The so-called Six Excesses (Liù Yín) refer to the six types of external pathogenic factors: Wind (Fēng), Cold (Hán), Heat (Shǔ), Dampness (Shī), Dryness (Zào), and Fire (Huǒ). Under normal circumstances, these six climatic changes are beneficial for the growth and transformation of all things. However, when these factors become excessive or insufficient, they can lead to abnormal climates that, when the body’s resistance is low, become pathogenic factors, referred to as “Six Excesses” or “Six Evils”.
The Six Excesses are primarily introduced from the outside and are often related to seasonal climate and living environment. For example, Wind diseases are more common in spring, Cold diseases in winter, Dryness diseases in autumn, and Heatstroke or Dampness-related illnesses in summer or humid environments.
1. Wind Evil (Fēng Yāo)
Any external evil characterized by lightness, movement, and dispersion is considered Wind Evil.
Characteristics of Wind Evil:
1. Wind is a Yang evil, light and dispersive, easily attacking Yang positions. Its nature is to rise, spread, and disperse, which can cause the body’s pores to open and sweat to flow, leading to symptoms of sweating and aversion to wind. Wind Evil primarily invades the upper body, muscle surface, and Yang positions such as the waist and back.
2. Wind is characterized by rapid changes. Wind Evil has the property of being unpredictable and can cause joint pain in the limbs, known as “moving Bi”. It also has a rapid onset and quick changes in symptoms.
3. Wind is active. This means that Wind Evil has a tendency to move and not remain in one place.
4. Wind is the leader of all diseases. This is due to two reasons: firstly, Wind Evil easily combines with other evils to harm the body; secondly, it is the most common cause of disease.
2. Cold Evil (Hán Yāo)
Any external evil characterized by coldness, stagnation, and contraction is called Cold Evil.
Characteristics of Cold Evil:
1. Cold Evil is a Yin evil that easily injures Yang Qi.
2. Cold Evil causes stagnation. When Cold Evil invades, it can slow down the movement of Qi, blood, and body fluids, leading to blockages and pain, as “no flow leads to pain”; thus, Cold Evil can easily cause “painful Bi”. The body “moves with warmth and stagnates with cold”.
3. Cold has a contracting nature. Cold Evil can cause the body’s Qi to contract, leading to closed pores and symptoms such as fever, aversion to cold, and lack of sweating. It can also invade the meridians, causing muscle contractions and joint pain, making movement difficult.
3. Damp Evil (Shī Yāo)
Any external evil characterized by heaviness and stickiness is called Damp Evil.
Characteristics of Damp Evil:
1. Damp Evil is a Yin evil that easily obstructs Qi and injures Yang Qi.
2. Dampness is heavy. Damp Evil can cause a feeling of heaviness and lethargy in the body.
3. Dampness is sticky. This includes two aspects: one is the sticky symptoms, such as sticky stools due to Dampness in the intestines; the other is the chronic nature of the disease.
4. Dampness tends to descend and easily attacks Yin positions. Damp Evil often harms the lower parts of the body.
4. Dry Evil (Zào Yāo)
Any external evil characterized by dryness, contraction, and desiccation is called Dry Evil.
Characteristics of Dry Evil:
1. Dryness is desiccating and easily injures body fluids.
2. Dryness easily harms the lungs. Since Dry Evil most commonly invades during autumn, when the lungs are particularly vulnerable, it can easily cause lung damage.
5. Heat Evil (Huǒ Yāo)
Any external evil characterized by heat and upward movement is called Heat Evil.
Characteristics of Heat Evil:
1. Fire heat is a Yang evil that burns upward, easily consuming Qi and injuring body fluids.
2. Fire is characterized by upward inflammation. Therefore, Heat Evil tends to invade the upper body.
3. Heat Evil can easily cause internal wind and blood movement. “Generating wind” refers to how Heat Evil can easily lead to “liver wind movement”. This can cause tremors in the hands and feet due to the lack of nourishment to the muscles and tendons, or excessive Yang causing uncontrolled upward movement.
4. Heat Evil can disturb the spirit.
5. Heat Evil can lead to sores and abscesses.
6. Summer Heat Evil (Shǔ Yāo)
Any external evil characterized by heat and upward movement during summer is called Summer Heat Evil. It is a part of Heat Evil and commonly appears during the summer. Summer Heat Evil can be classified into two types based on severity: one is heat injury, and the other is heatstroke, which is more severe.
Characteristics of Summer Heat Evil:
1. Summer Heat is a Yang evil with a hot nature.
2. Summer Heat tends to rise and can easily consume body fluids, disturb the spirit.
3. Summer Heat often carries Dampness. The summer is not only hot but also rainy, increasing humidity in the air, so Summer Heat often combines with Dampness to invade the body.
7. Common Pathogenic Characteristics of the Six Excesses:
1. External invasion: They often enter through the skin, mouth, or nose, or both simultaneously. Diseases caused by the Six Excesses are classified as external diseases.
2. Seasonal: For example, Wind diseases are more common in spring, Heat diseases in summer, Damp diseases in late summer, Dry diseases in autumn, and Cold diseases in winter.
3. Regional: Diseases such as Dryness are more common in the northwest, Cold in the northeast, and Damp Heat in the south; prolonged exposure to damp environments can lead to Damp diseases.
4. Combination: Two or more types of Six Excesses can invade the body simultaneously, known as combination. For example, Wind, Cold, and Dampness can combine to cause Bi syndrome.
5. Transformation: The nature of the symptoms caused by the Six Excesses can transform, such as Cold symptoms transforming into Heat symptoms.
Editor: Chǔxùbǎo
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