Hello everyone, I thought I'd start this thread to ask if anyone has experience using this liniment in any one of its versions. If you do, PLEASE, tell us/me how it is traditionally used, or what its uses are. There are at least 2 versions of this 'iron palm' or 'iron hand' liniment out there, maybe three. Here are the 2 similar versions I've found on the net.
"The Conventional Chinese Medical Prescription of the Shaolin Monastary for Iron Sand Palm
*Zi Wan (Aster tataricua L.) 30g
Lang Du (Autumn lucoctonum L.) 30g
*Ban Xia (Pinellia tuberifera Ten) 30g
*Long Gu (Fossil of Dinosaur bone) 30g
*Hua Jiao (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) 30g
Tang Gu Xiao 大花老鴉嘴(Thunbergia grandiflora Roxb.) aka Bengal trumpet, blue trumpet-30g
Hai Shi (Pumic) 30g
Di Ding (Chinensis G. Dom.) 30g
She Chuang Zi (Selinum japonicum Miq.) 30g
Shan Xiao Ding (Corrusive iron-pin) 100g
*Nan Sing (Arisaema amurense Maxim) 30g
*He Tsu (Black Vinegar) 5000g
*San Yim (Salt) 30g
*Di Gu Pi (Lycinm Chinense Mill) 30g
*Chuan Wu (Aconitum carmichaeli) 30g
*Chao Wu (Aconitum Kusnezoffii) 30g
*Lau Wong (Brimstone) 30g
*Bai Bu (Stemona japonica) 30g
*Li Lo (Verairum Nigrum L.) 30g
¥ For external use only.
¥ Before using, boil for 15 minutes. Allow mixture to warm, then put hands inside until the mixture becomes cold. Do not wash hands for an hour."
Here is a nearly identical version that is available as a premade product. The ingredients above I have added an (*) in front of are common to both. I copied these (2) listings from public forums, and added a note or two. As for the one below- It seems to be a modified, (watered down?) version of the above.
Ingredients:
Vinegar,
Water,
Salt,
Pinellia,
Arisaema,
Stemona,
Zanthoxylum,
Euphoria Longan,
Os Draconis,
Gentiana Scabra,
Aster Tataricus,
Veratrum Nigrum,
Aconitum,
Lycium Chinense,
Sulphur,
Cinnamomum Camphora,
Aconite Carmichaeli,
Periostracum Serpentis.
Ok, so, the 2nd liniment had a description with it. Elsewhere, on ANOTHER website, the SAME description is found for yet another premade liniment by a different name. It is toted as the last formula to use in a rather long sequence of iron fingers/iron grip training.
I have read that it is able to condition the hands by its application alone. I have read that it is good for relaxing spasms/soothing sinews due to the vinegar. I have read that it makes the hands brittle, and even makes them break easily with overuse. I've read its a 'tempering' formula. I have also read that it should never be used for Iron Palm training, bacause it will weaken the hands.
I am hoping that one of you (Dale?) with more knowledge about herbs than I have, and more experince in CMA, will have something valuable to offer in terms of what this liniment is supposed to be used for. Feel free to PM me if you dont want to answer publicly. I just woul really like to know what this liniment is intended for. For example--Isometric tension excercises of the hands/fingers? Striking (Iron Skills)? As an aid to some Qi Gong? finger tip pushups, Grip excercises, flipping people off, picking the nose????? I do not intend to brew up a batch or anything, I just want to know. Im kind of an Iron Skills fanatic. Thanks for reading!