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Liver deficiency refers to liver Yin deficiency. When Yin is deficient, the meridians become contracted and tense. The Liver Meridian passes through the diaphragm and spreads over the hypochondrium; when Yin deficiency leads to dryness of the blood, the meridians lose nourishment and pain ensues. The symptoms include tendon tension in the hypochondrium, inability to take a deep breath, blurred vision, withered nails with a bluish color, aggravation upon exertion, or onset upon fasting.

Hua's Liver-Nourishing Powder: Suanzaoren (Fried Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, 4 qian), Shudi (Prepared Radix Rehmanniae, 1 qian), Baizhu (Fried Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, 1 qian), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni), Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), Mugua (Fructus Chaenomelis) (each 1.5 qian), Duhuo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis), Wuwei (Fructus Schisandrae) (each 3 fen). Grind all into powder. Take 5 qian each time, decocted in water and taken orally.

The substance of the Liver is Yin, while its function is Yang. This formula uses sweet and sour flavors to tonify the Liver's substance, and pungent flavors to tonify the Liver's function. The addition of Duhuo utilizes wind-dispelling herbs to expand and promote Qi flow. Another version includes Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Huangqi (Radix Astragali), Niuxi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae), Shihu (Stem Nodule Dendrobii), Baiziren (Semen Platycladi), and Taoren (Semen Persicae), but excludes Shanyao, Duhuo, and Wuwei.

Liver-Nourishing Decoction: Gadihuang (Raw Radix Rehmanniae, 3 qian), Baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba, 1.5 qian), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Chenpi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae) (each 1 qian), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong, 7 fen), Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae, 5 fen). These six ingredients constitute one dose, decocted in water. This also represents a method of tonifying both the substance and function of the Liver using sweet, sour, and pungent flavors.

Another prescription: Make pills from Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini), sized like wutong seeds. Take 2 qian each time, swallowed with warm plain water on an empty stomach.

Yet another prescription: Take one chicken egg yolk, mix well, and swallow. Take twice daily. Both of the above prescriptions employ sweet and sour methods to tonify the Liver's substance.

Excessive sexual activity leads to Kidney Qi deficiency. In emaciated and frail individuals, there is often a dull, slight pain between the chest and hypochondrium. This is due to the Kidney's failure to grasp Qi, and Qi deficiency's failure to generate Blood. Qi and Blood are like water: when abundant, they flow smoothly; when scarce, they stagnate. Therefore, if Qi and Blood are not deficient, they do not stagnate; once deficient, stagnation is almost inevitable, thus causing pain. It is appropriate to use Shudi (Prepared Radix Rehmanniae) and Poguzhi (Semen Psoraleae) to tonify the Kidney, and Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), and Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) to harmonize the Blood. Treating this as ordinary hypochondriac pain would be dangerous.

Dai Yun stated: "I once treated a patient whose hypochondriac pain radiated to the diaphragm. After administering various medications and purgatives to guide out stool, the pain became significantly worse. Later, after using pungent-warming tonic agents and Heixi Dan (Black Tin Pill), the condition was cured." This was pain caused by Cold deficiency of the Liver and Kidney; the more one used dispersing methods, the more deficient the body became.