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It is common for physicians to use Ephedra to treat external contraction with phlegm wheezing, and to use Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction for wheezing caused by external contraction. However, removing Ephedra and adding Bitter Apricot Seed often raises doubts among practitioners. Recently, some have openly criticized this approach in medical journals, questioning how one can treat external contraction-induced wheezing without Ephedra. They fail to realize that the Shennong Bencao Jing states that Cinnamon Twig is effective for abnormal rising of qi, coughing, and difficulty breathing, indicating that Cinnamon Twig inherently has the ability to descend qi and stabilize breathing (Dingchuan, EX-B1). While wheezing is often caused by external contraction, it is also frequently accompanied by original qi deficiency, which prevents proper containment. Although Ephedra can stabilize breathing, its efficacy lies in purging the lungs, which may not be suitable for those with pre-existing original qi deficiency. Therefore, instead of relying on Ephedra's lung-purging effect, Cinnamon Twig is used to descend lung qi, supplemented by Bitter Apricot Seed, which not only descends lung qi but also resolves phlegm and expels pathogenic factors. This combination ensures a stable and effective treatment.

When I first began diagnosing and treating patients, I was also unaware of this approach. I recall a case in the year Yiyou, where a man in his thirties from a neighboring village, surnamed Li, suffered from external contraction with phlegm wheezing syndrome and sought my treatment. He had a robust physique but had long suffered from phlegm-fluid retention. A common cold wind-cold attack led to incessant panting. Although there was no significant fever, his spirit was low, and he felt drowsy upon closing his eyes. His chest felt congested, and he had no appetite. His tongue coating was white and greasy, and his pulse was slippery and soft, with a normal rhythm. I prescribed formulas to dispel wind, clear heat, and resolve phlegm, but after several attempts, there was no improvement. Other physicians were consulted, but none succeeded. As time passed, his condition worsened, and he returned to me for help. I then sought the advice of an elderly physician, surnamed Pi, nearly eighty years old, who lived in seclusion by the Bohai Sea. After examining the patient, he said, "This is easy to treat; it is a case for Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction." He prescribed the original formula of Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction, adding three qian of Bitter Apricot Seed and retaining one qian of Ephedra. After one dose, the wheezing stopped. He then prescribed Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Bighead Atractylodes, and Licorice Decoction, supplemented with Asparagus Root and Magnolia Bark. After two doses, the patient fully recovered.

From this experience, I came to appreciate the miraculous effects of Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction. I regretted not having studied deeply enough and began to extensively read commentaries on the "Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases." When I reached Yu Jia-yan's discussion of Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction in his "Shanglun Pian," I was so delighted that I danced with joy, exclaiming, "If only I had encountered this renowned theory earlier, I would not have been ignorant of Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction!" From then on, whenever I encountered cases of external contraction wheezing syndrome suitable for Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction, I prescribed it without hesitation. Through careful clinical observation, I learned that in cases of external contraction with phlegm wheezing accompanied by heat, the lungs are often distended. In such cases, I followed the "Golden Chamber" approach by adding Gypsum to Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction, and found that a heavy dose of raw Gypsum was particularly effective. In the year Guisi, Li suffered another episode of external contraction with phlegm wheezing and sought my treatment again. His symptoms and pulse were similar to before, but the heat was more pronounced. I prescribed Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction, removing Ephedra and adding three qian of Bitter Apricot Seed, along with one liang of raw Gypsum due to the heat. After taking the medicine, his wheezing stopped immediately, but it returned once the effects wore off. Even after two doses, the results were the same. By this time, the elderly physician Pi had passed away, and there was no one to consult. I was deep in thought, trying to modify the formula, when his family brought another physician from Cangzhou, and I stepped aside. Several other physicians were consulted from afar, but after more than a month of treatment, the patient ultimately did not recover.

Through repeated study, I concluded that this condition was not incurable, but the treatment had not been properly aligned, which is why the medicine was ineffective. Xu Ling-tai once said, "Fossil Bone has the property of consolidating healthy qi without consolidating pathogenic qi," which is why Zhang Zhongjing used it in the "Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases" even when pathogenic qi remained. In cases of external contraction wheezing syndrome where Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction initially works but the condition recurs, it is due to the failure to consolidate healthy qi. I thus devised a formula using one liang each of Fossil Bone and oyster shell (both unprocessed) to consolidate healthy qi, along with five qian each of cultivated purple perilla fruit and clear Pinellia to descend qi and resolve phlegm. I named it Conglong Tang (Following the Dragon Decoction), intended for use after Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction.