In the realm of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbs, understanding the Qi, or the essence of an herb, is paramount. This understanding goes beyond the dichotomy of typical indications and contraindications. The use of TCM herbs requires an appreciation of the Qi they embody, and how this energy can be harnessed to address a variety of health conditions. The herb Huang Qi is an excellent example of this multifaceted approach to healing.
While Huang Qi is well known for its primary action of augmenting Qi, it has several other significant effects. These may appear unrelated on the surface, but when considered through the lens of Qi, they form a cohesive picture of the herb's therapeutic potential.
1. Tonifying Wei Qi (defensive Qi) - Huang Qi is often used for strengthening the immune system and treating frequent common colds. The effect is comparable to barricading your house when under a zombie siege. You seal the doors and windows, making it impossible for the zombies (disease) to enter. This action is epitomized in the TCM formulation 'Jade Windscreen Powder', which incorporates Huang Qi. It creates a kind of barrier against the 'wind', which symbolizes disease factors in TCM.
2. Stopping sweating - Huang Qi has the notable ability to manage spontaneous excessive sweating, often caused by Qi deficiency, which can be likened to an open barricade. Just as a robust barrier prevents both invasions and outgoing traffic, this enhanced defense mechanism doesn't merely block potential external threats; it also restricts the internal components, like sweat, from exiting freely. Thus, in strengthening the Wei Qi, Huang Qi efficiently helps to curb spontaneous excessive sweating.
3. Promoting the growth of new flesh - Huang Qi also aids in the growth of new flesh. Imagine a small 'cat door' in your zombie-protected house, gradually being widened by the zombies' relentless assault. Huang Qi then fetches a couch and wooden planks to block and repair this breach - akin to growing new flesh. This effect is beneficial for patients with persistent, non-healing wounds like bedsores. In my time at the hospital, I saw countless patients grappling with such wounds. Extended hospital stays and chronic illnesses would often result in bedsores that refused to heal, sometimes even growing to expose the underlying bone. The most common remedy[1] for this condition is not a medication for skin, but a tonifying decoction containing Huang Qi, known as 'Shi Quan Da Bu Tang'. This TCM formulation promote the growth of new flesh by consolidating Wei Qi, helping to heal the bedsores effectively.
Can you see(feel) the energy of Huang Qi? All these radome looking indications are based on one energy of Huang Qi; consolidating Wei Qi.
TCM herbs is not akin to western medicine, where understanding merely revolves around memorizing indications and contraindications. Instead, appreciating the Qi, the core energy that a TCM herb embodies, is the key to their utilization. When the Qi aligns to pattern, TCM herbs can be used in a plethora of applications. It invites us to think outside the box when applying these herbs. They are not bound by abstract, generalized indications, and their healing power can manifest in ways that we might not imagine. This is the inherent allure and potential of TCM herbs - the ability to control their Qi in nuanced and versatile ways for health and healing.
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[1] Kim Jeong-Yoon, Kim Hye-Gyeong, Kim Su-Gyeong, Lim Seung-Hwan. A Review on Decubitus Ulcer treatment in Korean Medicine. J Korean Med Ophthalmol Otolaryngol Dermatol 2019;32(3):87-104.