Malabsorption refers to a reduced ability of the small intestine to absorb nutrients from food, resulting in the inability of ingested nutrients to effectively enter the bloodstream and leading to problems such as diarrhea, weight loss, and malnutrition. It is not a single disease, but rather a common symptom caused by a variety of underlying conditions.
Common Signs:
Diarrhea: Especially oily, greasy stools that are shiny, difficult to flush, and have a particularly foul odor (steatorrhea)
Weight loss: Eating a normal amount but becoming increasingly thin
Abdominal bloating and excessive flatulence: Stomach rumbling and frequent passing of gas
Signs of nutritional deficiency: Anemia, fatigue, numbness in the hands and feet, dry skin, and recurrent mouth ulcers
The Story of Irrigating the Fields
When I was a child, every time our family irrigated the fields, all we had to do was open the gate of the reservoir above the fields, and the water would naturally flow into them. It was a simple task and a lot of fun—since I could go swimming in the reservoir—so I often volunteered to do it when I was young.
One year, while we were irrigating the fields as usual, I opened the gate and then went off on my own to swim and play in the water, without paying attention to whether the water was actually flowing into the fields. After more than an hour, my father called out to me from a distance, asking why the water hadn’t reached the fields yet.
“That’s impossible—the gate has been open for ages!”
My father and I walked downstream for about 500 meters and discovered that the canal had burst; the water was flowing outside the canal, while the section downstream was still dry, so naturally, the fields weren’t getting irrigated.
My father scolded me harshly, saying I was careless and didn’t pay attention even when watering the fields!
Often, when we press the “start” button but fail to pay attention to the changes that occur along the way, the final outcome is often not what we expected.
The previous article concluded by discussing the issue of kidney deficiency. Clinically, there are indeed a large number of people whose jobs do not strain the kidneys, who do not stay up late, and who certainly do not engage in excessive sexual activity—so why do they suffer from severe kidney deficiency?
I. Kidney Deficiency Caused by “Metal Failing to Generate Water”
The food we eat is chewed in the mouth, digested in the stomach, absorbed in the small intestine, and then transported upward via the spleen to the lungs. The lungs disperse the clear, refined essence of the food upward and outward to nourish the skin and hair, while the turbid, impure substances are gathered and directed downward to ultimately nourish the five zang organs and six fu organs. Therefore, the source of nourishment for the kidneys is inseparable from the lungs’ ability to gather and direct. If the lungs’ descending function is impaired, the kidneys’ source of nourishment will be insufficient, and the principle of “Metal generates Water” (where “Metal” refers to the lungs and “Water” to the kidneys) cannot be realized. This is akin to irrigating a field: if there is a problem with the irrigation channels, they naturally cannot fulfill their function.
Are there many patients like this?
Yes! And quite a lot of them!
Many people enjoy eating spicy foods such as Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers on a regular basis. These pungent flavors enter the lungs, intensifying their dispersing action. As a result, the turbid components of food essence cannot descend to nourish the five viscera but instead rise upward to the head and face, leading to symptoms such as an oily complexion, seborrheic alopecia, and sore throat. These are all manifestations of abnormal energy accumulation in the upper jiao that fails to descend. In contrast, the lower jiao appears deficient. Female patients often experience light menstrual flow, lower back and hip pain during their period, and cold legs in winter.
Many people, especially men, tend to drink excessively. Since alcohol has a pungent nature and enters the Lung meridian, drinking increases the Lung’s dispersing function. Consequently, the turbid components of food’s essence cannot descend to the five zang organs, leading to a condition where the Lung fails to nourish the Kidney. This results in symptoms such as lower back pain due to Kidney deficiency and diminished sexual function.
There are quite a few patients like this. When they seek treatment from a TCM practitioner, they are often told they have kidney deficiency. Although taking kidney-tonifying herbs may alleviate the symptoms, the condition usually returns within a few days. In reality, the issue here is not about tonifying the kidneys, but rather the failure of the lungs to nourish the kidneys. Regulating the lungs’ descending and consolidating functions is the fundamental approach to treating kidney deficiency. It is akin to irrigation: if the canal is damaged, water cannot reach the fields; repairing the canal is the key.
