Chen Yanzhi suffered from bloody defecation for nearly thirty years. Despite being obese and physically strong, he occasionally experienced blood loss, which would regenerate without causing significant harm. However, last winter, he suddenly lost several dou of blood, likely due to excessive worry and melancholy that damaged his liver and spleen. The liver governs blood, and the spleen controls blood. Without proper regulation, the blood was expelled violently. At that time, immediate and strong reinforcement was necessary. By delaying until spring, when wood (liver) is strong and earth (spleen) is weak, the spleen qi further declined. The wind from the liver wood and the bloody defecation exacerbated each other, leading to the expulsion of blood and then watery stool, followed by putrid stool. Eventually, even the food in the stomach was rapidly expelled without retention, passing through like an arrow, causing the anus to prolapse three to five inches without the strength to retract.
He suffered from over twenty bouts of dysentery a day, experiencing unbearable pain. His complexion was swollen and dull, his lips were parched, his mouth was dry, and his nostrils were blackened with soot—all signs of a severe and seemingly incurable condition. Upon examining his pulse and symptoms, it was clear that his spleen was severely damaged, and the prolonged lack of treatment had brought his qi to the brink of collapse. In this state of yin-yang depletion, biased and harsh medications were unsuitable. The only hope lay in the balanced use of ginseng and atractylodes, which could restore qi and generate blood. However, the efficacy of ginseng was hard to determine, and since it passed through the stomach and intestines quickly, it had to be taken in large quantities continuously, a decision left to his discretion. Thus, he was given a ginseng decoction mixed with red halloysite powder, which provided some relief. Subsequently, a pill made from ginseng, white atractylodes rhizome, red halloysite, and limonite was administered, leading to his complete recovery.