《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 10

Illustrated and Explicated Materia Medica, Fascicle Thirteen

Compiled by Kou Zongshi, a Tongzhilang and official responsible for identifying medicinal materials in the Song dynasty; collated by Xu Hong, an assistant instructor at the Imperial Medical Academy and official responsible for identifying medicinal materials in the Song dynasty.

Herbs, Superior Grade, Lower Section

Xiongqiong (Chuanxiong)

Xiongqiong is pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats headaches caused when wind-stroke pathogens invade the brain, cold impediment (numbness and pain in the limbs caused by cold pathogens), cramping or slackening of the sinews and vessels, and wounds from blades and weapons. It is also used for women whose blood vessels are obstructed and who cannot conceive. It dispels cold in the brain and wandering wind pathogens in the face, as well as tearing, excessive nasal discharge and saliva, and a dazed, drunken state of mind. It can also be used for distention, hardness, and pain in the heart and abdomen caused by various forms of cold, acute illness and swelling or pain brought on by a sudden attack of malign influences, and wind pain in the ribs. It warms the middle burner and disperses cold within the body.

Xiongqiong is also called Huqiong and Xiangguo. Its leaves are called Miwu. It grows in the mountain valleys around Wugong, Xiegu, and Xiling. The roots are gathered in the third or fourth month and dried in the sun. It may be combined with Baizhi, and it is incompatible with Huanglian.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: “Miwu is the young plant of Xiongqiong. It grows in the river valleys and marshes of Yongzhou and around Yuanju. Today it grows widely in the mountains of Guanzhong, Shaanxi, Shu, and Jiangdong; the kind from Shu is the best. People in Jiangdong and Shu gather its leaves to make fragrant drinks. Xiongqiong from Guanzhong is commonly called ‘Jingxiong’ and may also be used. The kind shaped like a sparrow’s head is called ‘Sparrow-Brain Xiongqiong’ and is the most potent. Mountain-grown Xiongqiong can dispel impediment, dampness, and wind pathogens. The Admonition on Medicine by Emperor Jianwen says: ‘Wheat mold and Xiongqiong can, in the end, treat only the belly of a river fish.’” (The original does not explain which illness this refers to or what the statement means.)

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says: “As an auxiliary medicinal, Xiongqiong treats weakness of the lower back and legs and paralysis of one side of the body. It also treats failure to expel the placenta and cold pain in the abdomen.”

Tao Hongjing says: “Today, only Xiongqiong from Liyang has thick, slender stems shaped like a horse’s bit; hence it is called ‘Horse-Bit Xiongqiong.’ It is also produced in Shu, but the plants are finer. If someone has bleeding gums, holding Xiongqiong in the mouth often brings improvement. Its young shoots are called Miwu and are also used as medicine; they are discussed separately. Folk prescriptions often use them.”

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: “Today Xiongqiong is produced in Qinzhou. The cultivated kind has large, solid roots that are oily and rich in resin; the mountain-grown kind is thin and small, with a bitter, pungent taste. The ninth and tenth months are the best time to harvest it. Xiongqiong from Liyang is no longer used today.”

The Daily Materia Medica says: “Xiongqiong treats various wind disorders, Qi disorders, exhaustion, and blood disorders. It replenishes the Five Taxations, strengthens the sinews and bones, harmonizes the various vessels, and disperses masses and stagnant blood.” The original text ends here.

Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong) can nourish new blood and promote muscle growth. It can be used for nosebleed, vomiting blood, blood in the urine, hemorrhoids, fistulas, abscesses of the brain, sores and ulcers on the back, luoli (scrofula, conditions such as cervical lymph node tuberculosis), yingliu (neck masses), warts, and scabies; it also has the effect of discharging pus and dissipating blood stasis.

Yu Xi said: According to the Illustrated Classic of Sichuan Materia Medica, the seedlings of Chuanxiong resemble plants such as celery, coriander (cilantro), and Cnidium monnieri; they grow in clusters and bear white flowers. Today the best is produced in Qinzhou. The roots are harvested in the ninth month, when their quality is better.

The Qianjin Fang treats women with unceasing uterine bleeding, day and night: use eight liang of Xiongqiong and five sheng of clear wine; decoct until two and a half sheng remain, and divide into three doses. Those who cannot take it all at once may take it slowly.

Another formula is for a pregnant woman who has suddenly fallen, or suddenly moved or carried too heavy a load, so that the fetus is damaged and the abdomen is unsettled; it is also for a dead fetus in the abdomen: grind Xiongqiong into a fine powder and take one square-inch spoonful with wine; after a while take it once or twice more, and the fetus will be expelled.

The Jingyan Houfang treats head wind and transforms phlegm: take Chuanxiong in an unspecified amount, wash it clean with clear water, soak it, cut it into thin slices, dry it in the sun or roast it dry, then pound it into powder and make pills the size of a pellet with refined honey. Take one pill at any time, chewed and swallowed with tea or wine.

The Lingyuan Fang records a method for determining whether a woman is pregnant: after a woman has missed her period for three months, grind raw Chuanxiong into powder and take one spoonful on an empty stomach with a strongly decocted mugwort decoction. If there is slight movement in the abdomen, she is pregnant.

The Doumen Fang treats migraine: cut Jingxiong (one name for Chuanxiong) into small pieces, soak it in wine, and take it; this can cure it.

The Yanyi says: The Chuanxiong produced in Sichuan today is best when the pieces are large, white inside and not visibly oily, and taste slightly pungent with a sweet flavor when chewed. Other varieties are not used as medicine; they can only be ground into powder and decocted for bathing. People today use this medicine most often; it is often indispensable in treating wind diseases of the head and face, but it must be used in combination with other medicines.

Shen Kuo said: A cousin of mine formerly took Chuanxiong regularly. When the physician Zheng Shuxiong saw this, he said that Chuanxiong should not be taken over the long term; prolonged use might cause sudden death. Later that cousin, indeed, had no other illness but died suddenly. The wife of the court official Zhang Zitong suffered from brain wind and took Chuanxiong for a long time; one day she also died suddenly. These are things I saw with my own eyes. Probably this was caused by taking Chuanxiong alone: long-term single use scatters Qi. If it is combined with other medicines and stopped once the condition improves, such consequences should not occur.

Huanglian (Coptis root)

Huanglian tastes bitter, is cold or slightly cold in nature, and is nontoxic. It mainly treats heat patterns, eye pain, and injury to the corners of the eyes; it is also used to brighten the eyes, for accumulation and stagnation in the intestines, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and swelling and pain of the female genitalia.

It can treat cold and heat disorders, chronic diarrhea and dysentery, and stools containing pus and blood. It relieves vexation and thirst, calms palpitations, promotes urination, and strengthens the sinews and bones.

It harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach, improves digestive function and gallbladder Qi, and can also treat mouth sores. Long-term use is said to strengthen memory. It is also called “Wanglian.” It grows in the valleys of Wuyang, as well as around Shu Commandery and Mount Tai, and is harvested in the second and eighth months. Scutellaria, Dragon Bone, and Lishi can support its medicinal effects. It is incompatible with chrysanthemum, yuánhuā, scrophularia, and baixian, and is counteracted by coltsfoot. It can neutralize the toxins of aconite and croton.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: Today, coptis is also found in the prefectures of Jiang, Hu, Jing, and Kui. The finest comes from Xuancheng, while that from Shizhou and Qianzhou is of the next best grade. The plant grows about one chi tall, with leaves resembling wild chrysanthemum. It flowers yellow in the fourth month and bears fruit in the sixth; the fruit resembles celery seeds and is also yellow. The roots are harvested in the second and eighth months for medicinal use. Ancient prescriptions regard coptis as the most effective medicine for treating dysentery.

The “Nine-Cup Decoction” recorded in the Hu Qia Formula treats all kinds of diarrhea and dysentery, whether from cold or heat, with red or white discharge. It is also suitable for food stagnation and recurrent or long-lasting diarrhea. Take thirty pieces of coptis, each three cun long and weighing one and a half liang in total; four pieces of Dragon Bone the size of a game piece, weighing four fen; one large aconite; and one and a half liang each of dried ginger and gelatin. Cut all the ingredients into pieces. First put five ge of water in a copper vessel and boil it three cun above the fire. When the water boils, set the vessel on bare earth until the boiling subsides, then return it to the fire. Repeat this nine times. Next add all the medicines and bring them to a boil once over the fire, then move the vessel to the earth until the boiling subsides. Repeat this process nine times. Finally, simmer until about one sheng of liquid remains and drink it all at once; the dysentery will stop.

“Xianglian Pills” are also used to treat diarrhea and dysentery and have recently become quite popular. To make them, pound equal amounts of coptis from Xuancheng and green costus root, sift them finely, and use white honey to form pills the size of Chinese parasol tree seeds. Take thirty pills with water on an empty stomach, twice a day; the text says their efficacy is miraculous. Those who have long suffered from internal cold can roast garlic until soft and make it into pills. This prescription originally comes from Li Jiang’s Collected Prescriptions of the Ministry of War. It is also effective for infants and young children. Coptis is frequently used in prescriptions for eye diseases as well.

The Treatise on Medicinal Properties says: Coptis is a ministerial medicinal, also called “Zhilian’er.” When taking white silkworm, avoid pork; coptis is incompatible with cold water. Coptis can kill the worms that cause childhood malnutrition. It can be applied to the eyes to treat redness, blurred vision, and pain, and can also calm the Liver and clear heat toxins.

Tao Hongjing says: Coptis from the Wuyang area now appears pale in color and loose in texture, and is not as good as that from Dongyang and Xinan counties. That from the counties of Linhai is poor. Before using it, wrap the coptis in cloth and rub off its hairs until it looks like a string of beads. Folk prescriptions…

This medicinal substance can treat various kinds of dysentery and thirst. Taken according to a prescription, it is also said to help prolong life.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says that the herb produced in Shu is relatively large, with smooth spaces between its nodes and an especially strong, bitter taste. It is most effective for treating thirst. The herb produced east of the Yangtze has nodes like a string of pearls and is highly effective for dysentery. Today, the variety from Lizhou is even better. Physicians often use the variety from Xuanzhou: nine nodes, with a firm, heavy texture that rings when struck. This is considered the finest quality.

Liu Yuxi recorded the following account. A man named Cui Chengyuan once saved the life of a prisoner sentenced to death while serving in government. Several years later, the prisoner died of illness. One day, Cui developed an internal eye disorder that impaired his vision, and he remained blind for more than a year. Late one night, as he sat alone sighing, he heard a cricket near the steps. Cui asked who was there. The voice replied, “I am the prisoner whose life you once saved. I have come to repay your kindness.” It then gave Cui a medicinal prescription and died. Cui prepared and took the medicine as directed, and within a few months his sight returned. He then passed the prescription on to others.

Sheep Liver Pills: Take one large liang of powdered huanglian and one whole white sheep’s liver. Remove the thin membrane from the liver, then grind it together with the powder in a sand mortar until smooth and uniform. Roll the mixture by hand into pills the size of wutong seeds. With each meal, swallow fourteen pills with warm rice-washing water, and continue for five courses. This prescription is said to treat various eye disorders, including visual obstructions and “blue blindness,” in which a person cannot see even though the eyes may show no obvious outward abnormality. Avoid pork and cold water while taking the medicine.

The Baopuzi says that huanglian decocted in milk can treat various eye disorders.

A prescription from the Waitai Miyao for sudden heart pain: Take eight liang of chopped huanglian, add seven sheng of water, and decoct until five sheng remain. Strain out the herbs. Once the liquid has cooled until it is no longer hot, take five he at a time, three times a day.

A prescription from the Qianjin Fang for severe heat toxin with dysentery that passes pure blood: Take six liang of huanglian, add seven sheng of water, and decoct until three and a half sheng remain. Leave it outdoors overnight to absorb the influence of the stars and moon, then drink it all at dawn on an empty stomach.

A prescription from the Zhouhou Fang for continuous tearing: Soak cotton in a strong decoction of the medicine. Once it has dried, use it to wipe the eyes.

Another prescription for red dysentery, in which the illness has persisted and the discharge will not stop: Mix powdered huanglian with egg white and form it into pills. Take ten to thirty pills with a drink. It is said to work quickly.

Another prescription for sudden onset of consumptive thirst, marked by excessive thirst, drinking, and urination: Crush huanglian and sift it finely, then mix it with honey and form thirty pills. Taking them is said to relieve thirst and prolong life.

A prescription from the Jingyan Fang for sudden red and white dysentery, with red and white pus and blood in the stool, the discharge resembling goose or duck liver, and unbearable pain: Take one liang each of huanglian and huangqin, add two sheng of water, and decoct until one sheng remains. Divide into three doses and drink while hot; the liquid tends to congeal as it cools.

The Meishi Formula: For an attack of cold damage with pea-sized sores that have not yet suppurated: Take four liang of huanglian, add three sheng of water, and decoct until one sheng remains. Strain out the dregs and take in divided doses.

The Doumen Formula: For hemorrhoids that protrude in a shape like a cockscomb: Grind huanglian into powder and apply it to the affected area; this will cure the condition. Adding powdered red adzuki beans makes it more effective.

The Concise Formula for Saving the Multitudes: For a child with persistent vomiting of blood: Take one liang of huanglian, remove the rootlets, and pound it into a powder. For each dose, take one qian, add seven fen of water and twenty fermented soybeans, and decoct them together until five fen remain. Strain out the dregs and give it warm. Adjust the dose according to the child’s age and build.

The Guangli Formula: For fever in the joints, progressive wasting, and a yellow complexion: Take four fen of huanglian, cut it into small pieces, and soak it overnight in a large cup of a young boy’s urine. Then briefly decoct it until it has boiled three or four times and strain out the dregs. Divide it into two doses to take before meals. After the first dose, wait about as long as it takes to walk four or five li, then take the second.

The Du Ren Formula: For qi dysentery, with diarrhea, urgency in the abdomen, and a lingering sensation of downward pressure after a bowel movement—called a “miraculous formula”: Take one liang of Xuanlian, another name for huanglian, and half a liang of dried ginger. Grind them separately into powder. For each dose, take two qian of huanglian powder and half a qian of ginger powder, mix them, and take on an empty stomach with warm wine.

The Secret Record of Mother and Child: For a child with longstanding red-and-white dysentery and bodily weakness: Make a strong decoction of Xuanlian and take it with honey six or seven times a day. For each decoction, take three parts water and boil it down to one part; give the child the whole dose at once. Adjust the dose according to the child’s age and build.

Another formula: For a child’s sores behind the ears that look as if they have been gnawed by insects, called “moon-erosion sores,” apply huanglian powder to the affected area.

Another formula: Redness on both sides beneath a child’s nostrils is called “yi” and is also known as “red-nose gan and nose gan.” First wash the area with rice-rinsing water, then apply huanglian powder three or four times a day. This works well.

The Yan Yi says: People nowadays commonly use huanglian to treat dysentery because it tastes bitter, and they believe that bitterness dries dampness and clears heat. Some people in the community give huanglian whenever they see a weak stomach and intestines, diarrhea, or even a little blood. They do not know when to stop or distinguish between cold and heat, or between mild and severe cases; they simply make the patient finish the entire prescription, often causing the illness to become critical. If the patient has a robust constitution, the illness has just begun, and the heat signs are pronounced, then taking huanglian for bloody dysentery may stop the bleeding; there is no need to finish the full dose. If the patient is weak and has signs of cold, huanglian need not be taken. For other uses, follow what is recorded in the Materia Medica.

Tribulus Fruit (the fruit of tribulus)

Places of origin recorded: Tongzhou and Qinzhou.

Tribulus fruit tastes bitter and pungent, is warm in nature with a slight cold quality, and is non-toxic. It chiefly treats pathological blood, breaks up masses and accumulations, and addresses throat obstruction, failure of breast milk to flow, wind-related itching of the body, headache, cough with rebellious Qi, lung damage, lung atrophy, and vexation. It also directs Qi downward. It is also used for sores on children’s heads, abscesses and swellings, and enlargement of the scrotum; it can be made into a powder for rubbing on the body.

