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Xia Ziyi recorded in *Qi Ji Fang* (Treatise on Strange Diseases): A person suddenly grew hair from the nostrils, growing two to three cun in length within a day and night. It gradually became thick and round like a rope, with unbearable pain. After plucking it out, it would grow back. This was caused by excessive consumption of pig and sheep blood. The treatment used raw Xiangyao (Frankincense) and Shasha (Sandarac), each one liang, ground into powder, formed into pills the size of wutong seeds using rice paste. Each time, ten pills were taken on an empty stomach and before bed, washed down with boiled water. After finishing the course, the hair naturally fell off.

*Qi Bing Fang* (Treatise on Strange Diseases) records: A person had a red line growing in the nose, about three chi long. Slight movement caused pain; this resulted from excessive alcohol consumption. The prescription used Pengsha (Borax) and Bingpian (Borneol), one fen each, ground into powder, mixed with human milk, and applied to the middle of the red line for self-healing.

It also records: A person suffered from nasal swelling as large as a fist, with excruciating pain. This was due to fire in the Lung Meridian, where heat was congested in the nose and could not vent. The method should be to clear Lung pathogenic factors and remove fire from the nose. Taking several doses of Jie Yong Tang (Unblocking Decoction) would cause the swelling to subside naturally. This formula works by guiding herbs into the Lung Meridian to eliminate pathogens, hence the cure followed immediately. This is a case of treating a strange disease with conventional methods.

*Youyang Zazu* records: During the Yongzhen era, the daughter of Wang Buzhi, a wealthy man in the East Market, aged fourteen or fifteen, developed polyps in her nostrils, resembling soap bean pods. The roots were thin as hemp threads, about one cun long, and touching them caused pain piercing the heart marrow. Her father spent millions of coins on treatment without improvement. Suddenly, one day, a Sanskrit monk came begging for food. He asked Wang Buzhi, "Your daughter has a strange illness; I can cure it." Wang was delighted and sought his treatment. The monk took white medicine and blew it into the nostrils. After a short while, he removed it, and yellow fluid drained out. The patient felt no discomfort. Wang offered a hundred ounces of gold as a reward, but the monk refused and left.

[Shen Yuan's Note] Polyps are caused by food stagnation in the Stomach and hot phlegm flowing downwards. Ancient formulas all used Pengsha (Borax) and Bai Fan (Alum) to dissipate them. Both these substances are white. The white medicine blown into the nostrils in the previous case might have been these.

*Ji Yi Ji* records: Di Lianggong (Di Renjie) loved medicine and was particularly skilled in acupuncture. During the Xianqing era, responding to an imperial summons to enter Guanzhong, he saw a large sign by the road stating: "Whoever can cure this child will be rewarded with one thousand bolts of silk." A wealthy family's son had a growth on the tip of his nose like a fist-sized stone, attached to the nasal root by a tendon-like stalk, causing urgent and painful distress. Di inserted a needle at the back of the head, and the wart fell off upon manipulation. The parents prepared dry silk to present to him, but Di ignored it and departed.

*Sheng Hui Fang* records: A child suffered from Nao Gan (Brain Caries), with incessant nasal itching, hair forming tufts, and a sallow, emaciated body. Using Gallus domestica bile (Fish Gallbladder) dropped into the nostrils brought results in a few days.

*Yi Xue Zheng Zhuan* records: A person suffered from Nao Beng Liu Zhi (Brain Collapse Discharging Fluid), with foul yellow water frequently flowing from the nose, accompanied by pain. Named Kong Nao Sha (Controlling Brain Sand), it was caused by insects eating the brain tissue. The prescription used Si Gua Teng (Luffa Vine) near the root, three to five chi long, charred until carbonized but retaining its nature. One qian was taken each time, washed down with warm wine, until cured.

Scholar Xu treated Jianzheng, who suffered from pain between the nose and forehead, or numbness and insensitivity, for several years. Suddenly, one day, the pain extended to the lips, mouth corners, Jiache acupoint, and hairline, rendering him unable to speak or eat. Scholar Xu diagnosed it as Wind-Toxin invading the Foot-Yangming Meridian, transmitting into the collaterals, causing blood stasis and obstruction. He prescribed Pai Feng Xiao Xu Ming Tang (Expelling Wind Minor Continuation Life Decoction) and Tou Sui Dan (Penetrating Marrow Pill), but they were ineffective. He then formulated Xi Jiao Sheng Ma Tang (Rhinoceros Horn and Cimicifuga Decoction) and gifted it to him. After a few days, he recovered. The Foot-Yangming is the Stomach Meridian. The classics state: "The intestines and stomach are like a market." Also: "Yangming has abundant blood and qi." The Stomach accepts all flavors, just as a market contains everything. Because toxins from cooked and fermented foods accumulate in the Stomach, this formula uses Xi Jiao (Rhinoceros Horn) as the chief herb to resolve dietary toxins. The Yangming meridian circles the lips, flanks the tongue, originates beside the nose, meets at the forehead, follows the Jiache point, ascends before the ear, passes through the Guest Master point, follows the hairline, and reaches the skull. The afflicted areas all lie on this single meridian. Therefore, Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga) is used as an assistant. Other herbs purge wind-heat. Sheng Ma and Huang Qin (Scutellaria) specifically enter the Stomach Meridian; those slightly versed in medicine will understand.

