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Mr. Qian Mu Zhai suffered from a condition where his hands and feet frequently experienced numbness, food stagnated in the body, and he felt discomfort throughout his entire system. This persisted for decades. Famous physicians everywhere prescribed formulas and prepared medicines, but none were effective. By the time he was over seventy years old, he believed he would suffer this fate for life. In early spring at Zhaoqing Temple, I examined his pulse and said: This is caused by a lack of nourishment in the Heart Blood, leading to dryness at both ends. Normally, blood ascends from the Yongquan acupoint (Kidney 1) to the Heart and returns; the Yang blood descends to the Heart and returns. Now, the upper and lower Qi fail to correspond, causing Qi obstruction. Therefore, sometimes the upper body feels comfortable while the lower does not, and vice versa. Food digestion in the middle is also affected by this. The blood desires to circulate up and down but cannot, causing the spirit to wither day by day. One should first unblock the Mountain and Marsh (regulating the ascending and descending of Qi), then assist Kan and Li (harmonizing Heart and Kidney). Once there is a sensation of blood ascending and descending, take Kanli Wan (Kan-Li Pill) for half a month. Food will digest immediately upon ingestion, and taste will return. After another month, food intake will double compared to before, with one extra meal per day. Spirit will increase daily, surpassing even that of his youth.

Shanze Wan (Mountain-Marsch Pill)
Chuanxiong Rhizome (Jiu Zheng, dried, 4 liang) Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Jiu Xi, fried, 6 liang) Cimicifugae Rhizoma (6 liang) Cyathulae Radix (Black Soybean steamed, dried, 6 liang) Poria (Mixed with Human Milk, steamed, 4 liang) Aurantii Fructus (Bran fried, 4 liang)
Grind into fine powder, make pills the size of mulberry seeds. Swallow 2 qian on an empty stomach.

Kanli Wan (Kan-Li Pill)
Huai Dihuang (Soaked in wine for three nights, steamed until black and soft, 6 liang) Asparagi Radix (Remove heart, bake on new tile) Ophiopogonis Radix (Remove heart, bake on new tile, each 3 liang) Polygoni Multiflori Preparata Radix (Nine preparations with Black Soybean, 8 liang) Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Half earth-fried, half flour-fried, 4 liang) Poria (Remove skin, mixed with Human Milk, steamed, 3 liang) Cyathulae Radix (Prepared with Black Soybean, steamed, 6 liang) Corni Fructus (Moistened with wine, remove pit, 3 liang) Euryales Semen (3 liang) Lycii Fructus (4 liang) [Herb name missing in source, likely related to context] (Washed with wine, steamed with milk, 3 liang) Schisandrae Fructus (2 liang) Lycii Cortex Radicis (Steamed with wine, 3 liang) Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (2 liang) Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Washed with wine, fried, 4 liang)
Make honey pills the size of mulberry seeds. Swallow 1 qian with plain boiled water every morning, and 1 qian with wine before sleep.

Mr. Wu Ruo Gu suffered from a condition where eating caused pain and noise only in the chest. Palpation revealed a mass. Over time, food could not go down, leading to panting, urgency, and irritability. Phlegm disorders and blood disorders arose, and he became increasingly yellow and thin. Medicines were ineffective. I examined his pulse and said: This is due to excessive mental exertion, damaging the Heart and causing Bi obstruction, resulting in dry Heart Blood and stagnation in the Pericardium Collateral. I prescribed a formula. After the first dose, the blood should rotate like a wheel, and Qi should feel like needle pricks. Only then will the dry blood become moist and the stagnant blood begin to move. After two or three days, the blood will pass through the Pericardium Collateral, and Stomach Qi will meet Heart Qi. Taking tonifying pills thereafter will harmonize Heart Blood and Kidney Water, restoring health.

Decoction Formula
Peucedani Radix Chuanxiong Rhizome Rehmanniae Radix Prunellae Spica Red Peony Root Angelicae Sinensis Radix Poria Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Cinnamomi Ramulus
Another pill formula is Guzhen Dan (Solidify True Pill) plus Nine-Prepared Polygoni Multiflori Preparata Radix.

