What is Yin Deficiency?

1

What is Yin Deficiency?

According to Li Lao, the term “Yin” is not an empty concept but refers to the various body fluids in the body. The Daoist scriptures state: “Tears, saliva, essence, fluids, sweat, blood, and other seven spiritual substances all belong to Yin.” Li Lao believes that Yin represents the moisture in the body’s tissues. The term “deficiency” means insufficient. The body’s moisture is generally constant, accounting for about two-thirds of body weight. This moisture is continuously consumed and replenished through diet, which is a normal phenomenon. If consumption exceeds replenishment, and this continues over time, physiological functions will be affected when the moisture is depleted by about 10%. Changes will occur, leading to phenomena that differ from the usual state. Li Lao believes that this condition is what is commonly referred to as Yin deficiency syndrome. Therefore, insufficient lung fluids indicate Lung Yin deficiency, insufficient kidney essence indicates Kidney Yin deficiency, insufficient heart fluids indicate Heart Yin deficiency, insufficient liver fluids indicate Liver Yin deficiency, and insufficient spleen fluids indicate Spleen Yin deficiency. Generally, Yin deficiency is primarily focused on the lungs, spleen, and kidneys, while Heart and Liver Yin deficiencies are categorized under blood deficiency due to their emphasis on blood.

2

Causes of Yin Deficiency

Li Lao identifies the following causes:

• 1. Congenital insufficiency: This is the root cause of all deficiency syndromes, especially Yin deficiency.

• 2. Chronic illness (such as febrile diseases, prolonged fevers, chronic cough, chronic diarrhea, chronic dysentery, chronic malaria, etc.): This is a significant cause of all Yin deficiencies.

• 3. Excessive sweating or purging (such as overuse of diaphoretic or purgative herbs): This is also a cause of all Yin deficiencies, particularly affecting the heart, spleen, and kidneys.

• 4. Carelessness in sexual activity: This is a major cause of Kidney Yin deficiency.

• 5. Excessive consumption of tobacco, alcohol, spicy, and hot foods: This is a primary cause of Lung Yin deficiency, as excessive heat leads to Yin deficiency.

• 6. Overthinking: This is a primary cause of Heart Yin deficiency.

• 7. Long-term emotional distress: This is a primary cause of Liver Yin deficiency.

• 8. Overexertion: This is a primary cause of Spleen Yin deficiency.

In general, Yin deficiency caused by indulgence in alcohol and sexual activity is the most common. This is because fewer people practice moderation while many indulge excessively. Furthermore, a single factor alone will not quickly lead to Yin deficiency; it often requires a combination of excessive sexual activity or congenital insufficiency to develop quickly. Even if it does occur, it is easier to treat because the root cause has not been affected.

3

Changes Caused by Yin Deficiency

In summary, there are about 20 types of changes:1. Yin deficiency leads to heat.

This explains the body heat, bone steaming heat, five hearts heat, and all heat syndromes caused by Yin deficiency.

2. Yin deficiency leads to blood deficiency. This is because body fluids are a major component of blood.

3. Yin deficiency leads to blood dryness.

The above two points explain the dryness syndromes such as amenorrhea and all forms of blood insufficiency caused by Yin deficiency.

4. Yin deficiency leads to water deficiency.

5. Yin deficiency leads to insufficient body fluids.

The above two points explain the symptoms of dry mouth, thirst, dry nose, and dry throat caused by insufficient moisture due to Yin deficiency.

6. Yin deficiency leads to essence deficiency.

This explains the symptoms of low essence, sparse essence, and unstable essence caused by Yin deficiency.

7. Yin deficiency leads to excessive heat.

8. Yin deficiency leads to heat movement.

9. Yin deficiency leads to excessive fire.

10. Yin deficiency leads to excessive Yang.

11. Yin deficiency leads to blazing fire.

The above five points explain all fire phenomena caused by Yin deficiency, such as bitter mouth desiring cold, dry tongue, and dry throat.

12. Excessive fire from Yin deficiency steams body fluids into phlegm.

13. Fire movement from Yin deficiency causes water to turn into phlegm.The above two points explain the phlegm syndromes caused by Yin deficiency.

14. Excessive fire from Yin deficiency forces blood out of various orifices.This explains the various bleeding syndromes caused by Yin deficiency.

15. Yin deficiency leads to empty fire rising.16. Yin deficiency leads to empty Yang rising.17. Yin deficiency leads to empty Yang reversing.The above three points explain the phenomena of facial redness, red lips, red cheeks, dry cough, and vomiting caused by empty heat in the upper body due to Yin deficiency.

