《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 15

Illustrated Materia Medica with Extended Explanations, juan 15, part two

Compiled by Kou Zongshi, a Tongzhilang of the Song dynasty responsible for identifying medicinal substances; collated by Xu Hong, an assistant instructor at the Song Imperial Medical Academy, also responsible for identifying medicinal substances.

Middle-Grade Herbs

The medicinal substances recorded in this volume are:

Jujiang (the character “ju” is pronounced “ju”; an appendix added in the Tang dynasty), luomo seeds (Tang-dynasty appendix), qingdai (new appendix in this book), yujin (Tang-dynasty appendix), aloe (new appendix in this book), mǎxiānhāo, yanhusuo (new appendix in this book), nutmeg (new appendix in this book), buguzhi (new appendix in this book), linglingxiang (new appendix in this book), suoshami (new appendix in this book), peng’ezhu (the “e” in “ezhu” is pronounced “lü”; new appendix in this book), jixuecao, baiqian, jini, baiyao (Tang-dynasty appendix), hongcao, shacao, bichengqie (new appendix in this book), huhuanglian (new appendix in this book), chuanditai (newly added medicinal substance), hongdoukou (new appendix in this book), shiluo (new appendix in this book), ainaxiang (new appendix in this book), gansongxiang (new appendix in this book), yuanyi (moss growing on walls; added in a later supplement), zhili (pronounced “li”), fukui (Tang-dynasty appendix), nüyuan, wangsun, tumajun (newly revised medicinal substance), shuyangquan, tukui (Tang-dynasty appendix), xiecao (Tang-dynasty appendix), lichang (Tang-dynasty appendix), juechuang, moss and duckweed from wells (listed under the “blue” entry), maoxiang flowers (the flowers of baimaoxiang; added in a later supplement), malan (newly added, listed under the “shanlan” entry), dried moss (newly added), baimailin (Tang-dynasty appendix), baidoukou (new appendix in this book), disun (newly added), kelp (newly revised medicinal substance), tuode flowers (new appendix in this book), jiancaoyuan (originally listed under the “baiyao” entry; now given its own entry in this book), and shijunzi (new appendix in this book).

Also listed are ten medicinal substances from Chen Cangqi’s supplementary notes, including diemi, giyugang, and old foot-binding cloth, among others.

Medicinal plants collected from the river include reed lice, jian grass, hánshēng grass, rabbit-liver grass, stone rush, silkworm-steel grass, and horsetail, among others.

Jiangjiang (a pungent aromatic plant whose fruit or leaves are commonly eaten and used medicinally): Pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats rebellious Qi, coldness in the stomach and abdomen, and accumulations of phlegm. It is produced in Ba and Shu.

The Tang Bencao annotation says: The jiangjiang mentioned in the “Rhapsody on the Shu Capital” as “sending its flavor to Panyu” is a climbing plant. Its leaves resemble those of the snake gourd but are thicker and larger. It has a pungent aroma, and its fruit resembles a mulberry, with black skin and white flesh. People from the Western Regions sometimes bring jiangjiang as well; theirs is small and intensely pungent. Some believe there are two kinds. People in the areas around Jiaozhou and Aizhou say that jiangjiang is a climbing plant commonly grown in local households. When its fruit matures, it is called “miao,” and its vine is called “fuliu vine.” Its leaves are picked and chewed with betel nut; the taste is pungent and aromatic. There is also bibo, which grows in clumps and bears small fruit. It is more pungent than jiangjiang, and this account is likely reliable. Today jiangjiang is also produced in places such as Yuzhou and Luzhou. The Tang Bencao annotation was the first to record this account.

The Illustrated Classic says: Jiangjiang is produced in Ba and Shu, and today it is also found in Kuizhou and Lingnan. In the past, Emperor Wu of Han sent Tang Meng on a mission to persuade Nanyue to submit. The people of Nanyue treated Tang Meng with jiangjiang. When he asked where it came from, they replied that the Qiongke River lay several li wide to the northwest, and that jiangjiang was transported from there to the city of Panyu. Emperor Wu was deeply moved when he heard this, and consequently opened roads leading to Qiongke and Yuexi.

Liu Yuanlin’s commentary on the “Rhapsody on the Shu Capital” says that jiangjiang grows along trees. Its fruit resembles a mulberry; when ripe, it is green, two or three inches long, and eaten after being preserved in honey. Its pungent aroma can harmonize the Five Viscera. The account recorded today says that jiangjiang is a climbing plant whose leaves resemble those of the snake gourd but are thicker and larger. Its fruit has black skin and white flesh; its vine is called fuliu vine, and its leaves are picked and chewed with betel nut for their pungent aroma. The two accounts are broadly similar, differing only in a few details. Liu Yuanlin’s account likely describes the variety from Shu, while the account current today reflects what is known in the Hainan region. People now value bibo and do not particularly esteem jiangjiang, so few use it.

The Marine Materia Medica says: According to the Guangzhou Record, Persia produces a fruit called wenshi, shaped like a mulberry. The purple-brown kind is best; the black kind is overripe and unsuitable. Qianzhong also produces something similar in shape and flavor. It treats coughing, rebellious Qi, intestinal pain caused by worms, weak digestion with diarrhea, and vomiting during cholera; it can also counteract alcohol. Recently, most of what has been seen is black, while the purple-brown kind is rare.

Lei Gong says: After harvesting jiangjiang, first scrape off the coarse outer skin with a knife, then crush it and mix it with freshly extracted ginger juice. Steam it for one day, remove it, and dry it in the sun.

Processing method: Take five liang of the medicinal material, mix it with five liang of fresh ginger juice, and steam it. After steaming, let it dry.

The Dietary Therapy says this medicine is warm in nature. It can disperse bound Qi and eliminate harmful Qi in the region between the heart and abdomen. It is also called “earth.”

Bibo (a medicinal plant) grows in Lingnan and is especially effective for disorders involving stomach Qi. It is also found in the Bashu region.

The Essential Techniques for the People’s Welfare says that the seeds of ju (a plant) can bring Qi downward and aid digestion.

The seeds of luomo are sweet and pungent, warm in nature, and non-toxic. They mainly treat debility from deficiency. Its leaves can also be eaten and have the same effects as the seeds. Lu Ji says that luomo is also called wanlan, and that people in Youzhou call it quepiao.

The Tang Materia Medica notes that quepiao is another name for nüqing. Their leaves are much alike, so quepiao is also used as a name because its leaves resemble those of nüqing. However, under luomo, Chen Cangqi’s Materia Medica says that luomo’s white sap can be used for spider or silkworm bites: break off the plant, apply the sap to the wound, and it will also rot silk thread. Luomo is nourishing when cooked and eaten. Tao Hongjing records under gouqi that baihuanteng, used as a poultice for swellings, grows among fences and releases white sap when broken; it is also called quepiao. Here, though, quepiao is said to be nüqing, which is ultimately not baihuanteng. The two plants are similar and difficult to distinguish, so the Tang Materia Medica first appended this passage here.

Su Yuxi and others cite the Erya: “Guan is wanlan.” The commentary takes this to mean that guan is also called wanlan. Guo Pu says that guanwan is a climbing plant that releases white sap when broken and can be eaten. Judging from this passage, “guanwan” seems to be the plant’s name, while “lan” may have been mistakenly added during transmission.

The Waitai Secret Essentials records a treatment for vitiligo: apply the white sap of luomo to the affected area, rubbing until the skin breaks. Repeat this three times and it will heal.

The Meishi Prescriptions records a treatment for erysipelas: if the toxin spreads over the whole body and the redness and swelling are unbearable, pound luomo and squeeze out its juice, then apply it to the affected area. Alternatively, pound the plant and apply it directly; the swelling is said to subside quickly.

Qingdai is salty, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats poisoning from various medicines, several kinds of childhood heat disorders, convulsions, fever, and headaches with chills and fever caused by seasonal illnesses. It can be ground with water and taken, or ground into powder and applied to hot sores, malignant swellings, bleeding wounds, and injuries caused by the venom of snakes, dogs, and other creatures. Qingdai came from Persia. The scum that forms on dye vats in Taiyuan, Luling, Nankang, and other places can also be applied to treat toxic swellings and bites from snakes and insects. The purplish-green scum on the surface of a dye vat can be used; its effects are the same as qingdai’s. This material was added in later editions.

Su Yuxi and others cite the Treatise on Medicinal Properties: qingdai is sweet and neutral in nature. It can relieve childhood heat disorders caused by malnutrition, improve wasting, and kill the worms associated with these disorders.

Chen Cangqi says that qingdai can be mixed with egg white and rhubarb and applied to boils, carbuncles, and injuries caused by snake or insect venom.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says that the relevant information is under the entry “Isatis Root.”

Palace Qi Formula: For childhood malnutrition with dysentery, emaciation, and brittle, scorched hair

The verse says: A child’s various illnesses may gradually develop into malnutrition, whether the child was originally strong or thin, and whether a boy or a girl. When the condition worsens, many unusual changes appear beside the spine. The child also becomes drowsy and weak, as though suffering from wasting disease.

Another verse says: The child is feverish and agitated, with brittle, scorched hair, a dry nose and lips, parched skin, and weak limbs. The child often has diarrhea, with stools of red, yellow, green, or white. The eyes are dry and gritty, the face is sallow, the nostrils are red, and the anus is open; the child has no appetite. A sudden bout of diarrhea may bring out stool containing clumps like compacted accumulations from malnutrition, along with thick, clotted mucus. The child’s lips crack, and the child vomits, cannot nurse or eat, has a high fever alternating with chills, and cannot lie still. When the illness is in the abdomen, medicine should be used to treat it. Why rely only on prayers and belief in spirits? This is Qingdai Powder. It can be used for many childhood illnesses, and its effects can be seen after taking it.

Chu Yushi’s Formula: For injury from various toxic worms

Grind equal parts Qingdai and realgar into a fine powder. Mix two qian and seven fen with freshly drawn well water and take it.

The Taiping Guangji says that Qingdai can kill poisonous worms, causing their bodies to dissolve into water.

Mei Master’s Formula: For smallpox-like sores from cold damage that have not yet formed pus

Take an amount of Persian Qingdai about the size of a large date. Grind it with cold water and take it.

Extended Discussion

Qingdai is made from the indigo plant. A woman once developed moist sores covering the area below her navel, across her abdomen, and between her two private parts, front and back. The sores resembled horse-claw sores and appeared nowhere else. They were hot, itchy, and painful; urination and bowel movements were difficult, and yellow fluid seeped from the sores. Her appetite diminished, and her body and face became swollen. The physician treated them as malignant sores, applying medicines such as eel, pine resin, and red lead. This made the sores even hotter and more painful, showing that the treatment was wrong.

On questioning her, they learned that the woman loved wine and overeating, and enjoyed fish, crabs, and other foods believed to provoke Wind. She was promptly told to wash with warm water and wipe away the ointment already applied. Then four liang of purslane were crushed and ground finely, one liang of Qingdai was added, and the mixture was ground evenly and applied to the painful sores. The heat eased immediately, and the pain and itching disappeared. At the same time, she was told to take Eight Rectifications Powder three times a day, a formula that clears heat and promotes urination, to disperse the accumulated pathogenic heat within the body. Each time the medicine was applied, fresh medicine was put on after the previous layer had dried. After two days of treatment, her condition had improved by one-third; after five days, by two-thirds; and after another twenty days, she had recovered.

After she recovered, they asked what had caused the illness. The reply was: “It was caused by Wind-Heat toxins accumulating in the middle and lower burners, the middle and lower parts of the body. If they are not allowed to discharge, they may develop into an intestinal abscess or internal hemorrhoids. She must also continue to abstain from wine and avoid foods that can trigger the illness…” The original text ends here unfinished.

Though the scenery is lovely, one cannot give up drinking; the lingering consequence of drinking is internal hemorrhoids.

Turmeric Root (Yujin)

Yujin is pungent and bitter in flavor, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It is used to treat accumulated blood and rebellious Qi. It can promote muscle growth and stop bleeding, and it is also used to disperse blood stasis and treat bloody painful urination, blood in the urine, and metal-inflicted wounds such as those caused by swords or knives.

The Tang Bencao says: Yujin’s shoots resemble those of turmeric. Its flowers are white with red centers. In late autumn, the flower stalk emerges from the middle of the leaves, but it bears no fruit. The root is yellowish red. Take the small roots growing around it, peel them, and dry them over a fire. Yujin grows in Shu and the western frontier regions. The Hu people use it to treat horses. It can break up blood and also has a tonic effect. The Hu people call it “Ma Shu.” Yujin from Lingnan bears fruit resembling small cardamom, but it cannot be eaten. The Tang Bencao was the first text to add it here.

After consulting the Yaoxing Lun, Yuxi and others say: Yujin can also be used on its own to treat women’s longstanding blood stasis, heart pain, and disorders caused by cold Qi congealing. Grind it with warm vinegar and take it. Horses eat this medicine too, to treat abdominal distension and pain.

The Tujing says: Yujin is not recorded in the Bencao Jing. Su Gong added information about where it grows: in Shu and the western frontier regions, where the Hu people call it “Ma Shu.” Today it is also produced in prefectures around Guangnan and Jiangxi, though it is inferior to the kind from Shu. Its shoots emerge in early spring, resembling turmeric. The flowers are white with red centers. In late autumn, the flower stalk emerges from the middle of the leaves, but bears no fruit. The root is yellowish red. Take the small roots growing around it, peel them, and dry them. Ancient prescriptions rarely used Yujin; today it is used more often in pediatric and veterinary prescriptions.

On closer examination, the Shuowen Jiezi says: “‘Yu’ is a fragrant herb. Ten leaves braided together make one bundle; one hundred and twenty bundles, packed tightly and boiled, make ‘yu.’” The name of today’s Yulin Commandery is also connected with this. In the middle-grade section on trees in the Bencao, there is a separate entry for “Yujinxiang,” said to grow in the land of Daqin and to flower in the second or third month. Its flowers resemble those of safflower, and the plant itself is fragrant. Chen says it is “the finest of all herbs.” Since it is called “the finest of all herbs,” it should belong among the herbs, yet it shares its name with this Yujin and is listed among the trees—a misclassification. People today no longer use it, and no one has examined the distinction, so it is mentioned here only in passing.

Verified prescription: for blood in the urine

Take one liang of Yujin and pound it into powder. Mix it with a handful of white scallion stalks, add one cup of water, and decoct until reduced to three he (an ancient measure). Strain out the dregs and drink while warm. Take it three times a day.

Later verified prescription: for wind-phlegm

Grind one fen of Yujin and ten fen of Veratrum separately into powder, then mix them together. Take one zi (an ancient unit of measure) at a time with one cup of warm rice-water: first use a little of the rice-water to mix and take the powder, then use the remaining rice-water to rinse the mouth and swallow it as well. Immediately afterward, eat something to settle the medicine.

The prescriptions above are methods recorded in classical texts. The meaning of the original sentence, “Though the scenery is lovely, one cannot give up drinking; the consequence is internal hemorrhoids,” is incomplete, and it may contain missing or corrupted characters.

Sun Yonghe’s treatment for “Yang toxin entering the Stomach,” with frequent bloody stools and unbearable pain:

Take five large pieces of turmeric root and one piece of bezoar, about the size of a Chinese honey-locust seed. Grind them separately into fine powder, then combine them. For each dose, take one cup of vinegar-added jiang water and boil it with the medicine until it has boiled three times. Drink it warm.

The Mirror Source of the Elixir Chamber says: “Ash can be used to form grains of sand.”

The Shuowen says: “Yujin is an aromatic plant. Ten leaves are woven into one bundle, and one hundred and twenty bundles are tied together and boiled to make chang wine, called ‘yuchang.’” Yuchang is wine brewed from the flowers of fragrant plants, which distant lands would send as tribute. In the Zhou dynasty, people combined the fragrant plants brought as tribute with wine and used it in sacrifices to summon the spirits.

The Extended Meaning of the Materia Medica says: Yujin itself is not fragrant. Today people use it to dye women’s clothing, producing a particularly vivid color. Dyed garments, however, do not withstand sunlight: after exposure, they retain only a faint scent of yujin.

Aloe

Aloe is bitter in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats distress and agitation caused by heat and hot energy in the chest and diaphragm; it can also brighten the eyes and calm the heart. It treats childhood epilepsy, convulsions, and the Five Forms of Childhood Malnutrition, kills the Three Worms, and is used for hemorrhoids and fistulas. It also counteracts the poison of croton seeds. It is also called nehui or nuhui, and commonly known as “elephant gall” because its taste is as bitter as bile. Aloe comes from Persia and looks like black lead. (Added here.)

Yuxi and others, after consulting the Treatise on the Nature of Medicines, say: Aloe can also be used on its own to kill malnutrition-causing roundworms in children’s intestines. It can be blown into the nose to kill the worms associated with cranial malnutrition and relieve nasal itching. The Southern Seas Materia Medica says it is tree resin. The Materia Medica did not investigate it carefully and therefore called it “elephant gall,” which is quite wrong. Aloe can also treat various heat disorders in children.

The Illustrated Classic says: Aloe comes from Persia, and today imported supplies are found only in Guangzhou. Aloe trees grow in the wild hills and fields; their resin drips and hardens, and can be collected at any time of year. It is commonly called “elephant gall” only because its taste is as bitter as bile.

Aloe can treat damp itching, where scratching causes yellow fluid to ooze out. Liu Yuxi recorded this prescription: “When I was young, I once had ringworm. It first appeared around my neck, then spread above my left ear and became a weeping sore. I tried medicines such as cantharides, dog gall, and peach root; they caused only burning pain, and the sore grew worse. Later, I happened to meet a medicine seller from Chuzhou, who taught me to use one liang of aloe and half a liang of roasted licorice root, grind them into powder, and mix them well. First wash the ringworm with warm jiang water, then dry it with an old piece of cloth, and apply the mixed powder. The powder dried quickly, and the ringworm soon healed. It was remarkably effective. This prescription can also treat tooth ailments…” Cui Yuanliang recorded:

The Hai Shang Fang records: Take four liang of aloe vera and pound it into a fine powder. First rub the teeth clean with salt, then apply a small amount of the powder to them. It works very well.

Lei Gong says: When using elephant gall, do not use gall that has been mixed with other kinds. Once dried, genuine elephant gall has markings on its surface like green bamboo. It is smooth and fine in texture, with a faintly sweet taste. Do not pound it together with the other medicines right away. First pound it separately into powder; after the other ingredients have all been ground, add it to the medicine. This medicine is obtained by Hu hunters who kill white elephants, remove their gallbladders, dry them in the sun, and bring them into the Central Plains.

Ma Xian Hao tastes bitter, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats alternating chills and fever, ghost invasion (a kind of illness that the ancients attributed to contagion or spirit possession), wind-stroke, and damp impediment (numbness and pain in the limbs caused by dampness), as well as vaginal discharge and infertility in women. It is also called Ma Shi Hao and grows in the river valleys and wetlands of Nanyang.

Tao Yinju says: Some formularies call it “Lan Shi Cao” and use it to treat severe sores. However, it is no longer used in prescriptions today.

The Tang Bencao says: The leaves of this herb are as large as those of Chong Wei (motherwort). Its flowers are red or white, and its fruit ripens in the eighth or ninth month. Among the people it is called “Hu Ma,” and it is also known as “Ma Xin Hao”; it is found everywhere. It resembles young Chong Wei, but Chong Wei is shorter, and its seeds ripen in summer.

Another commentary says: This herb can be found nearby in many regions. Gather its stems and leaves in the third or eighth month, then dry them in the shade for later use.

Yu Xi and others cite the Erya: “‘Wei’ is male hao, which bears no seeds.” It also says that “Wei” is called “Mu Qin.” In the line “It is not e, but wei” from the “Liao E” in the Book of Songs, Lu Ji explains that wei here means Mu Hao. It begins to grow in the third month and flowers in the seventh. Its leaves resemble sesame leaves, and its flowers are purplish red. In the eighth month it bears pods shaped like small bean pods, pointed and long. It is also called Ma Xin Hao.

The Tujing says: For related information, see the entry on “Bai Hao” in volume seven.

The Shenghui Fang gives a treatment for severe leprosy, an ancient term for a serious form of the disease, with symptoms including rotting flesh and bone, aching joints, loss of eyebrows and sideburns, and mild itching and pain throughout the body. Chop Ma Xian Hao, stir-fry it, then grind it into a fine powder. Take three qian and seven fen on an empty stomach each day and before dinner, mixed with warm wine.

The Waitai Miyao records a prescription for leprosy: Ma Xian Hao, also called Ma Shi Hao, is pounded into a fine powder. Take one square-inch spoonful each time, three times a day. If the affected area becomes red and swollen again, continue taking it for a year, and the illness will be cured.

