🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Longevity Dioscorea Wine
[Drug Composition] Dioscorea, White Atractylodes, Schisandra (crushed), Salvia, each eight *liang*, Wind-Preventing Herb ten *liang*, Cornus (crushed) two *sheng*, Ginseng two *liang*, Fresh Ginger (powdered) six *liang*
[Function and Indications] Dizziness with inability to eat; tonify qi and strength.
[Usage and Dosage] Warmly take seven *he* each time, twice daily, gradually increasing dosage.
[Preparation Method] Cut the eight herbs finely, place in a silk bag. Soak in two and a half *dou* of wine for five days.
[Precautions] Avoid peach, plum, and bird meat.
[Source] Tang Dynasty, "Secret Essentials from the Outer Platform", Ming Dynasty, "General Medical Formulas"
Comment: This formula applies to digestive disorders caused by spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, impaired transformation and transportation, leading to poor appetite and vertigo. Since Ginseng, Dioscorea, and White Atractylodes all have tonifying effects, the formula is named Longevity Dioscorea Wine.
Yellow Ox Brain Wine
[Drug Composition] Yellow ox brain (sliced) one piece, White芷, Chuanxiong (powder) each three *qian*
[Function and Indications] Treat long-standing or recent headaches, both sides.
[Usage and Dosage] Eat while hot, drink until intoxicated, lie down after intoxication; upon waking, illness disappears.
[Preparation Method] Place all ingredients in a porcelain vessel, boil with wine.
[Source] Qing Dynasty, "Longevity and Health Compilation"
Comment: Originally recorded in "Longevity and Health Compilation" under "Post-Illness Dietary Therapy," using ox brain for head diseases represents organ therapy in traditional Chinese medicine. Combined with White芷 and Chuanxiong to expel wind, activate blood, and relieve headache, and since wine elevates yang energy, this is a formula balancing pathogen elimination and vital energy reinforcement.
Decoction of Angelica for Wind Vertigo
[Drug Composition] Angelica six *zhi*, Citrus Aurantium three *liang*, one version uses pine seeds, gypsum, and Equisetum each four *liang*
[Function and Indications] Treat wind vertigo with instability.
[Usage and Dosage] Take entire dose; use residue to warm and cover head, sleep to induce sweat. If feeling cold, reheat in a pan and apply again.
[Preparation Method] Cut the four herbs finely, use eight *sheng* of clear wine, boil down to four *sheng*.
[Source] Tang Dynasty, "Thousand Gold Prescriptions"
Ginseng Wine
[Drug Composition] Large Ginseng two to three *liang*
[Function and Indications] Harmonize blood, strengthen tendons and bones, relieve various pains, regulate menstruation. Treat blood deficiency headache as if splitting, menstrual irregularity, etc.
[Usage and Dosage] One dose daily, divided into three to five servings.
[Preparation Method] Boil ginseng with good wine; slice ginseng thinly, soak in wine for three days, or boil directly with good wine.
[Source] Ming Dynasty, "General Medical Formulas"
[Appendix] "Annotations of Famous Physicians' Excellent Prescriptions Throughout History": Ginseng has pharmacological effects of activating blood circulation, removing stasis, nourishing blood, and generating blood. For blood deficiency headache, preparing ginseng as wine enhances its medicinal effect and leverages wine’s ability to accelerate circulation and dilate capillaries. Although only one herb, the formula is reliable. Combining with Chuanxiong and White芷 improves efficacy.
Compound Agastache Wine
[Drug Composition] Agastache 120g, Chrysanthemum 60g, Chuanxiong 40g, Wind-Preventing Herb 60g, Mint 60g
[Function and Indications] Wind-heat headache, dizziness, and hemiplegic headache.
[Usage and Dosage] Three times daily, each 15ml, gradually increase to 20ml.
[Preparation Method] Coarsely crush the five herbs, soak in yellow wine in a clean jar, open after seven days, remove residue for use.
