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Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), sweet and pungent in flavor, warm in nature, ascending and yang in property, non-toxic. It is a herb of the Taiyang (Greater Yang) channel, and also circulates through the Spleen and Stomach channels. Ancient practitioners once classified it into upper, middle, and lower categories for treating diseases; however, its function in treating wind remains the same. It follows the guidance of accompanying herbs, reaching everywhere, effective in treating pain throughout the body, hemiplegic wind, dispersing dampness above and below, and eliminating fire from yin and yang. However, it scatters without consolidating, attacks without tonifying. It can be used temporarily in small doses to achieve success, but should not be used frequently over years as it may exacerbate deficiency.

Someone asked: Tongsheng San relies specifically on Fangfeng to scatter wind pathogens; can it be taken regularly? The answer is: Even temporary use of this formula is inadvisable, let alone regular use. This is because Fangfeng dissipates true qi. Even when used to scatter wind pathogens, it should not be relied upon exclusively.

Someone asked: When combined with Huangqi (Astragali Radix), Fangfeng no longer scatters pathogens but supports healthy qi, suggesting that Fangfeng can also tonify. Why did you say it only attacks and does not tonify? When Huangqi is combined with Fangfeng, its efficacy increases, but there is no record of Fangfeng becoming more miraculous when combined with Huangqi. Therefore, Fangfeng remains an attacking rather than tonifying herb, not one that both attacks and tonifies. Recently, people regard Fangfeng as a divine herb for scattering wind, using it indiscriminately for both exogenous and non-exogenous conditions, resulting in ineffective treatment.

Some suspect that the dosage was too low; increasing the dose would dissipate all true qi, which would be ridiculous. In fact, Fangfeng is suitable for use together with Huangqi during periods without wind, to prevent pathogenic wind from invading the skin and hair, not for use after wind pathogens have already entered. The ancients named substances with deep meaning, which can be understood by looking at the name.

Fangji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix), pungent and bitter in flavor, cold in nature, yin in property, non-toxic. It enters the Kidney to drive out dampness, eliminating damp-heat from the waist down to the feet, foot pain, and Hongjiaojiao (foot disease/gout), promoting urination, clearing accumulated heat in the Bladder, reducing abscesses and swelling, relieving convulsions due to wind-stroke, and treating wind-cold-dampness, malaria, and heat pathogens. It seems Fangji is a holy medicine for dispelling damp-heat and unblocking collaterals. However, its nature only descends and cannot ascend. For damp-heat in the Upper Jiao, it must absolutely not be used; doing so will severely deplete true qi, leading to critical danger. Commentators state that Fangji is a herb for the blood level of the Lower Jiao, capable of moving in the blood level but not the qi level. Even for damp-heat diseases in the Lower Jiao, it should be used only once and never again. The flavor and potency of Fangji are particularly fierce; a single dose instantly resolves damp-heat in the Kidney channel. The Kidney has functions of tonification but no purgation; excessive use purges the Kidney, so how can it be used repeatedly?

Someone asked: Bencao texts all state it enters the twelve channels, yet you only mention entering the Kidney. I cannot help but doubt. If Fangji truly enters the twelve channels, it should treat diseases of the head and eyes in the Upper Jiao, and the chest, diaphragm, and throat without exception. Why is it only seen to cure diseases below the waist? The waist down to the feet belongs precisely to the Kidney, which is clear evidence of its entry into the Kidney. Thus, the claim that it enters the twelve channels is a transmission error from predecessors. My statement that it enters the Kidney is based on solid evidence.

Someone asked: Fangji treats dampness in the Kidney, and Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata) treats wind in the Kidney; combining them, can they treat Kidney disease? This sounds good, but the harm is great. The Kidney has tonification but no purgation; even using a mild purgative is a method of last resort. Using both simultaneously will cause the Kidney to fail immediately. I raise this question to warn everyone.

Someone asked: Fangji promotes dampness removal not just in the Kidney, yet you insist it enters the Kidney, implying it only treats dampness in the waist and feet. However, below the waist and feet, not everything belongs to the Kidney; the navel corresponds to the waist, and tendons attach to the feet. The navel belongs to the Spleen, and tendons belong to the Liver. How can it all belong to the Kidney, and why must you say Fangji treats the Kidney but not the Liver and Spleen? Who would believe that? Therefore, if the Kidney is diseased, the navel and tendons are inevitably affected. Fangji treats dampness in the Kidney, and dampness in the navel and tendons is completely resolved; this does not mean it enters the Spleen and Liver as well. Fangji enters the Kidney, not the Liver or Spleen; why persist in doubt?