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A wealthy man in Changshu suffered from fanwei (regurgitation/vomiting of undigested food). He went to Ganlu Temple in Jingkou to hold a Shuilu Dharma Assembly and moored his boat at the shore. In a dream, a monk handed him a cup of decoction; after drinking it, he felt relieved in his chest. The next morning, upon entering the temple, he found that the monk in his dream was indeed there, and this monk often used this decoction to treat guests, hence naming it "Ganlu Yin" (Sweet Dew Decoction). The prescription uses 6 liang of dried malt sugar (Gan Tang) and 4 liang of fresh ginger. These two ingredients are pounded together into cakes, which can be baked or sun-dried. Add 2 liang of powdered roasted licorice root (Zhi Gan Cao) and a little salt, then take with hot water. I treated a minor official in Linting who recovered quickly after taking this; do not underestimate it. (From Ji Hong's *Danliao Fang* and *Bencao Gangmu*.)

Chan Master Zhou of Jinshan obtained the Zhengwei San (Stomach-Correcting Powder) from an extraordinary person. It uses one throat of a white water buffalo: remove the joints at both ends along with fascia, fat, and meat, then decoct until it resembles black donkey-hide gelatin (Ejiao) for storage. When needed, roast it freshly, soak it in one cup of rice vinegar, dry it over low fire, quench it in vinegar, and repeat roasting and quenching until the vinegar is exhausted. Grind into powder, store in thick paper. If stored during damp weather, dry it slightly over low fire before storing again. For this disease, take 1 qian each time, mixed with aged rice gruel before meals. Mild cases show immediate effect after one dose. Whenever fanwei occurs with vomiting of food, inability to keep down medicines, intestinal obstruction lasting three to five days, or even seven to eight days without bowel movement, death is inevitable. Using this formula cures eight or nine out of ten. Gentlemen should preserve this formula to save lives. (From *Puji Fang* and *Bencao Gangmu*.)

During the Tianshun reign, there was a man named Zhou Qifeng who mastered hundreds of skills and was obsessed with alchemical arts. After his death, a friend accidentally summoned a spirit medium (ji tong), and Zhou's spirit arrived, moving the writing tool rapidly. Within moments, hundreds of words were written, forming a long poem. The latter part reads: "Night wanes before Langyin Hall, I write the elixir formula hoping for peace. Old Man Juzhuang suffers from this ailment, his regurgitation disease stems from stomach cold. Loquat leaf and white cardamom, purple perilla seed used correctly; Lesser galangal and cassia twig in small amounts, magnolia bark and tangerine peel show their merit. Pinellia, betel nut, and red poria cocos, agarwood and cloves used lightly; white mustard seed and patchouli are holy remedies for vomiting, pestle-head rice bran sought with sincerity. Three slices of ginger and two dates, clearly stated to you; Ginseng acts as the envoy, take one dose before meals and sink [illness]." It seems Juzhuang suffered from this disease, and the formula was shown to him. However, since Juzhuang's identity is unknown, I did not record the poem in my writings. (From *Zhuzi Zhiguai*.)

Xue Lizhai treated a woman suffering from fanwei, with distension and fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, occasional difficulty in urination, intermittent pain, and astringent urine. He said, "This is liver fire hyperactivity combined with blood deficiency. One must clear liver fire, nourish liver blood, support spleen earth, and generate lung metal." Others considered Xue's advice pedantic and administered qi-regulating and phlegm-resolving agents instead. Consequently, previous symptoms worsened, and deficiency syndromes emerged. Then, modified Xiaoyao San (Modified Free and Easy Wanderer Powder) and modified Guipi Tang (Modified Spleen-Restoring Decoction) were used, resulting in recovery after one dose.

Another woman suffered from fanwei, vomiting large amounts of phlegm, cold hands and feet, and poor appetite. Xue said, "This is liver-spleen depression and anger, combined with decline of Mingmen fire." The patient did not believe this, took other phlegm-resolving and qi-regulating agents, leading to increased abdominal distension. She then took harsh purgatives. Xue said, "This is not the correct treatment; she will surely develop edema due to spleen deficiency." Urgently administer Modified Shenqi Wan from *Jinkui Yaolue*, and there may be hope. Still disbelieving, she took Chenxiang Huqi pills instead, and indeed developed edema and died.

Wang Shishan treated Li Yizhi, nearly forty years old, suffering from reverse eating (fan shi). His pulse and condition were similar to two neighbors. Wang said, "These two are overly eager for fame and profit; only those with broad minds can be cured." Thus, Bazhen Tang (Eight-Treasure Decoction) minus rehmannia root (Di Huang), plus patchouli herb (Huo Xiang) ground into powder, taken with honey and Chinese chive juice, resulted in recovery. The two neighbors died a year later.

Zhang Luyu treated the son of Tang Bogan, thirty years old, suffering from vomiting for years. About half an hour after each meal, he vomited the original food, completely unfermented. Bowel movements occurred every two to three days, remaining unhardened. Thirsty but without desire to drink, urine varied between white and yellow. Repeated use of Liujunzi Tang (Six-Gentlemen Decoction), Fuzi Lizhong Tang (Aconite Middle-Warming Decoction), and Liuwei Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) had no effect, and his condition became critical daily. Pulse diagnosis revealed string-taut, fine, and deep pulses at both chi positions, and choppy, large pulses at both cun positions. This indicated severe deficiency of true yang in the kidney, failing to warm and nourish spleen earth. Therefore, Cui Shi Bawei Wan (Cui Shi Eight-Ingredient Pill) was given. Some argued that since he had already taken aconite and six-ingredient pill, the eight-ingredient pill might also fail. Zhang said, "Incorrect. This syndrome belongs to kidney deficiency. Previously using ginger, aconite, and atrylactylates attacked kidney water, consuming true yin. Although Liuwei Wan is said to tonify the kidney, its yin-nourishing herbs are stagnant; without yang, yin cannot be generated. One must supplement fire within water, which is the proper method." He recovered before finishing one course.

Zhang Sanxi said: "To treat fanwei, take a large bowl of fresh water, reserve half. Slowly drizzle sesame oil into the remaining half bowl, spreading it over the surface. Then gently place one packet of Yi Yuan San (Benefit Origin Powder) on top of the oil layer. Soon, it will naturally sink to the bottom, demonstrating the principle of yin-yang ascent and descent. (The formula is flexible and effective for excess syndromes.) However, sesame oil easily induces vomiting, so users must be cautious. Stir evenly with a spoon and ingest. Use the reserved half bowl of water to rinse the medicine bowl and mouth thoroughly. Once vomiting stops, administer Danxi Liangge San (Danxi Cooling Chest Powder) to unblock bowel and urinary passages. If ineffective, administer another dose of Yi Yuan San and Liangge San, which will be effective. This formula is highly verified."

Wang Shuquan said: "Someone suffered from chronic fanwei. I gave them Zhenling Dan (Vibrating Spirit Pill) and instructed them to also take Qi Qi Tang (Seven-Qi Decoction), after which they could eat immediately. Adding moxibustion would be even better. An old woman suffered from fanwei, vomiting food eaten in the evening. Her qi rotated around the navel. I needled Shuifen (Water Division, CV9) and Qihai (Sea of Qi, CV6), along with two points flanking the navel. Another physician only moxa-ed Shuifen and Qihai, resulting in a miraculous cure. (From *Zisheng Jing*.)"

The Pingzhang of Zhejiang returned from a southern campaign, suffering from fanwei. Physicians thought it curable. Mr. Zhu diagnosed his pulse and told him, "Your illness cannot be discussed." He left and privately told his attendants, "This illness resulted from sexual activity after fright. Fire and wood pathogens combine, damaging qi and exhausting fluids, causing withering and damage to intestines and stomach. Food enters but does not digest. Since food does not digest, the five zang organs receive no nourishment. You will die in ten days." Indeed, he died as predicted. (From *Yueyou Ji* and *Yishuo Xubian*.)

Xue Lizhai treated a woman with fanwei, feeling stuffiness in the chest and diaphragm, slightly relieved after defecation or passing gas. This belongs to spleen qi depression and weakness; regulation and tonification are best. Disbelieving, she used Erchen Tang (Two-Aged Decoction), atractylodes macrocephala (Zhi Shi), and coptis chinensis (Huanglian) without success. Then she used aromatic, drying, qi-breaking drugs (common among contemporary physicians), worsening her condition and increasing physical depletion. She was treated with Guipi Tang (Spleen-Restoring Decoction) for half a year and recovered.

Scholar Xu treated a woman in her forties, suffering from inverted stomach for decades, with yellow-black complexion, lasting over thirty years, unresponsive to doctors. Moxa was applied repeatedly to various spleen acupoints, yet the disease worsened. Taking this medicine, she recovered instantly. After one month of usage, the root cause was eliminated. The formula is named Fuzi San (Aconite Powder): take one very large aconite root, place it on a brick, apply fire around it to slowly cook it through, then quench it in fresh ginger juice. Apply fire again, quench again, until about half a bowl of ginger juice is absorbed. Dry it, add 2 qian of cloves. Take 2 qian each time, decoct with one cup of water and a little millet for seven-tenths completion. Recovery usually occurs within three doses.

Wang Haicang said: "Viceroy Zhao vomited food shortly after eating, lost sight and hearing. After taking Ziwan Wan (Aster Pill) for fifty days, he expelled five or seven green snakes, each about four cun long, and three sheng of foul pus, then recovered. (Formula seen in Leprosy section.)"

Xiao Wanyu said: "In the Wuyin year of Chongzhen, I stayed in Bianliang and treated a palace maid of a Prince for postpartum hiccups. Speaking of the late Prince's youth, he suffered from malaria, dysentery, and fanwei. Treatments failed, and he despaired. A herbalist skilled in pulse diagnosis administered five doses containing seven liang of rhubarb (Dahuang), after which he could eat. This is a common occurrence. In my hometown, a dysentery patient was purged with four liang of rhubarb by a doctor, shocking onlookers. Yet, the dysentery decreased, and he recovered after several doses. If such cases were treated by those reading Xue Lizhai or Zhang Jingyue, would there be any hope? He took more than ten additional doses, totaling about one jin of rhubarb, and symptoms gradually improved. Later, he took phlegm-resolving pills, specifically Gutan Wan (Phlegm-Rolling Pill), for twenty days to fully recover. Over a year later, he fathered five sons and lived to ninety-three years. Such constitution is rare."