How is the wind related to illness?


I've seen the kanji `風` appear in several different illnesses: [風邪]{«かぜ»} (a
cold), [中風]{ちゅう・ふう} (paralysis), and [痛風]{つう・ふう} (gout). Conceivably there may
be others, but I haven't seen them.

What does the wind have to do with any of these (aside from possibly catching
a cold by going out into the cold wind—which I believe is a fallacy anyway)?

* * *

**Update** : Though I will not revoke the accepted answer, it seems it is only
partially true. Recently I came across [Miasma
theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miasma_theory), and China is but one of
several ancient societies where it was accepted.




The concept is from Chinese. In Chinese, 風 was principally "wind", but wind
(and by extension changes in temperature) was also believed to be the source
of various aliments to the physical body.

The Japanese word kaze originally only meant "wind". The sense "(sickness)
cold" was influenced by Chinese. Note though that it originally was not
limited to the cold but also included other sicknesses as well. The word 風邪
was typically read as fūja and simply meant "bad wind". It was not until a
little more than a hundred years ago that these kanji were used express kaze
"cold". (It is ateji.)

中風 and 痛風 are medical aliments borrowed from Chinese. Note that 中風 is rather
literal in meaning: 風に中る (kaze ni ataru), to meet with (be struck by) the
(bad) wind.




The concept is from Chinese. In Chinese, 風 was principally "wind", but wind
(and by extension changes in temperature) was also believed to be the source
of various aliments to the physical body.

The Japanese word kaze originally only meant "wind". The sense "(sickness)
cold" was influenced by Chinese. Note though that it originally was not
limited to the cold but also included other sicknesses as well. The word 風邪
was typically read as fūja and simply meant "bad wind". It was not until a
little more than a hundred years ago that these kanji were used express kaze
"cold". (It is ateji.)

中風 and 痛風 are medical aliments borrowed from Chinese. Note that 中風 is rather
literal in meaning: 風に中る (kaze ni ataru), to meet with (be struck by) the
(bad) wind.

