Written By Jun Heo(許浚, 1539~1615), Translated by Namil Kim, Wung Seok Cha et al., Published by Ministry of Health & Welfare (Korea)
10 Time and Day When Kidney Disease Is Cured or Aggravated 腎病間甚 신병이 낫거나 심해지는 때
① When disease is in the kidneys, it is cured in spring. If it is not cured in spring, it gets worse during the long summer. When the person does not die in the long summer, the disease stays the same in fall and gets better in winter.
② kidney disease gets better on the days of Gab and Eul (甲乙日). If it does not get better on the days of Gab and Eul (甲乙日), it gets worse on the days of Mu and Gi (戊己日). If the person does not die on the days of Mu and Gi (戊己日), it remains on the days of Gyeong and Sin (庚辛日) and gets better on the days of Yim and Gye (壬癸日).
③ kidney disease gets better during the night. It gets worse from 01:00 am to 03:00 am, from 07:00 am to 09:00 am, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, and from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. It becomes stable at dusk.
11 Treatment Methods of Kidney Disease 腎病治法 신병 치료법
① The kidneys dislike dryness, so moisten them with hot taste to open the interstices and bring fluid and humor to circulate qi. The kidneys tend to become firm so make them by bitter taste. Tonify with a bitter taste and purge with a salty taste.
② When the kidneys suffer from dryness, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (知母) and Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) should be used. When the kidneys try to become firm Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (知母) should be used. Tonify them with Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) and purge them with Alismatis Rhizoma (澤瀉). Use Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (熟地黃) for a kidney deficiency.
③ Take a hot taste for kidney disease to moisten them. Yellow millet, chicken, peach and green springs all have a hot taste.
④ Eat bean, pork, chestnuts, and bean leaves for kidney disease. This is taking the original taste.
⑤ Do not steam, put moxibustion, eat hot food, or wear clothes that were dried over a fire when the kidneys are diseased.
⑥ The kidneys originally cannot be excessive so they should not be purged. Therefore, Qian Yi (錢乙) did not mention any kidney-purging prescription except Tonify Kidneys Rehmannia Formula.
⑦ The left kidney belongs to Water. When the Water is deficient, the person suffers from a yin deficiency. Use a Tonify Kidneys Pill, Six Ingredients Rehmannia Pill (六味地黃丸), or Decoction to Tonify Yin and Direct Fire Downward (滋陰降火湯).
The right kidney belongs to Fire. When the Fire is deficient, the person suffers from a yang deficiency. Use an Ingredientss Pill, Modified Eight Ingredient Pill or Warm Kidneys Powder.
- Tonify Kidneys Pill 補腎丸 보신환: It treats a yin deficiency due to deficient kidney Water. 4 nyang of Testudinis Carapax (龜板) (soaked in alcohol and roasted), 3 nyang of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (知母) and Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) (soaked together in alcohol and stir-fried), 1 nyang of Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (乾薑). Grind these herbs and mix into soup. Make pills to a size of a seed of the royal foxglove tree. Take 50~70 pills with salty water on an empty stomach.
- Six Ingredients Rehmannia Pill 六味地黃丸 육미지황환: ① It treats the same condition as in the previous prescription. 8 nyang of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (熟地黃), 4 nyang of Dioscoreae Rhizoma (山藥) and Corni Fructus山(茱萸), 3 nyang of Alismatis Rhizoma (澤瀉), Moutan Cortex (牧丹皮) and Poria Sclerotium (白茯苓). Grind these herbs and mix with honey. Make pills to the size of a seed of a foxglove tree. Take 50~70 pills with warm alcohol or salt water on an empty stomach. ② When a yin deficiency results from a blood deficiency, use Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (熟地黃) as the sovereign herb. In the case of spermatorrhea, use Corni Fructus (茱萸) as the sovereign herb. For problems in urination, use Poria Sclerotium (茯苓) as the sovereign herb. When there is stranguria, use Alismatis Rhizoma (澤瀉) as the sovereign herb. When heart qi is deficient, use Moutan Cortex (牧丹皮) as the sovereign herb. When the skin is dry and rough, use Dioscoreae Rhizoma (山藥) as the sovereign herb.
- Nourish Yin and Direct Fire Downward Decoction 滋陰降火湯 자음강화탕: It treats the rise of Fire from a yin deficiency caused by the lack of kidney Water. 1.3 don of Paeoniae Radix (白芍藥), 1.2 don of Angelica Gigantis Radix (當歸), 1 don of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (熟地黃), Asparagi Tuber (天門冬), Liriopis Tuber (麥門冬) and Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba (白朮), 8 pun of Rehmanniae Radix Crudus (生地黃), 7 pun of Citrus Unshius Pericarpium (陳皮), Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (知母) and Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) (stir-fried in honey water) and 5 pun of Glycyrrhizae Radix (甘草) (roasted). Cut these herbs to make 1 package. Boil in water with three pieces of ginger and two dates.
