Chapter 9: The Key to Decoding the Treatise on Cold Damage

“Cough, cough!” Li Yu cleared his throat and then asked him, “Why don’t you start by telling me the main points of syndrome differentiation according to the Six Meridians?”

For Zhang Jing, this was naturally a piece of cake, and he immediately began reciting.

“Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 1: When the Taiyang meridian is diseased, the pulse is floating; the head and neck are stiff and painful, and there is aversion to cold.”

“Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 180: When the Yangming meridian is diseased, the stomach is full and replete.”

“Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 263: When the Shaoyang meridian is diseased, there is bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, and dizziness.”

“Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 273: When the Taiyin meridian is diseased, the abdomen is distended with vomiting, food does not digest, there is great benefit to oneself, and occasional abdominal pain. If purging is done, there will be hardness below the chest.”

“Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 281: When the Shaoyin meridian is diseased, the pulse is faint and thin, and there is a desire to sleep.”

“Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 326: When the Jueyin meridian is diseased, there is emaciation and thirst, qi rushing upward to the heart, burning pain in the chest, hunger without desire to eat, and vomiting of roundworms. If purging is done, diarrhea will not cease.”

Having recited fluently in one breath, Zhang Jing looked confidently at Li Yu.

Unexpectedly, Li Yu frowned slightly and asked, “Is that all?”

Zhang Jing was momentarily taken aback.

He thought to himself: The six diseases—Taiyang, Yangming, Shaoyang, Taiyin, Shaoyin, and Jueyin—have all been covered thoroughly. What could possibly be missing?

“What about the time when the six diseases are ready to resolve?” Li Yu reminded him.

The time when the six diseases are ready to resolve?

Zhang Jing certainly knew of this, but his university professors never taught that this too counted as a key point in the Six Meridians.

Without further hesitation, he decided to recite it first.

“Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 9: For Taiyang disease, the time of resolution is from the hour of Si to Wei. Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 193: For Yangming disease, resolution occurs from Shen to Xu. Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 272: For Shaoyang disease, resolution is from Yin to Chen. Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 275: For Taiyin disease, resolution is from Hai to Chou. Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 291: For Shaoyin disease, resolution is from Zi to Yin. Treatise on Cold Damage, Article 328: For Jueyin disease, resolution is from Chou to Mao.”

Only then did Li Yu nod slightly. “You’ve now obtained the key.”

Hearing this, Zhang Jing suddenly realized.

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It turned out that the key to unlocking the Treatise on Cold Damage that Li Yu spoke of was the often-overlooked timing of when the six diseases are ready to resolve.

“Teacher Li, do you mean that for the resolution of the three Yang meridians’ diseases, the vital qi and blood must be abundant in the three Yang meridians, making it easier for pathogenic factors to withdraw; and for the resolution of the three Yin meridians’ diseases, the qi and blood must be abundant in the three Yin meridians, allowing the righteous qi to recover naturally?” Zhang Jing pondered and asked.

“Exactly. Throughout the day, the body’s qi and blood fluctuate according to the yin-yang changes of day and night. During the daytime, qi and blood fill the three Yang meridians, which govern the six Fu organs; at night, qi and blood fill the three Yin meridians, which govern the five Zang organs.”

Zhang Jing organized his thoughts and then said, “So the system of the three Yin and three Yang meridians describes the daily cycle of day and night. The hours of Si, Wu, and Wei correspond to Taiyang; Shen, You, and Xu correspond to Yangming; Yin, Mao, and Chen correspond to Shaoyang; Hai, Zi, and Chou correspond to Taiyin; Zi, Chou, and Yin correspond to Shaoyin; and Chou, Yin, and Mao correspond to Jueyin. In other words, the three Yang meridians and Taiyin together form a complete day and night cycle, while Shaoyin and Jueyin overlap with Taiyin and Shaoyang, indicating that Jueyin and Shaoyin emanate from Taiyin and then transition from Yin to Yang?”

“Absolutely correct! Taiyin is also called the Ultimate Yin, as it is the origin of the three Yin meridians. Xiao Zhang, why don’t you extend this further? How should the seasons of the year correspond to the three Yin and three Yang meridians?”

