3. Wind-Suppressing and Orifice-Opening Class Formulas

Most of these formulas have the functions of clearing heat, suppressing wind, and opening orifices, suitable for cases of extreme or late-stage heat illness accompanied by yin injury, wind movement, and heat affecting the pericardium. Commonly used formulas include Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang, Da Ding Feng Zhu, Niu Huang Qing Xin Wan, Zi Xue Dan, and Zhi Bao Dan. Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang (from "Tong Su Shang Han Lun") consists of antelope horn, hook vine, mulberry leaves, chuanbei, bamboo juice, raw rehmannia, chrysanthemum, white peony, poria wood, and licorice, mainly treating persistent high fever, confusion, delirium, and convulsions. Da Ding Feng Zhu (from "Wen Bing Tiao Bian") consists of raw tortoise shell, raw oyster shell, raw turtle shell, donkey-hide gelatin, ophiopogon, raw rehmannia, sesame seeds, raw white peony, schisandra, roasted licorice, egg yolk, and other ingredients, mainly treating exhaustion, limb spasms, tremors, and numbness. This formula is highly effective for convulsive symptoms in the later stages of febrile diseases (such as encephalitis B). Niu Huang Qing Xin Wan (from "Wan Mi Zhai Fang") consists of coptis, scutellaria, gardenia, buffalo horn, turmeric, cinnabar, and other ingredients, mainly treating confusion, delirium, clenched teeth, stiff neck, limb twitching, and high fever with flushed face. Zi Xue Dan (from "He Ji Ju Fang") consists of cold water stone, raw gypsum, magnetite, talc, nitrate, green sandalwood, agarwood, musk, clove, rhino horn, antelope horn, cimicifuga, licorice, mirabilite, black ginseng, anemarrhena, cinnabar, and other ingredients (originally containing a small amount of buffalo horn, now rarely used), mainly treating confusion, high fever, thirst, convulsions, stiff neck, clenched teeth, and other symptoms. Zhi Bao Dan (from "He Ji Ju Fang") consists of rhino horn, tortoiseshell, cinnabar, realgar, dragon's brain, musk, buffalo horn, benzoin, and other ingredients (originally containing gold and silver foil, now rarely used), mainly treating confusion, excessive phlegm, coarse breath, high body temperature, yellow and greasy tongue coating, and slippery, rapid pulse.

(From "Research on the Integration of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine," March 1997)

Viewing "Different Diseases Treated the Same Way" from the Perspective of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine

Pei Zhengxue

A characteristic of traditional Chinese medicine is "syndrome differentiation and treatment." The term "syndrome differentiation" refers to the overall concept of identifying the cause, mechanism, and symptoms of a disease, thus "syndrome differentiation and treatment" differs from simple symptomatic therapy. The causes and mechanisms in traditional Chinese medicine are derived from logical reasoning and symptom analysis based on clinical manifestations, whereas the causes and mechanisms in Western medicine are often the result of experimental research. Therefore, the "syndrome" in traditional Chinese medicine and the "disease" in Western medicine are quite different. Clinically, it is common to encounter situations where: ① different "diseases" present the same "syndrome"; ② the same "disease" presents different "syndromes." When traditional Chinese medicine uses syndrome differentiation and treatment to handle these situations, the former is called "different diseases treated the same way," while the latter is called "same disease, different syndromes." Treating the same disease with different syndromes is an inevitable rule for handling complex and variable clinical conditions, and this phenomenon exists in both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine; however, "different diseases treated the same way" is a crucial component of the treasure trove of traditional Chinese medicine, and over the years, the experience and data accumulated in this area are extremely rich.

