True Martial Soup is a traditional Chinese herbal formula used to treat spleen and kidney yang deficiency. The name of the formula, True Martial Soup, reflects its ability to dispel cold and dampness, promote urination, and relieve heat and promote urination. Why do traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believe that True Martial Soup is better than Xiao Qinglong Soup for treating spleen and kidney yang deficiency?
[Why is True Martial Soup better than Xiao Qinglong Soup?]
Xiao Qinglong Soup is used to treat external pathogenic cold with unresolved water-dampness, which is a condition characterized by both internal and external coldness and excess. True Martial Soup, on the other hand, is used to treat external pathogenic cold with resolved water-dampness, which is a condition characterized by both internal and external coldness and deficiency. True Martial is the god of water in the northern mythology.
The name of the formula is derived from the concept of suppressing water. In the human body, the spleen controls water, while the kidneys are responsible for water regulation. The kidneys are the gatekeepers of the stomach, and they gather water and follow its nature. However, if the kidneys lack yang energy, even if the spleen functions properly, the gate of the kidneys will remain closed, and water will overflow and flow uncontrollably without restraint. By using the pungent and hot properties of Aconite to tonify the yang of the kidneys, water can be regulated. The bitter and drying properties of White Atractylodes can help regulate water.
Ginger disperses the pungent properties to assist Aconite in tonifying yang and has the intention of dispersing water in the primary water control. Poria with its mild and seeping properties assists White Atractylodes in strengthening the earth, thus regulating water. The most remarkable effect lies in the sour properties of Peony, which is the essence of Zhang Zhongjing's prescription. The human body's yang is rooted in yin, so if yang is tonified with pungent and hot herbs without adding sour herbs, the true yang may escape. The use of Peony is to quickly gather yang energy and return it to its roots in yin.
Based on this reasoning, it can be understood why mistakenly taking Xiao Qinglong Soup can cause sweating and loss of yang, which is why Peony is essential in yang-tonifying herbs. However, reducing diarrhea with Peony is because yang does not disperse externally. Adding dried ginger is because it warms the middle and counteracts coldness. If water and coldness harm the lungs, coughing may occur. Adding Xixin and dried ginger can disperse water and coldness. Adding Wuweizi can consolidate lung qi. If there is frequent urination, Poria is removed because even though it is cold, it cannot stop water. If there is vomiting, Aconite is removed and the amount of dried ginger is doubled because the disease is not in the lower burner, but water stagnates in the stomach. Therefore, it is not necessary to warm the kidneys to promote water flow, but rather to warm the stomach to disperse water. Additionally, the function of dried ginger is to stop vomiting.
[Introduction of True Martial Soup]
Prescription: 9g Poria, 9g Pinellia ternata, 6g White Atractylodes, 6g White Peony, 6g Aconite, 12g Dragon Bone, 12g Oyster Shell, 4.5g Ginger.
Function and Indications: Warming yang and promoting urination, invigorating the spleen and transforming phlegm. Used for spleen and kidney yang deficiency, excessive phlegm and water retention, and upward rebellious water-dampness.
Method of Administration: Decoction, take 1 dose daily, 2 times a day.
Excerpt: Pu Fu Zhou Fang