Patient Zhang, a 30-year-old woman, has experienced scant menstrual flow for three years. Over this period, her menstrual flow has decreased year by year; currently, her periods last only two days, and she requires only two sanitary pads per cycle. Her menstrual blood is dark in color and appears as fine, flaky clots, accompanied by soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees during her period, as well as a swollen and sore throat. She has always suffered from excessively oily hair and severe hair loss. She had been taking kidney-tonifying medications intermittently but saw no significant improvement, so she came to me for treatment.
As usual, I began by taking her pulse. I found that her right cun pulse was floating and slippery, her right chi pulse was deep and fine, and her left guan pulse was blocked and stagnant. This is a classic case of “Metal fails to generate Water.” The treatment, of course, involves tonifying the kidneys, consolidating the lungs, regulating the liver, and relieving depression.
I prescribed the following formula: Cuscuta seed, Psoralea fruit, Schisandra berry, Rubus fruit, Astragalus root, Bupleurum root, Angelica root, Milettia vine, Bitter Apricot Kernel, Raw Loquat Leaf, and Raw Licorice Root. She was instructed to decoct the herbs in water and take one dose daily for 5 consecutive days.
After taking five doses, the patient’s lower back soreness improved, her frequent flatulence subsided, and her oily hair became less greasy. After taking another five doses, she stopped the medication for three days to allow her menstrual period to begin; her menstrual flow increased significantly, and she did not experience any discomfort such as soreness or weakness in the lower back and knees during her period. I advised her to take ten more doses after her period ended to consolidate the therapeutic effect, and to avoid spicy foods and maintain a light diet in her daily life. When we met again six months later, her menstrual cycle had returned to normal.
In the above formula, Cuscuta Seed, Psoralea, and Rubus Fruit are all excellent herbs for nourishing kidney essence; Schisandra Berry, Bitter Apricot Kernel, and Loquat Leaf help consolidate lung qi; Astragalus and Angelica sinensis nourish qi and blood; Bupleurum soothes the liver and relieves depression. This combination not only replenishes depleted kidney essence but also increases its supply by consolidating lung qi, thereby promoting the “Metal generates Water” cycle. With sufficient kidney essence, qi and blood naturally flourish, and menstruation returns to normal.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this therapeutic approach is known as “tonify the mother when there is deficiency.” In layman’s terms, it means “teaching someone to fish” rather than “giving them a fish.” Addressing the root cause is the key to treating deficiency-related diseases. Otherwise, simply tonifying the kidneys will only provide temporary relief; after a while, kidney deficiency will persist. Only by resolving the root cause can kidney deficiency be completely resolved.
There is a Chinese herbal medicine called ginkgo, commonly known as ginkgo, ginkgo nut, white nut, lingyan, Buddha’s finger citrus, Buddha’s fingernail, or ginkgo tree nut. Because its leaves resemble a duck’s foot, it is also called duck’s foot, duck’s foot nut, or duck-palm tree nut. It has a sweet, bitter, and astringent taste and is effective in tonifying the lungs and relieving wheezing, stopping leukorrhea, and reducing urination. Clinically, it is often used to treat conditions such as excessive phlegm, wheezing, and coughing; white, turbid leukorrhea; and enuresis or frequent urination.
Modern medical research also indicates that ginkgo nuts are a nutrient-rich, high-quality tonic. They contain crude protein, crude fat, reducing sugars, nucleoproteins, minerals, crude fiber, and various vitamins. Every 100 grams of fresh ginkgo nuts contains 13.2 grams of protein, 72.6 grams of carbohydrates, and 1.3 grams of fat. In addition, they contain vitamin C, riboflavin, carotene, and various elements such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, selenium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as eight amino acids, making them highly valuable for food, medicine, and health maintenance.
