Home > Basic Principles > The Six Evils and the Seven Emotions > Dryness Evil Six Evils : I. Wind | II. Cold | III Summer-heat | IV. Dampness | V. Dryness | VI. Fire 燥 Dryness Excessive dryness easily injures the lungs. Dryness belongs to the element Metal and dominates in autumn. Two types are distinguished "cold-dryness" and "hot-dryness", depending on other conditions. Excessive dryness easily injures the lungs, causing symptoms of heavy coughing, blood in the sputum, dry nose and throat, and pains in the chest. Dryness evil is also harmful to the body's fluid balance. "Inner-dryness" is caused by excessive loss of fluids due to too much sweating, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhoea. Use of herbal medicines, which induce sweating, vomiting, or purging of the bowels, can also induce inner-dryness. Characteristic symptoms are dry, wrinkled, or withered skin, dry hair and scalp, dry mouth and cracked lips, dry stomach and hard, dry stools. Characteristics of the Dry Evil:   Dryness has a drying and puckering nature, and tends to impair the body.   Dryness tends to impair the lungs.   TOP