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1. Grand Master He Shutian resided for generations at Beiganshan, Qingpu. Originally versed in Confucian studies, he was proficient in Xuanqi (referring to the Yellow Emperor and Qibo, a metonymy for Traditional Chinese Medicine). In clinical practice, his hands brought spring (healed patients swiftly); daily, patients from near and far came for consultation, making his courtyard as busy as a market. Occasionally, with boats and carriages coming and going, scholars and officials from Wu and Kuaiji regions vied to invite him. During the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns, he was the foremost famous physician in the Wu region.

2. After achieving fame, the Master did not pursue further official advancement but produced abundant writings. He had printed "Poetry and Prose Collection of Ganshan Cottage" for circulation, along with books on water conservancy in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. He was appreciated and valued by Lord Lin Zexu; his literary works and statecraft were highly praised by contemporaries, though his medical reputation overshadowed these achievements.

3. *Yixue Miaodi* (Subtle Truths of Medicine) is a book personally compiled by the Master. It imitates the categorization style of *Jingui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet). At the beginning of each chapter, it specifically cites theories from *Neijing* (Inner Canon), *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot), *Suwen* (Basic Questions), and collects immortal arguments from various great masters throughout history as references. It lists clauses for various symptoms and suitable decoctions, all determined by the Master's own clinical experience. The etiology and treatment methods are compiled into rhymed verses (Geke) for children to learn, facilitating oral recitation and mental retention, serving as a textbook for family schools.

4. My family has generational heritage in pediatrics known as Songcheng Family Instructions. In the Guiyou year of Xianfeng, following my father's order, I had to study internal medicine (Da Fangmai) to treat various conditions to be considered skilled. Thus, I, Chen Song, carried my books to study under Master Pingzi. After only ten months, my father fell ill with a foot disease, and a letter urged me to return home. At our parting, Master held my hand and earnestly said, "We have studied together for a short time, yet you suddenly sing the farewell song, leaving me somewhat unsettled." Therefore, he took out a manuscript from his sleeve and said, "This book contains the secret arts of our family's medical practice; please accept it as a farewell gift." Now old, looking back at my master's door, how can I restrain myself!

Recorded respectfully by junior disciple Chen Song of Jiading at Siming during the first ten days of the eighth month, autumn, in the year Guisi (1893).

(Numbness or insensitivity in the thumb and index finger, or slight twitching of muscles, are precursors to stroke.)

The treatment of stroke requires deep thought; one must examine where the pathogen strikes to treat it well. When wind evil strikes the Fu organs, the four limbs are affected, with aversion to cold, stiffness, and a floating, slow pulse. When wind evil strikes the Zang organs, the lips become flaccid, the nine orifices are obstructed, there is nasal congestion, constipation, and aphasia. If wind strikes the vessels and collaterals, there is facial paralysis (mouth and eye deviation); one must also know the case of striking the meridians. If the six meridians are unaffected and urination is harmonious, but speech is lost and limbs cannot support, [it indicates specific patterns]. Striking the Zang organs requires purgation; striking the Fu organs requires sweating; striking the meridians requires nourishing blood and tendons. For those struck in the vessels and collaterals, there is no other treatment than nourishing blood and promoting Qi circulation, which yields miraculous effects. If Zang and Fu are both struck, it is as critical as the simultaneous contraction of Taiyang and Shaoyin in Cold Damage diseases. Dong Yuan generally advocates for Qi deficiency (Although stroke originates from external wind, it is also due to internal Qi deficiency. Deficiency leads to poor Qi circulation; once invaded by wind, the limbs become useless). He Jian advocates treating Kidney deficiency combined with fire (Kidney Qi fails, Heart fire flourishes while Kidney water declines, leading to heat stagnation generating phlegm; severe phlegm causes fever, and heat/withering lead to wind generation). Danxi advocates that dampness internally generates phlegm, clearly noting this as "Lei Zhong" (Stroke-like illness). Treatment first uses an opening method: powdering Zaojiao (Gleditsiae Fructus), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), Xinyi (Magnoliae Flos), and Lilü (Veratri Radix), mixed with Shexiang (Moschus) and blown into the nose; if sneezing occurs, life is saved. After waking, administer Sanhe Tang: Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix), Fuling (Poria), and Banxia should be balanced; Nanxing (Arisaematis Cum Bile), Gualou (Trichosanthis Fructus), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Jiegeng (Platycodonis Radix), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Zhuli (Bambusae Succus), and Jiangzhi (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens Succus) form one decoction. Left hemiplegia belongs to Blood deficiency, right hemiplegia to Qi deficiency; add Shaoyao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), and Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix) for Blood deficiency (Siwu Tang may cloy phlegm, so stir-fry with Ginger Juice). For blood stasis, use Taoren (Persicae Semen) and Honghua (Carthami Flos) (Stasis signs include clear urination, black stool, or abdominal pain). For weak Qi, Renshen (Ginseng Radix) is added. Enuresis and night sweats are treated similarly; obstruction of urination should not be treated with diuretics. Jiangcan (Bombyx Batryticatus) and Quanxie (Scorpio) are added for severe obstruction; Gouteng (Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis) treats trismus. For obese patients, Wutou (Aconiti Radix) and Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) guide the channels (boiled with Child's Urine); for excess Qi, Renshen must be avoided (if the Right Cun pulse is forceful, using Ginseng may cause phlegm-saliva to block the collaterals). For wind excess with spontaneous sweating and body pain, use Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), and Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) or Bo Gui (Cinnamomi Ramulus). For head/eye discomfort or headache, use Chuanxiong, Baizhu, Manjingzi (Vitalbae Fructus), Xinyi, and Jiejie Sui (Schizonepetae Spica). For no sweat and body pain, add Baizhu and Qianghuo; Peiyao (Peucedani Radix), Fangfeng, Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), and Qinjiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix) are paired. For internal deficiency of Heart Blood causing spiritual confusion, use Fushen (Poria cum Pinus Radix), Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix), and Shichangpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma). For palpitations and fright, add Zhuru (Bambusae Caulis in Taenia), Suanzaoren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen), and Zhensha (Cinnabar). For excessive wind-phlegm, use Dansheng (Arisaematis Cum Bile); Fangfeng, Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), Yazao (Gleditsiae Spina), and Gualou Ren (Trichosanthis Semen). For food injury, use Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata), Maiya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus), Shanzha (Crataegi Fructus), and Zhishi; for constipation, use Sanhua Tang (Sanhua Decoction uses Zhishi, Houpo, Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma), and Qianghuo).

