The transmission of disease (Chuan Jing) must begin with the Taiyang channel and end with the Jueyin channel. This is because the Taiyang channel governs Qi, while the Jueyin channel governs Blood. When pathogenic factors initially injure the body, they inevitably affect the Qi level first; as the condition gradually deepens, it will inevitably involve the Blood level. Blood vessels are the pathways for Zang-Fu organs. Once pathogens enter the Blood level, they will be allowed to invade the Fu and Zang organs, at which point resistance becomes impossible. Treatment must employ methods to promote blood circulation and unblock collaterals, making the blood collaterals loose and smooth so that pathogens can be easily eliminated; simultaneously, nourish Body Fluids and strengthen sinews and membranes, allowing Body Fluids and membranes to mutually nourish each other, thereby consolidating Healthy Qi. Otherwise, blood stagnates and dies, Qi scatters, water dampness accumulates, and sinews relax. The pores and connecting networks of the Zang-Fu organs will gradually show swelling and hardness, lacking the "exhaling" Qi to maintain circulation, and lacking the power of contraction and expansion to self-enclose and protect. Consequently, the shoulders assist in breathing with pulling pain, the body cannot turn or shift position, sleep is only possible on one side, lips and face appear cyanotic and dark, edema and asthma occur, the pulse is choppy when small and slippery when large, the umbilical region feels pounding and aching with mild persistent pain, the five fluids pour down, and various signs of collapse appear. Therefore, although the Shaoyin channel has many fatal syndromes, they mostly belong to Cold patterns, which can still be transformed using warming methods. In contrast, fatal syndromes of the Jueyin channel involve mixed Cold and Heat that are unclear, leaving no clear approach for treatment. From this perspective, Taiyang disease is merely a superficial Qi-level disorder and should not be confined to the Bladder and Small Intestine channels; Jueyin disease is merely a deep Blood-level disorder and should not be confined to the Liver and Pericardium channels. Extending this logic to Yangming, Taiyin, Shaoyang, and Shaoyin channels, none are exceptions. Thus, it is said that one should seek understanding in Qi transformation theory, rather than being rigidly attached to specific anatomical locations. (Above explains the transmission beginning with Taiyang and ending with Jueyin)

Contracting cold toxicity is termed Shanghan (Cold Damage); contracting warm toxicity is termed Wenbing (Warm Disease). These differ significantly but share minor similarities in treatment compared to Warm Diseases arising from the transformation of Shanghan. For Warm Toxicity, initial treatment must use cooling and dispersing methods; upon subsequent management, bitter-cold herbs should be used to resolve heat, salty-cold herbs to moisten, and sweet-cold herbs to tonify, thereby achieving recovery. There are cases where bitter-cold herbs are used repeatedly, as described by Wu Keyang: waiting for heat pathogens to re-stagnate in the Stomach before purging multiple times. However, Warm Diseases transformed from Shanghan are generated by Healthy Qi itself; they are rootless pathogens and should not be aggressively expelled. Not only is cooling and dispersing unnecessary, but bitter-cold herbs should also not be used early or repeatedly. Hence, there is the saying that purgation should not be delayed excessively. Wang Shuhe’s *Shanghan Li* clearly delineates these boundaries, yet later scholars criticized him. Why? As for Plague (Wenyi), it is a type of perverse Qi from Heaven and Earth, which may lean towards Dampness, Dryness, or Cold, and does not exclusively belong to Heat. Plague begins in the Blood level immediately; the turbidity and filth of the Blood level in plague are worse than the late stage of Warm Disease, placing it in a separate category. This is similar to how Shen Rou distinguished between Xu Sun (Deficiency Consumption) and Lao Zhai (Tuberculosis) in his *Five Books*. Xu Sun involves no parasites, whereas Lao Zhai involves parasites; Warm diseases involve no parasites, whereas Plagues do. One is ordinary Qi, the other is extraordinary Qi. Because it is extraordinary, Pig Plague does not kill chickens, and Chicken Plague does not kill cattle. When injuring humans, it may specifically target the wealthy and idle, the laboring and lowly, the strong, or the young and weak—phenomena that cannot be explained by ordinary reasoning. Severe cases of Warm Disease often resemble mild cases of Plague; symptoms such as rashes, soft legs, Big Head Plague, and swollen necks occasionally appear in Warm Disease. Generally, Warm Disease develops gradually, and its climatic nature belongs exclusively to Heat; Plague manifests immediately upon onset, and its climatic nature includes Cold, Heat, Dryness, and Dampness. Additionally, Zhang Du (Miasma Poison) and Xi Du (Stream Poison) share the same lineage as Plague but have different origins. Plague has Cold and Heat types, mostly leaning towards Dryness; Miasma also has Cold and Heat types, mostly leaning towards Dampness. Miasma arises from Heavenly Qi, while Plague arises from Earthly Qi. (Above explains the distinctions among Cold, Warm, Plague, and Miasma)

