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In the spring of the Wuzi year, I traveled from Jingyi to Sun Village, to the home of Mr. Wang Dehui. His clansman's elder, Master Shaoyou's mother (Zuntang), was critically ill and invited me for consultation. Upon my arrival, she had already received treatment from other physicians.

Entering the room, I observed that the patient's complexion was pale as salt. Her pulse was wiry and forceful but lacked the "stomach qi" (the harmonious and gentle quality indicating healthy digestive function). I said, "This is a condition of collapse (a critical syndrome characterized by extreme deficiency of vital energy and impending separation of yin and yang). How did it reach this state?" Master Shaoyou explained the etiology: "My mother is nearly seventy years old, constitutionally weak and prone to worry. She has long suffered from Qi pain, finding slight relief with acrid-aromatic herbs. Last summer, she suffered from an eye disease; after ophthalmic treatment, she became blind. This spring, due to phlegm-cough, she took Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction), along with Zhi Qiao (Aurantium Fructus), Jie Geng (Platycodon Root), Xing Ren (Prunus Seed), and Su Zi (Perilla Fruit) for many days. The night before yesterday, she suddenly experienced palpitations, dizziness, and sweating, which have persisted since. She fears eating and is reluctant to speak." He presented the various prescriptions she had taken. After reviewing them, I said, "Pathogenic injury may still be treatable, but iatrogenic injury (harm caused by medication) is the most difficult to cure. The situation is now perilously close to crisis; even with swift horses chasing, we might not catch up. What shall we do?" Master Shaoyou earnestly requested a prescription. I proposed combining Liang Yi Jian (Two-Yi Decoction) with Sheng Mai San (Generate the Pulse Powder), prescribing three qian of Renshen (Ginseng Radix) and eight qian of Shu Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata) per dose. Master Shaoyou replied, "Because my mother suffers from Qi pain, she has never tolerated tonic formulas. Such heavy dosages might overwhelm her system. May I try a small test dose first?" I said, "That is acceptable. However, when a great house is shaking, a single piece of wood may hardly support it." Thus, I initially prescribed one qian of Renshen, three qian of Shu Di Huang, 1.5 qian of Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), and half a qian of Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus). I stayed at Mr. Wang's residence. The next morning, Master Shaoyou's son, Brother Minshan, came to say, "Last night, after taking your wonderful medicine, my grandmother slept peacefully for a while. The sweating stopped, dizziness resolved, she drank some thin porridge, and could speak slightly. Fortunately, there is improvement. We request another consultation." I said, "Go back and decoct two qian of Renshen and five qian of Shu Di Huang in advance for preparation." Upon examining her pulse and symptoms again, I found significant improvement. I maintained the original formula, then imitated the Fu Mai Tang (Restore the Pulse Decoction) from *Qian Jin Fang* to nourish Yin fluids, adding Fushen (Poria with Hostwood), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Muli (Concha Ostreae), Nvzhenzi (Ligustri Lucidi Fructus), and Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis). These herbs soften the Liver and nourish the Stomach. Gradually, she recovered.

Madam Shang, Master Shang's wife, had a constitution of deficiency and cold, often falling ill. In the previous spring, a physician was consulted, and warm-tonic medications were effective. This spring, due to her son's heart disease, she labored day and night in care. Wind-cold pathogens invaded the collaterals taking advantage of the deficiency. Initially unnoticed, this gradually led to soreness and pain in the neck and spine, preference for warmth and aversion to cold, and a desire for massage or rubbing. This persisted for over two months. Physicians used Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix), and Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) to dispel wind, and Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma), Sharen (Amomi Fructus Rotundus), and Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) to regulate Qi. Multiple administrations yielded no effect. In late summer, I arrived at Sun Village and was invited to consult. I stated, "This is a syndrome of wind-cold invading the collaterals. Initial pain resides in the meridians; chronic pain resides in the collaterals. Meridians govern Qi, while collaterals govern Blood. Examining the Du Meridian (Governor Vessel), it runs parallel within the spine, entering the brain at Fengfu (DU16). As stated in *Su Wen*: 'Pain is caused by excessive cold.' Cold causes stagnation and lack of flow; warmth dissipates and removes it. The general principle for treating wind is to first treat the blood; when blood flows, wind extinguishes itself. Therefore, one should prioritize nourishing blood as the sovereign herb, assisted by herbs that warm and unblock the collaterals. This cannot be treated merely by dispelling wind and regulating Qi." The prescription consisted of Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Gouqi (Lycii Fructus), Duzhong (Eucommiae Cortex), Bajitian (Morindae Officinalis Radix), Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata), Lu Jiao Jiao Shuang (Deer Antler Glue Frost), Gouji (Cibotii Rhizoma), Wujia Pi (Acanthopanacis Cortex), Qinjiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix), and Sangzhi (Mori Ramulus). After four doses, she was completely cured.

An Bo's commentary: This is an internal wind syndrome. Naming it "wind-cold invading collaterals" seems inaccurate; otherwise, the previous physicians' wind-dispelling treatments would have been effective.