[Source] "Selected Effective Wine Formulas"
Soybean and Silkworm Pupa Wine
[Drug Composition] Soybeans 150g, Cloud Poria 126g, Silkworm Pupa 126g
[Function and Indications] Headache, irritability, fever, muscle heaviness, body itching, back stiffness, locked jaw, and postpartum rheumatism in women.
[Usage and Dosage] Five to seven times daily, warm drink one or two small cups each time, best when slightly sweating.
[Preparation Method] Crush the last ingredient finely, place in a clean jar, soak in 1.5L of yellow wine, separately roast soybeans until they crack, quickly pour into wine, seal, open after seven days, remove residue for use.
[Precautions] Avoid wind and cold.
[Source] "Selected Effective Wine Formulas"
Realgar and White芷 Wine
[Drug Composition] Realgar one *qian*, Fragrant White芷 three *qian*, three stalks of green onion
[Function and Indications] Headache.
[Usage and Dosage] Chew green onion first, then take medicine, then eat three more stalks of green onion, then drink the wine decoction. Severe cases need no more than three doses; after drinking, cover head and face with blanket, sweating indicates cure.
[Preparation Method] Grind realgar and white芷 into fine powder, use one *zhong* of good wine and three stalks of green onion, mix well.
[Source] Ming Dynasty, "General Medical Formulas"
Comment: Realgar contains arsenic trioxide; improper use may cause poisoning with symptoms mainly vomiting and diarrhea, potentially life-threatening. Choose carefully: reddish-yellow, resembling a rooster’s comb, indicates purer quality. White crystalline or red outside with white inside indicates arsenic content—use with extreme caution. For acute poisoning, administer Fangji 10g, or raw licorice one part, mung beans two parts, decoct into concentrated juice and drink frequently.
White Chrysanthemum Wine
[Drug Composition] White Chrysanthemum
[Function and Indications] Treat men and women suffering from long-term head wind dizziness, dry hair loss, phlegm accumulation in chest, dizziness and blurred vision during wind attacks, nearly fainting. Used in folk medicine for hypertension dizziness due to liver heat.
[Usage and Dosage] Drink moderately on empty stomach, three times daily; maintain continuous wine aroma.
[Preparation Method] Harvest tender shoots in late spring/early summer, dry in shade, crush into powder, mix with ash-free wine. Alternatively, harvest flowers in August, sun-dry, cut three *jin*, pack in a new silk bag, store in three *dou* of wine, ready after seven days.
[Source] Ming Dynasty, "General Medical Formulas"
[Appendix] "Compendium of Materia Medica", Volume 25: Use sweet chrysanthemum decoction mixed with yeast and rice to brew wine, consume appropriately to treat head wind, improve eyesight, eliminate paralysis, and cure various diseases.
Sandalwood and Ginger-Cinnamon Wine — Original name: "Sanggen Bai Pi Tang"
[Drug Composition] Mulberry root bark half *liang*, Dried Ginger two *liang*, Cinnamon heart five inches, twenty jujubes
[Function and Indications] Treat headache in women after intercourse, desire to vomit, heart distress.
[Usage and Dosage] Divide into two doses, avoid sweating.
[Preparation Method] Cut the four herbs finely, use one *dou* of wine, decoct to three *sheng*, remove residue.
[Source] Tang Dynasty, "Thousand Gold Prescriptions"
Chrysanthemum and Goji Berry Wine
[Drug Composition] Hangzhou Chrysanthemum 60g, Goji Berries 60g
[Function and Indications] Long-term headache and dizziness due to head wind.
[Usage and Dosage] Take one small cup each morning and evening.
[Preparation Method] Add Shaoxing wine as needed, soak for ten to twenty days, filter out residue, add honey as needed.
[Source] "Food Poisoning and Folk Remedies", "Chinese Food Therapy"
Three-Leaf Acid and Black Mulberry Wine
[Drug Composition] Three-leaf acid 250g, Black mulberry 250g
[Function and Indications] Dizziness, blurred vision, dry mouth and tongue, dry heat cough, difficulty urinating, edema.
[Usage and Dosage] Drink at will anytime, do not get drunk.
