Library

(The manifestation of wind is dryness. Due to blood deficiency, Qi has no support; due to Yin deficiency, Yang has no attachment. This transforms into dryness and fire, which flows through the meridians, moving up and down without fixed location, alternating between cold and heat, presenting with stabbing pain and syncope, thus forming a pattern resembling wind.)

Blood-Wind Lao (Chronic Deficiency Syndrome due to Blood Wind) arises from inherent deficiency of Qi and Blood, or postpartum injury from overexertion, where external pathogenic factors take advantage of the deficiency, or internal lingering cold exists. This leads to abdominal pain, soreness and fatigue in the four limbs, fever with spontaneous sweating, irregular menstruation in women, sallow complexion, and emaciation. Treatment should primarily focus on regulating the Qi and Blood of the Liver and Spleen.

Li Dongyuan stated: Unregulated emotions such as anger and joy, irregular daily routines, and any form of overexertion all damage Qi. When Qi declines, Fire flares up; when Fire flares up, it overacts on the Spleen Earth. Since the Spleen governs the four limbs, this results in reluctance to speak due to heat, panting and fatigue upon movement, surface heat with spontaneous sweating, and restlessness. During the onset of illness, one should remain quiet and nourish oneself, using Sweet-Cold herbs to drain Heat, Sour herbs to astringe scattered Qi, and Sweet-Warm herbs to tonify Middle Qi. The Classics state: "For exhaustion, use warmth; for deficiency, use warmth." *Jin Gui Yao Lue* states: "A healthy person with a large pulse indicates Lao (consumption/deficiency), treated with Huangqi Jianzhong Tang."

(This condition involves Blood deficiency with Phlegm-fluids infiltrating between the sinews and bones. Excessive Phlegm causes a sensation of cold. There are also cases injured by Cold-Dampness; when Blood deficiency is severe, tetany and muscle twitching may appear.)

Cold-Lao (Chronic Deficiency Syndrome due to Cold) is caused by insufficiency of Qi and Blood and deficiency-cold of the Zang-Fu organs. This leads to pain below the umbilicus, cold hands and feet, menstrual irregularities in women, indigestion, occasional vomiting, aversion to cold with fever, soreness and pain in bone joints, emaciated skin and muscles, and a sallow complexion.

Xue Lizhai said: The aforementioned syndromes include those with true cold inside and out, true heat inside and out, true heat inside with false cold outside, and true cold inside with false heat outside. If digestion is difficult, stools are loose, there is borborygmus and lower back pain, food intake is feared due to cold, hands and feet are cold, the complexion is sallow with vomiting, and there is aversion to wind and cold, these are symptoms of true cold inside and out. It is appropriate to use Fuzi Lizhong Tang to restore Yang and Bawei Dihuang Wan to strengthen Fire. If diet is normal, stools are firm, there is chest and abdominal fullness/stuffiness, preference for cold drinks, hot and vexed hands and feet, red face with vomiting, and no aversion to wind and cold, these are symptoms of true heat inside and out. It is appropriate to use Huanglian Jiedu Tang to nourish Yin and Liuwei Dihuang Wan to strengthen Water. If diet is normal, stools are firm, there is chest and abdominal fullness/stuffiness, yet preference for cold food, cold hands and feet, sallow face with vomiting, and aversion to wind and cold, this is true heat inside with false cold outside. One should also use Jiedu Tang and Liuwei Dihuang Wan, but they should be taken warm. If appetite is poor, stools are loose, there is acid regurgitation and belching, yet hot and vexed hands and feet, red face with vomiting, and no aversion to wind and cold, this is true cold inside with false heat outside. One should also use Fuzi Lizhong Tang and Bawei Dihuang Wan, and taking them warm is acceptable. The Classics say: "Tonify the source of Fire to dissipate Yin shadows; strengthen the master of Water to control Yang brilliance." If one does not understand the insufficiency of true Water and true Fire, and indiscriminately administers Cold or Hot medicines, old diseases will not resolve, and new diseases will arise. The source of Fire is the root of Yang Qi, which is the Heart; the master of Water is the root of Yin Qi, which is the Kidney. This does not mean that Fire is the Heart, Yuan (source) is the Liver, Water is the Kidney, and Zhu (master) is the Lung. Some consider the Mingmen (Gate of Life) as the source of Fire, which is not incorrect; hence, Bawei Dihuang Wan is used to benefit the Mingmen.