Library

Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) washed with wine, 3 qian; Shengdi Huang (Rhizoma Rehmanniae Recens), 3 qian; Shaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba), 2 qian; Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), 1.5 qian.

The meaning derived from the character "Xue" (Blood) is twofold: one is "Rong" (Nutrient). Rong means to flourish and grow. Without blood, there would be no way to moisten the Zang-Fu organs, irrigate the meridians, and nourish the hundred bones; this represents the meaning of nourishment and growth. The second is "Ying" (Camp/Defend). Ying refers to a camp or fortress. Without blood, there would be no way to fill the physical form, consolidate the couli (skin and interstices), and stabilize the hundred vessels; this represents the meaning of internal retention and defense. The essence of water and grain gathers in the Middle Jiao, undergoes qi transformation, and then becomes blood. How much is generated daily? If one fails to nurture and regulate it, but instead allows for consumption and dispersion, blood diseases will arise frequently. Some may experience bleeding from the eyes, ears, nose (epistaxis), mouth (hematemesis), tongue, gums, hair follicles, urine (hematuria), or stool (rectal bleeding); some may suffer from metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, hemorrhoidal bleeding, blood stasis causing mania, blood accumulation causing distension, amenorrhea, or erratic bleeding leading to blood depletion; thus resulting from traumatic injuries causing blood stasis or sores and ulcers causing bleeding. Since the diseases are various, the methods of treatment must vary: some require tonification, some nourishment, some cooling, some warming, some dispersing, some breaking up. When establishing a prescription, one must address each symptom specifically. In the chapter on regulating blood, Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) serves as the primary formula. Although it contains only four herbs, it treats all three Yin meridians. Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) is sweet and warm, nourishing the Spleen, thereby ensuring blood has a source to be controlled; Baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) is sour and cold, astringing the Liver, thereby ensuring blood can be stored; Shengdi Huang (Rhizoma Rehmanniae Recens) is sweet and cold, nourishing the Kidney, thereby benefiting the blood; Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) is acrid and warm, promoting Qi circulation, thereby moving the blood. Thus, the method of regulating and tonifying the blood aspect is established here. However, some praise it excessively, while others criticize it unfairly, which requires clarification. Those who praise it too much claim it can treat all cases of blood loss and women's menstrual disorders. In fact, conditions of blood loss have various origins; this formula is specialized solely in tonifying blood and nourishing the Kidney, lacking other approaches. If one does not trace the root cause but merely addresses the symptoms, how can there be efficacy? Regarding women's menstrual disorders, many involve Qi stagnation, latent cold, or phlegm obstruction; it is inappropriate to indiscriminately administer yin-cold substances to all such cases. This constitutes excessive praise. Those who criticize it unfairly argue that Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) is too acrid and dispersing, fearing that Qi will be consumed before Blood is generated. Little do they know that patients with blood loss inevitably have weak Spleen and Stomach function. Without Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) acting as an envoy, the yin-cold substances would fail to nourish and instead hinder the Spleen. This constitutes unfair criticism. Upon refined investigation, it is concluded that when treating blood disorders, one should follow the methods of Zhang Zhongjing (the Prefect of Changsha), simultaneously using Qi-tonifying herbs. Without Yang, Yin cannot be generated; this argument is most accurate. However, one must avoid rigidly adhering to the principle that "substantial blood cannot be quickly regenerated, whereas insubstantial Qi must be urgently secured," leading to an excess of Qi-tonifying herbs over blood-tonifying ones. This is another case of overcorrecting, resulting in the error of abandoning one's primary focus. This point must be clearly understood.