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[Er Mu San (Two Mother Powder)]
Treats pulmonary consumption with heat, where patients cannot tolerate qi-tonifying formulas. This is due to lung deficiency accompanied by fire, or cough and fever, with severe yin deficiency; taking yang-tonifying herbs would exacerbate the condition.
Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhi Mu, 知母) (stir-fried), Fritillariae Bulbus (Bei Mu, 贝母) (stir-fried). Equal parts. Grind into powder and take. In ancient formulas, Zhi Mu and Bei Mu were each used in amounts of one liang, added with ten grains of Crotonis Semen Preparatum (Ba Dou Shuang, 巴豆霜) and three slices of Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens (Sheng Jiang, 生姜), taken before going to bed. This is a medicine for the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. When fire flares up and scorches metal, causing lung deficiency and consumptive heat, those who can tolerate warm tonification are easy to treat, while those who cannot are difficult to treat. Therefore, this method was established to nourish yin: Bei Mu resolves phlegm and drains lung fire, while Zhi Mu nourishes kidney yin and clears lung metal. Their bitter taste drains heat, their cold nature overcomes heat, and their moistening property removes dryness (both Zhi Mu and Bei Mu are moistening).

[Li Ge Tang (Diaphragm-Relieving Decoction)]
Treats spleen and lung fire-heat, empty vexation with upward congestion, sore throat, and sores. Among the twelve meridians, only the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian remains on the exterior, descending through the neck but not passing through the diaphragm and throat; the other meridians all circulate through the throat and diaphragm. If excess heat attacks upward, or deficient fire acts recklessly, and saliva/phlegm accumulates, it results in sore throat and throat sores. Excess fire should be treated by lifting and dispersing; if it is deficient fire, acrid-hot herbs like Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ren Shen, 人参), Zingiberis Rhizoma (Gan Jiang, 干姜), and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fu Zi, 附子) should be used. However, many people overuse cold-cooling herbs, making the illness worse. Zhang Hezi said: Why does the Classic state that "one yin and one yang knotting" causes throat bi? It is because the Ministerial Fire and Sovereign Fire alone prevail, causing heat to knot in the main collaterals, hence pain occurs rapidly. Dryness and pain in the throat, swelling of the throat and jaw, stiffness of the tongue root, are all caused by Sovereign Fire... Menthae Haplocalycis Herba (Bo He, 薄荷), Schizonepetae Spica (Jing Jie, 荆芥), Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fang Feng, 防风), Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng, 桔梗), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao, 甘草), Arctii Fructus (Niu Bang Zi, 牛蒡子) (stir-fried), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ren Shen, 人参). Equal parts. Or grind into powder, take two qian per dose. Or add... This is a medicine for the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Sore throat and sores are due to fire depression. Jie Geng and Gan Cao form Gan Jie Tang (Licorice and Platycodon Decoction); acrid-bitter disperses cold, sweet-p neutralizes heat... The thief of [health], when righteous qi is deficient, evil fire becomes rampant, so Ren Shen is added to tonify deficiency and reduce fever (Yu Jia Yan said: This formula clears upper jiao stagnating heat, using entirely acrid-cool and light-clear flavors...).