Its leaves are used to treat itchy skin caused by wind pathogens and can be boiled in water for bathing. It is said that taking them over a long period makes the muscles fuller, the eyes brighter, and the body lighter and more agile.

The plant is also known as Pangdao, Quren, Zhixing, Chaiyu, Shengtui, Jili, and Ci, among other names. It grows on level ground around Fengyi and sometimes along roadsides. Its fruits are gathered in the seventh or eighth month and dried in the sun. Aconite may be used in combination with it.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: Jili fruits grow on level ground or along roadsides around Fengyi. They are gathered in the seventh or eighth month and dried in the sun; they may also be gathered in winter. They are yellowish white and shaped like the iron caltrops used by armies. The phrase “brambles grow on the wall” in the Book of Songs refers to this plant. Guo Pu’s commentary on the Erya says that it spreads along the ground, has small leaves, and bears fruits with three pointed spines that can pierce people. This, too, describes the same plant.

Ancient prescriptions hold that the spiny fruits of Jili are best for dispelling wind and brightening the eyes. Immortalist prescriptions also record taking Jili by itself: regardless of the fruits’ shade, select only firm ones, pound off the spines, and use them. The plant is also used for hemorrhoids and fistulas, as well as breast distension and pain, and vaginal discharge in women.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says: White Jili fruit is the principal medicinal part. It tastes sweet and is slightly toxic. It treats various wind disorders, scrofula, and malignant sores; disperses clotted blood; treats coughing up pus and phlegm; and is also used for difficult labor, agitation, and fever. It is not taken as a decoction.

Tao Hongjing says: Jili grows abundantly along roads, with branches and leaves spreading over the ground. Its fruits are spiny and shaped like small water caltrops. It is especially common around Chang’an, where people are often pricked by it as they walk. Today, armies cast similar objects in iron and scatter them along routes where enemy troops may advance; these are also called “Jili.” The Book of Changes says, “Trapped among caltrops,” using them as a metaphor for danger and injury. Another commentary says that the Classic of the Materia Medica considers Jili warm in nature, while the Supplementary Records considers it cold. Judging from its medicinal action of opening and dispersing, long-term use neither chills the body nor causes stagnation and heat, so it is considered warm in nature.

The Rihuazi says: Jili treats running-piglet disorder, Kidney Qi, Lung Qi, and distension in the chest and diaphragm. It is also used to induce labor, cause abortion, replenish Jing and Qi, treat swellings and toxins, and address Kidney deficiency and cold, frequent urination, seminal emission, loss of semen, and blood in the urine. Whether prepared as pills or powder, it must be fried and have its spines removed before use.

Lei Gong says: After gathering Jili, sort it carefully and steam it from noon until the hour of the Rooster. Remove it and dry it in the sun, then pound it in a wooden mortar until all the surface spines have been removed. Next, mix it with wine, steam it again from noon until the hour of the Rooster, then remove it and dry it in the sun for use.

The Secret Instructions of the Immortals says: To take Jili fruit, gather it when ripe in the seventh or eighth month and dry it in the sun. Pound off the spines, then grind it into powder. Take two qian each time, mixed with freshly drawn water, three times a day without interruption. The text claims that this can enable one to abstain from grain and attain long life.

After taking it for one year, one no longer feels cold in winter or hot in summer. After two years, older people regain their youth: white hair turns black, and lost teeth grow back. After three years, the body becomes light and vigorous, and one can live forever.

The “Liver-Tonifying Powder” in the Essential Prescriptions from the Imperial Library treats people who have been blind for thirty years. Harvest the fruits of Tribulus on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, dry them in the shade, and grind them into powder. After a meal, take one square-inch spoonful with water; this was a small measuring spoon used in ancient times.

Another prescription treats roundworms attacking the heart, with stabbing pain and the vomiting of clear fluid. Harvest Tribulus fruits on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, dry them in the shade, and burn them to ash. First eat a small amount, then take one square-inch spoonful three times a day for seven consecutive days.

Another prescription treats various types of boils. Burn one sheng of Tribulus fruits to ash, mix the ash with strong vinegar, and apply it to the affected area. It is effective even if the sore has already broken open.

The Prescriptions Worth a Thousand in Gold treats itching and sores over the whole body, as well as scabies and ringworm: boil Tribulus leaves in water and wash the affected areas; relief comes quickly. The Supplement to the Prescriptions Worth a Thousand in Gold records the same method.

The Prescriptions of Master Mei treats difficult childbirth, when the fetus is stuck in the womb and its head has emerged but the fetus or afterbirth has not been expelled. It is also used when the fetus has died in the womb. Grind four liang each of Tribulus fruits and fritillaria bulb into powder, and take a spoonful with rice water. If delivery has not occurred after the time it takes to walk four or five li, take another dose.

The Materia Medica Explained says that there are two kinds of Tribulus. One is du Tribulus, the kind now found growing on the ground beside roads or on walls. It has small yellow flowers and bears spiny fruits. This is the plant referred to in the Book of Songs as “the wall has thorny growth.” Pick the flowers, dry them in the shade, and grind them into powder. Take two or three qian at a time, mixed with warm wine after a meal, to treat vitiligo.

The other kind is white Tribulus, which grows in the horse pastures around Shayin in Tongzhou. It has yellowish-purple flowers and produces pods with seeds shaped like a sheep’s kidneys. It can be used as a kidney-tonifying medicine. People today mostly use this white Tribulus; those treating wind disorders use only the spiny kind.

Astragalus (Huangqi)

Astragalus tastes sweet, is slightly warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats carbuncles, ulcers that do not heal for a long time, and sores; it can draw out pus and relieve pain. It is also used for severe wind disorders, leprosy, the five kinds of hemorrhoids, and fistulous swellings. It tonifies deficiency and treats various childhood illnesses, as well as disorders in women attributed to wind invading the uterus. It can also disperse stagnant blood between the five viscera, restore men weakened by deficiency and emaciated from the five forms of exhaustion, and treat thirst, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dysentery. Astragalus benefits Qi and harmonizes Yin.

Astragalus grown in Baishui is cooler in nature and suited to gentle tonification. Its stems and leaves can be used to treat thirst, cramping of the sinews and vessels, carbuncles, and sores. Astragalus is also known as Daisan, Daishen, Dushen, Jicao, Shuzhi, and Baiben. It grows in the mountain valleys of Shu Commandery and around Baishui and Hanzhong. Harvest it in the second or tenth lunar month and dry it in the shade. It is incompatible with tortoise shell, as using them together may affect the medicine’s efficacy.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Many prefectures and counties in Hedong and Shaanxi now produce huangqi, or astragalus. Its root is about two or three cun long. It usually grows in clumps, with a single stem whose branches begin two or three cun above the ground. The leaves spread sparsely and resemble fern fronds or young tribulus plants. In the seventh month, it bears yellow-purple flowers and forms pods about one cun long. The roots are harvested for medicine in the eighth month. When the root’s outer skin is split, its texture resembles cotton, which is why it is called “cotton huangqi.” “Wood huangqi” cannot be used interchangeably with huangqi.

Xu Yi of the Tang dynasty once said: When he first served in the Chen dynasty as military aide to the Prince of Xincai, the Empress Dowager had been afflicted by wind pathogen and could not speak. Her pulse was sunken, and her mouth was tightly closed. Xu Yi reasoned that since she could not take medicine by mouth, it would be better to fumigate her with the steam of a decoction. After the medicinal vapors entered the skin and interstices, she would recover in time. He therefore boiled several hu of a huangqi-and-fangfeng decoction and placed it beneath her bed, letting the medicinal vapor spread like smoke. That very night, the Empress Dowager was able to speak. The effect of fumigation was so striking that this account is recorded so that skilled physicians may know of this method.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Huangqi is also called “Wangsun.” It treats sores and swelling on the back, replenishes the interior, and is used for weakness, asthma, kidney deficiency and debility, and deafness. Huangqi from Longxi replenishes the Five Viscera. The red-skinned huangqi from Baishui in Shu is slightly cold in nature and can be used to treat external heat pathogens.

