The 35th patient presented with diarrhea.
The teacher checked his pulse and noted a soft and slow Guan pulse, indicating dampness in the middle jiao. Upon examining his tongue, which was white and greasy, he stated that diarrhea occurs when the spleen qi is damaged and unbalanced. The dampness in the middle jiao, particularly affecting the spleen, hinders its ability to transform and transport. Therefore, a simple prescription of 50 grams of Cang Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala), brewed as tea in several doses, proved effective.
Indeed, Cang Zhu is a sacred herb for treating spleen dampness. It can dry dampness, strengthen the spleen, resolve stagnation, and eliminate turbidity, effectively treating diarrhea caused by dampness in the intestines. Ancient texts also record this, such as in the Ben Shi Fang, which states: “The spleen is the earth element, which despises dampness. Water leads to dampness; nothing is better than drying the spleen to overcome dampness, and enhancing the earth to fill the gaps, thus the illness will be eliminated. Therefore, all other herbs are set aside, and only Cang Zhu is taken to swiftly remove the ailment.”
After drinking the Cang Zhu tea for two days, this patient no longer experienced diarrhea. This single herb not only treats diarrhea but also addresses stagnation in the stomach and even dizziness caused by damp turbidity. Cang Zhu can eliminate dampness and also elevate the clear yang, as it has a strong and pungent flavor.
There was another patient who experienced dizziness and often had unformed stools. The teacher advised him to regularly drink Cang Zhu tea, which helped him achieve formed stools and alleviated his dizziness. This Cang Zhu tea serves dual purposes: it can eliminate the dampness and turbid yin in the lower jiao while also strengthening the spleen to elevate the clear yang qi of the middle and upper jiao.
The teacher often combined Cang Zhu with Xiang Fu (Cyperus rotundus) to create a medicinal pair, which further exemplifies the principle of elevating the clear and descending the turbid in the middle jiao, allowing for smooth circulation of qi. Most patients with a stasis pulse originate from the middle jiao. Once there is a stasis pulse, illness is inevitable. At this point, it is necessary to disperse the stasis and regulate the center. The middle jiao has two pathways: the left pathway represents the liver and gallbladder, while the right pathway represents the spleen and stomach. Xiang Fu is a blood-moving herb that can smooth the liver and gallbladder qi mechanism. Cang Zhu is a sacred herb for strengthening the spleen and stomach, with a robust and pungent flavor, maximizing the power of transforming food and drink. The combination of the two allows one to move left and the other to move right, with Cang Zhu primarily elevating the clear yang and assisting in transforming dampness, while Xiang Fu quickly smooths and descends qi, aiding in liver regulation. This mutual enhancement is exemplified in formulas like Yue Ju Wan and Liu Yu Wan, which cannot do without this herbal pair.
Excerpt from Ren Zhi Tang Clinical Diary 3