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(Dongyuan)

Treats conditions caused by dietary injury to the Stomach, fatigue and overwork injuring the Spleen, with Fire pathogen taking advantage of the deficiency to generate severe heat. The pulse at the Right Guan position is slow and weak, or wiry, or floating and rapid.

Formula Composition: Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma, soaked in rice wash water and stir-fried), Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, honey-fried), Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix, 1 liang), Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma, 8 qian), Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix, 1.5 liang), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma, wine-soaked), Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum). Crush these herbs into coarse powder. Take 3 qian or 5 qian per dose, decoct with water, and take warm.

This formula acts on the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, and Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. Chaihu, Shengma, and Qianghu assist Yang and benefit the Stomach Qi to ascend the clear Yang; Renshen, Cangzhu, Huangqin, and Gancao tonify Qi and drain dampness to tonify the Spleen and Stomach; Huangqin, Huanglian, and Shigao cool the Heart and clear the Stomach to purge Yin Fire. (Li Dongyuan stated: The Stomach is the rigid aspect of the Spleen, and the Spleen is the soft aspect of the Stomach. Irregular diet causes the Stomach to be diseased first, and then the Spleen suffers from lack of nourishment; fatigue and overwork cause the Spleen to be diseased first, failing to transport Qi for the Stomach, leading to disease subsequently. The Stomach is the sea of the twelve meridians. Once the Spleen and Stomach are deficient, pathogens from the twelve meridians may emerge in various ways. For instance, inability to eat and emaciation constitute the primary disease; a slow and weak pulse at the Right Guan position is the primary pulse. If a wiry pulse appears alongside the primary pulse, accompanied by symptoms such as fullness and oppression in the four limbs, dysuria, difficult defecation, or muscle cramps, this indicates Liver Wood invading the Spleen-Stomach, requiring wind-dispelling herbs to purge the pathogen. If a surging and large pulse appears, accompanied by fever in the muscles, vexation-heat, red face, or emaciation, this indicates Heart Fire invading the Spleen-Stomach, requiring herbs that purge Heart Fire. If a floating and choppy pulse appears, accompanied by shortness of breath, wheezing cough, profuse phlegm, or dry skin, this indicates Lung Metal invading the Spleen-Stomach, requiring herbs that purge the Lungs and tonify Qi. If a deep and fine pulse appears, accompanied by frequent yawning or fear, this indicates Kidney Water invading the Spleen-Stomach, requiring herbs that drain overflowing Kidney Water and purge Yin Fire. These explanations are provided to illustrate that all diseases arise from the Spleen and Stomach.)

Treats Lung Deficiency Cough. (Cough without phlegm but with sound is termed "Ke," caused by injury to Lung Qi; phlegm without sound is termed "Sou," caused by Spleen Dampness; both sound and phlegm constitute "Kesu." Etiologies vary due to Wind, Fire, Phlegm, Dampness, Food stagnation, or Deficiency. This formula addresses prolonged cough resulting from Lung Deficiency failing to generate Kidney Water, leading to Water failing to control Fire, causing Deficient Fire to flare upward.)

Formula Composition: Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Huangqi (Astragali Radix, honey-fried), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus, stir-fried), Ziwan (Asteri Radix et Rhizoma, 1 qian), Sangbaipi (Mori Cortex, honey-fried), Shudihuang (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, 2 qian). Cut the herbs, decoct with water, add a small amount of honey, and take warm.

This formula acts on the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Ginseng and Astragalus are used for Lung Deficiency because the Spleen is the Mother of the Lung, and Qi is the Mother of Water (following the principle of "tonifying the mother when there is deficiency"); Rehmannia is used because the Kidney is the Child of the Lung. When the Child is deficient, it inevitably steals Qi from the Mother for self-nourishment; thus, Kidney-tonifying herbs are used first to nourish Kidney Water. Moreover, Rehmannia is an excellent herb for resolving phlegm (Zhu Danxi stated: Nourishing Water to control Ministerial Fire will naturally eliminate phlegm). Cough injures Qi; Schisandra is sour and warm, capable of astringing Lung Qi; cough arises from excessive Fire; Mulberry Bark is sweet and cold, capable of purging Lung Fire; Aster Root is pungent to moisten the Lungs and warm to tonify deficiency. Combined, the formula is named Bu Fei Tang (Tonify the Lung Decoction) because when Metal is robust, Water is generated, and cough ceases naturally. (This formula treats Lung Deficiency Cough; it is contraindicated for Cough due to Excess Fire. Liu Zongnong stated: Cough induced by labor is not merely a Lung issue; thus, this decoction and the Shenqi Wan from *Jingui Yaolue* serve as representative formulas for Shaoyin patterns. *Renzhai Zhizhi Fang* states: The Lung governs exhalation, the Kidney governs inhalation; the Lung is the master of Qi, the Kidney is the root of Qi. In cases of sudden severe cough where Qi feels like it reverses upward from below the umbilicus, this indicates Kidney Deficiency failing to grasp Qi and return it to its origin. One should use Dihuang Wan or Anshen Wan, rather than focusing solely on the Lungs. This embodies the principle of "tonifying the child when there is deficiency." *Yi Guan* states: Among the Five Elements, only the Lung and Kidney exhibit a pattern where the Mother's disease affects the Child. Why? The Lung governs Qi. If the Lung has Heat, Qi steams upward due to heat and cannot descend to generate the Kidney, thereby injuring the Kidney. Once the Kidney is injured, the Lung becomes even more diseased. Since the Lung stores the essence of the uterus and the Child hides in the Mother's womb, the Qi of Lung Metal returns to store within Kidney Water during sleep. If the Lung is affected by Heart Fire and seeks to descend into the Water, but Kidney Water is dried up, leaving no place for the Fire to reside, the Fire will rebound upward...)