Yan Hu Suo tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats blood stasis and various blood-related disorders after childbirth. It can also be used for irregular menstruation, abdominal masses, uterine bleeding (heavy or persistent bleeding outside the menstrual period), dizziness after childbirth due to blood loss, sudden illness caused by Qi and blood surging upward, and bleeding from injuries. It may be ground with wine or boiled before taking…

Corydalis grows in the country of Xi. Its roots resemble those of pinellia and are yellowish.

Ri Huazi says that corydalis dispels wind, regulates Qi, and warms the lower back and knees. It also disperses abdominal masses and treats blood stasis caused by falls and blows, as well as sudden lower back pain. It can, however, also cause miscarriage. The Hai Yao says that it comes from the country of Xi and was brought here by way of the Andong Circuit. It tastes bitter and sweet and is nontoxic. It regulates Kidney Qi and disperses stagnant blood caused by the incomplete discharge of lochia after childbirth, as well as what was called “child’s pillow”—a traditional term for abdominal blood stasis and masses after childbirth. Prepared as a powder with sparganium, turtle shell, and rhubarb, it can disperse stasis and unblock the channels and collaterals. Powder formed when the herb is worm-eaten can also be used medicinally. Corydalis is especially suited to postpartum disorders.

The Shenghui Formula records: When postpartum lochia does not fully discharge and the abdomen feels distended, take corydalis powder, mix one qian with wine, and drink it; this can relieve the symptoms.

Another formula is for persistent pain in the sinews and bones after a fall from a cart or horse. Take one liang of corydalis, crush and sift it into powder, and take two qian mixed with “bean-leaching wine” at any time.

The Shengjin Formula records: To treat “membrane-and-flesh Qi” and Qi masses, grind an appropriate amount of corydalis into powder. Cut a pig’s pancreas into pieces and roast them until cooked; dip the pieces in the powder and eat.

The Book of Childbirth records: For postpartum agitation of the heart, heat in the hands and feet, and near-exhaustion, or for blood fainting, a hard sensation in the pit of the stomach, and persistent alternating chills and fever, stir-fry corydalis and grind it into powder. Mix one qian and seven fen with wine and drink it.

The Preface to Collected Remnants says that corydalis stops heart pain and should be taken with wine.

Nutmeg tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is nontoxic. It treats “ghost Qi” (an old term for certain sudden illnesses), cold in the middle burner, abdominal pain and distension caused by accumulated cold, cholera, “attack by malign influences,” cold zhu (a chronic illness thought to be caused by cold Yin forces), vomiting of frothy saliva, and cold Qi. It also aids digestion, stops diarrhea, and is used for infants’ regurgitation of milk and abdominal pain. It is small and round, with a tight, thin, purple outer skin and pungent flesh inside. It comes from the country of Hu. The Hu people call it “jiajule.”

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says that nutmeg tastes bitter and pungent. It can be used for children’s retching and vomiting, inability to suckle, abdominal pain, undigested food stagnation, and accumulated phlegm-fluid.

Ri Huazi says that it regulates the middle burner, moves Qi, stops diarrhea and dysentery, and stimulates the appetite and digestion. The outer net-like covering moves Qi, counteracts alcohol toxicity, and can also be used for cholera. Its flavor is prized, and its medicinal action is distinctive.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says that nutmeg comes from the country of Hu and is now cultivated only in households in Lingnan. Its shoots emerge in spring. The flowers and fruit resemble cardamom, but the fruit is rounder and smaller, with a tight, thin, purple outer skin and pungent flesh inside. It is harvested in the sixth and seventh months.

The Continued Transmission of Verified Prescriptions records a method for treating spleen diarrhea, Qi dysentery, and similar disorders: Take two nutmegs, mix flour with rice vinegar to make a paste, and wrap them in it. Place them on…

Burn the medicinal substance in ash until it turns yellow and scorched, then mix it with flour and grind it into a fine powder. Separately, take one liang of powdered tangzi (an ancient medicinal name), which has been stir-fried, and mix it in. Next, stir-fry aged granary rice until scorched and grind it into a fine powder. For each dose, take two qian and simmer them into a drink; mix in the two medicinal powders prepared earlier. Take once in the morning and once in the evening, and the illness will be cured.

Chen Cangqi says: This medicine is brought here by large ships; it is not found locally in China.

The Haiyao says: According to the Guangzhi, it grows in Qin and around Kunlun. It tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats intestinal pain caused by worms, deficiency and cold in the Spleen and Stomach, weak diarrhea with alternating cold and heat, and red-and-white dysentery. For dysentery, it works well taken with a decoction of white rice porridge; for cholera with rebellious Qi, it is better taken with ginger decoction.

Lei Gong says: In processing it, use glutinous rice flour, kneaded with hot water, to wrap the cardamom. Place it in the hot ashes left after a fire and roast it. When the rice dough is scorched yellow and thoroughly cooked, take it out, remove the dough, and use the cardamom inside. Do not let it come into contact with copper utensils.

The Shenghui Fang records: To treat cold dysentery, abdominal pain, and inability to eat, take one liang of nutmeg, remove the skin, wrap it in flour mixed with vinegar, and roast it until the dough is cooked. Then pound it into a powder. Take one qian and seven fen at any time, with rice porridge liquid.

The Yanyi says: Here, nutmeg is being discussed in contrast with tsaoko cardamom. Remove the shell and use only the kernel inside; the best is oily and yellowish in color. Dry, white, bland-tasting, small, and hollow specimens are inferior. It can also help move Qi. Taken in excess, it disperses Qi; taken in a suitable amount, it harmonizes the movement of Qi.

Psoralea fruit

Psoralea fruit tastes pungent, is greatly warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats the five forms of taxation illness and seven injuries, wind deficiency and cold, damage to the bone marrow, coldness of the Kidneys and leakage of seminal fluid, as well as women’s blood and Qi disorders and miscarriage. It is also called po gu zhi. It grows in the prefectures of Guangnan and in Persia. The plant is three or four chi tall, with small leaves resembling mint leaves. Imported specimens are of the finest quality. (Appended in the present edition.)

Yuxi and others cite the Yaoxing Lun: Po gu zhi, also called po gu zhi, tastes bitter and pungent. It treats men’s lower back pain, cold knees, and dampness of the scrotum; dispels various forms of cold impediment caused by cold pathogen, with numbness and pain; and stops frequent urination and cold pain in the abdomen.

The Rihuazi says: It can support sexual vigor, treat cold taxation illness, and sharpen hearing and eyesight. Those from the Southern Regions are reddish; those from Guangnan are greenish. For medicinal use, stir-fry lightly. It is also called hu jiu zi.

The Tujing says: Psoralea fruit grows in the prefectures of Guangnan and in Persia. It is now found widely in the mountain regions beyond the Lingnan ranges, but is inferior in quality to imported specimens. The stem is three or four chi tall, the leaves resemble mint, the flowers are faintly purple, and the fruit resembles round hemp seeds …

The medicinal material is flat and blackish in color, and is harvested in the ninth month. Some say it is the same as hu jiu. Today, people often take it together with walnuts.

This method of preparation comes from an account by Chancellor Zheng of the Tang dynasty (a certain Zheng, who once served as military commissioner of Nanhai). He wrote: “When I held office in Nanhai, I was already seventy-five years old. The Yue region is low-lying and damp, and I was injured both inside and out. Many illnesses struck at once, and my Yang energy was exhausted. I tried many tonics, including preparations made from mineral substances, but none worked. In the seventh year of the Yuanhe era, Li Mohe, a shipmaster from the country of Heling, learned of my illness and gave me this prescription and the medicinal material. At first I was doubtful and did not take it. But Li Mohe bowed repeatedly and urged me with such earnestness that I finally tried it. After seven or eight days, I felt that it was taking effect. I continued taking it from then on, and it proved remarkably effective. In the second month of the tenth year of Yuanhe, I left office and returned to the capital. I recorded this prescription to pass it on to later generations.”

For the prescription, take ten liang of psoralea fruit (buguzhi). Carefully sort it, remove the husks, wash it, pound it, and sift it into a fine powder. Separately, take twenty liang of walnut kernels, soak them in hot water, remove the skins, and grind them finely into a paste. Mix the walnut paste with the medicinal powder, then add good-quality honey and stir until the mixture resembles malt syrup. Store it in a porcelain container. Each morning, take one spoonful and mix it with two he of warm wine, then eat a meal to wash it down. Those who do not drink alcohol may use warm water instead. It is said that the longer one takes it, the more it promotes longevity, boosts Qi, lifts the spirits, brightens the eyes, and strengthens the sinews and bones. While taking it, avoid rapeseed greens and sheep’s blood, so as not to suffer adverse effects.

This medicinal material originally came from overseas, brought by sea traders; it was not native to the Central Plains. Foreigners called it “buguchi,” but the pronunciation was later corrupted into “pogu zhi.” The Xu Chuanxin Fang records this account in some detail, so it is included here as well.

The Haiyao says that this medicine is incompatible with licorice and should not be used together with it.

Lei Gong says that the medicine is naturally very drying and also toxic. Before use, soak it in wine overnight. Take it out and then soak it in running water from the east for three days and three nights. Next, steam it from the Si hour until the Shen hour, remove it, and dry it in the sun for later use.

The Jingyan Houfang says it is highly effective for treating lower back pain: grind the psoralea fruit into a fine powder and take three qian and seven fen at a time with warm wine.

Another prescription is used to treat the five taxations and seven injuries in men and women, chronic cold and deficiency in the lower region of the body, including the kidneys, disorders of the beard and hair, various wind disorders, and pain in the limbs. It is also said to preserve one’s youthful appearance and strengthen one’s vital energy. Take one jin of psoralea fruit, soak it in wine overnight, and let it dry. Then take one sheng of black sesame seeds and stir-fry them with the psoralea fruit until the sesame seeds stop crackling. Sift out the sesame seeds and keep only the psoralea fruit. Grind it into powder, then use vinegar-cooked flour paste to form pills the size of parasol-tree seeds. Each morning, take twenty pills with warm wine or salted water.

Lingling xi.

Lingling Fragrance (also called Xuncao or Huicao) tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is nontoxic. It treats pain and fullness in the chest and abdomen caused by foul, turbid Qi, promotes the downward movement of Qi, and can also impart fragrance to the body. It may be combined with other aromatics to make a decoction or pills, and is more effective when taken with wine. Lingling Fragrance grows in the valleys around Lingling, and its leaves resemble basil. A gazetteer of the Nanyue region calls it “Yancao,” also known as “Xuncao,” meaning fragrant herb. The Classic of Mountains and Seas says that Xuncao has leaves like hemp, square stems, and a scent like Miwu, and that it can ward off epidemics. This refers to Lingling Fragrance.

