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Through some serendipity and some hard decisions, I’m finding myself with just a little more time on my hands than usual. My clinical practice is soaring, the business is reaching a nice momentum point, and I’m stepping out of University teaching. With my daughter out of the house and doing well on her own, and no major family crises dominating my attention – things are looking clearer than ever! What’s more, I’m a pretty simple guy. I don’t have many hobbies, I’ve no interest in acquiring any, and I don’t do many of the things that most people would consider leisure activities. So, this free time isn’t about to be gobbled up by something like that.

As I open myself to possibilities, I’m finding my attention dominated by two things. The first, not as relevant for this blog post, is meditation, the philosophy and science of mind and Buddhism. The second is, of course, Chinese medicine. Particularly – Chinese herbalism.

Now, yes, everything is the medicine and the medicine is everything.

Whether you spend a dozen hours a week reading graphic novels, or are a snowboarding champion or a woodworker, everything you learn there will, in some way, relate back to the medicine. I know plenty of colleagues who learn far more about how to treat patients effectively from kayaking the Columbia or donating time at the local food bank than most do reading books or thinking through theory.

Further, the learning you do by treating patients and observing effects – that’s learning that really sticks. It’s important, and I’ve been doing a lot of it. But, still, there are times when nothing but rote memorization, digging through texts and thinking through difficult questions will do. To get to the next level, I need to reengage with traditional scholarship. With books and mindmaps and critical thinking. And I’ve struggled, in the past, to make much time for more traditional absorption of knowledge.

The year of the pig has shifted all of that, and maybe it really is that triple burner deep yin energy that’s awakening my dormant faculties.

But even more important is my commitment to the Shanghan Lun Lines Retreat with ICEAM in Canada this June. I went to another Lines retreat 6 years ago, but frankly, I didn’t benefit the way I should have due to my busy life and mind. This time, I’m feeling ready. And the work I’ve done already in preparation has enlivened me about my lineage, the work that ICEAM does, and my place in this flow of information and practice. So, a surge of energy is powering me into a whole new cycle of time, as the yijing likes to say.

My goals

• To rememorize and otherwise refresh my knowledge and understanding of the Shanghan lun (SHL) formulas and all of the herbs therein
• To rememorize (and in some cases memorize for the first time) the Lines of the SHL
• To rememorize (and in some case memorize for the first time) the pulses associated with the formulas that are part of my lineage
• To read works outside my direct teachers and lineage about the SHL to add nuance to my understanding
• To do case review related to my prescription of SHL formulas, as well as those of my teachers in clinic over the years
• To arrive at the Lines retreat ready to receive the transmission and take a step forward in my clinical understanding

My tools

• Pen and paper
• Flashcard Hero app
• The Brain app
• Devonthink Pro Office app
• GoodNotes app
• Home office wall whiteboard & markers

My texts

• SHL translation Mitchell/Wiseman/Ye
• Commentary on the Discussion of Cold Damage with Annotations translation Jonathan Schell of CMDB (review forthcoming)
• SHL translation Guohui Liu
• Notes and recordings about SHL and formulas through the years, including all my notes from the indispensable series of courses, now available online, by Dr. Arnaud Versluys of ICEAM

Here on the site, I’ll share more of my methods and what I run into along the way.

There are a few articles here on the site about memorization, which will be the most important task of the next 20-30 days. I have the bulk of what I need already committed to memory, or so I think. I’m always surprised when I reengage how much I’ve let slip, and I don’t want to be slipping. There’s simply no replacement for memorization, and I find the more I have committed to memory, the more useful I am in clinic.

I still stand by the basic methods I discuss in my Shennong course on Chinese herbalism as well.  Staring at text in books and living in the ether of the mind is great, but when I get stuck, nothing beats smelling, touching, growing and tasting herbs. While the SHL mostly trucks in formulas, and formula science is the best way to understand the text, there’s something indescribably important about engaging with the plants themselves on some level.

I will be posting as often as I can in the lead up to the retreat on June 10, and then posting my observations during the seminars themselves as I have time. It’s going to be a summer to remember! No pun intended…

Founder’s Note : This is part of a series of articles about the theory and herbs of the Tang ye jing. The enthusiasm and scholarly integrity of the author – regular contributor Joshua Park, DSOM, LAc – will make this a thought provoking and engaging read that we hope you’ll share with friends and colleagues. Joshua is eager to hear your feedback, either here on the site or on our Facebook page.

