Author | Liuzi Editor | Chunfeng Review | Xiaoye
In daily life, we often find that some people are particularly sensitive to wind and cold. Some individuals not only feel cold in their limbs but also easily experience fatigue, weakness, and edema. When they manage to gather some energy, they may feel palpitations, as if a force is pushing from their lower abdomen to their heart.
Their abdomen feels cool, they rarely sweat, have dry mouths but do not want to drink water, and their complexion is pale with a tongue that is white, fat, and moist… Various symptoms indicate a deficiency of Yang Qi in the Spleen and Kidney from a TCM perspective. Today, I will introduce a formula specifically designed for this condition by the physician Zhang Zhongjing.
Zhen Wu Tang (True Warrior Decoction)
Zhen Wu Tang, also known as Xuan Wu Tang (Mystical Warrior Decoction), is derived from the classic text Shang Han Za Bing Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases) by the medical sage Zhang Zhongjing. The name of this formula is quite interesting; why is it named after one of the Four Divine Beasts, the Xuan Wu?
Those familiar with Journey to the West know that the True Warrior Emperor is the deity who controls water in the north, accompanied by a turtle and a snake, governing the powers of water and fire, capable of subduing dragons and controlling floods. Thus, it is clear that Zhen Wu Tang is named for its ability to eliminate water and dampness.
The reference dosage is: Pao Fu Zi (Processed Aconite) 9g, Fu Ling (Poria) 9g, Bai Shao (White Peony) 9g, Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger) 9g, Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes) 6g, decocted in water for oral administration. This dosage is for reference only; specific adjustments should be made under the guidance of a TCM practitioner!
It is important to note that the Fu Zi in the formula must be processed before use; it should never be used raw, as raw Fu Zi is toxic. When decocting, Fu Zi should be boiled until it no longer causes numbness in the mouth, and then the other herbs can be added for decoction.
We must first clarify where this dampness originates. The root cause of dampness is insufficient Spleen Yang, which cannot transform and transport water and dampness. The Spleen Yang is directly related to Kidney Yang; the Kidney represents the innate, while the Spleen represents the acquired. One can understand it as the original energy and the energy that is added later. Therefore, it can be seen that before there is a problem with Spleen Yang, the Yang Qi of the Kidney has already been insufficient.
Thus, dampness is undoubtedly caused by the deficiency of Yang Qi in both the Spleen and Kidney, and to treat cold, one must use warming herbs that can warm Yang and promote urination.
Pao Fu Zi is the most important herb in Zhen Wu Tang, capable of warming the Yang of the Spleen and Kidney. When Spleen Yang is sufficient, it can restore the function of transforming and transporting water and dampness, cutting off the source of dampness. Kidney Yang allows water and dampness to be expelled through vaporization and urination, providing a way for dampness to exit the body and preventing the accumulation of phlegm.
When the body’s Yang Qi is sufficient, it can resist cold and eliminate dampness; this is the fundamental treatment. Fu Zi is very pungent and hot, known as the “first herb to support Yang,” capable of replenishing the Yang Qi of the entire body, especially the Yang Qi of the Spleen and Kidney. “Warming Yang and transforming dampness” is like hanging a sun inside the body; once the Yang Qi of the Spleen and Kidney is replenished, it can transform Qi and move water.
Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger) in Zhen Wu Tang assists Fu Zi in dispersing cold and can also help Fu Ling in dispersing water Qi. We have all had ginger soup; after consuming it, we sweat, and this sweat can help expel the cold from the body.
However, it is important to note that Zhen Wu Tang must use fresh ginger and not dried ginger. Fresh ginger disperses and does not retain, while dried ginger retains and does not disperse. The main purpose of this formula is to expel water and dampness, thus the dispersing nature of fresh ginger is essential.
While we are finding ways to manage the “flood” within the body, we must not forget the liver.
