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Ancient texts state: To treat phlegm, one must first tonify the Spleen. Once the Spleen recovers its normal transportation and transformation functions, the phlegm will naturally resolve. However, if stagnation and accumulation are severe, it is like a ditch blocked by silt; over time, it flows backward and upward, becoming turbid, foul-smelling, and containing all manner of filth. If one does not employ purgative methods to remove it, but instead attempts to clarify already obstructed water to make it clear, this is impossible. Therefore, purgative methods are necessary.

Shenxian Zhuitan Wan (Immortal's Phlegm-Purging Pill)
Heiqianniu (Semen Sterculiae Lychnophorae, take the finest powder, 3 liang) Zaojiao (Fructus Gleditsiae Sinensis, roasted with butter, 1 liang) Baifan (Alumen, raw use, 1 liang)
Grind the above ingredients into fine powder, form pills with water resembling tung tree seeds in size. Take 30-50 pills with wine.

Kongxian Dan (Phlegm-Fluid Expelling Pill)
Gansui (Radix Euphorbiae Kansui) Daji (Radix Euphorbiae Lathyridis) Baijiezi (Semen Sinapis Albae) (equal parts)
Grind the above ingredients into fine powder, form pills with water paste resembling tung tree seeds in size. Take 5-7 pills before sleep with ginger decoction, increasing up to 10 pills. If phlegm is vigorous, increase the number of pills.

Li Shizhen said: Phlegm-fluid is a substance that ascends and descends with Qi, reaching everywhere. Entering the Heart, it becomes epilepsy. Entering the Lung, it blocks orifices, causing wheezing, coughing, and coldness in the back. Entering the Liver, it causes diaphragmatic pain, dry heaving, and alternating chills and fever. Entering the meridians, it causes numbness and pain. Entering the sinews and bones, it causes pulling and hook-like pain. Entering the skin and flesh, it forms scrofula and abscesses. Chen Wujiu stated: Bone traction and hook-like pain, moving unpredictably, or cold numbness in hands and feet, with obstruction of Qi and vessels, is caused by phlegm-fluid lurking above and below the heart and diaphragm, attacking and injecting along with Qi, leading to the blockage of tunnels. Mistaking this for paralysis is incorrect; it must be treated with these medicines.

Shizao Tang (Ten Jujube Decoction)
Yuanhua (Flos Genkwa, stir-fried with vinegar until black) Gansui (Radix Euphorbiae Kansui, boiled wrapped in flour) Daji (Radix Euphorbiae Lathyridis) (equal parts)
Grind the above into fine powder. Use 1.5 sheng of water to boil 10 jujubes until reduced to 0.8 sheng. Strain the dregs and mix with the medicine powder. Strong individuals take 1 qianbi; weak individuals take 0.5 fen. For maintenance. If no effect, add 0.5 fen. After purgation, nourish with millet porridge. Hejian (Liu Wansu) said: The pungency of Yuanhua disperses fluid retention; the bitterness of Daji drains water; Gansui reaches directly to where water-Qi binds. It is the holy medicine for draining water-fluid retention.

Mengshi Gun Tan Wan (Calamine Rolling Phlegm Pill) Wang Yinjun said: The pathology of phlegm has not been detailed since ancient times. Although formularies distinguish between five fluids and various fluids, no one knows the source of the disease. Some present as head wind causing vertigo, blurry vision, and tinnitus; some have twitching of mouth and eyes, pain/itching in brow ridge, ears, and earlobes; some have wandering wind swelling and hardness in four limbs, painful yet not painful; some have tooth and cheek pain, floating toothache; some have belching and acid regurgitation, epigastric discomfort; some have pain or foulness, throat obstruction, unable to expectorate or swallow, with phlegm like ink, or like broken cotton, peach gum, or clam meat; some feel ice and iron stopped in the epigastrium, cold pain of Heart-Qi, strange dreams, loss of will, and epilepsy; some have soreness and pain in ankle joints, sudden pain in waist, back, and bone joints; some have pain in four limbs' sinews and bones, indescribable and without fixed location; some have arm pain and numbness resembling wind-dampness; some have a line-like cold sensation rising along the spine; some have whole-body prickling as if lying on thorns; some have sticky wet itchy eyes, oral ulcers, tongue rot, and throat bi; some have neck nodules resembling scrofula; some have chest and abdomen feeling like two gases twisting, choking, suffocation, and vexation, as if fire/smoke rushing upward, with hot flushing of head and face; some have stroke and paralysis; some have chronic consumption diseases; some have wind-toxic gout; some have palpitations in the epigastrium, fearing capture; some have wheezing, coughing, and vomiting; some vomit cold saliva, black juice, or green water; severely, they develop lung abscess, intestinal toxicity, pus in stool, contracture, and limp. Internal and external diseases are myriad, all caused by phlegm. Symptoms differ and cannot be fully described. Generally, when body fluids congeal into phlegm, they no longer circulate and moisten the Triple Burner, causing dry mouth and throat, constipation, face like dead bone, scorched hair, and amenorrhea in women. If bad phlegm is purged, medication will naturally be effective. I used Gun Tan Wan to cure various diseases and now specially transmit it to the world.

Qingmengshi (Calamine, 1 liang) Chenxiang (Aquilaria Lignum Resinatum, 5 qian) Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, steamed with wine, sliced, and dried) Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae, 8 liang each)
First crush Mengshi, mix with 1 liang of Yanxiao (Natrii Nitratis), put into a clay pot, seal with salt mud, dry, and calcine until the stone turns golden color. Grind into powder, mix with other medicines, form pills like wu zi (wu-tzu seeds) in size. Take after meals with plain warm water. For robust individuals with strong Qi, up to 100 pills may be taken. After ingestion, lie supine to let the medicine descend slowly in the chest and diaphragm. Only after expelling upper Jiao phlegm stasis and evil substances past the diaphragm should one move, eat, or drink soup/water to hit the target. The next day, phlegm accumulation and evil substances should be discharged. If not discharged...

I observe: Phlegm and Yin (fluid retention) are of the same category but different names. Phlegm is transformed from food; Yin is formed from water-drink. Thus, phlegm is thick in quality, while Yin is thin. Phlegm often transforms via Fire; Yin often transforms via Cold. Thus, phlegm requires clearing, while Yin requires warming. Phlegm often sticks in one place; Yin often flows up and down. Thus, phlegm can be moistened (to soften), while Yin can be dried. Therefore, Kongxian Dan and Shizao Tang are true formulas for draining Yin; Mengshi Gun Tan Wan is the accurate medicine for purging phlegm. Using them interchangeably rarely yields results. Students must discriminate carefully.