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[Supplementing Fire Pill] Treats cold lao (deficiency syndrome caused by long-term retention of cold pathogen), exhaustion of qi and blood, emaciation of flesh, loss of teeth, lassitude of limbs, and faint voice. Wu Hegao stated: In the human body, there is a True Fire, residing in the right kidney, circulating through the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), entering and exiting the Gallbladder Meridian, and obeying the Heavenly Lord (Heart Spirit/Shen). It warms the hundred bones, nourishes the zang-fu organs, and fills the nine orifices; all this is due to this fire. It is the father of all things, hence it is said that "without this fire, heaven and earth cannot generate living things; without this fire, humans cannot have life." If this fire ceases for even a breath, it is like all things losing their father. Thus, flesh becomes weak and emaciated, blood becomes weak and withered, bones become weak and teeth fall out, sinews become weak and limbs become lazy, qi becomes weak and voice becomes faint.

Shihuanghuang (Cinnabar Sulfur / Realgar? No, Shihuanghuang is Sulfur) (one jin), Zhu Dachang (Pig Large Intestine) (two chi). Grind the sulfur into powder, fill it into the pig intestine, boil until rotten/cooked thoroughly for three shi (six hours), remove and discard the intestine, make pills using steamed bread dough, sized like wutong seeds. Take ten pills per dose, gradually increasing the amount daily. (Those taking sulfur must avoid eating blood from poultry and beasts.)

This is a medicine for the Mingmen (Gate of Life) of the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Sulfur is the essence of fire, also known as the General (Dahuang, being extremely cold, is also called the General). Therefore, it is used to supplement fire; because it is extremely hot and slightly toxic, it is boiled in pig intestines for a long time to resolve its toxicity. Vulgar people fear it and rarely use it, likely unaware of its power to break evil and return to righteousness, eliminate yin and restore yang, transform turbidity and generate spirit. (Wu Hegao said: Dai Yuanli stated that all cooling medicines tend to cause stagnation, and all heating medicines tend to be drying, but only sulfur is hot without being drying. In the past, a clerk from Renhe suffered from premature aging and took it, living to ninety years old. Others include Fan Zhongyan's Jin Ye Dan, the Yu Zhen Wan from *De Xiao Fang*, Lai Fu Dan, Ban Liu Wan, Ling Sha Dan from *Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang*, Er Qi Dan from *Bai Xuan Fang*, Fan Yin Dan from *Shang Han Zong Bing Lun*, and Zi Xia Dan from Yang Shi, all of which use sulfur, though each has its specific indications. Wang Ang notes: When humans suffer from deficiency and decline of True Yang, which Fuzi and Rougui cannot supplement, only sulfur can supplement it; nowadays people consider it drying and toxic, discarding it without use, not knowing that although sulfur is drying, it has a dispersing and purgative nature, different from drying and astringent substances. Materia Medica calls it a miraculous medicine for saving critical conditions, Daoists use it for ingestion, honoring it as Jin Ye Dan, and it is indeed a substance people can take regularly; moreover, Xiaosha (Niter) and Huanghuang (Sulfur) are one yin and one yang, yet they are similar in nature. Nowadays people only know how to use Mangxiao...)

Appendix:
Jin Ye Dan (Golden Liquid Pill): Shihuanghuang (ten liang). Grind into powder, place in a porcelain basin. Seal with water mixed with Chishizhi (Red Stone Lipid), reinforce with salt mud, dry in the sun; bury a small jar filled with water in the ground, place the basin inside, seal tightly with mud. Nourish with slow fire for seven days and nights, add top-level fire (intense heat) of one jin, remove, grind into powder, make pills with steamed bread.

Yu Zhen Wan (Jade True Pill): Sheng Shihuanghuang (Raw Sulfur) (two liang), Sheng Xiaosha (Raw Niter), Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum), Banxia (Pinellia Rhizoma) (one liang). Make pills with ginger juice paste. Take with ginger soup or rice drink, forty pills per dose.

Lai Fu Dan (Returning Recovery Pill): Taiyin Yuanjing Shi (Taiyuan Crystal Stone), Boshang Shihuanghuang (Imported Sulfur), Xiaosha (Niter) (one liang, stir-fry niter and sulfur lightly together, do not use high heat, stir with willow twig until it forms sand-like grains), Wulingzhi (Trogopterus Dung) (remove stones), Qingpi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), Chenpi (Aurantii Fructus Pericarpium) (one liang). Make pills with vinegar paste. Take with rice drink. Treats latent summerheat diarrhea, fever, and weak pulse. (*Yuji Wei Yi* states: Niter is cold in nature; assisted by Chenpi, its nature is dispersing and unblocking. Sulfur benefits the person. If used as a warming medicine to stop diarrhea, it is a mistake. This condition arises from consuming raw/cold foods or exposure to summerheat, causing closure and stagnation in the middle jiao, leading to sudden turmoil. This medicine unblocks the Sanjiao, separates and regulates yin and yang, and is very effective. Do not use if caused by summerheat-fire or damp-heat.)

Ban Liu Wan (Half-Sulfur Pill): Banxia (Pinellia Rhizoma), Shihuanghuang (Sulfur), equal parts. Make pills with ginger paste. Treats elderly deficiency constipation and cold constipation.

Ling Sha Dan (Spirit Sand Pill): Shuiyin (Mercurius) (three liang), Shihuanghuang (Sulfur) (one liang). Calcine and grind into powder, make pills with glutinous rice paste. Treats various deficiency syndromes and chronic cold.

Er Qi Dan (Two Qi Pill): Xiaosha (Niter), Shihuanghuang (Sulfur), equal parts. Grind into powder. Stir-fry in a stone vessel until it becomes sand, then grind again, make pills with glutinous rice paste, sized like wutong seeds. Take forty pills per dose with well water. Treats latent summerheat injuring cold, intermingling of two qi, epigastric fullness and obstruction, vomiting or diarrhea, cholera with cold extremities.

Fan Yin Dan (Returning Yin Pill): Treats yin-toxin cold damage, mental restlessness and irritability, cold extremities. Shihuanghuang (Sulfur) (five liang), Xiaosha (Niter), Taiyin Yuanjing Shi (Taiyuan Crystal Stone) (one liang), Fuzi (Prepared Aconiti Lateralis Radix), Ganjiang (Prepared Zingiberis Rhizoma), Guixin (Cinnamon Twig Heart) (five qian). Use an iron pot, first spread half of the Yuanjing powder, then half of the Niter powder, place Sulfur powder in the middle, cover with half of the Niter powder, and finally cover with Yuanjing powder. Cover with a small cup, burn with three jin of charcoal, control the heat properly, do not let smoke escape. Grind into powder, mix with previous powders, make pills with rice.

*Ben Shi Fang* Po Yin Dan (Yin-Breaking Pill): Treats hidden yang within yin, irritability, deep and hidden six pulses. Shihuanghuang (Sulfur), Shuiyin (Mercury) each one liang, Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Qingpi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus) each five qian.

*Shang Han Bai Wen* Formula: Shihuanghuang (Sulfur) (five qian). Mix with mugwort soup and take. Treats cold body, faint pulse, cold extremities with irritability. Let the patient lie down; recovery occurs when sweat appears.

Hei Xi Dan (Black Tin Pill): Heiqian (Lead) and Shihuanghuang (Sulfur) each two liang. Melt the lead, gradually add sulfur, wait until it forms sheets, pour onto the ground to remove fire toxicity, grind until no sound is produced. Treats non-circulation of yin and yang, excess above and deficiency below, dizziness of head and eyes.