I. Theoretical Basis of "Different Diseases Treated the Same Way"

Although the causes of disease are diverse, the affected organism is always human, which means that different diseases must share some common factors in their pathogenesis. Traditional Chinese medicine has identified a major, decisive factor among the myriad complex causative factors—the internal cause—which is a unique aspect of its basic theory and also the main basis for "different diseases treated the same way." The "Su Wen·Yi Pian Ci Fa Lun" states: "If righteous qi resides within, evil cannot invade." It also says: "Wherever evil gathers, qi must be deficient." The "Su Wen·Sheng Qi Tong Tian Lun" states: "When yin is balanced and yang is concealed, spirit is well-regulated." "When inside and outside are harmonized, evil cannot harm." This indicates that the body's inherent righteous qi and "balance between yin and yang" are the main factors resisting external pathogenic invasion. "Materialist dialectics" holds that "external factors are the conditions for change, while internal factors are the basis for change." Traditional Chinese medicine's emphasis on internal factors is entirely consistent with this principle. Given the significance of internal factors such as "deficiency of righteous qi" and "imbalance between yin and yang" in pathogenesis, the history of traditional Chinese medicine has seen the emergence of the Soil-Replenishing School represented by Li Dongyuan, as well as the Life-Gate School represented by Zhao Xianke, Zhang Jingyue, and others. These schools, by emphasizing the body's "deficiency of righteous qi," developed the "theory of righteous qi deficiency leading to disease" and advanced the "method of reinforcing righteous qi and consolidating the foundation," thereby opening up vast new horizons for the theory and practice of "different diseases treated the same way" in traditional Chinese medicine. The "Su Wen·Si Qi Tiao Shen Da Lun" states: "Do not treat existing diseases, treat pre-existing conditions; do not treat existing chaos, treat pre-existing chaos." The "Jin Gui Yao Lue·Zang Fu Jing Luo Pian" states: "Why does the superior physician treat pre-existing conditions? Because when one sees a liver disease, knowing that it will spread to the spleen, one should first strengthen the spleen; since the spleen is strong in all four seasons and not easily invaded, there is no need to supplement it." From this, it is clear that as a further development of the fundamental theory of "different diseases treated the same way," traditional Chinese medicine has long taken the right step in disease prevention. This shows that the method of reinforcing righteous qi and consolidating the foundation can both treat many diseases after they have occurred and prevent many diseases before they arise, and this principle, as the main rule of "different diseases treated the same way," has played an extremely important role in disease prevention and treatment over the years. The "theory of righteous qi deficiency leading to disease" upon which it is based has always been regarded as the main theoretical basis for "different diseases treated the same way." In addition, there are cases where two or more diseases have completely different causes and pathologies, yet their clinical manifestations are exactly the same from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective—for example, uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts. For these two diseases, traditional Chinese medicine employs the same syndrome differentiation and treatment approach centered on promoting blood circulation and resolving stasis, often achieving good therapeutic results. This is another aspect of "different diseases treated the same way." Regarding the pathogenesis of symptom clusters, traditional Chinese medicine still believes that they are products of the body's "deficiency of righteous qi." The "Yi Zong Bi Du" states: "What accumulates into a mass is due to insufficient righteous qi, allowing pathogenic qi to take hold." Thus, in the relationship between the "symptom cluster" and its "root cause," "blood stasis" is only part of the "symptom cluster," while the "root cause" remains "deficiency of righteous qi." Therefore, when treating symptom-cluster diseases, in addition to using blood circulation and stasis resolution as one method of "different diseases treated the same way," "reinforcing righteous qi and consolidating the foundation" remains an indispensable fundamental method. The former addresses the symptoms, while the latter addresses the root cause.