What I value most is its ability to “promote the generation of Water by Metal.” Ginkgo nuts enter the Lung and Kidney meridians and have the effect of consolidating lung qi. Once lung qi descends, it promotes the “Metal generates Water” process; the kidney’s water is nourished, and the kidneys are thus protected from deficiency. Therefore, do not underestimate ginkgo nuts as a medicinal ingredient—they are an excellent remedy for promoting this process. It is precisely for this reason that many elderly people in rural areas consider them a tonic: after taking them, kidney deficiency subsides, lower back pain disappears, and the body becomes stronger.
I recommend a therapeutic porridge called “Three-Seed Porridge.” The recipe and preparation method are as follows:
Select 5 grams of high-quality ginkgo nuts, 10 grams of sweet almonds, 10 grams of walnut kernels, and 50 grams of japonica rice. First, rinse the three seeds thoroughly, place them in a pot with water, and boil for 20 minutes. Then add the japonica rice and cook until the rice is tender. It is ready to serve. If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can add a small amount of rock sugar.
Ginkgo nuts have a sweet and bitter nature; they consolidate lung qi, relieve wheezing and coughing, and can also stop bedwetting. Sweet almonds moisten the lungs and relieve coughing. Walnut kernels tonify the kidneys, secure essence, warm the lungs, and relieve wheezing. Japonica rice nourishes the stomach and harmonizes the middle jiao. In this porridge, both the ginkgo nuts and sweet almonds have the effect of consolidating the lungs, while the walnut kernels tonify the kidneys. This combination is particularly suitable for patients with kidney essence deficiency, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, and ascending deficient fire.
Though it may seem simple, this recipe embodies the philosophy of not only “giving a man a fish” but also “teaching him how to fish”—truly addressing both the symptoms and the root cause!
Since ginkgo nuts are slightly toxic, they should not be eaten raw. Even when cooked, they should be consumed in moderation—10 to 15 nuts per serving is recommended. If you accidentally consume too many and experience symptoms of poisoning such as abdominal pain or diarrhea, seek medical attention immediately.
While this applies to kidney deficiency, are there other organs that follow the same principle? Certainly. The five internal organs of the human body correspond to the Five Elements. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth are the five fundamental elements of nature. As these five elements rise and fall, nature undergoes corresponding changes, which not only influence human destiny but also sustain the ceaseless cycle of all things in the universe.
The *Shangshu: Hongfan* records a dialogue between King Wu of Zhou and Ji Zi: “The Five Elements: first is Water, second is Fire, third is Wood, fourth is Metal, and fifth is Earth; Water is moist and flows downward, Fire is fiery and rises upward, Wood is flexible and straight, Metal is malleable and transformative, and Earth sustains agriculture; the downward flow of Water produces the salty taste, the upward rise of Fire produces the bitter taste, the flexibility and straightness of Wood produce the sour taste, the malleability and transformability of Metal produce the pungent taste, and agriculture produces the sweet taste.” This provides a concise summary of the Five Elements and their characteristics. To systematically explain the concept, let us first examine the Five Elements attributes of the human viscera.
The liver belongs to Wood; it governs the free flow of qi and stores blood. The liver houses the soul, is the source of deliberation, opens to the eyes, governs the tendons, and manifests its vitality in the nails. Its emotional association is anger, its vocal expression is a shout, and its bodily fluid is tears.
The Heart belongs to Fire; it governs the blood vessels; the Heart houses the spirit; its orifice opens to the tongue; its radiance appears on the face; its emotion is joy; its sound is laughter; its fluid is sweat.
The Spleen belongs to Earth; it governs transformation and transportation, distributes body fluids, governs the blood, and governs the muscles and limbs; the Spleen houses intention; its orifice opens to the mouth; its radiance appears on the lips; its fluid is saliva; its sound is singing; its emotion is thought.
