《孫真人備急千金要方》Vol. 23

The fourth section of Sun the Perfected’s Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand in Gold, volume 23, was collated by Lin Yi and others, who served in the Song dynasty as Court Gentleman for Attendance, Acting Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Revising Editor of the Institute of Scholarly Worthies. The section is titled “Formulas for Wind-Toxin and Beriberi” and presents decoctions, followed by a foot-wrapping formula.

The first, Bamboo Sap Decoction, treats numbness and weakness in both feet, cramping, or numbness and loss of sensation in the skin and muscles. It is also used for abdominal swelling that resembles edema but does not leave an indentation when pressed, uneasiness in the heart with loss of appetite, or conditions involving cold. The ingredients are five sheng of bamboo sap; one liang each of licorice, gentian, kudzu root, scutellaria, ephedra, stephania, asarum, cassia bark, and dried ginger; one and a half liang each of saposhnikovia root and cimicifuga; three liang of poria; two aconite roots; and fifty apricot kernels. Cut up the fifteen ingredients, then decoct them with seven sheng of water and the bamboo sap until three sheng of liquid remain. Divide this into three doses and take until perspiration breaks. The Supplement to the Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand in Gold omits poria and apricot kernels and adds one liang of atractylodes.

The second, Great Bamboo Sap Decoction, treats sudden wind-stroke with locked jaws and inability to speak, limp and weak limbs, paralysis on one side of the body, or constricted sinews and vessels. It is also used for symptoms arising when wind pathogens invade the five zang organs: a disoriented mind, irritability and unpredictable shifts in mood, and inability to move the hands and feet. The ingredients are one dou and four sheng of bamboo sap; two liang each of pubescent angelica root, peony, saposhnikovia root, skimmia, licorice, atractylodes, kudzu root, asarum, scutellaria, and Sichuan lovage; one liang each of cassia bark, stephania, ginseng, gypsum, and ephedra; three liang each of fresh ginger and poria; and one aconite root. Cut up the nineteen ingredients and decoct them in bamboo sap until four sheng of liquid remain. Divide into six doses. If perspiration does not begin at first, take the medicine to induce sweating, continuing until the intended effect is reached.

The third, Bamboo Sap Decoction, treats wind-toxin invading the five zang organs, with shortness of breath, vexing heat below the heart, painful agitation in the hands and feet, inability to raise the limbs, numbness and loss of sensation in the skin and muscles, and symptoms such as locked jaws and inability to speak. The ingredients include one dou and nine sheng of bamboo sap; three liang each of saposhnikovia root, poria, and gentian; as well as angelica, scutellaria, ginseng, Sichuan lovage, asarum, cassia bark, licorice, and cimicifuga. The Supplement to the Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand in Gold gives variant ingredient names: peony in place of scutellaria, stephania in place of Sichuan lovage, and tetrapanax in place of cimicifuga.

Two liang each of mahuang and baizhu, two aconite tubers; one liang of Sichuan pepper, five liang of kudzu root, and eight liang of fresh ginger.

Chop the eighteen ingredients. Cook them in bamboo sap and obtain four sheng of decoction. Divide it into five doses.

At the first onset of illness, apply the medicinal paste immediately, rubbing it on twice a day. Stop once the paralysis has eased. The version of the prescription recorded in the Qianjin Yifang does not include mahuang or Sichuan pepper; the words “fresh ginger” are found in another version.

Mahuang Decoction: Used to treat aversion to wind; weakness and loss of strength in the feet caused by an invasion of toxic pathogenic influences; persistent paralysis; numbness and loss of sensation in the limbs; loss of voice and inability to speak; and toxic pathogenic influences surging upward to attack the heart. Anyone with the corresponding symptoms should take this prescription as the first dose, then take the second, third, and fourth prescriptions in order.

One liang of mahuang, twenty jujubes, three liang of fuling, and thirty apricot kernels; two liang each of fangfeng, baizhu, danggui, shengma, chuanxiong, shaoyao, huangqin, guixin (the central part of the cinnamon bark), maidong, and gancao.

