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*Qianjin Fang* records: Bian Que said: The foundation upon which humans rely is the physical form; what disrupts the harmonious qi of the body is disease; what eliminates internal heat and toxicity is medicine; what saves life and alleviates distress is... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: A physician must thoroughly understand the source of the disease and identify the cause. Treatment should begin with dietary therapy. If dietary therapy fails, then medicinal treatment should be prescribed. Medicinal properties are rigid and potent... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: Zhang Zhongjing said: To treat various diseases, one should first use decoctions to cleanse the five zang and six fu organs, unblock the meridians, regulate yin and yang, purge the middle jiao, and dispel evil pathogens, moistening... (text missing here). Dispersing agents can drive out pathogens. For wind conditions and damp-bi, where pathogens migrate between the interior and exterior without a fixed location, dispersing agents should be used to calm them. Secondly, pills are used; pill medicines can expel wind-cold, break up accumulations, and dissolve hard masses; they promote appetite and regulate Ying and Wei Qi. Those who can integrate these methods are considered superior physicians. The essence of medicine lies in intent. (Regarding "Ying and Wei Qi," *Qianjin Fang* explains: Ying refers to the qi circulating through the collateral vessels; Wei refers to the qi circulating through the main meridians; Ying Qi originates from the Middle Jiao, and Wei Qi originates from the Upper Jiao.)

*Yangsheng Yaoji* records: Zhang Zhongjing said: When the human body is in a state of harmony, one should focus on self-nourishment and avoid taking medicine indiscriminately. The biased nature of drugs provides assistance that may lead to... (text missing here) in the zang organs.

*Yangsheng Yaoji* further states: Wu Lun discussed taking food-medicine, saying: When intending to take food-medicine, one must seek its appropriate nature based on its properties and examine whether it suits cold or warm conditions. One should not simply follow others because they found it effective.

*Bencao Jing* states: Treat cold syndromes with hot medicines; treat heat syndromes with cold medicines. For indigestion, use emetics or purgatives. For ghost injection (Gui Zhu) and gu poison, use toxic medicines; for carbuncles and swellings... (text missing here).

*Bencao Jing* further states: For diseases located above the chest and diaphragm, eat first and then take medicine; for diseases below the heart and abdomen, take medicine first and then eat; for diseases in the four limbs and blood vessels, it is suitable to... (text missing here).

*Baopuzi* records according to Zhong Huangzi's guidelines on taking food-medicine: Take medicinal herbs for treating illness before meals; take health-preserving herbs after meals... (text missing here), do not... (text missing here) regulate, otherwise, cold conditions may worsen, or treating heat when cold symptoms appear, which cannot be generalized.

*Baopuzi* further states: Patients with weak disease force often have emaciated flesh and muscles. The method of treatment is to first administer a small dose of one to two doses of mild decoction to unblock and regulate blood and qi, allowing the patient's strength to gradually increase... (text missing here).

*Baopuzi* further states: Some patients have had the disease for years but remain strong, while others contracted the disease recently but have become emaciated. These two types differ because the fu and zang organs accept pathogens differently. Zang diseases usually develop over a long period, whereas fu diseases deteriorate quickly within a short time. The five zang belong to Yin, and the six fu belong to Yang. Yin diseases are difficult to treat, while Yang diseases are easy to treat. Yin and Yang diseases... (text missing here) take decoctions... (text missing here) patients... (text missing here) pathogens... (text missing here) daily intake... (text missing here) circulate in... (text missing here).

*Baopuzi* further states: In spring and summer, one should not combine hot medicines; in autumn and winter, one should not combine cold medicines; it depends solely on the patient's cold or heat condition.

*Baopuzi* further states: Diseases vary in newness and oldness, requiring different treatments. If the pathogen is in the fine hairs, ointments and massage are suitable. If untreated, after twenty days the pathogen enters the Sun vessels, and it is suitable to take... (text missing here) medicinal wine... (text missing here) vessels... (text missing here) referred to as... (text missing here).

*Baopuzi* further states: When taking tonic decoctions, the interval should be long; when continuously taking purgative decoctions, the interval should be short.

*Duanju Fang* states: Severe illness inevitably leads to weakness; if the person is weak, they cannot tolerate strong medication, so prescriptions should use lighter and more economical dosages. Mild illness implies the person is strong... (text missing here).

For chronic illnesses, the duration has accumulated, inevitably damaging appetite and digestive power; since appetite and power are weak, they also cannot tolerate strong medication, so prescriptions should also use lighter and more economical dosages. New illness... (text missing here).

Young and vigorous people, even if the disease is severe, are physically strong with abundant Qi and Blood, capable of overcoming the drug's force, so prescriptions should use heavier and repeated dosages. Even for those living in leisure, if they suddenly fall ill... (text missing here) it is suitable to use... (text missing here).

If a strong person with mild illness uses a light dosage, their strong constitution will overcome the drug's potency; using a light and economical prescription will fail to control the disease, and even with cumulative intake, the drug's effect... (text missing here) deficiency and decline... (text missing here) is... (text missing here).

*Duanju Fang* further states: There are individuals with slightly robust constitutions who do not avoid wind, cold, or coolness, violating taboos, leading to sudden depletion of essence and fluids; even if they contract minor ailments, one must not lightly use purgative (Li) medicines to drain them. Using purgatives once will exhaust essence and fluids, causing them to remain bedridden for years. Initially, mild medicines should be given. Only when draining is indicated should one proceed with downward purging.

For elderly patients needing purgative decoctions, one need not finish a full dose at once. One must observe the degree of purging and adjust within a day.

Disease source... (text missing here) source suitable... (text missing here).

For those cured by taking purgative decoctions, thereafter, one must strictly avoid taking tonic medicines. Taking tonics will cause the disease to recur. Reusing purgatives, the person... (text missing here) approaching peace... (text missing here).

For those with chronic conditions who can walk and whose Qi and strength have not declined, wishing to tonify, one may choose pills or powders suitable for cold or heat, but first take a purgative decoction to clear bowels, removing... (text missing here).

There are also deficient persons who have taken tonics for a long time, or are harmed by excess food stagnation in the middle jiao; one should stop taking tonics and use purgatives to clear them. There are also normally solid persons who suddenly become extremely empty and depleted; they also should be treated with... (text missing here).

For those extremely deficient and exhausted, requiring tonic decoctions, or those with wind diseases requiring wind-treating decoctions, these cases are not resolved in just three to five doses. There are cases of stagnant wind and extreme emptiness, accumulation... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* states: For anyone under forty years old with illness, purgatives may be taken; tonics are generally unnecessary, as they may cause harm, with exceptions noted. Four... (text missing here) Atractylodes... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: Where there are definitely organ accumulations, regardless of age, purging is required; where there are definitely deficiencies, regardless of age, tonification is required. Use judgment to apply them.

*Qianjin Fang* further states: During spring and autumn, one must take a purgative once to prevent contracting seasonal epidemics.

*Qianjin Fang* further states: Medications should suit the local environment. In Jiangnan and Lingbiao regions, the climate is hot and humid, skin is thin and fragile, pores are open, so medications should be light; Guanzhong... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: When taking decoctions for dysentery, for better efficacy, take them early.

Taking decoctions must follow proper methods. Decoctions should be taken warm to facilitate digestion and downward movement without vomiting; cold decoctions cause vomiting and retention; excessively hot decoctions damage the throat. It is crucial to use... (text missing here) decoction to... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: Decoctions are divided into three sheng (units) and taken in three doses. However, considering the patient's Gu Qi (grain qi) strength, the first dose should be the largest, the second smaller, and the third smallest... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: When taking tonic decoctions, aim for three and a half sheng. Take three times during the day and once at night, with food intervals in between, so the decoction qi irrigates the hundred vessels, facilitating drug absorption. Thus... (text missing here) all can... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: When taking medicine, abstain from alcohol for three days, as decoctions conflict with alcohol.

*Qianjin Fang* further states: When taking wind-treating decoctions, cover thickly to induce sweating after one dose. Once sweating occurs, cover lightly to avoid excessive sweating. Intermittent eating is also necessary; otherwise, it causes weakness and exacerbates emaciation.

*Qianjin Fang* further states: When taking decoctions, porridge, food, meat, and vegetables must be thoroughly cooked. Thorough cooking aids digestion and compatibility with medicine. Raw food is hard to digest and damages medicinal efficacy... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: When taking purgative decoctions, pills, powders, or wines, if one must eat at mealtime, first eat a mouthful of cold vinegar rice, then eat after a short while.

*Qianjin Fang* further states: Pills should be sized like wu zi (wu-tzu seeds). Tonics start at ten pills, gradually increasing, not exceeding forty pills. Exceeding this limit, even for deficient persons, taking three times a day... (text missing here) in vain... (text missing here).

*Qianjin Fang* further states: When taking purgative pills, do not exceed the point of diarrhea. Do not overdose, causing uncontrollable diarrhea, which severely harms the body.

*Qianjin Fang* further states: If a person suddenly encounters wind, experiencing sudden physical and mental discomfort or inability to speak, one should take Da Xiao Xu Ming Tang, Xi Zhou Xu Ming Tang, Pai Feng Yue Bi Tang, etc... (text missing here) not out... (text missing here).

Take decoctions continuously day and night. After two days, stop the decoction, nourish oneself with good soup, and observe the four limbs. If slightly improved, stop the medicine immediately and recuperate gradually. If not improved, continue taking decoctions to attack the disease until cured.

*Qianjin Fang* further states: For wind diseases treated with decoctions, unless heavy sweating occurs, the wind will not leave. Hence, Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang) is present in all wind-treating formulas. For example, Xi Zhou Xu Ming Tang uses eight liang... (text missing here) medicine... (text missing here).

*Ge Shi Fang* states: If taking medicine does not specify pre- or post-meal, take it before meals. Post-meal instructions are specified separately.

When taking decoctions divided into three doses or repeated doses, observe the disease source and syndrome, ensuring the drug force is sufficient. Toxic purgatives must be taken on an empty stomach... (text missing here) tonic decoctions... (text missing here).

When taking pills or powders without specifying wine or water, follow the original formula; if additionally specified to use wine or water, one may alternatively use water.

*Shan Fan Lun* states: Regarding prohibitions, if a decoction has conflicting interactions, abstain for five days after finishing. If pills, powders, or wines have conflicts, abstain from food and drink for ten days after finishing the medicine. If the medicine contains Ru Shi (mineral drugs), abstain for over a month. Otherwise, not only will it be ineffective, but it may also bring disaster.