The Lung belongs to Metal; it governs Qi, regulates respiration, governs the skin and hair, governs movement and restraint, and is responsible for dispersing and descending. Its orifice is the nose; its bodily fluid is nasal discharge; its sound is crying; and its emotion is sorrow.
The Kidney belongs to Water; it stores essence, governs reproduction, governs fluids, receives and holds Qi, and produces marrow in the bones. It is the root of innate vitality, governs the two Yin organs, opens to the ears, manifests in the hair, produces saliva, and is associated with groaning.
There is a generative relationship among the Five Elements: Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, and Earth generates Metal. This is akin to a cyclical process that repeats endlessly. It is through this cycle that the energy of the human body’s zang-fu organs can circulate continuously. If an obstruction occurs at any link in the chain, this cycle is disrupted, leading to pathological changes. The issue of kidney deficiency mentioned above arises because the lungs fail to nourish the kidneys—that is, Metal fails to generate Water. Clinically, in addition to the pathogenesis of “Metal failing to generate Water,” there are also “Water failing to generate Wood,” “Wood failing to generate Fire,” “Fire failing to generate Earth,” and “Earth failing to generate Metal.” These all fall under the same category of diseases; though they may seem unrelated, they are actually based on the same underlying principle.
II. Liver Deficiency Caused by “Water Fails to Generate Wood”
Just as “Metal fails to generate Water” leads to kidney deficiency, “Water fails to generate Wood” leads to liver deficiency!
In clinical practice, I frequently encounter patients with severe liver fire. These patients are in a bad mood, have short tempers, and become enraged at the slightest setback—all of which stem from liver deficiency. Many people ask: If liver fire is so intense, how can there still be liver deficiency?
The “liver deficiency” referred to here is not liver yang deficiency, but rather liver yin deficiency. Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that “the liver is yin in nature but yang in function”—meaning the liver is grounded in yin blood and manifests as liver fire. When the liver lacks sufficient yin blood, it cannot restrain liver yang, resulting in excessive liver fire.
This is like a seesaw: on one end is liver yin, and on the other is liver yang. The two should be in a state of dynamic balance. If one end becomes lighter, the other will naturally sink, appearing too heavy!
Behind liver yin deficiency lies an underlying insufficiency of kidney water. When water is insufficient, it cannot nourish the liver, making the liver prone to transforming into fire. This is akin to a situation in nature where prolonged drought leaves the soil parched, and trees wither due to a lack of moisture. Similarly, when kidney water is insufficient in the human body and cannot nourish the liver wood, the deficiency of liver yin and blood naturally leads to hyperactive liver yang and an excess of yang energy.
Therefore, when treating patients with excessive liver yang or intense liver fire, the focus should not be on clearing liver fire, but on replenishing kidney water. Once kidney water is sufficient, liver fire cannot run rampant—this is what is commonly referred to in Traditional Chinese Medicine as the “method of nourishing water to sustain wood.”
In the human body, the most common symptoms of kidney water deficiency and liver yang hyperactivity are dry eyes and blurred vision. There are many such patients; when they visit Western doctors at hospitals, routine ophthalmic examinations usually reveal no significant issues, and treatment is limited to topical eye drops, which generally yield only moderate results. In fact, as long as kidney water is replenished and liver fire is cleared, the condition will naturally resolve. Consider the formula for Mingmu Dihuang Wan: Prepared Rehmannia Root, Cornus Fruit, Moutan Bark, Chinese Yam, Poria, Alisma, Goji Berries, Chrysanthemum, Angelica Root, White Peony Root, Amaranth, and Oyster Shell. The first six ingredients form the formula for Liuwei Dihuang Wan. The remaining ingredients—Goji berries—nourish the kidneys and liver; White Peony Root and Chinese Angelica nourish the blood and soothe the liver; Chrysanthemum and Amaranth clear liver heat; and Oyster Shell calms the liver. The entire formula focuses primarily on tonifying kidney yin, supplemented by ingredients that nourish, soothe, clear, and calm the liver. In this way, liver yin is replenished, excessive liver yang is suppressed, and liver fire is cleared and drained, naturally leading to improved vision. Once you understand this formula, you’ll realize that the principle behind treating eye diseases by addressing the kidneys is exactly this.