Besides "different diseases treated the same way" based on "reinforcing righteous qi and consolidating the foundation," there is also widespread application of "different diseases treated the same way" within the scope of eliminating pathogenic factors. The "Su Wen·Tong Ping Xu Shi Lun" states: "When pathogenic qi is abundant, it is real; when righteous qi is depleted, it is虚." The "Su Wen·San Bu Jiu Hou Lun" states: "When it is real, drain it; when it is虚, replenish it." It is evident that among the various factors contributing to disease, besides "deficiency of righteous qi" as the fundamental factor, the abundance of pathogenic qi is also very important. For diseases dominated by "excessive pathogenic qi" (usually classified as real syndromes), treatment should focus on "eliminating pathogenic qi." The "Lei Jing" states: "For those without deficiency, the urgent issue is pathogenic qi—if it is not eliminated quickly, it will remain and cause problems." The "Ling Shu·Gen Jie Pian" states: "When pathogenic qi is excessive, it means evil prevails, so it must be drained urgently." Traditional Chinese medicine's methods for eliminating pathogenic qi are diverse; among the Eight Methods, except for the method of tonifying, all the others inherently involve "eliminating pathogenic qi." The six meridian differentiation, wei qi and ying blood differentiation, and organ differentiation in traditional Chinese medicine are all theoretical systems formed through horizontal symptom classification and logical reasoning, which also lay the foundation for "different diseases treated the same way," enabling traditional Chinese medicine theory to simplify complexity and successfully solve infinitely variable clinical problems with limited rules and prescriptions. Take the six meridians of Shang Han as an example: although they only represent six syndromes in the progression of febrile diseases, the clinical practices guided by them extend far beyond just six types. Bai Hu Tang, as the main formula for yangming meridian syndrome, can be applied to any patient with high fever, intense thirst, profuse sweating, and a strong, rapid pulse, so people not only use it in cases of influenza, intestinal typhoid, pneumonia, meningitis, encephalitis B, typhus, relapsing fever, rheumatic fever, tuberculosis, and other febrile diseases, but also in diabetes, diabetes insipidus, heatstroke, and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Xiao Chai Hu Tang, as the main formula for Shaoyang syndrome, can be applied to any patient with bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, dizziness, fullness in the chest and flanks, restlessness, and alternating chills and fever, so people usually use it in cases of cholecystitis, hepatitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, urinary tract infection, influenza, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, pleurisy, pancreatitis, and other conditions. Thus, the number of diseases suitable for adjusting and using these two formulas in clinical practice is roughly estimated to be no less than several dozen each. This fully demonstrates the importance of "different diseases treated the same way" in traditional Chinese medical scholarship.

II. Clinical Applications of "Different Diseases Treated the Same Way"

Traditional Chinese medicine establishes the principle of "different diseases treated the same way" by analyzing and classifying the external manifestations of diseases, starting with identifying the common characteristics of a group of diseases. Take the formula for strengthening the spleen and benefiting qi, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, as an example: it can be used to treat qi deficiency leading to blood-stagnation, achieving the effect of tonifying qi and stopping bleeding—this includes aplastic anemia, purpura, leukemia, and gynecological bleeding; it can also be used to treat qi deficiency leading to downward collapse, lifting yang and raising the fallen—this includes hypotension, uterine prolapse, gastric prolapse, and myasthenia gravis; and it can be used to treat qi deficiency leading to fever, providing warming and heat-clearing effects. Taking the formula for warming and tonifying kidney yang, Shen Qi Wan, as another example: it can be used to treat yang deficiency with water excess, warming yang and transforming water—this includes chronic nephritis, heart failure, and malnutrition-related edema; it can also be used to treat kidney yang deficiency with inability to contain qi, warming the kidneys and gathering qi—this includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma; in addition, this formula can also treat prostatitis, gynecological leukorrhea, diabetes, and erythematous lupus. The "Jin Gui" formula Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan was originally designed specifically for women's ailments, but after being put into clinical practice by physicians, it can also treat uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, acute and chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, dysmenorrhea, menopausal hypertension, incomplete abortion, retained placenta, old ectopic pregnancy, functional uterine bleeding, retinal inflammation, and prostatitis. The "Ju Fang" formula Xiaoyao San was originally designed for liver depression and spleen deficiency, but after clinical practice, it can also treat retinal inflammation, optic neuritis, optic nerve atrophy, infectious hepatitis, chronic cholecystitis, chronic pancreatitis, menstrual irregularities in women, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and chronic gastritis. During the Qing Dynasty, the famous physician Wang Qingren formulated blood-dispersing and stasis-resolving formulas such as Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang, and Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang, each of which could treat many different diseases. Take Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang as an example: it can treat as many as 20 different diseases. In modern times, the famous physician Zhang Xichun formulated Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan, which is commonly used to treat bruises, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, old ectopic pregnancy, and chronic osteomyelitis. As a clinician, I often use Chai Hu Shu Gan San with added ingredients to treat acute and chronic hepatitis, acute and chronic pancreatitis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, chronic gastritis, intercostal neuralgia, and breast diseases in women, all of which achieve certain therapeutic effects. I also use Tao Hong Si Wu Tang with added ingredients to treat coronary heart disease, cerebral arteriosclerosis, menstrual irregularities in women, pelvic diseases, and various bruises. In recent years, the widely recognized "Tong Fu Fa" method—using modified Cheng Qi Tang to treat various acute abdominal conditions, including acute cholecystitis, gallstones, acute pancreatitis, acute intestinal obstruction, and acute jaundice-type infectious hepatitis—has also achieved significant clinical efficacy.

