, and a disease in another organ can also affect the original organ. Therefore, adjusting the organs means that when treating organ diseases, one must consider not only the imbalance of yin, yang, qi, and blood in each organ but also pay attention to adjusting the relationships between the organs to restore balance. This is the basic principle of adjusting the organs.
2. Application
(1) Adjusting the Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood of the Organs: The organs are the centers of life activities, and the yin, yang, qi, and blood of the organs are the foundations of life activities. The imbalance of yin, yang, qi, and blood in the organs is the basis for pathological changes in the organs. Therefore, adjusting the yin, yang, qi, and blood of the organs is the basic principle of adjusting the organs.
The physiological functions of the organs differ, and the pathological changes of their yin, yang, qi, and blood imbalances are not the same. Therefore, treatment should be based on the pathological changes of the organs, whether they are deficient or excessive, cold or hot, and should be supplemented if deficient, drained if excessive, warmed if cold, and cooled if hot. For example, the liver governs smooth flow and stores blood, with blood as its body and qi as its function, and it is characterized by upward movement. Its pathological features often include excess liver qi and liver yin or blood deficiency. If the liver is too strong, it can lead to qi stagnation and fire, and blood deficiency can generate heat and wind. Therefore, the treatment of liver diseases focuses on regulating qi, tonifying blood, and harmonizing blood, combined with clearing the liver, nourishing the liver, and calming the liver according to the cause.
(2) Adapting to the Physiological Characteristics of the Organs: The five organs store essence and qi without dispersing, while the six bowels transform substances without storing. The yin-yang and five-element properties of the organs, the rules of qi movement, and the seasonal responses, as well as their preferences and aversions, differ. Therefore, adjusting the organs must follow the characteristics of the organs. For example, the spleen and stomach belong to the earth; the spleen is yin earth, and excessive yang can harm it; the stomach is yang earth, and excessive yin can harm it. The spleen prefers dryness and dislikes dampness, while the stomach prefers moisture and dislikes dryness. The spleen qi governs upward movement, while the stomach qi governs downward movement. Therefore, when treating the spleen, it is often advisable to use sweet and warm herbs to assist its upward movement, while being cautious with cold and damp herbs to avoid harming the yang. When treating the stomach, it is often advisable to use sweet and cold herbs to promote downward movement, while being cautious with warming and drying herbs to avoid harming its yin.
(3) Coordinating the Relationships Between the Organs
① Adjusting Based on the Five Elements’ Generative and Restrictive Relationships: The treatment principles mainly include “supplementing the mother” and “draining the child.” Nourishing water to support wood, enriching earth to generate metal, benefiting fire to supplement earth, and generating metal to nourish water all belong to the principle of “supplementing the mother”; while draining the heart for liver excess and draining the stomach for heart excess all belong to the principle of “draining the child.”
Adjusting Based on the Five Elements’ Restrictive Relationships: The treatment principles mainly include suppressing the strong and supporting the weak. For example, if wood harms metal, one can use methods to support metal and drain wood, which is suppressing the strong; if liver deficiency affects the spleen and stomach, this is wood not supporting earth, and treatment should harmonize the liver and strengthen the spleen to enhance both functions, which is supporting the weak. Adjusting the relationships between the two organs should also consider both aspects, such as suppressing wood and supporting earth, and draining the south while supplementing the north.
Adjusting Based on the Five Elements’ Transformative Relationships: The five elements generate and restrict each other, and they mutually transform and restrict each other in a continuous cycle. Therefore, when adjusting the functions of the organs based on the five elements, it is necessary to not only supplement the mother and drain the child but also to consider the relationships between the two organs and adjust the relationships between three related organs, such as wood restricting earth, earth generating metal, and metal restricting wood, ensuring that both suppression and support are balanced.
