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(There are five cases in total)

My late father, during the Dingyou year of the Chenghua era, campaigned against the barbarians and was affected by snow and cold, resulting in Hongkangjiao (a condition characterized by swelling and pain in the feet), requiring warm socks even in summer. In the Wuwu year of the Hongzhi era, while I held office at the Donglu Jiangtai, I suffered from the grief of my late mother's death, which exacerbated the condition. At that time, I began to pay attention to medicine, taking my maternal uncle Hua Hengqian and Wang Shanren (a recluse) of Jinhua as teachers. By serving my parents, regulating my own congenital disease, and testing prescriptions on others, I gained some preliminary insights. One day, my father ordered Shi to record daily decoction prescriptions, compiling them into a collection named *Han's Effective Prescriptions* (Han Shi Youxiao Fang), with a preface written by him personally, which I respectfully kept. In the Jisi year, I became an orphan. As years passed, I forgot the grief! Yet the sorrow of seeing his handwriting remains, feeling like heaven and earth have aged. In the summer of the Wuyin year, my eldest brother, Cangxue Weng, accidentally found the book and wrote a new preface, adding the trial prescriptions used by my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, continuing it into three volumes under the original name, and copying it for family preservation. I privately feel ashamed of my unworthiness; having served my parents and followed my elder brother, I failed to achieve great things, yet only through occasional insights did I receive such precious records. The sorrow and gratitude are beyond expression! I hereby transcribe the preface below, omitting the prescriptions.

Preface to *Han's Effective Prescriptions*

I am constitutionally weak and sickly since childhood. Having held official posts for over thirty years, I served even in miasmic and pestilential regions. By the Bingchen year of the Hongzhi era, my teeth fell out, and five have been lost since then. From then on, my beard and hair gradually turned white, and my weakness increased. I had previously petitioned for retirement, but those in power did not permit it. Although I now勉强 (reluctantly) handle government affairs, my spirit and energy are insufficient. My second son, Han Zong, accompanied me to the border post and specifically attended to my decoctions. Since he had some knowledge of medication, he invited Hua Zhengke from Luwei to assist. The decoctions administered were invariably effective. Thus, Han Zong devoted himself to medicine, relying on which my frail body is sustained. On July 8th of the Gengshen year of the Hongzhi era, my illness flared up severely, preventing me from working. Han Zong traveled far to Xiaohe. The military doctors were incompetent and ignorant of herbal properties, fearing that improper Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi (Monarch-Minister-Assistant-Courier) coordination would cause harm. Lying in bed, I reported my symptoms to Han Zong via letter and explained them in detail to my fifth son, Han Shu. Consulting Han Zong's annotated prescriptions, we prepared them according to protocol: two doses for the first administration, three for the second, one for the third, omitting Amber (Hupo). For the fourth administration, one dose of the initial formula was taken, resulting in an improvement of eight or nine-tenths. On July 29th, receiving news of my condition, Han Zong could not return in time but sent prepared prescriptions beforehand, including: Modified Liu Huang Tang (Six Yellow Decoction), Qing Qi Yin Zi (Clearing Qi Drink), Shen Fu Ban Xia Tang (Ginseng, Poria, and Pinellia Decoction), Jian San He San (Modified Three Harmonizing Powder), Xing Pi Tang (Awakening Spleen Decoction), Xie Bai San (Draining White Powder), Chi Teng Qin Yao (Toothache Lozenge), and Gui Ling Fen Tong San (Angelica and Atractylodes Pain-Relieving Powder). Their preparation methods, modifications, quantities, and weights were fully recorded. Relying on the initial Modified Liu Huang Tang, taken continuously for three doses, my condition improved significantly. By September 9th, after taking Gui Ling Fen Tong San, the effects were evident. Due to concerns about local affairs, I resumed duties on the 11th. Alas! Grateful for the grace of Heaven and Earth, and the benevolence of nurturing, though I am frail and sickly, I am fortunate to have my son fulfilling filial duties by preparing medicines, allowing for recuperation. Not wanting to erase the merit of effective medication, I compiled these records into a collection named *Han's Effective Prescriptions*, noting the dates.
Written by Shiyin Weng at Xiaohe Jiangtai on an auspicious day of mid-autumn in the Gengshen year of the Hongzhi era.

