🌿 Folk Prescriptions

"Seasonal Moxibustion" refers to moxibustion applied to specific acupoints according to different solar terms. The Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine has achieved remarkable results using this method to treat various diseases.
Mr. Wu, aged 70, has smoked for over 40 years and has suffered from chronic bronchitis and emphysema for 30 years, and pulmonary heart disease for 10 years. Even slight movement causes shortness of breath and dyspnea, which worsens during weather changes. This April, his old condition flared up—coughing, wheezing, excessive phlegm, and severe breathlessness after walking. He sought medical attention. As it was during Qingming and Guyu solar terms, with humid weather and large day-night temperature differences, doctors treated him with "Seasonal Moxibustion," applying moxa to points like Dazhui. After half an hour, his breathing gradually became smooth, phlegm decreased, and respiration eased. On the third visit, coughing and phlegm production had lessened, breathlessness disappeared, and he could walk freely.
Mr. Xie, aged 80, suffered a stroke ten years ago and has since largely recovered, though he occasionally experiences dizziness. Doctors provided regular treatment from Guyu to Lixia. They explained that "dizziness" is a precursor symptom of stroke. According to Yang Jizhou’s *Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion* from the Ming Dynasty, "During the transition from spring to summer and summer to spring, moxibustion at Zusanli can prevent stroke." The period from Guyu to Lixia corresponds to the lunar months of March–April; the period from Dahan to Lichun corresponds to December to the following January. After undergoing Seasonal Moxibustion therapy, Mr. Xie now has a ruddy complexion, vibrant energy, and can walk independently.
According to Director Fu Wenbin of the Acupuncture Department at Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, "Seasonal Moxibustion" involves selecting acupoints affecting organ functions based on the twenty-four solar terms, using moxibustion to achieve preventive and curative effects. Different solar terms correspond to different diseases for treatment and prevention—for example, starting from Lichun, Xiaoman, and Mangzhong, moxibustion is suitable for digestive disorders, while Liqiu, Lidong, and Chunfen are ideal times for preventing and treating stroke.
"Seasonal Moxibustion" is best performed on the day of the solar term or within 15 days before or after. The upcoming Dashu (July 22) is an excellent opportunity for preventing and treating respiratory diseases. Ancient texts like the *Huangdi Neijing* from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods noted that human organs and qi-blood undergo cyclical fluctuations with seasonal changes—spring warmth, summer heat, long summer dampness, autumn coolness, winter cold. With seasonal transitions, the body’s yang energy follows rhythms of rising, floating, sinking, and descending. Pulse patterns vary seasonally: floating in spring, full in summer, string-like in autumn, deep in winter. The human body forms natural cycles of spring growth, summer flourishing, long summer transformation, autumn harvest, and winter storage. Human organ function aligns with the natural yin-yang rhythm of the four seasons, forming a unified organic whole where five seasons correspond to five organs, and yin-yang changes occur synchronously. This reflects the principle of humans being in harmony with nature—different seasonal pathogenic influences lead to distinct organ diseases. "Three Fu Moxibustion" is a type of ancient "Seasonal Moxibustion."
Modern medical research confirms that many human physiological functions follow annual, monthly, and daily rhythms. For example, immune function shows variation: total peripheral lymphocytes peak between July and September, lowest between December and March; neutrophils and macrophages are lowest in July–September, highest in December–January. Plasma cortisol secretion, average concentration, and urinary 17-ketosteroid excretion are higher in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. Serum T3 and T4 levels are lowest in summer and highest in winter.
The indications for "Seasonal Moxibustion" include respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic bronchitis, colds), digestive disorders (gastric pain, chronic colitis, indigestion), cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (cerebral infarction, coronary heart disease, hypertension), genitourinary system diseases (menstrual disorders, male sexual dysfunction, enuresis), allergic rhinitis, gout, migraine, and others. Additionally, it offers health preservation and anti-aging benefits.