III. Conclusion

"Different diseases treated the same way" is an important principle that runs through every aspect of traditional Chinese medicine theory and clinical practice, forming a key feature of the academic system of traditional Chinese medicine. Whether in terms of reinforcing righteous qi or eliminating pathogenic qi, because it embodies the academic thought of "different diseases treated the same way," traditional Chinese medicine is able to adapt to infinitely variable clinical needs with limited rules and prescriptions. This objectively reveals to people that, by looking beyond the complex and variable external manifestations of diseases to explore their inner essence, any "different diseases" that are "treated the same way" must inevitably share certain internal connections in terms of cause and pathology. With the advancement of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine work and the gradual deepening of experimental research on traditional Chinese medicine theory, some substantial breakthroughs have already emerged in this area. For example, Shen Ziyin and others at Shanghai Second Medical College, through experiments on renal parenchyma, revealed that the "kidney qi" in traditional Chinese medicine is equivalent to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex system in modern medicine. Research conducted by Beijing Normal University and others on the nature of spleen deficiency revealed that spleen deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine is closely related to the body's autonomic nervous system, metabolic system, endocrine system, and immune system. These studies have provided a solid foundation for "different diseases treated the same way" in terms of kidney tonification and spleen strengthening.

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The material foundation thus enables the traditional Chinese medicine theory of "treating different diseases with the same method" to shine brilliantly. May the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine be carried out more extensively and deeply, and may the traditional theories of Chinese medicine continue to evolve and innovate, radiating even greater brilliance in the global medical community.

(Research on the Integration of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, 1983.2)

Strengthening the Body's Vital Energy and Nourishing the Root: Immunity

Pei Zhengxue

The human body possesses an inherent function that protects it from disease, which is accomplished through both specific and non-specific immunity—this is one of the fundamental concepts of modern immunology. As early as 2,000 years ago, traditional Chinese medicine already held views similar to this understanding in the field of pathogenesis. The Suwen, in its chapter "On the Methods of Acupuncture for Preventing Epidemics," states: "When the vital energy is intact within the body, pathogenic factors cannot invade." Furthermore, the Suwen, in its chapter "On the Evaluation of Febrile Diseases," says: "Wherever pathogenic factors gather, the qi must be deficient." Among the two factors of "vital energy" and "pathogenic qi," traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the crucial role of the body's "vital energy" in the onset of disease, explicitly stating that when "vital energy" is intact, the body can resist the disturbance of "pathogenic qi." The Dialectics of Contradiction asserts: "External factors are the conditions for change, while internal factors are the basis for change." Given that "vital energy" is an internal factor and "pathogenic qi" is an external factor, TCM's emphasis on the pathogenic effect of "vital energy deficiency" aligns with this principle. Based on this, TCM takes "deficiency of vital energy" as the root cause of disease and proposes the therapeutic principle of strengthening the body's vital energy and nourishing the root, aiming to activate and mobilize the body's own disease-resistant capabilities. This perspective shares significant common ground with modern immunology.