Many people have to work overtime and stay up late; prolonged eye strain can lead to dry eyes and blurred vision. In such cases, brewing a cup of goji berry and chrysanthemum tea—using a small handful of goji berries and five or six Hangzhou chrysanthemum blossoms—and sipping it slowly can help relieve eye discomfort. Goji berries have a warm nature and gently tonify the liver and kidneys, while chrysanthemum flowers clear and nourish the liver. When combined, they offer both clearing and tonifying effects, as well as purging within tonification. Furthermore, the balance of cold and warm properties ensures the tea is neither too cold nor too drying, making it ideal for those who overuse their eyes. For patients who are slightly overweight, adding a small amount of hawthorn and rock sugar can help reduce fat and aid weight loss while also improving the taste.
III. Excessive Heart Fire Caused by Wood Failing to Generate Fire
In the cycle of the five internal organs, every link is crucial. If Kidney Water fails to nourish Liver Wood, excessive Liver Fire will result; similarly, if Liver Wood fails to nourish Heart Blood, the heart will also experience problems.
The liver stores blood and supplies the heart with yin blood, enabling the heart to function normally. If the liver itself has insufficient blood storage and experiences excessive liver yang rising upward, this will naturally lead to insufficient heart blood and excessive heart fire. As a result, a person may experience restlessness and irritability, insomnia with vivid dreams, and in severe cases, mouth and tongue sores, as well as scanty, yellow urine. Clearing heart fire and promoting urination address the symptoms, while nourishing liver blood addresses the root cause. The abundance of liver blood is closely related to the insufficiency of kidney water. Therefore, tonifying kidney water nourishes the liver; nourishing the liver replenishes heart blood; and replenishing heart blood naturally subdues excessive heart fire.
This is like a conveyor belt—each link is interconnected and interdependent. If we do not understand the principle of mutual generation, and when treating illness focus only on the immediate symptoms without understanding the root cause, we will never be able to control the disease at its source. We will forever be chasing after the disease, unable to take the initiative.
Therefore, the best treatment for excessive heart fire is not simply clearing heart fire, but rather “clearing the upper and tonifying the lower”—that is, clearing heart fire, tonifying kidney water, and nourishing liver yin. Only in this way can the problem be resolved at its source.
Patient Liu, a 45-year-old woman, had been experiencing restlessness and insomnia for one year. Over the past year, she had sought treatment from various sources; some diagnosed her with excessive heart fire, while others attributed her condition to endocrine imbalance. Most treatment approaches focused on clearing heart fire and nourishing the heart to calm the spirit, but the results were less than satisfactory, and her condition persisted with frequent relapses. Eventually, upon a referral, she came to me for consultation and treatment. The patient presented with a red tongue and a thin coating; her left cun pulse was floating and rapid, while her left chi pulse was fine and soft. She was diagnosed with liver and kidney yin deficiency with deficient fire rising upward. I prescribed a heavy dose of Ligustrum fruit (Nüzhenzi) and Eclipta herb (Hanliancao), combined with herbs to clear heart fire and calm the spirit. After one week of treatment, the patient recovered.
For cases of excessive heart fire caused by the liver’s failure to nourish the heart, it is crucial to nourish the yin of both the heart and liver while clearing heart fire. In addition to decoctions, proprietary Chinese medicines such as Tianwang Buxin Pills can be used; when heart fire is particularly severe, Zhusha Anshen Tablets may be selected.
In daily life, simple health-promoting dietary therapies can also be employed; for example, brewing tea with lotus seed hearts yields excellent results.