Shi Zaizhi treated Zhu Sigü, a man from Meizhou, aged thirty, who suffered from inability to eat. Upon smelling meat or fish, he vomited. He could only eat plain rice soaked in soup freshly boiled in a large cauldron. Physicians could not cure him. Shi said, "Common people do not read medical classics yet presumptuously attempt to treat others' diseases, which is lamentable. Your illness is described in the *Su Wen*: it is called Shi Gua (Food Hanging). Human lungs have six lobes, expanding and covering downward over the Spleen. When the mother and child organs (Metal and Earth) are harmonious, appetite returns. If diseased, the Lungs cannot expand, Spleen qi fails, and thus there is no desire to eat." He then prescribed a formula focusing on clearing qi and smoothing the Lungs. After three days of medication, the patient smelled meat as fragrant and found it delicious when eaten. This event was recorded in Song dynasty biographies. Jiang Huangnan stated: "I examined the writings of Qi and Huang, and found no mention of 'Shi Gua'. Perhaps the recorder fabricated it, or perhaps Master Shi exaggerated to deceive the world? Neither is certain."

Sun Dongsu treated Sun Zhongshu, a student at the Imperial Academy. In midsummer, while traveling to the Southern Capital's National University, after changing shifts one day, he requested tea. The tea flowed backward into his left nostril, with only three-tenths entering his stomach. For nearly a month, not only tea but also porridge and rice emerged from his nose. Symptoms worsened with nausea, dizziness, muscle wasting, and limb weakness. His heart grew fearful, so he returned home urgently to seek Sun's treatment. Sun asked, "What diagnosis did other physicians make? What medicines did they prescribe?" Sun Zhongshu replied, "Physicians all stated that all rebellious upward rushing belongs to Fire. Thus, their prescriptions were either Huanglian Jiedu Tang (Coptis Detoxification Decoction) or herbs such as San Huang (Three Yellows), Shigao (Gypsum), Zhizi (Gardenia), Huangbai (Phellodendron), Zhimu (Anemarrhena), Tianhuafen (Trichosanthes Root), and Gegen (Pueraria)." Sun said, "Treating disease requires distinguishing meridians clearly, understanding the entry and exit, deficiency and excess of meridians, clarifying Zang-Fu manifestations, observing meridian pathways, and thoroughly investigating pathology and disease nature. This is why Bian Que adapted to customs. How could he rigidly adhere to formularies! The *Nei Jing* states: 'The throat is the pathway for water and grain. The larynx is where qi ascends and descends. The Wan Sang (hard palate/pharyngeal region) is where dispersed qi exits. Nasal discharge that cannot be controlled in cases of Bi Yuan (Nasal Sinusitis) indicates the Wan Sang is not opening.' Your symptoms are also of the type where Wan Sang is not opening. Because Wan Sang does not open, qi rushes up instead of descending. The Huiying (Epiglottis) is weak and cannot cover the airway. Since the nose connects with the airway, because it is not covered, food and drink reverse and exit through the nasal orifice. Have you not seen that when ordinary people experience sudden qi rebellion, food and drink come out via sneezing? That is the same example. Moreover, the right pulse is slow, weak, and powerless, indicating obvious Qi Deficiency. The *Nei Jing* says: 'Cold form and cold drinks injure the Lungs.' It also says: 'The Spleen and Stomach prefer warmth and dislike cold.' And again: 'Vision and hearing are bright and cool; smell and taste are distinguished by warmth.' You have taken many cooling herbs; this is why you have nausea, dizziness, and muscle wasting. The syndrome should be treated with warming and tonifying. The Lung belongs to Metal and governs Qi. When Metal Qi is vigorous, it converges and does not descend. When Qi descends, food and drink follow the airway downward." He prescribed Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) plus Xin Yi (Magnolia Bud), Sang Bai Pi (Mulberry Root Bark), Yi Yi Ren (Coix Seed), and Chen Xiang (Aquilaria Wood). After one dose, symptoms eased; after three doses, more than half improved; after seven doses, full recovery was achieved.

A grandson of Duke Fushun of the Ming imperial clan had a fetish for smelling lamp wick ash. Whenever he smelled it, he cried and demanded it incessantly. Li Shizhen diagnosed it as Pi (Fetish/Psychological Disorder). Using pills for killing parasites and treating fetishes, one course cured him.

Jie Yong Tang (Unblocking Decoction)
Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Tuber), Hua Fen (Trichosanthis Radix) (each 3 qian); Jie Geng (Platycodonis Radix), Tian Dong (Asparagi Tuber) (each 5 qian); Zi Wan (Asteris Radix) (2 qian); Su Ye (Perillae Folium), Bai Bu (Stemonae Radix) (each 1 qian).
Decoct in water and take orally.

Xi Jiao Sheng Ma Tang (Rhinoceros Horn and Cimicifuga Decoction)
Xi Jiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu) (10 liang); Sheng Ma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Qiang Huo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix) (each 3 liang); Chuan Xiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Bai Fu Zi (Typhonii Rhizoma), Bai Zhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix) (each 5 qian); Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) (1 qian).
Take 4 qian of the above ingredients, decoct in water. Take one dose after meals and one dose before bed, totaling four doses per day.

Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) (See Eye Section)