② Adjusting Based on the Theory of Mutual Containment of the Five Organs: The five elements correspond to the five organs, and the five organs mutually contain each other. One organ governs the five organs, and the five organs unify into one. Any physiological function is regulated by the five organs collectively, with distinctions between primary and secondary. For example, in terms of respiratory function, the lungs govern respiration, but the lungs govern exhalation, the kidneys govern inhalation, the liver regulates the movement of qi, ensuring appropriate ascent and descent, and the spleen governs the transformation of food and fluids, participating in the generation of the original qi; the heart governs blood vessels and houses the spirit, with blood nourishing qi, and the heart spirit being the master of respiratory regulation. Therefore, all five organs participate in regulating respiration, particularly the lungs, spleen, and kidneys.
③ Adjusting Based on the Relationships Between the Organs: The coordination between the organs reflects the relationship of yin and yang, as well as the relationship of exterior and interior. The organs move qi to the bowels, and the bowels transmit essence to the organs. Physiologically, they coordinate with each other, and pathologically, they influence each other and transform mutually. Therefore, when treating organ diseases, in addition to directly treating the affected organ, one can also apply the theory of organ relationships, treating organ diseases with bowel treatments, bowel diseases with organ treatments, or treating both organs and bowels simultaneously.
Treating organ diseases with bowel treatments: For example, the heart corresponds to the small intestine; in cases of heart fire flaring up, one can directly drain the heart fire while also unblocking the small intestine, allowing the heat from the heart to be expelled from below, thus reducing heart fire. Similarly, liver excess can be drained through the gallbladder, and spleen excess can be drained through the stomach, which is the principle of treating the organ by first treating the bowel.
Treating bowel diseases with organ treatments: For example, the kidneys correspond to the bladder; if the bladder’s qi transformation function is abnormal, leading to water metabolism disorders, treating the kidneys can also treat the bladder. In cases of constipation, if the bowel qi is obstructed, the lung qi may also be obstructed. Therefore, one should descend the pathogenic qi to allow the bowel qi to flow smoothly.
Simultaneous treatment of organs and bowels: Although organ diseases can be treated by treating the bowels and vice versa, in clinical practice, simultaneous treatment of both organs and bowels is often employed. For example, the spleen and stomach work together; their intake and movement complement each other, and their dryness and dampness support each other. Therefore, spleen diseases will affect the stomach, and stomach diseases will also impact the spleen. Thus, in clinical practice, the spleen and stomach are often treated together.
Excess conditions should be drained from the bowels, while deficiency conditions should be supplemented from the organs: The six bowels transform substances without storing, using movement for function and descending for harmony, while the five organs store essence and qi without dispersing, valuing storage. Both the five organs and six bowels can present as excess conditions, which should be drained. This means that the six bowels should be drained to expel evils, such as in cases of yangming bowel excess, where purging methods are used to clear the heat from the stomach and intestines. The excess conditions of the five organs can also be drained through the bowels to expel evils, such as in cases of liver damp-heat, which can be cleared through the intestines and promote urination to expel damp-heat. Deficiency conditions of the five organs should be supplemented, and the six bowels can also be supported by supplementing the organs. For example, if the bladder’s qi transformation is weak, leading to frequent urination, one should often treat it by tonifying the kidneys to consolidate the qi. In cases of poor separation of clear and turbid fluids in the small intestine, treatment often involves the spleen and kidneys.
The basic principles of treating diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine have been summarized for you, with both positive and negative treatments being interrelated, demonstrating the sincerity of great physicians.
7. Adapting to Time, Place, and Person
The occurrence, development, and outcome of diseases are influenced by various factors, such as climate changes, geographical environments, and individual differences in constitution. Therefore, when treating diseases, it is essential to consider these factors and analyze the specific situation to adopt appropriate treatment methods:
1. Adapting to Time
(1) Concept: The changes in seasonal climate have a certain impact on the physiological functions and pathological changes of the human body. The principle of considering the characteristics of different seasonal climates when determining treatment and medication is known as adapting to time.