18. Yin deficiency leads to empty bone marrow, with fire sinking into the bones.This explains the bone steaming and skin cold symptoms caused by Yin deficiency.

19. Yin deficiency leads to Yang having no support.20. Yin deficiency leads to Yang collapse.The above two points explain the symptoms of sudden dizziness, loss of voice, and absence of heat in the body caused by Yin deficiency.

4

Symptoms of Yin Deficiency

(1) Symptoms of Yin Deficiency in Various Body Parts

Head: Dizziness, headache.

Face: Red face and cheeks.

Eyes: Dizziness, blurred vision, red eyes.

Ears: Tinnitus, deafness (Yin deficiency with rising fire can lead to deafness).

Nose: Dry nose, nasal congestion, hot breath, nosebleeds.

Oral: Dry mouth, thirst, vomiting blood, spitting blood, vomiting.

Tongue: Dry tongue, tongue pain, tongue bleeding.Teeth: Loose teeth, bleeding gums.Throat: Dry throat, loss of voice, throat ulcers.Chest and abdomen: Chest fullness, internal heat sensation, abdominal fullness (Zhongchun states: Spleen deficiency leads to fullness, called static night severe, which is also Spleen Yin deficiency).Lower back: Back pain.Genital area: Blood in urine, painful or obstructed urination, men with nocturnal emissions, women with irregular menstruation, blood depletion leading to amenorrhea, and pain during intercourse.Rectal area: Constipation, blood in stool, diarrhea.Limbs: Leg and calf soreness, dry heat in the soles of the feet, heel pain, heat in the palms and soles, nails dry and discolored.Hair: Hair loss, hair disorder.Skin: Night sweats, dry and rough skin.Muscles and bones: Bone steaming at night, widespread muscle and joint pain, or pain like fractures.Diet: Lack of taste in food, increased hunger.Breathing: Reversed breath, breath obstruction, shortness of breath, phlegm cough, dry cough, coughing blood.Sleep: Insomnia.

These symptoms, if not evaluated correctly, may lead to misdiagnosis, mistaking Yang deficiency, Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, or empty fire for Yin deficiency, as different syndromes may present similar symptoms. We must carefully analyze the specific situation, progression, and accompanying symptoms to accurately differentiate the syndrome.

(2) Main Symptoms of Yin Deficiency

1. Afternoon body heat.2. Five hearts heat.3. Weak and rapid pulse.4. General symptoms are static night severe or light in the morning and heavy in the evening.5. Sensation of heat, preference for cool foods, but eating does not resolve the issue.

(3) Accompanying Symptoms of Yin Deficiency1. Lung Yin deficiency(1) Chronic cough that does not heal.(2) Producing turbid phlegm or dry cough with little phlegm, or phlegm with blood.(3) Nasal heat sensation or nosebleeds.(4) Chest fullness, breath obstruction, inability to sleep on one side, shortness of breath, or hoarseness.

2. Spleen Yin deficiency(1) Reduced appetite.(2) Fatigue in the limbs.(3) Muscle wasting.(4) Diarrhea.

3. Kidney Yin deficiency(1) Pain in the lower back and legs.(2) Nocturnal emissions.(3) Dry heat in the soles of the feet.(4) Heel pain.(5) Painful or obstructed urination.(6) Tinnitus and deafness.(7) Loose teeth.(8) Bone steaming and internal heat.

Note: The above three types of Yin deficiency syndromes are not completely fixed and do not have clear boundaries; there are often intermingling situations. However, we can determine the main and secondary treatment based on the severity of each part of the disease.

5

Diagnosis of Yin Deficiency

The diagnostic methods for this condition, like other diseases, involve using the four diagnostic methods of observation, listening, inquiry, and pulse-taking, along with various experiential methods for examination.

1. Understanding from the main symptoms. This is the primary diagnostic method for all diseases, as every disease has its fixed main symptoms.

2. Comparing similar symptoms. After identifying the main symptoms, to avoid errors, it is necessary to compare the symptoms of similar main symptoms, making the comparison more accurate.

