Library

The principles of life and death cannot be thoroughly understood by anyone other than the sacred and divine; the auspicious or ominous outcome of diseases cannot be determined without a skilled physician. Otherwise, it only leads to people's doubts or inconsistent judgments. I received the "One Branch Plum" prescription from Lü Zu (Lü Dongbin), which is truly an immortal prescription. I dare not keep it secret privately, but have had it printed and annotated to spread it to the world.

Lü Zu's One Branch Plum
Worthy of envy is Lü Zu's One Branch Plum, with Croton seed, Ricinus communis seed, and Trogopterus dung following.
Realgar, Silver cinnabar, and Cinnabar are equal in use; recognizing life and death, one does not shift.

For treating adults (male and female), children, and various new or chronic illnesses where the outcome of life and death is uncertain, apply a cake-sized pill (the size of an Euryale ferox seed) to the center of Yintang (Ex-HN3). Light one stick of official incense. When the incense burns out, remove the medicine. After about one hour, if red spots, halos, swelling, and qi disperse at the application site, it is called "Red Clouds Embracing the Sun"; although the illness is critical, the patient will not die. If after one hour there is no swelling or redness, and the skin and flesh remain unchanged, it is called "White Snow Covering the Field"; although the illness is mild, the patient will ultimately pass away. For pediatric acute convulsion, slow convulsion, and all types of dysentery in old and young, apply this formula; redness and swelling will subside, leading to recovery. This formula can be used to predict life and death.

Cinnabar (3 qian) / Silver cinnabar (1.5 qian) / Trogopterus dung (3 qian) / Moschus (2 fen) / Ricinus communis seed (5 fen) / Realgar / Croton seed (each 5 qian, oil not removed)
Grind each ingredient finely. On the Dragon Boat Festival day, at noon in a clean room, grind them together. Add oil and rouge to make a paste, and store in a porcelain box. ... When using, take a pill the size of a bean, shape it into a cake, and apply it to Yintang (Ex-HN3). The effect will be seen immediately. The used cake must be thrown into a river.

Ancient people were simple and honest, with fewer disturbances from the Seven Emotions (joy, anger, worry, thought, sadness, fear, fright), but more stagnation caused by external pathogens such as wind, cold, summerheat, and dampness. Therefore, the Immortal Prescription for Awakening Life was established to attack and dissipate stagnant swellings. Eight or nine out of ten patients who took this prescription showed efficacy, because their five zang organs were not deficient. Modern people are overly complex, suffering greatly from emotional disturbances, and their internal organs are invariably injured. I often see that for such conditions, if this medicine has been taken, the sores certainly fail to rise and suppurate, and the spleen and stomach are inevitably damaged. If the sores fail to rise and the spleen and stomach are ruined, how can the patient survive? ... Current treatment methods, regardless of the beginning or end, root or branch, must first strengthen the spleen and stomach, then administer drugs to support and expel toxins. It is said that when the root is established, the way arises, and no disease remains incurable. I observe this situation and hope my colleagues will pay attention.