(2) Application: Throughout the four seasons, there are changes in cold and heat, so when treating diseases, one should consider the current climatic conditions. For example, in spring and summer, the climate transitions from warm to hot, and yang qi rises, causing the body’s pores to open. Even if there is an external invasion of wind-cold, one should be cautious in using strong diaphoretic herbs like Ma Huang (Ephedra) and Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) to avoid excessive opening and depleting qi and yin. In autumn and winter, the climate transitions from cool to cold, with yang declining and the body’s pores becoming tight, so if there is a heat syndrome, one should also be cautious in using cold herbs like Shi Gao (Gypsum) and Bo He (Mint) to prevent harming the yang. Therefore, it is said: “Use warmth to avoid warmth, use heat to avoid heat, use coolness to avoid coolness, and use cold to avoid cold” (from Suwen, Treatise on the Six Yuan Zheng Ji).
2. Adapting to Place
(1) Concept: The principle of considering treatment and medication based on the characteristics of different geographical environments is known as adapting to place.
(2) Application: Different geographical environments, due to varying climatic conditions and living habits, lead to differences in physiological activities and disease characteristics. Therefore, treatment and medication should also differ. For example, in the northwest region of China, where the terrain is high and cold, diseases are often cold, and treatment should be warming; in the southeast region, where the terrain is low and warm, diseases are often heat, and treatment should be cooling. This illustrates that diseases differ by region, and treatment methods should also vary. Even for the same disease, treatment and medication should consider the characteristics of different regions. For instance, when using Ma Huang and Gui Zhi to treat external wind-cold syndrome, the dosage can be slightly higher in the severely cold northwest region, while in the warm southeast region, the dosage should be slightly lower. Additionally, certain regions have endemic diseases that should also be taken into account during treatment.
3. Adapting to Person
(1) Concept: The principle of considering treatment and medication based on the different characteristics of patients, such as age, gender, constitution, and lifestyle, is known as adapting to person.
(2) Application: When treating, one should not view the disease in isolation but consider the overall condition of the patient. For example:
① Age: Different ages have different physiological functions and disease characteristics. Elderly individuals often have qi and blood deficiency, and their resistance declines, leading to more deficiency syndromes or a combination of deficiency and excess. When treating deficiency syndromes, one should tonify, while for excess syndromes, one should also consider the formula and medication to avoid harming the right qi. Children have abundant vitality but may have insufficient qi and blood, and their organs are delicate. Since infants cannot care for themselves, they often suffer from irregular feeding and temperature imbalances. Therefore, when treating children, one should be cautious with harsh and tonifying herbs. Generally, the dosage of herbs must also be adjusted according to age.
② Gender: Males and females have different physiological characteristics, especially for women during menstruation, pregnancy, and postpartum periods, where treatment and medication must be considered carefully. For example, during pregnancy, harsh purgatives, blood-breaking, and toxic herbs should be avoided or used cautiously; postpartum, one should consider qi and blood deficiency and the condition of lochia.
③ Constitution: In terms of constitution, due to individual differences in innate endowment and postnatal nurturing, individuals may have varying strengths and weaknesses, as well as tendencies towards cold or heat, and some may have chronic diseases. Therefore, even with the same disease, treatment and medication should differ. For example, individuals with strong yang should be cautious with warming herbs, while those with excessive yin should be cautious with cooling herbs. Other factors, such as the patient’s occupation and working conditions, may also relate to the occurrence of certain diseases, which should be taken into account during diagnosis and treatment.
The principles of adapting to time, place, and person fully reflect the holistic view of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the principles of differentiation and treatment in practical application. It is essential to view issues comprehensively and analyze specific situations accordingly.
More Exciting Content
The ancient formula “San Liang Ban” is effective for quickly treating lumbar muscle strain!
Wondering about longevity? Your “face” knows! The “Huang Di Nei Jing” teaches you how to read facial features!
Women with liver qi stagnation have five obvious symptoms! The sooner you know, the better!
Over 40 small remedies for common ailments, basically covering all daily illnesses (save this)!
How to remember nearly 400 acupuncture points? Discussing their past and present (save this)!
Quickly save these Daoist health preservation tips, with detailed explanations for the 24 solar terms, including all the small health tips for the year!
Why is it said that fire rises and cold sinks, and the legs are the main base for cold? How to dispel cold? One step to the point!
These 100 folk remedies are worth saving now, benefiting the whole family! The 91st is super useful! (recommended to save)