For example, the main symptom of Yin deficiency is afternoon body heat, but we cannot immediately assume it is Yin deficiency upon observing afternoon body heat. We must first compare it with the “afternoon body heat” of warm diseases to see if there are any climatic changes or external pathogenic factors. This comparison can help reduce errors. From a treatment perspective, ancient texts state: “If it is not cool, it is because there is no water.” Also, “If internal heat does not resolve, and repeated cooling does not reduce the fire, it is due to insufficient Yin.” Furthermore, “If the exterior pathogen does not resolve, and repeated dispersing does not lead to sweating, it is because the Yin Qi cannot reach.” According to the proportion of diseases, Gu’s theory states: “Yin deficiency occurs in 80-90% of cases, while Yang deficiency occurs in 10-20%.” This method is only used for distinguishing between Yang deficiency and Yin deficiency, serving as a helpful guide when other methods are unclear, rather than being universally applicable.

6

Treatment Methods for Yin Deficiency

The treatment methods for Yin deficiency mainly consist of three parts:

(1) Treatment for Lung Yin deficiency

1. Clear the lungs and moisten dryness (Clear Metal and moisten the lungs): This is the primary method for treating Lung Yin deficiency, such as using Qingjin Decoction, Baxian Yuye, etc. When taken for a long time, care should be taken not to be overly simplistic to prevent diarrhea or reduced appetite.

2. Clear the lungs and nourish the kidneys: This is the method for treating Lung deficiency with concurrent Kidney Yin deficiency, such as using formulas that combine Er Dong and Er Di (such as Guben Wan), or using lung-clearing herbs (like Qingjin Decoction) in the morning and kidney-nourishing herbs (like Liuwei Dihuang Wan) in the evening, but the focus should be on the lungs. When Lung Yin deficiency is at its most severe, regardless of whether Kidney Yin deficiency symptoms are present, it is essential to nourish Kidney Yin, as the kidneys are the root of congenital essence, while also being careful not to harm the spleen.

3. Clear the lungs and tonify the spleen: This is the method for treating Lung Yin deficiency with concurrent Spleen Yin deficiency, such as using Jiawei Qingning Gao. Treating both meridians can be challenging, as the lungs prefer moisture while the spleen prefers dryness. Tonifying the spleen can hinder lung function, while tonifying the lungs can hinder spleen function. If lung-moistening herbs are used excessively, appetite may decrease, or diarrhea may worsen. Therefore, when treating Lung Yin deficiency, regardless of whether there are signs of spleen deficiency, it is crucial to prevent spleen deficiency from arising.

(2) Treatment for Kidney Yin deficiency1. Nourish Yin and tonify the kidneys (Nourish water and control fire): This is the general method for treating Kidney Yin deficiency with fire, such as using Liuwei Dihuang Wan, Zuogui Yin, etc. Yin deficiency will always have fire; as Yin becomes more deficient, fire becomes more intense. However, this fire is different from excess fire and should not be treated with bitter cold herbs, as using bitter cold herbs may not only be ineffective but may also worsen the condition. Therefore, for fire syndromes that do not respond to bitter cold herbs or worsen with their use, this method is most appropriate.

2. Nourish Yin and lower fire (Nourish Yin and subdue Yang): This is the method for treating Kidney Yin deficiency with upward-reversing fire or slight excess fire, such as using Zhibai Dihuang Wan, Dabuyin Wan, or Liuwei Dihuang Wan with modifications. Since fire is often upward-reversing, it usually accompanies excess fire, but for milder cases, the method of nourishing water and controlling fire is sufficient, while for more severe cases, this method is necessary.

3. Nourish Yin and clear the lungs: This is the method for treating Kidney Yin deficiency with concurrent Lung Yin deficiency, such as using Maiwei Dihuang Wan. This is because Kidney Yin deficiency easily affects the lungs, leading to cough and other symptoms.

4. Nourish the kidneys and regulate the spleen: This is the method for treating Kidney Yin deficiency with concurrent Spleen Yin deficiency. When both meridians are Yin deficient, the treatment should focus on the spleen; otherwise, if the spleen is deficient, it cannot absorb, and even the best medicines will not be effective. Therefore, when treating Kidney Yin deficiency, attention must be paid to diet.

(3) Treatment for Spleen Yin deficiencyThe main treatment method requires using neither overly dry nor overly moist herbs, as the spleen prefers dryness and dislikes moisture, while Yin deficiency prefers moisture and dislikes dryness. This condition is the most challenging to treat with herbs. Based on experience, Li Lao believes that the most effective herbs include Shan Yao, Lian Rou, Bian Dou, and Yi Ren, or combining Bai He, Dong Hua, Pa Ye, and Mai Dong to treat concurrent Lung Yin deficiency symptoms, such as using Jiawei Qingning Gao. Alternatively, after stopping diarrhea, one can take Liuwei Dihuang Wan in the morning and evening to treat concurrent Kidney Yin deficiency symptoms.

