Four Grind Soup

Four Grind Soup

Ginseng, woody pepper, betel nut, agarwood, each in equal parts.

Grind these herbs into water and boil them to make a soup, used to treat upper-jiao breathing difficulties. Ginseng nourishes the lungs, replenishing the mother’s qi; agarwood enters the kidneys, absorbing the root of qi; then betel nut and woody pepper are used to address the issue. It both drains excess and supplements deficiency, truly a wonderful method for regulating reverse qi flow. The lungs are yang, and to absorb qi downward, they rely entirely on yin fluids, so ginseng is used to generate fluids. The kidneys are yin, and to transform qi upward, they rely entirely on true yang, so agarwood is used to solidify yang, sinking the water, enabling direct absorption of yang from the water.

[Comment] This formula was originally called “Four Grind Drink” and originated from “Jisheng Fang.” It both drains excess and supplements deficiency, regulating reverse qi flow. It’s the main formula for treating upper-jiao breathing difficulties.