气温。味辛。无毒。主小儿气胀。霍乱呕逆。腹冷不下食。两肋痞满。
小茴气温。禀天春升之木气。入足厥阴肝经。味辛无毒。得地西方之金味。入手太阴肺经。
气味俱升。阳也。小儿皆肝气有余。肝滞则气胀。小茴辛温益肝。兼通三焦之真气。所以主
胀也。肺为百脉之宗。司清浊之运化。肺寒则清浊乱于胸中。挥霍变乱而呕逆矣。小茴辛入
肺。温散寒。故主霍乱呕逆也。腹属太阴脾经。冷则火不生土。不能化腐水谷。而食不下矣
。小茴辛温益肺。肺亦太阴。芳香温暖。而脾亦暖。食自下也。肋属厥阴肝经。痞满者。肝
寒而气滞也。小茴辛可散痞。温可祛寒。所以主两肋痞满也。
制 方:
小茴同生地、北味、白芍、甘草、归身、山药。治膈症。同山药、白芍、甘草、白茯、
焦米
。治食不下。同磁石、白芍、木瓜。治气胀。同荔枝核。治疝。
气温。味苦。无毒。主咳逆伤中。补不足。除邪气。利九窍。益智慧。耳目聪明不
忘。强志。倍力。久服轻身不老。（去心甘草汤浸晒干用）
远志气温。禀天春和之木气。入足厥阴肝经。味苦无毒。得地南方之火味。入手少阴心
经。
气温味苦。入手厥阴心包络。气升味降。阳也。中者脾胃也。伤中。脾胃阳气伤也。远志味
苦
下气。气温益阳。气下则咳逆除。阳益则伤中愈也。补不足者。温苦之品。能补心肝二经之
阳不足也。除邪气者。苦温之气味。能除心肝包络三经郁结之邪气也。气温益阳。阳主开发
。故利九窍。九窍者。耳目鼻各二。口大小便各一也。味苦清心。心气光明。故益智慧。心
为君主。神明出焉。天君明朗。则五官皆慧。故耳目聪明不忘也。心之所之谓之志。心灵所
以
志强。肝者敢也。远志畅肝。肝强故力倍。久服轻身不老者。心安则坎离交济。十二官皆安
。阳平阴秘。血旺气充也。
制 方:
远志同茯神、人参、生地、枣仁、丹砂。镇心定惊。同木香、归身、枣仁、人参、白术、
茯
神、甘草、圆肉。名归脾汤。治脾虚健忘。同人参、枣仁、柏仁、麦冬、五味、归身、茯神
、茯苓、益智、生地、甘草、沉香。治心虚神不守舍。专酒煎。治郁症痈疽。
[Xiao Hui Xiang / Fennel]
The thermal nature is warm. The flavor is pungent. It is non-toxic. It mainly treats abdominal distension due to Qi stagnation in children, vomiting and regurgitation caused by Huoluan (colic with vomiting and diarrhea), inability to eat due to cold abdomen, and fullness and stuffiness in the hypochondrium.
Xiao Hui Xiang has a warm thermal nature and pungent flavor. It inherits the Wood Qi of spring rising from heaven, entering the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its pungent flavor and non-toxic nature correspond to the Metal flavor of the West from earth, entering the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian.
Both its aroma and flavor ascend, belonging to Yang. Children typically have excess Liver Qi; when Liver Qi stagnates, it leads to abdominal distension. Xiao Hui Xiang, being pungent and warm, benefits the Liver and unblocks the True Qi of the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), thus treating distension. The Lung is the master of all vessels and regulates the transformation and transportation of clear and turbid Qi. When the Lung is cold, clear and turbid Qi become chaotic in the chest, causing violent disorder leading to vomiting and regurgitation. Xiao Hui Xiang enters the Lung via its pungency, and its warmth disperses cold, thus treating Huoluan and vomiting. The abdomen belongs to the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian; coldness prevents Fire from generating Earth, failing to rot and ripen food and water, resulting in food not going down. Xiao Hui Xiang’s pungent and warm nature benefits Lung Qi; since the Lung also belongs to Taiyin, its aromatic warmth warms the Spleen, allowing food to descend naturally. The ribs belong to the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian; fullness and stuffiness result from Liver cold causing Qi stagnation. Xiao Hui Xiang’s pungency can dissipate stuffiness, and its warmth can dispel cold, thus treating hypochondriac fullness.