In general, Yin deficiency conditions should use sweet and cold herbs, avoiding bitter cold herbs, as bitter cold herbs are drying and can harm Yin. Additionally, they should be decocted for a long time, as Yin deficiency requires heavy and turbid decoctions, thus necessitating prolonged cooking. Previous practitioners suggested using large doses to tonify Yin, but Li Lao found in practice that small doses taken frequently over a long period are more beneficial without adverse effects. This is because when taking Yin-nourishing herbs, the greatest concern is harming Spleen Yang, leading to diarrhea and loss of appetite; large doses are more likely to cause this issue. In treatment, moxibustion should not be used. Zhongjing stated: “Even a slight fire can cause internal damage, harming bones and tendons, making recovery difficult.” In terms of herbs, Sheng Ma and Zi Su should be avoided. Gu’s theory states: “If Yin deficiency is mistakenly treated, it will lead to upward-reversing fire, increasing cough frequency, and causing bleeding and vomiting to occur.”

7

Formulas for Yin Deficiency

Commonly used Yin-nourishing formulas by Li Lao are as follows:

(1) Formulas for treating Lung Yin deficiency

1. Qingjin Decoction: Used for Lung Yin deficiency cough, whether with phlegm, dry cough, or phlegm with blood. Ingredients: Sang Pi 7.5g, Di Gu Pi 6g, Mai Dong 6g, fresh Bai He 30g, Dong Hua 6g, Chuan Bei 6g, Xing Ren 6g, Zhi Pa Ye 6g, Zhi Cao 3g. If there is blood, add Bai Mao Gen 9g, and mix with half a cup of lotus root juice and children’s urine, decoct and take.

2. Baxian Yuye: Used for Lung Yin deficiency cough with blood. Ingredients: 2 cups of lotus root juice, 1 cup each of pear juice, sugarcane juice, reed root juice, Bai Mao Gen decoction, 1 cup of human milk, 1 cup of children’s urine, 3 raw egg whites, mix well and take frequently. For better results, add 30g each of Yi Ren, Shan Yao, and 60g of Bai He, and mix with the decoction.

3. Guben Wan: Used for elderly patients with Lung Yin deficiency, cough, and constipation. Ingredients: Tian Dong, Mai Dong, Sheng Di, and Shu Di each 60g, Ren Shen 30g. Grind into powder and form honey pills. Each dose is 9g, taken with warm water. The role of Ren Shen in this formula is to prevent reduced appetite and diarrhea.

4. Jiawei Qingning Gao: Used for Lung Yin deficiency cough with blood, along with reduced appetite and increased diarrhea. Ingredients: Mai Dong 120g, fresh Bai He 300g, Kuan Dong Hua 60g, Bo He powder 15g, Zhi Pa Ye 150g, Ju Hong 15g, Chuan Bei (powdered) 60g, Fu Ling 30g, Yi Ren 120g, Longan meat 60g, and Bai Shao 60g, Zhi Cao 15g. Except for Bo He and Chuan Bei, the other herbs are boiled into a paste, then add the powdered herbs and mix with 360g of maltose until dissolved. Each dose is a teaspoon taken with warm water.

(2) Formulas for treating Kidney Yin deficiency1. Liuwei Dihuang Wan: Used for all symptoms of Kidney Yin deficiency. Ingredients: Shu Di 240g, Shan Yu Rou 120g, Sheng Shan Yao 120g, Fu Ling 90g, Ze Xie 90g, and Dan Pi 90g. Grind into fine powder and form honey pills the size of Wutong seeds. Each dose is 9g, taken with warm water. It can also be taken as a decoction.

Modifications:

If there is fever and thirst, add Sheng Bie Jia, Hua Fen, and Er Dong; if there is breath obstruction, add Chen Xiang, Sha Ren, and Mai Dong; if there is cough with phlegm, add Bei Mu, Bai He, and Mai Dong; if there is throat pain, add raw egg, Yuan Shen, and Mai Dong; if there is bleeding from the gums, add Mai Dong and children’s urine, or add Ren Zhong Bai and Mai Dong; if there are loose teeth, add Ren Shen, Mai Dong, Wu Wei Zi, Lu Rong, Zhu Sui, Long Chi, and Mu Li; if there is leg and calf soreness, add Niu Xi, Du Zhong, Gou Qi, and Gui Ban; if there is blood in urine, add Ren Shen, Cun Dong, Wu Wei Zi, Bai Shao, Lian Xu, lotus root juice, and Han Lian Cao; if there is loss of voice, add Mai Dong and raw egg; if there is dry heat in the soles of the feet, add Er Dong, Niu Xi, and Gui Ban.

