Author: Unknown but given by the character Bo Gao
Year: Pre-Qin to late Han dynasty
Source: Divine Pivot Classic (Ling Shu Jing, 靈樞經)
Category: Formulas that are Applied Externally
Pattern: Wind-Cold Bi or Cold in the Interior
Key Symptoms: Specific symptoms given in the text are: sensations of cold and heat, shortness of breath, depression, anger and fury, pain in the stomach and numbness.
Secondary Symptoms: Any Cold symptoms. This is suggested as an alternative or an addition to moxa when treating "eminent persons".
Ingredients
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Hua Jiao
| 500g | |
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Pinyin: Hua Jiao / Chuan Jiao
Chinese: 花椒 / 川椒
Pharmaceutical: Pericarpium Zanthoxyli
Taxonomy: Zanthoxylum bungeanum seu schinifolium
English: Sichuan Pepper |
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Kidney |
Actions & Indications:
- Warms the Middle Jiao, disperses Cold, dispels Dampness, relieves diarrhoea and alleviates pain
Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold with Cold and pain in the abdomen, vomiting and diarrhoea
- Kills Parasites and alleviates abdominal pain
Abdominal pain due to roundworms
Moist dermal ulcers
Gu Parasites /
chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
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Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction.
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Gan Jiang
| 500g | |
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Pinyin: Gan Jiang
Chinese: 干姜
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Zingiberis
Taxonomy: Zingiber officinale
English: Dried Ginger |
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Tastes: Pungent, hot
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, Heart and Lung |
Actions & Indications:
- Warms the Middle and expels Cold
External Cold affecting the Spleen and Stomach Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiencies
- Dispels Wind-Dampness seeping into the Lower Jiao
Lower Jiao Wind-Cold-Damp Bi
- Rescues Devastated Yang and expels Interior Cold
Devastated Yang with a very weak pulse and cold limbs
- Warms the Lungs and transforms thin mucus
Lung Cold with expectoration of thin, watery or white sputum
- Warms the channels (unblocks the pulse) and stops bleeding
Haemorrhage due to Deficiency Cold, especially uterine bleeding (only if the bleeding is chronic and pale in colour with cold limbs, ashen white face and a soggy thin pulse)
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, remove foul smell and enable one to communicate withe Spirit Light (Shen Ming 神明). This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for yin deficiency with internal heat and haemorrhage due to blood heat. |
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Rou Gui
| 500g | |
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Pinyin: Rou Gui
Chinese: 肉桂
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Cinnamomi
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum cassia
English: Cinnamon Bark |
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Tastes: Pungent, sweet, hot
Meridians Entered: Kidney, Spleen, Heart and Liver |
Actions & Indications:
- Warms the Kidneys, Spleen and Heart and strengthens Yang and Ming Men Fire
Kidney Yang Deficiency and Deficiency of Ming-Men Fire with aversion to Cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence and urinary frequency
Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency with abdominal pain and Cold, reduced appetite and diarrhoea
Kidney Unable to Grasp Qi
Heart Yang Deficiency, particularly with chest Bi
- Disperses deep Cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels and vessels and alleviates pain
Deep Cold causing Qi Stagnation or Blood Stasis with Cold in the Blood causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, Cold-Damp Bi, Yin-type boils (chronic sores that are usually concave and ooze a clear fluid) and sores or abscesses that do not heal
It enters the Blood aspect and, in small amounts, enhances the Blood moving action of other substances
- Leads the Fire back to its source
Upward Floating of Deficient Yang (False Heat, True Cold or Heat Above and Cold Below) with flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (the sweat pours out like oil), weak and cold lower extremities and a deficient and rootless pulse
Any condition with Heat in the Upper body (dry mouth, sore throat, or teeth which is worse at night) and Cold in the Lower body (Lower back pain, cold lower extremities, diarrhoea and weakness in the proximal portion of the pulse)
- Assists in the generation of Qi and Blood
Chronic Qi and Blood Deficiency (auxiliary)
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, enable one to communicate with spirits, make the body light, and prevent forgetfulness. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
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Standard Dosage: 1-5g in decoction. It should be decocted later.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for syndrome of yin deficiency with fire effulgent, haemorrhage due to blood heat and pregnant women. It is incompatible with Chi Shi Zhi (nineteen incompatibilities). |
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| Chun Jiu | 10kg | | (20 Jin of Pure Wine/alcohol) |
Preparation: The source texts advises to macerate the three herbs and place them in the wine. Take 500g (1 Jin) of silk fabric and 12.8m (4 zhang) of fine white cloth and submerge both in the wine also, then place the jar, closely sealed on a fire made of horse manure.
After five days and nights the cloth and fabric are removed and dried in the sun. Once dry they are placed in the wine again and the process repeated until all the liquid has been used. The dregs and the cloth are placed on top of each other in seven layers of 2m (6-7 chi).
Using charcoal of mulberry the fabric is heated and applied to the location of Cold blockage. After 30 applications the treatment ends. When the patient sweats the sweat should be wiped off with a cloth.
In a modern clinic a more convenient method using the above ingredients should probably be sought. One option is to soak the herbs in alcohol and then cook and wrap them in cloth to be applied while hot. Another would be to soak in alcohol and use a cotton ball to absorb, then apply to the area (it could also be burned like in fire cupping to warm). A small amount of chili could also be added for extra effect.
Actions: Scatters Cold, moves Qi and Blood
Research Links:
Reference Notes: (click to display)
Most formulas are found in Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet (2009): Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies and Chen & Chen (2015) Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications. Others are from translations of primary sources. It is recommended that the original material is cross-referenced for mistakes and additional information.
Substitutions have been taken from Ken Lloyd & Prof. Leung (2004): Mayway UK Substitution List or the above publications and are intended as suggestions to help navigate the tight restrictions in the UK quickly. More applicable substitutions may be appropriate in specific situations.
Individual herb information has initially been sourced from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted.
