桂苓五味甘草湯
Guì Líng Wǔ Wèi Gān Cǎo Tāng
Cinnamon Bark, Poria, Schisandra, and Licorice Decoction
治青龍湯下已, 多唾口燥, 寸脈沉, 尺脈微, 手足厥逆, 氣從少腹上衝胸咽, 手足痹, 其面翕熱如醉狀, 因復下流陰股, 小便難, 時復冒者, 與此湯, 治其氣衝。
A treatment for when after taking xiǎo qīng long tāng there is copious spittle, a dry mouth, a deep pulse at the inch opening and a faint pulse at the cubit position. [In addition] there is reverse counterflow in the hands and feet, qi surging up from the lower abdomen to the chest and throat, impediment in the extremities, a red flushed face as if drunk, and because of repeated downpour into the groin, there is difficult urination, and periodically recurring muddledness. Give this decoction to treat the surging qi.
按: 脈沉微, 支厥痹, 面如醉, 氣衝時復冒, 似少陰陰陽不交之症, 學者可於臨症時參辨之則可。
Commentary: [When there is] a deep and faint pulse, propping [rheum] with reversal impediment,
a face as if drunk, and qi surging with periodic muddledness, this resembles a pattern of
non-interaction between the yīn and yang of shaoyīn. When arriving at these patterns, students can
compare and differentiate these principles.
Guì Zhī 4 liǎng 桂枝
Fú Líng 4 liǎng 茯苓（各四兩）
Wǔ Wèi [Zǐ] 五味[子] 1/2 shēng（半升）
Zhì Gān Cǎo 3 liǎng 甘草（三兩, 炙）
上四味, 以水八升, 煮取三升, 去滓, 分溫三服。
Simmer the four ingredients above in 1,600ml of water, until reduced to 600ml. Remove the dregs, divide, and take warm in three doses.
Song歌曰:
青龍卻礙腎元虧,
腎元虧而誤服之,
則動衝任之火,
致變為已下諸証。
上逆下流又冒時;
氣從少腹上衝胸咽,
或面熱如醉,
或熱氣流於兩股,
或小便難而昏冒,
忽上忽下,
在陽無主,
如電光之閃爍無定,
味用半升苓桂四,
甘三扶土鎮衝宜。
Xiǎo Qīng Lóng Tāng may cause (further) depletion to the original (qì) of the kidney.
(Original kidney qi was debilitated, and (Xiǎo Qīng Lóng Tāng) was erroneously administered.
This led to the stirring and surging of conception vessel fire,
which changed into one of the various patterns (which follow) administration].
Ascending counterflow with downpour, in addition to periodic muddledness,
[qi surging upward from the lower abdomen into the chest,
or a red flushed face as if drunk,
or warm qi flowing into the groin,
or difficult urination, and clouded veiling,
which fluctuate sharply, are (the result) of yáng not ruling,
and is unpredictable like the flickering of lightening].
100ml of wǔ wèi zǐ, twelve grams of fú líng and guì zhī,
and nine grams of gān cǎo, are suitable to support earth and settle the surging.
Commentary by (Chén) Yuánxī 男元犀按:
仲師五味子必與乾薑同用, 獨此方不用者, 以誤服青龍之後衝氣大動, 取其靜以制動, 故暫停不用也。 尤雲: 苓、 桂能抑衝氣使之下行, 然逆氣非斂不降, 故以五味之酸斂其氣, 土厚則陰火自伏, 故以甘草之甘補其中也。
Master (Zhàng) Zhōng Jǐng’s wǔ weì zǐ is always combined with gān jiāng (however) in this formula (gān jiāng) is not used. Following the erroneous administration of Xiǎo Qīng Lóng Tāng, there is major stirring of surging qì. Take this (formula) to tranquilize in order to control the stirring, and once it stops, there is no need to (continue) taking it. Yóu Zàijīng says: fú líng, and guì zhī are able to control surging qì allowing it to move downwards, and (if) counterflow qì fails to go down due to a lack of restraint, sour wǔ wèi zǐ is used to restrain it. (Once) earth is thickened, yīn fire will conceal on its own, and for this reason sweet gān cǎo is used to supplement earth.
Eran Even, Ph.D., Dr. TCM. 