I. The Theory of "Vital Energy Deficiency Leading to Disease"

The body's "vital energy," also known as "true qi," is described in the Lingzhu, in its chapter "On the True Qi That Penetrates the Channels and Fills the Body," as follows: "True qi is what we receive from heaven, and it combines with the qi from food to fill the body." True qi encompasses both innate and acquired aspects; ancient physicians attributed the innate aspect to the two kidneys, calling it "yuan qi" (primordial qi), and the acquired aspect to the spleen and stomach, calling it "zhong qi" (middle qi). Part of the zhong qi merges with the breath qi and accumulates in the Sea of Qi in the chest, known as "zong qi." The Lingzhu, in its chapter "On the Invading Pathogens," states: "Zong qi accumulates in the chest, rises to the throat, passes through the heart vessels, and governs respiration." Thus, zong qi has the functions of driving respiratory movement and circulating blood. Another part of the zhong qi originates in the middle jiao, flows within the vessels, and is soft and smooth, called "ying qi"; yet another part originates in the upper jiao, flows outside the vessels, and is brisk and slippery, called "wei qi." Therefore, the body's "vital energy" consists of yuan qi, zhong qi, zong qi, ying qi, and wei qi, with ying qi, wei qi, and zong qi being aspects of zhong qi.

Building upon the Inner Canon's emphasis on the pathogenic effect of vital energy deficiency, successive generations of physicians have gradually enriched this view through long-term clinical practice, thereby forming the traditional Chinese medicine theory of "vital energy deficiency leading to disease." Jiang Hanzheng said: "Wherever pathogenic factors gather, the qi must be deficient; when pathogenic factors take advantage of this deficiency to invade, deficiency is the root, and pathogenic factors are the manifestation." Zhu Danxi stated: "Whenever pathogenic factors invade, it is always because the vital energy is deficient, allowing them to take hold. If the vital energy is strong, pathogenic factors cannot enter on their own." Zhang Jingyue remarked: "There has never been a case where vital energy recovers but pathogenic factors do not retreat, nor has there ever been a case where vital energy is exhausted but life does not end." These statements elucidate TCM's diagnostic view that "vital energy" is the root of disease, thus establishing the TCM theory of "vital energy deficiency leading to disease."

II. "Vital Energy" and "Immunity"

In general, the "vital energy" referred to in TCM represents the body's intrinsic disease-resistance capability, which is equivalent to the physiological functions of the human immune system. The immune system comprises two types: non-specific immunity and specific immunity. Non-specific immunity is innate and provides defense without selectivity, acting to varying degrees against all kinds of pathogenic factors. It includes various normal physiological and anatomical functions, such as the skin-mucosal barrier, the blood-brain barrier, the blood-fetal barrier, the phagocytic action of reticuloendothelial cells and neutrophils, as well as the lysozyme, complement, and interferon present in body fluids. Specific immunity, on the other hand, is acquired after birth and is highly targeted, acting only against specific pathogens. It includes the clearance of corresponding antigens by immune-active T cells and their associated lymphokines, as well as the action of antibodies (immune-active globulins) present in body fluids that correspond to different antigens.