Mrs. Zhong Wu Qing suffered from a condition where she could not eat, was extremely emaciated, and suddenly vomited blood profusely, continuing for five days and nights. On the sixth day, her eyes were closed, jaw clenched, and she lay rigid as if dead. Another day passed; paper money was being folded for burial, yet blood still flowed. Her pulse was imperceptible, but Qi remained. Is it possible for someone to have been dead for so long and yet generate blood upwards? This must be because the Fire of the Gate of Life has not extinguished. Use 1 qian of Raw Rhubarb, pounded and applied to the nostril. Soon nasal breathing will resume. Then mix 3 fen of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma with 6 fen of Raw Rehmanniae Radix, pound in boiling water to extract juice, and pour into the throat. Soon she will sigh and cry out in pain. Re-examining the pulse, there is now one beat per breath. I said: Blood is the essence of grain and water, generated by the Heart, transformed by the Spleen, distributed by the Lung. When Qi moves, Blood moves. If internal injury has occurred and blood rebels upwards, it must be expelled completely to bring relief. Physicians do not understand this, using too many hemostatic drugs, causing Spleen stagnation, preventing blood transformation in the Spleen. If the Spleen fails to transform, Lung Qi stagnates, preventing blood transformation in the Lung. If the Spleen fails to transform, Grain Qi does not enter, and new blood is not generated. Her crying out is due to Spleen injury and descent of Lung tendons. Qi is exhausted but blood continues to flow due to medication error; although the Life Fire has fallen, it has not extinguished, reflecting the waxing and waning of Heart Blood. The pulse is Kou (hollow), small and weak indicates survival. Pulse quiet and body cool may seem like death, but it is actually vitality. Hence, treatment is effective.

Decoction Formula
Raw Rehmanniae Radix (1 qian) Red Peony Root (8 fen) Platycladi Cacumen (1 qian) Raw Mugwort Leaf (8 fen) Scutellariae Radix (1 qian) Chuanxiong Rhizome (8 fen)
Three doses cured the illness. The miracle of the medication lies in Raw Rhubarb, Ginseng, and Rehmannia. Raw Rhubarb has strong Qi; when Spleen blood fails to transform and heat accumulates excessively, it draws the blockage away, and its cold nature cools the blood. Ginseng then supports Yuan Qi, and Rehmannia guides blood back to its path. With Qi restored, Rehmannia, Peony, Platycladus, Mugwort, Scutellaria, and Chuanxiong eliminate the old and generate the new. Several doses cured it.

Mrs. Liang Ji Zhi suffered from Lung Abscess, with continuous pus and blood, extreme thirst, mouth ulcers preventing opening of the mouth, and constipation for seven days. Physicians used Mirabilite and Rhubarb without effect. I examined the pulse and said: This is not Lung Abscess. The toxin is in the Spleen and Stomach and cannot exit. The toxin is extremely swollen and red, blocking the intestinal opening like a fist. Using Rhubarb only slightly cools the blood, and adding Mirabilite fights it, causing more reckless blood flow. One should use Huadu San (Toxin Resolving Powder) to drain the Lung, dispel wind, harmonize the middle, and resolve toxins. Sixty percent of the toxin will exit via filth, thirty percent via urination and defecation, and the disease will heal.

Huadu San (Toxin Resolving Powder)
Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (1 qian) Scutellariae Radix (1 qian) Gypsum Fibrosum (2 qian) Natrii Sulfas (8 fen) Rheum Palmatum Radix et Rhizoma (1 qian) Ephedrae Herba (6 fen) Forsythiae Fructus (8 fen) Trichosanthis Fructus (8 fen) Ostreae Concha (8 fen) Fritillariae Bulbus (8 fen) Aucklandiae Radix (6 fen) Platycodonis Radix (8 fen) Gardeniae Fructus (1 qian) Angelicae Sinensis Radix (1 qian) Chuanxiong Rhizome (8 fen) Red Poria (8 fen)
After one dose, slight chill and sweating under blankets allowed speech. After a second dose, two to three bowls of bloody urine were passed. After a third dose, abdominal pain led to passage of pus and blood in stool. After two hours, hard stool appeared, internal toxins cleared, and mouth ulcers healed.

Mrs. Wang Er Yong suffered from a deficiency syndrome: dizziness, blurred vision, weakness holding objects, stumbling when walking, extreme hunger but inability to swallow anything, emaciation, excessive phlegm, shortness of breath, and stabbing pain in the chest/epigastrium after taking medicine. I examined the pulse and said: Prescribing Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) is correct, but why does it cause stabbing pain? Other medicines cause worse pain, so doctors gave up. I promised cure in two doses. Doctors wondered what miracle drug I used. It turned out to be Siwu Tang. However, Siwu Tang can vary. This case required tonics like Chuanxiong and Danggui, but Phlegm-Qi and Lung Fire were in the chest/epigastrium, blocking the orifices. Tonics were too urgent to be accepted. I used Siwu Tang but first boiled 1 liang of Aurantii Fructus in thick juice, soaked the Siwu Tang ingredients in it overnight, dried them, and then decocted. Aurantii Fructus expands the chest and regulates Qi. When tonics entered, the chest was already expanded, allowing passage past the epigastrium. That is why it worked.

