Chinese Medicine Quarterly Fall 2012

ISSUE 5: Harvest
CONTENTS [ ARTICLES ]

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER

p. 1

BIOS
p. 2-3

ERIC GREY • INTRO 1

p. 5

SABINE WILMS • SUWEN 5, SUWEN 4

p. 6-7

CAYLY CHRISTENSEN • Grief, Harvest,

and
the Transformative Power of Loss
p. 8-9

JONATHAN HADAS EDWARDS • TWO HARVEST

SEASON REFLECTIONS
p. 11-13

ERIC GREY • INTRO 11

p. 14

SABINE WILMS • 小青龍湯 XIAO QINGLONG

TANG - MINOR GREEN-BLUE DRAGON
DECOCTION
p. 15-16

SUMMER COLLIER • BAI

SHAO: WHY
PREGNANT WOMEN CRAVE LEMONADE
p. 18-20

BRIAN PINE • SIGNS OF FALL

p. 22-24

REBECCA GROEBNER • REFLECtIONS ON

WANGBULIUXING
p. 26-28
LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER
Autumn is a time for reducing external com-
mitments and ramping down vigorous activity.
I’ve always found the general principle to clash
with so many of the increases of the season,
particularly the starting of new school years
and the US election season that swings around
every 4 years. Nonetheless, I find myself more
introspective, focusing on issues of personal
development and spiritual cultivation. It’s a good
time to read, to write, and to converse with others
about matters of importance.
That’s what we’re doing in this issue of
Chinese Medicine Quarterly. Conversing with
one another, and with you - our readers - about
the meaning of autumn in the context of Chinese
medicine. What does it mean for our herbalism?
How does it impact who we are and how we act
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as people and practitioners? What do the clas-
sics say? This issue will help you parse these
simple questions, and hopefully leave you with
a lot of food for thought.
As you read this issue, I want to encourage
you to consider whether you would like to write
for CMQ. We’re always looking for willing writ-
ers who have something to say about classical
Chinese medicine and its many connections to
contemporary life. If you want to learn more
about how you can get involved, please head
over to http://www.deepesthealth.com/write-for-
chinese-medicine-quarterly/
Enjoy the descent into winter!
LETTERS FROM OUR READERS
At Chinese Medicine Quarterly
we believe that a thriving Chinese
medicine profession benefits all of
us. To have community, you have to
have conversation. One of the ways
we can dialogue around issues in
our profession is through this section
of the magazine - Letters from our
Readers. We’d love for you to send
in your letters. If you have ques-
tions about the magazine, comments
about a particular article, or you want
to share your passion for our profes-
sion, send your writing to:
eric@deepesthealth.com.
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Letters must be under 150 words,
topical, and be accompanied by your
name (first name and last initial at
a minimum) and place of residence
(city/state/province/region, country).
The printing of letters is at the discre-
tion of the editor. Spelling and gram-
mar will not be corrected. Check the
next issue to see if your letter was
published. We may or may not pub-
lishes responses to your letter.
Thanks for your interest!
Bios

Eric Grey, MSOM, LAc, CMQ Founder

Eric graduated from National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) in 2009. He is now adjunct pro-
fessor at NCNM, teaching about Chinese herbs to enthusiastic second-year students. He is the founder
and chief writer at Deepesthealth.com, the founder and editor of Chinese Medicine Quarterly and co-
founder and Chinese medicine practitioner at Watershed Community Wellness in Portland, OR. He
lives with his teenage daughter and wife in Portland, and yes, somehow manages to find time to sleep,
thanks for asking.

Jonathan Hadas Edwards

Currently attending NCNM’s school of Classical Chinese Medicine, Jonathan Hadas Edwards is a pe-
rennial student of plant medicine and allied healing traditions. He hoards cast-iron pans and writes down
his dreams when he remembers.

Bonnie Koenig, LAc, CMQ Editor

Bonnie Koenig is a 1999 graduate of Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. In addition to over ten years
of acupuncture practice, Bonnie maintains her blog at http://www.bonniekoeniglac.com. Currently she is
focused on promoting the acupuncture profession through writing and photography. Bonnie lives with her
husband and three cats. Her cats also blog and are far more popular online than she is.

Eugene Lee, calligraphy (cover page, pages 10&17)

Eugene Lee is a 4th year dual degree student at NCNM, studying naturopathy and Chinese medi-
cine. His goal in his education and future practice is to integrate the arts back into the healing arts; music,
martial arts, calligraphy, and painting are all hobbies that he has been pursuing since childhood and he
hopes to synthesize his experience into an offering that will benefit his future patients as well as the public
at large. Visit him on the web at http://www.fermatawellness.com.

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Bios
Sabine Wilms, PhD

After high school and some undergraduate training in Germany, Sabine Wilms spent two years in
Taiwan, studying modern and classical Chinese language and culture, then moved to the US. Sabine
has been studying classical Chinese writings on medicine ever since her PhD program in Asian Stud-
ies and Medical Anthropology. Some of her favorite topics for research and teaching are gynecology,
reproduction, and “nurturing life,” as understood in the broadest sense by the great medieval “King
of Medicinals” Sun Simiao. Sabine is happiest when engaging in a dialogue with practitioners on how
to make this ancient wisdom come alive in our modern times.

Cayly Christensan, LAc

Cayly graduated from NCNM in the summer of 2012, and recently opened her own private practice
in southeast Portland. She studied Contemporary Pulse Diagnosis under Brandt Stickley, L.Ac. and
Five Element Acupuncture under Charles Lev, L.Ac., both of which greatly inform her current practice
philosophy and approach to treatment.

Brian Pine, LAc

Brian Pine graduated from the National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) with a
Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine. He is a passionate student of classical
Chinese and is inspired by the ‘Great Physician’ as presented by Sun Simiao. His
practice is informed by the principles found in classical Chinese thought, with a special
interest in Yijing studies. Currently, he is developing a website and blog at
twofishonepond.com exploring the idea of ‘Simple’ medicine.

Rebecca Groebner, MAc, LAc, CMQ Editor

Bex graduated from NCNM (2011) after 29 years of dreaming about practicing East Asian medicine.
She is mother to two ticklish warrior boys and enjoys translating Classical Chinese texts and poetry.
She will often be found with needles in hand, whether she is working with qi or covering her family
in beautiful fibers.

