The saying “one illness, one medicine” is not wrong in itself, but the key to “the best therapeutic effect” lies not in how good the medicine is, but in whether it is the right treatment for the condition. No single medicine can cure all illnesses; it is only the right one that works best.
The Story of Cutting Glass
The year before last, a patient suggested I place a piece of glass on my examination table so I could jot down quick reminders on small pieces of paper, tuck them under the glass, and keep them in sight—that way, I wouldn’t forget them. It was indeed a great suggestion, so I started thinking about how to get a piece of glass that was the right size.
As luck would have it, a neighbor was moving and had broken their coffee table. However, the glass top was still intact—it would have been a shame to throw it away, and breaking it to sell wouldn’t have brought in more than a few mao, so it just wasn’t worth the trouble. The elderly neighbor asked if I wanted it. When she heard I wanted to put a piece of glass on my clinic desk, she didn’t hesitate for a moment—she immediately had someone deliver it right to my door. When I placed it on the desk, the width was just right, but it was a bit too long. That was easy to fix: I just needed to score a line and cut off the excess.
Since I didn’t have a glass-cutting knife, I found a piece of hacksaw blade, snapped it in half, and used the broken edge to score the glass. The smooth glass was scored with a shallow white line by the hacksaw blade, but breaking it in half like that didn’t seem possible. I tried every tool in my toolbox, but I just couldn’t cut the glass—it looked like I’d need a glass cutter after all!
With no other choice, after work I carried the glass to a specialty shop and asked the craftsman for help. With a single light score from his glass cutter and a gentle snap, the craftsman solved what had seemed like a complicated problem.
The craftsman looked at the score I’d made and said with a smile, “Don’t take on delicate work without the right tools!”
That’s right—without the right tools, you really shouldn’t take on delicate work.
This experience with the glass has made me think often: when faced with the “diamond,” slippery and brittle objects like glass and porcelain become as soft as tofu. In the process of treating human diseases, are there also such “porcelain tasks” and “diamonds”?
I. Angelica Dahurica and Forehead Pain
A male patient had been experiencing recurring pain in his forehead for a year, with symptoms fluctuating in severity. Believing it was caused by a cold, he bought Gan Kang on his own, and the pain subsided after taking the medication. However, over the past month, his condition had worsened, presenting as persistent, dull, and oppressive pain. He sought treatment at a local Grade III Level A hospital, where a cranial CT scan revealed a diagnosis of chronic frontal sinusitis. After a month of continuous antibiotic treatment, his condition improved slightly but was not fully cured, The patient had no choice but to seek Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment while hospitalized.
When I examined him, his tongue was pale with a thin yellow coating; his left cun pulse was deficient, fine, and rapid, while his right cun and guan pulses were floating and rapid. Upon careful inquiry into his medical history, I learned that he had been experiencing a persistent, dull discomfort in his forehead ever since catching a chill there two years ago; headaches and occasional nasal congestion had only begun in the past year. Considering the prolonged duration of his illness—which could not be effectively treated with conventional medications—I deliberated at length before prescribing the following formula: Angelica dahurica, Pueraria root, Ligusticum wallichii, Trichosanthes root, Forsythia, Red vine, Peppermint, and Raw licorice.
After taking one dose, the patient’s pain disappeared, and he immediately checked out of the hospital. Using pure Chinese herbal medicine, his symptoms subsided completely after taking five consecutive doses. Later, I prepared one dose of pills using the above formula to consolidate the therapeutic effect. Six months later, he returned for a follow-up visit with his family and reported that his headaches had completely resolved and had not recurred.
Angelica dahurica (Bai Zhi) is remarkably effective in treating frontal headaches (i.e., Yangming headaches); not only does it relieve pain, but it also dries dampness and expels pus, making it highly effective for chronic frontal sinusitis. However, because it is warm and drying in nature, high doses can easily deplete yin; it must be combined with Trichosanthes root (Tianhuafen) to achieve optimal results.