(Note: Any modifications cannot be exhaustive or fixed; they must be tailored to the syndrome for proper application.)

2. Zuogui Yin: Used for the same indications as Liuwei Dihuang Wan, with superior Yin tonifying effects, removing Ze Xie and Dan Pi, and adding Gou Qi and Zhi Cao.

Modifications:

• If there is lung heat and restlessness, add Mai Dong.

• If there is lung heat with frequent cough, add Bai He.

• If there is blood deficiency, add Dang Gui.

• If there is blood stagnation with heat, add Dan Pi.

• If there is Yin deficiency with instability, add Nu Zhen Zi.

• If there is blood heat with excessive movement, add Sheng Di.

• If there is spleen heat with increased hunger and sweating, add Bai Shao.

• If there is heart heat with dryness, add Yuan Shen.

• If there is kidney heat with bone steaming, add Di Gu Pi.

• If there is dry thirst, add Hua Fen.

• If there is excess above and deficiency below, add Niu Xi.

3. Zhibai Dihuang Wan: Used for bone atrophy, marrow depletion, labor heat, night sweats, tinnitus, easy erection, painful urination, and all symptoms of excessive fire due to Yin deficiency. This is Liuwei Dihuang Wan with the addition of Zhi Mu and Huang Bai. Each dose is 9g, taken with warm water.

4. Dabuyin Wan: Used for all symptoms of excessive fire due to Yin deficiency. Ingredients: Huang Bai (salt-fried), Zhi Mu (salt-fried), Shu Di, and Zhi Gui Ban, ground into fine powder, mixed with pig spinal marrow, and made into pills the size of Wutong seeds. Each dose is 15g, taken with warm water.

5. Maiwei Dihuang Wan: Used for chronic cough or phlegm with blood due to Yin deficiency. This is Liuwei Dihuang Wan with the addition of Mai Dong, Shi Hu, Sheng Shan Yao, Sheng Yu Shu, Sheng Bian Dou, Sheng Yi Ren, Sheng Lian Rou, Xi Yang Shen, Mai Dong, Jin Shi Hu, and Zhi Cao. Dosage varies according to the syndrome, taken as a decoction.

8

Medicinal Herbs for Yin Deficiency

Here are the commonly used Yin-nourishing herbs by Li Lao:

(1) Key herbs for Lung Yin deficiency

Tian Dong: Nourishes Lung Yin, moistens lung dryness, clears lung heat. It is cold and slippery, not suitable for those with Spleen deficiency and loose stools.Mai Dong: Nourishes Lung Yin, moistens lung dryness, clears lung heat. Not suitable for those with loose stools, but can be used with Yi Ren, Shan Yao, and Fu Ling.Bai He: Used for cough. Fresh white flowers are better.Zhi Pa Ye: Lowers Qi and stops cough. Can be used for Qi reversal.Sang Pi: Clears lung fire. Not suitable for those with lung deficiency and no fire or wind-cold cough.Chuan Bei: Can be used for turbid phlegm with white foam; not suitable for clear phlegm or no phlegm.Bo He: Disperses heat and clears the lungs. Can be used for slight wind-heat.Sha Shen: Nourishes Lung Yin.Pear: Moistens the lungs and clears heat.Wu Wei Zi: Astringes lung Qi and kidney Qi. Can be used for prolonged cough, excessive sweating, or kidney Qi reversal.Dong Hua: Can be used for cough.Shi Sang: Clears heat and transforms phlegm.Bai Mao Gen: Sweet and cold, clears internal heat, stops bleeding, and resolves stasis.Lotus root: Clears heat, stops bleeding, and resolves stasis.Children’s urine: Nourishes Yin and lowers fire. Most suitable for bleeding syndromes; effective for bone steaming when general herbs are ineffective. Not suitable for those with no fire, undigested food, or loose intestines.Zhi Mu: Clears the lungs and nourishes the kidneys. Can be used for phlegm with foul odor. Together with Huang Bai, it can nourish Yin and lower fire. However, long-term use may cause diarrhea, so it is not suitable for those with Spleen deficiency and loose stools.Ren Shen: A key herb for tonifying the lungs. However, it should be avoided in cases of Lung Yin deficiency with excessive heat. It can be used with Er Dong and Er Di to prevent harming the Spleen and causing loss of appetite and diarrhea in cases of Spleen and Kidney deficiency.Xi Yang Shen: Cooler in nature, better for those with Yin deficiency and heat than Ren Shen.