[Gan Jie Tang (Licorice and Platycodon Decoction)]
Treats Shaoyin meridian sore throat and throat bi, lung abscess with pus expectoration, dry cough without phlegm, and fire depression in the lung. The Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian accompanies the throat, and the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian circulates through the throat; fire flaming upward causes pain. The Classic states: "One yin and one yang knotting is called throat bi." One yin refers to Shaoyin Sovereign Fire; one yang refers to Shaoyang Ministerial Fire. Regarding lung abscess, the *Jin Gui Yao Lue* states: Where heat passes, blood coagulates and stagnates, accumulating to form an abscess and pus, expectorated like rice porridge. It can be saved at the initial stage, but is difficult to save once pus is formed. Fire depression in the lung... Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao, 甘草) (two liang), Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng, 桔梗) (one liang). Or equal parts. Wang Haogu's modification: For loss of voice, add Terminalia Chebula Retzii Fructus (He Zi, 诃子); for inability to speak, add Pinelliae Rhizoma (Ban Xia, 半夏); Upper... Add Ban Xia, raw... Add Gardeniae Fructus (Zhi Zi, 栀子)... Huang... Cannot... This is a medicine for the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Gan Cao is sweet and neutral, detoxifies and drains fire; Jie Geng is bitter and acrid, clears the lung and benefits the diaphragm, and can also lift blood and qi, exterior... *Jin Gui*... Method... On the exterior... Chills... Of, acid agents... Combine heaven... Liver develop... Millet... Removing Jie Geng from this formula yields Gan Cao Tang (Licorice Decoction) (*Jin Gui Yao Lue*): Treats the same. Adding Fang Feng to this formula yields Gan Jie Fang Feng Tang: Treats the same. Adding Fang Feng, Jing Jie, and Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (Lian Qiao, 连翘) yields Ru Sheng Tang (Song Renzong period): Treats upper jiao wind-heat. Adding Lian Qiao, Bo He, Bambusae Folium (Zhu Ye, 竹叶), Zhi Zi, and Scutellariae Radix (Huang Qin, 黄芩) yields Jie Geng Tang: Treats upper jiao stagnating heat, throat bi with heat swelling. Another prescription: Jie Geng, Morus Albae Cortex (Sang Bai Pi, 桑白皮), Bei Mu, Trichosanthis Fructus (Gua Lou, 瓜蒌), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Dang Gui, 当归), Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (Zhi Ke, 枳壳), Coicis Semen (Yi Yi Ren, 薏苡仁), Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix (Fang Ji, 防己) (or Fang Feng). Each 5 fen, Scutellariae Radix (Huang Qin, 黄芩) 7 fen, Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Xing Ren, 杏仁), Lilii Bulbus (Bai He, 百合), Gan Cao. Each 3 fen. Decoct with fresh ginger. Also named Jie Geng Tang (*Ji Sheng Fang*): Treats lung abscess with pus expectoration, dry throat with excessive thirst; if constipation, add Rheum Palmatum Radix et Rhizoma (Da Huang, 大黄); if urine is red, add Akebiae Caulis (Mu Tong, 木通). Adding He Zi to this formula yields He Zi Qing Yin Tang (Chebulic Myrobalan Voice-Clearing Decoction), taken with child's urine; treats aphasia after stroke (The Lung belongs to Metal, governs sound; when Metal is hollow, there is sound. Wind-phlegm obstruction prevents speech. He Zi astringes lung qi, clears phlegm, disperses rebellion and breaks knots; Jie Geng benefits lung qi, Gan Cao harmonizes primal qi, child's urine descends fire and moistens lungs, or add Mu Tong to facilitate orifices. The Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian clamps the tongue root, the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian connects to the tongue root, and the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian branch ties to the tongue root. Deficiency in these three meridians allows phlegm-saliva to block the vessel pathways, preventing tongue movement and speech; or if blood is lost in these three vessels, the tongue lacks blood nourishment and becomes mute. 'She Yin' (tongue muteness) refers to conditions like stroke where tongue movement is impaired, yet throat sounds remain normal; 'Hou Yin' (throat muteness) refers to conditions like consumptive cough where voice is lost, but the tongue can still move for speech). Removing Gan Cao and adding Zhi Ke to this formula yields Zhi Jie Tang (Aurantii and Platycodon Decoction): Treats chest oppression, belching with sour regurgitation, or cough (Zhi Ke and Jie Geng, bitter to descend qi and dissipate oppression, cold to clear heat and stop cough. *Huo Ren Shu* states: Taihan should be induced to sweat, but purgatives were wrongly used, resulting in oppression. Zhishi Lizhong Wan is best. If oppression is confirmed, Zhi Ke Tang is especially effective, as Jie Geng and Zhi Ke move qi and descend through the diaphragm...)