Rehmanniae Radix Angelicae Sinensis Radix White Peony Root Chuanxiong Rhizome Poria Codonopsis Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Licorice Radix et Rhizoma
Decoct as usual.

Chai Wan Wo suffered from palpitations, distension, acid regurgitation, cold limbs, inability to eat, frequent bowel movements (varying amount or difficulty), for ten years without success. I examined the pulse and said: This was mistaken for Cold-Dampness in the Middle Jiao. Excessive use of Fuzi Lizhong Tang worsened it. This case resulted from excessive sexual indulgence and intercourse while drunk. Pathogens entered the sinews and collaterals, attacking upwards causing palpitations, gathering in the middle causing distension, entering limbs causing soreness, and rejecting food desire—all due to Evil Fire. Several doses cured it.

Decoction Formula
Coptidis Rhizoma Gardeniae Fructus (Stir-fried black with Child's Urine) Phellodendri Cortex (Wine fried) Anemarrhenae Rhizoma Poria Schisandrae Fructus Nelumbinis Plumula Akebiae Caulis Licorice Radix et Rhizoma
Add two Black Dates and seven roots of Juncus Effusus.

Yao Si Ji suffered from muscle spasms, heavy head, lower back pain, swollen knees, reduced appetite, and immobility of hands and feet. Physicians did not understand, using mostly tonics. Wind pathogens did not exit, causing myriad changes. For over ten years, cartloads of medicine were taken, becoming incurable. I examined the pulse and said: Liver and Kidney Qi are deficient, Wind has entered sinews and bones. Use Aconitum and Scorpio. After five days, appetite returned. After ten days, body felt light. After fifteen days, hands and feet functioned normally.

Powder Formula
Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Pao, remove skin and root end) Bolbitis Rhizoma (Pao) Atractylodis Rhizoma (Fried) Chuanxiong Rhizoma Gastrodiae Rhizoma Cinnamon Twig Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Each 1 liang) Scorpio (Roasted, 6 qian) Bombyx Batryticatus Angelicae Sinensis Radix Podagricae Radix Astragali Membranacei Radix (Honey fried) Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix (Each 1.5 liang) Moschus (3 fen)
Grind into powder, take with wine, 1.5 qian per dose.

Wang Shan Chang suffered from extreme bitter taste in mouth, vomiting bitter tea, unbearable throat pain, no ulcers or swelling, no obvious treatment site. Treated as Heat syndrome with cold herbs caused immediate vomiting. Switching to pungent-hot herbs worsened pain. Physicians were helpless. After half a month, liquids could not pass, only half a bowl of hard rice daily. Body wasted, condition critical. I examined the pulse and said: Both are Heat syndromes, but different. Essence and Qi circulation, nourishing Ying and Wei, all relate to the mouth. Heart Heat causes bitterness. Throat is the connection of the Stomach. Extreme Stomach Heat causes pain, usually treated with cold herbs. But cold herbs cause vomiting here—there is a reason. Heart-Stomach Heat prefers liquid drinks, yet drinking is rejected while liking rice—there is a reason. This case is Dampness accumulation in Zang and Lung, generating Fire, which flares upward, causing bitterness and throat pain. Dampness arises from Earth; water belongs to Water. Drinking water causes further injury, hence aversion to decoctions despite needing cold herbs. Spleen Heat causes sweet taste; grains are sweet. Spleen Qi is undamaged, hence preference for rice. Three doses cured it.

Medicine Formula
Coptidis Rhizoma (1 liang) Tender Gypsum Fibrosum (5 qian) Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma (1 liang) Poria (5 qian)
Grind extremely fine. Use 5 qian each time, mix with hard rice. Sweet upon entry. Take twice daily. By the third day, mouth no longer bitter, throat no longer painful, diet resumed.

