This paper summarizes Professor DING Ying's clinical experience in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE） through differentiation of three states，

yin

fire， latent fire， and fire toxin. It is proposed that fire pathogenic factors constitute a key pathological element running throughout the entire disease course of SLE. The evolution of its pathogenesis centers on these three states， spleen-kidney deficiency with the initial emergence of

yin

fire as the onset of disea

se， damage to

yin

by medicinal toxicity with internal blazing of latent fire as the driver of disease progression， and the interlocking of blood stasis and heat with intense scorching by fire toxin as the critical factor leading to severe and life-threatening conditions. Corresponding to these three stages， targeted prescriptions are formulated，

Jiuwei Yishen Formulation

（九味益肾方） to tonify the spleen and kidney， raise

yang

， and disperse fire；

Ziyin Xiehuo Decoction

（滋阴泄火汤） to nourish

yin

and fluids while clearing latent fire； and

Santeng Changluo Jiedu Decoction

（三藤畅络解毒汤） to dispel blood stasis， unblock the collaterals， detoxify， and restrain fire. This staged and integrated therapeutic strategy aims to address both root and branch and to achieve overall regulation， providing valuable guidance for the clinical differentiation and treatment of SLE.