Elizabeth Wolf, LAc, BFA, CMQ Designer

Elizabeth graduated from Ohio University in 2003 with a major in Fine Art Photography and a
minor in graphic design. After years traveling New Zealand, Australia, and Western Europe photo-
graphing, and pursuing photography in a corporate setting, she realized her calling was elsewhere.
She was accepted to NCNM in the Fall of 2008, and moved to Portland, OR to pursue her calling.
She graduated in June 2012 and recently opened her own private practice in SE Portland.

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 In the pages that follow, you will find a portion of the Huangdi Neijing Suwen translated by Sabine
Wilms. The translation of chapters 4 & 5 of the Suwen are offered for two reasons. These flow from
Deepest Health’s overriding mission to provide information that assists students and practitioners in
becoming deeply rooted and fully engaged in their medicine.
The first, a more “rooted” reason, is simply to provide an accessible translation of an important text.
Obviously, the translated lines are critically important for anybody seeking to understand the harvest
season from the perspective of ancient Chinese medicine. While studying the lung, the large intestine,
the skin, yangming, or any other affiliated symbol or part of the human body, one can refer to these lines
and find important food for thought. Even simply as a personal meditation on the energy of the season,
this information is important to each of us.
The second reason enhances engagement. The articles in this issue take the concept of harvest,
and the energy of autumn, and suggest ways that they are relevant to the practice of Chinese medicine
in the contemporary world. These are not simply theoretical matters. While some of the information in
Suwen 4 or 5 may be of a more abstract nature, there is plenty that is immediately applicable to clinic.
Consider the various statements about the qi of fall and the diseases associated with it. While one
would have to come to some understanding of “wind malaria,” there is plenty that could be done with this
material immediately. If I have patients coming in with acute onset illnesses in the autumn, I’m going to
think immediately of “wind malaria,” of treatments involving shu points on the shoulders and back, as well
as considering the lung’s influence in the disease manifestation. Because I have learned from the Suwen
that the autumn qi has these particular manifestations, I am ready to assist my patients.

Eric Grey, Founder & Editor of CMQ

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 Suwen 5
天有四時五行，以生長收藏，以生寒暑燥
濕風。人有五臟化五氣，以生喜怒悲憂恐

Heaven has four seasons and five

phases, thereby enacting birth, growth,
gathering, and storage, and thereby
generating cold, summer-heat, dryness,
dampness, and wind. Humans have
five zàng organs and transform the five
qì, thereby generating joy, anger, grief,
anxiety, and fear.

西方生燥，燥生金，金生辛，辛生肺，肺生皮
毛，皮毛生腎，肺主鼻

The western direction engenders dryness. Dry-

ness engenders metal. Metal engenders acridity.
Acridity engenders the lung. The lung engenders
the skin and body hair. The skin and body hair
engender the kidney. The lung is in charge of the
nose.

其在天為燥，在地為金，在體為皮毛，在
藏為肺，在色為白，在音為商，在聲為
哭，在變動為咳，在竅為鼻，在味為辛，
在志為憂

In heaven, it is dryness; on earth, it is

metal; in the body, it is the skin and body
hair; among the zàng organs, it is the
lung; among the colors, it is white; among
the musical notes, it is shang; among the
sounds, it is crying; among the [pathologi-
cal] movements, it is coughing; among
the orifices, it is the nose; among the
flavors, it is acridity; among the emotions,
it is anxiety.

憂傷肺，喜勝憂；熱傷皮毛，寒勝熱；辛傷皮
毛，苦勝辛

Anxiety damages the lung, but joy overcomes

anxiety. Heat damages the skin and body hair,
but cold overcomes heat. Acridity damages the
skin and body hair, but bitterness overcomes
acridity.

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 Suwen 4
西方白色，入通於肺，開竅於鼻，藏精於肺，故病在背，其味辛，
其類金，其畜馬，其穀稻，其應四時，上為太白星，是以知病之在
皮毛也，其音商，其數九，其臭腥

The western direction is associated with the color white. It enters

[the body] through the noes, opens at the orifices of the nose, and
stores essence in the lung. Therefore its diseases are in the back,
its flavor is acrid, its category metal, its domestic animal the horse,
its grain rice, and its correspondence in the four seasons is Venus
above. For this reason, we know that its disease is located in the
skin and body hair. Its musical note is shang, its number nine, its
smell “fishy.”

西風生於秋，病在肺，俞在肩背

Wind from the West is engendered in the fall. Its [as-

sociated] disease is in the lungs. The shù points are
on the shoulders and back.

秋氣者病在肩背

As for the qì of fall, its diseases are located in the

shoulder and back.

秋善病風瘧

In the fall, there is a tendency to fall ill with wind

malaria.

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Grief, Harvest, and the Transformative Power of Loss
by Cayly Christensen , LAc
Midway through August of this year, my romantic relationship
came to a necessary but devastating end.  A few days later, I
received my license to practice acupuncture from the Oregon
Medical Board.  Just 10 days after that, I celebrated my 30th
birthday, saying goodbye to my 20s.  As
I processed these transitions and at-
tempted to adjust to the changes which
accompanied them, I found myself
confronting a great deal of grief and
sadness. There was an inner resistance
to the things I was being asked to give
up: my partner, my identity as a student
and my perceived youth. There was
also a resistance to what I was being
asked to accept: an unforeseen return
to the single life, my new responsi-
bilities as an official practitioner of
Chinese medicine and the seemingly
premature ushering in of the next decade of my life. I vacillated
between despair and anger for quite a few days before finally
making peace with the present moment in order to embrace the
energy of my life’s current season.  As the world around me began
its descent into autumn,
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I allowed the natural movement of the macrocosm to support me
on my journey through my own sense of loss.
In Chinese medicine, the Lung and Large Intestine are
associated with the autumn season, and the energy of the metal
element is at work during this time of the
year.  Metal energy is that of refinement,
reflection, rarefication, malleability, and
transformation.  At its core, this energy is
that of the harvesting process, extracting
the best of what has come into being and
discarding or releasing that which is un-
necessary or of adverse effect.  And while
reaping the benefits of our earlier endeavors
is, something to celebrate, letting go of
that which does not serve us—perhaps in
spite of our best efforts to somehow make
it so—can be a solemn and heartbreaking
part of the process.  Fittingly, Chinese medi-
cine aligns grief and the process of letting go with these organs
as well, highlighting the relationship between the harvest season
of autumn and the sadness that can often emerge when we must
pare down our lives in any capacity.
 Grief, Harvest, and the Transformative Power of Loss

