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To treat heat accumulation in the Heart Meridian (Heart Jing), which worsens at the Summer Solstice.
Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian, 黄连) (2 liang)
Akebia Caulis (Mutong, 木通) (1.5 liang)
Grind the above herbs into powder. Use Ginger Juice (Shengjiang Zhi) to cook paste as a binder to form pills, sized like Sophora japonica seeds (Wutongzi). Take 30 pills per dose, administered after meals with Decoction of Juncus Effusus (Dengxin Tang). Take three times daily.

Regarding Shānghán (Cold Damage) disease, the medical classics state: If one is injured by cold in winter, it transforms into Wēnbìng (Warm Disease) in spring, and Rèbìng (Heat Disease) in summer. All these are attributed to the Six Excesses (Liuyin, pathogenic factors including wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness, and fire) and are collectively referred to as the Four Qi.
The so-called Four Qi refer to Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, and Dampness. These four pathogens interact and are most capable of harming humans. The nature of Wind and Cold transmits rapidly through the Six Meridians; the nature of Summer-heat and Dampness tends to affect the Five Zang Organs. Those with robust constitution recover as their Qi circulates freely; those with weak constitution develop disease as pathogens linger. If Wind-Cold harms the body, it first enters the skin and hair, which are the external manifestations of the Lung. The Lung governs Qi, connects upwards to the nose, and downwards to the Bladder. When pathogens invade the skin and hair, the Lung suffers first. If Lung Qi is deficient and resists the pathogen, disease arises. If Lung Qi is excess, the pathogen has no place to reside and cannot cause harm. If the pathology is intermediate, it begins to transmit to the Bladder, belonging to the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. Once the pathogen enters this meridian, it connects with the Lung; thus, the right Cun pulse is floating, wiry, and surging. This causes all body hairs to stand erect, skin pores to close leading to fever, body ache, headache, rebellious Qi causing coughing and wheezing. Those injured by Wind have spontaneous sweating and aversion to wind; those injured by Cold have no sweating and aversion to cold. Furthermore, the Taiyang meridian is called the "Official of the Capital" (referring to the Bladder's function). If it cannot defend itself, and medicinal treatment fails to overcome the pathogen, even sweating will not resolve the exterior. The pathogen lingers, inevitably consuming food essence, thereby damaging the Spleen and Stomach? When the pathogen enters the Stomach due to deficiency, it belongs to the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, which governs muscles, runs alongside the nose, and connects to the eyes. Thus, there is high fever, eye pain, dry nose, and insomnia. As the disease transmits from Taiyang to Yangming, if aversion to cold persists, it indicates the pathogen remains in Taiyang and transmission is incomplete; sweating is particularly indicated. If there is no aversion to cold, but instead nausea/vomiting, irritability, and a rapid/urgent pulse, the pathogen is entirely in Yangming. Body fluids are exhausted, the Stomach is excess and dry, and defecation is difficult. One should use purgative methods to cleanse the pathogen. Once the pathogen is gone and the pulse calms, knowing transmission has ceased ensures safety. If purgation is incomplete and the pathogen remains in the Stomach, since the Stomach is the "Official of Granaries," granary deficiency leads to loss of nourishment for Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi), decline of meridians, and inability to resist the pathogen. The pathogen transmits to the Gallbladder, belonging to the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, which circles the ear and connects to the hypochondrium, causing hypochondriac pain, deafness, bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, alternating chills and fever, and vomiting. The pathogenic toxin is internal, not external; treat according to this method. If unresolved, the Gallbladder, being the "Official of Justice," lacks decisiveness, allowing the pathogen to linger and transfer to the Spleen. *Note: The original text erroneously states Foot-Taiyang here; based on TCM theory and context, it refers to the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian.* It connects to the pharynx, causing dry throat, abdominal fullness, intermittent pain, slight coldness in hands and feet, or spontaneous diarrhea without thirst. Spleen deficiency receiving pathogen generates internal cold; warm tonification to assist Spleen Yuan and fill the granaries allows Zheng Qi (Upright Qi) to overcome the pathogen, achieving safety. If treatment is inappropriate and pathogen overcomes Zheng Qi, it transmits to the Kidney, belonging to the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Its collaterals connect to the Bladder, tie to the root of the tongue, pass through the Liver, and enter the Lung. Its nature dislikes dryness, hence thirst and desire to drink. Pathogen transmitting from the Three Yang meridians to Shaoyin, having already undergone sweating and purgation, results in exhaustion of body fluids, causing dry mouth, dry tongue, and thirst. Deficiency requires warming; severity requires attacking. The Kidney is the "Official of Strength"; if it cannot sustain itself, the pathogen transmits to the Liver, belonging to the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. It connects to the root of the tongue, follows the genitalia, and nourishes the sinews, termed Jueyin. Jue means "end." The Three Yin and Three Yang end here. The Liver is the "General Officer"; if it cannot resist the pathogen, the Six Meridians complete their transmission cycle. The pathogenic toxin penetrates deeply, Ying and Wei become disordered, meridians are depleted, leading to cold extremities, tendon cramping, and scrotal retraction. After the Six Meridians are fully traversed, resolution may occur via chills and sweating, or without chills/sweating, or if unresolved after six to seven days, re-transmission occurs, making the condition critical. There is also Liǎnggǎn Shānghán (Double-Injury Cold Damage), where exterior and interior transmit simultaneously, affecting both Zang and Fu organs, making it difficult to treat. On the first day, Taiyang and Shaoyin suffer together: headache, dry tongue, irritability, fullness, and thirst. On the second day, Yangming and Taiyin suffer together: abdominal fullness, body heat, anorexia, and aphasia. On the third day, Shaoyang and Jueyin suffer together: deafness, scrotal retraction, inability to take fluids, and unconsciousness. By the sixth day, the condition becomes critical. It is said that when all Six Meridians are diseased within three days, Ying and Wei do not circulate, and internal/external Zang/Fu organs do not communicate up and down. By the sixth day, the Qi of all meridians is exhausted, leading to death untreatable. The discourse states: Humans exist between Heaven and Earth, relying on Qi and Blood to preserve the True Origin. Thus, Heaven experiences cold and heat annually, and humans experience sorrow and hardship daily. Hence, epidemic plague diseases arise. Moreover, Shānghán in winter is a killing/fierce Qi. Those who regulate well protect themselves meticulously during severe cold, avoiding cold toxins. However, those engaged in sexual exertion or hard labor disturb the Yang when it should be stored, causing such diseases. The method for treating Shānghán began with Zhang Zhongjing of the Han Dynasty, who distinguished the transmission of the Six Meridians and established the three methods of Sweating, Vomiting, and Purgation. Exterior conditions require sweating; Interior conditions require purgation; Upper conditions require vomiting; Half-exterior/Half-interior conditions require harmonization. To sweat when one should purge, or purge when one should sweat, creates hundreds of transformation syndromes, impossible to recount fully. It is also said: If Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) is swallowed in cases of Yang Excess, death ensues; if Chengqi Tang (Gastrointestinal Releasing Decoction) enters the stomach in cases of Yin Excess, demise follows. A difference of a hair's breadth results in a mistake of a thousand miles. This is precisely what is meant by "reinforcing the excess and depleting the deficient," damaging what is insufficient and adding to what is surplus. Such deaths are caused by the physician. Success depends entirely on recognizing the meridians, understanding exterior/interior, distinguishing excess/deficiency, and prescribing medication accordingly to avoid error. This covers only the general principles. For medications regarding the transmission of the Six Meridians, one must seek them in the Shāngháng Zabing Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases).