Some Postpartum and Menopause Formulas
What follows are a couple of selections that the Peach Blossom Spring Translators Collective worked on in the most recent text reading. Here I am happy to share my own translation with the general public. Note that this translation does not reflect the final outcome of our collective’s work but is merely my personal draft. I have intentionally left it very literal, with minimal interpretation, so that those of you who can read Chinese can make up your own mind on the meaning of phrases like 本臟 (“foundational zàng organ”). For information on the other formulas mentioned in the first passage, see the original source in Sun Simiao’s Thousand Gold Formulary 《備急千金要方》. And if you really need to know more about this material, consider joining my mentorship on “Reading the Chinese Medicine Classics” (see here more information) and visit the online library, where you can find the recording of our 3-hr discussion of this material, along with many other treasures.
And if you want to make me happy, share your response to this material down below as a comment when you have finished reading it. Thanks. I love feedback (:
Postpartum Care and Menopause
Selections from the Compendium of Great Formulas for Women 《婦人大全良方》(1237 CE, by Chén Zìmíng 陳自明)
Part One: Volume 18, Chapter 3:
Commonly Used Postpartum Formulas 產後通用方論第三
（一）《千金》云︰凡產後滿百日乃可會合4，不爾，至死虛羸，百病滋長，慎之。凡婦人患風氣，臍下虛冷，莫不由此早行房故也。
（二）凡產後七日內惡血未盡，不可服湯，候臍下塊散乃進羊肉湯。有痛甚切者，不在此例。候兩、三日消息，可服澤蘭圓，比至盈月，圓藥盡為佳，不爾，虛損不可平複也。
（三）至極消瘦不可救者，服五石澤蘭圓補之。服法必七日外，不得早服也。
（四）凡婦人因暑月產乳，取涼太多，得風冷，腹中積聚，百病竟起，迄至於死，百方療不能差，桃仁煎主之，出蓐後服之。婦人縱令無病，每至秋冬須服一、二劑，以至年內常將服之佳。
1) According to the Thousand Gold Formulary, “it is only when a hundred days after childbirth have passed that women may have sexual intercourse. Otherwise [they] will suffer from vacuity emaciation until they die, and the hundred illnesses will thrive and grow. Beware! Whenever women suffer from Wind Qì and vacuity cold below the navel, in every single case without exception it is caused by this [issue of] being sexually active too soon.
2) In all cases within the first seven days after childbirth, before the malign blood has been completely eliminated, they may not consume decoctions. Wait until any lumps below the navel have dispersed, and only afterwards introduce Mutton Decoction. If there is pain that is severe and cutting, do not follow this rule. Wait until a major turn in 2-3 days, and then she may take Zélán Pills. It is excellent if she has completely consumed her pill medicine when she has reached the end of the postpartum month. Otherwise, she will suffer from vacuity detriment that will be impossible to recover from.
3) If a patient reaches the point of extreme wasting and emaciation that is untreatable, give her Five Stone Zélán Pills to mend this. As a rule for taking [this formula], it must be outside [the first] seven days, and it may not be taken too soon!
4) Whenever women have cooled themselves off too much because of giving birth during the hot summer months and contracted wind cold, there will be accumulations and gatherings in the abdomen, and a myriad illnesses shall arise unexpectedly and last all the way until death. They will not recover even if treated with a myriad formulas. [In such cases,] Táorén Brew rules. Make them take it after they have emerged from the lying-in period. In cases where women do not have any ailments, taking one or two batches each fall and winter or even taking it consistently throughout the year is excellent.”
Black-Out Spirit Powder 黑神散
（五）治婦人產後惡露不盡，胞衣不下，攻沖心胸痞滿；或臍腹脹撮痛，及血暈神昏眼黑、口噤，產後瘀血諸疾，並皆治之。
（六）熟乾地黃、蒲黃（炒） 、當歸 、乾薑（炮） 、桂心 、芍藥 、甘草（各四兩） 、黑豆（炒，去皮，半升）
（七）上為細末，每服二錢。酒半盞，童子小便半盞，同煎調服。
5) A treatment for women with incomplete elimination of lochia postpartum, retained placenta, aggressive surging against the heart and chest with pǐ Glomus and fullness, possibly distention and pinching pain in the navel and abdomen, to the point of blood[-loss related] dizziness, unconsciousness, and blackout vision, clenched mouth, and the various acute conditions of postpartum blood stasis, and everything else, this treats it!