Chop the fourteen ingredients. Add nine dou of water and two dou of clear wine, and boil them together until two and a half sheng of decoction remain. Divide it into four doses, taking three during the day and one at night. After taking a dose, cover yourself with a quilt until you perspire lightly. Then dust the body with dry powder and avoid exposure to drafts.

Second Dose: Duhuo Decoction

Four liang of duhuo, three liang of dried rehmannia root, and five liang of fresh ginger; two liang each of kudzu root, guixin, gancao, shaoyao, and mahuang.

Chop the eight ingredients. Add eight dou of water and two dou of clear wine, and boil them together until two and a half sheng of decoction remain. Divide it into four doses, taking three during the day and one at night. Those with weakness and loss of strength in the feet should especially avoid bottle gourd and houttuynia (fish mint). The original text says that if these are eaten by mistake, the illness will never be cured.

Third Dose: Tonifying Houpo Decoction, also used to treat various disorders of Qi, as well as coughing, rebellious Qi, and vomiting.

Two liang each of houpo, chuanxiong, guixin, dried rehmannia root, shaoyao, danggui, and ginseng; three liang each of astragalus root and gancao; two and a half sheng of Sichuan pepper; seven liang of banxia; and one jin of fresh ginger.

Chop the twelve ingredients. Boil one pig’s trotter in two dou of water and obtain one dou and two sheng of broth; skim off the layer of fat. Add three sheng of clear wine and boil them together until three sheng of decoction remain. Divide it into four doses, taking them at intervals of roughly the time it takes to walk twenty li.

Fourth Formula: “Independence from Wind Decoction with a Supplement”

Duhuo (four liang); Poria and licorice root (three liang each); cimicifuga (one and a half liang); ginseng, cinnamon bark, saposhnikovia root, peony, Chinese angelica, astragalus, dried ginger, and aconite (two liang each); soybeans (two sheng).

Chop the thirteen ingredients. Combine nine sheng of water with three sheng of clear rice wine and decoct until three and a half sheng remain. Divide into four doses. Leave an interval between doses equal to the time it takes to walk about twenty li, then take the next dose.

Saposhnikovia Decoction treats painful impediment in the feet. It is also used for vomiting, obstruction in the chest, and hernia caused by toxic Qi surging into the heart and chest. If the illness matches these symptoms, take this formula.

Saposhnikovia root, ephedra, Ligusticum, ginseng, peony, Chinese angelica, Poria, pinellia, licorice root, and tangerine peel (one liang each); turtle shell, fresh ginger, and cinnamon bark (two liang each); apricot kernels (one and a half liang); red beans (one sheng); cowrie shells and smoked plums (five each); Chinese dates (twenty); Sichuan pepper (five he); rhinoceros horn and antelope horn (half a liang each); Chinese chives (fourteen stalks).

Chop the twenty-two ingredients. Boil them in one dou of water and reduce the liquid to three sheng. Divide into three doses and take them all within one day. Another method uses one dou and two sheng of water, with a little thin rice porridge eaten between doses. In another version, increase the pinellia to three liang; choose the amount according to the circumstances.

Duhuo Decoction treats painful impediment in the feet.

Duhuo (four liang); Chinese angelica, saposhnikovia root, Poria, peony, astragalus, kudzu root, ginseng, and licorice root (two liang each); soybeans (two sheng); aconite (one piece); dried ginger (three liang).

Chop the twelve ingredients. Combine one dou of water with two sheng of clear rice wine and decoct until three sheng remain. Divide into three doses.

Yuebi Decoction treats wind impediment and weakness in the legs.

Ephedra (six liang), gypsum (half a sheng), white atractylodes (four liang), large aconite (one piece), fresh ginger (three liang), licorice root (two liang), and Chinese dates (fifteen).

Chop the seven ingredients and boil them in seven sheng of water. First boil the ephedra; when it comes to a boil, skim off the foam…

“Impediment” refers to numbness, pain, or restricted movement caused by impaired circulation of Qi and blood. “Weakness in the legs” means weakness in the lower limbs. Liang, sheng, he, and piece are units of measure used in the original text.

This passage records three medicinal formulas for treating foot ailments, all classic prescriptions from Sun Simiao's Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces of the Tang Dynasty.

