Library

Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix), Qiang Huo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), Du Huo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix), Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Qian Hu (Peucedani Radix), Xiong (Chuanxiong Rhizome), Zhi Ke (Aurantii Fructus), Jie Geng (Platycodonis Radix), Fu Ling (Poria) (each 1 liang), Gan Cao (Licorice Root) (5 qian). For deficiency patterns, double the dosage of Ren Shen and remove Qiang Huo and Qian Hu; if wind-dampness is severe, add Jin Yin Hua (Lonicerae Flos), Lian Qiao (Forsythiae Fructus), Jing Jie (Schizonepetae Herba), Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix).

This formula is indicated for contracting seasonal epidemic pathogens, presenting with red eyes, headache, high fever, and aversion to cold.

The four qi of wind, cold, summer-heat, and dampness: when a person contracts any one of them, the aforementioned symptoms appear. If these four qi transmit into each other, it becomes an epidemic disease. The treatment principle should be to disperse via sweating to drive out the pathogen, and to cool to pacify the heat. Therefore, use Qiang Huo, Du Huo, Chai Hu, Qian Hu, Xiong, Zhi Ke, Fu Ling, and Jie Geng. However, if the pathogenic factor is excess while the healthy qi is deficient, although the herbs act outwardly, the qi within collapses due to middle jiao insufficiency. In mild cases, the pathogen partially exits but does not fully leave; in severe cases, it retreats inward leveraging the herb's momentum, resulting in unceasing fever. It is necessary to rely on the powerful tonifying effect of Ren Shen, slightly assisted by Gan Cao to stabilize the central jiao, so that the pathogen dares not contend and retreats. After taking one or two more doses, the healthy qi naturally fills up, and the root of the disease is expelled entirely. Thus, it is uniquely named "Ren Shen Bai Du" (Ginseng Defeating Toxin Decoction). Secular physicians claim there is no tonification method for Shang Han (Cold Damage); removing Ren Shen results in very few cures. For those suffering from epidemic eye diseases, epidemic qi, macules, and malignant sores following famines or wars, this formula is also suitable.

Qiang Huo, Du Huo, Chai Hu, Qian Hu, Xiong, Zhi Ke, Fu Ling, Gan Cao, Ren Shen, Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Cang Zhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Ze Xie (Alismatis Rhizoma), Fang Feng, Bo He (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba), Man Jing Zi (Vittariae Fructus).

Children who eat well but easily become hungry, have urine turbid like paste, experience frequent yet incomplete urination, and whose bodies are sometimes flabby and yellowish, commonly known as "Fei Gan" (Obesity-type Infantile Malnutrition), are treated with this formula.

Regarding the above symptoms, parents indulge the child, feeding them fruits, cakes, dried meats, sweet wines, and rich, greasy foods. This is because children have loose muscle textures, allowing cold and heat to invade; their true yuan (original qi) is weak, and diet consumes it. Parents, considering the child pure yang, do not clothe them sufficiently in late autumn; parents, considering the child weak, do not undress them sufficiently in midsummer. After breastfeeding, fearing hunger and weakness, they immediately feed them rice. After eating, perceiving fatigue, they forcibly hold them to sleep. Some mothers are lazy and negligent, wandering about without care, failing to guard against external fright (Ke Wu). Some mothers are poor and widowed, unable to shelter from wind and rain, let alone provide meat porridge. Worse still, stepmothers or legitimate mothers who have ceased bearing children may have affections and aversions somewhat aligned with human nature, but once a child is born, they subject them to hardships like stones and gravel, straining sinews and starving skin, which they consider their due. Any slight dissatisfaction leads to angry beatings, harsher than treating a thief. Fathers may be foolish, cowardly, or submissive like grandmothers or grandfathers, unable to speak up when involved. Others may be incompetent and licentious, pitying the child's talent and appearance, knowing the truth but unwilling to speak. Even if the father is fortunately clear-sighted, unless he opposes powerful figures, he may fear his wife's fierce jealousy, feeling anger but unable to speak. Furthermore, if the father is fortunately strict, he might be away trading for long periods or studying far away, unable to see or hear everything. The child, innocent and ignorant, cannot speak from the depths of their heart. When they gain a sense of shame, they harbor resentment and dare not speak. Thus, various bitternesses, external invasions and internal injuries, accumulate over time through negligence, brewing into Gan syndrome (infantile malnutrition). The treatment principle follows the classic: Clear yang emerges in the couli (interstices); use Xiong, Fang Feng, Bo He, Man Jing Zi, Chai Hu, Qian Hu, Qiang Huo, and Du Huo to disperse and ascend. Turbid yin exits through the lower orifices; use Ren Shen, Gan Cao, Er Shu (Bai Zhu and Cang Zhu), Ze Xie, Zhi Ke, and Fu Ling to carry and guide. After taking five or six doses with effectiveness, remove Qiang Huo, Cang Zhu, Zhi Ke, and Qian Hu, add Yu Jin (Curcumae Radix), Shi Jun Zi (Quisqualis Fructus), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), and Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), and take for ten-plus days, so that upper and lower, exterior and interior return to their proper positions and restore normalcy, entering the therapeutic scope. To say that only Chan Chu (Toad) and Lu Hui (Aloe) pills can treat this, is it a universal theory?

Poem says: Qiang Huo and Du Huo, Chai Hu and Qian Hu, Zhi Ke, Xiong, Fu Ling, Ren Shen, and Gan Cao are all present; Ze Xie, Bo He, Man Jing Zi, Fang Feng, Cang Zhu, and Bai Zhu, eliminate Fei Gan and wind-damp diseases completely; Bai Du San consists of the previous nine ingredients, the additions and subtractions in the formula require detailed deduction.