Twelve two-hour periods correspond to twelve months of the year, which was not difficult. Zhang Jing answered without much thought: “The three months of spring correspond to Shaoyang; summer to Taiyang; autumn to Yangming; winter to Taiyin; and the months of Zi, Chou, and Yin correspond to Shaoyin; while Chou, Yin, and Mao correspond to Jueyin. This aligns well with the agricultural cycle of spring growth, summer flourishing, autumn harvest, and winter storage.”

Li Yu nodded. “In fact, the three Yin and three Yang system can be applied not only temporally but also spatially. It is a three-dimensional, multi-dimensional, dynamic system, reflecting the laws governing all life’s development.”

“Take the example of a seed of life: Shaoyang represents the Yang qi beginning to grow vigorously and rise; Taiyang is the Yang qi becoming increasingly vigorous, reaching its peak and expanding to its fullest; Yangming is the Yang qi beginning to contract and descend; Taiyin is the Yang qi descending underground into a latent state; Shaoyin is the Yang qi beginning to sprout; and Jueyin is the Yang qi starting to grow upward, breaking through the soil.”

After hearing this, Zhang Jing felt as if a veil had been lifted from his mind, as the previously abstract concepts and cold, rigid texts suddenly came alive with spirit and vividness.

“So, the three Yin and three Yang meridians are essentially a refinement and extension of Yin and Yang, meaning that all things in the world are encompassed within the three Yin and three Yang system,” Zhang Jing said excitedly as his thoughts flowed.

“Exactly. Using this theory, try to analyze the process of human life from birth to growth, and then to decline and death.”

Zhang Jing thought for a moment, then slowly said, “From fertilized egg development to embryo is the Shaoyin state; from fetal growth and formation to birth is the Jueyin state; from birth to gradual growth to adulthood is the Shaoyang state; adulthood to having children is the Taiyang state; after middle age, when both Yin and Yang decline and vitality diminishes, this is the Yangming state; and in old age, when Yang is weak and Yin is abundant, until death, this corresponds to the Taiyin state.”

“Very good! Now try to analyze why Taiyang disease must present with a floating pulse?”

“Because the physiology of Taiyang is that Yang qi becomes increasingly vigorous, rising to its peak and expanding to its maximum. Yang rules over Yin, so qi and blood are pushed to the outermost layer of the body, hence the floating pulse.”

“Exactly! Just as the moon waxes and wanes, pulses can be excessive or deficient, and diseases can be categorized into deficiency or obstruction. In the three Yin and three Yang system, locating where the disease corresponds allows one to fill the deficiency and remove the obstruction, restoring Yin-Yang balance and healing the disease.”

“However, one must note that this location is not always singular; sometimes two or even more areas may be simultaneously problematic. For example, combined diseases of Taiyang and Shaoyang, Taiyang and Shaoyin, or even all three Yang meridians.”

Zhang Jing nodded vigorously.

“Have you fully understood the three Yin and three Yang system?” Li Yu asked with a smile.

“I think I understand a bit, but certainly not everything,” Zhang Jing answered honestly.

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“That’s right. If you could understand it all in such a short time, I’d have to question my own intelligence. You must know, I searched for this key for many years.”

“However, I can only pass this key to you. As for how to use it in practice, you must deepen your understanding through clinical experience.”

Zhang Jing knew this was not an evasion on Li Yu’s part, but a universal truth: the master leads you to the door, but cultivation depends on the individual.

Li Yu passed on his hard-earned research achievement to this non-relative visiting student on the very day he himself recognized it, and Zhang Jing could only bow deeply in gratitude, finding no better way to express his thanks.

“You needn’t thank me. I entrusted it to you precisely because I saw your potential. If it were someone else, even with this key, they might fail to utilize it and end up in a dead end.”

“Look at your senior sister—she’s been studying with me for years but still hasn’t been able to enter the gate of the three Yin and three Yang system. Over the coming year, you must help her a lot.”

Hearing this last remark, Li Simeng, who had been staring with wide eyes as if hearing an incomprehensible language, suddenly snapped, “Second Uncle, don’t insult me to my face like that. I only have a high school education, never went to university—how can I compare to him?”

Second Uncle?

High school education?

Zhang Jing immediately understood why something felt off.

So that was it!

However, this small surprise lingered only a few seconds in his mind.

Zhang Jing’s focus was on Li Yu’s final sentence—more precisely, on one word.

One year?

So the system had arranged for him to learn from the master for only a single year!