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Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix) is warm in temperature and sweet in flavor. Its qi and flavor are both light, belonging to Yang. However, it also contains a slight Yin quality; thus, its nature is warm with slight cold, its sweetness has a slight bitterness, it enters the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, yet it can drain Heart Fire. It should be paired with Fu Shen (Poria with Hostwood) and assisted by Zao Ren (Ziziphus Seed) for optimal efficacy. It treats Spleen and Lung disorders, strengthens Yuan Yang (Primal Yang), and tonifies gently. It is used for symptoms of shortness of breath, rapid breathing, and deficiency of Qi, and further drains Fire pathogenic factors from the Spleen, Lung, and Stomach. In cases where Qi is insufficient accompanied by blood loss, Ren Shen must be used to tonify. For internal deficiency accompanied by abdominal pain, Ren Shen is also used to tonify. Moreover, it unifies meridians and invigorates blood; it is a Blood-invigorating agent within Qi-tonifying herbs. When used in Sheng Mai San (Generate the Pulse Powder), it precisely achieves this because when meridians are unified and blood is invigorated, the pulse is generated. Ancients used it in dispersing formulas and exterior-releasing formulas, taking advantage of its ability to unify meridians and travel to the exterior. It is also said that it can only be taken when the Lungs are cold; why is this? Because when the Lungs are cold, the pulse becomes soggy and stagnant, moving slowly. With the power of Ren Shen to unify meridians and invigorate blood, Yuan Qi (Original Qi) can then arise and develop. If the Lungs are hot, why does it injure the Lungs? Because when the Lungs are hot, Qi and Blood move rapidly and urgently. Adding Ren Shen's swift and penetrating nature would accelerate this urgency, causing Lung Qi to dissipate. When used together with Mi Zhi Huang Qi (Honey-fried Astragalus Root), it assists in tonifying the exterior. When used together with Tu Chao Bai Zhu (Earth-fried Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome), it assists in tonifying the Middle Jiao. When used with Sheng Ma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma) as a guiding herb and assisted by Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), it can guide the action upward to tonify the Upper Jiao. When used with Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root) as a guiding herb and assisted by Bai Fu Ling (White Poria), it can guide the action to tonify the Spleen and Stomach, as well as deficiency-cold in the Kidneys. Using a large amount of Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber) greatly stops thirst and generates fluids. Adding Shan Zha (Crataegi Fructus) is extremely effective at removing stagnation and digesting accumulations. For diseases of the Hand Meridians, Gui Zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus) serves as the guiding herb. For diseases of the Foot Meridians, Fu Zi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) serves as the guiding herb. How great are the merits of Ren Shen! It is the essential herb for tonifying the Middle and benefiting Qi, possessing the sacred virtue of harmonizing the interior and warming the Primal Qi. While it is true that Qi-herbs use it to tonify Qi, Blood-herbs can also use it to tonify Blood. Why is this? Because Blood attaches to Qi to travel; when Qi moves, Blood moves. This is the principle. If one does not add a little Ren Shen to guide it, Blood will stagnate. Even with various Blood-tonifying herbs, what use would they be? Furthermore, Blood is Yin, and Qi is Yang. Solitary Yin cannot form; it must borrow the breath of Yang Qi before Yin can rely on it to take shape. This is the subtle application of Yang flourishing and Yin harmonizing. It is up to the student to realize this. The Classics state: "One Yin and one Yang is called the Dao." How profound these words are! For patients with smallpox presenting grayish-white deficiency-cold syndromes, it should be heavily used according to circumstances. However, if the presentation is red-purple excess-heat, indicating Lung heat and abundant phlegm, it must not be lightly administered. Ren Shen is incompatible with Li Lu (Veratri Radix) and fears Ling Zhi (Trogopterori Faeces).