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[Recorded in the Middle Grade of Bie Lu]
[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, cold, non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats alternating chills and fever, headache caused by Shanghan (Cold Damage), toxic miasma of zhangqi (malaria-like fevers), irritability with chest fullness and oppression, deficiency-type labor with panting and shortness of breath, and pain and coldness in both legs. It can neutralize various toxins from the fetuses and offspring of the six domestic animals.
[Analysis] Says: Various soybeans can be used to make douchi (fermented soybean paste), but black soybeans are to be used for medicinal purposes. There are two types: salty douchi and unsalted douchi; only unsalted douchi is suitable for medicinal use. The method is as follows: In June, take two or three dou (a unit of volume) of black soybeans, wash them clean with water, soak overnight, drain the water, and steam until cooked. Take them out and spread them on a mat. Wait until they are slightly warm, then cover them with mugwort. Check every three days. When a yellow mold layer (huangyi) covers the surface completely, take them out and dry them in the sun. Sieve and winnow until extremely clean, then mix with water. The moisture content should be appropriate, judged by the juice exuding between fingers. Place them immediately into an earthenware jar, compact them tightly, cover with dried mulberry leaves to a thickness of about three cun, seal the mouth of the jar with mud to prevent gas leakage, and expose to the sun for seven days. Take them out and dry for one shichen (two hours), then mix with water again and put back into the jar. Repeat this process seven times. Finally, take them out, steam them, spread them out to dissipate the heat, and store them in jars. Seal and compact tightly for a long time, and the douchi will be ready. My ancestors said: Shu (legumes) is the principal grain of the Water Organ. By using steaming, molding, and drying methods, it transforms water into fire. Therefore, it can treat various conditions of warmth and summer-heat that originate from cold. Nothing is more refined than this transformation from its original cold nature.
[Lu Zhiyi] Says: The grain corresponding to the Kidney is called Shu. Shu is the general name for all legumes. Those that are black are called Da Dou (large soybeans). They inherit the essence of moistening and descending waters, making them the principal grain of the Kidney Water Organ. Ji Kang stated in his "Treatise on Nourishing Life": "Eating beans makes one heavy." Interpreters believe that eating beans for three years causes heaviness in the body and difficulty in movement. Thus, among the five grains, only beans have large forms and heavy textures. Fermented and condensed beans are called Dan Chi (unsalted fermented soybeans); those mixed with salt are called Yan Chi (salted fermented soybeans). "Chi" implies darkness or seclusion, referring to the dark environment in which it is produced. Salted douchi is food; unsalted douchi is medicine. Its texture is light and ascending, with a fragrant aroma; its taste is rich, and its nature is clear and brisk. This transforms the heavy, descending nature of water into the light, ascending function of fire, becoming again the principal grain of the Kidney Fire Organ. Thus, it inherits the bitterness of fire and the coldness of water, treating the cold qi of winter and the cold pathogenic factors of Shanghan. It utilizes the bitterness of fire to assist in treating the yang transformation of the superficial aspect (Biao) of Shanghan. Since winter qi connects with the Kidney, and the Kidney governs the three months of winter, this is called "closing and storing." If winter qi is weak, or if the cold is biting, causing injury to the internal Qi, such that when the root cold dominates, fire extinguishes, and when the superficial Yang flares up, water diminishes, one must follow the water nature and assist with fire. As fire rises and water descends, the root cold naturally recedes, and the superficial Yang naturally subsides. For injuries starting at the Qi level, rely on drugs with strong Qi properties to follow the superficial aspect and counteract the root, raising Heart fluids to produce sweat. Later, for injuries affecting the Form, rely on principal grains with strong Flavor properties to follow the root and assist the superficial, raising grain essence to produce sweat. It is said that sweat is born from grain, and grain is born from essence. When essence prevails, pathogens retreat. The True Qi of storage communicates with the Kidney, which stores the Qi of Essence and Blood. Douchi is the grain of the Kidney; large soybeans are fermented to become douchi. Therefore, it assists the water and fire of both Kidneys to solidify the form, enabling it to drive out the cold wind of winter entering from outside, returning it from inside to out. However, if root cold dominates, or there is Qi injury affecting Qi transformation, or superficial Yang is blazing hot, even if there is Qi injury to the form layers, resulting in symptoms of fullness, blockage, dryness, excess, and hardness, one must decline and refuse to use it. Otherwise, it may cause the pathogen to sink deeper, leading to unpredictable changes. Reading Master Zhang Zhongjing's Gardenia and Douchi Decoction formula reveals that although it involves the chest at the form level, it has not yet formed a sinking excess syndrome. The indications are mental restlessness (Xu Fan), inner annoyance (Ao Nu), tossing and turning with insomnia, and persistent fever. Understanding this clarifies the principle. Heavy things serve as the root of light things. In medication and treatment, one relies entirely on the direction of guiding and assisting herbs to move downward to upward, upward to downward, inside to outside, outside to inside, Yin to Yang, and Yang to Yin. Grasping the meaning behind various formulas achieves this understanding.
(The Heavenly Qi is the Root (Ben), and Yin-Yang are the Superficial aspects (Biao). One recognizes the Root through the Superficial, and the Superficial becomes diseased due to the Root. When Root and Superficial combine, they contend with each other. Thus, some treatments follow the Root, some follow the Superficial, and some follow both Root and Superficial. Some diseases reverse their Root and hit the Superficial aspect; treatments reverse the Root and target the Superficial aspect. Only Taiyang and Shaoyin follow both Root and Superficial; Shaoyang and Taiyin follow the Root; Yangming and Jueyin do not follow Root or Superficial but are treated according to the Middle (Zhong). The Middle is below the Superficial, representing the visible manifestation of the Middle. In the Three Yang channels, one should follow the Superficial and avoid the Root; in the Three Yin channels, one should avoid both Root and Superficial. The principles of Root and Superficial are difficult to explain fully.)