Introduction / Zhishi / Dandouchi / Shaoyao / Wuweizi / Shanyao

Huangqin / Huanglian (you are here)

As before, we will begin with the Wood Phase and work our way around the cycle until we come to Water. We will kick off the Water herbs with Huangqin 黄芩, also known as Scutellaria baicalensis or skullcap root:

味苦皆屬水，地黃為之主，黃芩為木，黃連為火，白術為土，竹葉為水。

All bitter belongs to water, for it is governed by Dihuang, and Huangqin is wood, Huanglian is fire, Baizhu is earth, and Zhuye is water.

Huanglian 黃連 (Coptis root) is the Fire of Water.

Just as Huangqin carries the activity of Water into the realm of Wood, Huanglian is able to transfer the activity of Water into the realm of Fire. Water controls Fire in the Controlling Cycle of the Five Phases, which is very much in keeping with the heat clearing, fire draining action ofHuanglian. Among the most bitter substances in the materia medica, Huanglian has famously been described as being “more bitter than widow’s tears.” Its pronounced bitter flavor is so great that when it is added to decoctions with other herbs, even just a few grams of Huanglian can be enough to dominate the flavor of an entire formula.

Along with its yellow siblings, Huangqin and Huangbai, Huanglian clears heat, drains toxicity, and drains dampness. Huangqin’s action is ascribed to the upper burner, Huanglian to the middle burner, and Huangbai to the lower burner. In particular, Huanglian is often said to have an affinity to both the Stomach and the Large Intestines.

However, the fact that Huanglian is classified in the Tang Ye Jing as the Fire of Water implies that its action is not only confined to the middle burner.

This is supported by the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, which describes the action of Huanglian in this way:

黃連 味苦，寒。主熱氣，目痛，眥傷，泣出，明目，腸澼，腹痛，下痢，婦人陰中腫痛。久服令人不忘，一名王連。

Huanglian’s flavor is bitter [and its nature] is cold. It governs heat qi, eye pain, damage to the canthii, tears pouring out, brightening the eyes, intestinal afflux, abdominal pain, diarrhea, swelling and pain within the female genitalia. Protracted taking improves the memory; another name is Wanglian [literally, “King (Huang) Lian”, or perhaps, “King of succession / carrying on”].

Huanglian’s ability to improve memory suggests it has an effect not only on the digestive organ networks, but also on consciousness, through its ability to drain fire. In particular, this implies that Huanglian has an affinity to the Heart, which belongs to Imperial Fire and is the seat of consciousness.

There are sound theoretical reasons why an herb that has the ability to clear heat in the Stomach (and the intestines, part of the Yangming “Stomach Family” 胃家 weijia) would also affect the Heart. Although it is now classified as a Fire organ, it has been noted by Heiner Fruehauf and other scholars that initially the Heart was classified as an Earth organ, like the Stomach. This was no doubt due to the central role played by the Heart as the Emperor organ. When considering the circadian rhythm of yingqi through the channels and organs, the Foot Yangming Stomach and the Hand Jueyin Pericardium are clock opposites.

These cosmological connections are in turn describing close physiological connections.

In Chinese Medicine, when there is excessive heat in the Stomach, this can rise to harass the Heart, resulting in vexation, insomnia and other psycho-emotional symptoms as well as physical symptoms such as bleeding. From a biomedical perspective as well the adjacent structures of the anatomical heart and stomach can make it clinically challenging to differentiate between acid reflux and a heart attack.

Understanding these rich symbolic connections between the Stomach and the Heart can in turn help us to understand how Zhang Zhongjing uses Huanglian in his formulas. It is used in formulas that primarily treat damp heat in the Small Intestine (which from a Zang Fu perspective also belongs to Fire), such as Gegen Huanqin Huanglian Tang 葛根黃苓黃連湯. However, Huanglian also features heavily in formulas that treat symptoms such as “vexation in the heart with insomnia” (心中煩,不得臥), as in Huanglian Ejiao Tang 黃連阿膠湯. In fact, Huanglian is used in its greatest dose in Huanglian Ejiao Tang, which clearly emphasizes its ability to drain fire from the Heart.

In other cases, as in the Xie Xin Tang 瀉心湯 formulas, Huanglian is used to treat both digestive symptoms as well as vexation, indicating that heat is harassing the Heart.

In the Xie Xin Tang formulas, the key patho-dynamic is the stagnation of qi in the epigastrium, resulting in blockage and fullness in the epigastrium. This particular kind of stagnation is known as a glomus or pi 痞 disrupts the normal qi dynamic of the digestive symptom, resulting in heat in the Stomach and cold in the Spleen. The heat in the Stomach can in turn harass the Heart, resulting in symptoms of vexation, as in the symptom picture of Gancao Xie Xin Tang 甘草瀉心湯 described in Line 158 of the Shang Han Lun. In the Xie Xin formulas, the character xin 心 which normally indicates the Heart organ can be seen as a kind of shorthand for the region below the Heart, the xin xia 心下 or epigastrium. This usage again reflects the close relationship between the Stomach and the Heart, and the ability of Huanglian to treat both organ networks.

In all of these formulas, it should be noted that Huanglian is paired with fellow Water class herb Huangqin, which as we have discussed previously brings Water to Wood by cooling Ministerial Fire in the Gallbladder. Together this combination is able to strongly drain fire and resolve stagnation in the epigastrium. This synergy can be understood also in terms of the close association between Wood and Fire in the generating cycle, and also the relationship of Wood and Fire in respectively controlling and generating Earth.

Hopefully this examination of formula uses shows how the classification of Huanglian as the Fire of Water symbolically represents the full range of function of Huanglian. The close association between the Heart and the Stomach is implicated in many conditions we commonly encounter in the clinic, such as insomnia.

Watch for the next in the series, the popular herb Baizhu, Atractylodes rhizome! Stay updated on our newsletter, or watch all the action on Instagram.

Founder’s Note : This is part of a series of articles we’ll be releasing here about the theory and herbs of the Tang ye jing. The enthusiasm and scholarly integrity of the author – regular contributor Joshua Park, DSOM, LAc – will make this a thought provoking and engaging read that we hope you’ll share with friends and colleagues. Joshua is eager to hear your feedback, either here on the site or on our Facebook page. 

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 (you’re here)

味酸皆屬金，五味[子]為之主，枳實為木，豉為火，芍藥為土，薯蕷為水。

All sour belongs to metal, for it is governed by Wuweizi, and Zhishi is wood,Chi is fire, Shaoyao is earth, and Shuyu [better known to modern practitioners as Shan Yao] is water.

Next in our exploration of the 25 Herbs of the Tang Ye Jing is Shaoyao (芍藥), the Earth of Metal.

Shaoyao is peony root (Radix Paeoniae), but in modern Chinese Herbalism there is no generic peony root as such – we differentiate between Baishao (白芍) or White Peony (Radix Paeoniae Alba) and Chishao (赤芍) or Red Peony (Radix Paeoniae Rubra). Both herbs in modern TCM theory are said to effect the Blood, with Baishao having a more nourishing quality and Chishao are more moving and cooling quality, respectively.

Classical Chinese herbal texts, including the Tang Ye Jing, Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, and the Shang Han Za Bing Lun however do not differentiate between Baishao and Chishao, consistently referring instead to “Shaoyao”. There is often debate over whether a given formula should use Baishao or Chishao, and the decision on when to use one variety over another (or when and if to combine them in the same formula) is beyond the scope of this article.

With that in mind, let’s begin by looking at the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing’s entry for Shaoyao:

芍藥 味苦、平。主邪氣腹痛，除血痹，破堅積、寒熱、疝瘕，止痛，利小便， 益氣。生川谷。

Shaoyao: Its flavor is bitter and [its temperature is] neutral. It governs pernicious qi abdominal pain, removing blood impediment, breaking hard accumulations, cold and heat, moundings and masses, stops pain, smooths urination, and boosts qi. It grows in rivers and valleys.

 

The predominant flavor is bitter and not sour, although having seen how this plays out in Zhishi and Dandouchi, we shouldn’t be thrown off by this apparent discrepancy. However, it’s also worth noting that in most post-classical and modern materia medicas, the flavor of both Baishao and Chishao are listed as having a sour as well as a bitter flavor. The clinical indications described here are likely to seem very dynamic (i.e. “breaking hard accumulations”, etc) if we are primarily thinking of Baishao as a blood tonic, as it is classified in modern TCM. However, these indications align very closely with the way Zhang Zhongjing uses Shaoyao.

“Pernicious qi abdominal pain” (邪氣腹痛) is probably the most immediately clinically useful sign for applying Shaoyao.