The first formula treats weakness in the feet and difficulty walking. It combines seventeen herbs including fangji (Stephania tetrandra), shujiao (Sichuan pepper), and xixin (Asarum sieboldii), decocted with bamboo sap (a medicinal liquid extracted from bamboo). The dose is divided into six portions to be taken within one day and night. During treatment, drinking adzuki bean soup is recommended as supplementary therapy. The text specifically notes this formula's particular efficacy for patients with deep-thin pulses and internal wind-pathogen conditions.

The second formula, called "Wind-Dispersing Decoction," specializes in treating foot pain, numbness, swelling, or stiffness that impedes walking. It uses seventeen ingredients including mahuang (Ephedra), shigao (gypsum), and duhuo (Angelica pubescens), decocted in water and divided into three doses. Patients should cover themselves to induce sweating after taking the medicine.

The third "Great Turtle Shell Decoction" primarily addresses foot weakness accompanied by wind-toxin invasion, limb spasms, as well as weakness in the extremities caused by cold damage with wind aversion or miasmic disorders from mountain vapors. This complex formula contains over twenty ingredients including turtle shell, fangfeng (Saposhnikovia root), and mahuang (Ephedra), supplemented by precious ingredients like antelope horn, rhinoceros horn, and musk. The prescription meticulously specifies certain herb quantities down to the zhu (an ancient weight unit ≈0.6 grams), demonstrating the formula's precision.

All formulas emphasize modifying ingredients according to symptoms: for instance, adding aconite for wind aversion, or white atractylodes for severe edema. The decoction process requires skimming foam, and patients must keep warm to promote sweating after ingestion. These details exemplify the characteristic Chinese medical approach of pattern differentiation and treatment modification.

Five he (a traditional measure) of evodia fruit.

Coarsely chop the thirty-one ingredients listed above. Add two dou of water and boil down to four sheng. Divide into six doses, taking them at intervals about as long as it takes to walk ten li. Stop taking the medicine once it has purged the bowels. One version of the prescription uses half a liang of rhubarb; if there is concern that the purgation will be too strong, reduce it to six zhu. Another version uses half a liang of antelope horn; when toxic heat is more pronounced, use eighteen zhu. The Hu Qia version adds half a sheng of Cornus fruit, making thirty-two ingredients. The Qianjin Yifang version omits anemarrhena, cimicifuga, tangerine peel, chuanxiong, ginseng, Chinese angelica, and Solomon’s seal.

Small Biejia Decoction treats bodily weakness, abdominal distension resembling mild edema, a stuffy, obstructed feeling with Qi in the chest and below the heart, pronounced fever, heaviness in the lower abdomen, and weakness in both legs.

Prescription: soft-shelled turtle shell, scutellaria, cimicifuga, ephedra, antelope horn, cassia twig, and apricot kernels (three liang each); hogfennel root (four liang); twenty dark plums; and thirty Chinese onions.

Coarsely chop the ten ingredients above. Add one dou of water and boil down to two sheng and seven he. Divide into three doses. This is the standard prescription. For a robust person who needs a stronger laxative effect, add two liang of rhubarb.

Wind-Weakness Decoction treats weakness in both legs, numbness throughout the body, toxic heat entering the internal organs, fullness and blockage in the chest with impaired Qi flow, and vomiting after eating.

Prescription: one sheng of pinellia; twenty Chinese dates and twenty dark plums; one liang each of cassia twig, soft-shelled turtle shell, cimicifuga, tangerine peel, bitter orange, licorice, evodia, and rhubarb; six liang each of fresh ginger and gypsum; seven shell beads; and three liang each of pubescent angelica root, ephedra, and rhinoceros horn. One version substitutes antelope horn for rhinoceros horn.

Coarsely chop the seventeen ingredients above. Add one dou and four sheng of water and boil down to four sheng. Divide into five doses: take three during the day and two at night. If the illness has not cleared, continue through the third batch; the original text says, “It will certainly be cured.”

Prescription for early-stage foot-Qi, when symptoms spread from the feet to the knees and the shins become swollen and painful:

Chop and mash the leaves of “bima,” steam them until hot, and wrap a thin layer around the affected area. Replace the dressing two or three times a day; the swelling will subside. The original text says that bima seeds resemble cattle lice, which is how the plant got its name.

