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(Earth Category) Regulate the Middle Jiao, Stop Bleeding, Dry Dampness
Fulonggan (Dragon's Liver Earth) (Specifically enters the Liver and Spleen meridians). It is the red earth from the center of a cooking stove. Because its color is crimson like the liver, it is named "Liver." Its taste is pungent, its nature is warm, and it is non-toxic. According to theory, Earth is the mother of all things. In the human viscera and bowels, the Spleen and Stomach correspond to Earth. Therefore, all things cannot grow without Earth, and the five viscera and six bowels of the body cannot be nourished without the Spleen and Stomach. Thus, Earth can tonify the human Spleen and Stomach. Fulonggan, having been subjected to fire for a long time, has transformed its sweet Earth flavor into a pungent one, and its harmonious Earth nature into warmth! Whenever the Qi in the Middle Jiao fails to circulate, both Qi and Blood will accumulate and cause harm; both blood stasis and water-dampness will spread and create disturbances. Medical texts state that cough with reverse flow of Qi, regurgitation, swelling, and umbilical sores can be treated because this substance possesses the ability to tonify Earth and dry dampness! Medical texts state that hematemesis, epistaxis, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, hematuria, spermatorrhea, and intestinal wind bleeding can be treated because excessive loss of blood inevitably damages the Qi of the Middle Jiao, and this mildly warming substance helps to harmonize the blood vessels. Abscesses and swellings can be resolved due to its intention of pungent dispersion and softening hardness. Ri Huazi noted its ability to facilitate childbirth and expel the placenta because it warms the Middle Jiao and, being heavy in texture, has a descending action. (The *Bojiu Fang* records using three qian mixed with water to treat a fetus dying in the womb.) In summary, these are all agents for regulating the Middle Jiao, stopping bleeding, and drying dampness. They should be ground into fine powder and processed by wet pulverization (water flying).

Medicinals include those that gently tonify and those that gently disperse. Tonification is used to benefit deficiency, while dispersal is used to eliminate excess. If deficiency is not severe but heavy-tonifying agents are administered, such tonification may cause harm. If excess is not severe but heavy-dispersing agents are administered, such dispersal is certainly harmful. For example, Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang) dispels cold, Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) dispels wind, Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cangzhu) dispels dampness, Bupleuri Radix et Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix (Shengge) dispels heat, Moslae Herba (Xiangru) dispels summerheat, and Linderae Radix (Wuyao) moves Qi; none of these are considered mild or balanced. However, there are situations where heavy agents cannot be used. For instance, when treating wind and dampness manifesting as scabies, tinea, and generalized bi-syndrome, only Xanthii Fructus (Cangerzi) is suitable. When symptoms manifest as pruritus and xiao-ke (wasting-thirst), only Bombyx Batryticatus (Can Sha) is suitable. When symptoms manifest as numbness and cold pain, only [Original Text Missing Character] is suitable. When symptoms manifest as cutaneous pruritus and edema, only Lemna Minoris Herba (Fuping) is suitable. When symptoms manifest as corneal opacity and gan-shi (flesh-eating ulcers), only Calamina (Luganshi) is suitable. All these can disperse wind and eliminate dampness. Similarly, when treating wind and heat, when symptoms manifest as corneal opacity obscuring vision, ulceration of the eyelid margins, and swollen eyelids, only Chrysanthemi Flos (Ganju), Prunus Armeniaca Seed (Ruiren), and Equiseti Herba (Muzei) are suitable. When symptoms manifest as steaming wind-heat and insecure Kidney Yin, only Nandinae Folium (Shinan Ye) is suitable. All these can extinguish wind and retreat heat. Furthermore, when treating cold and heat, when symptoms manifest as persistent cough, only Kadsurae Longipedunculati Fructus (Donghua) is suitable. When symptoms manifest as wind-pain of the head and face, only Nelumbinis Leaf (Heye) is suitable. When symptoms manifest as lung-heat phlegm-wheezing and unclear voice, only Aristolochiae Manshuriensis Radix (Madouling) is suitable. When symptoms manifest as cold-dryness lacking moisture, only Amethyst (Zishiying) and White Quartz (Baishiying) are suitable. When symptoms manifest as stagnant depression-heat in the Liver meridian, only Prunellae Spica (Xiakucao) is suitable. When symptoms manifest as foot-leg disease caused by wind-cold, damp-heat, only Acanthopanacis Cortex (Wujia Pi) is suitable. When symptoms manifest as wind-cold and phlegm-dampness, only Bombyx Batryticatus (Jiangcan) is suitable. All these can eliminate both cold and heat. Regarding the treatment of Qi stagnation, one should use Tangerine Peel (Chenpi) to diffuse Lung Qi and dry dampness, Green Tangerine Peel (Qingpi) to move Liver Qi when it is stagnant, Massae Fermentatae Medicatae (Shenqu) to treat indigestion caused by the six climatic factors, Arecae Semen (Binglang) and Arecae Pericarpium (Dafupi) to treat chest and abdominal fullness and distension, Bletillae Rhizoma (Baiji) to clear heat-toxicity and stop bleeding, Wild Chrysanthemum Flos (Yejuhua) to disperse fire-qi, treating carbuncles, toxic sores, furuncles, scrofula, and eye pain; and Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum (Qingmuxiang) to remove wind-dampness and evil-toxic qi accumulation. All these can dissipate various forms of Qi stagnation. Although these medicinals are light and mild, their application matches the pathology, ensuring efficacy. One must not disregard them as useless and fail to employ them!