Library

Zhu Danxi treated a young unmarried woman who, due to matters not going as she wished, had qi stagnation constrained in the Spleen. For half a year, she did not eat. She only consumed a few cooked water chestnuts and large dates daily. When happy, she would eat a steamed bun the size of a marble, but deeply detested eating rice porridge or plain rice. Zhu reasoned that this was excess condition of the Spleen Qi, which could only be dispersed by Zhi Shi (Immature Bitter Orange). He prescribed Wendan Tang (Gallbladder-Warming Decoction) with Zhuru (Bamboo Shavings) removed. After dozens of doses, her condition stabilized.

He also treated a young married woman, aged nineteen. Due to dissatisfaction, she suffered from fullness in the chest and diaphragm and had not eaten for months. She was extremely exhausted and unable to sit up or rise. Between Si (09:00-11:00) and Wu (11:00-13:00), she experienced fever and facial flushing, which subsided only during You (17:00-19:00) and Xu (19:00-21:00). At night, she had frequent urination with only drops passing, and her menstrual flow was extremely scanty. Her pulse was deep, choppy, short, and small, yet palpable even with heavy pressure. This indicated that Qi was not flowing smoothly and was constrained at the Stomach gate, with blood stasis inside. However, due to the long duration of illness, the Yuan Qi (Primary Qi) was already deficient. Furthermore, forced eating in the Middle Jiao led to constraint generating phlegm. The treatment method should combine tonification and purgation. He prescribed Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes Rhizome), each 2 qian; Fu Ling (Poria) and Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel), each 1 qian; and Hong Hua (Safflower Flower), 6 fen. These were decocted and taken before meals. Shortly after, he administered Shenyu Wan (Divine Protection Pill) with reduced quantity of Qian Niu Zi (Morning Glory Seed), formed into fine pills the size of sesame seeds. She swallowed fifteen pills using saliva. Both medicines were taken four times daily. On the next day, she began to eat. By the third day, the fever subsided, and she recovered.

[Appendix] Monk Fengzhen from Siming treated the son of Xu Yuan, Waiting Attendant in Tianzhang Pavilion. The boy kept his eyes closed and did not eat for over a night. Fengzhen said, "The Qi of the Spleen has already perished; it is untreatable. Death will occur tomorrow." Xu Yuan said, "I am about to attend an imperial audience. Can you extend my time by a few days?" Fengzhen replied, "In that case, it is possible. All viscera are now weak, but the Liver alone is excessive. The Spleen is overcome by the Liver, so its Qi perishes first. When one viscus perishes, death ensues. If you urgently purge the Liver Qi to weaken the Liver, the Spleen will relax slightly, allowing for an extension of three days. Beyond this, there is no remedy." He then administered medicine. By evening, the patient felt somewhat refreshed, could open his eyes, and gradually took thin rice gruel. The next day, he was even more comfortable and able to eat. The family was delighted, but Fengzhen smiled and said, "This is not worth rejoicing; it is merely temporary relief of Liver Qi. It is powerless [to save him]." Three days later, he indeed died.

Yu Zhen commented: There are many causes for not eating, but those caused by depression/stagnation and anger are the major categories. The three cases recorded above can serve as models. Cases where non-eating results from other diseases are excluded here. The human body relies on Stomach Qi as its foundation. To completely abandon rice porridge and grain for years seems inevitably fatal. However, I have seen two daughters from different families, both in their teens, who were healthy but gradually developed aversion to rice porridge. They ate only small amounts of water chestnuts, chestnuts, dates, oranges, peanuts, sesame, crisp crackers, and dried tofu, or drank one or two cups of wine, or a few mouthfuls of soy milk, then stopped. Their parents were very worried. Upon examination, I found their complexion and form unchanged, daily activities normal, and all six pulses regular and balanced. I concluded they were fine and prescribed no medicine. Later, both married and bore children. Generally, grains, meats, vegetables, and fruits are all used for nourishment. Removing grains but retaining the other three categories is fundamentally different from total starvation. However, there is another consideration for women versus men. Yang is active and Yin is quiet; Yang opens and Yin closes. If a young unmarried man does not eat rice porridge, it is ultimately inappropriate.