Tao Hongjing says: The finest huangqi comes from Daoyang in Longxi. It is yellowish white in color and sweet and pleasant in taste, but is now hard to find.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: Huangqi’s leaves resemble fern fronds and sometimes tribulus; some plants grow with a single stem, while others grow in clumps. Today, the best comes from Yuanzhou and Huayuan. Huangqi from Shu and Han is no longer harvested or used.

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says: Huangqi is incompatible with baixianpi, so the two herbs should not be used together. Huangqi replenishes Qi, strengthens the sinews and bones, promotes the growth of flesh, and nourishes the blood. It also treats abdominal masses, scrofula-like swellings of the neck, goiters and tumors, intestinal bleeding, profuse uterine bleeding, vaginal discharge, red and white dysentery, disorders before and after childbirth, irregular menstruation, wasting thirst, cough with phlegm, wind disorders of the head, toxic heat, and red eyes. Among tonic medicines, it is known as “mutton.”

It also says: Baishui huangqi is cool in nature and non-toxic. It can drain pus and treat blood disorders, vexation, toxic heat, and hectic fever from bone steaming; its effects are inferior to those of huangqi. Chishui huangqi is cool in nature and non-toxic. It treats blood disorders and clears toxic heat; its other effects are as described above. Wood huangqi is cool in nature and non-toxic. It treats vexation and drains pus, but is less potent than huangqi. That which comes from Guandi should be dried over a fire as soon as possible.

The Additional Commentary says: Huangqi from Mianshang was originally regarded as the finest, which is why it came to be called “cotton huangqi.” The huangqi from Xianshui depicted in the Illustrated Materia Medica grows in a region adjoining Mianshang. The original text ends here unfinished.

If you think that a supple, cotton-like texture means the herb is “Mian Huangqi” (the cottony type of astragalus root), you are mistaken. Huangqi is naturally supple; to distinguish genuine from false, look only at whether it becomes brittle and hard when dried.

The Shenghui Formula says that for congestion of Lung Qi with coughing and expectoration, take two liang of Huangqi, pound it into a fine powder, and take three qian at a time. Boil it in one zhan of water until reduced to six tenths, drink it warm, three times a day, for a total of four doses.

The Meishi Formula says that to tonify the Lungs and expel pus, take six liang of Huangqi, cut it into pieces, and boil it in three sheng of water until reduced to one sheng. Strain out the dregs and drink.

The Sun Yonghe Formula says that to treat intestinal bleeding, take equal amounts of Huangqi and Huanglian, grind them into powder, and use flour paste to form pills the size of mung beans. Take thirty pills at a time with rice water.

The Xi Yanshang Formula says that when there is weakness accompanied by signs of heat, with coughing, expectoration of pus and blood, and dryness of the mouth, tongue, and throat—and cooling medicines are unsuitable—grind four liang of good Huangqi with one liang of Gancao into powder. Take three qian at a time, either mixed with hot water as though preparing tea, or added to soup or porridge.

Rou Congrong

Rou Congrong is sweet, sour, and salty in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats the five taxations and seven injuries, a general term for many kinds of deficiency and damage. It can replenish the body’s interior, ease cold, heat, and pain in the penis, nourish the Five Viscera, strengthen Yin, replenish Jing, and aid fertility. It is also used to treat women’s abdominal masses, pathogenic influences in the bladder, lower back pain, and chronic diarrhea. It is said that long-term use makes the body feel light and strong.

Rou Congrong grows in the valleys of Hexi and around Daijun and Yanmen. It is gathered on the fifth day of the fifth month and dried in the shade.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that an old belief held Rou Congrong to be formed when the seminal fluid of wild horses fell to the ground. People in the west now say that it often grows beside large trees, near gates, or in earthen walls, and that it can be found even where wild horses do not mate; this shows that it is a species in its own right. Some have speculated that it may originally have grown from horse urine, then propagated on its own, just as madder is said to have arisen from human blood. Cao Congrong is warm in nature and can replenish men; some suspect that it is the same plant as Rou Congrong. People today rarely use Cao Congrong, so few can identify it. It is included here for reference.

The Treatise on the Properties of Medicinals says that Rou Congrong serves as a ministerial herb. It can replenish the marrow, improve complexion, and prolong life; treat uterine bleeding in women; strengthen Yang and replenish Jing; and restore the body while treating red or white vaginal discharge, as well as a darkened complexion and exhaustion caused by depletion of vital energy. To prepare it, take four liang of Rou Congrong, boil it in water until soft, slice it thinly, and grind it finely. Divide lean mutton into four portions, season it with the five flavors, and cook it with rice as porridge. Eat it on an empty stomach.

Tao Hongjing says that Daijun and Yanmen belong to Bingzhou, a region with many horses. This is why some say Rou Congrong grows from the vital essence of wild horses after it falls to the ground. As it grows, it takes on a flesh-like shape and can be used in place of mutton…

Cistanche (a tonic medicinal herb) is made into a meat broth, which is very beneficial for people who are weak and fatigued. It can also be eaten raw. It grows abundantly around Ruirui and in Henan. Today, the finest quality comes from Longxi: it is broad and flattened in shape, soft and smooth in texture, richly patterned, and sweet in taste. Next in quality is the northern variety, which is shorter and has fewer patterns. Cistanche also grows around Badong and Jianping, but it is inferior to the first two varieties.

In his preface, Chen Cangqi says that Cistanche strengthens the sinews and bones and nourishes the bone marrow. Grind Cistanche and fresh fish into a fine powder, make it into pills with Huangjing wine, and take them; the medicine’s potency can be increased tenfold. This claim comes from the Qian Ning Ji.

The Tang Ben Zhu says: The subject here is grass Cistanche. Tao Hongjing had never seen flesh Cistanche, so he did not include it in his book. Some people today scrape the flowers off grass Cistanche and use it as flesh Cistanche. However, the Bencao Jing records that flesh Cistanche has especially potent effects, and physicians have also used it frequently in recent times.

The Ri Hua Zi says that flesh Cistanche can be used for male sexual impotence and female infertility. It can also moisten the five viscera, promote muscle growth, and warm the lower back and knees. It is further used for symptoms including male seminal emission, blood in the urine, dribbling urination, and, in women, vaginal discharge and genital pain.

Lei Gong says that before using flesh Cistanche, soak it in clear wine overnight. The next day, scrub away the sand and soil and the scaly outer layer with a palm-fiber brush. Then split it down the middle and remove a layer of white membrane. This membrane resembles zhusi grass and is said to obstruct the movement of Qi, causing Qi to rise in counterflow and making the breath labored. After preparing it, soak and rinse it again in wine, scrub it clean, and steam it from around midday until between mid-afternoon and early evening. Finally, roast it with ghee, taking care to apply the right amount of heat.

Yuxi quotes the Shu Ben Tu Jing: Flesh Cistanche grows in sandy ground in Lufu County, Suzhou. The roots are dug up in the third or fourth month. Cut out the better central portion, take pieces three or four inches long, thread them together, and dry them in the shade; they are not considered ready until the eighth month. Its outer skin resembles the scaly shell of a pine nut, and its roots grow more than a foot long.

The Bencao says that flesh Cistanche forms when the essence left behind by wild horses congeals. Gatherers know from experience that it commonly grows beneath boluo trees and on earthen slopes, not where horses mate, so Tao Hongjing’s account is mistaken. There is also a kind called “flower Cistanche,” the one that sends up shoots in spring; its medicinal potency is weaker.

The Yan Yi says that in the Tu Jing phrase “the skin is like the scales of pine nuts,” the character meaning “seed” should be “shell” for the meaning to make sense. The text also says to wash away the black juice with wine before making it into a broth. But washing away the black juice also removes some of the herb’s flavor. Only fresh, tender flesh Cistanche is suitable for broth; old Cistanche tastes bitter, and when used medicinally, a small dose has little effect.

Saposhnikovia

Hedong Prefecture, Qi Prefecture, and Tong Prefecture.