Do not underestimate this herb. As stated in *Treatise on Warm Diseases*: “Lotus seed hearts travel from the heart to the kidneys; they can direct heart fire downward to the kidneys, and then circulate upward, enabling kidney fluids to rise and nourish the heart.”
Therefore, in addition to its inherently bitter and cold nature, its ability to clear heart fire also involves drawing kidney fluids upward to alleviate heart fire. Thus, it facilitates communication between the heart and kidneys, clears heart heat, and treats restlessness, thirst, and red, swollen, painful eyes. However, because this herb is bitter and cold in nature, it can easily damage the spleen and stomach and should not be taken for an extended period.
Lotus seed hearts are very bitter, and some people may find them difficult to tolerate. For patients with excessive heart fire, insomnia, and frequent dreaming, another option is to boil lampwick grass in water and drink the decoction. Lampwick grass promotes diuresis and relieves dysuria, clears the heart, and reduces fire. It can be used for edema, difficulty urinating, scanty, painful, or difficult urination, damp-heat jaundice, restlessness and insomnia, nighttime crying in children, sore throat, and mouth and tongue sores. Because it has a mild flavor and is not bitter, it is particularly suitable for children with excessive heart fire who tend to cry and fuss at night.
When Wood fails to generate Fire, it leads to insufficient heart blood and excessive heart fire. In addition to the aforementioned herbal treatments, a dietary remedy involves stewing pork heart with jujube seeds and arborvitae seeds to nourish the heart’s yin. Although this method is simple, it is highly effective.
Ingredients: 20 grams of jujube seeds, 20 grams of arborvitae seeds, 1 pork heart.
Preparation: Wash the pork heart thoroughly. Make a small incision with a knife, insert the jujube seeds and cypress seeds into the heart, tie it tightly with string, place it in a clay pot, add water, and simmer until the pork heart is tender. Season with salt, chicken bouillon, and other seasonings to taste.
Serving Suggestions: Eat the meat and drink the broth 2–3 times per week.
Benefits: Nourishes the heart and calms the mind; moistens the intestines and promotes bowel movements.
This medicinal dish is used to treat palpitations, restlessness, insomnia with frequent dreaming, and memory loss caused by deficiency of heart blood or heart yin. It can also alleviate constipation caused by intestinal dryness.
You might ask: Since this is a medicinal dish designed specifically for the heart—essentially “giving a man a fish”—is there a way to “teach a man to fish”? Of course there is. By addressing the kidneys, liver, and heart simultaneously, the problem can be resolved.
For example, you can regularly brew a tea using goji berries, chrysanthemum flowers, and salvia root. Goji berries tonify the kidneys, chrysanthemum flowers clear and nourish the liver, and salvia root nourishes and invigorates the blood. This combination can resolve the issue of “Wood failing to generate Fire.”
IV. Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Caused by “Fire Failing to Generate Earth”
As discussed earlier, when “Wood fails to generate Fire,” it leads to insufficient heart blood. By the same token, when “Fire fails to generate Earth,” heart fire cannot warm and nourish the stomach earth, resulting in a decline in the stomach’s ability to digest and process food, weakened digestive function, and even symptoms such as vomiting shortly after eating or undigested food passing through the system.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the stomach’s digestive function is summarized as “fermenting and digesting food and drink.” This process requires heat; without heat, fermentation and digestion cannot occur. Since this heat originates from the heart, the situation is analogous to land that remains cold and damp when deprived of sunlight. If the heart lacks sufficient “fire”—resulting in deficient and cold heart qi and a weak heart yang—stomach yang deficiency will arise, leading to a decline in the stomach’s digestive function. This is precisely what is meant by “Fire fails to generate Earth.”
The phrase “fermenting and maturing grains and water” may be difficult to grasp, so let me give an example to clarify.
When I was a child, my family raised pigs, which needed feed every day. So my mother would gather a lot of wild greens to feed them. However, it was impossible to consume all the wild greens in a single day, nor did she have time to gather them daily. What could be done?
