Library

Treats various types of Yu (depression/stagnation).

Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma) [This herb can move freely through the chest and diaphragm; it must be soaked in urine from an uncircumcised boy, then dried by roasting before use, otherwise its nature is too drying and hot], Fuxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata), Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus, stir-fried). Take equal parts of these five herbs, grind into fine powder, make pills with water, size of mung beans. Take 50 pills per dose. (Wu Hegao said: "Yueju" means to vent and relieve stagnation. Xiangfu opens Qi stagnation, Cangzhu dries Dampness stagnation, Fuxiong regulates Blood stagnation, Zhizi resolves Fire stagnation, Shenqu eliminates Food stagnation. Chen Laizhang said: All these herbs regulate Qi; when Qi flows smoothly, stagnation dissipates.)

Zhu Danxi said: Yu (stagnation) is often caused by Dryness pathogen excess. Dryness corresponds to the position of Yangming Autumn Metal. The Lung belongs to Metal, governs Qi, and distributes Yin and Yang. If injured, it loses its function and cannot ascend or descend properly. Thus, the *Classic* states: "All disorders of Qi stagnation belong to the Lung." Furthermore, Yu diseases mostly occur in the Middle Jiao, which is the Spleen and Stomach. The Middle Jiao is the sea of water and grain, the master of the five zang and six fu organs. If any of the other four zang organs are imbalanced, the Central Qi will lose harmony and become stagnant first. This formula contains herbs that both ascend and descend. To ascend, one must first descend; to descend, one must first ascend. Cangzhu is pungent, acrid, and vigorous. Due to strong Stomach and weak Spleen, it enters all meridians directly, draining Dampness from the Yangming meridian, promoting circulation and resolving astringency. For Dampness, it promotes dispersion. Xiangfu is a Qi-moving herb within the Yin aspect, descending Qi most rapidly. Through ascending and descending, stagnation disperses and balance is restored. Fuxiong enters the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian, reaching the Sanjiao directly, allowing the generating Qi to ascend to the head and eyes and descend to the Blood Sea. It serves as the agent for connecting Yin-Yang and circulating Qi and Blood, not limited to opening the Middle Jiao alone. The Stomach directs Qi to the Three Yang meridians, and the Spleen directs Qi to the Three Yin meridians. Once the Spleen and Stomach distribute Qi properly, the Qi of water and grain can circulate, preventing the Yin-Yang and zang-fu organs from being stifled by Dryness-Metal. All this relies on the unobstructed flow of Stomach Qi.

Qi is the master of the human body, the gateway of life and death. When it circulates smoothly, there is no disease. When it rebels, various diseases arise. Men should nourish their Qi to preserve their Spirit. Women should calm their Qi to regulate their menstruation. Internal injuries from the Seven Emotions refer to Joy, Anger, Worry, Pensive thought, Grief, Fear, and Fright. Joy scatters Qi, Anger causes Qi to rebel, Worry causes Qi to sink, Pensive thought knots Qi, Grief consumes Qi, Fear makes Qi timid, and Fright disrupts Qi. External invasions from the Six Excesses refer to Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire. Wind injuring Qi causes pain; Cold injuring Qi causes shivering; Summerheat injuring Qi causes heat and stuffiness; Dampness injuring Qi causes swelling and stuffiness; Dryness injuring Qi causes obstruction and constipation; Fire injuring Qi causes mental confusion and convulsions. There is Deficient Qi and Excess Qi. Deficiency refers to weakness of Righteous Qi; Excess refers to abundance of Pathogenic Qi. Danxi stated: Excess Qi should not be tonified; Deficient Qi should be tonified. Although it is said that Qi disorders have no tonification method, if there is fullness, blockage, and distension resembling excess, tonification seems difficult. However, if Righteous Qi is deficient and not tonified, how can Qi move? The *Classic* says: "The robust recover because Qi moves; the frail develop disease because Qi lingers." This is a definitive statement on Qi. Therefore, for abdominal distension and pain caused by Qi stagnation and Food retention, resolution and guidance methods are suitable. For diseases caused by Qi deficiency, tonification is suitable. However, stagnation often arises because Qi is weak and unable to transport vigorously; ultimately, it is not pure Excess. (Commentary by Zhang: Accumulation and masses result from Qi not flowing freely; rebellion and mania/coma result from Qi not descending; even tumors as "lingering" are due to Qi coagulation. Solely using attacking methods is of no benefit.) To break high-lying Qi stagnation, Zhiqiao (Aurantii Fructus) must be used. Zhiqiao damages the highest Qi in the chest; two or three doses suffice. It is also said: Qingpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride) is used for Qi stagnation, but excessive use injures True Qi. Therefore, for those with strong constitutions experiencing stabbing Qi pain, Zhiqiao and Wuyao (Linderae Radix) may be used temporarily. For fat, white-complexioned individuals with Qi deficiency experiencing stabbing Qi pain, Renshen (Ginseng Radix), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), and Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix) are suitable. (Commentary by Zhang: Qi carries form; form fills Qi. Only when Qi and Form maintain each other does health prevail; when Qi rebels, disease occurs. How can one treat it as a tangible object?) Protecting the harmonious, ceaseless state is called Qi; disturbing,妄moving, and changing normalcy is called Fire. In times of peace, Qi protects the exterior, circulates internally, flows through the whole body, cycles endlessly, and is commanded by Lung Qi. How could it cause disease? But when the Seven Emotions and Five Wills deviate and lose normalcy, clear Qi becomes turbid, moving Qi stops and reverses, the exterior loses protection and becomes disharmonious, the interior loses vigor and descends less. Circulation slows, Lung loses control,妄movement continues, and the Fire of Jueyang arising from the Five Wills rises, burning upward to the Lung, causing Qi disorders. Qi belongs to Yang; when it overcomes, it becomes Fire. Hejian said: Extreme excess of the Five Wills all transforms into Fire. One must absolutely avoid indiscriminately using pungent, spicy, drying, hot, and overly attacking agents such as Qingpi, Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Sanleng (Sparganii Rhizoma), Pengze (Curcumae Zedoariae Rhizoma), Yizhi (Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus), Guigui (Cinnamomi Cortex), and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma). These only temporarily seize stagnant Qi and provide fleeting relief, intended merely to briefly open up long-depressed Qi. One must know that Qi is a misty, clear, and empty phenomenon, like fog and dew attaching to objects; although stagnant, it easily dissipates. If one excessively uses pungent, spicy, Qi-scattering, and drying, hot, Qi-injuring herbs, True Qi will dissipate, and Turbid Qi will ascend. This resembles Kidney Qi failing to grasp Qi and return it to its root. In such cases, formulas like Suzi Jiangqi Tang (Perillae Fructus Decoction for Descending Qi) might be considered, especially for severe Phlegm-Damp. But how can fragile constitutions withstand harsh attacks? Moreover, if the Lung is injured by Fire, its Qi (the child organ) is also weak, descending functions fail, Fire cannot be controlled, they fan each other, the root becomes empty, life hangs by a thread. Treating intangible Qi as tangible pathology, once Fire and Qi scatter wildly, rapid panting and running out of breath lead to death.

Cultivation method states: For those suffering from Qi and Blood stagnation, hold breath and clarify the mind. First, massage the stagnant area with the left hand for seven sets of seven (49 times), then do the same with the right hand. Apply saliva to the area; after seven days, it will open.