Siler is sweet and pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It primarily treats severe wind disorders, dizziness and headache, aversion to wind, and wind-related blindness or loss of sight. It is also used for wind pathogens that move through the body, causing pain and numbness in the joints, vexation in the chest, pain in the ribs, wind disorders of the head and face that come and go, and cramping or stiffness in the limbs. It can also treat breast abscesses and wounds caused by metal weapons. Taken over a long period, it can make the body light and nimble. Siler leaves are used to treat fever and sweating after a stroke.

Siler is also known as Tongyun, Huicao, Baizhi, Pingfeng, Jiangen, and Baifei. It grows in the Shayan area and near rivers, lakes, and marshes; it is also found around Handan, Langye, and Shangcai. The roots are dug up in the second and tenth months and dried in the sun. Combined with Alisma and Ligusticum, it treats wind disorders. Combined with Chinese angelica, peony, Yangqishi, and Yuyuliang, it treats wind disorders affecting the uterus in women. Siler can lessen the toxicity of aconite. It is incompatible with dried ginger, Veratrum, Baijian, and Genkwa, meaning these substances should not be used together.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: Today, siler is found throughout the prefectures and counties of the eastern capital region, Huaizhou, and Zhejiang. The upper part of the root is yellow and resembles the root of hollyhock. The stems and leaves are blue-green; the stems are darker and the leaves lighter, resembling a smaller, shorter mugwort. When the young leaves first emerge, they are tinged with purple and can be eaten as a vegetable; their flavor is refreshing. In the fifth month, it bears tiny white flowers clustered in the center to form a large inflorescence, resembling dill flowers. The fruit resembles coriander seed but is larger. The roots are dug up in the second and tenth months and dried in the sun. Siler from Guanzhong is dug up in the third and sixth months, but its texture is light and loose, and it is not as good as that from Qizhou. There is also a kind called Stone Siler, produced in Hezhong Prefecture. Its root resembles mugwort root and is yellow; its leaves are green and its flowers white. It blooms in the fifth month, and the root is dug up in the sixth month and dried in the sun. It too can treat wind disorders of the head, dizziness, and headache.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: As an assistant ingredient, siler flowers can treat pain in the heart and abdomen, cramping in the limbs that prevents walking, weakness of the channels and vessels, and pain between the bones and joints. Duan Chengshi’s Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang says that the fruits of Qingzhou siler resemble long pepper and are easily mistaken for it.

Tao Hongjing says: There is no place called “Shayan” among the prefectures and counties. At the time, the finest siler was considered to come from Pengcheng and Lanling, near Langye. It could also be bought at the market in Juezhou, though that was of inferior quality. The next best came from around Yiyang County in Xiangyang and could also be used; that area lies near Shangcai. Choose medicinal material with full, oily fruits and firm root crowns shaped like earthworm heads. People commonly use siler to treat wind disorders, and it is also often used in Daoist prescriptions.

The Tang Dynasty’s Notes on the Materia Medica says: Today, the finest siler comes from Longshan in Qizhou; siler from Zizhou, Yanzhou, and Qingzhou is also good. Its leaves resemble those of Artemisia japonica and differ from aconite shoots. The Supplementary Records says: Roots that fork like a forked head will make a person go mad, while those that fork like a forked tail will bring on stubborn, long-standing illnesses. Tao Hongjing says: There is no …

This account mistakes Puhuang for Fangfeng, which grows around Shayuan, Xiangyang, Yiyang, and Shangcai. This was an erroneous annotation by Tao Hongjing.

Rihua Zi says that Fangfeng treats various wind disorders and can also restore men weakened by deficiency, replenish middle Qi, and invigorate the spirit. It treats red, tearing eyes and limp limbs caused by wind-heat, and unblocks the five viscera and the Guan pulse positions associated with the liver and gallbladder. It can also be used for the five strains and seven impairments, physical weakness and wasting, night sweats, irritability, and a heavy sensation in the body. It calms the spirit, steadies the mind, and harmonizes the Qi and pulses.

The Experience-Based Prescriptions from Beyond the Reach of Medicine records a formula for tetanus, in which an infected wound causes symptoms such as spasms and stiffness of the sinews and vessels. Grind equal amounts of Fangfeng and Tiannanxing, a Chinese medicinal herb, into powder. Take two or three spoonfuls at a time and decoct in five sheng of a boy’s urine until reduced to four sheng. Stop taking it once the illness is cured. Another formula treats uterine bleeding outside the menstrual period: remove the rootlets from Fangfeng, roast it until red, then grind it into powder. Take two qian at a time, mixed with a paste made from flour and wine, and wash it down with more of the flour-and-wine mixture.

Puhuang

Puhuang tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats cold and heat disorders of the heart, abdomen, and urinary bladder, promotes urination, stops bleeding, and disperses blood stasis. Long-term use can make the body light and agile, increase strength, and prolong life. It grows in marshes and ponds in Hedong and is harvested in the fourth month.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that Puhuang grows in the marshes and ponds of Hedong and is the pollen of cattail. Cattail also grows in marshes and ponds in the South Sea region and is now found throughout the country; the variety from Mount Tai is considered the finest. In early spring, when it first sprouts, its young leaves have not yet emerged from the water. They are reddish-white and grow in soft, thick clumps. In summer, flower stalks rise from the leaves, with flower spikes tightly clustered around their tips. Their shape resembles the club held by a warrior, so people commonly call them “Puchui,” or “Puli.” Puhuang is the fine pollen within the flower spike, so fine that it resembles gold dust. It can be gathered just before the flower spike opens. At markets, some people also collect it and mix it with honey to make a sweet food, said to benefit children. Practitioners of materia medica also sift Puhuang and keep the reddish residue left behind, called “Pue.” Used medicinally, it astringes the intestines and stops diarrhea, with very good results.

Tao Yinju says that Puhuang is the yellow pollen of the Puli flower. When it ripens, it can be gently brushed off and used to treat many kinds of bleeding. It is also used in the Immortals’ Scripture.

Rihua Zi says that Puhuang treats faintness caused by blood stasis after falls or blows; suppurating sores; vaginal discharge and menstrual irregularities in women; heart and abdominal pain caused by disharmony of Qi and blood; bleeding during pregnancy or threatened miscarriage; faintness caused by blood loss; clots and accumulations of blood; postpartum abdominal pain caused by blood stasis, known as “child-pillow pain”; difficulty urinating; intestinal bleeding; roaming wind toxins with swelling; nosebleeds; vomiting blood; failure of milk to flow; seminal emission; and bloody diarrhea. As a medicine, Puhuang breaks up blood stasis and reduces swelling.

Puhuang (cattail pollen), used raw, can nourish the blood and stop bleeding. It is also used after being stir-fried. When Puhuang is sifted, the reddish impurities left behind are called “calyx.” After being stir-fried, they have a very astringent taste and can tighten the bowels and stop diarrhea. They are also used for bloody diarrhea and dysentery with blood.

Lei Gong says: Do not substitute pine pollen or yellow wormwood pollen for Puhuang. Both look very similar, but their taste is coarse and unpleasant, and taking them can cause vomiting. To prepare Puhuang, roast it through three layers of paper until it turns yellow. Then steam it for half a day and roast it dry before use; this is more effective.

Yuxi says: According to the Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals, Puhuang is a principal medicine that can open and regulate the channels. It is used for persistent uterine bleeding in women, dysentery with blood, nosebleeds, and blood in the urine. It can also promote urination.

The Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces says: For sores on the face or tongue accompanied by constant drooling, apply Puhuang to the affected area. It also says that for dampness and itching of the male genitals, Puhuang powder may be applied.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies says: People with intestinal hemorrhoids who often bleed during bowel movements may take Puhuang powder three times a day, one square-inch spoonful each time. (A square-inch spoon was an ancient small measure for medicines.)

The Prescriptions of Ge says: When holding in urine for a long time causes what is called “bladder turning”—a blockage of bladder Qi that makes urination difficult—wrap Puhuang around the lower back and kidney area, then position the head downward. Do this three times.

