Family-Transmitted Xisheng Ointment,*The Great Compendium of Surgery*, Volume 1.,For men, women, and children—whether long-standing or recent conditions—the Five Labors and Seven Injuries, paralysis on the left or right side, numbness in the hands and feet, pain in the tendons and bones throughout the body, coughing with phlegm and shortness of breath, malaria and dysentery, abdominal distension and bloating, nocturnal emissions and leukorrhea, testicular torsion and hernias, and cold-damp beriberi;as well as women with irregular menstrual cycles, red or white vaginal discharge, menorrhagia, and metrorrhagia; and those with trauma, all types of swellings and toxic sores, scrofula, intractable ulcers with accumulated toxins, foul-smelling gangrene, and pain in the tendons and bones preventing movement or walking.
Family-Transmitted Xisheng Ointment
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. All references in this article to TCM syndrome differentiation, herbal medicines, teas, and decoctions are intended to promote TCM culture and are provided solely for educational and reference purposes.
Formulas Name : Family-Transmitted Xisheng Ointment
Chinese Name : 家传西圣膏
Drug Formulation
5 qian of Angelica sinensis, 5 qian of Ligusticum chuanxiong, 5 qian of Paeonia rubra, 5 qian of Rehmannia glutinosa (raw), 5 qian of Rehmannia glutinosa (processed), 5 qian of Atractylodes macrocephala, 5 qian of Atractylodes lancea, 5 qian of licorice nodes, 5 qian of tangerine peel, 5 qian of Pinellia ternata, 5 qian of green tangerine peel, 5 qian of Cyperus rotundus, 5 qian of Fructus Aurantii, 5 qian of Lindera aggregata, 5 qian of Polygonum multiflorum, 5 qian of Angelica dahurica, 5 qian of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, 5 qian of apricot kernels,Mulberry Bark 5 qian, Honeysuckle 5 qian, Coptis 5 qian, Scutellaria 5 qian, Phellodendron 5 qian, Rhubarb 5 qian, White Tribulus 5 qian, Gardenia 5 qian, Bupleurum 5 qian, Forsythia 5 qian, Peppermint 5 qian, Wilfordia 5 qian, Akebia 5 qian, Peach Kernel 5 qian, Scrophularia 5 qian,Platycodon root 5 qian, White fresh bark 5 qian, Pig’s-ear root 5 qian, Alisma 5 qian, Xuanhuo 5 qian, Cimicifuga 5 qian, Acanthopanax bark 5 qian, Ephedra 5 qian, Achyranthes root 5 qian, Eucommia 5 qian, Chinese yam 5 qian, Motherwort 5 qian, Polygala 5 qian, Dipsacus root 5 qian, Galangal 5 qian, Ligusticum 5 qian,Qingfengteng 5 qian, Yinchen 5 qian, Diyu 5 qian, Fangfeng 5 qian, Jingjie 5 qian, Liangtoujian 5 qian, Qianghuo 5 qian, Duhuo 5 qian, Kushen 5 qian, Tianma 5 qian, Nanxing 5 qian, Chuanwu 5 qian, Caowu 5 qian, Wengu 5 qian, Bado Ren 5 qian, Yuanhua 5 qian, Xixin 1 liang,Fritillaria 1 liang, Stiff Silkworm 1 liang, Large Maple Seeds 1 liang, Sichuan Tortoise Shell 1 liang, Centipedes 21, Xanthium Fruits 21, Toads 7, White-flowered Snake 5 qian, Earthworm 5 qian, Whole Scorpion 5 qian, Gardenia Bark 5 qian, Bletilla 5 qian, White Knotweed 5 qian, Trichosanthes Seed 8 liang,Peach twigs 3–7 cun, willow twigs 3–7 cun, elm twigs 3–7 cun, locust twigs 3–7 cun, mulberry twigs 3–7 cun, Chinese toon twigs 3–7 cun (or apricot twigs 3–7 cun), paper mulberry twigs 3–7 cun (or toon tree twigs 3–7 cun), human hair 4 liang.
Source
*The Great Compendium of Surgery*, Volume 1.
Processing
Soak the above herbs in 13 jin of pure sesame oil for half a month each in the fifth month of spring, the third month of summer, and the seventh month of autumn. Once the required number of days has elapsed, transfer the mixture to a large pot and simmer over low heat until the herbs are completely dried out and float to the surface. Remove from heat for a short while, then strain out the herbal residue using a cloth bag. Weigh the oil accurately, thoroughly clean the pot,then filter the oil through fine silk back into the pot. Add the blood residue and simmer over low heat until it floats to the surface. Test with a willow stick; when it resembles melted ointment, it is ready. For every 1 jin of purified oil, slowly add 6 liang 5 qian of sifted orpiment. Increase the heat slightly; during the intense heat of summer and fall, add 5 qian of orpiment per 1 jin of oil, stirring continuously.Wait until blue smoke first appears in the pot, followed by white smoke, rising in overlapping spirals; when the aroma becomes rich and fragrant, the ointment is ready. Immediately turn off the heat. Drip some ointment into water to test its consistency; if it is too hard, add more cooked oil; if too runny, add a small amount of roasted orpiment. Gradually increase the heat, ensuring the consistency is just right regardless of the season—whether winter or summer.Remove it from the pot and stir until the smoke dissipates completely. Add the fine medicinal ingredients and stir evenly. Pour into water and stir with a willow stick; once it forms a lump, transfer it to fresh water. Soak in cold water for half an hour; while still warm, for every half jin of ointment, knead it a hundred times. Once it forms a lump, transfer it to fresh cold water to soak.