Postscript to *Effective Prescriptions*

My younger brother Han Zong was traveling far away. While I personally sorted his medicine bags and reviewed medical books, I accidentally found the prescriptions presented by Han Zong during my late father's tenure at Donglu, with a preface written by him, marked with his handwriting traces. Tears flowed freely, and I could neither sleep nor eat for days. Alas! Medicine aims to prolong life, yet we brothers could not extend our parents' lives. I ordered my brother Han Shu Nian to compile and arrange them into the upper volume, selecting prescriptions that treated my wife and me, along with miraculous ones, attaching them to the lower volumes, printing them for dissemination. Among the younger generation, Han Zong was the most intelligent and agile. When conceived, my late mother suffered from malaria, and he was born very emaciated. In the Xinyou year, he suffered from phlegm syndrome at home, studied medicine under the Hua family of Rongchang and the Wang family of Jinhua, and received guidance from the Immortal Huanghe of Wuyi Mountain, grasping its subtleties. During his travels north, he changed his name to Bai Zixu, styled Feixiazi, roaming half the world, becoming famous for his medical skills, known as "Feixiazi." Written on an auspicious day in June of the Wuyin year of the Zhengde era.
By Han En, Retired Deputy Commander of Sichuan Dusi.

Brother Xueweng has always had a dry spleen and biased liver, with wiry and long pulses, larger on the left and weaker on the right. Had I not personally served my parents and managed the household, enduring hardships and frequent bereavement cries, I would not have entered officialdom at forty when already aging. Six years of military service, enjoying salary for only four years and a bit. In the Bingzi year, I retired and returned home, and Han Zong also returned from travel, attending to my fire-syndrome with decoctions. After slight improvement, he was falsely accused and imprisoned. Out of anger and resentment, warts like beans appeared on his back, nearly causing critical collapse. Using small pills and human milk, the warts subsided. This year, suddenly summoned by imperial decree, I submitted a memorial stating: "Relying on my brother Han Zong, who became a doctor after breaking his leg [learning through experience], saving me with various treatments. My sister-in-law Shuren has long suffered from infertility and severe blood deficiency. In the Jiazi year, while Han Zong attended to my Yang-depletion illness, my brother and sister-in-law adopted my son as heir. Guests warned against this, but unexpectedly, the old man recently wrote 'Direct Statements' to publish my late father's collection. Now both elders enjoy longevity, and both sons stand tall like jade, truly signs of virtue. What does my brother have to do with it! What does my brother have to do with it!" Therefore, I record my writings here as a medical case record.

