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On Treating Diseases with Paired Herbs (Ou Zhi)

The Heavenly Master said: "Ou Zhi" (Paired Treatment) refers to the situation where a single herb cannot achieve efficacy, necessitating the use of two herbs in combination for treatment. For example: treating hematemesis (vomiting blood) with Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) and Huang Qi (Astragali Radix); treating cold invasion with Fu Zi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) and Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma); treating heat invasion with Xuan Shen (Scrophulariae Radix) and Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Radix). Hematemesis inevitably leads to Blood deficiency; using only Dang Gui to tonify Blood should suffice. Why add Huang Qi? Because Blood is a tangible substance that cannot be generated rapidly; it must rely on robust Qi to generate Blood. Therefore, Huang Qi must be used to tonify Qi. In cases of Cold invasion, Yin-Cold presses severely, and Yang Qi floats outward. Using Fu Zi alone is sufficient to dispel Cold. Why must Ren Shen be added? Because if Yuan Yang (Primordial Yang) fails to return and gather, the thread-like Qi exists in a state between being and non-being. If Qi is not urgently tonified, Yuan Yang will depart and fail to return. Thus, Ren Shen must be concurrently used to salvage Qi at the critical moment of life and death. In cases of Heat invasion, Fire Qi pervades the Upper Jiao. Without fire-descending herbs, how can one extinguish the burning disaster? It seems sufficient to use Xuan Shen alone to subdue floating Fire. Why add Mai Dong? Because when Stomach Fire boils vigorously, Lung Metal naturally becomes dry. The Stomach is too busy saving itself to provide fluids to moisten Lung Metal. Therefore, Mai Dong must be used to moisten it. This allows the Lung to nourish itself without relying on the Stomach Earth's provisions, enabling the Stomach Earth to sustain itself, and the Fire will naturally subside. These are all the subtle methods of Ou Zhi. Who can know their profundity?

By understanding three formulas, one can comprehend the rest. Whether using three, four, or even more than ten herbs, one can broadly grasp the principles of paired formulas.

On Eye Pain, Headache, Hand Pain, and Foot Pain

The Heavenly Master said: "Xing Zhi" (Form-Based Treatment) refers to treating diseases based on the tangible forms of the limbs, head, and face. For instance, if eye pain is observed, treat the eyes; if headache is observed, treat the head; if hand pain is observed, treat the hands; if foot pain is observed, treat the feet. Since the disease manifests in visible forms, why seek causes in the intangible? This is what requires careful examination in Form-Based Treatment. By examining which meridian is affected and using herbs corresponding to that meridian, efficacy will naturally follow. For example, numbness in the hands is caused by Qi deficiency allowing Wind-Dampness to invade. One must use herbs entering the Hand meridians to guide the medication into the hands, combined with Wind-dispelling and Dampness-resolving herbs, to be effective. Otherwise, it is of little benefit. If one abandons the tangible external symptoms to pursue intangible internal causes, it is no wonder the medicine does not enter the pathogenic site. The formula uses Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) 5 qian, Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) 5 fen, Huang Qi 5 qian, Ren Shen 2 qian, Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) 5 fen, Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) 1 qian, and Gui Zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus) 5 fen. Decoct in water and take orally. (Comment: Zhu Feng Tang / Wind-Expelling Decoction.) In this formula, Huang Qi, Ren Shen, and Bai Zhu are all Qi-tonifying and Dampness-resolving herbs. Fang Feng is a Wind-dispelling agent, but it requires Gui Zhi to enter the Hand meridians. Once the meridians are cleared, efficacy will naturally occur. From one example, others can be inferred; I hope people examine this carefully.

Master Zhang said: The Heavenly Master was too brief; let me supplement a point or two. Foot pain is the most common yet most difficult to treat. The foot is the lowest part of the body; once Water-Dampness invades, it stagnates and refuses to leave. One must lift the Qi so that the Water-Dampness can dissipate. Nowadays, people often use Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria) to treat Dampness, which is correct, but it ultimately cannot ascend to completely eliminate the Dampness. I have established a formula that can generally treat Dampness invading the feet. The formula uses Ren Shen and Bai Zhu, each 3 qian, Huang Qi 1 liang, Fang Feng 1 qian, Rou Gui (Cinnamomi Cortex) 1 qian, Yi Yi Ren (Coicis Semen) 5 qian, Qian Shi (Euryales Semen) 5 qian, Chen Pi 5 fen, Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) 1 qian, Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba) 5 qian, and Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) 2 qian. Decoct in water and take orally. (Comment: Sheng Qi Qu Shi Tang / Qi-Lifting and Dampness-Removing Decoction.) This formula is a divine agent for removing Dampness. Fang Feng used within Huang Qi is already sufficient to lift Qi and remove Dampness; adding Chai Hu to assist in soothing the Qi makes the Qi rise further. When Qi rises, Water follows into the Spleen. The formula also contains Bai Zhu, Qian Shi, and Yi Yi Ren, all holy medicines for removing Water and Dampness. How could it fail to produce immediate results like an echo? For any Dampness disease, fortunately, this formula can be used.

Redness and swelling of the eyes are caused by Wind-Fire invading the Liver and Gallbladder, combined with unresolved Dampness. At the initial stage, one should immediately use herbs to soothe the Liver and Gallbladder, combined with Dampness-resolving and Fire-scattering agents, achieving success effortlessly. Unfortunately, people only know how to scatter pathogens but do not understand combined treatment methods, leading to congestion and slow efficacy. With slight negligence or during illness, if one indulges in sexual activity to relieve depression, remains attached to sensual pleasures, or is exposed to Wind-Cold, the condition may transform into rotting eyes with tearing, or in severe cases, pterygium (fleshy growth over the cornea). I have now fixed a formula: taken continuously for two doses within the first three to five days of onset, it will cure immediately. The formula uses Chai Hu 3 qian, Bai Shao 3 qian, Bai Ji Li (Tribuli Fructus) 3 qian, Gan Ju Hua (Chrysanthemi Flos) 2 qian, Ban Xia 3 qian, Bai Zhu 5 qian, Jing Jie (Schizonepetae Spica) 1 qian, Gan Cao 1 qian, and Cao Jue Ming (Cassiae Semen) 1 qian. Decoct in water and take orally. (Comment: Qing Mu San / Eye-Clearing Powder.) One dose alleviates, two doses cure. Add Zhi Zi (Gardeniae Fructus) 3 qian if there is Heat; do not add if there is no Heat. The subtlety of this formula lies in simultaneously treating Fire, Wind, and Dampness, assisted by herbs targeting the eyes. Thus, upon ingestion, the eyes heal immediately. Other form-based treatments can be inferred from this.