Inheriting the fire of Qi Huang, a public account with substance and warmth.
Ai Yu Xiang Tang
1. What is Ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine? For over five thousand years, even earlier, humans have been exploring methods to protect their health in the face of harsh living conditions, starting from a primitive stage of survival. This method is based on simple philosophy, relying on the harmony with the operation of heaven and earth, aiming to achieve the unity of heaven and man for disease prevention and treatment. Historical records mention that Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs in one day and encountered thirty poisons, exemplifying the ancestors’ exploration of nature. What Shennong tasted were the properties and flavors of medicinal substances, and he discerned the yin and yang characteristics of herbs through personal experience. The “Shennong Bencao Jing” records this outcome: “Medicines have five flavors: sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, and salty, and four qi: cold, hot, warm, and cool.” The ancients classified the flavors of medicines into “sour, sweet, spicy, bitter, and salty” to correspond to the five organs, and then adjusted the five flavors to attack evil and support the righteous, ultimately achieving the goals of disease prevention, treatment, and nurturing one’s nature. The “Huangdi Neijing,” completed two thousand years ago, gathers the wisdom of predecessors, and its treatment theories are based on the paths of “yin and yang” and “qi and flavor.”
The “Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun” at the beginning of Volume Two of the “Neijing” states: “Water is yin, fire is yang; yang is qi, yin is flavor. Flavor corresponds to form, form corresponds to qi, qi corresponds to essence, and essence corresponds to transformation. Essence consumes qi, form consumes flavor, transformation generates essence, and qi generates form. Flavor harms form, qi harms essence, essence transforms into qi, and qi is harmed by flavor. Yin flavors exit through the lower orifices, yang qi exits through the upper orifices. Thick flavors are yin, thin flavors are the yang of yin; thick qi is yang, thin qi is the yin of yang. Thick flavors lead to leakage, thin flavors lead to passage; thin qi leads to discharge, thick qi leads to heat. Spicy and sweet flavors disperse as yang, sour and sweet flavors surge and leak as yin.” The placement of the “Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun” at the beginning of Volume Two of the “Neijing” is significant, as “yin and yang” and “qi and flavor” are the source of ancient TCM’s energy. By presenting “yin and yang” and “qi and flavor” in such a prominent position, it serves as a guiding principle for the entire text and even for the study of TCM. The “Neijing” is a pinnacle work of the ancestors’ understanding of nature and self, adjusting the harmonious relationship between themselves and nature, and it earnestly discusses the concept of “qi and flavor.” The “Sheng Qi Tong Tian Lun” states: “The origin of yin is in the five flavors; the five palaces of yin are harmed by the five flavors. Therefore, if the flavor is excessively sour, the liver qi will be consumed, and the spleen qi will be exhausted. If the flavor is excessively salty, the bone qi will be laborious, and the muscles will shorten, suppressing the heart qi. If the flavor is excessively sweet, the heart qi will be full, the complexion will be dark, and the kidney qi will be unbalanced. If the flavor is excessively bitter, the spleen qi will not be moist, and the stomach qi will be thick. If the flavor is excessively spicy, the tendons will be slack, and the spirit will be central. Therefore, one must carefully harmonize the five flavors, ensuring the bones are correct and the tendons are soft, allowing qi and blood to flow, and the pores to be dense. In this way, the bone qi will be refined, and the path will be followed according to the law, leading to longevity as per heaven’s mandate.” This five flavors concept encompasses the generation and overcoming of the five elements and the nurturing of the five seasons, reflecting the ancestors’ simple philosophy regarding nature and all things, serving as a basis for disease prevention and treatment. The “Neijing” repeatedly emphasizes and reiterates the treatment principles of the five flavors, ultimately conveying a single truth to future scholars: “Medicine lies in yin and yang, and yin and yang lie in qi and flavor.” The “Zang Qi Fa Shi Lun” states: “If the liver desires to disperse, quickly consume spicy to disperse it; use spicy to supplement it, and sour to drain it; if the heart desires to descend, quickly consume salty to descend it; use salty to supplement it, and sweet to drain it; if the spleen desires to relax, quickly consume sweet to relax it; use bitter to drain it, and sweet to supplement it; if the lung desires to gather, quickly consume sour to gather it; use sour to supplement it, and