In winter, when bima is unavailable, mash the root of elderberry and mix it with wine lees in a ratio of three parts root to one part lees. Steam the mixture until hot, then apply it warm to the swollen area as above. Replacing the dressing twice a day is sufficient to reduce the swelling. This method also treats numbness and stubborn painful obstruction.

The original text continues: “This prescription is not a decoction and should not be listed here; however, because…” The text that follows is fragmentary, so its meaning cannot be fully determined.

The three preceding prescriptions are all from Su Changshi (the Tang dynasty physician Su You), so they are not listed separately here.

A prescription for swelling that has spread to the thighs and lower abdomen, with scant, dribbling urination

Take one sheng of black cattle urine and divide it into two doses. Take it twice a day, stopping once the swelling has subsided.

The Qianjin Yifang says: For someone who is thin and weak, mix two parts cattle urine with one part cattle milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Once a skin has formed on the milk, take it.

If the swelling has subsided but the symptoms described above remain, take this decoction promptly

This is a prescription from Su Changshi, said to be highly effective.

Two liang each of mahuang, shegan, ginseng, poria, fangji, qianhu, and immature bitter orange; one liang each of pinellia, rhinoceros horn, antelope horn, qingmu xiang, tangerine peel, apricot kernels, and shengma; five liang fresh ginger; three liang duhuo; and one sheng of wuzhuyu.

Cut the seventeen ingredients into pieces. Boil them in one dou and two sheng of water, reducing the liquid to four sheng. Divide it into five doses, taking each at an interval about as long as it takes to walk twenty li. While taking the medicine, occasionally eat a little thin rice porridge to support the stomach Qi. Take one dose of this decoction every two days, stopping when the illness has abated. Adjust the course as appropriate, observing the patient’s condition.

If the heat is severe and there is labored breathing and distress, add six liang of gypsum and one sheng of fresh mai men dong, and omit wuzhuyu. If the area below the heart is hard, add one liang of soft-shelled turtle shell.

On beriberi

Beriberi was first seen in the Lingnan region and later spread to Jiangdong. It often develops without clear warning. Sometimes the only signs are pain and numbness; sometimes both lower legs swell; sometimes walking becomes difficult and the legs and feet grow weak. In other cases, the illness rises into the abdomen, causing numbness and loss of sensation. The patient may also alternate between feeling cold and hot, have difficulty urinating, or experience Qi surging upward to the throat with panting—even rapid, labored breathing that makes them seem close to death. They may vomit after eating, or experience Qi rising upward. Any of these may be symptoms of beriberi.

If these signs appear, first take rhinoceros horn and inula flower decoction.

Two liang each of rhinoceros horn and inula flower; three liang each of tangerine peel, poria, and fresh ginger; seven jujubes; one sheng of fermented black soybeans; and a handful of purple perilla stems and leaves.

Cut the eight ingredients into pieces. Boil them in eight sheng of water, reducing the liquid to two sheng and seven ge. Divide it into three doses, taking each at an interval about as long as it takes to walk ten li. Continue until the breathing settles and urination becomes unobstructed. The Cui Family Prescription says: If the illness does not improve after taking the small rhinoceros horn decoction, take the large rhinoceros horn decoction.

Large rhinoceros horn decoction

Used to treat beriberi when pathogenic toxins surge upward into the heart and chest, causing generalized swelling and tightness of the chest with obstructed breathing, and potentially leading to fainting and a near-death state. The source gives only the prescription’s name and indications here; the formula itself is not recorded.

Rhinoceros horn, Xuanfuhua (Inula flower), Baizhu (Atractylodes rhizome), Guixin (cinnamon heart), Fangji (Stephania root), Huangqin (Scutellaria root), fresh ginger, tangerine peel, and Poria (two liang each); fermented soybean (one sheng); Sangbaipi (mulberry root bark) and Qianhu (Peucedanum root) (four liang each); jujube (ten pieces); perilla stems and leaves (one bunch).