The Prescriptions of Mei says: If lochia does not flow after childbirth, take three liang of Puhuang, add three sheng of water, and boil it down to one sheng. Drink the whole amount at once.

The Concise Prescriptions for Aid to the People says: For vomiting or spitting blood, pound one liang of Puhuang into powder. Take three qian at a time, mixed with warm wine or cold water.

The Prescriptions from the Frontier says: For “rat’s teat” hemorrhoids, take one square-inch spoonful of Puhuang powder on an empty stomach with warm wine, three times a day for seven days. It also says that for injuries from falls or blows, when bruising remains inside the body and causes distress, take three qian of Puhuang powder on an empty stomach mixed with hot wine.

A prescription to hasten childbirth: Take equal amounts of Puhuang, dilong (earthworm), and aged tangerine peel. Wash the earthworm to remove the soil, then roast it on a new roof tile until lightly yellow. Grind each of the three ingredients separately into powder. If the due date has passed and labor has not begun, take one qian-spoonful of each, mixed with freshly drawn water; the text says this will bring on childbirth quickly. The author says this is a method personally tried and found highly effective.

The Discussion on the Origins of Materia Medica says: Puhuang is found everywhere. It is the yellow pollen inside the cattail flower spike, which people in the capital call a “cattail baton.” Sift freshly gathered Puhuang finely, and keep the sifted-out “calyx” separately for other uses. Puhuang can also be mixed with water into a paste and broken into small pieces. Many people eat it to ease deficient heat of the heart, and children especially like it. After a month in storage, Puhuang darkens and its taste grows weaker. Mix it with honey water when taking it, but do not eat too much, as it may cause diarrhea. Those who are extremely weak should avoid it.

Cattail

Xuzhou

Cattail is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats pathogenic influences affecting the five viscera and the area below the heart. It can also be used for sores in the mouth, weak teeth, unclear vision, and deafness. Taken for a long time, it can make the body light and strong and delay aging. It is also called “Sui” and “Jiao,” and grows in the ponds and marshes of the South Sea.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: The relevant information is given under the entry for Puhuang.

Tao Yinjing says: This cattail is no longer used in prescriptions or medicines. Ordinary people do not gather it, and local people do not recognize it. The “Qingmao” grass presented as tribute from Jiangnan is also called “Xiangmao.” It is used in ancestral temple rites to strain wine through grass as part of the offering. Some say Qingmao is Xuncao; others say it is oats. These grasses all bear some resemblance to cattail.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: This cattail is the sweet cattail used for weaving mats. When its young shoots emerge in early spring, the white tender stems can be pickled or steamed and eaten. In the Shannan region, it is called “Xiangpu,” while Acorus is called “Choupu.” The Qingmao described by Tao Yinjing is actually Sanjiling. Oats, Xuncao, and Xiangmao are all common plants in the countryside, familiar to everyone, and do not resemble this cattail. It is therefore inappropriate to confuse them. Puhuang is the pollen of this cattail.

Dipsacus

Jinzhou and Yuezhou.

Dipsacus is bitter and pungent in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats cold damage, deficiency and debility, as well as metal-inflicted wounds, abscesses, and injuries from falls or blows. It mends sinews and bones, and can also be used for blocked milk flow in women and uterine bleeding. It further treats internal bleeding in wounds, pain, muscle injury, ankle injury, blood stasis, lower back pain, and joints that are either stiff or lax. Taken for a long time, it can strengthen vitality. It is also called “Longdou,” “Shuzhe,” “Jiegu,” and “Nancao.” It grows in the mountain valleys of Changshan. Gather it in the seventh or eighth month and dry it in the shade. Rehmannia assists its effects; do not use it together with Thunder Ball.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Dipsacus grows in the mountain valleys of Changshan. Today it is also found around Shaanxi, Hezhong, and Xingyuan, as well as in Yuezhou and Jinzhou. After the third month, its young shoots emerge. The stems are four-sided and resemble ramie; the leaves are similar and grow in opposite pairs. It flowers in the fourth month, with reddish-white blossoms like those of motherwort. Its root resembles the root of large thistle and is reddish yellow. Several kinds of dipsacus are sold in the marketplace, and it is usually difficult to tell which are superior. Physicians generally regard as authentic the kind whose stem nodes break easily and whose outer skin is yellow and wrinkled.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says: Dipsacus is the primary herb for treating broken injuries. It can eliminate all manner of warm, toxic pathogenic influences and open the channels.

Tao Yinjing says: According to the Records of Medicinals by Tong Jun, dipsacus has trailing branches and leaves, with slender stems like perilla. Its rootstock is rather large, yellowish white, and juicy. Gather it in the seventh or eighth month.

The “continued break” now in use consists entirely of its stems and leaves. The stems break easily at the joints; the skin at the break is yellow and wrinkled, and its shape resembles chicken-gizzard vine. For this reason, some people also call it “mulberry parasite.” Yet these may not be the genuine continued break.

The Commentary in the Tang Materia Medica says that this medicinal grows in valleys throughout the regions. The continued break used among ordinary people today has leaves like those of ramie, square stems, and roots like those of great thistle, yellowish white in color. What Tao Hongjing described was not this medicinal.

The Ri Hua Zi says that continued break replenishes Qi and strength and regulates the blood vessels. It treats the five kinds of exhaustion and seven kinds of injury; disperses masses and stagnant blood; and clears swelling and toxins, intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoids, fistulas, breast abscesses, scrofula, and injuries from falls and blows. It may also be used for various conditions before and after childbirth, such as a sallow complexion, swelling from deficiency, scant urination, seminal leakage, blood in the urine, uterine bleeding during pregnancy, and a cold womb. It is also called “great thistle” or “mountain burdock.”

Lei Gong says that one must not mistake grass-root for continued break, because the two look very much alike. Taking the wrong one can weaken the sinews and bones. Once continued break has been gathered, cut it crosswise into slices and remove the hard inner fibers. Soak it in wine for a full day and night, then dry it over heat before use.

The Essential Methods from the Outer Terrace records this treatment for painful, difficult urination: take fresh continued break, squeeze out the juice, and drink it. The “horse thistle root” mentioned here is continued break.

The Precious Record of the Child and Mother records this treatment for a woman after childbirth who suffers from distress in the chest, burning heat in her hands and feet, listlessness, barely perceptible breathing, blood fainting, and a hard feeling at the pit of the stomach, with alternating chills and fever and unbearable shivering. Peel the continued break, hold it in the hand, and chop it. Add three sheng of water and boil down to one sheng. Divide into three portions and drink warm. After taking it, walk two or three li, then take another dose. There are no dietary restrictions while taking this medicine. It can save women who are near death after childbirth.

Loulu

Loulu is a medicinal produced in Shanzhou, Qinzhou, and Haizhou.

Loulu tastes bitter and salty, and is cold, extremely cold, and non-toxic. It treats heat in the skin, malignant sores, abscesses, hemorrhoids, and damp impediment. It promotes the flow of breast milk and treats bedwetting. For sores and itching caused by heat, or eruptions resembling sesame seeds, it can be decocted and used as a bath. Taken for a long time, it makes the body light and strong, sharpens hearing and vision, and is said to delay aging and extend life. It is also called “wild orchid.” It grows in the valleys of Mount Qiao. Gather the roots in the eighth month and dry them in the shade.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says that loulu produced in Qinzhou and Haizhou has flowers, leaves, and roots resembling those of another medicinal, but local people call it only loulu. Physicians today rarely use feilian. Since it is still unclear which plant feilian actually is, the text does not distinguish between them further and appends the related accounts below.

Tao Yinjü says that Mount Qiao must be the burial place of the Yellow Emperor, located in Shang Commandery. Loulu also grows nearby today. It can treat various fistulas and scabies, and taking it for a long time is highly beneficial.

People rarely take this herb internally as a medicine. Today, people in the market use its shoots medicinally.

Folk practitioners take its root, called “lǔlí root,” grind it with bitter wine (vinegar), and apply it to sores and scabies.

