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Treats thirst caused by deficiency of Stomach Qi and flourishing Fire.
Zhu Ye (Two Qian) Huang Qin, Sheng Di, Mai Dong, Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong, Gan Cao, Huang Qin, Shi Gao, Shao Yao, Ren Shen.
Decoct in water and take orally.
Qing Xin Lian Zi Yin (Clear Heart Lotus Seed Decoction), Di Huang Yin Zi (Rehmannia Decoction).
See also the section on Dryness Syndrome.
Ba Wei Di Huang Wan (Eight-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill).
See also the section on Consumption Syndrome.

Jing (Fright/Shock) refers to fear and terror. The *Classic* states: "The color of the East is green, which communicates internally with the Liver. Its disease manifests as fright and shock." The Liver corresponds to the East, belongs to the Zhen trigram in the Eight Trigrams, and corresponds to Wind in natural phenomena. Since Wind and Wood possess many vibrating characteristics, the disease presents as fright and shock. Whenever there is danger externally, being touched causes fright. Those with strong Heart and Gallbladder are not moved; those with weak Heart and Gallbladder are easily frightened upon contact. Qi stagnation generates phlegm-fluids; phlegm-fluids struggle with Qi, transforming into various syndromes. Some present with shortness of breath, some with spontaneous sweating, sleep with strange dreams and wake suddenly, lie awake often with night terrors, make sounds in the mouth, or have heat stagnation generating phlegm, or Qi stagnation generating phlegm. Danxi said: "Fright causes the Spirit to leave its residence. When the residence is empty, fluids accumulate. Phlegm-fluids remain bound between the Pericardium and Collaterals, transforming into various symptoms." This discusses Jing. Ji (Palpitation) refers to a thumping sensation in the lower chest. The *Classic* states: "In Heart Bi obstruction, the vessels are blocked. When vexed, the lower chest beats like a drum." Blockage prevents flow, causing Heat stagnation to generate phlegm. Once phlegm forms, vexation arises, and the lower chest beats. "Beating" means throbbing like a drum. The *Yuan Bing Shi* says: "Water declines, Fire flourishes, causing restlessness in the heart and chest." The *Shang Han Lun* states: "The Heart belongs to Fire and dislikes Water. When Water stops below the Heart, it thumps and cannot settle." There are also cases after sweating, vomiting, or purging, where Righteous Qi is deficient leading to palpitations and inability to lie down. Danxi attributes this to deficiency and phlegm. Although symptoms vary, it essentially stems from mental labor consuming Blood, Heart injury causing Fire movement, and Fire stagnation generating phlegm. It may also result from Anger injuring the Liver, or Fright entering the Gallbladder, where the Mother organ causes the Child organ to become deficient, leading to Blood loss and insufficiency. Or, due to complex affairs and endless thoughts, Heart Yin is consumed, and the Spirit becomes unsettled. Furthermore, there are cases due to Gallbladder deficiency. The Gallbladder requires warmth as its normal state; deficiency leads to Cold, causing insomnia, frequent fright and palpitations, bitter taste, and vomiting of phlegm-fluids. Hence, the Wen Dan Tang (Warm the Gallbladder Decoction) exists.

Kong (Fear/Dread) differs from Jing. Jing comes from outside, while Kong arises from within. The *Classic* states: "In the Zang organs, it belongs to the Kidney; in the Five Emotions, it is Fear." It further says: "When Essence and Qi congregate in the Kidney, Fear arises." Fear is described as the downward pulling emotion of the Kidney. Fear in other organs also originates from the Kidney. The Liver stores Blood; insufficient Blood leads to Fear. The Liver is the Child of the Kidney. Strong Water makes the Gallbladder robust; thin Water leads to Blood deficiency, resulting in Fear. The Stomach relates to Fear; the Stomach belongs to Earth, the Kidney to Water. Earth pathogen injuring Water causes Fear. If the Heart is startled and over-thought, the Spirit is injured. Spirit injury leads to self-loss of fear. The Heart houses the Spirit; Spirit injury makes the Heart timid. Thus, self-loss of fear occurs because Fire fears Water. The *Classic* further discusses Fear, distinguishing among the Kidney, Liver, Heart, and Stomach. The Liver and Gallbladder share the same source with the Kidney (Yi-Gui Tong Yuan). The Stomach's relationship with the Kidney is one of insulting the invincible (Earth overcoming Water inversely). The Heart's relationship with the Kidney is one of fearing the conquerable (Fire fearing Water). Therefore, Fear syndromes belong primarily to the Kidney's native emotion but extend to other organs, requiring different treatment methods. For Kidney injury, use pungent/flavor-rich herbs; for Liver/Gallbladder, nourish Ying Blood; for Yangming, strengthen Qi; for the Heart Monarch, anchor the Spirit. For Jing, calm the Spirit so scattered Qi can gather; for Kong, stabilize the Will so lost Essence can be secured.

