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In May of the Wuyin year of the Zhiyuan era, continuous heavy rain persisted. Mr. Xu Pingzhong of Luzhai, aged fifty-eight at the time, presented with generalized edema of the face, eyes, and limbs, frequent loose stools, abdominal distension with borborygmi, intermittent pain, and reduced appetite; he requested my treatment. The pulse was wiry, fine, and slow. Mr. Xu stated that in his youth, he had frequently taken medicines containing *Lagenariae Fructus Semen* (Qian Niu Zi) and *Rhei Radix et Rhizoma* (Da Huang), experiencing occasional edema of the face and limbs. Due to the current rainy weather, the condition has flared up severely. I replied that the Qi responsible for circulation and transformation originates from the Middle Jiao. The Middle Jiao is the Stomach. When Stomach Qi is weak, it fails to distribute the essence of food and drink to nourish the Zang-Fu organs, meridians, collaterals, skin, and hair. Stagnant Qi flow leads to edema; frequent loose stools, abdominal swelling, and borborygmi are all signs of excessive Dampness. The five Zang organs across the four seasons all take Stomach Qi as their root. If the five Zang organs possess Stomach Qi, they remain harmonious and the body secure. If Stomach Qi is deficient and unable to move and nourish the five Zang organs, their pulses will not be harmonious. When the Qi of a specific Zang organ becomes excessive, its pulse appears exclusively. Mild cases lead to severe illness, and extreme cases result in death. Thus, the Classics state: "The True Zang pulse is wiry; without Stomach Qi, death ensues." Fortunately, your illness has not yet reached a critical stage and can still be regulated and tonified. People know that taking *Lagenariae Fructus Semen* and *Rhei Radix et Rhizoma* brings momentary relief, but do not realize it causes lifelong harm. Therefore, I prescribed *Pingwei San* (Stabilize the Stomach Powder) augmented with *Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma* (Baizhu), *Poria* (Fuling), and *Alpiniae Katsumadai Semen* (Caodoukou Ren). After several doses, intestinal distension, loose diarrhea, borborygmi, and intermittent pain were all cured, and appetite improved. Only limb edema remained, which was treated with *Daozhi Tongjing Tang* (Guide Stagnation and Unblock Meridians Decoction). He recovered completely.

[Daozhi Tongjing Tang] Treats excess Spleen Dampness and impaired Qi circulation, manifesting as edema of the face, eyes, hands, and feet.
*Costi Rhizoma* (Muxiang), *Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma* (Baizhu), *Mori Cortex* (Sangbaipi), *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium* (Chenpi) (each 5 qian)
*Poria* (Fuling) (peeled, 1 liang)
Crush the above herbs. Take 5 qian per dose, add two zhan of water, decoct until one zhan remains, remove dregs, and take warm before meals on an empty stomach. The *Neijing* states: "When Dampness prevails excessively, treat it with neutral-hot agents; dry it with bitter flavors, drain it with bland flavors." *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium* is bitter and warm, regulates Lung Qi, and removes Qi stagnation, thus serving as the Sovereign herb. *Mori Cortex* is sweet and cold, eliminates Water-Qi, edema, and abdominal distension in the Lungs, and promotes urination, thus serving as the Minister herb. *Costi Rhizoma* is bitter, acrid, and warm, removes stagnant Qi in the Lungs; *Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma* is bitter and sweet, warm, moistens the middle and eliminates Dampness using bitter drying action. *Poria* is sweet and neutral, stops thirst, eliminates Dampness, and promotes urination using bland draining action, thus serving as the Envoy herb.