Direct Statement

When my third brother died, I mourned deeply and fell ill. Food and drink were completely refused. No part of my sinews, bones, joints, or skin was free from pain, especially the waist. One doctor said kidney deficiency required tonification; another said wind-cold required dispersal. My fourth brother told my wife, "Your husband is in danger." His pulse was choppy, exactly what Master Dongyuan described as a non-twelve-meridian orthodox disease, but rather a strange pathogen in the collaterals, likely caused by excessive worry and depression. If phlegm rises, it is fatal! Tonifying will stagnate Qi, dispersing will consume Qi; survival is impossible. I specialized in Qingzao Tang (Clearing Dryness Decoction), presided over by my sister-in-law Zhang. My wife vowed, "Uncle will not harm my brother." Thus, three bowls were administered consecutively without telling me. I became lethargic, sleeping until the fifth watch, with no phlegm, feeling slightly relieved, fearing death, and composing farewell poems. Hearing this, my brother asked, "How is it?" I said, "Seems relieved." Checking the pulse, it had improved by three-tenths. Specializing in Qingzao Tang with modifications, ten doses cured me. After pacifying rebels, while holding office, I felt heavy head, blurred vision, deafness, toothache, and legs feeling ungrounded, unaware of the disease. Upon retirement, my fourth brother returned from the north. One day, after grooming, I had abdominal pain, and soon could not move my limbs. My brother checked my pulse and exclaimed, "Brother never had this before, how did it happen?" Probably lifelong mental labor, plus physical exertion from recent campaigns. This is a fire syndrome. Consulting *Yuji Wei Yi*, I understood it fully. Expected ten doses of acrid-warm dispersants. Fearing xiao ke (wasting-thirst), wei bi (flaccidity-obstruction), or sores, I moved to Jiang Garden. My brother boiled medicine every midnight, waited for me to wake, and administered it. Avoiding noise and sitting quietly, indeed after ten doses, ears heard calls, body felt itchy like lice bites forming bumps, then realizing my head was on my body and feet on the ground, I hurried to the mountains for rest. Accidentally angered by not receiving retirement documents, fire surged, causing thirst like madness, unable to satisfy craving for melon, pear, and spring water. Brother said, "This cannot be supported by herbs." Ignoring public opinion, he sought human milk, administering ten cups daily. After ten days, thirst decreased. Again angered by family matters, limbs became limp, lying for four days, consuming countless human milk until recovery. Pulse showed heart meridian choppy. Said, "Sores will erupt! Fortunately, no major toxicity." Suffered from horse-eye pus scabies for eight months, then could hike mountains. Using Yan Yan Xiao Dan (Face-Restoring Small Pill) assisted, I recovered like youth. Recently, only spleen and stomach are weak, taking Chonghe Wan (Harmonizing Pill) after meals. Alas, how sad! Without my brother, I would be dead! Thinking of scholars with similar mental labor and fire syndromes, this prescription must be known. Thus, I compile and disseminate it.
Recorded by Xueweng on Dragon Boat Festival, Zhengde Wuyin Year.

My wife was over thirty, pregnant eighteen times, with nine children dying young. When the Songfan disaster struck my late father, my brothers fled west. My wife, overly frightened and worried, fell into unconsciousness. Her lips, tongue, and mouth developed sores, even blocking the throat. Lower body depletion, leukorrhea flowing like a stream. For over forty days, occasionally regaining consciousness, she attempted suicide, unable to bear her suffering. Doctors sometimes used cooling agents to clear upper heat, worsening lower diseases; sometimes used heating agents or steam fumigation on the lower body, causing fainting from heat. My fourth brother returned, checked the pulse, and realized it was Yang-depletion syndrome. Crying loudly, he said, "The lineage is not established; almost killed my sister-in-law." Immediately using salt-cooked large Aconite (Fuzi) 9 qian as the Monarch herb, constrained by Mint (Bohe) and Saposhnikovia (Fangfeng), assisted by Ginger (Jiang), Cinnamon (Gui), Ligusticum (Xiong), and Angelica (Gui), decocted in water, cooled in a well, and given. Before finishing the dose, she slept soundly with snoring. Waking overnight, she recognized people. At that time, there was only one adopted son and two daughters, hugging and crying bitterly, relatives all grieving. Close friend Zhao Xianchang exclaimed, "What magic is this?" Brother said, "Prescription books state: fake matches fake, true matches true. Upper is fake heat, so use fake cold medicine to follow it; lower is true cold, so use direct hot medicine to oppose it. Thus upper and lower harmonize, and disease resolves." Subsequently, Nu Jin Dan (Woman's Golden Pill) was used, combined with other formulas, not only curing the disease but also regulating Yuan Qi (Primal Qi). In the Gengwu year, a son was born, now eligible for inheritance. In the Renshen year, another son was born. Last year, he suffered malaria for thirteen days. Also treated by nourishing Yuan Qi and regulating Sheng Qi (Vital Qi), waiting for appetite to increase greatly, then using toxic drugs to purge, expelling many clots. Given Fuzi Tang (Aconite Decoction) 3 qian, he recovered. Did not expect immediate results. The Nu Jin Dan used is the same as Sheng Jin Wan. Obtained from an extraordinary person, with doubled Cyperus (Xiangfu), and based on Qi and Blood bias, added Turmeric (Jianghuang), Scutellaria (Tiaoqin), and doubled Ligusticum (Chuanxiong), achieving much success. I think childless people often face this. Recalling the difficulty of my getting a son, how bitter it was! Thus, I sequentially record these prescriptions and Nu Jin Dan to help others.