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The *Neijing* states that a disease characterized by a bitter taste in the mouth is called Dan Dan (Gallbladder Jaundice/Bitterness). The Gallbladder is the official of uprightness, a middle-clear organ, and the decisions of the eleven zang-fu organs depend on it. The pharynx serves as its external manifestation channel.
If gallbladder qi overflows upward, this syndrome occurs. The classic text says "when the vessel is moved, the disease manifests as bitterness in the mouth," which is due to the rebellion of gallbladder qi.

Banxia Fuling Tang (Pinellia and Poria Decoction): Treats indecisiveness leading to gallbladder qi overflow, presenting with heat, bitterness in the mouth, and unclear mental state.
Ingredients: Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, washed with decoction to remove slipperiness and stir-fried), Chifuling (Red Poria Cocos, peeled), Maimendong (Ophiopogonis Radix, heart removed), Suanzaoren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen), Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix, peeled), Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix, heart removed), Shumi (Sorghum Grain, one spoonful).

Digupi Tang (Lycii Cortex Decoction): Treats gallbladder injury from excessive deliberation, gallbladder qi overflow, deficiency-heat irritability in the diaphragm and epigastrium, and frequent bitterness in the mouth.
Ingredients: Digupi (Lycii Cortex), Shengdihuang (Rehmanniae Radix Fresh, each 5 liang), Qianhu (Peucedani Radix, 2.5 liang), Fushen (Poria Cocos with Hostwood, 2 liang), Maimendong (Ophiopogonis Radix, heart removed), Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Radix), Renshen (Ginseng Radix), Gancao (Licorice Root). [Note: Original text has gaps].

Maimendong Tang (Ophiopogonis Decoction), also known as Shengma Tang (Polygoni Multiflori Decoction): Treats gallbladder deficiency with rebellious qi, constant bitterness in the mouth, irritability, and craving for drinks. (Formula details see Shengma Tang entry).

Yidan Tang (Gallbladder-Boosting Decoction) (from *Shenghui Fang*): Treats joint deficiency of liver and gallbladder, hot qi steaming upward, constant bitterness in the mouth, clearing heat. Viscera become diseased due to deficiency.
Ingredients: Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Gancao (Licorice Root, honey-fried, each 2 liang), Renshen (Ginseng Radix), Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus, peeled, each 1 liang), Kushen (Sophorae Flavescentis Radix), Fuling (Poria Cocos, peeled, each 5 qian). The above are crushed and sifted.
Usage: Take an appropriate amount per dose. [Original text missing dosage].

Zhizi Tang (Gardeniae Decoction) (from *Shenghui Fang*): Treats abdominal hot qi rebelling upward, bitterness in the mouth, irritability, and thirst.
Ingredients: Zhiziren (Gardeniae Fructus Seed, 20 pieces), Shengma (Polygoni Multiflori Radix), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Daqing (Isatidis Folium), Fushen (Poria Cocos with Hostwood, de-heartened, each 2 fen), Gancao (Licorice Root, honey-fried and cut, 5 qian). The above are crushed and sifted.
Usage: Take an appropriate amount per dose. [Original text missing dosage].
Dietary advice: Avoid roasted, fried, or explosive foods.

Renshen Tang (Ginseng Decoction), also known as Zhike Tang (Aurantii Fructus Decoction): Treats gallbladder deficiency with rebellious qi, attacking pathogenic heat, bitterness in the mouth, irritability, and thirst. (Formula details see Zhike Tang entry).

The Stomach fu organ corresponds to the Spleen. The lips are its external manifestation. The Spleen harmonizes qi with the Stomach. The Stomach is the fu organ of water and grain, termed the "keeper of the granary."
[Text contains significant lacunae, general meaning:]
Within the intestines and stomach, there should remain two dou four sheng of grain and one dou one sheng of water. Thus, a person defecates twice daily (Jia Yi Jing writes 'qing'), expelling two and a half sheng. Daily consumption is five sheng. Over seven days, five times seven equals three dou five sheng, exhausting the retained water and grain. Therefore, a healthy person who neither drinks nor eats for seven days will die, as the essence, qi, and fluids from water and grain are exhausted.

If the Yang pulse at the right Guan position is absent (Yang Jue), there is no Stomach pulse. Symptoms include acid regurgitation, headache, and cold in the stomach. Acupuncture the Foot-Taiyin channel to treat Yin syndromes; the point is located one cun posterior to the proximal interphalangeal joint of the big toe.
If the Yang pulse at the right Guan position is excess (Yang Shi), it indicates Stomach excess. Symptoms include hidden pain in the stomach, lack of appetite, and inability to digest food after eating. Acupuncture the Foot-Yangming channel to treat Yang syndromes; the point is located at the pulsating artery on the foot.

If the Duyang pulse is floating and large, this indicates slight deficiency-heat irritability in the Stomach. Defecation occurs twice daily. Headache upon movement, and heavy heat sensation in the morning belong to the Stomach.
If the Stomach pulse is firm and long, and the complexion is red, one should expect pain in the thigh (Zhe Bi). If the pulse is scattered, one should expect food stagnation bi-syndrome with thigh pain. If the disease originates in the Stomach, distension and fullness occur.
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Stomach diseases manifest as abdominal distension, pain in the epigastrium centered behind the heart, radiating upward to support both hypochondria, obstruction of the diaphragm and pharynx, and inability to swallow food. Treat by selecting points below, such as Zusanli (ST36).
Inability to swallow, obstruction, pathogen in the gastric tube. If in the upper jiao, suppress and needle; if in the lower jiao, disperse and remove.
Stomach distension manifests as abdominal fullness, epigastric pain, smelling burnt odors in the nose, interference with eating, and difficult defecation.
Stomach pi-mass (accumulation): Eating cold foods causes pain and inability to eat; eating hot foods allows eating. Spleen disease transfers to the Stomach. Unresolved Spleen cough leads to vomiting of roundworms. Jue qi invades...
How to diagnose Stomach pulse and disease forms? Answer: Stomach pulse excess indicates distension; deficiency indicates diarrhea. The Spleen corresponds to flesh. Flesh firm and large indicates thick Stomach; flesh small indicates thin Stomach.
Flesh small and fine indicates Stomach not firm.
Flesh not firm indicates relaxed Stomach. Flesh without small nodules and firm indicates tense Stomach. Flesh with many small nodules indicates knotted Stomach. Knotted Stomach means dysfunction of the upper jiao of the Stomach.

Bian Que said: Foot-Taiyin and Foot-Yangming are exterior-interior pairs. If Spleen-Stomach disease is excess, it injures with heat; heat causes craving for fluids and constant thirst. If deficiency, it injures with cold; cold causes suffering from hunger.
Stomach exhaustion is untreatable; death occurs in five days. How is this known? Swollen tongue, hematuria, red loose stools.

The pharynx is the gateway for swallowing. The diaphragm is the territory of the Upper Jiao, chest, heart, and lungs. Obstruction means ascending and descending qi cannot interact. Furthermore...
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