Angelica dahurica is a rather legendary herb. The ancient formula Duliang Pills consists solely of Angelica dahurica and is capable of treating various wind-induced dizziness, as well as conditions such as heaviness and dizziness in the head and eyes in women before and after childbirth, sudden exposure to wind-pathogens, blood-wind headaches, confusion caused by sudden shifts from cold to warmth, and dizziness and vertigo associated with cold damage. There is another legend about Angelica dahurica that adds even more mystique to it.
In the year 960 AD, Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, established his capital in Bianliang (present-day Kaifeng). It was a time of great peace and prosperity, attracting a wealth of talent. Legend has it that the beloved daughter of a wealthy merchant from the south, then twenty-eight years old, suffered from dysmenorrhea. Every time she menstruated, she experienced excruciating abdominal pain, sometimes fainting and losing consciousness. Although they consulted every renowned local physician, the treatments yielded little effect. The chronic illness persisted, causing her health to decline day by day; she grew gaunt, her complexion withered, and her spirit waned. The wealthy man was so distraught that he lost his appetite and could not sleep at night. Determined to cure his daughter’s ailment, he took her and their servants on a journey to the capital, traveling day and night in search of a renowned physician. Upon arriving in Bianliang, his daughter’s menstrual period began, and she was struck by a severe abdominal pain, wailing in agony. Just then, an old man gathering herbs happened to pass by. After carefully inquiring about her condition, he immediately took a bundle of white angelica from his basket and gave it to them, instructing them to wash it with boiling water, decoct it, and drink the broth. The wealthy man was skeptical, but seeing his daughter in such extreme agony with no other remedy at hand, he had no choice but to prepare the medicine on the spot. After one decoction, her pain eased; after a second, it ceased entirely. After taking several more decoctions, her next menstrual cycle arrived without any complications. Overjoyed, the wealthy man sought out the old herb gatherer and rewarded him generously.
From then on, the herb Angelica dahurica became widely known among the common people. Later, someone began by soaking the Angelica dahurica in boiling water four or five times, drying it, grinding it into a powder, and mixing it with honey to form pills the size of marbles. Since “Fragrant Angelica dahurica” was discovered in the capital, Bianliang, it was named “Duliang,” which added to its aura of mystery.
If we say that treating forehead pain is a delicate task, then Angelica dahurica is the “diamond drill” needed for the job—without this diamond drill, one simply cannot tackle this delicate task!
II. Clematis and Glans Infection
Clinically, aside from Angelica dahurica, there are many other similar “diamond drills.”
Weilingxian is highly effective in treating glans infections. Clinically, we frequently encounter patients with glans infections—some present with erosion, others with ulcers, and still others with redness, swelling, and pain. To treat this, take 50 grams of Weilingxian, decoct it in water, pour the solution into a cup, and immerse the glans in the cup to soak and wash the affected area. Do this for 15 minutes at a time, twice daily. Results are usually seen after two treatments, and the condition is fully resolved within two to three days.
III. Mulberry Leaves and “Rabbit Eye”
Mulberry leaves are remarkably effective in treating subconjunctival hemorrhage.
Subconjunctival hemorrhage occurs when small blood vessels in the conjunctiva rupture, causing blood to accumulate beneath the conjunctiva; in Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is known as “hemorrhage in the white of the eye.” The shape and size of the hemorrhage vary; it often appears in patches or clumps on the sclera, though in some cases it may spread across the entire conjunctiva, forming a large area. Small amounts appear bright red, while larger amounts form raised, purplish areas. They most commonly occur in the palpebral fissure region. Over time, the hemorrhage often tends to migrate toward the limbus; in some cases, it may pool beneath the conjunctiva due to gravity. The hemorrhage initially appears bright red or dark red, later turns pale yellow, and eventually disappears without leaving a trace.
Patients typically experience no noticeable symptoms at onset; the condition is usually detected by others. Often, patients wake up and discover they have “rabbit eyes” when looking in the mirror. If left untreated, the condition tends to worsen and may recur intermittently, sometimes affecting both eyes simultaneously.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) differential diagnosis, most cases involve excessive “fire” pathogens in the Liver and Lung meridians, where heat damages the blood vessels. Mulberry leaves can clear the fire from the Liver and Lung meridians, cool the blood, and stop bleeding, yielding remarkable therapeutic effects. Clinically, I prescribe 30–50 grams of mulberry leaves, which are decocted and given to the patient to drink as tea; the results are very noticeable.
