Case from Fei Sheng-Fu (费绳甫）
Mr. Wu from northern Jiangsu [suffered] from Liver wood encroaching the Spleen until only it’s [qi] was present in the abdomen 致成單腹. The abdomen was distended like a drum, the umbilicus protruded outward, the tendons were blue. The back was normal but the waist full. This constituted a dangerous pattern. In this situation [the appropriate strategy] is to curb wood and support earth, unblock with warming [medicinals], and leach out dampness. Prescription was:
| Aconiti Radix lateralis preparata (zhì fù zî) | 12g |
| Atractylodis macrocephalae Rhizoma (bái zhú) | 4.5g |
| Poria (fú líng) | 9g |
| Angelicae sinensis radicis Corpus (däng guï shën) | 4.5g |
| Cinnamomi Cortex (ròu guì) | 1.5g |
| Citri reticulatae Pericarpium (chén pí) | 3g |
| Arecae Semen (bïng láng) | 4.5g |
| Magnoliae officinalis Cortex (hòu pò) | 3g |
| Amomi Fructus rotundus (bái dòu kòu) | 3g |
| Citri reticulatae viride Pericarpium (qïng pí) | 4.5g |
| Aurantii Fructus immaturus (zhî shí)) | 3g |
| Benincasae Semen (döng guä zî) | 12g |
| Plantaginis Semen (chë qián zî) | 6g |
| Arecae Pericarpium (dà fù pí) | 6g |
| Sorghum (shú mî) | 14 seeds |
| Coicis Semen (yì yî rén) | 30g |
** Translated by: Volker Scheid
Volker’s Commentary: Read together with the previous case, this record from FSF’s case histories further illustrates the importance of the middle burner at the centre of the qi dynamic and of fluid metabolism. The situation is described as dangerous because both the qi and yang of the middle burner have collapsed. Movement and transformation have come to a standstill, hence the position of earth is seized by wood. This is visibly manifest in the protruding umbilicus, representing Spleen earth, which is pushed upwards by Liver qi. The treatment therefore is aimed directly and only at the middle burner employing a combined strategy of warming in order to reignite transformative process, acrid downward moving in order to break up stasis, and leaching out of excess dampness from the middle burner. The core formula used for this purpose is modified Bolster the Spleen Drink (shí pí yîn), which in turn builds on True Warrior Decoction (zhën wû täng) and Three-Substance Decoction with Magnolia Bark (hòu pò sän wù täng). Even here, however, FSF takes account of the role and relation between Liver and Lungs, qi and blood. This explains his use of Angelicae sinensis Radix (däng guï) , on the one hand, and of Benincasae Semen (döng guä zî) and Coicis Semen (yì yî rén) on the other, which together with Amomi Fructus rotundus (bái dòu kòu) and Magnoliae officinalis Cortex(hòu pò) suggest the intention of Three-Seed Decoction (sän rén täng).
Thus, like his grandfather, FSF skillfully interweaves cold damage and warm pathogen strategies to realize the principles of harmonization and moderation even in a strongly warming and draining prescription.”