Wu Xing Zhi suffered from Dysentery (Red and White) for three years, emaciated, green face, unable to eat, aversion to smell of food. Hot foods caused vomiting. Many medicines taken, eventually aversion to medicine smell itself. I examined the pulse and said: Damage to both Qi and Blood causes mixed red and white dysentery. Total cause is excessive aggression against Damp-Heat. Disease was near cure but severely injured again. Long-term dysentery leads to weak Stomach Qi, hence no appetite. For three years, intestines and stomach did not fail, and grain/water continued because constitution was strong and initial infection was not severe. However, aggressive attack and premature astringency caused pathogens to return and accumulate. Excessive use of Ginseng and Atractylodes supported Righteous Qi but did not clear the intestinal path, worsening over time. Aversion to food and medicine smells is due to excessive decoction use damaging Middle Qi, allowing Pathogen to dominate. Grain Qi is Middle Qi. If lower cannot transform, middle cannot accept. Heat generates Qi; aversion to Qi is aversion to Heat. Originally contracted Damp-Heat; when Pathogen is strong, it dominates Host Qi. Treat the disease directly. Four doses cured it.

Medicine Formula
Coptidis Rhizoma (5 qian) Aurantii Fructus (3 qian) Aucklandiae Radix (3 qian)
Take one bowl of well water, grind raw herbs cold, drink cold. Cured in four days. This is "treating the disease directly." Patient suffered from decoction smell, refused to take it, rendering it useless. I used no fire-cooked herbs. Cold grinding made it refreshing, hitting the Intestine-Stomach Qi. Initially compatible with Pathogen, once inside, Pathogen cannot tolerate it, reversing host-guest relationship, achieving easy success.

Zhang Xiu Fu suffered from heavy, dragging lower back pain as if carrying a thousand jin. Pain disappeared during intercourse. Kidney-tonifying pills failed. I examined the pulse and said: Waist is the residence of the Kidney. Kidney Qi deficiency causes waist pain. Kidney tonics are not wrong, but why no pain during intercourse? Blood stasis obstruction. During intercourse, Kidney shakes, Blood moves, stasis clears, hence no heaviness. Two doses cured it.

Decoction Formula
Phellodendri Cortex (Salt water fried) Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Honey fried) Linderae Radix Peach Kernel (Remove skin and tip) Green Tangerine Peel Safflower Pericarpium Sappan Wood Manis Squama Aquilariae Caulix (Each 1 qian) Licorice Radix et Rhizoma (5 fen)
Add one Black Date and two slices of Ginger.

Xie Family's nine-year-old child initially had a common cold. Five to six days of medicine ineffective. Eyes straight, hands weak, reluctant to speak, confused expression. On the ninth day, sudden panting, unconsciousness, cold limbs for three days. Thought dead, preparing coffin, only chest was hot. On the seventh day (note: timeline discrepancy in source, likely meant later stage), eyes, nose, mouth, hands, feet all cold, but chest heat remained. I passed by, heard the story, examined pulse and said: This is Gan Evil acting internally. Mistaken for cold, treated exteriorly. Zang Qi severely depressed, unable to open Heart orifices, appearing dead. Chest heat is accumulated Exterior Qi. Method requires purging downward. If upper does not descend, lower does not ascend. Interior-exterior interaction brings vitality. Use Cinnabaris, Ferrum Oxidatum, Succinum total 8 fen. Open mouth and administer. Soon chest Qi rotates and sounds, Qi retreats from anus. After two hours, hands and feet show movement signs. Then use Shengma Renshen Tang (Cimicifuga and Ginseng Decoction), swallow Zhutie San (Cinnabar-Iron Powder) 8 fen. Intestines rumble, nasal breathing rapid. Whole body slightly warm. After three days of decoction, able to speak. After another three days, able to open eyes. From death to life, a joyous event.

Zhitie San (Iron-Cinnabar Powder)
Cinnabaris (2 qian) Ferrum Oxidatum (1 qian) Succinum (2 qian)

Shenma Tang (Ginseng-Cimicifuga Decoction)
Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (5 fen) Cimicifugae Rhizoma (5 fen) Amomi Fructus Rotundus (6 fen) Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (3 fen)

Decoction Formula (First three days)
Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Remove skin, fried, 5 fen) Pinelliae Tuber (Ginger processed, 8 fen) Aquilariae Resina (3 fen, ground and mixed) Aucklandiae Radix (5 fen, ground and mixed) Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (8 fen) Licorice Radix et Rhizoma (3 fen)

Decoction Formula (Last three days)
Angelicae Sinensis Radix (1 qian) Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (8 fen) White Peony Root (8 fen) Cinnamon Bark (6 fen) Poria (6 fen) Chuanxiong Rhizoma (6 fen) Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (8 fen) Polygalae Radix (6 fen) Licorice Radix et Rhizoma (3 fen)

