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Treats patients with jaundice who experience fever in the late afternoon (Shi hour, approx. 15:00-17:00) accompanied by aversion to cold. This is caused by excessive sexual activity (Nü Lao Dan). The patient experiences urgency and tightness in the bladder, fullness in the lower abdomen, yellowing of the entire body, and heat on the forehead, thus forming Black Jaundice. If the abdomen becomes distended as if containing water, the stool will inevitably be black and often loose. This is a disease of Nü Lao Dan, not a disorder of Water Qi. If abdominal fullness is severe, it is difficult to treat. This powder is indicated.

Shixiao (Niter, calcined until yellow). Fanshi (Alum, calcined, equal parts).

Grind the above two ingredients into a powder. Mix with barley porridge juice and administer one Fang Cun Bi (a square-inch measure) per dose, three times daily. As the disease resolves through urination and defecation, the urine turns normal yellow and the stool turns normal black; this is the sign of recovery.

Song verse: Body yellow and forehead black (gradually spreading so that all body yellow turns black), feet feeling like being roasted, abdominal distension (as if water-filled), loose stools (black in color). Late afternoon fever arises.

Xu Zhongke stated: Shixiao can disperse deficient and stagnant heat; due to its light and ascending nature and cold property, it does not damage the Spleen. Fanshi can eliminate water-dampness, preventing pathogenic factors from invading where it reaches. It has no relation to methods involving Qi and Blood, Yin and Yang, sweating, purging, tonifying, or draining, which makes it excellent.

Treats Wine Jaundice (Jiu Dan) characterized by mental restlessness, vexation (Ao Nu), or painful heat in the heart region. This decoction is indicated.

Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus, 14 pieces). Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, 2 liang). Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, 5 pieces). Chishao/Douchi (Moutan Cortex/Soybean prepared seed, here referring to Chidou Chi, 1 sheng).

Take the above four ingredients, add six sheng of water, boil to obtain two sheng of liquid, divide into three warm doses.

Song verse: Wine jaundice with vexation, stagnant heat steaming. Two liang of Dahuang, one sheng of Douchi. Fourteen Zhizi, five Zhishi. Upper and lower dispersion must follow smooth continuity.

Yuan Xi commented: Zhizi and Douchi clear heat from the upper jiao; Zhishi and Dahuang remove excess and relieve fullness from the lower jiao. This is what is meant by "upper and lower dispersion," smoothly conducting the heat.

Xu Zhongke stated: Because wine drinkers suffer significant injury to their Yin aspect, dry-aromatic drugs are avoided to prevent consuming fluids, and diuretic/damp-draining drugs are avoided to prevent exhausting body fluids. It is believed that when heat dissipates, dampness cannot...

(See Chapter on Water Qi diseases.) To treat Yellow Jaundice (Huang Dan), one should primarily promote urination. If the pulse is floating, sweating method should be used for resolution; this decoction is suitable.

Male Yuan Xi commented: Yellow Jaundice cases mostly result from internal stagnation of Damp-Heat, meaning the pathology is internal. For stagnation within, internal resolution is appropriate; hence it says: "Only promote urination." Once urination is unobstructed, the stagnated pathogens are eliminated. If the pulse is floating, the pathology is at the muscle-surface level, requiring external resolution; hence it says: "Use sweating method." Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) releases the muscle layer and expels exterior pathogens; adding Huangqi (Astragali Radix) assists this action, as Huangqi has the specific expertise in inducing sweating and resolving jaundice.