spicy to drain it; if the kidney desires to strengthen, quickly consume bitter to strengthen it; use bitter to supplement it, and salty to drain it.” Throughout the entire “Neijing,” the discussion of treatment based on flavor runs through the text, and qi and flavor are fundamentally the essence of traditional Chinese medicine’s treatment. This concept is not only found in professional medical texts but is also recorded in ancient historical texts. The “Han Shu: Yi Wen Zhi: Fang Ji Lue” states: “The classic prescriptions are based on the cold and warmth of herbs, measuring the depth of diseases, relying on the nourishment of medicinal flavors, and discerning the five bitter and six spicy flavors to achieve the balance of water and fire, resolving blockages and knots, returning to equilibrium. If one loses appropriateness, heat increases heat, and cold increases cold, leading to internal injury of essence and qi, which is a significant loss.” This clearly records that the so-called “classic prescriptions” are based on the nourishment of medicinal flavors and the appropriateness of qi, further clarifying that the “qi” and “flavor” of ancient TCM are the basis for prescriptions and treatments. It can be said that the soul of TCM lies in the study of qi and flavor. Before the Han dynasty, ancient medical texts such as the “Huangdi Neijing” (eighteen volumes), “Wai Jing” (thirty-seven volumes), “Bian Que Neijing” (nine volumes), and “Wai Jing” (twelve volumes); the “Bai Shi Neijing” (thirty-eight volumes), and the “Wai Jing” (thirty-six volumes); and the “Pang Jing” (twenty-five volumes) were recorded. Today, only the “Huangdi Neijing,” which has been edited by Song dynasty scholars, remains, while many others have been lost to history. However, the principles of using the five flavors for treatment can be glimpsed not only from the “Huangdi Neijing” but also from the Dunhuang manuscripts. The “Fu Xing Jue Zang Fu Yong Yao Fa Yao” (hereafter referred to as “Fu Xing Jue”) is an ancient medical text preserved in the Dunhuang Caves, attributed to Liang Huayang and compiled by Tao Hongjing. The preface claims that the book is a compilation of ancient medical texts such as the “Tang Ye Jing Fa” attributed to Yi Yin of the Shang dynasty. It discusses treatment primarily based on the “Tang Ye Jing Fa.” The book contains the interrelation of the five elements and the five flavors, similar to the principles of the “Huangdi Neijing.” The “Fu Xing Jue” illustrates the changes of the five flavors and five organs, and lists the formulas for supplementing and draining the five organs, stating: “Now there are twenty-five types listed to clarify the traces of the interrelation of the five elements and the application of the changes of the five flavors.” The formulas for supplementing and draining the five organs are as follows: Small Drain Liver Decoction: Zhi Shi (Bitter Orange), Shao Yao (Peony), Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger)
Large Drain Liver Decoction: Zhi Shi (Bitter Orange), Shao Yao (Peony), Gan Cao (Licorice), Huang Qin (Scutellaria), Da Huang (Rhubarb), Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger)
Small Drain Heart Decoction: Huang Lian (Coptis), Huang Qin (Scutellaria), Da Huang (Rhubarb)
Large Drain Heart Decoction: Huang Lian (Coptis), Huang Qin (Scutellaria), Shao Yao (Peony), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Gan Cao (Licorice), Da Huang (Rhubarb)
Small Drain Spleen Decoction: Fu Zi (Aconite), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Gan Cao (Licorice)
Large Drain Spleen Decoction: Fu Zi (Aconite), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Huang Qin (Scutellaria), Da Huang (Rhubarb), Shao Yao (Peony), Gan Cao (Licorice)
Small Drain Lung Decoction: Ting Li Zi (Descurainia), Da Huang (Rhubarb), Shao Yao (Peony)
Large Drain Lung Decoction: Ting Li Zi (Descurainia), Da Huang (Rhubarb), Shao Yao (Peony), Gan Cao (Licorice), Huang Qin (Scutellaria), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger)
Small Drain Kidney Decoction: Fu Ling (Poria), Gan Cao (Licorice), Huang Qin (Scutellaria)
Large Drain Kidney Decoction: Fu Ling (Poria), Gan Cao (Licorice), Da Huang (Rhubarb), Huang Qin (Scutellaria), Shao Yao (Peony), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger)
Small Supplement Liver Decoction: Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra), Da Zao (Jujube)
Large Supplement Liver Decoction: Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra), Da Zao (Jujube), Xuan Fu Hua (Inula), Dai Zhe Shi (Hematite), Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf)
Small Supplement Heart Decoction: Dai Zhe Shi (Hematite), Xuan Fu Hua (Inula), Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf), Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus)
Large Supplement Heart Decoction: Dai Zhe Shi (Hematite), Xuan Fu Hua (Inula), Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf), Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus), Ren Shen (Ginseng), Gan Cao (Licorice), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger)
