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Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata (mixed with wine of Amomi Fructus, steamed and sun-dried nine times each, eight liang) Corni Fructus (moistened with wine) Dioscoreae Rhizoma (each four liang) Poria (three liang) Moutan Cortex (three liang) Alismatis Rhizoma (three liang) Honey
Made into pills, taken on an empty stomach with salt water. In winter, taken with wine. Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root) is the principal herb for nourishing Kidney Yin. However, when combined with Qi-moving herbs, it acts upon the upper body; when combined with Blood-invigorating herbs, it circulates in the meridians, and cannot guide its essence directly into the Kidneys. Therefore, these five herbs are used as assistants. Shan Yao (Dioscorea Rhizome) belongs to Yin Metal (its heavy texture corresponds to Yin, and white color corresponds to Metal). It assists the descent of Lung Qi. Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus Fruit) belongs to Yin Wood (sour taste corresponds to Wood, moistening nature corresponds to Yin). It restrains the rapid ascent of Liver Qi. The ascent and descent of Water and Fire must pass through Metal and Wood as pathways. These two herbs act as the primary agents for descending from the left and right, thereby restraining aberrant movement. Furthermore, by tonifying the Mother organ, the source of Water becomes abundant (metaphorically "originating from the high plateau"), and by tonifying the Child organ (Shan Zhu Yu tonifies Liver Blood), it avoids stealing Qi from the Mother organ. Additionally, Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Bark) clears the South (Heart Fire) to tonify the North (Kidney Water), lowering fire to nourish Yin. Fu Ling (Poria) has a bland draining action to descend Yang within Yin. (The pathogen in the Kidney is Fire. When Kidney Water is deficient, Fire inevitably flares upward. Fu Ling hides deep in the earth and absorbs sunlight for the longest time, indicating its profound Yin/cold nature; thus, it can descend the flaming Yin-Fire. Using Fu Ling precisely exploits its bland-draining property. Ignorant practitioners instead process it with milk, which is laughable.) Ze Xie (Alisma Rhizome) has a salty draining action to descend Yin within Yin. (This refers to turbid fluids in the Bladder. When the Kidney is hot, body fluids become turbid. Draining the Fu organ is precisely to calm the Zang organ. Tonifying Kidney Water means nourishing its moistening Qi, which is the formless Gui Water. If there is formed Ren Water, it must circulate without stagnation; otherwise, it will overflow and cause disaster. Even if not turbid, it must be guided out. Some suspect that Ze Xie drains the Kidney, which is ignorant.) All five of these herbs have descending properties, collectively pulling down the tendency of Di Huang (Rehmannia) to sink excessively. This is what is meant by "treating lower disorders requires urgent/descending methods." (The efficacy relies particularly on Fu Ling and Ze Xie. Their constant downward drainage guides the other herbs. Ignorant people remove them due to their draining nature and add more tonifying herbs. Long-term use leads to Qi accumulation with no outlet for drainage, inevitably causing upward surging. Thus, it is said: Fu Ling and Ze Xie in Liu Wei Di Huang Wan are like Sheng Ma and Chai Hu in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, or the principle of "draining dampness towards dryness"; they follow different paths and are indispensable. Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang promotes ascending; clear Yang ascends, so turbid Yin descends; hence, tonification via ascending is considered descending. Liu Wei Di Huang Wan promotes descending; ministerial Fire descends, so Kidney Water rises; hence, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan uses descending to achieve rising. How does Water rise? Because sufficient Kidney Water moistens the upper Jiao.)