(2) Key herbs for Kidney Yin deficiencyShu Di: Tonifies the kidneys and benefits Yin. This is a key herb for tonifying Kidney Yin, effective for essence deficiency, marrow deficiency, and blood deficiency. However, it is slightly warming and can stagnate; for those with Yin deficiency and heat, it should be used with Sheng Di and other Yin-nourishing herbs. For those with Yin deficiency and concurrent phlegm and Qi stagnation, it may be avoided or used with Chen Xiang, Sha Ren, Mai Dong, and Chuan Bei.

Sheng Di: Nourishes Yin and cools the blood. Can be used for those with heat, but not for those with reduced appetite and diarrhea.Bie Jia: Nourishes Yin and subdues Yang. Can be used for those with alternating cold and heat, or bone steaming internal heat. Not suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach heat, nausea, or diarrhea.Gui Ban: Nourishes Yin and subdues Yang, reduces bone steaming. Not to be used for those with Kidney deficiency and no heat.Dan Pi: Can be used for five hearts heat and bone steaming internal heat. Suitable for those without sweating, clears liver and kidney heat.Di Gu Pi: Can be used for five hearts heat and bone steaming internal heat. Suitable for those with sweating, lowers hidden fire in the lungs.Gou Qi, Du Zhong: Treats Kidney deficiency and back pain.Pig kidneys, pig spinal marrow: Boiled soup for treating back pain.Lian Xu: Can be used for those with unstable essence.Zi He Che: Strongly tonifies essence and blood. Can be used for deficiency syndromes.Nu Zhen Zi: Suitable for those with Kidney Yin deficiency and heat. Long-term use may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.Shan Yu Rou: A Yin-nourishing herb. Can be used for those with unstable essence, excessive sweating, or urinary incontinence. Not suitable for those with bladder heat and difficulty urinating.

(3) Key herbs for Spleen Yin deficiencySheng Shan Yao: Tonifies the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney. Most suitable for those with Yin deficiency, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.Fu Ling: Can be used for those with diarrhea and reduced urination. Not to be used excessively in Yin deficiency cases, as it may harm moisture.Yi Ren, Lian Rou, Bian Dou: All can be used for those with diarrhea.Sheng Bai Zhu: A key herb for tonifying the Spleen. Most suitable for those with diarrhea and reduced appetite, but in severe Yin deficiency, it may be too drying; it can be used with Yi Ren or Shi Hu as substitutes.Sheng Bai Shao: Can be used for fullness (severe at night, light during the day), abdominal pain, sweating, diarrhea, and Qi stagnation. Not suitable for those with cold abdominal pain and diarrhea, or a sensation of cold in the stomach.Shi Hu: Suitable for those with internal heat in the stomach or muscles.

9

All Contraindications for Yin Deficiency

During treatment, strict adherence to contraindications is essential; otherwise, it may affect treatment outcomes. The key points are as follows:1. Absolute prohibition of tobacco and alcohol.2. Regarding ginger, scallions, and garlic, a small amount may be used to enhance flavor in light cases, but caution is needed in severe cases.3. Absolute prohibition of all spicy foods (chili, Sichuan pepper, black pepper, mustard flour).4. Absolute prohibition of all raw, cold, slippery, or hard foods, as they may harm the stomach and intestines. Sexual desire is a primary cause of Yin deficiency and must be strictly prohibited, even to the point of avoiding any thoughts of desire. Gu’s theory states: “When desire arises, the fire of the heart ignites, and even without sexual intercourse, essence is already secretly consumed.” In severe cases, complete abstinence for three years is required.5. Anger harms the liver, and excessive worry harms the spleen; constant attention is needed.6. Labor should be reduced. Excessive labor causes Qi to rise externally and essence to deplete internally, but light exercise is still necessary.

Source: Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Five Movements and Six Qi, this article is excerpted from: “One Hundred Renowned Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners: Li Hanqing.” Please indicate the source when reprinting.

Note:All formulas and prescriptions mentioned in this article are for reference and study by professional TCM practitioners only and should not be used as prescriptions. Please do not use them blindly; this platform does not bear any responsibility for any consequences arising from this.

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