Within TCM's "vital energy," "wei qi" is analogous to non-specific immunity. The Lingzhu, in its chapter "On the Essence of the Body," states: "Wei qi warms the flesh and muscles, fills the skin, nourishes the pores and skin, and controls opening and closing." It further says: "When wei qi is harmonious, the flesh and muscles relax, the skin becomes supple, and the pores and skin become dense." This indicates that wei qi is an important factor in eliminating external pathogenic factors in peripheral tissues such as muscles, skin, and mucous membranes, functioning as a skin-mucosal barrier. Wei qi can vigorously resist invading pathogenic factors, and the intense struggle between the two gives rise to disease. The Suwen, in its chapter "On Symptoms," says: "Wherever wei qi resides, if it combines with pathogenic qi, disease arises." This phenomenon is similar to the immune response triggered by phagocytes engulfing pathogenic microorganisms. Sometimes, wei qi can even surround invading "pathogenic qi," causing local abscesses, just as the Suwen, in its chapter "On Wind," says: "Wind qi enters the meridians along with the sun, spreads among the flesh and muscles, interacts with wei qi, but the flow is obstructed, causing muscle inflammation and abscesses." The Suwen, in its chapter "On Abscesses," also states: "When cold pathogenic qi invades the meridians, blood stagnates... When blood stagnates and cannot circulate, wei qi follows and gets blocked, unable to flow freely, resulting in heat, severe heat that does not subside, and when heat prevails, the flesh decays, turning into pus." This once again demonstrates how similar wei qi is to the phagocytic action of neutrophils and the reticuloendothelial system in immunology. Moreover, the function of wei qi is not limited to the skin, flesh, and pores; it also protects the body's internal organs. The Lingzhu, in its chapter "On the Flow of Wei Qi," says: "It begins in the yin, often flowing from the Shaoyin Kidney Meridian to the Kidney, then to the Heart, then to the Lung, then to the Spleen, and finally back to the Kidney, completing a cycle." This shows that wei qi can circulate throughout the body's organs and meridians, much like the reticuloendothelial system distributed throughout the body and the systemic humoral immune system. The Suwen, in its chapter "On Bi Syndrome," says: "Wei qi is the vigorous qi of water and food... It permeates the peritoneum, spreads throughout the chest and abdomen, and if its flow is obstructed, disease occurs; if its flow is unimpeded, one recovers." In short, wherever wei qi flows, it fights against pathogenic qi; if wei qi cannot overcome pathogenic qi, disease ensues—this is what is meant by "obstructing its flow." But if wei qi triumphs over pathogenic qi, one recovers—this is what is meant by "following its flow." This is similar to the outcome of immune responses triggered when pathogenic factors enter the body. The above discussion shows that wei qi within "vital energy" has a function analogous to non-specific immunity in modern immunology.

As for "vital energy," "yuan qi" is analogous to specific immunity. Yuan qi refers to kidney qi, encompassing both kidney yin and kidney yang, and serving as the decisive factor for maintaining the body's internal yin-yang balance. The Suwen, in its chapter "On the Principle of Harmonizing Yin and Yang to Maintain Heavenly Vitality," states: "When yin is balanced and yang is concealed, spirit is healthy." It further says: "When yin and yang are separated, vital energy is extinguished." This illustrates that yin-yang balance is a prerequisite for maintaining the body's normal physiological state; once this balance is disrupted, the body falls ill or even dies. Modern immunology holds that the functions of T cells dependent on the thymus and B cells independent of the thymus are the main components of specific immunity, or adaptive immunity, and that the precursors of these two types of cells are stem cells located in the bone marrow. The Suwen, in its chapter "On the Great Principles of Yin and Yang," says: "Kidneys generate bone marrow," from which it can be inferred that the transformation of bone marrow stem cells into T cells and B cells, as well as the functional states of these two types of cells, are closely related to the "kidneys." Therefore, it is conceivable that by regulating kidney yin and kidney yang, one could improve the body's specific immune response. Modern TCM experimental research has proven that what is referred to as kidney yin and kidney yang is actually the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex system^①^. Modern immunology believes that the pituitary-adrenal cortex system promotes adrenal cortical secretion through ACTH, thereby reducing and suppressing immune responses; at the same time, it increases and promotes immune responses through growth hormone secreted by the pituitary^②^. Moreover, this system is maintained by antigens, antibodies, lymphokines, and the nervous system, ensuring its own endocrine characteristics and thus stabilizing immune function. In summary, TCM's "vital energy" carries the meaning of immune function in modern immunology: "wei qi" within "vital energy" corresponds to non-specific immunity, while "yuan qi" corresponds to specific immunity.