Herbalists who are trained in various Japanese lineages of abdominal diagnosis typically look for specific signs of a tight or spasming rectus abdominus, for example. And while there are much broader applications for Shaoyao, we consistently find a close association between Shaoyao and abdominal symptoms. Exploring this relationship will help us to understand how Shaoyao is used in classical Chinese herbalism, as well as what it means to say that Shaoyao is the Earth of Metal.

Shaoyao’s action can be understood as bringing the activity of Metal into the realm of Earth.

This is easy enough to relate to the condition of abdominal pain, since the abdomen belongs to the Earth, as it lies in the center and house the Spleen and Stomach, the Earth organs. Shaoyao acts to bring Metal into this dynamic, by gathering (the action ascribed to the Sour Flavor of Metal); specifically, by gathering nutritive fluid (which, insofar as it originates in the Middle Jiao, can be ascribed to Earth).

Gathering nutritive fluid provides the material substrate for Blood formation, which accounts for the Blood nourishing action ascribed to Shaoyao (and Baishao in particular). Shaoyao’s gathering action moistens, nourishes, and softens. Moreover, it is this ability to gather the nutritive fluids that also provides a counterbalance to the moving, circulating action of Guizhi, creating the most distinctive and versatile duiyao pairings in the work of Zhang Zhongjing, the Wood of Wood with the Earth of Metal.

Metal, Earth and Wood

One of the first things we learn about as practitioners is the ubiquity of the pattern of excessive Wood invading the Earth. Indeed, the opening passage of the Jin Gui Yao Lue uses the relationship of Wood and Earth as an example to discuss how disease is transmitted…

夫治未病者，见肝之病，知肝传脾

One who treats disease when it has not manifested sees the Liver is diseased, and knows it will pass from the Liver to the Spleen [and that] one must first fill the Spleen…

 

As a Metal herb, Shaoyao can drain excessive Wood, however it accomplishes this by gathering Yin fluid, which has a moistening, soothing effect.

This treatment strategy is especially effective in protecting the Earth against the activity of excessive Wood. Recall in the article on Zhishi, we discussed Zhishi Shaoyao San, a two herb combination indicated in the case of abdominal fullness with vexing pain (腹痛煩滿). Our understanding of this formula is deepened and completed when we consider the combination of Zhishi, the Wood of Metal, and Shaoyao, the Earth of Metal, with Zhishi more forcefully bringing a descending mandate while Shaoyao gathers, nourishes and softens.

Line 30 discusses the use of Shaoyao Gancao Tang. It states that when there is “..continued slight urgency and spasm of the lower legs, one should give a heavy dose of Shaoyao Gancao Tang and then the lower legs will be able to stretch.” (脛尚微拘急，重與芍藥甘草湯，爾乃脛伸). This line describes a disease of the sinews, which have become tense and malnourished due to a deficiency of yin fluids of the Liver.

The gathering, moistening and nourishing activity of Shaoyao is able to treat this, and it is further enhanced by the addition of Gancao, whose sweet flavor soothes urgency, in keeping with the principle of Su Wen Chapter 22, which states “”When the Liver suffers urgency, urgently eat sweet in order to relax it.” (肝苦急，急食甘以緩之).

Together Shaoyao and Gancao simultaneously nourish the sinews and relax the Liver by moistening and replenishing Yin fluids.

The formula Si Ni San (四逆散) can be understood as a combination of Shaoyao Gancao Tang and Zhishi Shaoyao San, with Chaihu added to more directly course and disperse stagnant Wood. Although Chaihu is typically considered to be the lead herb in this formula, the importance of Shaoyao as a Minister cannot be overstated.

Line 279 states:

本太陽病,醫反下之,因而腹滿時痛者,屬太陰也,桂枝加芍藥湯主之

When originally there was disease in the Taiyang, but the physician purges it, and consequently there is abdominal fullness with periodic pain, this belongs to the Taiyin. Guizhi Jia Shaoyao Tang governs it.

Guizhi Jia Shaoyao Tang consists of the same ingredients as Guizhi Tang, but the dosage of Shaoyao has been doubled, which directs the therapeutic action of the formula from the surface (the Taiyang) to the interior (the Taiyin, which also belongs to Earth). It treats abdominal pain by warming and opening the channels to relieve spasm.

