Library

Treats deficiency of the Stomach with damp-heat, food stagnation, and a sensation of fullness and oppression in the epigastrium (heart below).
Baizhu (Earth-fried) 2 liang, Zhishi (Bran-fried) 1 liang. The two herbs are ground into fine powder. Lotus leaf is used to wrap and roast old rice flour as the binder, formed into pills the size of pepper seeds. Take with warm water.

[Collected Notes] Li Guo stated: Baizhu is bitter, sweet, and warm. Its bitterness eliminates damp-heat in the Stomach, while its sweet-warm nature tonifies the primordial Qi of the Spleen. The dosage is double that of Zhishi. Zhishi is bitter and warm; it dissipates epigastric fullness and resolves food injury in the Stomach. This medicine enters the Stomach but cannot immediately remove the injury; it requires about one to two hours for the food to digest. By first tonifying deficiency and then resolving the injury, the action is not harsh or severe. The lotus leaf resembles an inverted bowl; in the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), it corresponds to Zhen (Thunder), representing the Qi of the Shaoyang Gallbladder. When food enters the Stomach, Ying-Qi (Nutritive Qi) ascends, which is this very Qi. Using it generates Stomach Qi. Furthermore, mixing the medicine with roasted rice cooperates with Baizhu to nourish Grain Qi and tonify the Spleen and Stomach, yielding great benefit. If harsh purgatives were used, the resulting transmitted syndromes would be countless.

Treats women during the third month of pregnancy suffering from vomiting due to Spleen deficiency, or unstable fetus prone to slipping. It also benefits men in regulating the Middle Jiao and nourishing Stomach Qi, creating a state where hunger induces satiety and satiety induces hunger; its miraculous effects are hard to describe.
Renshen 3 liang, Fuling 2 liang, Baizhu 3 liang, Shanyao 2 liang, Yiyiren 1.5 liang, Lianrou 2 liang, Qianshi 1.5 liang, Chenpi 2 liang, Maimaiye 2 liang, Shenqu 2 liang, Baidoukou 8 qian, Jiegeng 1 liang, Huoxiang 1 liang, Chuan Huanglian 4 qian, Sharen 1.5 liang, Baibian Dou 1.5 liang, Shanzha 1.5 liang. These eighteen ingredients are ground into fine powder. Honey is refined to form pills the size of bullet seeds. Take two pills per dose with rice drink.

[Collected Notes] Luo Qianfu stated: This formula originated from Miao Zhongchun, used to treat Spleen deficiency and fetal instability during pregnancy. Generally, the formation of the fetus begins with the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, while its nourishment relies on the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. Thus, the Yangming is the root of fetal generation. If there is any insufficiency, the Primordial Qi will be insufficient to nourish the fetus and also insufficient to nourish the mother herself. Therefore, at the third month of pregnancy, when the Yangming meridian nourishes the fetus, symptoms such as vomiting and regurgitation appear. In more severe cases, miscarriage may occur at three or five months. All these result from Qi deficiency in the Yangming meridian failing to secure the fetus. Ancient formulas for calming the fetus mostly use Xiong (Chuanxiong) and Gui (Danggui), unaware that this may inadvertently lead to fetal slipping. This formula uses the sweet and neutral properties of Renshen, Baizhu, Fuling, Gancao, Lianzi, Qianshi, Shanyao, Baibian Dou, and Yiyiren to tonify the Spleen's Yuan Qi; the aromatic and pungent properties of Chenpi, Shenqu, [Bai], Sharen, Baidoukou, Huoxiang, and Jiegeng to regulate Stomach Qi; and if there is damp-heat, Huanglian is used to clear and dry it. It lacks the cloying stagnation of Shenling Baizhu San and the drying dispersion of Xiangsha Zhizhu Wan. It can both tonify and transport, reaching perfect harmony, thereby securing the fetus and preventing slipping or miscarriage forever. Men taking it regulate the Middle and nourish Stomach Qi. Named "Zisheng" (Nourishing Life), the name is indeed well-deserved.