Yu Xili and others cite Chen Cangqi as saying that Xuncao clears the eyes, stops tearing, treats seminal emissions, removes unpleasant odors, and can also be used for headaches caused by cold damage. It is also called Huicao. It grows in low, damp places and is gathered in the third month, then dried in the shade; specimens whose joints have fallen away are considered best. Xuncao is Huicao: its leaves resemble hemp leaves and grow in opposite pairs. It is also Lingling Fragrance.

According to Rihua Zi, Lingling Fragrance treats impaired circulation of blood and Qi and abdominal distention; it may be decocted in wine and taken.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica records that Lingling Fragrance grows in the valleys of the Lingling mountains, and is now also found in the prefectures of the lake and ridge regions, usually in low, damp places. Its leaves resemble hemp leaves and grow in opposite pairs; its stems are square, and its scent resembles Miwu. It generally flowers in the middle of the seventh month and has a strong fragrance. Some identify it as the Xuncao mentioned in ancient books; others call it Huicao. One account says that the stems and leaves are called “Hui,” while the root is called “Xun.” It is gathered in the third month, and specimens whose joints have fallen away are considered best. Today, in Lingnan, it is usually dried after harvesting in a kiln heated with charcoal until it turns yellow; this is considered the best method. Wild plants also grow around the Jiang and Huai regions and can be used to make incense, but their scent is not as strong as that of plants from the lake and ridge regions. Ancient prescriptions used only the name Xuncao, not “Lingling Fragrance.” Today it is used to make incense, face oil, and zao dou—a powder once used for washing the hands and face. It is sold in large quantities in the capital’s markets.

The Tang Bencao says that Lingling Fragrance grows in the mountains near water and can be combined with other aromatics. It may also be decocted into a drink, and is suitable for placing among clothes as a fragrance.

The Haiyao records that, according to research, the Classic of Mountains and Seas says it grows in the valleys of the southern Guang region. Chen Cangqi holds that it was named for its place of origin, Lingling. It tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is nontoxic. It treats pathogenic wind attacking the heart, swollen and painful gums, consumptive weakness, and gan erosion—a chronic condition attributed to weakness or stagnation. For toothache, decoct the herb and rinse the mouth with the liquid; this is quite effective. It works even better when combined with Shengma and Xixin, but should not be taken in large quantities, as it may cause shortness of breath.

The Yanyi says that Lingling Fragrance retains its scent even after drying and is well suited for medicinal use. Women soak it in oil to condition their hair, giving it a particularly pleasing fragrance. It is Huicao. The final words, “Suosha honey,” appear to be the name of the next medicinal entry.

Sha Ren (also called Sha Ren kernel, the fruit of a plant in the ginger family) tastes pungent and is warm in nature, with no toxicity. It is used chiefly for debility, cold-type diarrhea, undigested food accumulation, red and white dysentery, and pain caused by deficiency and cold in the abdomen. It also promotes the movement of Qi. It grows in the south, and the plant resembles galangal. Its fruit looks like white cardamom, with a thick, tightly closed, wrinkled yellow-red shell. It is usually gathered in the eighth month.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says that Sha Ren is a potent medicinal. It comes from the Kingdom of Persia and tastes bitter and pungent. It can treat abdominal pain caused by cold, recurrent dysentery, and overexertion. It also aids the digestion of food and drink, warms the Spleen and Stomach, and treats persistent diarrhea caused by cold and weakness, as well as weakness and emaciation.

The Formulary records: Dry Sha Ren by stir-frying and grind it into powder. Slice sheep’s liver thinly, sprinkle each slice with the powder, and dry the slices by heating them on a roof tile. Grind them into a fine powder, add powdered dried ginger, and form pills with cooked rice. Take fifty pills twice a day. Another formula calls for equal amounts of prepared aconite, dried ginger, magnolia bark, and aged tangerine peel, ground into powder and made into pills. Take forty pills twice a day.

Chen Cangqi says that Sha Ren tastes sour and treats Qi rising counterflow, coughing, running-piglet disorder (a sensation of Qi surging upward from the lower abdomen), ghost influx (a category of illnesses once thought to be contagious or persistent and difficult to cure), convulsions, and pathogenic influences. Its appearance resembles white cardamom. Songyangzi says it is pungent and fragrant and can stop dysentery. According to Rihua, it treats various Qi disorders, cholera, cramping of the sinews, and pain in the chest and abdomen; it can also add fragrance to wine.

The Illustrated Materia Medica records that Sha Ren grows in the south and is now found only in the mountains and marshes of Lingnan. Its stems and leaves resemble those of galangal, and the plant grows three or four chi tall. The leaves are green, eight or nine cun long and about half a cun wide. It flowers in the third and fourth months, with flowers growing at the root. It bears fruit in the fifth and sixth months, with fifty to seventy fruits on each cluster; the fruits are shaped like Alpinia oxyphylla. The skin is thick, tightly closed, and wrinkled with patterns like millet grains; it has spines and is yellow-red. Inside the shell is a cluster of tiny seeds, about forty in number, roughly the size of broomcorn millet, and slightly black in color. The fruit is gathered in the seventh and eighth months.

The Marine Materia Medica says that, according to Chen’s account, Sha Ren comes from the countries of the Western Sea and the Western Regions. It tastes pungent, is neutral in nature, and also has a salty taste. It combines well with Terminalia chebula, soft-shelled turtle shell, cardamom, and white elm seeds. Much of the medicinal material is transported from Andong Circuit.

Sun Shangyao records a formula for fetal restlessness in pregnant women. When a pregnant woman suffers unbearable abdominal pain after being startled, falling, or being struck, take an appropriate amount of Sha Ren and stir-fry it in a warming pan over low heat. Remove the peel, pound the fruit, and sift it. Take two qian at a time, mixed with hot wine. The formula says that if, after a short while, warmth is felt where the fetus moves in the abdomen, this means the fetus has settled; it describes the method as “miraculously effective.”

The final term in the original, “Peng’e Shu,” is the name of the next medicinal entry.

Péng é shù, also called é zhú, is a ginger-family medicinal herb. It tastes bitter and pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used chiefly to treat pain in the chest and abdomen, sudden illness attributed to an attack by malign influences, disorders thought to be caused by ghostly interference, ghost qi, cholera, cold qi, and vomiting sour fluid. It also counteracts toxins and aids digestion. Ground with wine and taken, it can treat women’s blood-and-qi disorders and men’s bentun, a condition in which qi surges upward from the abdomen. The herb grows in the states of Xirong and Guangnan.

Its seed resembles a dried mulberry, and its leaves resemble ranghe, another ginger-family plant. É zhú grows beneath the root, often producing two kinds at once, one good and one bad. The bad kind is poisonous. People in Xirong first let sheep eat it; anything the sheep refuse is discarded. It is included here for reference.

Yu Xicheng and others examined Chen Cangqi’s account: the herb has several names. The black kind is called péng é, the yellow kind shù, and another kind is called bō shā. It tastes sweet and is highly poisonous.

The Treatise on Medicinal Properties says that péng é shù can also be used on its own. It treats women’s blood-and-qi disorders and heart pain, and disperses abdominal masses and cold qi. It is effective when ground with wine or vinegar and taken.

The Rihua Materia Medica says that used with wine or vinegar, the herb treats various qi disorders, stimulates the appetite, aids digestion, regulates menstruation, and disperses blood stasis. It can also relieve pain from falls and injuries, stop bleeding, and treat bad blood caused by internal injury. The medicinal material referred to here is the root of southern turmeric.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that péng é shù grows in the states of Xirong and Guangnan, and is now also found around Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Its shoots emerge in the third month, and it grows in fields. The stems are about as thick as a copper coin and two or three chi high. The leaves are bluish white, one or two chi long and about five cun wide, much like ranghe. It flowers in the fifth month, with yellow flower spikes tinged purple at the tips. The root resembles ginger, and é zhú grows beneath it. The growths are about the size of chicken or duck eggs, and vary in shape and size. They are dug up in the ninth month, stripped of their coarse skin, steamed, and dried in the sun for later use.

This herb is very hard and difficult to pound. To prepare it, roast it in hot ashes until thoroughly cooked, then pound it in a mortar while still hot; it will break down easily into powder. Ancient prescription books rarely used it. Physicians today commonly prescribe it for masses and various qi disorders, and consider it an important medicine. It works well with jing san leng and is also often used in gynecological prescriptions.

Lei Gong says that before use, the herb should be ground in a sand basin with vinegar until completely fine. Dry it beside a fire, then sieve it again before use.

The Complete Guide to Universal Relief records a remedy for qi disorders and pain in children: prepare péng é shù by roasting it, pound it into powder while hot, and take one large qian mixed with hot wine each time.

Sun Yonghe’s Zhengyuan Powder is used to treat interrupted breathing and shortness of breath, as well as uncontrolled bowel movements and frequent urination. Chancellor Wang took it and improved. One…

Take two Melia fruits and remove the seeds. Take one fen (an ancient unit of medicinal weight) of the herb and grind it together with the fruits into a fine powder. Add one qian (an ancient unit of medicinal weight) of borax, process it, then grind it finely again and mix well. Take two qian at a time, stirred into salted broth or warm wine, on an empty stomach.

Asiatic Pennywort

Asiatic pennywort tastes bitter, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat high fever, severe sores, carbuncles and deep abscesses (pus-filled swellings between the skin and flesh), spreading sores (skin lesions that spread), and symptoms such as reddened skin and bodily heat. It grows in the mountain valleys of Jingzhou.

Tao Yinju says that this herb is not used in formula books or materia medica texts, and suggests that its medicinal nature is probably cold.

The Tang Materia Medica Annotation says that its leaves are round like copper coins, and its stems are thin and tough. It trails along the banks of streams. Pounded and applied to hot swellings and erysipelas (conditions involving red, swollen, hot skin), it is not used as an internal medicine. People in the Jing-Chu region call it “ground-coin herb” because its leaves resemble copper coins. Xu Yi’s Illustrated Materia Medica calls it “linked-coin herb.” The plant is uncommon.

Chen Cangqi’s Materia Medica says that Asiatic pennywort treats sudden fever, erysipelas in children, alternating chills and fever, and heat that binds in the abdomen. It may be pounded, squeezed for its juice, and taken.

Another commentary says that this herb is now found in many regions and is also used medicinally. It grows in damp, shady places. The young shoots and leaves are gathered in the eighth or ninth month and dried in the shade for later use.

