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Postpartum irregular menstruation arises from the injury to Qi and Blood during childbirth, leaving the body in a state of deficiency that has not yet recovered. Pathogenic factors of wind, cold, and heat invade the meridians, causing alternating sensations of cold and heat. Cold causes blood to coagulate, while heat dissipates blood. Consequently, menstrual flow may be either excessive or scanty, occurring either before or after the expected time, hence termed "irregular menstruation."

For treating postpartum meridian irregularities accompanied by vexing pain in the four limbs, significantly reduced appetite, and progressive emaciation: Hu Po San (Amber Powder).
Ingredients: Hu Po (Amber), Niu Xi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), Sheng Gan Di Huang (Raw Rehmanniae Radix), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) [each 1 liang]; Tao Ren (Persicae Semen), Chi Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra) [each 0.5 liang].
Grind the above ingredients into a coarse powder. Take 3 qian per dose. Add 1 zhan of water and 3 slices of fresh ginger, decoct until 0.6 zhan remains, strain, and take warm.

For treating postpartum deficiency and exhaustion, shortness of breath in the chest and heart, abdominal tension and pain, lower back and back pain, irregular menstruation, poor appetite with irritability and thirst, and weakness in the four limbs: Jiang Huang San (Curcumae Longae Rhizoma Powder).
Ingredients: Jiang Huang (Curcumae Longae Rhizoma), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmanniae Radix), Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex), Hou Po (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex), Gui Xin (Cinnamomi Ramulus), Chuan Xiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Xu Duan (Dipsaci Radix), Tao Ren (Persicae Semen), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) [each 1 liang]; Chi Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra), Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix) [each 0.3 fen]; Ling Yang Jiao Xie (Saiga Tataricae Cornu) [0.1 fen].
Grind the above ingredients into a fine powder. Mix with refined honey to form pills the size of Sophora japonica seeds. Take 30 pills before meals, washed down with warm wine.

(No formula provided here)
Discussion: Childbirth injures Qi and Blood; subsequently, due to unresolved deficiency, the body is injured by wind-cold. The nature of blood is to coagulate when exposed to cold. Therefore, when wind-cold invades the meridians, blood coagulates between the uterine collaterals, resulting in amenorrhea. Whenever blood coagulation causes amenorrhea, blood may form masses (Jia). If water and blood bind together, and this is compounded by weak spleen and stomach and deficient muscles, edema may develop. (Please refer to the formulas in Chapters 6 and 7 of Volume 1.)

The Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) and Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) are the seas of the meridians and originate within the uterus. The Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian and the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian both transform upward into breast milk and downward into menstrual blood. If menstruation does not resume after childbirth, it is generally because labor has injured Qi and Blood, or excessive blood loss has occurred, allowing breast milk to flow freely while menstruation naturally ceases. If menstruation does not occur shortly after delivery or within one year, this is a normal physiological state, not a disease, and there is no need to forcibly induce menstruation. This aligns with the proverb regarding "lactational amenorrhea." If menstruation resumes at six months, or even at four or five months, these individuals are young and vigorous with abundant Qi and Blood, conceiving easily, and likely having many pregnancies and lactations. If such infants lose breast milk, they may exhibit emaciated limbs, distended abdomen with visible veins, dry and brittle hair, and pica (geophagia); this condition is named "Wu Gu" (Innocent Disease). If menstrual blood is abundant, it should not be suppressed with medication. If menstruation is absent for one or two years postpartum without discomfort, medication is unnecessary. However, if Qi and Blood are injured, and the Chong and Ren vessels are deficient, leading to insufficient Qi and Blood to drive menstruation, one should administer herbs that strengthen the Spleen and Stomach and nourish Qi and Blood; menstruation will naturally resume. Using herbs such as Niu Xi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), Hong Hua (Carthami Flos), Su Mu (Sappan Lignum), Gan Qi (Drymopteridis Rhizoma), Meng Chong (Blatta), and Shui Zhi (Hirudo) to forcibly unblock menstruation causes significant harm. If menstrual blood is exhausted, there is nothing to nourish the channels, so how can flow occur? Chu Yushi compared this to demanding ten thousand gold pieces from a beggar; even under torture, it cannot be obtained. Future practitioners must examine cases carefully before treatment. (Supplementary note by Chen Ziming)