Through the rhythmic interplay of

inhalation and exhalation, the Lung takes
in postnatal qi from the air (da qi), distilling
and transforming it for use by the body.
There, it combines with food qi (gu qi),
as extracted by the Spleen and Stomach,
and the prenatal qi stored in the Kidney
(yuan qi).  The Large Intestine further
embodies this metal quality of refinement
and distillation through its transportation
and disposal of waste materials, thereby
facilitating the dispersion of nourishment
and qi throughout the body as a whole.  On
the level of the physical body, it is easy
to see how letting go of what is unneces-
sary rids the system of potentially harm-
ful toxins to make room for that which
nourishes.  On the emotional plane, the
distinctions between what is and is not
useful are not as clearly delineated.  For
this reason, the process of letting go is
often difficult.  
While excessive grief is detrimental
to the Lung, unresolved sadness can be
equally harmful to this metal energy.  Ac- process of eliminating those aspects of our knew I had, a greater sense of self, and
knowledging our grief when faced with loss lives that do not serve the expression of the courage to embark on a journey I previ-
or transitions requiring us to let go is a our fullest selves, we might just be amazed ously thought impossible.  When we move
healthy and important aspect of allowing at the rich harvest remaining. through grief in a healthy way by allowing
these experiences to transform us.  The The metal energies of refinement, it to manifest fully as it moves through us,
autumn season reminds us is that there reflection, and distillation abound during we begin to experience gratitude and a
is always some facet of even the most the autumn season, providing the ideal deep sense of awe. We become aware of
devastating loss that can be harvested for cosmological conditions to support us in the true fruits of our labor.  This journey
our overall betterment and the enrichment letting go of what is not needed. We can is a manifestation of the transition from
of our character.  I am not suggesting process any unresolved sadness or grief autumn’s metal energy into that of the
that every loss represents the removal and harvest the very best of what has been water element in winter—the energy of
of something toxic from our lives. I am cultivated in our individual lives.  For me, awe, of faith, of creative potential.
suggesting, though, that if we can let go the loss of a relationship, my academic
in these instances and surrender to the identity, and my “youth” were essential to
ensuing emotions, of grief, in particular, my decision to pursue and open my own
we might be surprised by the profound Chinese medicine practice in October
transformation awaiting us on the other of this year.  In surrendering to my grief,
side.  If we can actively participate in the I discovered more inner strength than I

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TWO HARVEST SEASONS REFLECTIONS
by Jonathan Hadas Edwards

I.
On her central Vermont land, an acquaintance, Karen, has a few dozen acres of sugar maples. She and
her husband log them with draft horses and tap them in the springtime for sap, boiling it into maple syrup.
On this land, wild ginseng grows as well. American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, used to be widespread
throughout the rich forest lands of the east and the Midwest. In the seventeenth or early eighteenth century,
the hardscrabble loggers and sheep farmers realized that the Chinese, who had all but exhausted their own
wild stock of this “king of herbs,” were willing to pay a premium for our closely related species of ginseng.
The harvesting frenzy began and today it’s rare to come across a single specimen in the north woods. I’ve
spent many a summer afternoon walking around the state’s back roads and trails with one eye cast toward
the ground, checking out the flora. Despite thickets of American spikenard, wild sarsaparilla, blue cohosh and
baneberry, all of which share Panax’s preference for shady, moist, relatively undisturbed hardwood forests,
I’ve never spotted a single ginseng plant in New England.