The above fourteen ingredients are pounded into a coarse powder. Decoct in nine sheng of water until two sheng and seven ge remain. Divide into three doses, with intervals of about the time it takes to walk ten li. Take until the Qi moves downward and can be discharged smoothly; this is the criterion. If the Qi descends and urination becomes free, the swelling of the feet will subside and appetite will return. If after finishing the medicine the Qi still has not descended and the panting has not eased, then continue with the following Rhinoceros Horn and Ephedra Decoction. Cui’s version uses Baiqian (Cynanchum stauntonii) in place of Baizhu and omits Fangji, Huangqin, and Sangbaipi; this formula is called the “Xuanfuhua Decoction” (Inula Decoction).

Rhinoceros Horn and Ephedra Decoction

Rhinoceros horn, Ephedra, Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia), Duhuo (Cui’s version uses Poria), Fangji, Chuanxiong (Ligusticum), Baizhu, Danggui (Angelica sinensis), Huangqin, antelope horn (Cui’s version uses aconite), gypsum (four liang), fresh ginger, licorice, apricot kernel (Cui’s version uses Asarum), and Guixin (three liang each; antelope horn and aconite two liang each).

The above fifteen ingredients are pounded into a coarse powder. First decoct the Ephedra in two dou of water; skim off the foam and take eight sheng of the medicinal liquid. Then add the remaining ingredients and decoct until three sheng remain. Divide into three doses, with intervals of about the time it takes to walk ten li. After taking it, cover well with a quilt to induce sweating. If the condition has not improved, take another dose after five days and induce sweating in the same way.

Evodia Decoction: a formula for leg-qi disease invading the abdomen, when the patient is vexed, oppressed, and distressed, nearly dying, and with abdominal distention; it comes from Su Changshi’s formula.

Wuzhuyu (Evodia) (six sheng), Chaenomeles fruit (two pieces, sliced).

The above two ingredients are decocted in one dou and three sheng of water until three sheng remain, then divided into three doses, with intervals of about the time it takes to walk ten li. After taking it, there may be vomiting, sweating, diarrhea, or marked fever and oppression; afterward the condition will ease. This is what the book calls a formula that can “revive the dying and bring them back to life.”

Minor Wind-Guiding Decoction (Xiaofengyin Tang): a formula for pain in the lower back and legs and weakness of the limbs after wind-stroke. Hu Qia called it the “Major Wind-Guiding Decoction (Dafengyin Tang).”

Duhuo, Poria, and Ginseng (three liang each); Fangfeng, Danggui, Licorice, dried ginger (Hu Qia’s edition uses cinnamon heart), and Shihu (Dendrobium) (two liang each; Hu Qia’s edition uses Huangqi/astragalus); aconite (one piece); black soybeans (two sheng).

Coarsely chop the ten ingredients listed above. Simmer them in nine sheng of water and three sheng of wine until three sheng of liquid remain. Divide into four doses, taking each dose after an interval about as long as it takes to walk ten li. Hu Qia says this is the treatment used in the south.

The formula for treating weak legs differs from this one: add one liang of Cimicifuga, and two liang each of Pinellia and peony, making thirteen ingredients in all. The original formula contained only ten ingredients. When Angelica and dendrobium are omitted, it is called the “Minor Wind-Inducing Decoction.” The Minor Wind-Inducing Decoction recorded in the Shan Fan Fang contains no dendrobium and is used to treat “muscle exhaustion”: the muscles change after exposure to cold, the tongue becomes limp and weak, and the condition is called “aversion to wind.” It may also cause lower back pain and weak legs.

Four-Ingredient Aconite Decoction: Treats disorders caused by wind and dampness binding together. Symptoms include severe joint pain; cramping in the limbs, which cannot be bent or straightened; pain from the slightest approach or touch; cold sweating, shortness of breath, and difficulty urinating; fear of wind and reluctance to remove one’s clothes; and occasional swelling of the head and face, hands, and feet.

Two aconite tubers, four liang of cassia bark, three liang of atractylodes, and two liang of licorice.

Coarsely chop the four ingredients above. Simmer them in six sheng of water until three sheng of liquid remain, and divide into three doses. A slight sweat after taking the decoction means the illness will resolve. If sweating is profuse and the patient feels agitated, give only five he per dose. For bodily swelling, add four liang of fangji; for palpitations, shortness of breath, and difficulty urinating, add three liang of poria. Although aconite is already included in the formula, the text also specifies adding three liang of fresh ginger.

Formula for Weak Legs, Severe Wind Toxin, and Miasma in Lingnan: Used for swelling of the face, alternating chills and fever, symptoms resembling malaria, swollen legs, upward surging of Qi, chest congestion, coughing, and painful, swollen abscesses or sores accompanied by numbness.

Half a liang each of hemp seed, Cimicifuga, ephedra, blackberry lily, sweet flag, mirabilite, licorice, and rhubarb; three he of fermented black soybeans.

Coarsely chop the nine ingredients above. Simmer them in six sheng of water until two and a half sheng of liquid remain. Add the mirabilite, bring to a boil three times, and divide into three doses. After taking it, the bowels should move gently once or twice, dispersing the toxic heat. If there is swelling, the dregs may be applied to the affected area. Whenever the body feels distended and full, take one dose; it is quite effective.

Daoist Master Shen’s Modified Kidney-Liquor Decoction: Treats weak legs, pain, and numbness caused by wind, deficiency, and exhaustion combined with pathogenic toxins, as well as inability to move the lower limbs at will. The patient has cold deficiency in the lower burner and slight stagnant heat in the chest. The spirit is weakened, with palpitations and fright, and the patient cannot sleep. Appetite declines and food loses its flavor; there is frequent passing of gas. Day and night, the patient is repeatedly troubled by agitation and urgency, cannot lie down in comfort, and has difficulty urinating, sometimes accompanied by diarrhea.

When Prince Xiangdong arrived in Jiangzhou, he was in Lingnan and suffered from precisely these symptoms. His condition was extremely serious. I therefore prepared this decoction and had him…

It takes effect after it is taken. For illnesses resembling this condition, patients who take it will recover; the ingredients may be adjusted as appropriate to the circumstances.

Formula

Astragalus root, licorice root, peony root, dwarf lilyturf tuber, ginseng, cistanche, dried rehmannia root, red halloysite, poria with root, wolfberry root bark, Chinese angelica root, polygala root, magnetite, immature bitter orange, saposhnikovia root, and dragon bone (one liang each); cinnamon bark and Szechuan lovage rhizome (two liang each); fresh ginger (four liang); schisandra berries (three he); pinellia tuber (one sheng); jujubes (thirty); and one white ram’s kidney.

Chop the twenty-three ingredients. Boil the white ram’s kidney in two dou of water until one dou and two sheng of liquid remain. Add all the other ingredients and simmer until four sheng remain. Divide into five doses. If it does not cause diarrhea, omit dragon bone and red halloysite. If urination is difficult, replace poria with root with red poria, and add three liang of white atractylodes. If the heat signs are severe, add one liang of baical skullcap root. For urinary incontinence, add twenty Chinese mantis egg cases. Hu Qia’s version omits astragalus root, cistanche, red halloysite, wolfberry root bark, magnetite, immature bitter orange, saposhnikovia root, dragon bone, and pinellia tuber; it includes baical skullcap root and has fifteen ingredients in total.

Gypsum Decoction

Treats wind toxin and pathogenic heat in beriberi—a historical term for disorders characterized chiefly by symptoms in the lower limbs—when they surge upward to the head and face. The face becomes red, the head and face feel tight, and nasal congestion comes and goes, leaving the person dazed and confused, with agitation in the chest and spirit. Sometimes there are palpitations, trembling, weakness or aching and numbness in the hands and feet; dizziness, vertigo, and a heavy head; the eyes roll upward; the nose feels hot and pungent, and heat seems to rise from the mouth. Some people experience sweetness in the mouth, along with various hard-to-describe discomforts. The formula is as follows:

Gypsum, gentian, cimicifuga rhizome, peony root, cowrie shell, licorice root, soft-shelled turtle shell, baical skullcap root, and antelope horn (one liang each); tangerine peel and Chinese angelica root (two liang each).

Chop the eleven ingredients. Simmer them in eight sheng of water until three sheng remain. Divide into three doses.

