Mr. Wu Zhitian, a native of Guoxian County in Shanxi Province, was appointed as a local magistrate in Shaanxi after achieving the prestigious jinshi (imperial scholar) rank. He later rose to become the administrative supervisor of Yulin. Due to Yulin’s poor soil conditions, he managed his duties remotely from the provincial capital, Xi’an. A habitual heavy drinker, Mr. Wu developed a chronic vomiting-blood condition from alcohol abuse.
At the time, I was awaiting an official post in Xi’an when he summoned me for consultation. Describing his illness, he said: “This blood-vomiting has plagued me for years, worsening under stress. Over a dozen physicians have treated me—some blamed ‘overthinking damaging the spleen,’ others ‘anger harming the liver,’ and some ‘overheated blood.’ Treatments brought temporary relief, but the root cause remained. Please examine me thoroughly.”
Observing his robust physique, healthy complexion, and appetite twice that of an average person, I concluded this was no deficiency syndrome. Upon taking his pulse, I noted: the left pulse was deep and strong (a healthy sign), while the right guan pulse (spleen/stomach area) felt tense and rapid. I explained: “Your condition stems from excess, not weakness. If ‘overthinking harmed the spleen,’ you’d experience palpitations and forgetfulness; ‘blood overheating’ would cause fever and thirst; ‘liver damage’ would manifest as rib-side distension and vomiting. Since none apply, prior diagnoses were incorrect.”
“In my view, damp-heat pathogens are congesting your system. Heat thickens blood, causing dark purple clots in your vomit. Your stomach likely stings sharply, urine appears dark, stools are hard and occasionally bloody.” Astonished, Mr. Wu replied: “Every detail matches! What’s the remedy?”
I prescribed: “First, Gehua Jiexing Decoction (Kudzu Flower Awakening Brew, ge hua jie xing tang) to clear damp-heat from the stomach. Follow with Jishu Weiling Pill (Atractylodes-Poria Dampness Pill, ji shu wei ling wan) to dissolve blood stasis. Combine this with a bland diet, and the condition will resolve within a month.” Mr. Wu adhered strictly to the regimen, recovering fully in 20 days.
Later, he returned to his hometown for mourning (a mandatory leave for parental death in imperial China) and, due to his modest savings from honest governance, became a lecturer at Xihe Academy (xi he shu yuan) in Fen Prefecture. I also returned home for mourning. Though separated by 60 li (≈30 km), we maintained frequent scholarly correspondence.
- Gehua Jiexing Decoction: Traditional formula for alcohol-related damp-heat, containing Pueraria lobata (kudzu flower) and Amomum villosum (cardamom).
- Jishu Weiling Pill: A pill combining Atractylodes macrocephala (white atractylodes) and Poria cocos (hoelen mushroom) to regulate digestion and resolve stasis.
- Guan Pulse: In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the wrist pulse is divided into three regions; the right guan corresponds to spleen/stomach health.
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