Library

The *Suwen: Yin-Yang Yingxiang Dalun* (Basic Questions: Great Treatise on the Correspondence of Yin and Yang) states: Sorrow overcomes Anger, Fear overcomes Joy, Anger overcomes Pensive Worry, Joy overcomes Sorrow, and Pensive Worry overcomes Fear. This is the principle of the generation and restriction of the Five Elements (Wu Xing). Ancient sages treated diseases using this method; for example, Wen Zhi cured the King of Qi by provoking his anger, and Hua Yuanhua (i.e., Hua Tuo) cured the commandery governor by provoking his anger to induce vomiting of blood stasis. Both followed this principle. Cases recorded by Dai Renfu and Zhu Danxi are particularly numerous in this regard. However, there are also cases that do not adhere strictly to the theory of mutual restriction. For instance, *Shao Shi Wen Jian Lu* records: The military supervisor of a prefecture suffered from sorrow and pensive worry. Hao Yun told his son, "According to medical principles, he should be made to feel fear in order to recover." At that time, Li Songqing, the Censor of the Tongshou office, was known for his strictness, and the supervisor had long feared him. Hao Yun and his son requested Li Songqing to visit and reprimand the supervisor for his faults. Upon leaving in terror, the supervisor's illness subsided. This illustrates Fear overcoming Sorrow. *Zan Yun Lou Za Ji* records: Da Jian Guan (Censor) Li from Luyi came from a family of farmers but passed the local examination. His father laughed uncontrollably out of joy. When Li passed the metropolitan examination, his father's laughter intensified. Ten years later, after Li was promoted to the Censorate, his father's uncontrollable laughter became a chronic disease, day and night without rest. A physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau instructed the father's servants to deceive him, saying, "The Censor has died." The father was overcome with grief and nearly fainted. After ten days of this state, his condition gradually improved. Then, they falsely spread news that "The Censor was treated by Doctor Zhao and revived." Consequently, the father's grief caused his manic laughter to cease permanently. This illustrates Sorrow overcoming Joy. Generally, medicine relies on mental acuity; if one grasps the underlying intent, one need not rigidly adhere to fixed methods. As the saying goes, divine illumination depends on the individual practitioner.

Han Feixia stated that Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) and Rougui (Cinnamon Bark) can facilitate the interaction between the Heart and Kidney within moments. Mao Shenfu (courtesy name Yuanxun) from Zhenze once used this method with successful results. In a certain year, when Mao was in his forties, due to his four children suffering successively from smallpox and chickenpox, he worked tirelessly for a hundred days. After the Xiaoshu (Minor Heat) solar term, he suddenly developed insomnia. Whenever he tried to sleep, he experienced extreme panic, feeling as if falling or detached from his body, panting restlessly, alternating between sorrow and laughter. Mao diagnosed this as a case where Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) circulates in the Yang aspect but cannot enter the Yin aspect, constituting a syndrome of Heart-Kidney Non-Interaction. He prescribed Beishashen (Glehniae Radix), Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix), Zhigancao (Prepared Licorice Root), Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Fushen (Poria with Hostwood), Chuanlian (Coptidis Rhizoma) 2 fen, and Rougui 1 fen. He first decocted 1 liang of Sumi (Sorghum Grain) in Ganlan Shui (Sweet Ripple Water, prepared by stirring running water thousands of times), removed the dregs, and then used this liquid to decoct the herbs. The patient recovered completely after taking it. Mao lived in Li Li Town, studied for thirty years, and began practicing medicine in middle age, gaining fame at the time.

Wang Chunpu's *Bacui Yi An* (Medical Cases Extracted from Brilliance) also contains a case of treating insomnia with Huanglian and Rougui. Ding Junwen suffered from low-grade fever and slight thirst every afternoon, palpitations in the chest and heart area as if being beaten, and severe restlessness and agitation in the evening, wanting to scold and cry, unable to sleep day or night. Various medicines were ineffective, and the condition persisted for over a year. Wang diagnosed his pulse: the left Cun position was floating and surging, while both Chi positions were deep and fine. He determined this belonged to Yin deficiency with Yang hyperactivity. Mimicking the Sumi Banxia Tang (Sorghum and Pinellia Decoction) from the *Lingshu*, he prepared it according to standard procedures. Separately, he decocted 3 qian of Rougui until cool, and 3 qian of Huanglian separately. He mixed them while hot and administered the mixture slowly in warm doses. From Wei hour (1-3 PM) to Xu hour (7-9 PM), one dose was completed. That night, he slept soundly, waking only at Si hour (9-11 AM) the next day. Subsequently, he used Tianwang Buxin Wan (Emperor of Heaven's Tonification of the Heart Pill), adding Rougui, Gouqi (Lycium Fruit), Lujiao Jiao (Deer Antler Glue), and Guijiao Jiao (Tortoise Shell Glue), processed into pills, which led to full recovery through conditioning. I accidentally purchased a copy of *Yixue Mizhi* (Secrets of Medicine) from a bookstore run by Shen Yupu in Hangzhou. It contained a protocol for treating insomnia: "I once treated a patient with insomnia who had tried all kinds of Heart-Kidney tonifying medicines without effect. Diagnosing the pulse, I realized it was due to disharmony of Yin and Yang and non-interaction of the two Qi. I prescribed 3 qian of Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) and 3 qian of Xiakucao (Prunellae Spica), decocted strongly, and administered it. The patient immediately slept peacefully and was subsequently cured with Heart-tonifying medicines. This is because Banxia grows by receiving Yin Qi, while Xiakucao grows by receiving Supreme Yang Qi; thus, their combination embodies the wonder of Yin-Yang coordination." The book was a manuscript copy titled as authored by Xixi Jushi, whose identity remains unknown; I record this for future verification.

Insomnia caused by excessive thinking damaging the Spleen, or by complex affairs exhausting the Heart, cannot be cured solely by medicine. *Laolao Hengyan* states there are two methods for insomnia: Control and Release. The Control method involves focusing the mind on the crown of the head, silently counting breaths, or observing the Dantian, thereby anchoring the mind so it does not scatter chaotically, allowing sleep to be attained. The Release method involves letting the mind wander freely in the profound and formless realm, which can gradually lead to a drowsy state. I believe among these two, the Release method is superior. The Control method keeps the mind tense and restrained, failing to reach the ultimate state of tranquility and joy, unlike the freedom of the Release method. However, one must fear that straying into delusion will render it ineffective; therefore, embedding elements of Control within Release is best. My teacher, Mr. Shen Luping (name Zhuo) from Gui'an, while serving as a Professor in Taizhou, suffered from palpitations and insomnia due to heavy reading and fatigue. Someone taught him a method: "After lying down each night, gather your mind, eliminate distracting thoughts, and let your imagination roam freely through beautiful landscapes you have previously experienced. Allow yourself to go with the flow. If you remain stable and quiet, over time, your mind will gradually enter a profound and obscure state, and you will fall asleep naturally without striving for it." He practiced this method and achieved efficacy, demonstrating that he had grasped the essence of the Release method.