The liver governs the smooth flow of Qi. When it operates normally, it acts like channels in the body, arranging water and dampness clearly. However, when there is a flood, it becomes overwhelmed, leading many practitioners to focus solely on the Spleen and Kidney while neglecting the liver’s role in the condition. Zhang Zhongjing recognized this and included Bai Shao (White Peony) in the formula.
Bai Shao serves multiple purposes in the formula. First, it can restore the liver’s function of smooth flow, allowing water and dampness to be expelled through urination.
It can help the liver regain its ability to expand and flow, clearing out any deficiency wind or fire caused by the “flood.” Thus, Zhen Wu Tang can also treat symptoms such as muscle tremors. When the liver’s function of smooth flow is restored, the body fluids will find their way out through urination.
Secondly, Bai Shao can moderate the drying and heating properties of Fu Zi and Bai Zhu, making the formula more balanced.
Thirdly, for those with Yang deficiency, body fluids are also insufficient. Warming Yang will only exacerbate the deficiency of body fluids. Therefore, adding Bai Shao can replenish the body fluids in the meridians, preventing the situation where one side removes water while the other side suffers from muscle spasms due to insufficient body fluids.
In summary, Bai Shao nourishes the liver, aiming to restore its smooth flow, thereby achieving the goals of promoting urination, alleviating urgency and pain, moderating Fu Zi, and protecting Yin fluids.
Many may wonder why there is so much dampness in the body while still having insufficient body fluids. We must understand the difference between useful and useless. The excess dampness in the body is not something that can flow through the meridians; it has not been transformed into usable body fluids.
It is like the vast ocean; you cannot drink the water directly. Therefore, using Zhen Wu Tang without adding Bai Shao may lead to muscle spasms.
Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes) and Fu Ling (Poria) can strengthen the Spleen and dry dampness, allowing the water pathogens to be expelled through urination. These two herbs are often used together, as seen in formulas like Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (Ginseng and Atractylodes Powder), Zhu Zi Yin (Bamboo Leaf Decoction), and Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction).
Bai Zhu is an expert in strengthening the Spleen and eliminating dampness, enhancing the Spleen’s ability to transform and absorb, thus removing water and dampness. Fu Ling is very mild, neither warming nor drying, yet it can expel the dampness hidden in the body’s organs and meridians through urination.
On one hand, they work with Pao Fu Zi to strengthen the Spleen and Stomach, preventing the generation of dampness at the source. On the other hand, they expel the excess dampness from the body through urination.
In conclusion, every ingredient in Zhen Wu Tang plays a crucial role. This formula is particularly suitable for those who are sensitive to cold, have cold hands and feet, experience abdominal pain and diarrhea, prefer warmth and pressure, have a pale complexion, experience difficulty urinating, have swollen limbs, and have insufficient Yang Qi.
▋Why do Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiencies Cause Numerous Illnesses?
In TCM, the Spleen is the foundation of acquired essence, governing transformation and transportation. The body’s Qi, blood, and body fluids all rely on the Spleen’s ability to transport and transform. If Spleen Yang is deficient, its ability to transform and transport is weakened, leading to the stagnation of water and dampness, which can also affect the Stomach, resulting in symptoms such as abdominal distension, decreased appetite, and vomiting.
The Kidney corresponds to water in the Five Elements, divided into Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang. Kidney Yang is the root of the Yang Qi of the organs and is the foundation of innate essence. If Kidney Yang is deficient, it can lead to cold limbs, weakness in the lower back and knees, difficulty urinating, and may also cause tinnitus, excessive sleepiness, impotence, and infertility.
The common symptoms of Spleen and Kidney Yang deficiency include limb swelling, weakness or cold pain in the lower back and knees, sensitivity to cold, fatigue, poor appetite, and difficulty urinating. This highlights the importance of protecting Yang Qi.
During this season, we must avoid actions that harm Yang, such as consuming excessive cold drinks or staying in air conditioning for too long.
The content of this article is for reference only. Non-professionals in TCM should not attempt to self-medicate.Original submission: [email protected] (email), chunfeng52566 (WeChat)