The Commentary to the Tang Materia Medica says: This herb is commonly called “jiahao.” Its stem and leaves resemble those of white mugwort. Its yellow flowers develop into pods, which are long and slender, about as thick as chopsticks and divided into four or five sections. After the seventh or eighth lunar month, the pods turn black; in this respect, it differs from other mugworts.

The Rihuazi says: Forsythia can be used as an auxiliary herb with it. It treats high fever in children and promotes urination and bowel movements. It is also used for seminal emission, blood in the urine, red eyes caused by wind-heat, breast abscesses, abscesses and sores on the back, scrofula, and intestinal bleeding. It can also expel pus, replenish the blood, treat injuries from falls and blows, mend sinews and bones, be applied to wounds caused by metal weapons, stop bleeding, promote the growth of flesh, and unblock the channels. Its flowers and shoots are also used medicinally. Folk practitioners commonly call it “ghost-oil hemp.” In shape and smell, it resembles the head of a dried burdock root, and it bears white flowers and seeds.

Lei Gong says: Do not mistake “duloulu” for this herb. It looks like loulu, but tastes bitter and sour. Taking it by mistake causes persistent vomiting, so it must be identified with care. To prepare loulu, chop it and mix it with an equal amount of raw licorice. Leave the mixture from the hour of the Snake until the hour of the Monkey, then remove the licorice and carefully select the loulu for use.

Yuxi says: According to the Illustrated Classic of Shu, its leaves resemble those of horned poppy. Today, many low-lying, damp places in Caozhou and Yanzhou produce it. The stems are gathered in the sixth or seventh lunar month and dried; they are darker than those of other herbs.

The Shenghui Formula records: To treat childhood “innocent malnutrition” (a traditional term for a type of childhood digestive disorder), with abdominal swelling, occasional diarrhea or dysentery, and alternating chills and fever, pound one liang of loulu into powder. For each dose, take one qian of the powder with one liang of pig’s liver and a little salt. Add water and cook until done, then give the child the entire dose on an empty stomach.

The Waitai Miyao Formula records: To treat roundworms, pound loulu, sift it into a fine powder, and take one square-inch spoonful, an ancient measure for a small dose.

Indigo Seeds

Indigo seeds taste bitter, are cold in nature, and are non-toxic. They treat various kinds of poisoning, kill parasites, and treat childhood “ghost infestation” (an illness once attributed to the intrusion of evil spirits) and poisoning from insect stings. Taken over a long period, they can prevent the hair from turning white and make the body light and strong. The juice of the leaves neutralizes many poisons, including the toxins of langdu and shewang, an ancient poison. Its stems and leaves can be used to dye fabric blue. Indigo seeds grow in level, wet ground in the Henei region.

The Illustrated Classic says: Indigo seeds grow in level, wet ground in Henei, and are now found everywhere. People often plant them in rows in their home vegetable gardens. In the third or fourth lunar month, seedlings emerge, and grow to a height of three...

The leaves are about two feet long and resemble water pepper. The flowers are red or white, and the fruit resembles the seeds of water pepper but is larger and black. The fruit is gathered in the fifth and sixth months.

There are several kinds of blue plant. Wood indigo grows in Lingnan and is not used medicinally. Herbaceous indigo can be made into indigo dye and is also called horse indigo; it is the plant referred to as “zhen” and “horse indigo” in the Erya. There is also polygonum indigo, which can dye fabric only a blue-green color and cannot be used to make indigo dye. This is the kind of indigo used in medical prescriptions.

Liu Yuxi said: If you are bitten by an insect or a venomous creature, take a bowl of juice from the large indigo plant and add an appropriate amount of realgar and musk. Grind them together thoroughly, then mix them into the indigo juice and apply the medicine to the wound. For a venomous bite, you should also take the juice slowly by mouth. Its effects are extraordinarily remarkable.

Zhang Jian said: When I once served as an aide to Zhang Yanshang in Jiannan, a spotted spider suddenly bit my neck. After one night, three red lines appeared around the bite, as thin as chopsticks. They circled my neck and extended from my chest to my heart. Two nights later, my head and face were swollen and painful, swollen as if several large bowls had been piled on them. My abdomen, too, began to swell, and I was nearly beyond saving. Zhang Yanshang had always valued me, so he offered fifty thousand cash from his own household, while my family contributed several hundred thousand, as a reward for a physician. Before long, a man came forward, saying he could treat me. Zhang Yanshang initially doubted him and wanted to see his prescription. The man said, “I am not reluctant to share the prescription; I only want to save a life.” He took a porcelain bowl of juice from the large indigo plant and put the spider into it. After a long while, the spider emerged from the juice, exhausted and unable to move. He then crushed indigo leaves to extract their juice, added powdered musk, and put in another spider. The moment it touched the liquid, it died. Next, he took more indigo juice, added musk and realgar, and put in a third spider. It immediately dissolved into liquid. Zhang Yanshang and everyone else found this astonishing, so he had me apply the medicine to the wound. Within two days, I had fully recovered, with only a small sore left. After the scab fell away, my skin was as it had been before.

The Guang Wuxing Ji records: During the Yonghui era, a monk in Jiangzhou suffered from a condition that prevented him from swallowing food. He told his disciples, “After I die, you may cut open my chest and throat to see what has caused my death.” After the monk died, his disciples did as he had instructed. In his chest they found a fishlike creature with two heads and fleshy scales covering its body. They placed it in a vessel, where it kept writhing. Then they added various seasonings, and the creature was entirely dissolved. At the time, it was summer...

It is said that in places where indigo plants grow abundantly, when indigo paste is being made, a monk once placed some in a vessel. A worm crawled inside and circled the vessel for a while, then turned into water.

The Sheng Hui Fang says: To treat heat toxin caused by epidemic illness, restlessness of the heart and spirit, take half a large spoonful of indigo paste and mix it with one cup of freshly drawn water. It also says: To treat a child who has been poisoned by gu insects and is passing blood, when the condition is critical, pound fresh green indigo to extract its juice and give the child several doses, half a cup each time.

The Qian Jin Fang says: To treat sores on the lips that have persisted for years without healing, take one jin of indigo leaves in the eighth month, pound them to extract the juice, and wash the affected area with it; recovery will follow within three days. It also says: If someone has been hanged, first try to calm their heart, then slowly loosen the rope, handling it carefully and never cutting it. After lowering the person, if warmth remains below the heart, prick a cockerel’s comb and drip the blood into the person’s mouth to revive them. Use a hen for a man and a rooster for a woman.

The Mei Shi Fang says: For a tiger bite, tightly roll up a piece of blue cloth, light one end, and put it into a bamboo tube so that the smoke from the tube enters the wound. This works well.

The Zi Mu Mi Lu Fang says: To treat a child’s red dysentery, pound fresh green indigo to obtain two sheng of juice and divide it into four doses. It also says: To treat a child’s erysipelas, apply indigo paste to the affected area. Applying it when there is a fever will bring relief.

The Yan Yi says: “‘Indigo seeds’ are the seeds of large-leaved indigo; it is incorrect to call them Polygonum indigo. The indigo described in the Erya is not the plant discussed here. Indigo can neutralize the toxins of many medicines and is an indispensable medicinal. Both its seeds and leaves can be used. The commentary explains only the leaves, not the seeds, and is therefore incomplete; the classics have already explained the matter fully.”

There are several kinds of indigo plants, with colors such as bamboo green, green, deep blue, blue-green, and yellow. The saying “blue dye comes from the indigo plant, yet is bluer than the plant” refers precisely to this. The juice of fresh leaves from large-leaved indigo can neutralize medicinal toxins; it is not Polygonum indigo. Polygonum indigo is suitable for kneading to extract juice used to dye fabric blue-green. Its flowers grow in small, slender spikes and are pale red.

Luo Shi (medicinal name; also called Shi Ling, Shi Cuo, Lue Shi, Ming Shi, Ling Shi, and Xuan Shi) is bitter in taste, warm and slightly cool in nature, and non-toxic. It treats wind-heat, muscle necrosis, ulcerated sores, dry mouth and parched tongue, swellings that do not subside, and swelling of the throat and tongue that prevents swallowing food or drink. It is also used when, after a great fright, pathogenic Qi enters the abdomen, and to relieve pain in the lower back and hips. It strengthens the sinews and bones and eases the joints. Long-term use is said to make the body light and strong, brighten the eyes, give the complexion a healthy glow, prolong life, and open the way to spiritual understanding. Luo Shi grows in the valleys of Mount Tai, on the shady sides of rocky hills, among high mountain crags, and in the wild. It is gathered in the first month.