6) Shúdìhuáng, púhuáng (stir-fried), dāngguī, gānjiāng (blast-fried), guìxīn, sháoyào, gāncǎo (4 liǎng each), hēidòu (stir-fried, peeled, 0.5 shēng)
7) Process the above into a fine powder and take 2 qián per dose. Take it simmered in half a bowl of liquor and half a bowl of little boy’s urine.
Part Two: Volume 1, Chapter 19
Formulas and Essay for Women Whose Tiānguǐ Exceeds its Proper Timing, with Channels out of Whack 婦人天癸過期經脈不調方論第十九
（一）許學士云︰婦人天癸過期而經脈不調，或三、四月不行，或一月再至，腰腹疼痛。
（二）《素問》云︰七損七益，謂女子七七數盡，而經脈不依時者，血有餘也，不可止之。但令得依時，不腰痛為善，宜服當歸散。
（三）當歸、川芎、白芍藥、 黃芩、白朮（各半兩） 山茱萸肉（兩半）
（四）上為細末，空心、食前，溫酒調下二錢，日三。如冷者，去黃芩，加桂心一兩。
1) A quote by Scholar Xǔ : When women’s tiānguǐ exceeds its proper timing (i.e. is overdue) and the channels lose their attunement, whether it fails to flow for three or four months, or it arrives twice in a single month, [we see] lumbar and abdominal pain.
2) A quote from the Sùwèn: The seven detriments and seven boosts refers to women who have completed the age of seven times seven and their channels do not follow the proper timing. This is a case of the blood having surplus. You may not stop [this flow of blood]. Merely making it return to its proper timing and causing the lumbar pain to go away is good. It is suitable to take Dāngguī Powder.
3) Dāngguī, chuānxiōng, báisháoyào, huángqín, báizhú (0.5 liǎng each), shānzhúyú (1.5 liǎng)
4) Process the above into a fine powder and take it on an empty stomach before meals. Down 2 qián per dose mixed in warm liquor, three times a day. If there is cold, replace the huángqín with 1 liǎng of guìxīn.
Wúzhūyú and Lùróng Pills 茱萸鹿茸圓
（五）補氣固血，治本臟因虛生寒，月經行多。或來不及期，腹痛怯風，臟腑不和。
（六）鹿茸、五味子、蓯蓉、杜仲、赤石脂（各一兩）、吳茱萸、附子、乾薑、黑龍骨、肉豆蔻、白茯苓（各半兩）、乾地黃（一兩半）
（七）上為細末，酒煮，麵糊為圓如梧桐子大。空心、食前，熱米飲吞下五、七十丸。
（八）一月後血氣已安，去龍骨，加沉香半兩，可以常服。中年以後婦人，最宜服此藥。
5) To mend the Qì and secure the blood, to treat generation of cold due to vacuity in the foundational zàng organ with increased flow of the menstrual period or a period that arrives too late, with abdominal pain, shrinking away from wind, and disharmony in the zàngfǔ organs.
6) Lùróng, wǔwèizǐ, cōngróng, dùzhòng, chìshízhī (1 liǎng each), wúzhūyú, fùzǐ, gānjiāng, hēilónggǔ, ròudòukòu, báifúlíng (0.5 liǎng each), gāndìhuáng (1.5 liǎng)
7) Process the ingredients above into a fine powder, cook in liquor, make a paste with flour, and form pills the size of wútóng seeds. On an empty stomach before meals, gulp down 50-70 pills with warm rice soup.
8) After a single month, the blood and Qì are already settled. Remove the lónggǔ and add 0.5 liǎng of chénxiāng. She can take this on a regular basis. For women after their middle years, it is most appropriate to take this medicinal.
