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*Jingyan Fang (Empirical Formulas)*: Treats thirst and unbearable pain caused by weak Spleen Yuan Qi (Primary Qi). Use one liang of Cornus Officinalis Fructus (Shanzhuyu) and one liang of Peach Seed (Taoren), stir-fried together until the Cornus becomes scorched black, then remove the Cornus. Take the Peach Seeds, remove the skin and tips, grind into fine powder. Simmer thirty stalks of Scallion White (Congbai) until hot, soak in wine, and take warm in three divided doses.

*Qianjin Fang (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold)*: Treats Heart-Spleen pain. Use Galangal Rhizome (Gaoliangjiang), cut into pieces, lightly stir-fried and pounded into powder. Mix with rice water to take one qian; effective.

*Shenghui Fang (Sage's Grace Formulas)*: Treats Spleen pain caused by excessive consumption of ice water or cold fluids accumulating in the Stomach. Use twenty-five grains of Pepper (Hujiao), soaked in grain water (Jiangshui) overnight. Remove and administer with salt water; the disease will be cured and never recur.

Abdominal distension and Spleen pain are hard to withstand; besides Zanthoxylum (Huajiao) and Ginger (Shengjiang), there is also Clove (Dingxiang). Grind these three ingredients in equal parts into powder, mix with white salt and warm water to take.

Water-ground Lindera Root (Wuyao) treats Spleen pain; each dose must be brewed strong as a full cup. Add one slice of Tangerine Peel (Chenpi) and one Perilla Leaf (Ziyey), decoct again and take warm; it works miraculously.

There is an excellent formula for Heart and Spleen pain: Cut Galangal Rhizome (Gaoliangjiang) finely and use equal amounts of Areca Nut (Binglang). Stir-fry both together, grind into powder, and take mixed with rice water; also effective.

(Colloquially referred to as Heart Pain; see the section on Heart Pain.)

*Neijing (The Inner Canon)* states: When Wood Qi is depressed and erupts, people suffer from pain in the epigastrium centered at the heart region, radiating upward to both hypochondria, accompanied by dysphagia and inability to swallow food. This is because the Wood Qi, once depressed, erupts excessively, leading to symptoms of Earth deficiency and Wood encroachment. The Stomach is the Fu organ of the Spleen; Yang diseases manifest before Yin, so the Fu organ suffers before the Zang organ. In severe cases, this leads to knife-like pain under the hypochondria, indicating involvement of the Zang organs. Ancient formulas refer to this as Spleen Pain. The upper opening of the Stomach is called the Cardia (Benmen), which connects to the Heart; hence the classic description of "pain in the epigastrium centered at the heart." What is colloquially called Heart Pain today stems from a misunderstanding of this concept. Although attributed to climatic excesses and reversals, such conditions invariably arise from the accumulation of clear phlegm and food stagnation in the middle jiao, triggered by emotional disturbances and qi disorders internally. Consequently, clear Yang fails to ascend, turbid Yin fails to descend, allowing Liver Wood pathogenic factors to invade and cause disease. Tracing back to the initial causes, these often result from indulging in diet, favoring sour and pungent flavors, drinking hot wine excessively, consuming fried, roasted, and raw-cold foods, causing damage day after day. Over time, white stagnation forms masses, which transform into phlegm. Phlegm-fire cauterizes, causing blood to move recklessly; phlegm and blood mix, obstructing the ascent and descent of qi, thus causing epigastric pain. These are precursors to acid regurgitation, belching, stomach rumbling with nausea, dysphagia, and vomiting. Quack doctors, failing to investigate the root cause, uniformly treat with acrid, aromatic, dry, and hot agents, adding fire to fire, thereby creating critical situations. This is truly lamentable!