Yuxi and others cite the Treatise on the Nature of Medicines, which says that linked-coin herb may also be used on its own to treat scrofula (a condition involving tuberculous lymph nodes in the neck), fistulating sores, and intermittent chills and fever.

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says it tastes bitter and pungent. Rub it with salt and apply it externally to disperse swollen, toxic sores; it also treats wind rash, scabies, and ringworm.

The Illustrated Classic says that Asiatic pennywort grows in the mountain valleys of Jingzhou and is now found in many regions. Its leaves are round like copper coins, and its stems are thin and tough. It trails along the banks of streams. People in Chu call it “ground-coin herb,” while Xu Yi’s Illustrated Materia Medica calls it “linked-coin herb.” The young shoots and leaves are gathered in the eighth or ninth month, dried in the shade, and then used.

Duan Chengshi’s Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang says that ground-coin herb has round leaves, thin stems, and trailing vines. It is also called Asiatic pennywort or linked-coin herb.

According to the Tianbao Single-Ingredient Formulas, linked-coin herb tastes pungent, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It originally grew in low, damp ground around Xianyang, and also in ponds and marshes in Linzi and Jiyang. It has a very fragrant smell. Some people say its leaves are round like mint leaves. It is plentiful in the Jiangdong regions of Wu, Yue, and Danyang, where people often eat it as a leafy vegetable. People in Liucheng Commandery, Hebei, all call it “sea perilla.” It grows best near water and does not wither even in winter. It is also found in Xianyang and Luoyang, and has other names, including “foreign mint”; it can be found in all regions. Taken on its own, it treats lower abdominal pain in women. The text also says…

When a woman suddenly develops pain in the lower abdomen as her period begins, she may feel severe pain in her lower back that spreads to her spine, as though she were being cut with a knife or pierced with an awl. The pain is unbearable. Many doctors cannot identify its cause and say it is “ghost invasion” (a disease that people in ancient times believed was caused by malign spirits). They prescribe all sorts of medicines indiscriminately, but none has any effect; the condition instead grows worse.

Examine the symptoms carefully. If they do indeed match the description above, use this medicine. Gather the herb when it flowers in the fifth month of the lunar calendar. Dry it in the sun, then pound it and sift it to make a powder. A woman with the symptoms described should take two square-inch spoonfuls of the powder, mix it with two small measures of good vinegar, and drink it in one dose at dawn on an empty stomach. Take it once a day until the symptoms improve.

If the woman’s constitution tends toward coldness, take five liang of the herb described above and add two hundred peach kernels, with their tips and skins removed. Roast them, then pound everything into powder and form it with honey into pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Take twenty pills twice a day on an empty stomach, washed down with a drink or wine, until the illness is cured. Avoid hemp seeds and buckwheat.

Chen Cangqi says: In the east, people call this herb “Copper-Coin Herb.” It grows in shady places, spreading along the ground, and its leaves look like copper coins.

The Yanyi says: Centella grows widely in the south today. It thrives in damp, shady places and is not confined to the Jing-Chu region. It looks like a small water caltrop, with smooth, slightly pointed leaves. People now call it “Copper-Coin Herb,” probably because its leaves resemble copper coins. The flowers and leaves can be pounded separately and applied externally to various heat toxins and abscesses—red, swollen, pus-filled sores on the skin. Gather it after autumn, dry it in the shade, grind it into powder, mix it with water, and apply it externally.

Baijian

Baijian is slightly warm in nature (I, Yuxi, and others have carefully checked the sources and found that the Shuben Cao records it as slightly cold). It is non-toxic and treats rebellious Qi in the chest and flanks, coughing, and Qi surging upward.

Tao Hongjing says: This herb can be gathered nearby. It looks like a larger Asarum, is white, and breaks easily. It is chiefly used to treat wheezing and coughing, and many prescriptions include it.

The Tang Ben Zhu says: Baijian’s leaves resemble willow leaves and sometimes the shoots of Daphne genkwa. It grows about one chi tall and is found on sandbars in water or in sandy soil. Its roots are white and longer than those of Asarum. It tastes sweet. Local people often soak it in wine and take it to treat Qi surging upward. The herb is not produced nearby; locally it is commonly called “Stone Blue,” or “Cough Medicine.” The creeping variety used by some people today tastes bitter and is not true Baijian. Another commentary records that Baijian roots are gathered in the third and eighth months and dried in the sun; the roots resemble those of Achyranthes and Baiwei.

After consulting the Yaoxing Lun, Yuxi and the others say: Baijian tastes pungent and can also treat various Qi disorders.

The Rihuazi says: Baijian treats running-piglet Qi (a condition described in ancient texts as Qi surging upward from the lower abdomen), kidney Qi disorders, lung Qi disorders, tightness in the chest, and Qi surging upward.

The Illustrated Classic says that the earliest materia medica records of Baiqian do not specify which prefectures it comes from. Tao Hongjing says Baiqian grows not far from human settlements. Today it is found in the prefectures of Shu, Huai, and Zhe. Its shoots resemble those of Xixin, but are larger, pale in color, and easy to break. The leaves resemble either willow leaves or Yuanhua. The plant grows to about one chi tall and grows in sandy ground near water. Its roots are white, longer than Xixin, and resemble the medicinal plants Niuxi and Baiwei. In some places, a creeping plant called Baiqian is used, but it tastes bitter and is not the genuine Baiqian. The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months, then dried in the sun for use.

Shenshi records: For chronic coughing, Qi surging upward, bodily swelling, shortness of breath, and abdominal distension—when a person can only sit propped against a wall day and night, cannot lie down, and often makes a sound like a water hen calling—Baiqian Decoction may be used. The prescription calls for two liang of Baiqian, three liang each of Ziwan and washed Banxia, and seven he of Daji. Soak the four ingredients overnight in one dou of water. The next morning, boil them down to three sheng of liquid and take it in three doses. Avoid mutton and maltose while taking the medicine. It works very well.

The Tang Materia Medica says Baiqian is slightly cold in nature. It treats Qi surging upward and obstructing the throat, to the point that breathing is nearly cut off.

Lei Gong says that before using Baiqian, soak it in water steeped with raw licorice for a full day. Remove it, trim away the rootlets, and then dry it over a fire before using it as medicine.

The Mei’s Formulary records: For a long-standing cough accompanied by rattling sounds in the throat that prevent sleep, pound Baiqian into powder and take seven fen of it mixed with warm wine.

The Materia Medica Explained says Baiqian can settle Lung Qi and is commonly used to treat coughing. It is pale in color and longer than Xixin, but coarser and more brittle, unlike the flexible Xixin. It works better when combined with warm-natured medicines. The rest is the same as what is recorded in the Illustrated Classic.

Jini

Jini tastes sweet and is cold in nature. It treats poisoning from various substances.

Tao Hongjing says Jini’s roots and stems resemble those of ginseng, though its leaves are somewhat different. The root tastes very sweet and can neutralize poison: even if placed together with a poisonous substance, the poison will naturally lose its potency. However, formula specialists generally do not include it directly in prescriptions. According to annotations in another version, the root of Jini resembles Jiegeng and is characterized by being hollow inside. It is non-toxic. The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months, then dried in the sun for use.

Minister Yuxi and others cite the Erya: “‘Ni’ is the same as ‘Dini.’” Guo Pu’s commentary says that Dini is Jini.

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says Jini can neutralize Gu poison and can be used for snake and insect bites, heat-induced mania, warm diseases, and injuries caused by poisoned arrows. The term “an” means to cover or apply externally.

The Illustrated Classic says that the earliest materia medica records of Jini do not specify its place of origin. Today it is found in Sichuan, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. Its stems and roots emerge in spring, and the plant as a whole resembles ginseng, though its leaves are smaller and somewhat different.

Its roots resemble those of balloon flower, but lack a hard central core. They are especially abundant around Runzhou. Locals harvest them and eat them as a vegetable, or make them into a dried, meatlike preserve; the taste is very sweet. The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months and dried in the sun.

An old formula says that to counter poisoning from mineral medicines such as the Five Minerals Powder, one should eat plenty of fresh qini juice. The Xiaopin fang also says that to treat gu poison, pound the qini root into powder and swallow one square-inch measure with water. Recovery will come quickly.

The Shiliao says that when mineral elixir medicines cause a reaction, eating qini root is especially effective.

The Qianjin yi records that to treat ding swellings, a type of infected boil, take one he-measure of fresh qini root juice, strain out the pulp, and apply it to the affected area. It can be cured within three applications.

The Shiyi xinjing says that qini helps Qi flow through the lungs, harmonizes the spleen and stomach, improves eyesight, and relieves pain. It may be steamed and chopped to make soup or porridge, or eaten pickled.

The Jinkui yuhan fang says that the leaves of goudu (Gelsemium) resemble celery leaves, and eating them by mistake can be fatal. If this happens, boil eight liang of qini in six sheng of water until three sheng remain, then drink the liquid in two doses to counter the poison.

The Chaoye qianzai says that when wild boars are struck by poisoned arrows, they often eat large quantities of this plant to expel the poison.

The Bieshuo says that some people today steam and flatten qini to pass it off as ginseng. It is simply milder in flavor.

The Yanyi says that people in Shanzhou today gather qini and make it into a preserve using a special method. It tastes very sweet and is convenient to carry on long journeys. When the ancients said that qini resembles ginseng, they were referring to this plant. It is indeed very effective against medicinal poisons.

Baiyao

Baiyao is pungent and warm, and is non-toxic. It treats metal-inflicted wounds and promotes the growth of flesh. It grows in Yuanzhou.

The Tangben zhu says that baiyao sprouts in the third month, with leaves resembling endive. In the fourth month it sends up a red stem and bears white flowers; the root’s outer skin is yellow. The leaves fall in the eighth month, and the roots are gathered in the ninth month, when the branches have withered and broken, then dried in the sun. The Bieben zhu adds that baiyao can counter poisons from wild kudzu, native gold, and croton, among others. It can also be used for fractures caused by knives or axes: dry the herb in the sun, grind it to powder, and apply it to the affected area.

The Yaoxing lun says that baiyao may also be used on its own. It is bitter and treats heat, blockage, and difficulty swallowing in the throat, as well as tightness in the chest and chronic pain and swelling in the throat.

The Rihua zi says that baiyao is cold in nature. It transforms phlegm, relieves cough and thirst, and generates blood. It also treats throat obstruction and reduces toxic swellings. It further says that the root of jiancao is also called baiyao.