Small Supplement Spleen Decoction: Ren Shen (Ginseng), Gan Cao (Licorice), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes)
Large Supplement Spleen Decoction: Ren Shen (Ginseng), Gan Cao (Licorice), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes), Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra), Xuan Fu Hua (Inula)
Small Supplement Lung Decoction: Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra), Xuan Fu Hua (Inula), Xi Xin (Asarum)
Large Supplement Lung Decoction: Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra), Xuan Fu Hua (Inula), Xi Xin (Asarum), Di Huang (Rehmannia), Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf), Gan Cao (Licorice)
Small Supplement Kidney Decoction: Di Huang (Rehmannia), Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf), Gan Cao (Licorice), Ze Xie (Alisma)
Large Supplement Kidney Decoction: Di Huang (Rehmannia), Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf), Gan Cao (Licorice), Ze Xie (Alisma), Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra)
The principles of the above formulas for supplementing and draining the five organs lie in the changes of qi and flavor, hence the “Fu Xing Jue” states: “This diagram is the essence of the ‘Tang Ye Jing Fa’; if scholars can master this, they will have mastered the way of medicine.” Using qi and flavor to support the righteous and expel evil is a simple and unadorned principle, yet it is unbreakable, representing the true nature of ancient TCM.
2. The Heart Principles and Formulas of Ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine 1. Golden Principles for Differentiating Yin and Yang
The general principle for differentiating yin and yang must be careful; if there is a yang syndrome, there is no yin syndrome, and the two excretions reflect true messages. The kidney governs the opening and closing of the two excretions; if there is a deficiency of cold in the lesser yin, the large intestine will be loose, and the small intestine will also be clear and long. If the small intestine is burning hot and thirsty for cold drinks, this is a yang syndrome that should not be misunderstood. If there is a yin blockage causing constipation with dry stools, frequent pale yellow urination, and no thirst, or if one is thirsty and prefers hot drinks, this indicates a yang blockage. If there is restlessness, tidal heat, or night sweats, and one is thirsty for cold drinks, this is a true yang syndrome. If there is vexation, five hearts are hot, or night sweats, and one is not thirsty or prefers hot drinks, with frequent urination and loose stools, this indicates a deficiency of yang. If the yin syndrome presents with blue-white lips and mouth, low voice, short breath but desire to sleep, heavy body, reluctance to speak, and fear of cold, with tasteless food and clear saliva, the tongue is blue and slippery or black and moist, with a white or light yellow coating, and the tongue is slippery and moist, with full saliva in the mouth and no desire to drink, or if one is thirsty and prefers hot drinks, with clear long urination and loose stools, the breath is foul and mixed with cold and heat, with more cold than heat and inability to eat, the pulse is without spirit, this is a yin syndrome. If the tongue has no coating but the mouth is moist, and the two excretions are self-regulating without thirst, focus on returning yang without error. If the yang syndrome presents with red lips and mouth, the spirit is not tired and unaware of sleep, with foul breath, coarse voice, light body, dry stools, and short yellow urination with burning heat, and thirst for cold drinks without rest, the six pulses are long and strong, the tongue coating is dry yellow or black yellow, and there is no saliva in the mouth, with vexation, tidal heat, or night sweats, dry cough with much or little phlegm, the pulse is spirited, this is a yang syndrome. If one is thirsty for cold drinks and has a fever, with unbeneficial urination and vexation, the body is cold as ice and appears dead, this is extreme heat hidden within, with yang not reaching the outside appearing as pure yin. At this time, one must also examine the breath; if the breath is slightly hot and steamy, and the root of the tongue is red but not blue, one must urgently purge to preserve fluids, and do not mistake it for a yin syndrome, as this could cost a life. 2. The True and False Mixed Disease Principles of Yin and Yang Yin cold and yang heat are yin and yang, only in true and false can one make a distinction. True heat presents with thirst and yellow urination, preferring cold drinks, with spirit and restlessness. True cold presents with frequent pale complexion, without spirit, and desire to sleep. True heat presents with thirst and preference for cold drinks, while false heat presents with a desire to rinse the mouth without swallowing. True heat presents with dry stools and a red face, while