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Two Harvest Season Reflections
When someone does find some ginseng
on their Vermont land, they’re not likely
to advertise the fact. Even today, plenty
of Vermonters will just as soon yank the
root out of the ground as not, whether for
money or medicine or novelty’s sake; I’m
not sure. So Karen and her woodsman
husband, Bob, keep under their collective
hat the location of the ginseng patch that
they so lovingly cultivate.
Recently, Bob ran into a guy carrying
a backpack in his woods. Asked what he
was doing, the kid replied that he was
‘wildcrafting’ mushrooms. Oh? Could
Bob take a look at what he’d found? He
hadn’t seen any chanterelles there this
year. Actually no, the kid replied, in fact
he had to go, right away. The stranger
made off through the woods before Bob
could confirm his suspicions; finding his
way over to his carefully tended ginseng
patch, it was all gone, hastily uprooted. In
Bob and Karen’s eyes this ‘wildcrafter’ was
no more than a common thief. With the
incident in mind, Karen wondered aloud
if most so-called wildcrafters, or people
who make a living harvesting wild edible
and medicinal plants, aren’t simply reaping
the fruits of someone else’s labor.   We deserve it, after all those long hours
Of course, as with any commercial
endeavor, there are ethics to wildcrafting,
both ecological and social. You never
harvest too much nor harvest from an
endangered population. On private land,
you obtain the permission of the landowner
before harvesting anything. The ginseng
thief was in clear violation of all of these
rules, making him a blight on the good
name of ethical wildcrafters everywhere.
Even so, the incident raises questions
about the nature of harvest itself.
Harvest. At least to my mind, the that could destroy all they had worked for.
word conjures fields of golden grain, In this sense, harvest is not something
pumpkins, cornucopias overflowing with we earn but something we receive, a gift
a bounty of bright autumn apples and from the gods. This holds all the more so
Indian corn. If there’s one phrase that when it comes to the harvesting of wild
comes to mind to accompany these im- plants. We contributed nothing to the life
ages, it would be “reaping the fruits of of the burdock by the roadside, common
one’s labor.” I’ve actually done fairly little as the plant may be. The earth element,
gardening, much as I like the idea of it, nature in her maternal generosity, offers
but the idea of reaping what I’ve sown them up freely. They are gifts to be re-
resonates deeply, perhaps through an ceived with grace and a thankful heart.
In recognition of the life that is taken, it is
customary to offer something in return. For
American Indian groups, this often meant
some tobacco, sacred food of the spirits,
or some corn. I read somewhere that if
you have nothing else with you, you may
offer a piece of yourself: a strand of two
of hair. In my occasional wild harvesting,
I’ve adopted this practice, and in a way I
like it best of all, because acknowledges
the sacrifice inherent in harvest and re-
ciprocates it: a little life for a little life.
ancestral agricultural line. What is so ap-
pealing about this autumnal abundance?
Surely it’s the sense that, unlike produce
haphazardly tossed into a cart at the su-
permarket, this is food we have earned.
of tilling, weeding, mulching, watering,
fertilizing, and weeding again!
People throughout the ages have
felt, have known, that they cannot take all
the credit for the harvest that will sustain
them through the winter. Without rain,
sun, earth, and manure they would have
nothing. One badly timed hail storm is
all it takes to ruin a harvest. Throughout
history, people have given thanks to the
gods or the elements for providing what
was needed and withholding the forces
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Two Harvest Season Reflections
II.
As I write, the very beginnings of fall are
in the air. The days are still warm, but
there is a sudden crystalline quality to the
sky. What a clear and beautiful fall this is!
Every year I try and like it and every year
it breaks my heart. There’s no avoiding
the sinking feeling as the days slide so
precipitously toward winter. The fall foliage,
especially brilliant in the northeast where
I grew up, would seem to provide a sort
of counterpoint to melancholy autumn. As
a Chinese medicine student, I’ve come
to understand the blazing beauty of the
trees not as a contrast to the nature of
the season, but as the very manifestation
of yang’s last gasp. I borrow a metaphor
from Dr. Heiner Fruehauf: with no charge
left to hold it, the battery’s last energy
leaks from storage. We all celebrate the
fleeting glory of the season, of course,
and we all know what it means.
The flip side of the fall is its bounty.
It seems paradoxical upon reflection:
why is the withering of the year also the
season of greatest abundance? Chinese
calendrical science and its understanding
of time’s cycles holds some insight here.
One theme that emerges from Chinese
calendrics is that form, yin, follows func-
tion, yang. A look at a single day proves
the point. A day is a year in miniature with
the hottest part of the day being mid-af-
ternoon, even though the sun is highest
around noon. Across different time scales,
the principle holds; it takes time for the
physical manifestations to catch up to
the celestial conditions themselves. So it
is with the seasons. A couple of months
after the solstice and the earthly branches
associated with fire, we feel the heat of
the fire season of summer. We receive
the fruits of the earth season, roughly
mid-August to mid-September, a couple
of months later. It works out that the time
of the killing frost is also the time of life-
nourishing sweetness. Harvest goes hand
in hand with sacrifice, which is of course
what we knew all along: the tree has to let
the fruit fall before we can pick it up.
If you are interested in the tangible as-
pects of a season, you can investigate the
seasonal nodes, which are two-week long
demarcations throughout the year. The
two nodes following the autumnal equinox
have the names ‘cold dew’ and ‘hoarfrost
descends.’ These are further divided into
five-day periods, such as ‘hibernating
insects reinforce their shelters.’ For real
insight into the subtle energetic phase
that governs the season, as well as the
workings of yin and yang, you must look
to the earthly branches and their associ-
ated ‘tidal’ hexagrams. Associated with
the eighth month, September-October,
is hexagram 20: Guan.
Yin has overtaken yang, four to two
and now, after the equinox, the balance
of the year has tipped. The shape of the
hexagram itself suggests a hollowing-out
and resembles an ancient sacrificial altar,
another meaning of Guan. Richard Wilhelm
translates the hexagram’s ancient lines
as, “The ablution has been made but not
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yet the offering. Full of trust they look up
to him.” This is the essence of the eighth
month: the moment before the sacrifice,
the killing touch of frost. It is a sacred
moment, though not a pleasant one. It
is serious, as the one who is about to
carry out the mandate of the moment
commands respect. The oracle bone
characters show an eye and a crested bird,
like a crane. Guan is often translated as
‘observation’; we must not avert our eyes
from dutiful death, from sacred sacrifice,
as represented by the crane, the mes-
senger between worlds. And indeed, at
the autumnal equinox, the veil between
the worlds is thin. The ancient Chinese
custom has been to make offerings at
this time of year to none other than the
moon, the very embodiment of yin, and
therefore a symbol of the collection and
storage of yang. During the wintry long
sleep to come, life will recharge its battery
so that spring can commence another
cycle. But for now, in fall, we observe and
reverently contemplate (another possible
translation of Guan) the flashing strike
of cold, sharp metal on the tender neck
of the year.
 Please enjoy the following translation of lines in the Shanghan Lun and commentaries per-
taining to the formula Xiao Qinglong Tang. The translation was expertly carried out by Sabine
Wilms, PhD, and should open your eyes to the importance of this formula. XQLT is one of those
formulas that everybody learns, but few actually use. I believe this is due to two major factors.
First, a relative lack of acute cold/flu presentations in student clinics mean that few gain comfort
using the formula during their formative educational years. Second, worries about Xixin restrict
many practitioners’ access to this important medicinal. Xiao Qinglong Tang without Xixin is not
really Xiao Qinglong Tang! Despite these barriers, learning more about the formula can only be
positive - particularly during the autumnal months. Read on!

Eric Grey, Founder & Editor of CMQ

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小青龍湯 - Xiao Qinglóng Tang (Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction)

傷寒論 原文
Original text from the Shanghán Lùn
傷寒表不解，心下有水氣，乾嘔，發熱而咳，或渴，或利，或噎，或小便不利，少腹滿，或喘者，小青龍湯主之
In cold damage, when the exterior does not resolve and we see the presence of water qì below the heart, dry retching,
heat effusion and then coughing, possibly thirst, possibly diarrhea, possibly choking, possibly inhibited urination and lesser
abdominal fullness, and possibly panting, Xiao Qinglóng Tang is the formula in charge.

小青龍湯原方
Original formula:
麻黃三兩去節，桂枝三兩去皮，芍藥三兩，五味子半升，乾薑三兩切，甘草三兩
炙，細辛三兩，半夏半升湯洗
Mahuang: 3 liang (remove any “joints”)
Guizhi: 3 liang (remove the skin)
Shaoyao: 3 liang
Wuweizi: 0.5 sheng
Ganjiang: 3 liang (chopped)
Gancao: 3 liang (mix-fried)
Xixin: 3 liang
Banxia: 0.5 sheng (washed in hot liquid)

上八味，以水一斗先煮麻黃，減二升去上沫，納諸藥煮t取三升，去滓溫服一升
Of the eight ingredients above, first simmer the Mahuang in 1 dou of water until
reduced to 2 sheng. Skim the foam off the top, add all the other medicinals, and
simmer until reduced to 3 sheng. Remove the dregs and take 1 sheng warm
per dose.

Modifications:
若微利者，去麻黃，加蕘花如雞子大熬（炒也），令赤色；若渴者，去半夏加栝蔞根三兩；若噎者，去麻黃加附子一枚
炮；若小便不利少腹滿者，去麻黃加茯苓四兩；若喘者去麻黃加杏仁半升
For patients with subtle diarrhea, replace the Mahuang with a piece of Raohua the size of a chicken egg, heated until red.
For patients with thirst, replace the Banxia with 3 liang of Gualougen. For patients with choking, replace the Mahuang with
1 piece of Fuzi, blast-fried. For patients with inhibited urination and lesser abdominal fullness, replace the Mahuang with 4
liang of Fuling. For patients with panting, replace the Mahuang with 0.5 sheng of Xingren.

