Library

For abdominal distension caused by Qi stagnation or water retention, use one sheng (approx. 1 liter) of dried rooster feces. Stir-fry until scorched yellow to eliminate "fire toxicity," then grind into a fine powder. Add three sheng (approx. 3 liters) of water, bring to a boil, and filter through cloth. Take one cup per dose, mixed with five fen (approx. 2.5 grams) of fine powder prepared from Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix) and Binglang (Arecae Semen). This is a miraculous prescription for treating middle-fullness and gu-toxin.

To treat abdominal distension caused by food stagnation or Qi stagnation, use one liang (approx. 37.5 grams) of Laifuzi (Radish Seed), grind it into a fine powder, mix with boiling water, stir well, and filter to obtain the juice. Soak one liang of Sharen (Amomi Fructus) in this juice overnight. Then, stir-fry the Sharen until dry, soak again, and repeat this cycle of soaking and frying seven times in total. Finally, grind the Sharen into a fine powder. Take one qian (approx. 3.75 grams) per dose, washed down with rice soup.

In cases of pediatric Spleen deficiency, there is reduced appetite, sallow complexion, and emaciation, which predisposes the child to injuries from food, abdominal distension, and diarrhea.

Zhizhu Wan (Immature Bitter Orange and Atractylodes Pill): Treats children who have no external contraction of Wind-Heat; it tonifies Spleen deficiency and resolves accumulations. Long-term consumption naturally strengthens digestion, prevents external pathogens, and eliminates various diseases.
Formula: Jiaozhu (Stir-fried Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) (4 liang), Zhike (Immature Bitter Orange) (1 liang), Fengmi (Honey) (5 liang).
Grind the above ingredients into a fine powder. Mix with refined honey to form pills the size of Sophora seeds. Take daily, dissolved in rice drink.

For children with weak Spleen and Stomach, reduced appetite, deficient Middle Qi, sallow complexion, emaciation, presence of white roundworms, susceptibility to food injury, and absence of external symptoms, I commonly use Baxian Gao (Eight Immortals Cake) for treatment:
Formula: Tiaoshen (Codonopsis Radix), Fuling (Poria), Jianlian (Nelumbinis Semen, pipped), Qianshi (Euryales Semen), Yiren (Coicis Semen), Biandou (Lablab Album Semina, stir-fried), Feizi (Torreya Seed), Guya (Milii Germen) (each 1 liang).
Stir-fry together until yellow, grind into a fine powder, add half a jin (approx. 500 grams) of white sugar. Take two qian per dose, mixed with boiling water.

Another formula is Shenling Baizhu San (see Diarrhea section). If there are intestinal parasites, add Shijunzi Rou (Ardisiae Semen) and Heshi (Caryopteridis Folium); if the infestation is severe, add Wuyi (Chuanxi Fructus) and Leiwan (Omphalia Lapidea). If there is food stagnation, add Jiaozha (Stir-fried Crataegi Fructus) and Ji Neijin (Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum); if severe, add Guchong (Trogoderma Larva) and Zhike. Adjust according to the child's constitutional deficiency or excess. For Blood deficiency, add Shudihuang (Prepared Rehmanniae Radix) and Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix); these additions can also be incorporated into Baxian Gao.

Qianjin Fei'er Bing (Thousand-Gold Child-Nourishing Cake)
Infants often lack milk, and food digestion is sluggish. Once the Spleen and Stomach are damaged, vomiting and diarrhea occur simultaneously. Phlegm-cough worsens into wheezing; heat accumulation leads to malnutrition and convulsions. The face becomes sallow, muscles become emaciated and wasted; the abdomen distends with visible blue veins on the belly. The infant cries anxiously; the mother suffers with grief. My heart feels deeply for the young; I select Lianzi (Nelumbinis Semen), Fuling (Poria), Qianshi (Euryales Semen), Huaishanyao (Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma), Biandou (Lablab Album Semina), and Yiyiren (Coicis Semen), each four liang. Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata), Maiya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus), Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Tiaoshen (Codonopsis Radix), Shijunzi (Ardisiae Semen), Shanzha (Crataegi Fructus), and Zhigancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Preparata) are six herbs at two liang each, along with two sheng of ancient glutinous rice. Grind the medicine and rice into powder, wrap in cloth, and steam in a steamer. Add one jin and a half of white sugar, mix well to form cakes. Eat two or three cakes per serving, and all ailments will be pacified. This is the kingly way medicine for nourishing children, its value comparable to a thousand gold.