“Dan” is used in medicinal combinations with luoshi. Luoshi should not be taken with iron filings and is incompatible with fritillaria and calamus.

The Illustrated Materia Medica records that luoshi grows in the valleys of Mount Tai, on the shaded sides of rocky mountains, and on high mountain crags. It is sometimes also cultivated among rocks in people’s homes, such as in palaces, temples, and courtyards, as an ornamental plant. Its leaves are round, like small citrus leaves, deep green, and evergreen in both winter and summer. Its vines keep extending, putting out rootlets at each node wherever they touch a surface, and winding around rocks. This is how it got its name, “rock-winding vine.”

Another account says that xueli can treat back abscesses. A local degree-holder in his seventies once developed such an abscess. With few medicines available in the area, people quickly gathered xueli leaves, crushed them for their juice, mixed the juice with honey, and had him drink several pints. They applied the remaining pulp to the sore, then later used other medicines as external dressings. He eventually recovered. The doctors believed that xueli had been chiefly responsible for his recovery. This suggests that the account in the Illustrated Materia Medica was not without basis.

Tao Hongjing said that he did not recognize this medicine, and that neither folk practice nor Daoist methods recorded its use. Some people thought it belonged to the category of mineral substances. But since the records say it sometimes grows in people’s homes, it is clearly not a stone. Rather, like dendrobium, it is named for growing attached to stone.

Chen Cangqi said that luoshi juice, taken as a decoction, can be used to treat various wind disorders. It is also said to turn the hair white and delay aging. Medicinal plants growing on stone are considered better; those growing on trees have different effects depending on the kind of tree. Luoshi grows on shaded mountain slopes and resembles xueli. More than ten other climbing plants, including mulian, shixue, and dijin, are similar to it. In general, they are all thought to treat wind and blood disorders, warm the lower back and legs, and turn the hair white without causing aging.

It is wrong to call shixue “luoshi.” Shixue has pointed leaves, red at one end; luoshi has round, deep green leaves. Dijin is sweet in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It can be used to treat blood stasis; postpartum blood clots; women’s emaciation and inability to eat; abdominal masses; dribbling urination; red or white vaginal discharge; and the restlessness of the heart caused by seasonal epidemic illnesses. In each case, it may be taken as a decoction.

The Commentary to the Tang Materia Medica says that luoshi grows in both damp, shaded places and dry places. It stays green in winter and summer and bears round, black fruit. Its vines extend and wind around trees or rocks. Plants growing among rocks have small, thick, round, short leaves; those growing around trees have larger, thinner leaves. Since it winds around rocks and trees, it is called luoshi, “rock-winding vine.”

Lei Gong said that after harvesting, one should first wipe the hairs from the leaves and vines with coarse cloth. Then soak the plant for a day and a night in water boiled with licorice, remove it, cut it into slices, and dry it in the sun before use.

The Waitai Miyao Fang records a highly effective treatment for an emergency condition called throat obstruction, in which the throat is swollen and blocked, breathing is difficult, and suffocation threatens within moments. Take two liang of luoshi herb, add one sheng of water, and decoct until three large cups remain. Strain out the herbs and sip the liquid slowly in small amounts. After a short while, the throat will open.

Miwu is pungent in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats coughing with rebellious Qi and palpitations. It can also ward off harmful influences, dispel gu toxins and ghost-zhù illnesses (conditions that people in ancient times attributed to ghostly forces), and expel parasites from the body. Long-term use can open the way to spiritual illumination. It also treats wind pathogens that have accumulated in the body over time, prolonged exposure of the head to wind, and wind-induced dizziness and vertigo. It is also called weiwu or jiangli, and is the young shoot of xiongqiong. It grows in the river valleys and marshes of the Yongzhou region and in Yuanju. Gather its leaves in the fourth or fifth month and dry them in the sun.

The Tujing says: The explanation of miwu in the Shuowen is already included under the entry for xiongqiong.

Tao Hongjing says: It is now produced around Liyang and is also common elsewhere; people often cultivate it. Its leaves resemble those of shechuang and are fragrant. Poets often use it as a metaphor, but it is rarely used in prescriptions.

The commentary in the Tang Bencao says: Miwu comes in two kinds. One has leaves like celery, and the other leaves like shechuang. Their fragrances are similar, and they are indistinguishable in medicinal use.

Yuxi says: According to the Erya, “qiju” is miwu. The commentary calls it a fragrant herb with small leaves shaped like withered grass. The explanatory notes quote Guo Pu, who says it looks like withered grass.

The Guangzhi says: Miwu is a fragrant herb. Emperor Wu of Wei used to put it among his clothes.

Guo Pu’s eulogy says: Miwu is a fragrant herb. Even mixed among shechuang, it does not lose its preciousness; it has a powerful fragrance of its own.

Yingshi is sour in taste, warm and slightly cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats abscesses, ulcers, wounds that heal poorly, damaged sinews and vessels, sores that fail to heal for a long time, and heat-related conditions, including persistent ulcers in the genital area. It can also unblock the joints. Long-term use can make the body light and strong and increase vital energy. Its root stops diarrhea and dysentery and relieves abdominal pain. It treats external heat pathogens and rebellious pathogenic Qi in the Five Viscera, as well as abscesses, various ulcers, metal-inflicted wounds, and injuries from falls or blows. It helps new flesh grow and restores the skin. It is also called qiangwei, qiangma, niuji, niule, qiangmi, and shanji. It grows in the river valleys of Lingling and in Shu Commandery. Gather it in the eighth or ninth month and dry it in the shade.

The Yaoxing Lun says: Qiangwei serves as an assisting herb for yingshi and tastes bitter. Its fruit treats sores on the head and ringworm-related hair loss, and also treats external heat pathogens in the Five Viscera.

Tao Hongjing says: Yingshi is the fruit of qiangwei, and the fruit of the white-flowered variety is best. Its root can also be boiled and used to brew wine; its stems and leaves can be boiled and drunk.

The Rihua Zi says: The root of white qiangwei is bitter and astringent in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats toxic heat, wind pathogens, abscesses, ulcers, and toothache. It can also ward off harmful influences and unblock the blood vessels.

Wild white rose is considered best for treating bloody dysentery, white dysentery, intestinal bleeding, malignant sores, scabies and ringworm, as well as childhood malnutrition disorders, wind disorders, and abdominal pain.

Lei Gong says: The plant referred to here is the rose. After gathering it, remove the roots and use coarse cloth to rub away the yellow prickles. Chop it on a locust-wood cutting board, moisten it with rice-washing water, steam it overnight, then take it out the next day and dry it in the sun for later use.

Yuxi says: According to the Illustrated Classic of Shu, this is the rose. Ge Hong’s Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records that for treating wounds caused by metal weapons, the rose can be burned to ash and ground into powder. Take one square-inch spoonful each time, three times a day.

The Waitai Miyao Fang records that when a fish bone or other thorn becomes lodged and cannot be removed, rose-root powder may be taken in doses of one square-inch spoonful, three times a day.

The Qianjin Fang records that for treating swellings, carbuncles on the back, and carbuncles or boils that have ruptured and become painful, the rose hips can be heated by roasting and applied as a hot compress; this brings recovery. Another prescription treats childhood malnutrition with dysentery and a sudden increase in the frequency of diarrhea: wash and chop an appropriate amount of rose root, simmer it to a concentrated decoction, and drink small amounts frequently to improve the condition.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records that for treating mouth sores, take rose root, remove the soil in a sheltered place, and boil it into a concentrated liquid. Hold it in the mouth while warm, replacing it with fresh liquid once it cools. The Holy Benevolent Prescriptions gives the same account.

A “square-inch spoonful” is an ancient measure taken with a small spoon for powdered medicine.