The body's immune process has three main functions: ① physiological defense, ② self-stabilization, and ③ immune surveillance. The completion of these three functions is jointly undertaken by non-specific immunity and specific immunity, which coordinate with each other and work together. For the same organism and the same organ tissue, the immune function produced is the result of the combination of non-specific and specific immunity—just as wei qi and yuan qi coexist to form the body's vital energy.

III. Strengthening the Body's Vital Energy and Nourishing the Root: Immunotherapy

Since the body's "vital energy" is equivalent to the body's immune function, strengthening the body's vital energy and nourishing the root undoubtedly has the significance of immunotherapy. Wei qi is generated from water and food, originating from the spleen and stomach; from the perspective of its origin, it can be considered another aspect of zhong qi. Based on this, using the method of tonifying the middle jiao and benefiting qi can strengthen wei qi's ability to expel pathogenic factors. The traditional TCM practice of using Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang to treat and prevent colds in people with deficiency is a clinical application of this idea. In recent years, domestic experimental studies have shown that Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang can indeed improve protein metabolism in tumor-bearing organisms and enhance the body's resistance^③^. The Isotope Laboratory of the Beijing Tuberculosis Research Institute injected animals intravenously with ^131^ iodinated plasma protein colloidal solution, measuring the clearance rate in the blood as an indicator of the phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system, and found that qi-tonifying herbs such as dangshen, baizhu, and huangqi (the basic ingredients of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang) have the effect of enhancing the phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system; in contrast, the control group consisting of shashen, baihe, beimu, and huangqin—herbs that nourish yin and clear heat—did not show this effect^④^. There are also experiments showing that dangshen can increase the number of white blood cells in peripheral blood^⑤^; furthermore, experiments have shown that injecting rabbit with dangshen extract can increase the proportion of neutrophils in peripheral blood. These two experiments suggest that dangshen, which tonifies zhong qi, can strengthen the defensive function of white blood cells. The Guang'anmen Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine measured the phagocytic function of macrophages in 89 patients with malignant tumors; their phagocytic rates were significantly lower than those of normal people, indicating that the non-specific immune function of diseased bodies is weaker than normal. Among them, five cervical cancer patients who received treatment to strengthen the spleen and benefit qi saw a significant increase in macrophage phagocytic function^⑦^, demonstrating that Bu Zhong Yi Qi therapy can enhance the body's non-specific immune function. The Shanghai Acupuncture Treatment Group for Appendicitis reported that after acupuncture at Zusanli for 2–4 hours, the number of white blood cells in rabbits increased significantly; however, no changes were observed in white blood cell counts after acupuncture at Shangjuxu, Chengshan, or other non-acupoint locations, or after stimulation of the skin or nerves. This suggests that only Zusanli (the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian), which can regulate the functions of the spleen and stomach (zhong qi and wei qi), can improve the body's non-specific immune function, whereas other meridian points have no such effect. The above data show that using TCM methods to tonify zhong qi and regulate wei qi can strengthen the phagocytic functions of macrophages, neutrophils, and the reticuloendothelial system, revealing that this therapy has the effect of promoting non-specific immune function. As for improving specific immune function, numerous experiments have shown that TCM kidney-tonifying therapies often achieve this goal. The Shanghai Cancer Research Institute used crude fetal alpha-globulin as an antigen to induce an immune response in rabbits, then divided them into groups to administer kidney-yin-tonifying drugs and kidney-yang-tonifying drugs for antibody testing. The results showed that yang-tonifying drugs can accelerate the formation of antibodies, while yin-tonifying drugs can prolong the survival time of antibodies, indicating that kidney-tonifying therapies can improve specific humoral immune function. Some researchers conducted rose flower tests on patients with chronic bronchitis due to kidney deficiency to measure their specific cellular immunity, finding that the ratio of T cells in these patients was generally low. After administering