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The Placenta (Zi He Che), existing prior to Heaven and Earth, is the ancestor of Yin and Yang, functioning as the bellows between Qian and Kun, and the outer framework for Lead and Mercury. When the embryo is about to form and the number of ninety-nine is complete, it carries forth the formation, hence it is called "He Che" (River Chariot). Examining past medical texts, it is named "Hun Dun Pi" (Chaotic Skin), likely because it originates at the beginning of Heaven and Earth and Yin and Yang, ranking first among seventy-two elixirs. The noble sages, out of compassion, initiated this lineage. The Supreme One said: "If you desire longevity, you must cultivate that which generates life; human birth truly relies upon this." Therefore, its efficacy is spiritual and responsive, incomparable to minerals, stones, herbs, night dew, or morning frost. Those who practice cultivation, if they do not cease taking it, can indeed return to their primal origin and benefit from nourishment, truly obtaining the way to restore the fundamental essence.

Placenta (one piece, preferably from a young woman's first-born male infant, with the umbilical cord intact, washed clean in flowing water from the east to sever blood vessels, two qian of Moschus [She Xiang] placed inside, sewn shut with thread, wrapped in raw silk, suspended in a clay pot, added with five sheng of unadulterated wine, slowly boiled into a paste) Agaricus Ligni (Chen Xiang, ground separately) Cinnabaris (Zhu Sha, ground separately, processed by water levigation. Each 1 liang) Ginseng Radetis et Rhizomatis (Ren Shen) Cynomorii (Cong Rong, soaked in wine) Boswelliae Resina (Ru Xiang, ground separately) Styrax (An Xi Xiang, boiled in wine, removing sand and stones. Each [weight missing])

Grind the above into fine powder, mix with the Placenta paste and herbal powder, pound thousands of times, and shape into pills the size of Sophora seeds (Wu Tong Zi). Take seventy pills per dose, on an empty stomach, delivered with warm wine; delivering with Agaricus decoction is especially good. Detailed analysis of this elixir shows that while Placenta is the principal herb, the auxiliary herbs (Zuo Shi) are too light in dosage. For those without illness who take it long-term, it can lighten the body and prolong life, tonifying deficiency and supporting weakness.

However, for those with severe illness, the method of increasing the dosage should be used. For men with decline of True Yang Qi, depletion of Ying and Wei Qi, accompanied by lower back and back pain, spontaneous sweating, and palpitations (Zheng Chong), add the following: Cervus Nippon Cornu Detorquatum (Lu Rong, steamed in wine) Morinda Officinalis Radix (Chuan Ba Ji, remove core) Gypsum Fibrosum Pulvis (Zhong Ru Fen) Yangqishi (fire calcined) Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fu Zi, roasted, remove skin and navel) Astragali Membranacei Radix (Huang, remove rhizome base. Each 2 liang) Taxilli (Sang Ji Sheng, substitute with Pedilanthi Radix [Chuan Xu Duan] if unavailable) Cervus Nippon Cornu (Sheng Lu Jiao, shaved) Longgu (Dragon Bone) Aster Tataricus Radix (Zi Wan) (Above each 1 liang)

Process the above according to previous methods, mix with the previous herbal powder, pound together with the previous paste to form pills. Administer with decoction as before, or deliver with Agaricus decoction.

For women with deficiency and damage of the Blood Sea (Chong and Ren meridians), insufficiency of Ying and Wei Qi, often leading to tidal fever, irritability, dry mouth with preference for cold drinks, stabbing pain in abdomen and hypochondrium, lower back and leg pain, excessive phlegm and cough, fright and restlessness, palpitations, irregular menstruation, or amenorrhea, add internally the following: Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Dang Gui, remove rhizome base, soak in wine) Dendrobii Nobile Caulis (Shi Hu, remove roots) Psilomelani (Zi Shi Ying, calcined, quenched seven times in vinegar, water levigated) Platycodonis Semen (Bai Zi Ren, lightly stir-fried, ground separately) Cervus Nippon Cornu (Lu Rong, soaked in wine) Testudinis et Chelydrae Carapax et Plastrum (Bie Jia, stir-fried in vinegar. Each 2 liang) Selaginellae Tamariscifoliae Herba (Juan Bai Ye) [weight missing]

Process the above according to previous methods, mix with the previous herbal powder, pound together with the previous paste to form pills. Administer with decoction as before, taken as needed. For those with deficiency-cold constitution, add two liang of prepared Aconitum (Pao Shu Fu Zi);