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At the same time, refer to the section on the macro-regulation of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

A dynamic system often exists in different states. For example, a ditch's function is to drain water. When it drains smoothly, we say the ditch is in a "smooth state" or "healthy state." However, if leaves or garbage block the ditch, preventing water from flowing smoothly, it is in a "blocked state," which is also a kind of "pathological state." Initially, no symptoms are produced, so no one notices the blockage. But after being blocked for a long time, mosquitoes breed, and a foul odor emerges, drawing attention to these "symptoms." In this case, "smooth" and "blocked" are two "system states" of a ditch, while "mosquito breeding" and "foul odor" are "symptoms" derived from the blocked state. The dimensions and levels of these two are entirely different.

How should we address the above case? The first approach is "symptomatic treatment" or "microscopic treatment," which involves pouring bactericides and deodorants into the ditch and placing mosquito coils around it. This method is indeed effective; mosquitoes are reduced, and the odor disappears. However, once the mosquito coils are removed and the chemicals are no longer poured into the ditch, after a while, mosquitoes and the odor return.

Another treatment is "macro treatment." Simply using a shovel to remove the garbage from the ditch will transition the ditch from a "blocked state" to a "smooth state." After that, mosquitoes and the odor will never return. This is the fundamental difference between macro treatment and symptomatic treatment. By changing the state of the ditch system, you don't need to address the symptoms directly; they disappear on their own.

In the above case, the first treatment is what modern medicine excels at—"symptomatic treatment," which is treating the symptoms. Moreover, modern medicine has taken symptomatic treatment to an extreme, which is astonishing. For example, they might scoop out the foul water from the ditch, examine it under a microscope to identify which bacteria or fungi are causing the odor, and develop corresponding antibiotics to kill these bacteria. If the bacteria in the ditch develop resistance, no problem—they will develop the next generation of antibiotics, and this cycle continues endlessly.

The second treatment in the ditch example is what Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) excels at—"macro treatment." TCM specifically refers to a certain imbalanced or pathological state of the human body as a "pattern" or "zheng" (證). Using the macro treatment methods of TCM, the overall imbalance or pathological state of the human body is adjusted to a balanced state. In TCM, this is called "pattern treatment," which addresses the root cause.

Here's a more practical example: A patient had dry, rough skin and incessant itching. Modern medicine prescribed topical steroids, and after applying them, the patient's skin condition quickly improved. However, as soon as the application stopped, the original symptoms recurred. The patient then sought TCM treatment. Upon examination, it was found that the patient's body was in a state of "yin deficiency." Therefore, the patient was prescribed Chinese medicinals to nourish and replenish yin. The doctor also discovered that the patient often consumed grilled, fried, and dry foods like crackers and potato chips, which contributed to the "yin deficiency" state. Thus, the patient was advised to change their diet to avoid further yin deficiency. After taking the Chinese medicinals for two to three weeks, the patient recovered, and the itching did not return even after stopping the medication. Additionally, the previously dry stool and dry mouth were also alleviated.

In this example, "yin deficiency" refers to the lack or insufficiency of the subtle substances within the body that nourish and moisten tissues. A state of "yin deficiency" can manifest multiple symptoms, much like a drought-stricken land, where not only can the cracking of the earth be seen, but also the withering of plants and the thirst of animals. The "yin deficiency state" in the human body is akin to the earth in drought; besides showing dry and itchy skin, it is often accompanied by dry and hard stools, dry mouth and throat, bodily dryness-heat, dry eyes, dry nose, and so on. Because itching is the most uncomfortable symptom, it becomes the patient's chief complaint. If you have itchy skin, modern medicine will give you steroids to stop the itching. This treatment is like a long drought without rain, where the earth cracks, and you go to a dermatologist who gives you a few buckets of cement to fill in the cracked land. This is what is called "treating symptom."

The treatment of TCM does not directly address your symptoms, but rather improves the arid state within your body, transforming your body's system from a "dry state" to a "moist state," restoring greenery and vitality to your internal landscape. This is called "treating root."

This is the difference between treating the symptoms and treating the root cause, as well as the distinction between "treating symptom" and "treating root." The two are as different as heaven and earth, and cannot be mentioned in the same breath.