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Myrobalan (Myrobalanus chebula), also known as Wu Shi Zi. It tastes bitter, has a warm temperature, and is non-toxic. One must strictly avoid contact with copper or iron vessels. It enters the bones and the Kidney channel. It benefits blood generation and essence production, calms the Spirit (Shen) and harmonizes Qi, and can be used to dye hair black. It treats ulcers where flesh fails to regenerate after rupture, and primarily addresses abdominal coldness with uncontrolled diarrhea/loose stools. Using it to treat deficiency-cold of bone and flesh yields remarkable results. Therefore, it is indispensable in treating dental diseases. Its other efficacies are also widely praised; since it offers benefit without harm, there is no objection to long-term consumption.

Someone asked: Does Myrobalan have male and female distinctions? The answer is: This is a fabrication by busybodies, similar to calling small cloves "male" and large cloves "female." In reality, their functions are identical; why add unnecessary nomenclature?

Cinnamon Bark (Rou Gui), tastes pungent, sweet, fragrant, and spicy. Its nature is greatly hot, heavy/sinking, belonging to Yin within Yang, and has slight toxicity. There are several varieties of Cinnamon Bark; those rolled into tubes are first-rate, while flat ones are second-rate, both are usable. It enters the Kidney, Spleen, Bladder, Pericardium, and Liver channels. It nourishes the Spirit, harmonizes complexion, stimulates Yang and promotes longevity, strengthens bone joints, unblocks blood vessels, treats deficiency-cold of the Lower Jiao, manages autumn/winter abdominal pain, diarrhea, and Ben Tun (running piglet syndrome), promotes urination, warms tendons and viscera, breaks blood stasis and unblocks menses, regulates the Middle Jiao and benefits Qi, solidifies Defensive Qi (Wei Qi) and protects Nutritive Qi (Ying Qi), and settles vomiting, reflux, and pain. These are the functions of Cinnamon Bark. Modern people know to use it, but its subtlety goes beyond this. Its true subtlety lies in guiding the "Dragon-Lei Fire" (deficient fire arising from the Kidney) downward to settle in the Kidneys. The human body originally possesses two fires: one is Ministerial Fire (Jun Huo), and the other is Assistant Fire (Xiang Huo). Ministerial Fire is Heart Fire; Assistant Fire is Kidney Fire. When Ministerial Fire is vigorous, Assistant Fire settles downward in the Kidneys; when Ministerial Fire declines, Assistant Fire ascends to reside in the Heart. To make the ascending Assistant Fire return to settle in the Kidneys, one might think it appropriate to tonify Ministerial Fire. However, the decline of Ministerial Fire is not due to the Heart itself, but rather due to the Kidneys. When Kidney Qi connects with the Heart, Ministerial Fire becomes vigorous; when Kidney Qi separates from the Heart, Ministerial Fire declines. Thus, to tonify Heart Fire, one must still tonify Kidney Fire. Once the fire within the Kidneys is vigorous, then Dragon-Lei Fire boils. If one does not supplement Water to control Fire, but instead supplements Fire to assist Fire, is this not problematic? One must realize that Kidney Water cannot generate without Assistant Fire, and Kidney Fire cannot guide without Assistant Fire. Solid heat can be purged, but deficient heat cannot. Therefore, when Dragon-Lei Fire boils, apart from Cinnamon Bark, what else can guide it to the extreme Yin depths? It is like spring and summer: underground is cold, so Dragon-Lei Fire emerges from the sky; autumn and winter: underground is warm, so Dragon-Lei Fire hides in the earth. Why should the human body be different? If the Lower Jiao is hot, the Upper Jiao naturally becomes cold; if the Lower Jiao is cold, the Upper Jiao naturally becomes hot. This is an inevitable principle. If I wish to transform Upper Jiao heat into coolness, I must make Lower Jiao cold become warm again. Using the great heat of Cinnamon Bark to warm the Gate of Vitality (Ming Men), the yin-cold within the Kidneys will naturally dissipate. Using fire to attract fire, Dragon-Lei Fire collects in an instant, producing a miraculous effect unknowingly. Thus, the Heart Palace becomes tranquil, and the fiery dwelling suddenly transforms into a heaven of cool breezes. However, the subtlety of Cinnamon Bark does not stop here; its greater subtlety lies in guiding Dragon-Lei Fire upward to connect with the Heart Palace. The Heart and Kidney are inseparable. When Kidney Qi connects with the Heart, daytime is peaceful; when Heart Qi connects with the Kidney, nighttime is comfortable. If the Kidney separates from the Heart, it is difficult to sleep well in the morning; if the Heart separates from the Kidney, one cannot achieve deep sleep at night. The Heart contains fluids that desire connection with the Kidney, and the Kidney contains essence that desires connection with the Heart, yet they often fail to connect. Why? Because of the flaming up of Ministerial Fire and the submergence of Assistant Fire. Observe midsummer: Heaven does not connect with Earth, so Heaven is hot; observe deep winter: Earth does not connect with Heaven, so Heaven is cold. Why should the human body be different? If Ministerial Fire can transform heat into cold, the Heart naturally assists the Kidney; if Assistant Fire can transform cold into heat, the Kidney naturally assists the Heart. This is also an inevitable principle. If I wish for Heart Qi to descend to the Kidney to calm dreams and soul, I must first make Kidney Qi ascend to the Heart to ensure peaceful waking and sleeping. Adding Cinnamon Bark to Scutellaria (Huang Qin/Huang Lian context implies clearing heat), the flaming fire ceases to flame, and the submerged fire ceases to submerge. Essence from the Kidneys naturally ascends to the Heart Palace, and fluids from the Heart naturally descend to the Kidneys. Using fire to assist water, Dragon-Lei Fire connects in an instant, producing another miraculous effect unknowingly. Thus, the Heart Monarch is joyful, and the dry chamber suddenly transforms into the Kingdom of Huaxu (a utopia). Such is the subtlety of Cinnamon Bark; other functions can be deduced from this principle.

