Mixed Deficiency and Excess xū shí jiā zá · 虚实夹杂

Classical writing treats deficiency and excess as a pair that frequently coexists rather than as a strict either-or. A person may be depleted while also carrying something that needs to be cleared.

The practical consequence is a well-known classical warning: tonifying too early can strengthen the wrong thing, and draining too hard can leave the person weaker than before. This is why the order of approach is discussed at length in the texts.

What it is not: a self-check list. Deciding which is dominant, and in what order to work, is precisely the judgement that requires training and a full examination.