Zhuyu Erbao Porridge

[Records of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Reference to Western Medicine]

The author of this book, Zhang Xichun (1860-1933), was a renowned physician in modern times from Yanshan County, Hebei Province. He inherited his father’s profession at a young age, studied traditional Chinese medicine, and engaged in long-term clinical practice. In medicine, he advocated the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine and authored the “Records of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Reference to Western Medicine,” summarizing his lifetime of clinical experience. He proposed many original insights into syndrome differentiation and supports, as well as the selection of herbs and formulation of prescriptions, which gained widespread popularity. In the field of dietary therapy, Zhang had considerable expertise in using Chinese yam as the primary herb to prepare porridges for supports wellness. His unique approach involved substituting rice with Chinese yam, creating rice-free medicinal porridge recipes such as “Shuyu Banxia Porridge,” “Shuyu Jizihuang Porridge,” and “Sanbao Porridge.” These recipes demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy. He also appended effective case studies beneath each medicinal porridge recipe for reference and verification. “Zhuyu Erbao Porridge” is selected from this book.

[Porridge Composition] 60 grams of fresh Chinese yam, 60 grams of fresh Coix lacryma-jobi seeds, 30 grams of dried persimmon.

[Indications and Actions] Tonify the Lung, strengthen the Spleen, and nourish the stomach. Applicable to all conditions of Spleen-Lung qi deficiency, such as internal heat due to Yin Deficiency, cough with fatigue and dry cough, diarrhea, and reduced appetite.

[Boiling Method] First, boil the coicis seed until it is thoroughly cooked and mushy. Then, mash the Chinese yam, cut the persimmon calyx cake into small pieces, and cook them all together into a porridge-like consistency.

[Explanation of the Porridge’s Significance] Zhuyu Erbao Porridge is one of the five porridge recipes formulated by Zhang Xichun. He demonstrated original insights into the composition, functions, indications, cooking methods, and formula explanations of this porridge and other medicinal porridges. Zhang believed that Zhuyu Erbao Porridge supports deficiency of the yin aspect in the Spleen and Lungs, poor appetite, cough due to deficiency heat and overexertion, and all Yin Deficiency conditions. In the formula, Chinese yam and coix seed are both herbs that clear and nourish the Spleen and Lungs. If Chinese yam is used alone for a long time, it can become too sticky and heavy, while prolonged use of coix seed can lead to excessive bland diuresis. Only when used in equal proportions can they be taken for a long time without adverse effects. Additionally, persimmon frost, which is cooling and can moisten the Lungs, and sweet and can benefit the Spleen, is used as an auxiliary medicinal food. Patients taking it not only receive supports for their wellness but can also satisfy their hunger. When used appropriately for the condition, the wellness will gradually improve. Zhang Xichun also cited a case: “A young man, due to a cold, was lazy about eating but still engaged in strenuous farming work on an empty stomach, resulting in cough due to overexertion. He had afternoon fever and coughed up phlegm throughout the night. Physicians, considering him young, mostly used yin-nourishing and Kidney-tonifying herbs, occasionally adding a small amount of ginseng and astragalus. After two months of supports without effect, his appetite decreased, and phlegm increased, gradually leading to a critical condition. His pulse was虚弱数 (weak, rapid) with a string-like quality, indicating damage to both the Lungs and Spleen. He was prescribed this formula to be taken twice a day and recovered within half a month.”

Zhang applied Chinese yam to make porridge with a rigorous and flexible formula. Based on different conditions of patients, he used different herbal combinations to supports various wellness and achieved ideal results. For example, Chinese yam cooked with three egg yolks is called “Shuyu Jizihuang Porridge” and is used to supports prolonged diarrhea with an unsteady intestine; Chinese yam cooked with the decoction of 15 grams of pinellia is called “Shuyu Banxia Porridge” and is used to supports persistent vomiting due to adverse rising of stomach qi, where the vomiting worsens upon smelling medicinal odors and no medicine can be swallowed; there is also “Sanbao Porridge” used to supports chronic dysentery with purulent and bloody discharge and foul odor, accompanied by debility in the lower energizer, qi deficiency, and prolapse. It is prepared with 30 grams of fresh Chinese yam and 6 grams of finely ground notoginseng, along with 50 dehulled brucea javanica fruits. First, boil the Chinese yam alone for two to three boils to obtain about a large bowl of porridge, then use this porridge to take the powdered notoginseng and brucea javanica fruits.

In addition, adding gorgon fruit powder to Chinese yam porridge can enhance its effects in stopping leukorrhea and spermatorrhea, making it suitable for women with leukorrheal wellness and men with spermatorrhea and enuresis. If cooked into porridge together with lotus seed powder, it can strengthen the function of invigorating the Spleen and stopping diarrhea, providing satisfactory results in supports patients with Spleen-deficiency diarrhea.

[Precautions] Zhuyu Erbao Porridge is mainly used for recuperation of chronic wellness. One course of supports lasts for 5 – 7 days, and it should be taken twice a day.

[Reference Materials]

[Barefoot Doctors Magazine] Issue 12, 1979, “Coix Seed and Yam Paste for supports Infantile Dyspepsia: Take 15-20 grams each of Coicis Semen (Yi Yi) and Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shan Yao), grind them into a fine powder, stir-fry until slightly yellow, boil into a thin paste, and add an appropriate amount of white sugar for seasoning. One dose per day, divided into morning and evening administrations. Generally, recovery can be achieved within 3-7 days. Indications: Diarrhea occurring more than 5-6 times a day, with yellowish-green, egg-like, watery stools containing curds and undigested food, a small amount of mucus, and a sour odor, without systemic infectious signs of imbalance such as fever.