My mother bought a large earthenware jar. She placed half of the wild greens inside the jar and cooked the other half. Then, while the cooked greens were still hot, she poured them into the jar, covering the raw greens on top. Within a few days, the raw greens at the bottom would be fully fermented. When feeding the pigs, she would take some of the fermented greens, mix them with rice bran, and add water to make a paste—the pigs would eat it with great relish. If there weren’t that top half of the jar filled with piping-hot cooked greens—just a full jar of raw wild greens—they would rot after a while, and the pigs would get poisoned if they ate them.
In the human body, if there is no heat in the stomach, eating raw or cold foods prevents them from being properly digested. Over time, the food rots and ferments in the stomach, causing bloating, belching, stomach discomfort, and a lack of hunger.
Patient Li, a 42-year-old man, has experienced a loss of appetite for half a year. Over the past six months, he has frequently lacked a sense of hunger and has consistently felt a sense of fullness and distension in his stomach. Medications such as Stomach-Strengthening and Digestion-Promoting Tablets and Baohe Pills provided only slight relief. Western medicine diagnosed him with chronic superficial gastritis; however, after a regular course of treatment, his condition did not improve, so he sought treatment from a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. At the time of consultation, he presented with a sallow complexion and fatigue; his tongue was plump and tender with a white coating. Pulse examination revealed a stagnant,涩, and slow pulse at the right Guan position and a deep, fine pulse at the left Cun position.
Through treatment focused primarily on warming the heart yang, combined with herbs to strengthen the spleen and stimulate appetite, this patient made a swift recovery under my care.
Some may wonder: Why treat deficiency-cold in the stomach (Earth) by addressing the heart—directly tonifying fire—rather than treating the stomach itself?
This embodies the principle that “to treat a disease, one must address its root cause.” To put it simply, it’s the difference between “giving a man a fish” and “teaching a man to fish.” There is a saying in Traditional Chinese Medicine: “In cases of deficiency, tonify the mother organ; in cases of excess, drain the child organ.” In relation to the stomach, the heart is the mother organ, and the stomach is the child organ. When stomach yang is deficient, one must naturally tonify the mother organ—that is, tonify heart fire and warm and nourish heart yang.
If you continue to think this through, you might also ask: Why supplement heart fire rather than liver fire? When heart fire is deficient, the liver—as the mother organ of the heart—should be addressed according to the principle of “when there is deficiency, supplement the mother.” So, does supplementing the liver automatically supplement the heart?
This is precisely how clinical reasoning works. Patients with liver qi stagnation often also suffer from spleen-stomach deficiency and impaired digestive function. Since the liver governs the free flow of qi, when this flow is obstructed, the areas of the body that should be circulating and functioning smoothly become blocked, leading to illness. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, diagnosing an illness involves identifying which of the five zang organs has become dysfunctional, causing an obstruction in the cycle of mutual generation among the five zang organs and thereby leading to the onset of disease. Once the root cause is identified and the patterns of disease onset and progression are understood, everything becomes manageable.
V. Insufficiency of Lung Qi Due to “Earth Failing to Generate Metal”
The spleen is associated with Earth, and the lungs with Metal. The spleen transports the essence and nutrients from food to the lungs, providing them with energy. If the spleen is deficient and cannot supply the lungs with these essential substances, lung function will decline, immunity will weaken, and frequent coughing will result. Many children catch colds and develop coughs at the slightest provocation; despite repeated treatments, they never fully recover. In fact, this reflects a situation where “Earth fails to generate Metal,” resulting in a deficiency of Lung Metal.
A 6-year-old boy had been suffering from recurrent coughing and nasal congestion for three years. His symptoms would flare up immediately upon slight exposure to cold or after eating raw or cold foods, and he would experience shortness of breath and wheezing after physical activity. After repeated courses of antibiotic treatment, his condition fluctuated between improvement and relapse; he generally had a poor appetite and loose stools. His tongue was swollen and large, with tooth marks along the edges. Pulse examination revealed that all six pulses were deficient and fine, with the right cun pulse being deficient, fine, weak, and nearly absent.