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小青龍湯 - Xiao Qinglóng Tang (Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction)

Commentary: the pivotal tàiyáng mechanism. When [the pattern] is combined with chok-
ing and inhibited urination or with panting,
傷寒論類方 卷一 桂枝湯類 ...Wind cold complicated by water qì invad- this means that the disease mechanism
Shanghán Lùn Lèi Fang, volume 1, ing and soaking into the chest, attacking has slanted towards affecting the interior of
Formulas of the Guìzhi Tang Catego- the lung and stomach inside, with the the body. Therefore we remove máhuáng,
ry composed by Xú Dàchun, 徐大椿, result of heat effusion, dry retching, and with its effect of resolving the exterior, but
Qing period cough: This is the main pattern for Xiao add fùzi to eliminate the choking, yuánhua
Qing Lóng Tang. Therefore we remove the and fúlíng to disinhibit water,and xìngrén
小青龍湯: sweet stickiness of dàzao in Guìzhi Tang to settle the panting.
痰喘証宜此，俟氣平就枕，然後以消痰 and instead add máhuáng to open up the
潤肺養陰開胃之方以次調之 source palace, bànxià to eliminate retching, Both Major (Dà) and Minor (Xiao) Qing
xìxin to expel water qì, and wuwèizi and Lóng Tang are preparations that resolve
For phlegm panting patterns, this formu- ganjiang to eliminate the cough. Because both the interior and exterior. You should
la is suited. Wait until the qì has calmed we use máhuáng and xìxin to effuse the know that Dà Qing Lóng Tang treats interior
and then go to bed. Afterwards, use exterior, there is no need for the horizontal heat, while Xiao Qing Lóng Tang treats
formulas that disperse phlegm, moisten dispersing of shangjiang. interior cold. Moreover, Xiao Qing Lóng
the lung, nourish yin, and open up the Tang treats water that is moving instead
stomach, to follow up and fine-tune its Thirst means that there is an insufficiency of having lodged. Hence it is also different
effect. of liquid in the heart. Therefore you re- from Wu Líng San, which treats water that
place the drying effect of of bànxià withthe has lodged and is not moving…
Commentary: moistening and disinhibiting effect of
gualóugen.
傷寒約編，卷二
Shanghán Yue Bian, vol. 2 (also by
Xú Dàchun)

Heat effusion means that the exterior is

failing to resolve, while dry retching and
coughing indicate the presence of water
qì below the heart, which is failing to dis-
perse. It is the nature of water to move in
flow and its transformations are manifold.
If the water qì is in the lower body but not
in the upper body, it can result in thirst or
diarrhea. If it is in the upper body but not
in the lower body, it can result in choking
or panting. If it lodges instead of moving,
the result is inhibited urination and inter-
nal fullness in the lesser abdomen. Xiao
Qing Lóng Tang resolves evil both in the
exterior and interior. Moreover, methods
of modification have been established to
treat potential signs. This is a formula for

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BAI SHAO: WHY PREGNANT WOMEN CRAVE LEMONADE
by Summer Collier, L.Ac.

“In the three months of autumn all things in nature

reach their full maturity. The grains ripen and harvest-
ing occurs. The heavenly energy cools, as does the
weather. The wind begins to stir. This is the chang-
ing or pivoting point when the yang or active phase
turns into its opposite, the yin or passive, phase...”1
Suwen, Chapter 2

Autumn brings back memories of my hometown harvest festival, which I attended yearly in my youth.
There was the grape stomp, pumpkin carving contests, hay rides and of course, an apple festival. As the
solstice passes and we enter into autumn, I contemplate how this season relates to health. The autumn
is a time to remain calm and peaceful so as not to deplete our stores for winter. Just as the tree pulls in
its sap to prepare for the cold, we should gather and conserve our energy for the winter to come. We do
this by sleeping longer hours at night and taking care not to overexert ourselves mentally, physically or
emotionally. When we can see the pumpkins getting fat on the vines and other fall vegetables being har-
vested, it’s a good time to think about all of the growth and ripening that is occurring during pregnancy.
Earth generates metal which is associated with the fall and the element of dryness. If there is insufficient
nourishment coming from the earth, then the push for big flowering growth will result in dryness and the
fruit will not fully ripen.

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BAI SHAO: WHY PREGNANT WOMEN CRAVE LEMONADE
I work largely with pregnant and
postpartum women, striving to improve
their comfort and quality of life by increas-
ing health during pregnancy. Using acu-
puncture and herbal medicine to prevent
complications in the prenatal period also
benefits the fetus and newborn baby.
Chinese medicine is a preventative medi-
cine that often runs counter to Western
treatment philosophy, which promotes
action once complications arise. Waiting
to address symptoms can sometimes
precipitate emergency health situations.
For the pregnant female this can mean
an increased chance of premature birth,
neonatal intensive care and dangerous
complications such as preeclampsia.
Fifteen million babies are born pre-
maturely every year (more than one in
10). About one million of those die shortly
after birth and countless others suffer a
significant, life-long physical, neurological
or educational disability, according to “Born
Too Soon: The Global Action Report on
Preterm Birth”. Western medicine imple-
ments invasive preventative measures,
including steroid injections for mothers
already in premature labor to help immature
fetal lungs develop and prevent respira-
tory problems. To me, this falls under the
category of too little, too late.
When women have preterm contrac-
tions, they are told by obstetricians and
midwives to drink more water. Increas-
ing fluid intake can stop contractions if
the mom is simply dehydrated but often
there is a more complex problem of water
metabolism and fluid generation. The
mother actually needs to improve the way
her body fluids are used and generated.
Drinking more water makes her pee more
while the muscles remain dry. There is a
better solution.
It is no coincidence that pregnant
women crave sour foods like pickles,
kombucha and lemonade. The sour flavor
helps the body retain needed moisture
in the muscles. When sweet and sour
flavors are combined, as in lemonade,
yin is generated. This cannot be accom-
plished simply by drinking water. At a
time when the blood volume is doubling,
the generation of yin and fluids is cru-
cial for preventing muscle dryness. Dry
muscles lead to muscle tightness, pain
and cramping. During pregnancy, leg
cramping and Braxton Hicks are diag-
nosed as “okay” by the western medical
field. As an acupuncturist and classical
herbalist, I consider these symptoms as
warning signs that require treatment. If left
untreated, muscle dryness can and will
lead to more dangerous issues, including
preterm labor.
I often recommend that pregnant
women eat sour foods and I prescribe
formulas for them that contain sour herbs.
Baishao is the most common herb I pre-
scribe in formulation during pregnancy.
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Many of Zhang Zhongjing’s obstetric
formulas in the Jingui Yaolue contain
Baishao. Baishao relaxes the muscles, by
reducing wood, protecting earth and toni-
fying metal which can prevent the uterus
from contracting. It also prevents stretch
marks and makes for a healthier and more
comfortable pregnancy. Baishao has the
added benefit of calming the blood. One
of my teachers once referred to Baishao
as “saran wrap for the blood”. At a time
when the blood is swirling around and
can easily move recklessly outside the
vessels, as in nosebleed and varicose
veins, Baishao can be a pregnant woman’s
best friend.
The following are indications and
classical formulas from the Shanghan
Zabing Lun that contain Baishao and
should be considered for prescription
during pregnancy: If a pregnant woman in
her second trimester has mild abdominal
tightness and occasional cramping in the
legs, she may need to take a formula with
a moderate amount of Baishao, such as
Xiao Jianzhong Tang, containing 18 grams.
The issue should resolve and the mother
will again be comfortable. If the symptoms
are ignored or worsen, the need for a
much higher dose of Baishao will arise
and the use of a formula such as Dang-
gui Shaoyao San should be considered.
The classical dosage of Baishao in this
formula is 48 grams. This very large dose
of sour strongly astringes the fluids to
nourish and relax the muscles. This can
can sometimes be enough to make up
for a lack of treatment that caused the
earth to dry out. Guizhi Tang and Dang-
gui San are also formulas to think about,
with Baishao dosages of 9 grams and 12
BAI SHAO: WHY PREGNANT WOMEN CRAVE LEMONADE

