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Duhuo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis, select those yellow like ghost eyes, remove the rhizome head, wash, dry by baking, weigh) Qianghuo (Radix Notopterygii, remove the rhizome head) Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae, remove the wire-like hard stem) Renshen (Radix Ginseng, remove the rhizome head)
Qianhu (Radix Peucedani, remove the sprout, clean and wash) Xixin (Herba Asari, from Huayin, remove leaves) Wuweizi (Fructus Schisandrae, pick clean) Shashen (Radix Adenophorae or Radix Glehniae) Baifuling (Poria Cocos with exocarp removed) Banxia (Rhizoma Pinelliae prepared with alum and ginger juice) Suanzaoren (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, lightly stir-fried, remove skin, grind) Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae, each one liang, honey-fried)

Grind the above herbs into a coarse powder. For each dose, take four qian (approx. 12-15g), add one dan and a half of water, three slices of fresh ginger, and half a smoked plum. Decoct together until only eight parts remain, strain to remove dregs, and take at any time regardless of meals.

In the Gui Chou year of the Shaoxing era, while I was waiting for an official appointment in Siming, there was a scholar named Dong who suffered from restlessness of the spirit (Shen Qi Bu Ning). Whenever he slept, his Hun (Ethereal Soul) would fly about; he felt his body was in bed but his spirit had left it. He experienced palpitations, frequent nightmares, and could not sleep all night. Several physicians treated him without effect, so I examined him. I asked, "What disease do the doctors say you have?" Dong replied, "Everyone considers it a Heart disease." I said, "Judging by the pulse, this is an invasion of pathogenic factors into the Liver Meridian, not a Heart disease. The Liver Meridian is deficient, allowing pathogenic factors to invade. The Liver stores the Hun. In healthy individuals, when the Liver is free from pathogens, the Hun returns to the Liver during sleep, the Shen (Spirit) becomes calm, and sleep is achieved. Now, because there are pathogens in the Liver, the Hun cannot return, causing it to fly about as if leaving the body during sleep. The Liver governs anger, so slight anger exacerbates the condition." Dong joyfully said, "I have never heard this before. Although I haven't taken medicine yet, I already feel the heaviness leaving my body. I wish to obtain the prescription." I said, "Hold onto this theory and discuss the treatment plan with other physicians, then consult them slowly." Ten days later, he returned and said, "Physicians searched through ancient and modern medical texts but found no formula matching this illness. Therefore, I prescribed these two formulas for you. After taking them for one month, the illness was completely cured." This formula generally uses Zhenzhumu (Mother of Pearl) as the Sovereign herb, with Longchi (Dragon Teeth) as the Assistant. Zhenzhumu enters the Liver Meridian with the highest efficacy because Longchi is similar to the Liver. Currently, people commonly use Longchi and Hujing (Tiger Eye) as heart-calming agents, unaware that Longchi calms the Hun and Hujing stabilizes the Po (Corporeal Soul), based on the principle of correspondence. The Eastern Azure Dragon belongs to Wood, corresponds to the Liver, and stores the Hun; the Western White Tiger belongs to Metal, corresponds to the Lung, and stores the Po. The Dragon can transform, hence the Hun wanders and is unstable; the Tiger is steadfast and quiet, hence the Po remains still and has control. I believe that for treating instability of the Po, Hujing is suitable; for treating flying of the Hun, Longchi is suitable. All things have inherent principles, which depend on human understanding.