Pinellia Decoction

Treats beriberi that rises into the abdomen, causing abdominal tension and Qi surging up into the chest, with labored breathing as though breathing is about to stop. The formula is as follows:

Pinellia tuber (one sheng), cinnamon bark (eight liang), dried ginger (five liang), licorice root, ginseng, asarum, and aconite (two liang each), and Sichuan pepper (two he).

Chop the eight ingredients. Simmer them in one dou of water until three sheng remain. Divide into three doses.

At first, take only a small amount and increase it gradually. There is concern that the medicinal Qi may surge upward, causing a blockage and preventing it from descending, so take only a little each time. This helps the breath flow freely and keeps the ear openings clear.

Aconite Decoction: Treats numbness and pain in the feet caused by wind-cold, cramping of the sinews and vessels, and weakness of the limbs so severe that they cannot bend or straighten.

Ingredients: One liang each of aconite, Asarum, and Sichuan pepper; two liang each of licorice, Gentiana macrophylla, prepared aconite, cassia bark, and peony; three liang each of dried ginger, poria, Saposhnikovia, and Chinese angelica; four liang of pubescent angelica; and twenty jujubes.

Chop the fourteen ingredients, decoct them in one dou and two sheng of water, and reduce the liquid to four sheng. Divide it into five doses. If the body’s heat toxins are severe, the dose may be increased as appropriate.

Zedu Decoction: Treats weakness in the feet and wind-heat surging upward into the heart and abdomen, causing oppressive discomfort in the chest and abdomen and a feeling of nearly losing consciousness.

Ingredients: Four liang each of pinellia and ginger; one liang each of astragalus, licorice, Chinese angelica, ginseng, magnolia bark, pubescent angelica, and tangerine peel; two liang each of immature bitter orange, ephedra, dried rehmannia, and peony; three liang of cassia bark; seven shellfish shells; and twenty jujubes.

Chop the sixteen ingredients, decoct them in one dou and two sheng of water, and reduce the liquid to three sheng and six ge. Divide it into four doses: three during the day and one at night.

Wind-Relaxing Decoction: Treats weakness in the feet, numbness throughout the body, and toxic Qi surging upward into the organs and chest. This causes fullness and blockage in the chest, obstructed breathing, vomiting after eating, and an inability to taste food.

Ingredients: Three liang each of pubescent angelica, licorice, and gypsum; half a liang each of antelope horn and rhinoceros horn; two liang each of ephedra, Saposhnikovia, Chinese angelica, cimicifuga, tangerine peel, evodia, cassia bark, pinellia, and soft-shelled turtle shell; one liang of immature bitter orange; six liang of fresh ginger; twenty jujubes; seven shellfish teeth; and two liang of aconite. Another version gives seven Chinese plums instead of aconite.

Chop the nineteen ingredients, decoct them in one dou and four sheng of water, and reduce the liquid to four sheng. Take one sheng per dose. If there is mild deficiency heat, add two liang of dried rehmannia.

Perilla Seed Decoction: Treats weakness in the feet and Qi surging upward. In the past, when King Xiangdong of Song was in Nanzhou, he suffered severely from beriberi. This formula worked very well for him.

Ingredients: One sheng each of perilla seeds and pinellia; one liang each of Peucedanum, magnolia bark, licorice, and Chinese angelica.

Three liang of tangerine peel, twenty jujubes, one jin of fresh ginger, and four liang of cinnamon bark. Coarsely chop the ingredients and boil them in one dou and three sheng of water until three and a half sheng remain. Divide into five doses: take three during the day and two at night.

Aconite Decoction, used to treat damp impediment (numbness, pain, and restricted movement of the limbs caused by Dampness) and gradual-onset wind disorders. The patient’s body aches as though it were about to break, while the muscles feel as if pierced by an awl or cut by a knife.

Three aconite tubers, and three liang each of peony, cinnamon bark, licorice, poria, and ginseng; four liang of atractylodes. Coarsely chop the seven ingredients and boil them in eight sheng of water until three sheng remain. Divide into three doses.

