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Women who have absolutely no milk secretion after childbirth are often thought to suffer from blocked mammary ducts, but little do they know that this is actually due to the exhaustion of both Qi and Blood. Milk is transformed from Qi and Blood; without Blood, milk certainly cannot be generated, and without Qi, milk also cannot be generated. However, among these two, the transformation of Blood into milk is not as rapid as the transformation by Qi. A woman who has just given birth has already suffered a significant loss of Blood. Since her Blood is insufficient even to sustain herself, how can it be used to transform into milk? Milk relies entirely on the power of Qi to move Blood and transform it. Now, if several days have passed since childbirth and not a drop of milk is produced, it is evident that there is a deficiency of Blood and a decline of Qi. When Qi is vigorous, milk is abundant; when Qi declines, milk decreases; when Qi is exhausted, milk is also exhausted. This is an inevitable trend. People in the world do not understand the wonder of greatly tonifying Qi and Blood, but instead blindly use methods to unblock the ducts. They do not realize that without Qi, milk cannot be transformed, and without Blood, milk cannot be generated. The treatment method should involve tonifying Qi to generate Blood, so that milk will naturally flow down. There is no need to use methods that promote urination or open orifices to force lactation.

Formula Name: Tongru Dan (Cinnamon Twig Decoction for Lactation).
Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix) (1 liang), Sheng Huang Qi (Astragali Radix) (1 liang), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) (2 liang, washed with wine), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Tuber) (5 qian, heart removed), Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis) (3 fen), Jie Geng (Platycodonis Radix) (3 fen), Seven-hole pig trotters (2 pieces, claws and shells removed).
Decoct in water and take orally. After two doses, milk will gush forth like a spring. This formula specifically tonifies Qi and Blood to generate milk, precisely because milk is born from Qi and Blood. Postpartum exhaustion of Qi and Blood leading to lack of milk cannot be compared to cases where milk is absent due to blocked ducts. Although the method does not directly unblock the ducts, it is named "Tongru Dan" (Unblocking Milk Decoction) because milk flows freely after taking it; today, since milk generates without forcing its passage, it could equally be named "Shengru Dan" (Generating Milk Decoction).

Song Verse: Postpartum milk drops are nonexistent, is the cause the dual deficiency of Qi and Blood?
When Qi and Blood are sufficient, milk is abundant; when weak, milk must dry up.
In Shengru Dan, there are Ginseng and Akebia, Angelica, Ophiopogon, and Platycodon.
Use two seven-hole pig trotters; after two doses, milk flows like a spring.

For young and robust women, after childbirth, if they hear words of disdain or scolding, it may lead to distension and pain in both breasts with blocked milk secretion. People assume this is due to Heat-Fire in the Yangming channel, but little do they know it is actually caused by the stagnation of Liver Qi! The Yangming channel belongs to the Stomach, which is a reservoir abundant in Qi and Blood. The transformation of milk originally belongs to the Yangming channel. However, since Yangming belongs to Earth, and although a robust woman loses blood after childbirth, the Qi of Yangming is not completely depleted. It requires the connecting influence of Wood (Liver) Qi to facilitate the transformation of milk; thus, one cannot solely blame Yangming. Generally speaking, the transformation of milk depends entirely on Qi rather than Blood. Now, several days postpartum, milk should theoretically be present, yet the breasts are distended and painful. This indicates an attempt to transform milk that fails—what else could this be but Qi stagnation? Clearly, shame and indignation have led to Qi stagnation, causing Earth and Wood to knot together. How can milk be transformed and become fluid under such conditions? The treatment method should be to greatly soothe and disperse the Qi of the Liver (Wood), so that the Qi and Blood of Yangming will naturally flow, and milk will also flow. There is no need to specifically target the unblocking of milk ducts. Formula Name: Tonggan Shengru Tang (Soothe Liver and Generate Milk Decoction).

Bai Shao (White Peony Root) (5 qian, stir-fried with vinegar), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) (5 qian, washed with wine), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) (5 qian, stir-fried with soil), Shu Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata) (3 fen), Gan Cao (Licorice Root) (3 fen), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Tuber) (5 qian, heart removed), Tong Cao (Tetrapanacis Medulla) (1 qian), Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) (1 qian), Yuan Zhi (Polygalae Radix) (1 qian).
Decoct in water and take orally. Patency is achieved after one dose; no further doses are necessary.
Marginal Note: Mai Dong should be stir-fried with millet. Not only does this prevent it from chilling the Stomach, but the flavor of the grain also guides it directly into the Stomach, thereby accelerating the generation of milk more rapidly.

Song Verse: Young women's milk should be rich, but shame and anger cause blockage and congestion.
Liver Qi stagnation causes breast distension and pain; soothing and unblocking Liver Qi allows milk to flow naturally.
Tonggan Shengru Tang contains White Peony, Angelica, and Ophiopogon, followed by Atractylodes, Bupleurum, and Polygala.
Rehmannia, Tetrapanax pith, and raw Licorice; after ingestion, milk flows like water.