- Eight Ingredients Pill 八味丸 팔미환: ① It treats a yang deficiency due to deficiency in the life gate Fire. 8 nyang of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (熟地黃), 4 nyang of Dioscoreae Rhizoma (山藥) and Corni Fructus (山茱萸), 3 nyang of Moutan Cortex (牧丹皮), Poria Sclerotium (白茯苓) and Alismatis Rhizoma (澤瀉), 1 nyang of Cinnamomi Cortex (肉桂) and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (附子) (covered with damp paper and roasted). Grind these herbs and mix with honey. Make pills to the size of a seed of a foxglove tree. Take 50~70 pills with warm alcohol or salt water on an empty stomach. The addition of Schisandrae Fructus (五味子) to this prescription is called a Kidney Qi Pill (腎氣丸). ② In old age, Water and Fire all diminish, and kidney qi becomes deficient and the lower origin becomes cold and deficient. Therefore, it treats lower back pain, flacidity of the legs, frequent urination at night, black facial complexion, and a dry mouth and dry ears.
- Modified Eight Ingredient Pill 加减八味丸 가감팔미환: ① It tonifies kidney Water, and at the same time tonifies the life gate Fire. 2 nyang of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (熟地黃), 1 nyang of Dioscoreae Rhizoma (山藥) (slightly stir-fried) and Corni Fructus (山茱萸), 8 don of Alismatis Rhizoma (澤瀉) (steamed with alcohol), Moutan Cortex (牧丹皮) and Poria Sclerotium (白茯苓), 1.5 nyang of Schisandrae Fructus (五味子) (slightly stir-fried) and 5 don of Cinnamomi Cortex (肉桂). Grind these herbs and mix with honey. Make pills to the size of a seed of a foxglove tree. Take 50~70 pills with warm alcohol or salt water in dawn, before starting talking. Take again at night. ② Slice the herbs and decoct. This is called a Modified Eight Ingredient Decoction.
- Warm Kidneys Powder 溫腎散 온신산: It treats heaviness and pain in the lumbar spine due to deficiencies in the
kidneys and life gate. 1.5 don of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (熟地黃), 8 pun of Achyranthis Radix (牛膝), Cistanchis Herba (肉蓰蓉), Schisandrae Fructus (五味子), Morindae Radix (巴戟), Liriopis Tuber (麥門冬) and Glycyrrhizae Radix (甘草) (roasted), 5 pun of Poria Sclerotium (茯神), Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (乾薑) and Eucommiae Cortex (杜冲) (stir-fried). Cut these herbs to make 1 package. Boil with water. Or grind and mix 2 don of this with alcohol.
12 The Bowel of the Kidneys and Life Gate Is the Bladder 兩臟同一腑 신과 명문의 부는 모두 방광이다
Clear and easy urine with a slow and sunken pulse means that cool qi entered the kidneys. On the other hand, red and uneasy urine with a sunken and rapid pulse means that heat qi entered the life gate. Since the kidneys and life gate share the same meridian, when a disease invades, it goes into the bladder.
13 Signs of Exhaustion of Kidney Qi 腎絶候 신기가 끊어지려는 징후
① When lesser yin qi is exhausted, the following symptoms are observed: the face becomes black, the teeth become exposed and dirty, and the abdomen distends and becomes blocked, causing the blockages of the upper and lower half of the body, which eventually causes death.
② When foot lesser yin qi is exhausted, the bones becomes dry. Foot lesser yin meridian is the winter meridian. It hides in deep places and circulates to moisten marrow. Therefore, when it does not moisten marrow, flesh cannot be attached to bones. When bones and flesh do not attach to each other, the flesh becomes weak and withers. When flesh becomes weak and withers, the teeth become exposed and dirty, and hair loses moisture. Hair losing moisture is an indication that the
bones died first. The person falls into a critical condition on the day of Mu and dies on the day of Gi.
③ When kidney qi is exhausted, the following symptoms are observed: feces and urine spontaneously come out, speaking
crazily, and the eyes turn upside down and eyes open fiercely. When qi of the life gate is exhausted, the following symptoms are observed: floating and surging pulse, perspiration of oil-like sweat, continuous dyspnea, difficulty in swallowing water, loss of senses over the body, and intermittent dizziness.
④ When kidney qi is exhausted, the person dies in four days. How do we know? We know this by the teeth drying suddenly, face becoming black, eyes becoming yellow, the lower back suffering severe pain, and spontaneous sweat coming out like flowing water. Someone said “When the philtrum becomes flat, the person will die in ten days.”
14 Cultivation and Nurturing of the Kidneys 腎臟修養法 신장의 수양법
Sit comfortably facing north at dawn on every first and fifteenth day of October, November, and December. Click the upper and lower teeth against each other 7 times and swallow saliva 3 times. Inhale black qi of the north 5 times, and hold one’s breathe for the length of 60 breathing times.
