Sun Zhaozong's Insights on Clinical Formulas and Medicines

Author: Sun Songsheng, Liu Zheng / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-07-01
Features:
28. Leather pouch. The leather pouch is made of cowhide and was used by ancient soldiers as an arrow quiver. Physicians used it to store medicine to prevent moisture. Wind-Inducing Decoction is a powdered medicine, and storing it in a leather pouch also facilitates portability.
29. Cover the back with thin cloth, sit by a table, and sweat to heal. After taking Xuming Decoction, cover the back with clothing to promote sweating. If sweating does not occur, take another dose. This is a post-medication care method, consistent with the treatment for Fangji Huangqi Decoction: "After taking it, one should feel as if insects are crawling under the skin, like water flowing from the waist downward. Then sit under covers, and wrap another cover around the waist to warm it slightly, causing a gentle sweat, and the illness will be cured." Fangji Huangqi Decoction's function is to invigorate qi, eliminate dampness, and strengthen the spleen to promote diuresis. Xuming Decoction's function is to support the body, dispel wind, nourish blood, and unblock collaterals. For the wind disease of Fengfei, covering the back is "to expel wind, move to the surface, calm internally, repel externally, and rotate upward and downward."
30. Honey pills the size of. Shuyou Pill is made of honey into pills the size of, referring to traditional honey pills, i.e., three coins per pill, equivalent to 9g today.
31. Jujube paste. Zaojia Pill, due to its strong medicinal power, may damage the stomach if taken directly. First, boil a few jujubes for two boils, remove the water, and then cook the jujubes in fresh water until they are soft and jelly-like, using them to deliver the pills.
32. Gypsum the size of a chicken egg. Houpu Mahuang Decoction, with gypsum the size of a chicken egg, about 60–70g today.
33. Toxic pain in the lower abdomen. Bai Zhu Powder is a formula for strengthening the spleen, eliminating dampness, warming the middle, and calming the fetus. Toxic pain in the lower abdomen is severe pain due to liver qi stagnation. Doubling the amount of Chuanxiong in the formula, as it is a qi medicine in the blood, helps warm the liver and collaterals, promote qi and blood circulation, and relieve pain.
34. White wine. Modern medical scholars have that white wine is early-maturing rice wine, or possibly today's huangjiu (yellow wine). For Guawu Xiebai Baijiu Decoction, if commercially available white wine (around 50–60 degrees) is used, "seven liters, take two liters," even though it is said to "take in divided doses twice," it may still cause excessive intoxication. Using huangjiu avoids this issue.
35. Clear wine. Clear wine, also known as beautiful clear wine or ashless wine in ancient times, is actually today's huangjiu (e.g., Zhenjiang old wine). The history of using wine to decoct or soak medicinal herbs is long in ancient times, not only for promoting qi and blood circulation and tonifying the body but also for correcting the fishy or foul smell of herbs.
36. Well water and spring water. Well water refers to the water in the well in the morning. "Bencao Gangmu" says: "In the morning, draw it as well water." Yu Bo said: "Newly drawn well water takes the true qi of 'Tianyi' floating on the surface, used to decoct tonifying yin formulas, refine elixirs, and brew tea. Its properties are the same as snow water." This means the water is very clean after settling impurities. Spring water is the same as well water, clear and cool, and can be used to "regulate the middle and lower hot qi," primarily treating post-drinking heat diarrhea, diabetes, and carbuncle-like heat pain.
37. Ganlan water. Fu Ling Gui Zhi Gan Cao Da Zao Decoction is a formula for warming the heart yang, transforming qi, and promoting diuresis, using Ganlan water to decoct the medicine. Zhang Jing has a method for making Ganlan water. It is also known as Qianli Water, Dongliu Water, and Laoyu Water. In fact, it is taken from river water, which is sweet and light. The sweet and light nature belongs to yang, meaning yang water. Practical evidence shows that river water grows crops, vegetables, and flowers more vigorously than spring water (yin water). Zhang Jing used this water to treat spleen and kidney deficiency, five types of fatigue and seven injuries, cold damage with a tendency to attack the lower abdomen, and. Generations of medical scholars have noted that "it has a sweet and light taste and is harmless," "sweetness is light and does not aid kidney pathogens," "its nature is yang when active," and so on. This shows that ancient Chinese people, through extensive practice, recognized that different types of water have different effects in clinical treatment. P12-13