Zhi shi shao yao san
zhi shi 9 shao yao 9
For postpartum abdominal pain with vexation, fullness, and inability to lie down, zhi shi shao yao san governs.
The Master says: The standard treatment for women with abdominal pain after childbirth is zhi shi shao yao san. However, if recovery does not occur, this means that there is dry blood fixed in the abdomen below the umbilicus. Xia yu xue yang governs. This formula also governs inhibited menstrual flow.
This pair treats abdominal cramping due to deficient yin and blood. The bai shao nourishes yin and blood so wind as in cramping is calmed. This pair forms part of si ni san. Bai shao nourishes Wood and Metal. The zhi shi descends Metal to control Wood.
Zhi shi, Aurantii fructus immaturus is bitter draining and descending of the stomach domain. It is bitter draining of the liver, gall bladder and san jiao.
Zhi shi moves the shao yang gall bladder downward to descend yang ming stomach and large intestine qi and restores the descent of qi to eliminate stagnation and create space for the rising of clear yang of jue yin liver and tai yin spleen.
Often used together with bai shao which nourishes and mildy moves blood of the jue yin liver while zhi shi aids the descent of gall bladder qi and the spreading of the liver blood, and so restores the pivotal impairment of the middle.
Bai shao, Paeoniae radix lactiflora is sour, bitter and cool. It is sour collecting of yin fluids and blood. It is bitter descending of heat. It nourishes dryness in yang ming and the jue yin. It descends Earth and Metal and calms Wood wind.
Bai shao nourishes blood and astringes yin while buffering convulsions and pain. Bai shao also eliminates lower abdominal and lower extremity cramping by calming internal wind. It lubricates the intestines and descends its qi.
We can add zhi shi to bai shao taxation formulas if there is middle burner stagnation.
We can also add si ni san to taxation formulas to treat shao yang and tai yin.