Written By Jun Heo(許浚, 1539~1615), Translated by Namil Kim, Wung Seok Cha et al., Published by Ministry of Health & Welfare (Korea)
07 Methods for Training Essence 煉精有訣 정을 단련하는 비결
① Anyone with disease in the kidneys must follow this method. The hole in the inner kidneys are called Hyungwan (玄關, meaning the dark gate) and the hole in the external kidneys are called Binho (牝戶, external vagina). When the body of a male is not harmed from emitting genuine essence, yang qi of the external kidneys rises at the time of Ja (11:00 pm ~ 1:00 am) and corresponds to the qi of universe. When the body is harmed from emitting semen, yang starts to rise more slowly; it sometimes rises at the time of Chuk (1:00 am ~ 3:00 am), In (3:00 am ~ 5:00 am), or Myo (5:00am ~ 7:00 am). Sometimes even worse, it does not rise at all and does not correspond to the qi of universe. The method of cultivating essence is as follows: at night the time of Ja (11:00 pm ~ 1:00 am) wear clothes and sit, and rub both hands and make them very hot. With one hand cover the genitals, and with the other hand cover the umbilicus; gather the mind to the internal kidneys. When this is trained for a long time, the essence will become strong and abundant.
② There are many people in the West (what is now middle Asia) who live long. They cover their external genital organs with their hands to warm every night, which is Another method for training essence.
08 Tonifying Essence with Tastes 補精以味 오곡으로 정을 보한다
It is said in the Inner Classic (內經): “Essence comes from grains.” Also it is said, “Tonify with food if essence lacks.” Anything fermented and that has a strong smell cannot make essence; only the food with a mild taste can tonify the essence. Great Plan (洪範) talks about tastes and said: “Sweetness comes from grains.” Only the five grains among all foods have true tastes, which is why eating grains of mild taste is the best way to tonify essence. Thick juice flows to the center after boiling porridge or rice; it is the essence of rice. This juice grows essence the best, and its effects can be proved.”
09 Nocturnal Emission Pertains to the Heart 遺泄精屬心 유정은 심에 속한다
① Danxi said, “Storing and protecting is controlled by the kidneys and opening and flowing is controlled by the liver. The two viscera both have ministerial Fire, and the liver system and kidney system are both connected upwards to the heart. The heart is the sovereign Fire, and it reacts easily when it is stimulated. The ministerial Fire reacts when the heart reacts; essence moves when the ministerial Fire moves. Essence leaks even without intercourse when the ministerial Fire moves. This is why the wise taught to collects one’s mind and train oneself; the meaning of the teaching is mysterious.”
② The heart governs essence, and the kidneys store and control essence. Essence leaks during urination when the qi of the heart and kidneys are weak that they cannot control the essence very well. This is what is called urine with semen. Leakage after seeing or hearing something is called leaking semen.
③ The foremost reason is the uncomfortable state of the sovereign Fire. The ministerial Fire moves on its own if this lasts, and the essence shakes that it cannot keep its place safely. When it gets worse, it leaks continuously at night and day. A Water and Fire Pill or Coptis Clear Heart Drink should be prescribed.
Water and Fire Pill 坎离丸 감리환
Prepare the same amounts of Coptidis Rhizoma (黃柏) and Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (知母). Steam these nine times with excretion of a young child, dry under the sun nine times, and put outside for nine nights. Grind them into powder, mix with ointment of boiled down Rehmanniae Radix Crudus (生地黃) and make into pills to a size of the seed of the royal foxglove tree. Take 30~50 pills on an empty stomach.[B146]
Coptis Clear Heart Drink 黃連淸心飮 황련청심음
It treats the pathological movement of sovereign Fire and accompanying ministerial Fire leading to the leakage of essence. Prepare the same amounts of Coptidis Rhizoma (黃柏), Rehmanniae Radix Crudus (生地黃), Angelica Gigantis Radix (當歸), Glycyrrhizae Radix (甘草), Hoelen cum Radix (茯神), Zizyphi Semen (酸棗仁), Polygalae Radix (遠志), Ginseng Radix (人蔘), and Nelumbinis Semen (蓮肉). Cut these, decoct and take 5 don at a time.[B146]
10 Dream Emission Pertains to the Heart 夢泄屬心 몽설은 심에 속한다
① It is said in the Renzhai’s Straight-forward Directions on Formulas (直指), “When pathogenic qi enters yin, the spirit does not remain its place. Therefore, when the heart is stimulated, one will emit semen while dreaming. There are three cases to this occasion: in a case of a young person with strong qi, a widower controlling his desire with all his will, or when one controls desires against one’s will, the essence leaks without one’s notice. This is the same as the overflowing of water in a bottle. Such a case happens at times, and there is no need for medication. When a person with weak heart qi is not able to control his essence, or when yang qi is not collected due to heat pathogen in the heart, the essence leaks. This is the same as the flowing water from a tilted bottle. It happens to many men, and the symptoms are mild, so harmonizing and placid medicines should be used. When the viscera and bowels gradually get weak and the genuine foundation is harmed for a long time, the heart is not able to think well and the kidneys are not able to store essence so the essence leaks. This is the same as water leaking from a broken bottle through a crack. Such a case does not happen often, but it is very severe. Medicines that tonify greatly must be used for the cure.”