false heat presents with a red face and clear long urination. True heat has a rapid pulse, while true cold has a slow pulse. True heat has a dry yellow tongue coating, while true cold has a blue tongue with a slippery coating. Yin extremes resemble yang, and yang extremes resemble yin. Distinguishing true and false cold and heat, yin syndrome and yang syndrome can be accurately diagnosed. True heat is yang syndrome with bitter, sweet, and cold properties, while true cold is yin syndrome with warm and hot decoctions. Understanding the transformation of yin and yang, one can treat difficult mixed diseases. The primordial poles are water and fire; when water and fire are harmonized, there are no lingering diseases. Taiyin deficiency cold leads to loose stools, causing harm to the liver; hepatitis B virus shows its power, and Fu Zi (Aconite) and Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger) are the remedy. Lesser yin yang deficiency leads to clear frequent urination, with essence leaking down and not moistening the eyes; dizziness and lower back pain are also due to this, and the return of yang is saved with the Si Ni San (Four Reversal Decoction). Leukemia is a cold evil, cold penetrating the marrow increases white blood cells; Western medicine only knows to kill white blood cells, but it exhausts yang qi. This disease is a lesser yin disease in TCM, and the treatment is a combination of Tai Shao and Ma Huang with Xin Yi Hua (Magnolia Flower) and Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger). AIDS is a separation of yin and yang; Western medicine can detect it through blood tests, while ordinary blood tests show one line, but AIDS blood shows two separations. Treating the spirit with the harmony of yin and yang, if yin and yang are separated, the spirit is lost; harmonizing yin and yang with TCM is the most miraculous and economical method.
3. The Golden Principles for Using Medicine in TCM When treating diseases, the medicine must correspond to the symptoms. For headaches, one must use Chuan Xiong (Szechuan Lovage). If it does not heal, add guiding herbs: for Tai Yang, use Chuan Xiong; for Yang Ming, use Bai Zhi (Angelica Dahurica); for Shao Yang, use Chai Hu (Bupleurum); for Tai Yin, use Cang Zhu (Atractylodes); for Shao Yin, use Xi Xin (Asarum); for Jue Yin, use Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia). For vertex pain, one must use Ben (Borneol), removing Chuan Xiong. For limb joint pain, one must use Qiang Huo (Notopterygium) to dispel wind and dampness. For abdominal pain, one must use Shao Yao (Peony), adding Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) for cold pain, or Huang Bai (Phellodendron) for heat pain. For fullness under the heart, one must use Zhi Shi (Bitter Orange) and Huang Lian (Coptis). For muscle heat and phlegm removal, one must use Huang Qin (Scutellaria). For muscle heat, also use Huang Bai (Phellodendron). For abdominal distension, use Jiang Zhi (Ginger) to prepare Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel) (one book has Shao Yao). For deficiency heat, one must use Huang Bai (Phellodendron) to stop deficiency sweating. For pain under the ribs, with tidal heat and daily tidal heat, one must use Chai Hu (Bupleurum). For spleen and stomach dampness, with heaviness and lethargy, and a tendency to sleep, use Bai Zhu (Atractylodes) to dispel phlegm. For breaking stagnant qi, use Zhi Ke (Bitter Orange), and for higher levels, use it sparingly. Zhi Ke damages the high qi in the chest, and two or three doses are sufficient. For breaking stagnant blood, use Tao Ren (Peach Kernel) and Su Mu (Sappan Wood). For phlegm removal, one must use Ban Xia (Pinellia). For heat phlegm, add Huang Qin (Scutellaria); for wind phlegm, add Nan Xing (Arisaema); for cold phlegm in the chest, use Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes), but excessive use will drain the spleen and stomach. For narrowness in the abdomen, one must use Cang Zhu (Atractylodes). For regulating qi, one must use Mu Xiang (Saussurea). For tonifying qi, one must use Ren Shen (Ginseng). For harmonizing blood, one must use Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis); all blood-related diseases must use Dang Gui. For draining dampness and pain in the lower jiao, and bladder fire evil, one must use wine-washed Fang Ji (Stephania), Cao Long Dan (Gentiana), Huang Bai (Phellodendron), and Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena). For draining dampness and heat in the upper jiao, one must use Huang Qin (Scutellaria) to drain lung fire. For draining dampness and heat in the middle jiao, use Huang Lian (Coptis) to drain heart fire. For breaking stagnant qi, use Qing Pi (Green Tangerine Peel), but do not take too much, as excessive use will drain the true qi. For thirst, use Gan Cao (Licorice) and Fu Ling (Poria), and avoid Ban Xia (Pinellia). For cough, use Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra). For wheezing, use E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin). For