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The Zhongwei (Commandant) of Qi, Pan Manru, suffered from lower abdominal pain. Chen Yi (Chunyu Yi) examined his pulse and said, "This is a disease of residual accumulation and mass (Yi Ji Jia)." Chen Yi then told the Grand Coachman of Qi, Chen Rao, and the Inner Historian, Chen Yao, "If this Commandant does not cease sexual activity, he will die in thirty days; if he passes blood in urine twenty-plus days after death, he will perish. This illness was contracted through alcohol consumption and sexual intercourse." The reason Chen Yi knew that Pan Manru suffered from this condition was that upon palpating his pulse, it was deep, small, and weak, suddenly presenting a "he-he" (closing/clumping) quality, which indicates damage to Spleen Qi. On the right side at the Mai Kou (Pulse Opening), the qi was tight and small, revealing signs of a mass. Because pathogens multiply sequentially, death was predicted within thirty days. If the pulses of the three Yin meridians were all taut, the prediction would hold according to this method; if not all were taut, the decision would be made regarding an urgent timeframe. A pulse that beats once and then skips (yi bo yi dai) suggests a near-term death. Therefore, when the three Yin pulses are taut accompanied by hematuria, as described above, death occurs within thirty days. (From *Records of the Grand Historian*)

Bo Wu, a woman from Linzi, was severely ill. Many physicians believed she had alternating cold and heat syndrome and predicted her death. Chen Yi examined her pulse and said, "This is a Ascaris mass (Nuo Jia)." The symptoms include abdominal distension, yellowish and rough skin, and a sensation of trembling or discomfort upon palpation. Chen Yi administered one tuac (a traditional unit of measure) of *Kansui Radix* (Yuan Hua), after which numerous roundworms were expelled, amounting to several sheng (a volume unit). The disease was cured, and thirty days later, her body returned to normal. Nuo Jia arises from the stagnation and intensification of Cold-Dampness, transforming into Gu poison. Chen Yi identified Bo Wu's condition as Nuo Jia because palpating the Chi position revealed a string-like, prickly, and coarse pulse with lustrous hair, indicating the presence of parasites. Her complexion was lustrous, suggesting that while parasites resided within, there was no severe pathogenic invasion or critical organ damage. (From *Records of the Grand Historian*)

During the Sui Dynasty, a patient swallowed snake meat while hungry, resulting in food obstruction descending, chest fullness, and subsequent vomiting. Physicians treated him for Dysphagia (Ye Ji), Diaphragmatic Qi Stagnation (Ge Qi), and Reverse Flow of Stomach Qi (Fan Wei) without success. An old physician named Ren Du diagnosed the case, stating, "This is not one of these three diseases. It is likely caused by undigested snake meat. One can confirm this by palpating the upper abdomen and heart region for a snake-shaped mass." The patient replied, "I have long suffered from Feng disease (likely Leprosy/Mal de Chiroux) and ate snake meat, which alleviated my symptoms slightly, but I subsequently developed this illness." He was treated with a combination of *Mirabilite* (Mang Xiao) and *Rhubarb Rhizome and Tuber* (Da Huang), resulting in mild diarrhea and recovery. Physicians recorded this efficacy, thereby learning of the Snake Mass (She Jia).

During the Gaide era, in the Jiang-Zhe region, there was a man named Shen Daogong who appeared emaciated like a consumptive patient but had a strong craving for rice. Without rice, clear saliva would flow from his mouth, and he appeared melancholic. Upon eating rice, he functioned normally. Physicians could not identify the cause. Later, a monk from Shu named Dao Guang prescribed a mixture of half a he (a volume unit) of chicken droppings and half a he of white rice, stir-fried together into a powder. This was mixed with one zhong (a vessel unit) of water and taken in one dose. After some time, the patient vomited matter resembling rice grains, and the disease was cured. This condition is known as Rice Mass (Mi Jia).

Xu Wenbo, courtesy name Dexiu, was deeply devoted to medical arts. A palace maid of Emperor Ming of Song suffered from lower back pain radiating to the heart, with episodes causing breathlessness. Physicians diagnosed it as Flesh Mass (Rou Jia). Xu Wenbo examined her and said, "This is Hair Mass (Fa Jia)." He administered oil orally, whereupon she vomited an object resembling hair. When extended, it measured three chi (a length unit), with a head formed like a snake, capable of wriggling. Suspended on a pillar, water drained completely, leaving only a single hair strand. She was then cured. (From *Biographies of Famous Doctors*, same source)