Benefits
For men, women, and children—whether long-standing or recent conditions—the Five Labors and Seven Injuries, paralysis on the left or right side, numbness in the hands and feet, pain in the tendons and bones throughout the body, coughing with phlegm and shortness of breath, malaria and dysentery, abdominal distension and bloating, nocturnal emissions and leukorrhea, testicular torsion and hernias, and cold-damp beriberi;as well as women with irregular menstrual cycles, red or white vaginal discharge, menorrhagia, and metrorrhagia; and those with trauma, all types of swellings and toxic sores, scrofula, intractable ulcers with accumulated toxins, foul-smelling gangrene, and pain in the tendons and bones preventing movement or walking.
Instructions for Use
To use, melt one copper ladleful of the ointment and spread it over the affected area. After preparing the fine powder: Frankincense, Myrrh, and Dragon’s Blood—1 liang each; Mercury Oxide—8 qian; Borneol—2 liang; Dragon Bone—2 liang; Cinnabar—2 liang; Sea Squid—5 qian; Borneol and Musk—3 qian each; Realgar—2 liang. Grind all the above herbs into a fine powder and mix it into the ointment.For the “Five Labors and Seven Injuries,” with widespread pain in the tendons and bones and weakness and soreness in the lower back and legs, apply the ointment to the Guahuang, Shenshu, and Zusanli acupoints; for phlegm-induced wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing, apply to the Feishu, Huagai, and Tan Zhong acupoints; for left-sided paralysis and right-sided weakness with numbness in the hands and feet, apply to the Jianjing, Quchi, and Zusanli acupoints;for nocturnal emissions, leukorrhea, red or white vaginal discharge, irregular menstrual cycles, and menorrhagia or metrorrhagia, apply to the Yin Jiao and Guan Yuan acupoints; for dysentery with watery diarrhea, apply to the Dan Tian acupoint; for malaria, men should apply to the left arm and women to the right arm; for lower back pain, apply to the Ming Men acupoint; for hernia, apply to the Bang acupoint; for headaches, apply to the Feng Men acupoint; for chest pain, apply to the Zhong Wan acupoint;For wandering pain, apply a patch to the Zhangmen acupoint; for cold-damp beriberi, apply a patch to the Zusanli acupoint; for chest and abdominal distension and oppression, apply a patch to the Zhongwan acupoint; for dysphagia and difficulty swallowing, apply a patch to the Zhongwan acupoint; for epigastric mass, first form a ring of dough to encircle the mass, insert about two liang of Xiao powder under the skin, cover with paper, and heat with an iron until the Xiao powder is absorbed; then apply the plaster and heat again, continuing until sweating occurs and warmth is felt inside the abdomen;For contusions, sprains, and various toxic or ulcerative conditions, apply the plaster directly to the affected area. For all internal and external conditions, the plaster must be applied with a hot cloth. For scabies, tinea, rashes, and leprosy, apply the plaster to the navel and heat it until perspiration occurs; for blood masses or abdominal masses, add 2 liang each of asafoetida and purslane ointment to the plaster before application.
Copyright: Excerpt from *The Great Compendium of Surgery*, Volume 1., Copyright belongs to the Original Author and all original sources, This article was shared by DeDe on August 26, 2026, Please credit the source and include a link to the original article when reposting.
Terminology Proofreading: [Cheng Bo] | August 26, 2026 Reviewed by: [Wang Zhongxiang, Associate Chief TCM Physician (China)] | August 26, 2026
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Family-Transmitted Xisheng Ointment,For men, women, and children—whether long-standing or recent conditions—the Five Labors and Seven Injuries, paralysis on the left or right side, numbness in the hands and feet, pain in the tendons and bones throughout the body, coughing with phlegm and shortness of breath, malaria and dysentery, abdominal distension and bloating, nocturnal emissions and leukorrhea, testicular torsion and hernias, and cold-damp beriberi;as well as women with irregular menstrual cycles, red or white vaginal discharge, menorrhagia, and metrorrhagia; and those with trauma, all types of swellings and toxic sores, scrofula, intractable ulcers with accumulated toxins, foul-smelling gangrene, and pain in the tendons and bones preventing movement or walking.