Based on the medical history and diagnostic findings, this child suffers from deficiency of Spleen and Lung Qi, as well as deficiency of essence and blood. Treatment should prioritize regulating the Spleen and Lung; once their functions are restored, his resistance will naturally strengthen, and he will no longer suffer from daily colds and coughs.
I had the child take several doses of Chinese herbal medicine, which resolved his cough. I then had him take Beef and Yupingfeng Decoction to strengthen his constitution.
Huangqi (20 g), Baizhu (15 g), and Fangfeng (15 g)—these three herbs are simmered in water for 30 minutes to yield 1,000 ml of decoction. Then, 250 g of diced beef is added and slowly braised over low heat until the beef is tender. After seasoning, the soup should be consumed over three days. Consuming this continuously for a period of time will yield excellent results.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* is a classic text of traditional Chinese medicine. It describes the efficacy of Astragalus as follows: “It treats boils and abscesses; drains pus and relieves pain in chronic, festering sores; cures severe skin diseases such as leprosy; treats the five types of hemorrhoids and fistulas; tonifies deficiency; and cures a hundred childhood ailments.” The phrases “tonifies deficiency” and “cures a hundred childhood ailments” refer to enhancing immunity by tonifying qi—primarily lung qi.
The Astragalus in Beef and Yu Pingfeng Decoction is an excellent qi-tonifying herb that directly nourishes lung qi—this can be likened to “giving a man a fish.” Atractylodes macrocephala strengthens the spleen and enhances its ability to nourish the lungs; in TCM terminology, this is called “nourishing earth to generate metal,” meaning that by strengthening the spleen, one tonifies the lungs—which, in the context of the lungs, is akin to “teaching a man to fish.” The combination of these two herbs addresses both the symptoms and the root cause. However, while they can tonify the spleen and lungs, their nature is mild, and the herbs circulate too slowly within the body. Therefore, they must be supplemented with Fangfeng, which utilizes its dispersing power to fully unleash Astragalus’s tonifying effect—hence the saying that “Astragalus’s tonifying power is enhanced by Fangfeng.” The combination of these three herbs forms a classic formula known as Yupingfeng San. Modern research indicates that this formula has the effect of regulating the body’s immune system and is known as the “gamma globulin” of Chinese patent medicines.
Beef enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians. An ancient saying states, “Beef tonifies qi, with effects similar to Astragalus.” It has the effects of tonifying the middle and benefiting qi, nourishing the spleen and stomach, strengthening tendons and bones, resolving phlegm and subduing wind, and quenching thirst and stopping excessive salivation. It is suitable for those with sinking of central qi, shortness of breath and physical weakness, aching and limp tendons and bones, anemia, chronic illness, and a sallow complexion due to spleen deficiency.
The combination of Yupingfeng Powder and beef is an excellent remedy for strengthening the spleen and stomach, as well as tonifying the lungs and replenishing qi. When seasoned, it has a delicious flavor without any unpleasant aftertaste, making it particularly suitable for children with physical weakness.
The five zang organs mutually nourish one another, forming a virtuous cycle that sustains human health. But does this mean that health is guaranteed simply because they nourish one another? Not necessarily. We can illustrate this by referring back to the earlier analogy of “water nourishing wood.”
If we compare the liver—which is characterized by an excess of fire—to parched farmland, and the reservoir—representing kidney water—to a water source, the parched land can only be revived when water from the reservoir flows into it. By the same token, only when kidney water rises and enters the liver to nourish liver yin can the liver become harmonious and avoid an excess of yang energy.
Does this mean that as long as water is irrigated onto the field and the trees are nourished by it, they will thrive? Not necessarily. If we were to irrigate the tree’s roots with frozen water, not only would the tree fail to thrive, but it might even freeze to death. Why is that? Let’s now look at another story: the story of the tree that froze to death.