② Dream emissions happen not only to the weak and cold, but also to those with heat in the meridians. I once treated a patient with dream emission who felt heat in the middle of the spine. I prescribed a Pearl Powder Pill and Polyporus Pill, and his dream emissions stopped; after taking Purple Snow (紫雪), heat in the middle of the spine vanished. A Clear Heart Pill is also good in this case.
③ Dream emissions are solely related to the heart. The semen from intercourse is always stored in the kidneys under a small white membrane, but the genuine essence which is the origin of the semen is in the heart. A person dreams at night what he is longing for during the day and loses essence. A Coptis Clear Heart Drink must be prescribed.
④ Dream emission is the leakage of semen from interacting with a ghost in the dream. This happens solely from the heat, so Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏),Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (知母), Ostreae Testa (牡蠣), and Anodontae Caro Pulvis (蛤粉) should be used. When the dream emission results from damaged qi and blood not protecting the essence well modified, an Eight Substances Decoction should be prescribed with a Euonymi Cortex Pill. [The Eight Substances Decoction is found in the chapter Deficiency Vexation].
⑤ It is said in the Formulas for Universal Relief (本事), “If a young healthy person’s semen leaks due to controlling desires, a Clear Heart Pill and Pearl Powder Pill should be prescribed.”
⑥ Mr. Dae said, “Dream emissions and spermatorrhea are all symptoms of the pathological movement of the ministerial Fire. When prolonged, they turn to deficiencies but no cold symptoms appear.”
⑦ It is said in the Orthodox Transmission of Medicine (正傳), “When a Pearl Powder Pill To Settle the Will is prescribed to a skinny person who has dream emissions, it is effective.”
⑧ A Stabilize the True Elixir, Cervi Cornu Powder, Preserve Essence Decoction, and Angelica Powder Powder all treat dream emissions.
Stabilize the True Elixir 固眞丹 고진단
Treats seminal emissions and dream emissions. Prepare 2 nyang of Bombycis Ovi Periostracum, 1 nyang of Cistanchis Herba (肉蓯蓉), Poria Sclerotium (白茯苓), and Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus (益智仁), and 5 don of Fossilia Ossis Mastodi (龍骨). Grind these into powder, knead with Cervi Cornus Colla (鹿角膠) soaked in wine and melted, and make into pills to a size of the seed of the foxglove tree. Take 30 pills at a time, on an empty stomach. Take dry food after taking the medicine for digestion of the medicine.[P11]
Cervi Cornu Powder 鹿角散 녹각산
It treats dream emissions due to a long-lasting deficiency. Prepare 1 nyang of Cervi Cornu (cut and grinded), Cervi Parvum Cornu (coated with condensed milk and roasted), 7.5 don of Poria Sclerotium (白茯苓), 5 don of Ginseng Radix (人蔘), Hoelen cum Radix (白茯神), Mantidis Oőtheca (桑螵蛸), Cnidii Rhizoma (川芎), Angelica Gigantis Radix (當歸), Psoraleae Semen (破古紙), Fossilia Ossis Mastodii (龍骨), Allii Tuberosi Semen (韭子) (soaked in alcohol for one night and dried), and 2.5 don of Thujae Semen (柏子仁) and Glycyrrhizae Radix (甘草). Grind these into powder and decoct with 5 pieces of ginger, 2 jujubes, and 100 grains of nonglutinous rice. Take on an empty stomach 5 don at a time.