If Yitang (飴餹) is added to Guizhi Jia Shaoyao Tang, it will greatly enhance the formula’s nourishing and fluid replenishing properties, and yield the formula Xiao Jian Zhong Tang (小建中湯), one of whose key indications is abdominal pain arising from qi and blood deficiency of the middle burner.

Line 100 states,

傷寒，陽脈澀，陰脈弦，法當腹中急痛者，先與小建中湯，不差者，與小柴胡湯主之

In cold damage, when the yang pulse is choppy and the the yin pulse is wiry, there is generally urgent pain in the abdomen, first give Xiao Jian Zhong Tang. If there is no cure, then give Xiao Chaihu Tang.

 

There is some debate over the pulse signs in this line should be interpreted, but general agreement that the symptoms of urgent, cramping pain in the abdomen can be understood in terms of Wood overacting on Earth. However, we must also differentiate whether this symptom is primarily one of deficiency (and thus is treated by Xiao Jian Zhong Tang), or primarily one of excess (and thus is treated with Xiao Chaihu Tang).

In both formulas, however, it should be noted that Zhang Zhongjing takes care to treat the Earth even as he treats Wood. In the case of Xiao Jian Zhong Tang this is more primary, but even Xiao Chaihu Tang, which can be understood primarily as coursing stagnant Wood, protects the Earth with Renshen, Shengjiang, Da Zao, and Zhi Gancao (herbs that we will examine in subsequent articles!).

Lastly, it should be noted that in Line 96, an important modification of Xiao Chaihu Tang is to replace Huangqin with Shaoyao when there is Xiao Chaihu Tang pattern with abdominal pain (若腹中痛者，去黃芩，加芍藥). Hopefully after this article, the pathomechanisms behind this substitution have become more clear.

Whew! What an important herb – we could go on about it all day. But, let’s put this one to rest and look forward to the next in the series – Wuweizi 五味子!

Founder’s Note : This is the third of a series of articles we’ll be releasing here about the theory and herbs of the Tang ye jing. The enthusiasm and scholarly integrity of the author – regular contributor Joshua Park, DSOM, LAc – will make this a thought provoking and engaging read that we hope you’ll share with friends and colleagues. Joshua is eager to hear your feedback, either here on the site or on our Facebook page. 

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 (You’re here)

味酸皆屬金，五味[子]為之主，枳實為木，豉為火，芍藥為土，薯蕷為水。

All sour belongs to metal, for it is governed by Wuweizi, and Zhishi is wood,Chi is fire, Shaoyao is earth, and Shuyu [better known to modern practitioners as Shan Yao] is water.

Having explored Zhishi as the Wood of Metal, we now move on to the next phase in the cycle and come to Dandouchi (淡豆豉), the Fire of Metal.

Dandouchi is the fermented black soybean (Latin Name: Semen Sojae Preparata). Dandouchi is not the most commonly prescribed herb in classical herbalism (although it does feature prominently in several of Zhang Zhongjing’s formulas, which we will explore shortly). In fact, it is not even included in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing.

The first mention of Dandouchi in a Chinese materia medica is the Ming Yi Bie Lu (名醫別錄), an herbal text attributed to the Daoist alchemist Tao Hongjing. Recall that Tao is also the purported author of the Fu Xing Jue Wu Zang Yong Yao Fa Yao (輔行訣臟腑用藥法要), the previously lost manuscript that contains the only passages we have of the Tang Ye Jing.

Here is what the Ming Yi Bie Lu has to say about Dandouchi:

豉: 味苦，寒，無毒。主傷寒，頭痛，寒熱，瘴氣，惡毒，煩躁，滿悶，虛勞，喘吸，兩腳疼冷，又殺六畜胎子諸毒。

[Dan Dou] Chi: Its flavor is bitter, cold and nontoxic. It governs cold damage, headache, [alternating] cold and heat, malarial qi, evil toxins, vexation agitation, stifling fullness, taxation fatigue, panting on inhalation [and] cold pain of both feet; moreover, it kills all various toxins in the six domestic animals, fetuses and children.

We can see from this that Tao’s understanding of Dandouchi makes it a tremendously useful herb.

However, just as we did with Zhishi, there is a seeming discrepancy here: the Tang Ye Jing classes Dandouchi with Metal, and therefore Sour, and yet the Ming Yi Bie Lu describes it as being bitter and cold. Modern materia medicas such as Bensky tend to agree with this classification, but also emphasize its acrid nature. And of course the Tang Ye Jing associates Fire with Salty, and none of the Materia Medica state that Dandouchi is salty. So how are we to understand this in terms of the Tang Ye Jing’s classification?