Someone asked: Does Cinnamon Bark cause abortion? The answer is: Yes. Question: If yes, why did ancients occasionally use it before delivery without causing miscarriage? Answer: Cinnamon Bark causes abortion when used alone as the chief ingredient, assisted by herbs that induce abortion and move blood, thus acting very quickly. If Cinnamon Bark is used as an assistant or envoy herb within formulas tonifying Qi and Blood, how could it cause abortion? The prohibition of Cinnamon Bark during pregnancy is due to fear that it aids the heat of fetal Qi, potentially leading to excess fire syndromes in the newborn, not because it causes abortion per se.

Someone asked: Cinnamon Bark warms and tonifies the Gate of Vitality, making it a Kidney channel herb. Yet scholars say it connects upward to the Heart. Is it not also a Heart channel herb? Cinnamon Bark is not a Heart channel herb. If not a Heart herb, how does it connect to the Heart Palace? Know that the exterior of the Heart is the Chest Center (Dan Zhong). Dan Zhong is the minister of the Heart Monarch. The Heart is Ministerial Fire, while Dan Zhong is Assistant Fire. Assistant Fire cannot arise without Ministerial Fire. Cinnamon Bark is a herb that tonifies Assistant Fire. Assistant Fire acts on behalf of the Monarch to govern; Cinnamon Bark reaches Dan Zhong to benefit Assistant Fire, and Dan Zhong then acts on behalf of Cinnamon Bark to connect to the Heart. This is why Cinnamon Bark can connect to the Heart, not because Cinnamon Bark itself reaches the Heart.

Some doubt whether using Cinnamon Bark in Liu Wei Tang (Six-Ingredient Decoction) to create Qi Wei Tang (Seven-Ingredient Decoction), which is formed by removing Fu Zi (Aconite) in later generations, serves as a valid model. The answer is: Using Cinnamon Bark in Liu Wei Tang is acceptable for temporary use, but not for long-term use. Cinnamon Bark warms the fire of the Gate of Vitality and guides Dragon-Lei Fire downward to subside. Temporary use guides the thunder-fire down to the Kidneys. However, if used long-term in pills, the potency is weak and insufficient to warm the Gate of Vitality, leaving the fire prone to galloping. Therefore, it must be used together with Fu Zi in pills. Consumed over a long period, fire generates and water increases; as water increases, fire settles, and Dragon-Lei Fire remains hidden forever, avoiding sudden erratic movement.

Some doubt that adding Mai Dong (Ophiopogon) and Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra) to supplement Lung Qi in the presence of Cinnamon Bark (which tonifies fire) would lead to excessive tonification of Water, questioning its validity. Alas! Adding these three ingredients to Liu Wei Di Huang Wan makes it even more miraculous, named Jiu Wei Di Huang Wan (Nine-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill). Specifically, adding Rou Gui and Wu Wei Zi to Liu Wei Di Huang Wan creates Du Qi Wan, which is not Zhang Zhongjing's original formula. Removing Fu Zi and adding Bei Wu Wei Zi holds profound meaning, which I shall now elaborate. Du Qi Wan uses Rou Gui and Bei Wu Wei Zi because the sour astringency of Wu Wei Zi assists Rou Gui in consolidating deficient fire. Within Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, Rou Gui only guides fire back to its source but does not generate fire to benefit the Kidney. With the aid of Bei Wu Wei Zi, Dragon-Lei Fire is restrained and dares not soar into the skies. Moreover, Wu Wei Zi itself benefits essence, ensuring sufficient Water. Since Rou Gui neither needs to guide fire nor risks lifting it, once entering the Kidney, it inevitably generates fire. This is the miracle of Du Qi Wan. Jiu Wei Di Huang Wan is further derived from Du Qi Wan. Mai Dong tonifies Lung Metal Qi. Used with Wu Wei Zi in Qi Wei Di Huang Wan, Wu Wei Zi circulates between Lung and Kidney, assisting Mai Dong to generate Water and assisting Rou Gui to subdue Fire. Upper and lower mutually support each other. This represents the ultimate skill in varying the Di Huang Wan formulas. Do not dismiss it as non-Zhang Zhongjing's original.