Preserve Essence Decoction 保精湯 보정탕
It treats dream emissions due to yin deficiency and frenetic stirring of the Fire. Prepare 5 pun each of Angelica Gigantis Radix (當歸), Cnidii Rhizoma (川芎), Paeoniae Radix Alba (白芍藥), Rehmanniae Radix Crudus (生地黃) (soaked in ginger juice and stir-fried), Liriopis Tuber (麥門冬), Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) (soaked in alcohol and stir-fried), Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (知母) (soaked in honey and stir-fried), Coptidis Rhizoma (黃柏) (soaked in ginger juice and stir-fried), Gardeniae Fructus (soaked in excretion of a young child and stir-fried), Zingiberis Rhizoma (stir-fried to black color), Ostreae Testa (牡蠣) (heated), and Corni Fructus (山茱萸). Cut these in pieces and decoct in water. Take the decoction on an empty stomach.
Angelica Powder Powder 歸元散 귀원산
To treat qi falling due to long-lasting dream emissions, kidney qi must be brought up back to the genuine foundation. Prepare 5 pun of Ginseng Radix (人蔘), Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba (白朮), Poria Sclerotium (白茯苓), Polygalae Radix (遠志), Zizyphi Semen (酸棗仁) (stir-fried), Liriopis Tuber (麥門冬), Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏), and Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (知母) (stir-fried together in the excretion of a young child), Euryales Semen (芡實), Nelumbinis Stamen (蓮花蘂), Lycii Fructus (枸杞子), Citrus Unshius Pericarpium and Cnidii Rhizoma (川芎), and 2.5 pun of Cimicifugae Rhizoma (升麻) and Glycyrrhizae Radix (甘草). Cut these in pieces, and with three Nelumbinis Semen (蓮肉) and one jujube decoct in water and drink on an empty stomach.[B182]
Pearl Powder Pill 珍珠粉丸 진주분환
It treats dream emissions, seminal emissions, and spermatorrhea. Prepare 1 geun of Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) (stir-fried on a new roof tile to red) and Anodontae Caro Pulvis (蛤粉) of good quality, and 3 nyang of Margaritum. Grind these into powder and knead into pills with water dripping to a size of the seed of the foxglove tree. Take 100 pills at a time with warm wine on an empty stomach. It is said in Methods (法), “Semen leaks when yang is too strong and presses yin.” Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) brings down the heart Fire, and the salty taste of Anodontae Caro Pulvis (蛤粉) tonifies kidney yin.Margaritum is not mentioned in the Zhang Yilao’s (易老) fomulas.
Polyporus Pill 猪苓丸 저령환
① It treats dream emissions of men in the prime of life with strong qi who have great desires but do not fulfill these desires and have too many obscene thoughts. Prepare 1 nyang of Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) (broken to a size of a bean) and 2 nyang of Polyporus (猪苓) powder. First stir-fry half of Polyporus (猪苓) powder with Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) to remove the Fire poison. Take the stir-fried Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) and grind and knead with paste and make pills to a size of the seed of the foxglove tree. Dry thoroughly and stir-fry with the remaining half of Polyporus (猪苓) powder until there are slight cracks. Put in a pottery bottle to ripen. Take 30~50 pills at a time with warm alcohol or salty water on an empty stomach. Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) has a property of smoothing flow and Polyporus (猪苓) controls water qi; therefore, this medicine leads qi to flow throughout the body when kidney qi is blocked.
② It is also known as a Pinellia and Polyporus Pill.
Clear Heart Pill 淸心丸 청심환
It treats dream emissions due to heat in the meridians, and dizziness due to heat in the heart. Prepare 1 nyang of thick Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) (made into powder), and 1 don of Borneolum. Mix these with honey and make pills to a size of the seed of the foxglove tree. Take 15 pills at a time with Liriopis Tuber (麥門冬) decoction on an empty stomach.
Euonymi Cortex Pill 樗根皮丸 저근피환
It treats spermatorrhea and dream emissions due to excessive intercourse. Stir-fry and grind Ailanthi Radicis Cortex. Knead with paste made from alcohol and make into pills to a size of the seed of the foxglove tree. It is better to take with an Eight Substances Decoction since the herb has cold and dry properties.
Pearl Powder Stabilize Will Pill 定志珍珠粉丸 정지진주분환
It treats dream emissions due to a heart deficiency. Prepare 3 nyang of Anodontae Caro Pulvis (蛤粉), Phellodendri Cortex (黃柏) (stir-fried), Ginseng Radix (人蔘), and Poria Sclerotium (白茯苓), 2 nyang of Polygalae Radix (遠志), Acori Gramineri Rhizoma (石菖蒲), and Indigo Pulverata Levis, and 1 nyang of Ailanthi Radicis Cortex. Grind these herbs into powder. Knead with starch and make pills to a size of the seed of the foxglove tree. Coat the pills with Indigo Pulverata Levis. Take 50 pills at a time with Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus and a salt decoction on an empty stomach.