Zheng Chong (Severe Palpitation) refers to restless beating in the heart, feeling terrified as if someone were about to catch you. Cases triggered by mental deficiency belong to Blood deficiency. If intermittent, it may be Phlegm stirred by Fire. Thin people often have Blood deficiency; fat people often have Phlegm. If one truly feels intense heart beating, it especially indicates Blood deficiency. Suitable formulas include Si Wu Tang combined with Zhu Sha An Shen Wan (Cinnabar Calm the Spirit Pill). If caused by Jing, since Fright causes the Spirit to leave its residence and emptiness generates Phlegm.

Jian Wang (Forgetfulness) refers to starting things without finishing them, speaking without knowing beginning or end. It can be due to shortness of Spirit, Phlegm, or Kidney deficiency injuring the Will. The *Classic* states: "Excessive anger in the Kidney injures the Will, causing forgetfulness of previous words." Danxi said: "This syndrome results from excessive worry and thought, aiming too high, unfulfilled desires, damaging the chest and heart, causing the Spirit's residence to be unclear, leading to forgetting matters. The disease lies in the Heart and Spleen. Excessive thought injures the Spleen, causing forgetfulness. Treat with Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction) to regulate both Heart and Spleen. When the Spirit is calm and the Will settled, the syndrome resolves. In general, those who cannot tolerate worldly disturbances have exhausted their Yin aspect of Qi and Blood, losing their clarity, hence prone to forgetting. Medicines indeed have the merit of calming the Spirit and nourishing Blood, but calming the Spirit, quieting thoughts, and turning inward for preservation are superior. The *Classic* again states: "Upper Qi is insufficient, Lower Qi is excessive. Intestines and Stomach are full, while Heart Qi is deficient. Deficiency causes Ying and Wei to remain below, failing to ascend in time, hence prone to forgetting." Upper Qi is the clear Qi of the Heart; Lower Qi is the turbid Qi of the intestines and stomach. Ying and Wei remaining below means Kidney Essence and Qi cannot constantly ascend to the Heart, hence forgetfulness. It also states: "Blood congregates below, Qi congregates above, chaos ensues and forgetfulness follows." Blood below fails to nourish the Heart; Qi above fails to fill the Kidney. Water below, Fire above, Kan and Li do not interact, disturbing regulation, hence forgetfulness. The Heart knows the future; the Kidney stores the past. Thus, the *Nei Jing* attributes forgetfulness to the non-interaction of Heart and Kidney. If the Heart does not descend to the Kidney, turbid Fire disturbs the Spirit; if the Kidney does not ascend to the Heart, Essence hides and is unused. Fire above generates Phlegm; Water below generates Restlessness. Chaos and confusion lead to drowsiness and unrest. Therefore, tonify the Kidney to help it ascend, nourish the Heart to help it descend. Then the Spirit and Qi will be clear, the Will stable, and forgetfulness eliminated.

What humans govern is the Heart; what the Heart houses is the Spirit; what nourishes the Spirit is Blood. Once Heart Blood is deficient, the Spirit has no foundation. This is the origin of Jing, Ji, and Zheng Chong. Can Jing Ji and Zheng Chong be distinguished without differentiation? With Phlegm stagnation and Heart deficiency, hearing loud noises, seeing strange objects, encountering danger, or touching matters causing forgetfulness, the Heart trembles, causing a terrified state; this is Jing Ji. With Heart deficiency and Water retention, there is gurgling in the chest, moving deficient Qi. As Water ascends, Heart Fire dislikes it, and the Heart feels uneasy, causing a depressed state; this is Zheng Chong. However, movement triggered by contact is called Jing; spontaneous movement without contact is called Ji. Ji is Zheng Chong. Treatment involves regulating Heart Blood, harmonizing Heart Qi, and treating according to Phlegm, Fire, or Dampness, with Blood deficiency as the primary focus.