In the *Bian Mai Pian* (Chapter on Differentiating Pulses), it states: "If the pulse is floating and large, and the physician erroneously applies purgation, followed by giving cold water, the patient will immediately develop hiccups." This section represents the fundamental intent of Zhang Zhongjing’s treatise. A member of my clan died due to Shanghan because he was mistakenly treated with methods intended for Warm Disease. Cold water and cold pathogens clashed, further accelerating Stomach Qi; how could hiccups not occur? I once treated a patient named Gong, whose condition matched this exactly. In February, the patient suddenly vomited profusely, injuring the throat and hindering food intake. It was mistaken for Fire syndrome, and cooling formulas were administered. Subsequently, chills and fever developed, which were mistaken for Spring Warmth, leading to an increase in cooling medications, which resulted in hiccups. On the third day, I was invited to diagnose. The pulse was wiry, long, stiff, and intermixed, trembling under pressure, especially profound in the Chi position upon deep palpation. Hiccups were frequent, with Qi rushing straight up from below the navel to strike the heart. I stated: "This is latent Cold in the Lower Jiao, rising with seasonal Yang, suppressed by cooling medicines, causing hiccups. Within three days, there should be a turning point; otherwise, within another seven days, the condition will become critical." I prescribed Raw Aconite Root (Sheng Fuzi), Cinnamon Twig (Rougui), Asarum (Xixin), Evodia Fruit (Wuyu), Notopterygium Rhizome (Qianghuo), Angelica Pubescens Root (Duhuo), Pedalanthus Seed (Huluba), and Psoralea Fruit (PoguZhi), adding Alisma Rhizome (Zexie) and Achyranthes Root (Niuxi) to guide the action downward. I instructed stopping warm tonics and urgently taking this prescription. Three days later, upon follow-up, the patient's father welcomed me at the door, reporting that hiccups had greatly decreased, urination became smooth, bone and muscle pain reduced, and the patient could sit up independently. Upon entering to examine, the face appeared withered and yellow, lips and tongue dry and shriveled, the pulse was short and powerless, lacking spirit and showing severe wavering. I asked in surprise: "Has the prescription been changed?" He replied: "The child has a weak constitution, and your prescription is too potent. The first decoction from two days ago was divided into three doses; after each dose, hiccups stopped, and he slept soundly for two hours, sweating slightly at night. Yesterday, another doctor came, stating that one dose of your prescription was sufficient, and switched to a mild tonic. Looking at that prescription, it contained large doses of Ginseng (Renshen), Astragalus (Huangqi), Angelica Sinensis (Danggui), and Atractylodes Macrocephala (Baizhu), added with Ginger Juice and Bear Bile. You avoided the Middle Jiao and targeted the Lower Jiao; he tonified the Middle Jiao, inadvertently lifting Qi from the Lower Jiao. Moreover, Atractylodes is contraindicated for moving Qi. The patient shouted from the bedroom: 'Since taking that doctor's prescription, urination has ceased again, and I suffer from chest fullness and urgent difficulty breathing.' At this moment, if he were willing to take Black Tin Pill (Heixi Dan) or Yin-Breaking Pill (Poyin Dan) again, there might be hope. Reluctantly, I added Bamboo Shavings (Zhuru) and Anemarrhena Rhizome (Zhimu) to the original formula. He passed away as predicted, seeing ghosts." (Above analyzes hiccups caused by erroneous purgation and variable syndromes)

"Ping" (Level/Normal) in Ping Mai is pronounced like "Pian," meaning to differentiate.
"Guan" (Carpel/Gate) is akin to "Bu" (Section). The three positions Cun, Guan, and Chi are called the Three Guans. The Dong Mai (Surging Pulse) appears at the Guan position without head or tail; its shape is round like a bean, appearing separately above each Guan, but unable to extend longitudinally with distinct heads and tails.
"Wei" (Fine/Micro) is a pulse name, meaning not prominent. The character distinction depends on the presence or absence of "bu" (not) in the sentence.
"Ruo" (If/Like) indicates possibility. As in "sweating or purging," here referring to having previously sweated, vomited, purged, or lost blood.
"Zuo" (Sit) means "because." As in "only because sweat discharge was incomplete." Also seen in *Mo Shang Sang*: "Returning home, the new wife complains, only because she watched Luofu." And "without cause, suddenly occurring," such as "handling blades with hands, sitting [causing] wounds." Also in Bao Zhao’s *Wucheng Fu*: "Lonely tumbleweed shakes itself, startled sand flies by chance."
"Fan" (Reverse/Opposite) is a pulse name; coming weak and going strong is thus called Fan. Also, in *Jingui Yaolue*, coming close and going far is called Fan.
"Fan" also means "not" or "yet." As in "pulse floating and large, physician erroneously purges." It also means "again" or "instead." As in "Shaoyin disease, just acquired, yet has fever, pulse sinking," meaning since just acquiring the disease, there is instead fever and exterior signs. "Taiyang disease, stiff neck and back, yet has sweating and aversion to wind," meaning since stiff neck and back, there is instead sweating and aversion to wind.
"Fan" also serves as a particle meaning "however." As in "its rate was previously fine, pulse however only floats," meaning the pulse was previously fine then rapid, but ultimately remains only floating. "Also, pulse is soft and weak, weakness however is at Guan, softness however is at Dian." (Above corrects errors in character definitions)