[Preparation Method] Cut three-leaf acid into small pieces, mix with black mulberries in a clean container, soak in 1.5L of alcohol for seven nights, then open.
[Source] "Selected Effective Wine Formulas"
Angelica, Ligusticum, and Magnolia Wine — Original name: "Angelica-Ligusticum Wine"
[Drug Composition] Angelica, Magnolia, Aconite, Ginseng, Magnetite, Gypsum, Aconite, Cinnamon, Qinjiao, Heavenly Gate Winter, Cypress Seed, Cornus, White-headed Elder each three *liang*, Pine Moss, Fine Xixin, Dioscorea, Antelope Horn, Calamus, Licorice each two *liang*, Calcined Cinnabar (powdered) one *liang*, Wind-Preventing Herb four *liang*
[Function and Indications] Treat brain wind with heavy head, stiff neck, poor vision, tearing, excessive sleepiness, frequent yawning, fear of wind, severe cases with tinnitus, eye and eyebrow pain, nausea, dizziness, and falling.
[Usage and Dosage] Start with two *he*, gradually increase to five *he*, three times daily.
[Preparation Method] Cut the twenty-one herbs finely, soak in two *dou* of wine for twenty-one days.
[Source] Tang Dynasty, "Thousand Gold Prescriptions"
Pine Pollen Wine
[Drug Composition] Pine pollen half *he*
[Function and Indications] Lighten body, treat dizziness, brain swelling, and joint stiffness.
[Usage and Dosage] Warmly drink five *he* on empty stomach, again before dinner.
[Preparation Method] In early spring, collect about six-inch-long pine pollen resembling a mouse tail, steam and chop finely into one *sheng*, place in a raw silk bag, soak in three *sheng* of wine for five days.
[Source] Song Dynasty, "Taiping Sacred Benefit Formulas"
Angelica and Ligusticum Wine — Original name: "Angelica-Ligusticum Decoction"
[Drug Composition] Angelica, Ligusticum, Chuanxiong each five *liang*, quantity unspecified
[Function and Indications] Treat wind epilepsy with rib pulling pain, vomiting during attacks, tinnitus like cicadas.
[Usage and Dosage] Take entire dose at once; weak individuals may split into two doses, sweat as indication.
[Preparation Method] Cut the three herbs finely, place in one *dou* of wine, decoct to three *sheng*.
[Source] Tang Dynasty, "Thousand Gold Prescriptions"
Angelica and Cinnamon Heart Wine
[Drug Composition] Angelica, Cinnamon Heart each five *liang*
[Function and Indications] Treat dizziness, skin sensitivity to cold, early signs of external infection.
[Usage and Dosage] Take five *he* each time, three times daily, gradually increase to one *sheng*.
[Preparation Method] Cut the two herbs finely, soak in three *sheng* of wine near fire until warm.
[Precautions] Avoid raw scallions.
[Source] Tang Dynasty, "Secret Essentials from the Outer Platform"
Angelica and Xanthium Wine
[Drug Composition] Angelica, Cornus, Heavenly Gate Winter (remove heart), Astragalus, White Chrysanthemum, Wind-Preventing Herb, Aconite (roasted), Side Aconite (roasted), White Atractylodes, Poria, Eucommia each four *liang*, Goji Berries three *liang*, Salvia four *liang*, Fresh Ginger six *liang*, Magnetite ten *liang*, Polygonatum three *liang*, Fresh Rehmannia (cut) eight *liang*
[Function and Indications] Dizziness, fullness in chest, back pain.
[Usage and Dosage] Warmly take, one *zhuang* each time, two to three times daily.
[Preparation Method] Cut the eighteen herbs, place in a silk bag, soak for seven days.
[Precautions] Avoid pork, fish, stale food.
[Source] Tang Dynasty, "Secret Essentials from the Outer Platform"
[Appendix] Xanthium Wine: Use one *hu* of Xanthium seeds, three *hu* of water, boil down to four *dou*, soak two *dou* of yeast three times, finally add one *hu* of ground mixture, soak for three days, follow normal brewing process; wine matures when ready.