The *Classic* states: "Once noble, later humble; although not struck by evil pathogens, disease arises internally, named Tuo Ying (Depletion of Ying)." The Heart is the Monarch, from which the Spirit emerges. The Lung is the Assistant, governing Ying and Wei circulation fifty times day and night; this is the path of Ying Qi. If the Monarch is injured, the twelve officials lose their functions, pathways close and block, causing Ying Qi to deplete and fail to irrigate the hundred vessels, losing heavenly measure, and the form suffers greatly. "Once rich, later poor," is named Shi Jing (Loss of Essence), meaning the Heart is郁 (stagnant) and Qi is not smooth. In summary, the Heart is the Monarch official, from which the Spirit emerges. Excessive thought consumes Heart Blood, losing guidance, injuring the Spirit and causing Heart Labor, leading to Zheng Chong and Forgetfulness. One should cultivate stillness to nourish it, letting all limbs obey, so how can external pathogens invade? If constrained by the Seven Emotions, the Six Evils can injure it. External pathogens and internal Fire blaze together, causing hidden depletion. Without waiting for years, it becomes firm and incurable. Thus, regardless of wealth or poverty, diseases arising internally are hard to treat, while those from outside are easier to resolve. Laozi said: "Do not exhaust your form, do not shake your essence, do not let your thoughts run rampant." Therefore, farmers plowing through cold and heat do not suffer cold and heat diseases; they adapt and forget, not injuring their Monarch. Cold, Heat, Dryness, and Dampness are tangible diseases; Worry and Thought are intangible illnesses. Tangible diseases can be treated with Cold and Heat therapies; intangible illnesses must be overcome with Joy to counteract Sorrow, and comfort to relieve grief, before medication can be effective. The Heart exclusively governs the Spirit, incomparable to other organs. The proverb says: "Heart diseases require heart medicine." In ancient times, there was no name for Zheng Chong; it was called Xin Che (Heart Pulling) or Xin Xuan (Heart Hanging).

Generally, Jing is unknown to oneself, belongs to Yang, and enters from outside. Books say: Pulsation at the Cun Kou position indicates Jing. In Jing, the pulse stops and then returns; the patient's eyes do not move, and they cannot exhale. Ji is known to oneself, feeling as if someone is about to catch them, unable to sleep alone, belonging to Yin, and arising from inside. Ji is Zheng Chong. If something hits in the heart, it is called Chong; sudden jumping is called Zheng. This is due to internal Blood deficiency.

All Will originates from the Heart, and all Affairs are decided by the Heart. One should nourish Blood to tonify the Heart. In Forgetfulness, the mind seems clear, but speech stops abruptly when attempting to speak, or even forgets mid-sentence. This is usually due to past frustration and depression, with phlegm-fluids seeping into the Heart orifices, and more often due to Kidney deficiency failing to store the past. Treatment should nourish the Heart and moisten the Kidney, guide out Phlegm, and also tonify the Taiyin (Lung/Spleen). The non-interaction of Heart and Kidney originates from the lack of nourishment of the Spirit.

There is also Xu Fan (Deficiency Vexation), where the heart is disturbed and郁郁 (depressed/restless). Due to excessive loss of body fluids, dryness of the five viscera, insufficient Ying Blood, Yang prevailing over Yin, or Kidney Water exhausting below and Heart Fire flaming above, deficiency Heat and vexation arise, severe cases reaching Restlessness. This mostly occurs after major illnesses, with shortness of Spirit, unable to attend to matters and fearing vexation. However, what gives life to humans is Spirit; what supports it is Form. Great use of Spirit injures it; great labor of Form damages it. Separation of Form and Spirit leads to death; thus sages value this.