kidney-tonifying herbal medicines, the ratio of T cells gradually increased, and clinical symptoms improved accordingly. Others, from the perspective of specific humoral immunity, measured that the IgA content in the sputum of chronic bronchitis patients tended to increase. The First Outpatient Clinic of the Chengdu Military Region conducted serum IgA and IgG tests on more than 50 patients with chronic bronchitis due to kidney deficiency, finding that their levels were all below normal: IgA averaged 71.62 mg% (normal range 96–440 mg%), and IgG averaged 596.30 mg% (normal range 1000–2000 mg%). After applying warming and tonifying kidney-yang medicines via navel patches, these indicators all increased to varying degrees. This demonstrates the regulatory effect of warming and tonifying kidney-yang on specific humoral immunity. In clinical experiments, some researchers used in vitro lymphocyte transformation tests to study chronic bronchitis, finding that yang-tonifying drugs can increase the lymphocyte transformation rate in patients with chronic bronchitis; others used compound yang-tonifying drugs to treat nasopharyngeal cancer patients, also finding that they could increase the lymphocyte transformation rate. These two experimental results indicate that yang-tonifying drugs can promote and regulate the transformation of lymphoblasts within T cells and the release of lymphokines, thereby enhancing the body's cellular immunity. In summary, among the medicinal formulas used to adjust immune function, qi-tonifying and spleen-strengthening formulas primarily focus on regulating and promoting the body's non-specific immunity, while kidney-tonifying formulas primarily focus on promoting the body's specific immunity. TCM believes that wei qi is postnatal qi, while kidney qi is prenatal qi. Modern medicine believes that non-specific immunity is congenital, while specific immunity is acquired after birth. Although the terminology does not fully match, both recognize the importance of both congenital and postnatal factors, and neither considers them accidental. TCM believes that although prenatal qi and postnatal qi are fundamentally different, they are physiologically complementary and mutually reinforcing. Li Dongyuan pointed out in his "On the Stomach and Spleen" that "prenatal qi cannot nourish postnatal qi without the support of postnatal qi." Later developments have shown that if prenatal qi lacks the enrichment of postnatal qi, it will inevitably be depleted; and if postnatal qi lacks the guidance of prenatal qi, it will stagnate and fail to function. Modern medicine also views non-specific immunity and specific immunity as complementary. It can be said that specific immunity is built upon non-specific immunity, but it can also strengthen and weaken non-specific immunity; in fact, the two work together within the body—for example, complement, as a non-specific humoral immune factor, can broadly strengthen and promote the bactericidal effect of immunoglobulins in specific humoral immune components; and various lymphokines released by T cells, as specific cellular immune factors, can broadly promote the phagocytic functions of macrophages and the reticuloendothelial system. Based on these views, it can be argued that tonifying zhong qi can enhance the body's non-specific immunity, which is its primary aspect, but it is also beneficial for promoting specific immunity. Tonifying kidney qi can enhance the body's specific immunity, which is its primary aspect, but it is also beneficial for promoting non-specific immunity.

IV. Treating Immune Diseases with the Method of Strengthening the Body's Vital Energy and Nourishing the Root

Immune responses are physiological reactions that typically serve three functions: physiological defense, self-stabilization, and immune surveillance, thereby maintaining the body's normal disease-resistance capacity. Both excessive and insufficient immune responses are detrimental to the effectiveness of immunity and can lead to immune diseases. Excessive responses, such as hypersensitivity reactions and autoimmune diseases; insufficient responses, such as immune deficiency and susceptibility to infection. Some abnormal immune responses, whether due to dysfunction in non-specific or specific immunity, often involve both systems working together, interacting, complementing, or restraining each other. Therefore, when treating such diseases with immunotherapy, it is essential to adopt a comprehensive approach that addresses both specific and non-specific immunity. In TCM, the method of strengthening the body's vital energy and nourishing the root often includes, in the same prescription, both qi-tonifying and wei qi-supporting herbs like dangshen, baizhu, and huangqi, as well as powerful kidney-tonifying and yin-yang-regulating formulas such as Liuwei and Bawei. This traditional medication approach is consistent with the aforementioned viewpoint.