Fire of Metal

Let’s consider what it means for Dandouchi to be considered the Fire of Metal. We saw in our exploration of Zhishi as the Wood of Metal that Zhishi’s activity could be seen as carrying the action of Metal into the domain of Wood (specifically, through its activity of strongly descending the Gallbladder and breaking knotted qi).

In a similar fashion, then, we must understand Dandouchi’s action as involving the relationship between Metal and Fire. And we know that this involves the Controlling Cycle, as Fire Controls Metal.

Examining Zhang Zhongjing’s formulas with Dandouchi will help make this more concrete. Most of formulas that contain Dandouchi can be found in Clause 76 of the Shang Han Lun:

發汗後，水藥不得入口為逆，若更發汗，必吐下不止。發汗吐下後，虛煩不得眠；若劇者，必反覆顛倒，心中懊憹，梔子豉湯主之。若少氣者，梔子甘草豉湯主之。若嘔者 梔子生薑豉湯主之

After sweating is promoted, if water and medicine are unable to be ingested due to counterflow [but] again sweating is promoted, there will be incessant vomiting and diarrhea. After the promotion of sweating and the use of vomiting or purging [methods], there is empty vexation with inability to sleep; if the condition is severe, with tossing and turning and anguish in the heart, Zhizi Chi Tang governs it. If there is shortage of qi, Zhizi Gancao Chi Tang governs it. If there is nausea, Zhizi Shenjiang Chi Tang governs it.

There’s quite a bit to unpack in this clause, and extensive debate in the commentaries over what is meant precisely by many of the terms in this line, such as ’empty vexation’ (xu fan虛煩). The general consensus though is that describes a presentation of formless (1) stagnant heat in the chest. Improper usage of purgatives, vomiting, or excessive sweating pushes the pathogenic factor further into the body where it becomes trapped in the upper burner. The vexation and anguish described the line are all signs of heat.

Although the line mentions the Heart specifically, we can understand this as involving the chest cavity more generally.

Insofar as the chest cavity houses the Lungs, and is also implicated in Yangming disease we can say that it belongs to Metal. Nausea, vomiting, and shortage of qi (which in this context may simply mean shortage of breath) are also pathologies that all belong to the Metal organs of the Lung and Stomach. The same pathology described by Line 76 can also arise in Yangming disease; see Lines 221 and 228, which also describe a situation of formless heat in the chest, and for which Zhizi Chi Tang is also indicated.

To summarize then, the clinical situation described here then is one of heat (Fire) trapped in the chest (which belongs to Metal) – and a key herb to treat this pathology is Dandouchi, which opens and vents the Lung, allowing the heat an exit. Its cold nature helps to soothe vexation, and also resonate with the cool qi of Autumn that likewise belongs to Metal. Based on this analysis, we can say that the main action of Dandouchi is to protect Metal from being damaged by Fire by venting heat from the chest. It is classified as the Fire of Metal, because it functions to removes Fire from Metal.

Post Classical Formulas

Dandouchi features prominently in a number of post-classical formulas where it performs the same function as it does in Zhizi Chi Tang and its modifications. The most famous of these is the formula Yin Qiao San (銀翹散), which is indicated in the Wen Bing Tiao Bian (温病條辨) for Taiyin Wind Warmth (太陰風溫), a pattern that manifests with signs of heat damaging Metal, such as sore throat. It is also frequently added to the pediatric formula Xie Bai San (瀉白散), devised by the Song Dynasty physician Qian Yi to drain stagnant heat from the Lungs.

Although it is beyond the scope of this article series to delve deeply into these post-classical formulas, it is worth mentioning because their usage of Dandouchi follows the same principles as Zhang Zhongjing’s usage, which is ultimately derived from the Tang Ye Jing. This demonstrates the deep and wide ranging influence that this text has over all of Chinese Herbalism.

I will move on to consider the next herb, Shaoyao, in the sequence in the next article. It’ll be an action-packed exploration since Shaoyao is such a frequently used herb!

References

(1) “Formless” in the sense that the heat does not have substantial pathogenic factors like phlegm, or from an excess heat in the Stomach. Some commentators prefer the term “residual heat”.