The Tujing says that baiyao grows in Yuanzhou, and is now also found in Kuizhou, Shizhou, Jiangxi, and Lingnan. It sprouts in the third month, with leaves resembling endive. In the fourth month the stem turns red and begins to climb, resembling a bottle gourd vine. It flowers white in the sixth month and bears fruit in the eighth, also called “gualou.”

In the ninth month, dig up the roots of baishaozi, wash them clean with water, chop them into pieces, and dry them in the sun. This is baishaozi. The baishaozi produced in Jiangxi has leaves like those of the Chinese tallow tree, a deciduous tree, and fruits like mung beans. By the eighth month, the fruits turn red. People in Shizhou, around present-day Enshi in Hubei, use the roots together with wild boar tail, washing both ingredients, removing their coarse skins, and roasting them dry. Take equal amounts, pound them together, and sift the powder. Mix it with wine and take one qian and seven fen each time, a little over one qian by present-day measure. It treats heart-Qi pain, meaning pain in the chest and upper abdomen, and clears heat toxins; it works very well. For sores, boils, and swellings with toxins that do not subside for a long time, pound fresh roots and apply them to the affected area, replacing the dressing when it dries. If fresh roots are unavailable, mix the powdered medicine with water and spread it on the area.

Cui Yuanliang’s Recipes from the Sea records a treatment for all epidemic diseases: grind baishaozi into a fine powder and take it frequently on an empty stomach with a large bowl of jiangshui, a sour liquid made by fermenting millet. Then lie on your back. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, you will feel agitated and unsettled in the chest, or nauseated; your abdomen may rumble as if a wheel were turning, and you may feel stabbing pain. Much later, you will vomit and have diarrhea several times. Do not be alarmed. Before taking the medicine, first cook a porridge with jiangshui, hang it in a well to cool, and keep it ready. If the vomiting and diarrhea become excessive, eat a bowl of the cold porridge to stop them. Without it, you will become very weak and exhausted.

The Tested Recipes of Later Times records its use to calm and protect a pregnancy: take any amount of baishaozi, grind it to a powder, and mix it with egg white. Spread the mixture on a paper flower about the size of a bowl’s rim, and apply it below the navel, over the position of the fetus. When it dries, moisten it with warm water.

The Discussion on the Meaning of Materia Medica says that baishaozi is now used to treat lung heat in horses, and is effective.

Hongcao, pronounced “hong,” tastes salty, is slightly cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats wasting thirst, a condition marked by excessive thirst and urination; it can clear heat, brighten the eyes, and boost Qi. It is also called hongxie, pronounced “xie.” It resembles mat-lip knotweed but grows taller. It grows by the water, and its fruits are gathered in the fifth month.

Tao Yinju, Tao Hongjing, says: There are many plants of this kind. The one now found in low, damp ground closely resembles mat-lip knotweed, but grows much taller. The Classic of Poetry says, “In the marsh grows youlong.” The commentary identifies hongcao as youlong, while Guo Jingchun, Guo Pu, says it is “longgu.” Another version of the commentary says this is water smartweed. Boiling it into a decoction for soaking and washing can treat beriberi.

Liu Yuxi and others note: The Erya says, “Hong is longgu; the larger kind is called kui.” In his commentary, Lu Ji says it is also called mat-lip knotweed; its leaves are large and reddish white, and it grows in marshes, reaching more than one zhang in height. Guo Pu says that hongcao is commonly called “longgu,” a name that arose through a change in pronunciation.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Hongcao is water smartweed. Earlier books do not specify which prefectures produce it, saying only that it grows by the water. Today it is found in low, damp places throughout the land. It resembles knotweed and grows tall.

Its leaves are large and reddish white, and the plant grows more than one zhang tall. The Erya calls it “red knotweed,” and says that the larger variety is also called kui (pronounced qiuzhui). The phrase “in the marsh grows the wandering dragon” in “The Mountain Has Fusong,” from the Zheng Feng section of the Book of Songs, refers to this plant. It is also called horse knotweed. The Bencao Jing says it resembles horse knotweed but is larger; if so, horse knotweed must be a different plant. The fruits are gathered in the fifth month. This medicinal herb is now rarely used. Its roots and stems alone are boiled into a decoction, which is used to soak and wash feet affected by beriberi.

Chen Cangqi says: A decoction used as a soak can treat severe swelling and sores caused by fluid retention. A note in the Tang Bencao says: This plant is hairy and has reddish white flowers. It can treat malignant sores, swelling, and beriberi. Boil it down to a thick liquid and use it to soak the affected area; this often brings a cure.

Nutgrass Root

Nutgrass root tastes sweet, is slightly cold in nature, and is nontoxic. It treats heat in the chest and nourishes the skin and hair. Taken over a long period, it benefits the body, strengthens the Qi, and promotes the growth of the beard and eyebrows. It is also called hao (pronounced hao) and housha; its fruit is called ti. Nutgrass grows in fields and is gathered in the second and eighth months.

Tao Hongjing says: It is no longer used in prescriptions today. The Li Sao says, “Green nutgrass mingles with trees; luxuriant grasses droop and spread” (huo, pronounced sui; mi, pronounced mei). The ancients often mentioned nutgrass in poetry, but today few people recognize it. There is also a plant called “mouse thatch” that can be used medicinally; it is not the same as nutgrass.

A note in the Tang Bencao says: The root of this grass is called “fragrant aconite” and “sparrow-head incense.” It strongly regulates the Qi and clears heat from the chest and abdomen. It grows in many regions. Its stems and leaves closely resemble those of sanleng. The root resembles aconite and is covered all around with many hairs. The finest comes from Jiaozhou, where it grows as large as a date. That from regions nearer the capital is about the size of an almond. People in the areas around Jingzhou and Xiangzhou call it nutgrass root and use it in making incense.

The Tujing says: Nutgrass root is also called fragrant aconite. Earlier books do not record which prefectures it comes from, saying only that it grows in fields; today it is found in many regions. Some say that the variety from Jiaozhou is the best and grows as large as a date, while that from regions nearer the capital is about the size of an almond. Its seedlings, stems, and leaves resemble those of sanleng. The root resembles aconite and has many hairs all around. Today, the seedlings and leaves of the variety from nearby regions resemble slender, elongated Chinese chives, and the root is about as thick as the tip of a chopstick. It is gathered in the second and eighth months.

On close examination, the “water-fragrant suo” recorded in the Tianbao Single-Prescription Illustrated Manual resembles nutgrass root in both its effects and appearance, though its taste is different. The text says: Water-fragrant suo tastes pungent, is slightly cold in nature, nontoxic, and astringent. It grows wild in the ponds and marshes of Boping Commandery. Its shoots are called “fragrant leng,” and its root is called “sha-jie,” also known as “grass aconite.” It is also found in low, wet areas of Henan and Huainan, where it is called “water nutgrass.” In Longxi, its root is called “earth lai.” In Shu Commandery...

It is also called “root-continuing grass” and “water Morinda.” This herb is now abundant around Fudu. Its stems can be used to weave sandals, and it is seen everywhere. Taken on its own, it can treat deficiency wind.

Another account says this medicine treats deficiency wind affecting the heart and lungs in men, as well as pathogenic heat around the bladder. The illness may extend to the area below the ribs, making the breath feel obstructed. It may also cause itchy skin, hives, reduced appetite, gradual weight loss, persistent sadness, palpitations, and shortness of breath.

Gather the young shoots and flowers in spring, dry them in the shade, and store them. After winter begins, harvest the roots, slice them, and keep them in a cool, ventilated place. For someone with the symptoms described above, take more than twenty jin of young shoots, chop them, and boil them in two shi and five dou of water. Reduce the liquid to one shi and five dou, pour it into a bathing tub, and soak until the body sweats. After bathing in this way five or six times, along with full-body washing, itching caused by wind pathogens in the lungs may ease. Used regularly through the four seasons, it can gradually cure hives.

For pathogenic heat in the heart, with the area around the bladder affected and the illness extending below the ribs so that breathing feels obstructed, or for persistent sadness and palpitations, take two large jin of root, slice it, and roast it until fragrant. Place it in a bag of raw silk and steep it in three large dou of clear wine without ash. In the third month of spring, it need steep for only one day before it can be drunk. After the tenth month in winter, steep it for seven days; keeping it in a warm place works better. Drink one cup on an empty stomach, three or four times throughout the day and night. Continue until the body responds.

For those who do not drink wine, take ten liang of root, five liang of cinnamon bark, and three liang of elm seeds. Pound them together into powder, mix with honey, and pound the mixture a thousand times. Form pills the size of Chinese parasol tree seeds. Take twenty pills on an empty stomach, washed down with wine or ginger and honey broth, twice daily. Gradually increase the dose to thirty pills, and continue until the illness is cured.

Lei Gong says: After harvesting, dry it in the shade and pound it in a stone mortar. Do not let it touch iron while preparing it; be sure to observe this.

The Yanyi says: The part that grows on the roots of sedge and resembles a date pit is called xiangfuzi. It is also used to make stamped incense for burning and is considered to promote the movement of Qi. It is commonly used today. Although it grows on sedge roots, this part does not always grow there. Xiangfuzi has a thin, wrinkled outer skin and is purplish-black, but it is not covered in hair. Once the outer skin is scraped away, it is white. Treating the sedge root itself as xiangfuzi is a mistake. Its taste is bitter.

Bìchéngqié

Bìchéngqié is pungent in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It mainly treats obstructed Qi, indigestion, wind pathogens affecting the skin, and the heart…

It can relieve abdominal bloating and help people eat. It is also used to treat “ghost Qi” (an old term for certain illnesses), to dye the hair, and to leave the body fragrant.

Cubeb Pepper (also called Piling eggplant)

Cubeb pepper grows in the kingdom of Foshi, an ancient name for a place overseas. Its fruit resembles the seed of the Chinese parasol tree and the fruit of the Vitex plant, but is somewhat larger.

Liu Yuxi and others, citing the Rihuazi, record that cubeb pepper can treat various disorders of Qi, as well as cholera, diarrhea, abdominal pain, kidney Qi imbalance, and coldness of the bladder.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica records that cubeb pepper grows in the kingdom of Foshi and is now also found in Guangzhou. Its leaves appear in spring and summer; they are blue-green, smooth, and pleasing to look at. The fruit resembles the seed of the Chinese parasol tree or a somewhat larger Vitex fruit, and is gathered in the eighth or ninth month. Current prescriptions commonly use it to regulate the spleen and stomach. It is also used for coughs and hiccups that continue day and night during cold damage. To prepare it, take three fen each of cubeb pepper and lesser galangal, pound them, and sift into a powder. For each dose, take two qian, add six fen of water, and boil for more than ten rolling boils. Then add a little vinegar and stir. Drink it warm, slowly, like tea, together with the dregs.