grams, respectively.
This Sunday I will be celebrating
the arrival of fall at the pumpkin patch.
I will take my daughter on the hayride,
through the corn maze and then we will
pick out a pumpkin to take home. Just
as green pumpkins are left on the vine
to ripen to full maturity, no one would
choose to have a premature baby. As the
tree pulls in its sap for the winter and the
pumpkins ripen their fruit for harvest, the
same care should be taken for the fetus
to reach maturity in the womb. Expectant
mothers are sometimes hesitant to take
herbs or get acupuncture because they
don’t understand the preventative nature
of our medicine. Once preterm labor is
threatening, they are even more fearful
of doing anything unfamiliar. The best
advice I have for pregnant women is to
take care of themselves, come early, get
true preventative care and enjoy a healthy
pregnancy and a happy fall.

1.Ni, Maoshing. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic

of Medicine: A New Translation of the Neijing
Suwen with Commentary. Shambhala, 1995.

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signs of fall
by Brian Pine, LAc

Fall is the season of the harvest, when we gather the fruits of earlier efforts.  It is the time of apples,
pumpkins, and corn mazes.  In the western tradition, fall begins on the autumnal equinox, approximately
September 22. The Chinese calendar offers another date, almost 45 days earlier.  So, how do we know
when fall begins?  Does it begin on a specific date, exactly determined by a calendar?  Should we use
natural signs, like the changing color of leaves, as our indicator?
The four seasons are featured prominently in Chinese medicine as a macrocosmic example for the
microcosm of the human body.  In the Huangdi Neijing they are clearly defined and are associated with
the cosmological principles of yin yang and wuxing (five elemental-phases).   This ancient text teaches us
that in order to live in harmony with the Dao and nature, as well as to attain health, we must learn how to
live according to the seasons.
In the Chinese calendar, each solar year begins on the first day of spring, approximately February 4th.  It
is divided into 24 ‘solar nodes’ (jieqi 節 氣) that mark the position of the Sun every 15 degrees, or days,
along its ecliptic. The solar node that begins every season is designated by using the Chinese character
立 li; the middle of every season is designated using the character 中 zhong.  For example, the ‘Beginning
of Fall’ is 立秋 Liqiu and the ‘Middle of Fall’ is 中秋 Zhongqiu.  The middle of every season is assigned to
either the equinox or solstice, placing the beginning of the seasons approximately 45 days earlier.   These
24 solar nodes can be further divided into 72 ‘five-day periods’ (hou 候

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signs of fall
Both the 24 solar nodes and the 72
periods are named for natural events that
can be directly observed.   cycle and tell the story of how Qi moves
According to Chinese cosmology, the
first two seasons, spring and summer,
are considered yang and the last two
seasons, fall and winter are considered
yin.  Spring is associated with 木 mu,
the wood-phase and represents birth
and new life.  Summer and 火 huo, the
fire-phase represent growth.  Fall and
金 jin, the metal-phase are related to
death and dying.  Winter and 水 shui,
the water-phase represent the time of
rest and nourishment, before birth.  The
earth-phase, 土 tu, marks the transition
between the seasons and is correlated with
the central hub, allowing for the movement
of the other phases.  The ancient Chinese
used the ‘Stems and Branches’ (ganzhi 干
支) to further illustrate these phases and
their life cycle.  There are a total of ten
‘Heavenly Stems’, which represent the
yin and yang aspects of the wuxing and
there are twelve ‘Earthly Branches.’  The
SEASON
SPRING
SUMMER
FALL
WINTER
branches are depicted using characters
that represent specific stages of the life
through and effects life on earth.  Each
branch contains two solar nodes that last
for a total of 30 or 31 days.   longer be able to hold the fruit and the
This imagery may best be understood
using a specific example, like that of the
apple tree.  For the sake of this example,
imagine the life of a tree, symbolized by
木 mu. It begins as a seed, depicted by
the earthly branch 子 zi. This seed is
found firmly planted in the soil, which is
represented by the earth-phase, 土 tu.  In
order to break through the surface, the
tree will require the right conditions and
great strength.  After, the cold of winter
passes, the ground and seed receive
the warmth of the sun, giving birth to the
tree.  The spring rain and ground water
nourish the tree, drawn up through the
roots,  reaching up and out into the tips of
the branches.  With the assistance of
the early summer heat, it will reach its
greatest height.  After passing the Solstice,
EARTHLY BRANCH
寅 yin
卯 mao
辰 chen
巳 si
午 wu
未 wei
申 shen
酉 you
戌 xu
亥 hai
子 zi
丑 chou
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its branches are heavily burdened with
fruit.   The fruit falls as water recedes,
gathered from the branches, returning to
the roots, leaving the stems dry.  When
the Qi is stretched thin, the tree will no
stems will sever.  The fruit drops to the
ground, thus initiating fall and providing
the potential seed for future growth.  The
signs of fall are therefore directly related
to the recession of water.  This can be
seen clearly in the heavenly stem for
yin water, 癸 gui, which is the image of
water collecting from the four directions,
flowing under ground and then entering
into storage.  This process begins in the
fall.  In fact, the elemental phase of every
season is born in the previous season,
matures in its own and declines in the
next.  Therefore, the metal of fall is born
in the beginning of summer when water is
dispersed and exhausted.  If we want to
understand the metal phase of fall, then
we have to understand it in relationship
to the other phases, not in isolation.
DESCRIPTION
Image of growth underground, shooting up
toward the surface
Image of a gate or doorway, an opening
through the horizon
An awn of grass reaching upward into the
sky
The limit of Qi, reaching its extreme
An arrow pointed straight up, marking the
solstice
Image of tree branches, heavy with fruit
Qi stretched thin
Image of a container, used to store fer-
mented liquid
Image of a halberd, symbolizing severing
of Qi
Qi underground, in storage
The seed of new growth
Image of hands bound, a time of waiting
signs of fall