15 Guiding-pulling Exercises for the Kidney 腎臟導引法 신장의 도인법
① Sit straight and raise both hands above the ears and pull the rib-side to left and right 3~5 times. Also, put both hands on the chest and stretch to left and right, and relax the body 3~5 times. Also, jump about ten times with the feet in every direction. This will remove a wind pathogen and stagnation in the kidneys and bladder.
② The method of massaging BL 23 is as follows. Lie down on a bed and relax the legs. Loosen clothing and hold one’s breath and put the tongue on the maxilla. Watch the top of the head with the eyes and contract the anus. Massage both sides of BL23 120 times with the hands. The more times massaged the better the effect. After this, click the upper and lower teeth against each other and lie down. This treats frequent urination due to deficiency and coldness of the kidneys.
16 Simple Prescriptions 單方 단방
There are 23 kinds in total.
- Magnetitum 磁石: ① It tonifies kidney qi. It is used for deafness and weakened eyesight due to a kidney deficiency. ② It emulates water, so its color is black and enters the kidneys. Grind and levigate to add in prescriptions.
- Actionlitum 陽起石: It tonifies kidney qi. It treats kidney qi deficiency and cold in the kidneys. Grind and levigate to add in prescriptions.
- Sal 鹽: It leads other herbs into the kidneys. All procedures involving salt (either stir-frying with salt or putting salt into prescriptions) are to achieve this purpose.
- Cuscutae Semen 兎絲子: It tonifies yang qi of the kidneys and treats cold in the kidneys. Soak in alcohol and grind. Mix with alcohol and eat, or put this in prescriptions.
- Cistanchis Herba 肉蓯蓉: When the ministerial Fire in the life gate is not sufficient, use this to tonify it. Soak in alcohol and steam to put in prescriptions.
- Schisandrae Fructus 五味子: It warms and tonifies the kidneys. This is because the shape emulates the kidneys and belongs to the same kind. Take in pill or decocted form.
- Rehmanniae Radix Crudus 熟地黃: Because it is steamed nine times under fire, it tonifies kidney essence. An Eight Ingredients Pill uses this as the sovereign herb because it is the origin of the heavenly one.
- Anemarrhenae Rhizoma 知母: It tonifies insufficient kidney yin and treats kidney heat. Stir-fry this with salt water and make pills or decoct.
- Thujae Semen 柏子仁: It moistens the kidneys. It treats cold in the kidneys. Make into pills or add into prescriptions.
- Eucommiae Cortex 杜冲: It treats cool kidneys. It treats cold and pain in the lower back and legs due to a kidney exhaustion syndrome. Stir-fry before boiling for making into pills.
- Aquillariae Lignum 沈香: It tonifies insufficient Fire in the life gate. Grind to put in prescriptions, or grind in water to make juice.
- Corni Fructus 山茱萸: It tonifies the kidneys and adds essence. It warms the kidneys and stops essence qi from leakage. Take in pill or decocted form.
- Ostreae Testa 牡礪: It tonifies the kidneys. Heat this with fire and grind to put in pills. The flesh can be steamed to take.
- Mantidis Oőtheca 桑螵蛸: Mostly used for debilitation of the kidneys or seminal emission. Wash with alcohol and steam slightly to put in pills.
- Rubi Fructus 覆盆子: It tonifies the kidneys and warms them. Soak this in alcohol and dry over a fire. Put this in pills or grind.
- Psoraleae Semen 破故紙: It tonifies the kidneys by warming them. It brings qi into the kidneys. Stir-fry to grind or just grind before taking.
- Cervi Parvum Cornu 鹿茸: It tonifies a kidney deficiency. It treats deficiencies and cold of the lower back and the kidneys. Roast with condensed milk and grind this and then put in pills, or grind before taking.
- Cervi Cornus Colla 鹿角膠: It is mostly used for consumption of kidney qi. Stir-fry this until it becomes like beads and grind before taking.
- Otariae Testis et Penis 膃肭臍: It tonifies the kidneys. It is mostly used for fatigue due to excessive sexual indulgence or kidney essence consumption. It warms the kidneys. Soak in alcohol and roast to make it flavorous, then grind or make into pills before taking.
- Canitis Penis et Testis 狗陰莖: It tonifies the kidneys. For impotence, it will make the genitals become stronger, warmer, and bigger. Roast and grind this and take or put in pills to take.
- Bovis Calculus 牛腎: It tonifies the kidneys. It is fine to take this all the time.
- Castaneae Semen 栗: It tonifies the kidneys. It must be taken for a kidney disease. Roast on a fire and eat. It is good to take this all the time.
- Glycine Semen Nigra 黑豆: Boiling in salt water can tonify the kidneys. It is good to take this all the time.
