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Treatment for conditions after severe illness where Yin and Yang fail to maintain mutual connection. When Yang Qi is about to float upward and escape, symptoms may include panting and rebellious Qi, spontaneous sweating, eyes rolling upward, or a feeling of inner restlessness as if a suspended banner were fluttering; when Yin Essence is about to sink downward and escape, symptoms may include seminal emission, urinary incontinence, or loose diarrhea with incontinence. This covers all patterns of dual deficiency of Yin and Yang, characterized by heat above and cold below.

Prepared Rehmanniae Radix (Shu Di Huang) – 1 liang
Cornus Officinalis Fructus (Yu Rou) – 1 liang, pits removed completely
Raw Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shan Yao) – 6 qian
Raw Longgu (Fossilized Bones) – 6 qian, finely crushed
Raw Muli (Oyster Shell) – 6 qian, finely crushed
Poria (Fu Ling) – 3 qian
Raw Paeoniae Radix Alba (Bai Shao) – 3 qian
Aconitum Lateralis Radix Preparata (Wu Fu Zi) – 1 qian

Question: Ji Ji Tang (Decoction for the Completion of Interaction) is originally a medicine for rescuing collapse. Why is not Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ren Shen) used in this formula? Answer: The nature of Ren Shen is tonifying and ascending. Using it to treat upper collapse carries the risk of Qi rising excessively without descending. Yu Jiayan discussed this in detail in *Yi Yi Cao* (Meaningful Grass). Only when used together with Hematitum (Zhe Shi) can Qi be guided back to its root. However, in cases accompanied by lower collapse, Zhe Shi is not suitable. Because Zhe Shi is not used, Ren Shen dare not be used. Moreover, the upward escape of Yang Qi is due to the deficiency of True Yin, which fails to anchor Yuan Yang (Original Yang), causing Yang Qi to have no attachment and rush upward. Therefore, this formula heavily uses Prepared Rehmanniae Radix (Shu Di Huang) and Raw Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shan Yao) to vigorously tonify True Yin, so that sufficient Yin naturally anchors Yang. It is assisted by the acrid-hot nature of Aconitum Lateralis Radix Preparata (Wu Fu Zi), which shares the same affinity as Yuan Yang. Together with the bitter-descending property of Paeoniae Radix Alba (Bai Shao) [as recorded in *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing*: "bitter"], it naturally guides the floating Yuan Yang back to its residence. Furthermore, Cornus Officinalis Fructus (Yu Rou), Raw Longgu (Fossilized Bones), and Raw Muli (Oyster Shell) are used to astringe and consolidate, ensuring the firm union of Yin and Yang. Not only will Yuan Yang no longer escape upward, but True Yin will also never escape downward.

Case 1: A patient, over twenty years old, had always been constitutionally weak and indulged in smoking and sexual activity. In early autumn, he contracted malaria (Nue Ji), which took twenty days to resolve. One day later, he experienced several episodes of loose diarrhea, profuse sweating on the head and face like being washed, mental exhaustion and lethargy, appearing drowsy. His pulse was strong at the upper positions and deficient at the lower positions; the Cun (inch) pulses on both sides were trembling, the Chi (cubit) pulses on both sides were faint and nearly imperceptible, beating seven times per breath. Two physicians were consulted but did not prescribe any formula. I subsequently prescribed this decoction. After one dose, he regained consciousness; after two more doses, he recovered completely.

Friend Zhang XX once treated a young man who suffered from heart pain (Xin Tong). During attacks, he cried out day and night. Physicians repeatedly administered formulas for resolving stagnation and promoting circulation, resulting in loose diarrhea, continuous leakage of deficient Qi, profuse sweating like being washed, eyes rolling upward, mental palpitations and fright, twitching of the whole body requiring manual pressure to alleviate, while the heart pain remained unchanged. Several doctors were consulted but dared not prescribe. Zhang XX administered this decoction, doubling the dosage of Cornus Officinalis Fructus (Yu Rou) to 2 liang. After two consecutive doses, all diseases were cured, and the heart pain was eradicated from the root.

Question: This formula is indeed suitable for treating collapse patterns, but why can it also treat heart pain? Answer: Any painful area inside or outside the human body is caused by the bi obstruction (blockage) of Qi and Blood. *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing* states that "Cornus Officinalis Fructus (Yu Rou) treats evil Qi under the heart, cold-heat sensations, warms the middle, and expels cold-dampness bi." This indicates that Yu Rou is not only sour and astringent but also excels at unblocking. Li Shicai treated liver deficiency pain by combining Yu Rou with Dang Gui. I treated leg pain due to liver deficiency by heavily using Yu Rou, achieving immediate effect (detailed case under Qu Zhi Tang). Generally, Yu Rou absorbs the strongest Wood Qi; within its sour and astringent nature lies a free-flowing quality. Thus, it is good at treating collapse and especially good at opening bi obstruction. Essentially, these patterns belong to deficiency-bi, where pain arises because Qi and Blood cannot circulate freely due to deficiency. Physicians do not realize this and only focus on breaking stagnation. By the time they break until Yin and Yang are about to collapse, the pain remains, and the physicians are at a loss. However, administering this formula, simply by doubling Yu Rou, can not only rescue from collapse but also eradicate the heart pain from the root. This is not merely the brilliance of my formula creation, but rather Zhang XX's skillful application and modification according to the specific syndrome.