For Liver-Kidney deficiency stirring internal wind: Humaren (Sesami Fructus Niger), Tianma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma), Guiyuan (Longan Arillus), Huangqi (Astragali Radix), Gancao, Shudi (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata), Yurou (Corni Fructus), Yuanzhi, Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus), Rongrong (Cynomorii Herba), Danggui, Qizi (Lycii Fructus), Shouwu (Polygoni Multiflori Radix), Muli (Concha Ostreae), Ganju (Chrysanthemi Flos), Jili (Tribuli Fructus), Hugu (Ossis Tigridis), Nvzhen (Ligustri Lucidi Fructus), Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix).

For Yang deficiency with loose Wei defense: Renshen, Danggui, Fuzi, Sangye (Mori Folium), Huangqi, Tianma, Yuzhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), or modify Yupingfeng San (Jade Windscreen Powder).

For Wei deficiency with collateral obstruction: Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus), Huangqi, Fuzi, Qianghuo, Yuanzhi, Jianghuang (Curcumae Longae Rhizoma).

For Qi deficiency: Renshen, Huangqi, Baizhu, Zhigancao (Prepared Licorice Root), Danggui, Chenpi, Tianma, Ginger and Jujube.

For simultaneous treatment of Liver and Kidney: Renshen, Fuling, Jili, Ganju, Chenpi, Banxia, Gouqi (Lycii Fructus), Tianma, Gouteng.

For Wind-Dampness striking Spleen collaterals: Liujunzi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) plus Nanxing and Fuzi.

For Kidney Yin deficiency stirring Liver wind: Shudi, Rongrong, Qizi, Shouwu, Juhua (Chrysanthemi Indici Flos), Changpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma).

For Phlegm-Fire blocking orifices: Lingjiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu substitute), Dansheng, Zhuli, Gouteng, Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus), Huafen (Trichosanthis Radix), Juhong (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Rubrum), Danpi (Moutan Cortex), Changpu.

For Fluid deficiency stirring wind: Maishu Tang (Pulse Restoring Decoction) minus Jiang and Gui; Guben Tang (Root-Securing Decoction) minus Shudi, plus Guiban (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum), Wuweizi, plus Hugu, Rongrong, Qizi, Huaixi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), and Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex).

For Heat evil blocking the Pericardium orifices: Zhibao Dan (Precious Treasure Pill), Xijiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu substitute), Zhusha (Cinnabar), Xionghuang (Realgar), Hupo (Electrum), Daimao (Hippopotamalis Dentibus et Ossibus), Xi Huang (Bovis Calculus), Shexiang, Naobing (Borneolum Syntheticum), Jinbo (Folium Aureum), Anxi (Resina Ambrae Griseae).

When Phlegm-Fire is excessive above, clouding the clear orifices, and deficiency below with excess above, it often leads to phlegm accumulating at the vertex.

Mr. Chen said: For stroke cases with flaccid, uncontrolled limbs, they belong to Stomach Qi deficiency; Renshen should be the main herb, assisted by Fuzi, Huangqi, and Gancao. If there is shortening and spasms, expelling the pathogen is urgent.

Zhu Danxi said: Numbness (Ma) is Qi deficiency; woodiness/stiffness (Mu) is damp-phlegm dispersing blood.