In Chinese medicine, the signs of health BRANCHES SOLAR NODES 5-DAY PERIODS APPROXIMATE DATE
are correlated with the signs of the 鴻鴈來 September 8th
Wild geese come
seasons.  The Qi in the body, the micro- 白露 玄鳥歸 September 13th
White Dew Swallows return
cosm, must move in accordance with
群鳥養羞
the Qi of nature, the macrocosm.  For Flocks of birds provide September 18th
food
example, a healthy pulse in fall is floating, 酉 You
雷始收聲 September 23rd
浮 fu.  This character is composed using Thunder gathers sound
秋分
the radical, 氵, for water (水 shui)  and the Autumnal Equinox
蟄蟲坏戶
Hibernating insects enter September 28th
phonetic portion, 孚 fu, which contains ground
the earthly branch, 子 zi.  Zi is often inter- 水始涸 October 3rd
Water dries up
preted as a child, but it also signifies the 鴻鴈來賓
Wild geese come to a October 8th
seed.  The seed and child both represent place of veneration
potential.  The seed is small and dense and 寒露 爵入大水為蛤
Cold Dew Sparrow enters the great October 13th
has the potential to grow into something waters to become a clam
magnificent.  It is Yang in storage.  Fu (浮) 鞠有黃華
Chrysanthemums yellow October 18th
is often interpreted as a person swimming blossoms
戌 Xu
or floating in the water, but if we use the 豺乃祭獸
Jackal offers sacrifice of October 23rd
earlier imagery we can see a different wild animal
霜降
picture.  The water indicated by the radical 草木黃落
Frost Descends Grass and vegetation are October 28th
could be interpreted as entering into stor- yellow and bare
age, symbolized by the character 子.  The 蟄蟲咸俯
Hibernating insects have November 2nd
remaining portion of the character 爫 is all returned home
evidence of the Qi that lags behind the
receding water.  This pulse will present 經) studies.  It is also used in the Neijing determine when it changes from season
with a faint Qi sensation on the surface, as a complex system for calculating and to season.
but will require additional pressure to feel predicting the Qi present during the dif-
the blood, or water, that is receding into ferent seasons.  According to the Chinese Notes. Festivals held during the fall: a Ghost Festi-

the deeper layers.  It is similar to the Qi calendar, fall began on August 7th of this val (盂蘭 Yú Lán) held on 15th day of the 7th lunar

left in the stem of an apple, just before year.  This can be confirmed using the month (8/31/12) and the Mid-Autumn Festival (中

it falls to the ground.  This example can quality of the 37th Hou ‘Cool Wind Arrives,’ 秋節 Zhongqijié) held on the 15th day of of the 8th

also be used to understand the white followed by ‘White Dew Descends’ and the lunar month (9/30/12), also known as Mooncake or

color in facial diagnosis, dryness of the ‘Silencing of the Cicada Chirp.’  Even with Lantern Festival.

skin, the emotion of grief and explain why
you would use the pungent flavor to treat
fall-patterned illness.   outside on the first day of the year and
The ‘Stems and Branches’ of-
fer a unique perspective into Chinese
cosmology.  They represent both ‘symbol’
and ‘number,’ and therefore can be inter-
preted qualitatively and quantitatively.  This
cosmology is rooted in the ‘Science of
Change,’ otherwise known as Yijing (易
the complex system of calculation found
in the Neijing, we are still required to walk
determine when the Qi has arrived.  So,
when does fall begin?  It will be different
depending where you live.  It may ar-
rive early, late or just on time.  We can
use the dates calculated in the calendar
and look for signs, but we still have to
learn how to feel Qi within our bodies and

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Reflections on Wangbuliuxing San
Rebecca Groebner, M.Ac., L.Ac.

We know that the Autumn season is associated with the metal phase. It seems like a good time to con-
template Wangbuliuxing San, a formula for treating metal wounds and blood loss. You’re not likely to find this
formula in a text book or an online search, even though eight of the nine ingredients are easily available to us.
As a nursing mother, I became very interested in learning more about Wangbuliuxing, or vaccaria seed, as it is
such a beneficial herb for the breast. It was in my search to find vaccaria seed in the Chinese medical classics
that I stumbled upon this ancient powder. I have yet to use this formula with patients but this article shares the
recipe and some theories I’ve concocted in pondering just how to do that. It is my hope that you may have
some ideas of your own and become inspired to put this unknown formula to use in your clinic as well.
The Jingui Yaolue, or “Summary of Essentials from the Golden Cabinet,” was written at the end of the
Han Dynasty, approximately 200 AD. It is considered a clinical manual of Chinese medicine and is attributed
to the physician, Zhang Zhongjing. Wangbuliuxing San can be found in Chapter 18, a section of the text that
describes sores, boils, carbuncles, abscesses and the like. The following section is the excerpt about the
powder (my translation):

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Reflections on Wangbuliuxing San

A question is asked, “The Cunkou pulse is floating, minute and choppy. Our method indicates that this means a
loss of blood or great sweating. If the case is such that there is no sweating, what is going on with the patient?”

The master answers, “If it appears that the body has cuts or sores, this may indicate a knife or hatchet wound
that has caused injury, leading to the loss of blood. For sores or cuts caused by metal, Wangbuliuxing Powder
governs.”

