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Pain in the Hands and Feet
When there is pain in the hands and feet, people generally attribute it to Heat in the Spleen Meridian (Spleen Channel), not realizing that it is not due to Spleen Heat, but rather to the stagnation and knotting of Liver Wood (Liver Qi Stagnation). Once the stagnant Qi is dispersed, the pain in the hands and feet will naturally disappear. The prescription used is Xiaoyao San (Free and Easy Wanderer Powder) with additions: Gardenia (Zhi Zi, 3 qian), Pinellia Rhizome (Ban Xia, 2 qian), White Mustard Seed (Bai Jie Zi, 2 qian). Decoct in water and take orally. After two doses, the pain disappears as if it had never existed. This is because the mischievous influence of Liver Wood prevents the Spleen Qi from bearing its full force; the Qi scatters into the four limbs, knots up, and fails to extend, thus causing pain. Now that the Liver Qi has been pacified, the Spleen Qi naturally becomes comfortable. [If the Spleen Qi is comfortable, and the pain is located in the hands and feet, how could it fail to be completely eliminated?]

Weakness of the Feet
This condition, characterized by the inability to walk, is usually attributed to Deficiency of Kidney Water (Kidney Yin/Essence). Who would know that it actually stems from Qi Deficiency leading to an inability to move? The prescription used is Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction) with additions: Achyranthes Root (Niu Xi, 3 qian), Dendrobium Stem (Shi Hu, 5 qian), Astragalus Root (Huang Qi, 1 liang), Ginseng Root (Ren Shen, 3 qian). Decoct in water and take orally. [After three doses, strength returns to the feet; after four doses, walking becomes possible. This is because Ren Shen and Bai Zhu are supreme herbs for tonifying Qi, while Niu Xi and Shi Hu are miraculous agents for strengthening the feet; hence, their use leads to repeated success.]

Tendon Contraction
The tendons and vessels of the entire body must not suffer from disease. If they do, the tendons contract, causing body pain, a choppy pulse, and a sensation of heaviness in the body. However, the relaxation of tendons depends on the harmony of Blood, while the smoothness of vessels relies on sufficient Qi. Therefore, treating tendon disorders requires first regulating Blood, and treating vessel disorders requires first tonifying Qi. If a person exhibits tight tendons, clenched fists, kyphosis (stooped posture) preventing standing, and an inability to straighten the body when bending forward or backward, these are all disorders of the tendons. The prescription used is: Angelica Sinensis Root (Dang Gui, 1 liang), White Peony Root (Bai Shao, 5 qian), Coix Seed (Yi Yi Ren, 5 qian), Rehmannia Root Preparata (Sheng Di Huang, 5 qian), Scrophularia Root (Xuan Shen, 5 qian), Bupleurum Root (Chai Hu, 1 qian). Decoct in water and take orally.
The ingenuity of this formula lies in the single addition of Chai Hu within blood-nourishing herbs. Generally, Blood Deficiency leads to tendon disorders, so using blood-tonifying herbs to treat them is appropriate. Why add Chai Hu to disperse? It is unknown that the Liver is the master of tendons, and tendons are the surplus of the Liver. When Liver Qi is unsmooth, the tendons naturally contract and tighten, [even leading to kyphosis]. Now, by using Chai Hu to soothe and disperse, the stagnant Qi is removed, and this is supplemented with large doses of blood-nourishing substances. Consequently, the tendons receive nourishment [and become relaxed; once the tendons are relaxed, all symptoms are cured.]