Library

Mei Qi (Plum-pit Qi). It is caused by injury from the Seven Emotions (joy, anger, worry, thought, sadness, fear, and fright). Phlegm and Qi stagnate and knot in the throat, unable to be expectorated or swallowed. This condition is known as Mei Qi.

Jiawei Erchen Tang (Modified Two-Chen Decoction): Treats Six Stagnations (Qi, Blood, Phlegm, Fire, Dampness, Food) and emotional injury, where mental distress leads to phlegm accumulation causing a sensation of obstruction in the throat, difficult to cough out or spit up.
Ingredients: Bai Fuling (Poria), Chenpi (Aged Tangerine Peel), Banxia (Pinellia Rhizome) (each 1 qian), Nongpo (Magnolia Bark), Jiegeng (Platycodon Root), Zhishi (Immature Bitter Orange), Huangqin (Scutellaria Root), Beimu (Fritillaria Bulb, heart removed), Suzi (Perilla Seed) (each 1 qian 2 fen), Gancao (Licorice Root), Rougui (Cinnamon Bark) (each 2 fen), Shengjiang (Fresh Ginger, 3 slices). Decoct and take orally.

Dingxiang Touge Dan (Clove Diaphragm-Penetrating Pill): Treats all types of Mei Qi.
Ingredients: Binglang (Areca Seed), Banxia (Pinellia Rhizome, processed with ginger juice and alum), Muxiang (Aucklandia Root), Sharen (Amomum Fruit, stir-fried and crushed), Zhiqiao (Bitter Orange, 2 liang, boiled dry with 49 Ba Dou seeds in good purple wine and vinegar, then remove Ba Dou).
Grind into powder. Take 1 qian 6 fen per dose, washed down with ginger soup.

Among the Five Zang Organs, there are the Spleen and Stomach, just as among the Five Elements there is Earth. Heaven generates Water at One; receiving the energy of Earth (Five), it becomes Six. Earth generates Fire at Two; receiving the energy of Earth (Five), it becomes Seven. Heaven generates Wood at Three; receiving the energy of Earth (Five), it becomes Eight. Earth generates Metal at Four; receiving the energy of Earth (Five), it becomes Nine. Heaven generates Earth at Five; receiving the energy of Earth (Five), it becomes Ten. Without Earth, the Five Elements cannot be completed; without the Spleen and Stomach, the Five Zang Organs cannot be nourished. The Spleen and Stomach are the root of the Five Zang Organs. The Heart, Liver, Lungs, and Kidneys cannot accommodate food and drink; only the Spleen and Stomach can. When food and drink enter the Spleen and Stomach, essence and qi circulate. Salty flavors first enter the Kidney, which is water being formed through earth. Bitter flavors first enter the Heart, which is fire being formed through earth. Sour flavors first enter the Liver, which is wood being formed through earth. Pungent flavors first enter the Lungs, which is metal being formed through earth. Sweet flavors are received by their home palace (Spleen) and actually serve to harmonize the Five Zang Organs, which is earth being formed through earth. Only then does Kidney Water remain moist, Heart Fire remain pure, Liver Wood remain smooth and unobstructed, and Lung Metal remain clear and moist, ensuring that all meridians and collaterals throughout the body are connected, and diseases have no origin. Therefore, those who excel in preserving health focus solely on nurturing the Spleen and Stomach. If one does not moderate labor, the Spleen is injured, leading to fatigue in the four limbs. If one does not moderate diet, the Stomach is injured, leading to fullness and blockage in the Zhongwan region. If the Qi of Damp-Earth stagnates and fails to disperse, disorders such as abdominal distension (Gu Zhang) and jaundice (Huang Dan) arise. If the Qi of Damp-Earth collapses and flows downward, dysentery (Li Ji) and diarrhea (Xie Xie) occur. These represent the extreme of Spleen and Stomach disorders. Moreover, once the Spleen and Stomach are damaged, the Five Zang Organs lose their vital Qi. Consequently, lower back pain, vexation and thirst, and bladder fullness occur, indicating Kidney disease. Confusion, palpitations (Zhong Kong), and irritability occur, indicating Heart disease. Acid regurgitation, vomiting acid, hypochondriac distension, and excessive anger occur, indicating Liver disease. Cough, wheezing, and hiccups occur, indicating Lung disease. Although diseases of the Five Zang Organs may originate independently, they cannot all be blamed on the Spleen and Stomach. However, most diseases begin with the Spleen and Stomach. How can people neglect regulating the Spleen and Stomach? In summary, both diet and labor should be moderated, but among the two, moderating diet is paramount. The Stomach resides below the Spleen and is the gathering place for food and drink, while the power of digestion lies with the Spleen. The Spleen covers the Stomach, and its mechanism of transportation and transformation operates continuously without pause. Stomach Fire ascends, Spleen Fire descends, and the Qi remains warm, facilitating easy digestion of food. If one indulges in rich flavors and overeats, it clogs the stomach opening and obstructs the Spleen from above. Although the Spleen wishes to function, it cannot move, and thus cannot digest. This is why, in regulating the Spleen and Stomach, nothing takes precedence over dietary moderation.