1. On TCM’s Phlegm-Dampness Syndrome

1. On TCM’s Phlegm-Dampness Syndrome

In the “Golden Cabinet – Phlegm, Water, and Qi Chapter,” it states: “There are four types of dampness: phlegm-dampness, suspended dampness, overflow dampness, and branch dampness.” “Water flows through the intestines, producing a gurgling sound—this is phlegm-dampness; water moves around the limbs, accumulating in the extremities, and when sweat appears but no sweat is produced, this is overflow dampness; water flows beneath the ribs, causing coughing and expectoration accompanied by pain—this is suspended dampness; water rises above the diaphragm, causing coughing, choking, and difficulty lying down—this is branch dampness.” TCM categorizes these four types of dampness as follows: “Overflow dampness” corresponds to modern-day renal edema and malnutrition-related edema; “Branch dampness” corresponds to chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, and asthmatic bronchitis in modern medicine; “Suspended dampness” corresponds to pleural effusion and exudative pleurisy in modern medicine; and “Phlegm-dampness” corresponds to gastrointestinal disorders and certain post-heart failure complications. It is not enough to simply define these conditions based on the text; the key lies in the formulas proposed in the “Golden Cabinet,” which include Linggui Zhugan Tang for gastrointestinal disorders, Tingli Dazhong Zhaifei Tang for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Shizao Tang for pleurisy and pleural effusion, and Daqinglong Tang and Xiaoqinglong Tang for renal edema and malnutrition-related edema. These conclusions were reached through fifty years of clinical experience, derived from formula-based testing. Formula-based testing is currently the primary method for finding common ground between Chinese and Western medicine—and it is also the most convincing approach, requiring long-term clinical practice to prove its effectiveness. Many books today merely interpret texts literally, offering annotations that resemble word-by-word explanations, causing some classical TCM texts to lose their relevance to real-world practice, negatively impacting future generations’ study of traditional Chinese medicine and the modernization of TCM.