Shen Wei Xin suffered from stabbing abdominal pain, sometimes attacking the Heart, throat feeling blocked by smoke, unable to breathe. Physicians did not know the syndrome, changing medicines multiple times a day. Unbearable, attempted suicide. I examined the pulse and said: This is Shanghan (Cold Damage) syndrome. Initial contraction was bearable, but without sweating dispersion, by day four or five it became severe. Physicians did not know this, attributing heart pain and throat smoke to Heat, prescribing Huanglian Jiedu Tang (Coptis Decoction for Detoxification). Naturally it worsened, leading to desire for death. Use Gouti San (Melon Pedicle Powder) to induce vomiting. Heart pain ceased, only abdominal pain remained. Smoke sensation ceased, only dry throat remained. Then use Sini Tang (Reverse the Yin Decoction) modified. Because previous medications were inverted, subsequent treatment involved vomiting first, then warming the Zang organs.

Li Mai Fu suffered from abdominal rumbling like thunder, sound penetrating up and down, audible to neighbors. Unbearable hypochondriac pain. Occasional meat consumption triggered attacks; later even smelling meat triggered attacks. Initially face and mouth blue, gradually purple-black, unconscious for three hours before recovery. Medicines ineffective. I examined the pulse and said: This is Food Retention failing to transform, accumulating filth into a mass. Obese with much blood, blood wraps food. Reaction to meat suggests meat mass wanting to exit but unable. Hence rumbling like thunder. One dose of powder cured it.

Powder Formula
Crataegi Fructus (Half wine-fried, half raw, 4 liang) Peach Kernel (Remove skin and tip, 2 liang) Chuanxiong Rhizoma Curcuma Zedoaria Rhizoma Vinegar-fried, each 3 liang) Arecae Semen (1 liang) Sandarac (1 liang, vinegar fried)
Grind into powder. Swallow 3 qian with wine on empty stomach.

You Cheng Yu suffered from whole-body aversion to cold, requiring cotton-padded jacket even in summer, heating fire at night. Complete loss of smell/taste in nose. A bean-sized object in nostril extremely itchy; scratching caused severe pain. Only recognized earth smell by putting yellow mud in nose. Often silent for half a month, no physician could treat. I examined pulse and said: Strange diseases have strange prescriptions. No need for internal medicine. Cure in one day and night, but use harsh method to cause extreme suffering, creating a path to life. Find a very small room, leak-proof, brick walls. Drill holes in all four walls. Dig a small pit on floor, plate-sized, fitting a face. Lock patient inside. Burn 100 jin of domestic Mugwort leaves, gradually inserting smoke through wall holes from morning to noon. Burn 30-40 jin. Smoke fills room, unbearable for nose. Forced to touch head, find gap, press nose to it (the plate-sized pit). Soon nasal breathing clears. From noon to midnight, whole body extremely hot, removing cotton jacket. At dawn, open door. Nose bleeds, no longer afraid of wind/cold. Take Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction) ten doses. Cured. Reason for disease: Living upstairs, excessive Wood Qi. Winter fire usage too high, no vent. Wood generates Fire. Accumulated into chronic condition. Heat in Zang-Fu, Cold in Skin. Use Mugwort to moxa Skin Cold and open Zang-Fu orifices. Wood rots in Earth, Fire extinguishes in Earth. Observing the disease, only earth smell detected, confirming treatment method.

Zhang Tai Hua suffered from mouth ulcers and fever initially. Cool medicines helped slightly. Later gradual confusion, fatigue, loss of appetite,不认识 people, dancing and shaking head, extreme heat desiring water. Due to edema, water withheld. Repeated cold medicines caused vomiting and inability to retain. I examined pulse and said: This disease suits cold medicines, but application differs. Disease prolonged, many medicines taken. Vomiting upon seeing Coptis and Phellodendrum indicates Stomach damage. Dampness depression turns to Heat, Fire starts in Stomach. Initially, Liangge San (Cool the Diaphragm Powder) one dose would clear it. Not planned early, Fire depression extreme. More cold medicines damaged Stomach, causing fear of cold and rejection. I also used cold medicines, one dose cured it.

Powder Formula
Cinnabaris (5 fen) Natrii Sulfas Refinatus (8 fen) Indigo Naturalis (6 fen) Hominis Calcinatus (1 qian)
Grind into powder. Swallow with plain boiled water. One dose cured. Follow with Liu Junzi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) several doses. Coptis etc. stay in Stomach, lingering and searching without immediate action, and their Qi is too cold, fighting the Stomach. Cinnabar etc. reach Intestines/Stomach quickly. Accumulated Fire long desired to exit.