undigested food, one must use Huang Lian (Coptis) and Zhi Shi (Bitter Orange). For vexation and heat in the chest, one must use Zhi Zi (Gardenia) seeds. For water diarrhea, one must use Bai Zhu (Atractylodes), Fu Ling (Poria), and Shao Yao (Peony). For qi-stabbing pain, use Zhi Ke (Bitter Orange), depending on the area, and use guiding herbs to direct it. For blood-stabbing pain, use Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis), detailing the upper and lower parts. For unbearable pain from sores, use cold bitter herbs like Huang Bai (Phellodendron) and Huang Qin (Scutellaria), detailing the upper and lower parts, and for unbearable eye pain, use Huang Lian (Coptis) and Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis) soaked in wine. For yellow urination, use Huang Bai (Phellodendron); for frequent or painful urination, add Ze Xie (Alisma). For heat in the abdomen, use Da Huang (Rhubarb) and Mang Xiao (Mirabilite). For lower abdominal pain, use Qing Pi (Green Tangerine Peel). For pain in the stem, use Sheng Gan Cao (Fresh Licorice). For fright and confusion, use Fu Shen (Poria). For excessive drinking causing harm to the spleen, use Bai Zhu (Atractylodes), Fu Ling (Poria), and Zhu Ling (Polyporus). For stomach pain, use Cao Dou Kou (Cardamom). For pure cold or pure hot medicines, always use Gan Cao (Licorice) to moderate their strength. For mixed cold and heat, also use Gan Cao (Licorice) to harmonize their properties. For fullness in the middle, avoid using. The classics say: “Do not eat sweet if there is fullness in the middle.” For treating wind and cold, use Fang Feng (Siler) as the monarch, with Gan Cao (Licorice) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes) as assistants. The classics say: “Spicy and sweet disperse as yang.” Wind should be dispersed with spicy, and Fang Feng (Siler) is suitable for both treating wind and promoting circulation, hence Fang Feng is the monarch, with Gan Cao (Licorice) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes) as assistants. For treating cold and injury, use Gan Cao (Licorice) as the monarch, with Fang Feng (Siler) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes) as assistants, as cold is suitable for sweet dispersal. If there are other symptoms, select from the above treatment herbs according to the symptoms, dividing them into monarch and minister herbs. For sudden eye redness and swelling, use Fang Feng (Siler) and Huang Qin (Scutellaria) as the monarch to drain fire; use Huang Lian (Coptis) and Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis) to harmonize blood as assistants; and combine with various channel herbs. For long-term eye diseases causing dimness, use Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia) and Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis) as the monarch; use Qiang Huo (Notopterygium) and Fang Feng (Siler) as ministers; and Gan Cao (Licorice) and Gan Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum) as assistants. For dysentery and abdominal pain, use Bai Shao (White Peony) and Gan Cao (Licorice) as the monarch; Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes) as assistants. For blood in the stool, treat according to the heat in the three jiao.
For water diarrhea, use Fu Ling (Poria) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes) as the monarch, with Shao Yao (Peony) and Gan Cao (Licorice) as assistants. For all types of wind, use Fang Feng (Siler) as the monarch, with various treatments as assistants. For cough, use Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra) as the monarch; if there is phlegm, use Ban Xia (Pinellia) as an assistant; if there is wheezing, use E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) as an assistant; if there is heat or no heat, use Huang Qin (Scutellaria) as an assistant, but the amounts differ. For unbeneficial urination, use Huang Bai (Phellodendron) and Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena) as the monarch, with Fu Ling (Poria) and Ze Xie (Alisma) as assistants. For dampness in the lower jiao, use Cao Long Dan (Gentiana) and Fang Ji (Stephania) as the monarch, with Gan Cao (Licorice) and Huang Bai (Phellodendron) as assistants. For hemorrhoids, use Cang Zhu (Atractylodes) and Fang Feng (Siler) as the monarch, with Gan Cao (Licorice) and Shao Yao (Peony) as assistants. Detail and adjust according to different symptoms. For all types of sores, use Huang Lian (Coptis) and Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis) as the monarch, with Gan Cao (Licorice) and Huang Qin (Scutellaria) as assistants. For malaria, use Chai Hu (Bupleurum) as the monarch, according to the time of onset and the corresponding channel, and use guiding herbs as assistants. The above are the major principles of using medicine. For more detailed symptoms, select from the above treatment herbs and adjust accordingly.
The article content is for reference only, not for professional doctors to try acupuncture or medication.