The Haiyao records that the Guangzhi says cubeb pepper grows overseas and is young pepper. The fruit is picked from the tree while still green and then processed. It retains its stalk; the fruit is rather thick, with a rounded base. It tastes pungent and bitter, is slightly warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It mainly treats sudden pain in the chest and abdomen, cholera, vomiting and diarrhea, phlegm nodules, and cold Qi. Some ancient prescriptions use it specifically to dye the hair, not to treat illness.

Lei Gong says: After gathering cubeb pepper, remove the stalks and wrinkled skin, soak it in wine, and steam it. Take it out between the hours of the Snake and the Rooster, then pound it finely and set it aside.

Picrorhiza

Picrorhiza tastes bitter, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It mainly treats childhood malnutrition caused by prolonged diarrhea and dysentery, cough after cold damage, warm malaria (malaria with recurring fever), and steaming-bone fever. It can also regulate the waist and kidneys, dispel genital sweating, and is used for childhood fright-wind, persistent chills and fever, poor appetite, cholera, and diarrhea. It grows in the kingdom of Hu, an ancient name for a region in the Western Regions. It resembles dried willow branches, with a black interior and yellow exterior. It is also called Gelu Ze.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica records that picrorhiza grows in the kingdom of Hu and is now also found in the South Sea region and around Qin and Long. When young it resembles reeds; when dried it resembles willow branches, with a black interior and yellow exterior. It may be gathered at any time of year. It is now commonly used in prescriptions for children. It is also used to treat relapse from overexertion after cold damage, when fever occurs and the urine and stool are red as blood. Take one liang of picrorhiza and two liang of gardenia fruit, with the peel removed. Mix with half a liang of honey and stir-fry until slightly scorched. Pound the two ingredients and sift them into a powder, then use pig’s bile to form pills the size of Chinese parasol tree seeds. For each dose, take two slices of ginger and one black plum…

Take three he (about three he in volume) of a young boy’s urine, soak the medicine in it for half a day, then strain out the residue. After meals, warm the urine and drink it; take ten pills each time, and take another dose before bed. It is very effective.

The Tang Materia Medica says: Hu Huanglian is extremely cold in nature. It treats steaming bone fever, a feeling of heat deep in the bones often seen in chronic deficiency disorders. It can nourish the Liver and Gallbladder, improve eyesight, and treat diarrhea and dysentery with alternating chills and fever. It also improves the complexion and strengthens the stomach and intestines. In women, it can treat steaming fever during pregnancy and fright due to deficiency; it also treats wasting-thirst disease, known in antiquity as the “three wasting-thirsts,” the five hemorrhoids, and vexing heat in the palms, soles, and chest in adults. Hu Huanglian grows in Persia, on land near the sea, and is harvested in early August. Chrysanthemum, Scrophularia, and white fresh-skin root counteract croton toxicity. Avoid pork while taking Hu Huanglian, as it is said to cause seminal emission. Soaking Hu Huanglian in human milk and applying it to the eyes is very effective. Its shoots resemble self-heal, and its roots resemble a crow’s beak. When broken open, the inside looks like the eye of a myna; this is the finest quality.

Sun Shangyao ground equal parts Hu Huanglian and Bupleurum into a very fine powder, mixed it with refined honey, and shaped it into pills the size of a chicken’s head. This remedy treats night sweats and alternating episodes of fever and chills in children. Take two or three pills at a time. Place them in a silver vessel, add a little wine and dissolve them, then add five fen of water and heat the vessel in a water bath until the mixture has boiled twenty or thirty times. Let it cool to warm, then take it after meals, residue and all.

The Other Account says: On careful examination, genuine Hu Huanglian gives off smoke-like dust when snapped in two.

Keel moss is cold in nature and non-toxic. It treats nosebleeds, vomiting blood, and strangury disorders, which involve difficulty or pain when urinating. It may be simmered down with roasted licorice and fermented soybean liquid, then sipped slowly. It can also treat the five types of strangury: take a lump of keel moss the size of a duck egg, boil it in water, and drink it. Fine moss from the water may also be used for vexation in the chest caused by seasonal epidemics; pound it, squeeze out the juice, and drink it.

The works of Meng Shen, Chen Cangqi, and Rihua Zi, among others, add further records about this medicine. Chen Cangqi says: Keel moss treats the five types of strangury. Take a piece the size of a duck egg, boil it in water, and drink it.

The Sagely Beneficial Prescriptions records: After a reaction to mineral medicines, if urination becomes difficult and painful and the mind grows agitated, take keel moss the size of half a chicken egg. Simmer it in one large cup of water until reduced to half a cup, strain out the residue, and drink it warm three or four times a day.

The Secret Records for Child and Mother says: If a child develops wandering erysipelas, with red swellings that spread across the skin, the condition is life-threatening if it reaches the heart. Pound aquatic moss into powder and apply it to the affected area. It is very effective.

Red cardamom is pungent, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats watery diarrhea caused by weakness of the stomach and intestines, cramping pain in the chest and abdomen, cholera, and vomiting of sour fluid. It can also counteract alcohol poisoning. It should not be taken in large amounts, however, as it can make the tongue rough and reduce the appetite. Some say it is the seed of lesser galangal. Its shoots resemble reeds, its leaves resemble ginger, and its flowers grow in spikes. The young leaves curl as they grow and are slightly reddish. It grows in the valleys around the South China Sea.

According to the Treatise on the Properties of Medicinals, Yuxi and others say that red cardamom can also be used on its own. It tastes bitter and pungent, and treats abdominal pain caused by cold, dispels the poison of miasmatic vapors, and helps remove accumulated food. It also warms the abdomen and intestines, and treats vomiting, diarrhea, and dysentery.

The Records of Overseas Medicinals says: Select fresh, tender red cardamom and pickle it in salt. It forms clusters shaped like flowers that do not easily fall apart. It can also be dyed with hibiscus to deepen its color. It helps sober a person and counteracts the effects of alcohol. Beyond this, it has no particular uses.

Dill

Dill tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats abdominal bloating in children, cholera, vomiting, coldness in the stomach and abdomen, difficulty swallowing food, and distension and discomfort beneath the ribs. It grows in the Kingdom of Foshi, resembles caraway seeds, and has a pungent aroma. It is also called “cimoulei.”

According to the Daily Materia Medica, Yuxi and others say that dill strengthens the Spleen and stimulates the appetite, warms the intestines and stomach, and counteracts the poison of fish and meat. It also nourishes the Kidneys, strengthens the bones and sinews, and treats Kidney Qi deficiency.

The Records of Overseas Medicinals says: According to the Records of Guangzhou, caraway seeds come from Persia and are black and heavy, while dill seeds are brown and light. Dill treats stagnant Qi in the chest and diaphragm, aids digestion, warms the stomach, and adds fragrance to food. Eating a lot of it does no harm, but it should not be used together with asafoetida, or its fragrance will be overwhelmed.

The Illustrated Classic says that dill now grows in Lingnan and neighboring regions. In the third or fourth month, it puts out seedlings; its flowers and fruits are large, resembling those of cnidium, and have a pungent aroma. The fruits are harvested in the sixth or seventh month. People today mostly use it to blend seasonings, and it is not commonly known to be used as a medicine.

Aina Incense

Aina incense tastes sweet, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It dispels foul odors and kills insects, and treats coldness in the abdomen, diarrhea, and dysentery. The Guangzhi says that it comes from western lands and resembles small mugwort.

There is also a green moss that grows on pine bark, likewise called “aina.” It can be blended with other incense materials and burned. It makes the smoke gather together, its color blue-white and its form undispersed. This substance is not the same as the aina incense described here.

According to an old yuefu poem, Yuxi and others say, the poem asks: “From what land do the Hu travelers come, and what do the nations bring?” It then lists carpets, felt rugs, five-wood incense, rosemary, aina, and Duliang, among other things.

Chen Cangqi says that aina incense treats ringworm and repels wood-boring insects.

The Records of Overseas Medicinals says: According to the Guangzhi, aina incense comes from the Kingdom of Piao. It is warm and mild in nature, and treats cold damage, the five kinds of diarrhea, and Qi sinking in the heart and abdomen. It also expels tapeworms and stops intestinal rumbling. Burning it can help prevent epidemics; boiling the whole plant and using it for a bath is very effective.

Nardostachys

Nardostachys tastes sweet, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats foul odors and sudden pain and distension in the heart and abdomen… [The original text ends here unfinished.]

Sweet nard can be used to blend various fragrances. It grows in clumps and has fine leaves. The Guangzhi records that sweet nard is produced in Guzang, in the area of present-day Wuwei, Gansu.

In an additional note, Liu Yuxi and others write: The Rihuazi Bencao says that sweet nard treats distension in the chest and abdomen and helps Qi descend. Boiling it in water for bathing leaves the body fragrant.

The Illustrated Classic says: Sweet nard comes from Guzang. Today it is also produced in the prefectures of the Qian and Shu regions, as well as in Liao Prefecture. It grows in clumps among hills and fields, with leaves as fine as thatch grass and very dense roots. It is gathered in the eighth month and boiled to make bathwater, which leaves the body fragrant.

Chen Cangqi says: Sweet nard grows in clumps, has fine leaves, and comes from Liangzhou.

The Marine Medicinal Materia Medica says: According to the Guangzhi, sweet nard grows in Yuanzhou. Its shoots are fine, and it spreads as it grows. Chen Cangqi also says that it treats darkened skin and spots on the face, childhood malnutrition disorders, tooth decay, and hemorrhoids that protrude like a pheasant’s comb. It works better when combined with bai zhi and aconite. It can also blend various fragrances and is suitable for scenting clothes.

Wall moss is sour in taste and non-toxic. It treats jaundice, restlessness, coughing with rebellious Qi, and sudden heat pathogens lodged in the stomach and intestines with the blood and Qi. It also treats internal cold caused by metal wounds. Taken over a long period, it replenishes central Qi, promotes muscle growth, and improves the complexion. It is also called xixie, wujiao, yuanying, tianjiu, and shujiu. It grows in shaded places on old walls or rooftops. Gather it on the third day of the third month and dry it in the shade.