Saposhnikovia Decoction, used to treat weakness in the limbs, slight spasms after exposure to wind, fever, and restricted movement of the joints. The patient may also become dazed and speak incoherently; symptoms come and go, often without the patient noticing them. Zhi Faxun of the south used this formula with frequent success. Its effects are mild and it does not harm the body, making it superior to Life-Sustaining Decoction, Yuebi Decoction, Wind-Inducing Decoction, and similar formulas. The Luo family of Guangzhou and scholars in the south also commonly used it. It is especially effective for weakness in the feet.

Two liang each of saposhnikovia, ephedra, gentiana macrophylla, angelica pubescens, fresh ginger, and pinellia; one liang each of Chinese angelica, polygala, licorice, fangji, ginseng, scutellaria, cimicifuga, and peony; half a liang of gypsum; and six zhu of musk. Another version uses one liang of atractylodes.

Coarsely chop the sixteen ingredients and boil them in one dou and three sheng of water until four sheng remain. Take one sheng per dose. After the first dose, cover yourself with a thick quilt to bring on a slight sweat. There should also be two or three bowel movements. After that, take another dose at intervals about as long as it takes to walk ten li. If there is fever, add two liang of rhubarb. If the patient already has chills and heart pain, double the Chinese angelica, add three liang of cinnamon bark, and omit the rhubarb.

Licorice Decoction, used to treat weakness in the feet, swelling throughout the body, and rebellious Stomach Qi that causes vomiting after eating grains. It also addresses stagnation in the chest, alternating chills and fever, persistent diarrhea, and difficulty urinating. If the condition improves after taking this decoction, a Maiden’s Yeast Powder may be taken to promote urination and reduce swelling, followed by external massage with Great Powder Massage Ointment; this is said to be effective.

One liang each of licorice and ginseng, one sheng of pinellia, three liang each of cinnamon bark and Sichuan pepper, and eight ge of wheat.

Twenty jujubes, eight liang of ginger, and two sheng of Sichuan pepper.

Chop the above nine ingredients. Boil the wheat in one dou and three sheng of water until one dou remains. Remove the wheat, add the medicines, and continue boiling until three sheng remain. Divide into six doses. (The term “nüqu” and the medicinal ingredients listed earlier seem to be missing from the original; a note refers to another volume.)

Hengshan and Licorice Decoction: For bouts of alternating chills and fever that recur two or three times in a day, this formula may be taken.

Three liang of Hengshan and one and a half liang of licorice.

Chop the two ingredients, boil them in four sheng of water, and reduce the liquid to one and a half sheng. Divide into three doses. Leave between doses roughly the time it takes to travel five li.

Salvia and Achyranthes Decoction Powder: For numbness and weakness in the feet, fullness of Qi, and slight swelling throughout the body.

Four liang each of salvia root, achyranthes root, mulberry root bark, apricot kernels, cimicifuga, polyporus, and poria; three liang each of rhinoceros horn, skullcap, tangerine peel, fangji, baiqian, alisma, cinnamon bark, and gentian; two liang each of plum root bark and ginger; and one sheng of hemp seeds.

Pound the eighteen ingredients into a coarse powder and sift. For each dose, take one square-inch spoonful, add one and a half sheng of water, and boil down to seven ge. Strain through fine silk to remove the dregs, and drink at once. Take twice daily. Do not take pills or powders during the hot weather of summer. This decoction powder has been widely used in recent years, with notable results.

Formula for difficulty moving the lower back and hips, with cramping and swelling in both feet:

Boil four sheng of Sichuan pepper in four dou of water until two and a half dou remain. Pour the liquid into a ceramic vessel and heat it over a fire. Suspend a wooden board about two cun above the surface of the liquid, then sit with both feet on the board and let the steam rise around them. Seal the area closely with cotton wadding to keep the steam from escaping. When you feel tired, step away, cover yourself with a quilt, rest, and rub the affected area with powder. After resting for about the time it takes to eat a meal, return to the treatment. Keep the fire under the ceramic vessel burning so the liquid does not cool. Repeat this process; after no more than seven days, the lower back and legs will move freely again, and the swelling will subside.

Sun Simiao’s Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand in Gold for Emergencies, juan 23