Some wonder why Cinnamon Bark must be used with Fu Zi in Ba Wei Di Huang Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill), and why substitutes like Po Gu Zhi (Cibotium) or Chen Xiang (Aquilaria) are unsuitable. The answer is: Cinnamon Bark can succeed without Fu Zi, but Fu Zi cannot function without Cinnamon Bark. Fu Zi's nature is moving and unretaining; Cinnamon Bark's nature is retaining and unmoving. Although Fu Zi is swift and fierce, becoming gentle within Yin herbs can balance rigidity, it tends to fly upward erratically. Without kindred spirits to bond with, it may ascend to the Upper Jiao. Cinnamon Bark's steadfast retention at the Gate of Vitality keeps Fu Zi grounded, preventing erratic movement. This is the subtle reason Zhang Zhongjing included Cinnamon Bark with Fu Zi in Ba Wei Wan. Herbs like Po Gu Zhi and Chen Xiang, though similar in nature to Fu Zi, may be too sinking or slightly floating, lacking the perfect balance of Cinnamon Bark.

Some suspect that while your exposition of Cinnamon Bark in Ba Wei Wan is thorough, its role in Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill from the Golden Cabinet) remains unclear. Is it the same as Ba Wei Wan? In Ba Wei Wan, Cinnamon Bark tonifies fire to strengthen the Spleen. In Shen Qi Wan, it tonifies fire to unblock the Bladder. Although Shen Qi Wan uses large amounts of Fu Ling (Poria) to promote urination, Bladder Qi requires Cinnamon Bark to easily unblock. Fu Ling gains warmth from Cinnamon Bark, facilitating water transformation. While Fu Zi in the pill allows Kidney Fire to reach the Bladder, Fu Zi moves everywhere and lacks the meridian-guiding property of Cinnamon Bark to specifically target the Bladder for diuresis. Thus, the rationale for Cinnamon Bark in Shen Qi Wan is distinct.

Some ask why, if Cinnamon Bark in Du Qi Wan promotes urination, practitioners choose Shen Qi Wan over Du Qi Wan for treating water disorders. Cinnamon Bark enters the Bladder to promote urination but cannot exit the Bladder to drain water. In Du Qi Wan, Shu Di Huang is the chief herb and Fu Ling is the assistant; tonification outweighs draining. In Shen Qi Wan, Fu Ling is the chief herb and Shu Di Huang is the assistant/envoy; draining outweighs tonification. Tonification preceding draining means Cinnamon Bark assists Shu Di Huang to replenish Water; draining is not seen as damaging. Draining preceding tonification means Cinnamon Bark assists Fu Ling to drain Water; draining is seen as beneficial. Therefore, for treating water disorders, Shen Qi Wan is used, not Du Qi Wan.

Someone asks: Li Dongyuan achieved miraculous results treating bladder obstruction using Huang Bo (Phellodendron) and Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena) with Cinnamon Bark. Did predecessors use Huang Bo and Zhi Mu? Can we not blame Zhu Danxi? Answer: For bladder heat accumulation causing urinary obstruction, using Huang Bo and Zhi Mu supplemented with Cinnamon Bark is a rescue measure for immediate relief, demonstrating Li Dongyuan's brilliance. However, indiscriminately using Zhi Mu and Huang Bo while omitting Cinnamon Bark, regardless of heat presence, prevents bladder water flow and fails to tonify the Kidney. Humans are born of Fire and die of Cold. Without Gate of Vitality Fire, bladder water freezes and cannot transform. Adding cold-natured Huang Bo and Zhi Mu exacerbates ice-like stiffness, making even a drop of urine impossible, leading to abdominal pain and death. The treatment uses 5 qian of Cinnamon Bark and 1 liang of Fu Ling, taken hot. Abdominal pain vanishes upon swallowing, and urination follows shortly. Why? Extreme bladder cold meets Cinnamon Bark's heat, akin to severe cold meeting yang warmth. Streams and ditches fill with harmonious energy, melting snow and ice.

Someone asks: Cinnamon Bark is hot and retaining. It guides fire to the Gate of Vitality. After it returns, can it be used long-term? Answer: Although Cinnamon Bark is retaining, tonifying fire prevents the flame from rising. However, excessive tonification leads to excessive fire and risk of burning. Generally, if fire declines, add fuel; if fire surges, remove fuel. One must not assume that because Cinnamon Bark is retaining, it only tonifies fire without knowing how to reduce fire.