Prescription Formulation:
Combine Xiao Hui Xiang with Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix), Bei Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus), Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), Gui Shen (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), and Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) to treat Ge Zheng (dysphagia/chest obstruction). Combine with Shan Yao, Bai Shao, Gan Cao, Bai Fu Ling (Poria), and Jiao Mi (Fried Rice) to treat inability to swallow food. Combine with Ci Shi (Magnetitum), Bai Shao, and Mu Gua (Chaenomelis Fructus) to treat Qi distension. Combine with Li Zhi He (Litchi Seed) to treat Shan Qi (hernia).
[Yuan Zhi / Polygalae Radix]
The thermal nature is warm. The flavor is bitter. It is non-toxic. It mainly treats cough and regurgitation damaging the Middle Jiao, tonifies deficiencies, eliminates pathogenic factors, unblocks the nine orifices, enhances wisdom, makes ears and eyes sharp with good memory, strengthens willpower, doubles physical strength, and with long-term use, lightens the body and delays aging. (Remove the heart, soak in Gan Cao Decoction, then dry in the sun.)
Yuan Zhi has a warm thermal nature, inheriting the mild Wood Qi of spring from heaven, entering the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its bitter flavor and non-toxic nature correspond to the Fire flavor of the South from earth, entering the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian.
Warm thermal nature and bitter flavor enter the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian. Aroma ascends, flavor descends, overall belonging to Yang. The "Middle" refers to the Spleen and Stomach. "Damaging the Middle" refers to injury of Spleen and Stomach Yang Qi. Yuan Zhi’s bitter flavor directs Qi downward, while its warm nature tonifies Yang. Downward-moving Qi eliminates cough and regurgitation; tonified Yang heals damage to the Middle. "Tonifying deficiency" refers to bitter-warm substances tonifying the insufficient Yang of the Heart and Liver meridians. "Eliminating pathogenic factors" refers to bitter-warm aromas/flavors eliminating stagnant pathogenic factors in the Heart, Liver, and Pericardium meridians. Warm nature tonifies Yang; Yang governs development and opening, thus unblocking the nine orifices. The nine orifices are two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, plus urination and defecation. Bitter flavor clears the Heart; bright Heart Qi enhances wisdom. The Heart is the Sovereign, from which Spirit emerges. A clear Sovereign brings wisdom to all organs, making ears and eyes sharp and memory strong. What the Heart directs is called Will (Zhi); a clear Heart strengthens Will. The Liver governs courage; Yuan Zhi unblocks the Liver, strengthening Liver Qi and doubling strength. Long-term use lightens the body and delays aging because a calm Heart allows Kan (Water/Kidney) and Li (Fire/Heart) to interact, calming the twelve officials. With balanced Yang and secured Yin, blood is abundant and Qi is充盈 (full).
Prescription Formulation:
Combine Yuan Zhi with Fu Shen (Poria with Hostwood), Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix), Sheng Di Huang, Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen), and Dan Sha (Cinnabar) to calm the Heart and settle fright. Combine with Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix), Gui Shen, Suan Zao Ren, Ren Shen, Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Fu Shen, Gan Cao, and Yuan Rou (Longan Aril), named Guipi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction), to treat Spleen deficiency and forgetfulness. Combine with Ren Shen, Suan Zao Ren, Bai Ren (Biota Seed), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus), Gui Shen, Fu Shen, Fu Ling (Poria), Yi Zhi Ren (Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus), Sheng Di Huang, Gan Cao, and Chen Xiang (Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum) to treat Heart deficiency with Spirit not residing in its house. Decoct specifically in wine to treat Yu Zheng (depression/stagnation) and Yong Ju (carbuncles and sores).