IV. Erchou Powder and Food Stagnation in Children
Erchou Powder is highly effective in treating food stagnation in children. Symptoms of food stagnation in children include frequent fevers in the afternoon or at night, loss of appetite, and constipation. While fever-reducing medications can temporarily control the body temperature, the fever returns once the medication’s effects wear off. The root cause of this problem lies in food stagnation in the gastrointestinal tract. By using Erchou Powder and employing a purgative approach to expel the accumulated food from the body, the child will naturally recover quickly.
I once treated a 5-year-old child who had been experiencing afternoon fever accompanied by abdominal distension for two days. The child’s mother explained that two days earlier, the child had overeaten and suffered from indigestion, leading to afternoon fevers. Drinking five-grain tea had little effect, so they visited a local hospital. Although the specific treatment plan was unclear, the child’s temperature did drop after taking medication, but it spiked again in the middle of the night to 38 degrees Celsius. In a panic, they gave the child fever-reducing medication and rushed to my clinic early the next morning. At the time of the visit, the child’s cheeks were flushed, his abdomen was distended like a drum, he had not had a bowel movement in three days, and his temperature was 38.5 degrees Celsius.
This was a clear case of food stagnation in a child, which could be relieved by purgation. The prescription was simple: 5 grams of Erchou Powder, mixed with a small amount of white sugar and cool boiled water, to be chewed and swallowed.
Three hours after taking the medicine, the child had a bowel movement; the abdominal distension subsided, and the fever went down. Four hours later, the child had a second bowel movement, and the abdominal distension disappeared. That evening, the child ate a bowl of congee and made a full recovery.
Many people worry that Erchou is toxic and that improper use can lead to poisoning. In fact, the toxicity of Erchou lies primarily in its skin; through a special processing method, it naturally becomes non-toxic. So, how is it processed? I describe this process in detail in my book *The Way of Medicine*; the excerpt is reproduced below:
Take 1,000 grams of pharbitis seeds. Roast them over low heat until they turn dark yellow, then grind them into a fine powder, sifting through a fine sieve as you grind. From the 1,000 grams, retain only about 600 grams of the initial powder; discard the remaining 400 grams of coarse residue.
Directions: Mix 3–5 grams of the powder with white sugar (brown sugar is also acceptable), then add a small amount of boiling water and stir until smooth, forming a paste similar to sesame paste with a sweet, fragrant taste. Have the child chew and swallow it.
I have treated no fewer than 100 patients annually with this formula, and over the past few years, I have treated hundreds of patients without a single case of poisoning. When using this formula, adhere to one principle: “Stop as soon as the condition improves.” If the patient experiences diarrhea after taking the medicine, discontinue administration immediately.
V. Fennel and Pelvic Effusion
Fennel is remarkably effective in treating pelvic effusion in women. Clinically, many women experience sudden lower abdominal distension; ultrasound reveals pelvic effusion accompanied by frequent urination, yet routine urinalysis results are normal. In reality, these symptoms stem from cold invading the lower abdomen, where cold pathogens have taken hold. The contracting nature of cold obstructs the flow of fluids in the Triple Energizer. Take 15–20 grams of fennel, decoct it, and drink the entire dose at once. Patients will often experience repeated flatulence, and most are cured after a single dose.
The herbs mentioned earlier—Weilingxian, mulberry leaves, Erchou, and fennel—are like a diamond drill; when used to treat the conditions discussed above, they often produce immediate results and are effortless to apply.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is known for its “specific remedies for specific ailments.” While we’ve only discussed four or five examples so far, there are many more like them. Mastering these specific remedies is like finding a diamond drill for delicate porcelain work—treating diseases becomes effortless and natural.
If we take the time to carefully explore these “diamond drills” within Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbal remedies, we will discover just how miraculous it truly is! Let’s continue to gain insights into Traditional Chinese Medicine through another story: “The Story of Buying a Coal Stove.”