Wangbuliuxing (Powder) Prescription:

• Wangbuliuxing (Vaccaria seeds): 10 parts, gathered on the 8th day of the 8th month
• Shuodi Xiye, Shuodiao Xiye (Luying. Propably Sambucus formosana Nakai, “Chinese Elder”): 10 parts, gathered
on the 7th day of the 7th month
• Sang Dongnan Baipi (Sangbaipi. Southeastern White Mulberry bark): 10 parts, gathered on the 3rd day of the
3rd month
• Gancao (Licorice): 18 parts,
• Chuanjiao (Sichuan pepper): 3 parts, remove the “eye” and close the “mouth” [and then heat gently] until it
releases it’s oils
• Huangqin (Scuttelaria): 2 parts
• Ganjiang (Dried ginger): 2 parts
• Houpo (Magnolia): 2 parts
• Shaoyao (Baishao, White peony): 2 parts

For the above nine herbs, char the first three herbs (Mulberry bark and those listed above it) in such a way that their
properties are retained. Do not char them until they are grey ash. Separately pulverize each herb with a pestle and
then sift it. Combine them into a powder for administering, serve one cun spoonful (~1 gram) per dose. For small
skin wounds, apply the powder directly to the injury. For large skin wounds, take the powder internally. Postpartum
women can also take it internally. If there is wind and cold, do not take Sang Donggen (Mulberry, Sangbaipi). For
the first three herbs (Vaccaria, Sambucus, Mulberry), these are all yin (shade) dried for 100 days.

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Reflections on Wangbuliuxing San
A comprehensive discussion about the
symbolism in this formula is not possible
in such a small article. Due to this, I’ve
chosen to skip the topic of the months in
which these herbs are gathered, the drying
of the herbs in the shade and the various
ways in which the formula is processed.
These are all very interesting avenues for
exploration and I hope that some of you
might decide to take a trip down them.
For now, we’ll stick with the properties
of the herbal combination and what this
might accomplish in the clinic.
We all know Wangbuliuxing as the
wonderful little seeds we use with tape for
auricular stimulation. They are considered
a bitter herb with neutral temperature.
They move blood and open the channels,
particularly in the breast and prostate.
They reduce swelling, promote lacta-
tion, drain abscesses and promote the
healing of incised wounds. In addition to
treating issues in the breast tissue, they
have been used successfully as a topical
treatment for herpes zoster, for treating
difficult labor and for prostatitis and benign
prostatic hypertrophy.
Wangbuliuxing San combines vaccaria
seed with Shuodiao Xiye, known in modern
day as Luying. These are the leaves of
Sambucus formosana Nakai, a Chinese
version of the Elder tree. This herb can
clear heat and drain dampness and has
traditionally been used for complaints in
which the blood and qi are static in the
joints and couli skin spaces, the breasts,
tonsils and bladder. Luying is commonly
used to decrease wound healing time and
improve the circulation. There is some
concern about using leaves from certain
species of Sambucus, as they are known
to contain a cyanide producing glycoside . 1
However, the branches and leaves of this
particular plant have been shown to have
a hepatoprotective effect .
2
As we go down the list we can see
that these two herbs are combined with
other commonly known medicines. Sang-
baipi drains lung heat, stops cough and
wheezing, promotes urination and reduces
edema. In this formula, it is most likely
being used to stop bleeding and reduce
clotting. This isn’t a commonly known
indication, but recent studies have shown
that it stops the blood coagulation and
hemorrhage associated with the venom
from an Indian Viper snake bite3. Gancao
serves as one of our most potent antidotes
for toxic substances and speeds up wound
healing. Chuanjiao has long been used in
folk medicine to treat scabies sores and
it has analgesic properties that would
come in handy with any painful wound.
Huangqin clears heat and purges fire, it
detoxifies and stops bleeding and it’s an
analgesic herb that is known in the West
to have antibacterial properties. Ganjiang
warms and moves the channels and stops
bleeding, though Paojiang might be a
more appropriate choice if the bleeding is
extensive. Houpo is a very aromatic herb
that dispels dampness, has anticoagulant
effects and in the West has been used
to treat microbial and viral infections.
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Lastly, Baishao nourishes and regulates
the blood, alleviates pain due to wind in
the vessels and tonifies and drains at the
same time. When charred, it works to stop
bleeding as well.
As one can see from this quick glance
at our formula, it is made of pain relievers
that bring fresh blood where it is needed
while retaining the blood inside the body.
Many of the herbs here promote wound
healing and serve as antibacterial agents,
decreasing the chances of infection, or, as
we might say, purging fire. It can be taken
internally, applied topically or both, giving
us the ability to treat the patient from the
inside out and vice versa.
One of my teachers, Arnaud Versluys,
said that this formula might be well suited
to a post-surgical situation. Certainly, if
we are to take “cuts caused by metal” in
the literal sense, this seems greatly ap-
propriate. The text also tells us that this
formula is good for use after a great loss
of blood or sweat. The pulse will prob-
ably be “floating, minute and choppy.” A
number of the herbs have an affinity for
the breast and prostate, where they move
the blood and decrease fire, while at the
same time, maintaining the yang and
vitality in the tissue. We might consider
this formula for use with any stagnating,
toxic situation we find in those two areas.
Mastitis, prostatitis, boils, abscesses and
even cancers, come to mind here.
As you take this formula into your tool
chest and begin to experiment, don’t forget
to pay heed to the preparation instruc-
tions. What does the charring of these
herbs do to their character? How will they
act differently in the body? Is prescribing
this formula as a decoction or a granular
powder going to accomplish the same thing
as giving a spoonful of the real powdered
Reflections on Wangbuliuxing San

herb? In terms of dosing, the formula is

18 parts Gancao and is not meant to be
taken all in one day. As we touch in with
these ancient formulas, it may be wise to
pay respect to the ways in which they were
constructed. The recipes of the greatest
chefs are often dependent upon following
them closely to the letter.

1. Nova Scotia Museum Website, Poison plant section,

Nova Scotia Museum – Poisonous plants
2. Lin C-N, Tome W-P. Antihepatotoxic principles
of Sambucus formosana. Planta Med 1988; 54:
223–224.
3. Neutralization of local and systemic toxicity of Da-
boia russelii venom by Morus alba plant leaf extract
Chandrashekara K.T., Nagaraju S., Usha Nandini S.,
Basavaiah , Kemparaju K. Phytotherapy Research
2009 23:8 (1082-1087)

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