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On Sitting for Long Periods and Lying Down for Long Periods

The Heavenly Master said: "Labor treatment" (Lao Zhi) refers to making the patient's body undergo physical exertion before administering treatment. For instance, if a person sits for a long time, blood circulation stagnates and tendons become lax; if they lie down for a long time, muscles atrophy and bones shrink. It is necessary to make them walk along paths and climb up ridges, and only then follow up with herbal medicine. The prescription consists of Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 1 liang, Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) 3 qian, Huang Qi (Radix Astragali Membranacei) 1 liang, Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis) 1 qian, Chen Pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae) 5 fen, Fang Feng (Radix Saposhnikoviae) 5 fen, and Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae Ternatae) 1 qian, decocted in water and taken orally. This prescription is originally derived from Bu Xue Tang (Blood-Nourishing Decoction). Generally speaking, people who sit or lie for long periods have very stagnant blood. If one merely tonifies blood, there will be an excess of blood but a deficiency of Qi, leading to a state where blood surpasses Qi. It seems appropriate to urgently tonify Qi with Qi-tonifying herbs. Why, then, does this prescription still use blood-nourishing herbs? The reason is that Qi generation must be rooted in Blood nourishment. By driving them to run and climb first, and then following up with blood-nourishing herbs, when Qi becomes deficient due to panting, Blood becomes relatively excessive. At this point, adding blood-nourishing herbs allows Blood to appreciate the weakness of Qi and pity its scarcity. Thus, Blood uses its surplus to supplement the deficiency of Qi, achieving a harmony between Qi and Blood. Consequently, stagnation resolves, and atrophy reverses. This is the subtlety of "Labor treatment."

Master Zhang said: No additions are needed.

Lord Hua said: I have not transmitted this method either.

On Overexertion, On Treating Qi Fatigue, and On Treating Blood Fatigue

The Heavenly Master said: "Leisure treatment" (Yi Zhi) involves advising patients who are overexerted to rest peacefully, followed by the administration of decoctions or pills. When a person is overly fatigued, the pulse inevitably becomes floating, large, and irregular, feeling weak upon pressure. If they are not advised to rest and regulate their activities, they are liable to suffer from consumptive diseases such as hemoptysis. Therefore, "Leisure treatment" cannot be neglected. One may wander in mountains and rivers, practice quietude within one's residence, cultivate leisure through reading history and playing the zither, or find amusement in music and song. In this way, joy can be found everywhere, and life becomes a realm of happiness, naturally transforming the suffering of the mortal world into coolness and tranquility, and changing mental labor into leisurely ease. Subsequently, using nourishing prescriptions helps open the heart and facilitates digestion. The prescription consists of Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng) 3 liang, Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) 5 liang, Fu Ling (Poria) 3 liang, Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata) 5 liang, Shan Zhu Yu (Fructus Corni Officinalis) 4 liang, Sha Ren (Fructus Amomi Rotundus) 5 qian, Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 8 liang, Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) 5 liang, Huang Qi (Radix Astragali Membranacei) 5 liang, Mai Dong (Radix Ophiopogonis Japonici) 3 liang, Bei Wu Wei Zi (Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis) 2 liang, Chen Pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae) 5 qian, and Shen Qu (Massa Medicata Fermentata) 1 liang. These are ground into powder and formed into pills with honey. Take 5 qian morning and evening. This prescription is an excellent product for tonifying Qi, Blood, and Essence. It has the power to mediate and harmonize, allowing for long-term use to nourish the body without causing harm from imbalance. Among "Leisure treatment" prescriptions, this is the best; please pay attention to it.

Master Zhang said: Balancing work and rest appropriately, and having methods for prescriptions, I have no objections. Although I have my own prescriptions, they do not surpass those of the Heavenly Master, and your words are reasonable. I will transmit two more prescriptions: one for treating Qi fatigue and one for treating Blood fatigue. The prescription for Qi fatigue: Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng) 3 liang, Huang Qi (Radix Astragali Membranacei) 3 liang, Fu Ling (Poria) 4 liang, Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) 8 liang, Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) 3 liang, Chen Pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae) 1 liang, Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata) 8 qian, Mai Dong (Radix Ophiopogonis Japonici) 2 liang, Bei Wu Wei Zi (Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis) 1 liang, Yuan Zhi (Radix Polygalae Tenuifoliae) 1 liang, and Bai Jie Zi (Semen Sinapis Albae) 1 liang. These are ground into powder and formed into pills with honey. Take 5 qian in the morning. This is a Qi-tonifying prescription. It is most suitable for those who have injured their Qi and present with a larger right pulse. If the left pulse is larger than the right, it indicates injury to Blood. Another prescription is established separately: Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata) 8 liang, Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) 8 liang, Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 4 liang, Shan Zhu Yu (Fructus Corni Officinalis) 4 liang, Mai Dong (Radix Ophiopogonis Japonici) 3 liang, Wu Wei Zi (Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis) 1 liang, Yuan Zhi (Radix Polygalae Tenuifoliae) 1 liang, Sheng Zao Ren (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae) 1 liang, Fu Shen (Poria cum Radice) 3 liang, Sha Ren (Fructus Amomi Rotundus) 5 qian, Bai Jie Zi (Semen Sinapis Albae) 1 liang, Ju Hong (Exocarpium Citri Reticulatae Rubrum) 3 qian, and Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi) 5 qian. These are ground into powder and formed into pills with honey. Take 1 liang in the evening. This prescription specifically treats Blood deficiency. If the body feels hot at night, add Di Gu Pi (Cortex Lycii Chinensis) 5 liang and remove Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi). For those lacking Blood, it indeed produces miraculous effects. It can be recorded together for others to choose from.