Library

I respectfully submit that medicine possesses the miraculous skills of the divine, the sage, the adept, and the craftsman, which people must not fail to understand. Medicines possess properties of warmth, coolness, cold, and heat, which physicians must not fail to distinguish. In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) tasted hundreds of herbs to compile the *Bencao* (Compendium of Materia Medica). Wang Shuhe (Shuhe) examined the six pulse positions to illuminate the origins of diseases. Thus, the principles for supporting the moral order of the world and saving people's lives are indeed profound.

In ancient times, people generally reached old age. Among all things in the world, nothing is more precious than human beings; and among all parts of the human body, nothing is more precious than the eyes. The eyes are the gathering place of the essence and spirit of the five zang organs and six fu organs, and the supreme treasure of the hundred bones and nine orifices. They observe all things clearly and view the four directions brightly, shining like pearls, containing the imagery of heaven and earth. Internally, they connect with the Liver and Gallbladder; externally, they correspond to the pupils. Although the eye orifices open through the Liver gate, the pupils belong to the Kidney. The Kidney belongs to the Water of Ren and Gui in the North; the Heart belongs to the Fire of Bing and Ding in the South. If the Heart and Kidney do not interact, and Water and Fire battle each other, then Qi and Blood will stagnate and not disperse, damaging the Gallbladder and weakening the Liver, inevitably causing disease in the eyes.

Therefore, when treating eye diseases, one must first tonify the Yuan Qi of the Kidney, and subsequently regulate the Wood of the Liver. The Liver is the sprout of the Kidney, and the Kidney is the root of the Liver. Regulating the Liver calms the Hun (Ethereal Soul); tonifying the Kidney harmonizes the Zhi (Will) and Po (Corporeal Soul), making the eyes naturally clear. This is like planting trees: one must cultivate the roots. If the roots are strong, branches and leaves flourish; if the roots are damaged, flowers and leaves wither.

Furthermore, the black cornea (Hei Jing) belongs to the Kidney; Kidney deficiency causes tears to flow. The eye orifices connect to the Liver; Liver Wind causes constant cold tears. The white sclera (Bai Jing) belongs to the Lung; Lung Heat causes red vessels to wrap around the white wheel. The upper and lower eyelids belong to the Spleen; Spleen Wind causes inverted eyelashes (Trichiasis). The inner and outer canthi belong to the Heart; Heart Heat causes Pterygium (fleshy growth overgrowing the cornea).

The eyes have Five Wheels, corresponding externally to the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and internally to the Five Zang Organs (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, Kidney). The Five Wheels correspond to Wind, Flesh, Blood, Qi, and Water. The Eight Palaces (Ba Kuo) correspond to Heaven, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Mountain, and Lake. When eye diseases occur, one must investigate the root cause and avoid quack doctors who recklessly perform hooking or cutting surgeries.

People often take elixirs, damaging the Spleen and Stomach; they worry and ponder all night, exhausting their Spirit. Or, the Gallbladder may be heated, or the Lung may be chilled. One may consume too much of the "Five Pungent Spices," indulge excessively in the Seven Emotions, gaze at stars and the moon, or stay close to fire and smoke. This causes Heat in the San Jiao (Triple Burner), leading to blindness in both eyes. Symptoms include tearing when facing wind, vision obscured as if by smoke, seeing clouds and mist in the air, or viewing the sun as turbid water. With the depletion of the Five Zang Organs, one may dream of ghostly intercourse, see black flowers swirling before the eyes, and the black wheel (cornea) may appear dim like white fog.

I, your subject, feel deep pity for Your Majesty and urge you to beware. Now, based on the *Bencao*, I have formulated an immortal prescription. It nourishes nature, calms the Spirit, expels Wind, clarifies the eyes, clears Heat, removes pathogens, regulates the Liver, and tonifies the Kidney. It can restore clarity even in long-standing internal cataracts and immediately resolve recent redness and swelling. The formula consists of twenty-nine ingredients and is named Huanjing Wan (Restore Clarity Pill). Its preparation is extraordinary, possessing the synergy of Jun (Monarch), Chen (Minister), Zuo (Assistant), and Shi (Envoy). Its processing involves steaming, frying, grinding, and refining. Regardless of age or Yin-Yang constitution, it brings light and clarity.

Respectfully, I pray that Your Majesty cultivates virtue and preserves the Spirit, residing in the inner palace while perceiving events from afar. You certainly do not rely on this medicine, yet it can prevent illness before it arises. I humbly request that this medicine be distributed to the common people for trial, and bestowed upon the ministers for immediate efficacy. With utmost reverence and sincerity, I record this formula and submit it via memorial to Your Majesty.

**Huanjing Wan Formula**
Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix), Fu Ling (Poria), Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) [each 1 liang 5 qian]; Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmanniae Radix), Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Tuber - heart removed, baked), Tian Dong (Asparagi Tuber - heart removed, baked) [each 3 liang]; Xi Jiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu - ground to fine powder), Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) [each 8 qian]; Chuan Xiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma - stir-fried) [each 7 qian]; Xing Ren (Armeniacae Semen Amarum), Shi Hu (Dendrobii Caulis), Gou Qi Zi (Lycii Fructus), Niu Xi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix - washed in wine, stir-fried), Ling Yang Jiao (Saiga Tataricae Cornu), Ju Hua (Chrysanthemi Flos), Tu Si Zi (Cuscutae Semen), Qing Xiang Zi (Qingxiangzi, Celosiae Semen), Ji Li (Tribuli Fructus - pounded, thorns removed, stir-fried), Zhi Ke (Aurantii Fructus), Cao Jue Ming (Cassiae Semen), Rou Cong Rong (Cistanches Herba), Du Zhong (Eucommiae Cortex - washed in wine, stir-fried), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix - washed in wine), Huang Bo (Phellodendri Cortex - washed in wine, stir-fried) [each 1 liang]; Zhi Mu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma - stir-fried in wine) [2 liang].

(Grind the above into a fine powder. Mix with refined honey to make pills the size of tung tree seeds. Take 40-50 pills per dose, swallowed with salted water on an empty stomach. Another version excludes the last five ingredients and is named Guben Huanjing Wan.)