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A prescription for treating edema caused by water qi (pathogenic fluid retention), characterized by generalized swelling, where all other medicines have failed and the patient is on the verge of death.
Hemp seed (Cannabis Fructus) [Shanzha, 麻子] (Select only fresh and plump ones for best quality) Red adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) [Chixiaodou, 赤小豆] (Ensure no impurities are mixed in; use one dan [approx. 50-60 kg] of each)
These two ingredients should be meticulously selected using water washed with new rice, rinsed with water, and sun-dried. Steam the hemp seeds until fully cooked, then sun-dry them again and store in a clean vessel. When ready to administer, take five sheng [approx. 2 liters] of hemp seeds, stir-fry until slightly yellow and fragrant, using low heat to prevent burning. Grind into an extremely fine powder. Add five sheng of water, knead to extract the juice completely, and store in a clean, sealed container. The night before taking the medicine on the following morning, soak one sheng of red beans in water. By dawn, drain the water. Boil the beans in fresh water. Before they are fully cooked, remove them, drain well, and add them to the hemp seed juice. Cook until very soft and mushy. Take freely on an empty stomach, three times a day. One may experience mild chest tightness, which will subside shortly. After five days, frequent urination or reddish urine, along with sticky saliva and dry mouth, are not surprising. After completing the course, engage in light physical activity and do not lie down immediately. Ten days later, apply acupuncture to Zusanli (ST36) and Juegu (GB39) to guide Qi downward. Otherwise, Qi may not be fully discharged. If after five days of medication there is rebellious Qi that cannot be purged, take one large carp. Use a fish that has died naturally, remove scales and fins, scald to remove slime, wash thoroughly, gut, and cook together with the aforementioned hemp juice and whole beans until done, making it into a soup. Season with green onion, fermented soybean (Douchi), tangerine peel, fresh ginger, and perilla. Strictly avoid salt from start to finish. Drink hemp seed juice when thirsty. In autumn and winter, drink warm; in spring and summer, drink chilled. Do not eat until full; simply avoid hunger. Avoid sexual intercourse, anger, loud talking, alcohol, wheat products, oil, vinegar, raw/cold vegetables, all meat/fish, salt, soy sauce, and the "Five Pungent Spices" (garlic, chives, leeks, turnip greens, cilantro). This formula treats all Qi disorders, and those who take it will recover. The treatment lasts for one month. When cooking hemp seeds, collect extra and store in new jars to distribute to others.
Another prescription: Evodia fruit (Evodiae Fructus) [Wuzhuyu, 吴茱萸], Long pepper (Long Pepper Fruit) [Bibo, 荜茇], Kelp (Laminariae Thallus) [Kunbu, 昆布], Apricot seed (Armeniacae Semen Amarum) [Xingren, 杏仁], Lepidium seed (Lepidii Fructus) [Tinglizi, 葶苈]. (Equal parts)
Grind these five herbs into powder, mix with honey to form pills the size of a wu zi [aphanisma seed]. Take five pills. Do not allow the patient to eat until full. If bloating and shortness of breath occur after eating, taking this pill will resolve the symptoms.