Tao Hongjing says: Wall moss is not often used in prescriptions, and few people use it in folk remedies. Xixie is also mentioned in the Li Sao; some say it is the same as tian-suan.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: Wall moss is the green moss growing on the shaded north side of old walls. Moss growing on rocks is called xixie, or wujiao. There are few walls in Jiangnan, which is why Tao Hongjing said it was rarely seen. The Shennong Bencao Jing records a plant growing on rooftops called wuyou, listed in the inferior grade. It resembles wall moss and has broadly similar effects. The Famous Physicians’ Supplemental Records says it treats sudden windstroke with locked jaws and metal wounds; soaking it in wine and taking it is effective.

Liu Yuxi and others write: The Rihuazi Bencao says wall moss is cold in nature. It also says that ground moss is cold and slightly toxic, and treats sudden heart pain and zhong’e, an acute condition involving fainting and loss of awareness. Roll dirt from the human body into pills and take seven. The moss described here grows on damp ground after exposure to sunlight. In addition, mixed with raw oil and applied to a horse’s fanhua sore, a wound that turns outward like a flower, it works very well.

The Illustrated Classic says: The relevant material is described in detail under “seaweed.”

Zhili, pronounced “li,” is a kind of aquatic moss. It is sweet in taste, greatly warming in nature, and non-toxic. It treats severe cold conditions in the chest and abdomen, warms the center, aids the digestion of grain, strengthens stomach Qi, and stops diarrhea and dysentery. It grows in ponds and marshes in Jiangnan.

Tao Hongjing says: This is the material southerners use to make paper. Physicians use it only when preparing medicines to stop dysentery.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says this substance is moss from the water. People now collect it and make it into paper called “moss paper.” Moss paper is greenish yellow, coarse, and rough to the touch. The Small Prescriptions says it is coarse moss in water; the Fan Dongyang Prescriptions says it grows on stones in water and looks like green hair.

The Materia Medica Pairings records a substance found in rivers called “celi.” The pronunciation of celi is close to that of zhili. The Lost Records of Wang Zinian says that Zhang Hua compiled the Treatise on Natural History, but Emperor Wu of Jin thought it was too long and ordered it abridged. Later, he awarded Zhang Hua ten thousand sheets of “celi paper.” Wang Zinian believed celi paper was zhili paper, made from water moss. People living by streams pronounced zhili as celi, giving rise to the name.

Another version of the commentary, however, holds that this substance is actually “stone hair”: its color resembles moss, but it is coarser. Water moss is cold in nature, while zhili tastes sweet and is warm in nature, so zhili and moss are clearly not the same thing. The substance growing on stones in marshes is called zhili; what floats in the water is called moss.

The Illustrated Classic says that the relevant material appears under the entry “Seaweed.”

Another version of the commentary again states that zhili is stone hair, similar in color to moss but coarser and rougher in texture. Water moss is cold in nature; zhili tastes sweet and is warm in nature, so the two are different. The substance growing on stones in marshes is called zhili, while what floats in the water is called moss.

The Extended Meaning says that people now process zhili into “moss jerky,” which can be eaten. It is widely available in the capital’s markets. However, salt must still be avoided when treating wasting-thirst disease, and other prescription books and physicians rarely use it.

Duckweed (that is, water snowflake, an aquatic plant) tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is nontoxic. It treats wasting-thirst disease, clears urinary difficulty caused by heat, and promotes urination. It grows in water and is also called jieyu.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says that people in the south call it “pig water-shield” and eat it; it is also mentioned among the entries classified as “named but not used.” Another version of the commentary, however, identifies duckweed as water snowflake. It grows in water; its leaves resemble water-shield, its stems are rough, and its roots are long. People in Jiangnan often eat it. The commentary also says that pig water-shield and silk water-shield are in fact the same plant: in spring and summer, its stems and leaves are long, slender, plump, tender, and slippery, so it is called silk water-shield. In winter they become short, so it is called pig water-shield, or turtle water-shield. These do not seem to be the same plant as duckweed. People in the south pound this plant and drink its juice to treat alternating chills and fever. The Tang Materia Medica originally added it here as a supplementary note.

Yuxi and others cite the Daily Materia Medica as saying that pig water-shield can counteract Gu poison and toxic medicines. The detoxifying effects of silk water-shield are listed under the entry “Water-shield.”

According to the Tang Materia Medica commentary, duckweed is recorded under “Named but Not Used,” but that entry does not include the name “duckweed.”

The entry for zhu shun was already removed when the Kaibao Xiangding Bencao was revised.

The Illustrated Classic states that fugui is the plant known as xing (floating heart). The old materia medica did not record which commanderies it came from. It is said to grow in water; today it is found in ponds and marshes everywhere. Its leaves resemble those of edible water shield (chun); the stems feel coarse to the touch; the roots are long; it bears yellow flowers and grows abundantly in the water.

According to the Erya, xing is also called jie yu, and its leaves are called fu. Guo Pu explained that xing grows in dense stands in water, with round leaves at the stem tips, and that leaf size varies with water depth. People in Jiangdong eat this vegetable. The “uneven xing” in the Zhou Nan section of the Book of Songs refers to it. Lu Ji said xing has white stems and purplish-red leaves; the round floating leaves are over an inch across; roots reach the bottom and are as thick as a hairpin shank. Boiled white stems steeped in bitter wine are crisp and savory and pair well with wine. People no longer eat it, and medical formulas no longer use it.

Female Yuanni (nü yuan) is acrid in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats shivering from wind-cold, cholera, diarrhea, intestinal rumbling, and illnesses that wax and wane; also epilepsy, alternating chills and fever, and related patterns. It treats lung damage, cough with reversed qi, sweating, and distention from long-standing cold in the bladder, and attacks triggered by drinking or eating at night. It is also called White Yuanni (bai yuan), Weaver Maid’s Yuanni (zhi nü yuan), and mao (read liu). It grows in the valleys of Hanzhong and sometimes appears in Shanyang. Harvest in the first and second months and dry in the shade. This drug is contraindicated with or impaired by briny salt (lu xian).

Master Tao the Recluse noted that recent formulas rarely use Female Yuanni; it is seldom sold and seems nearly lost. Another plant called White Yuanni resembles Purple Aster (zi yuan) in form, but that is not an alias for Female Yuanni.

The Tang Bencao commentary states that White Yuanni is Female Yuanni—there is no separate drug. The extra “White Yuanni” line under “named but unused” is redundant. When Purple Aster is unavailable, some substitute White Yuanni; their effects are similar.

Su Yuxi and others observed that “named but unused” no longer lists White Yuanni, perhaps because Tang revisers removed that entry.

The Yanyi says Female Yuanni is also called White Yuanni; treating them as two drugs is wrong. Deleting the duplicate Tang entry was correct. Master Tao mentioned the drug but could not describe its form; later sources are clear. This account follows the classic text.

King’s Grandson Herb (wang sun) is bitter, balanced in nature, and non-toxic. It treats pathogenic influences in the five viscera, cold-damp impediment (numb, painful obstruction from cold-damp), limb soreness, and cold knee pain; it also treats many illnesses and supplements qi and strength. In Wu it is called white merit grass (bai gong cao); in Chu, wang sun; in Qi, elder grandson (chang sun); also yellow sun (huang sun), yellow dusk (huang hun), and sea… (text incomplete).

Wangsun (the name of a medicinal plant), also called Manyan, grows in the Haixi and Chuangu regions, as well as at the foot of the walls surrounding the city of Runan.

Tao Hongjing says: Pharmacy practitioners today call it “Huanghun” (“Dusk”); some also call it “Mumeng,” but few people in the markets recognize it.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: The Xiaopin Formula records that Mumeng is also called Wangsun. Some people believe Mumeng and Wangsun are two different medicines, but the plant described here is actually one and the same. It can be used for wounds caused by swords and other weapons, helping disperse blood stasis, promote tissue growth, and relieve pain. It is also used for red and white dysentery, and is said to tonify deficiency, boost Qi, reduce swelling in the feet, and regulate Yin-Yang.

Su Song and others cite a commentary from the Shu Materia Medica: Its leaves resemble those of Jiji, but are larger. Its root is more than a foot long, and both the root’s outer skin and inner flesh are purple.

Tumazong, a kind of moss that grows on walls and similar places, is used for bone heat, feverish agitation, severe toxic heat, and nosebleeds. It is commonly found on old walls in shady places, and grows luxuriantly in rainy years. Some mistake it for Yuanyi, but they are not the same: Yuanyi grows at the base of a wall, while Tumazong grows on the wall’s surface and is larger. They are broadly all kinds of moss, but their names and uses differ according to where they grow: those on roofs are called Wuyou or Watai; those on walls are called Yuanyi or Tumazong; those on the ground are called Diyu; those in wells are called Jingtai; and those on stones in water are called Zhili. Tumazong has been used frequently in recent times, but is not recorded in the older books, so it is included under the “Newly Established” entries.

Shu Yangquan is bitter in taste, slightly cold in nature, and non-toxic. It is used for hair loss, malignant sores, heat conditions, scabies, itching, crusted skin lesions, and infestations by parasites. It is also used to treat □ teeth, internal injuries to women’s genitals, and accumulations deep within the skin. The original text has a missing character before “teeth,” so the specific condition cannot be determined. The plant is also called Yangquan or Yangyi, and grows in the mountain valleys of Shu Commandery.

Tao Hongjing says: It is no longer used in prescriptions, though local people sometimes gather and use it. Few people know this medicinal herb.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: This plant is commonly called Qigu. Its leaves resemble chrysanthemum leaves and are purple; its fruit resembles goji berries, and its root resembles Yuanzhi. The root has no pith, but contains fine particles. It can be used for childhood convulsions and lacquer rash, and may also help hair grow. It grows throughout low-lying, damp plains.

A note in another commentary adds: Today it is found in many places, growing in shady, damp areas. Gather the young shoots and leaves in the third or fourth month, then dry them in the shade for later use.

Tukui is sweet in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It is used for internal stones and the Five Strangury conditions, which involve painful, difficult, or dribbling urination. It can also counter the poison of tigers and snakes.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: Its shoots resemble Shilongrui. The leaves have a glossy surface, and its white flowers are shaped like plum blossoms.

The stems are purple, and the juice obtained by boiling them is smooth and can be eaten. The “Explaining Plants” section of the Erya says the plant is also called “Xi,” a kind of grass.

This plant grows on plains and in marshes, and most people who work in the fields know it.

According to the notes in another version, if someone is bitten by a venomous snake, injured by a tiger, or afflicted with sores, the plant can be pounded and its juice taken by mouth, or the juice can be applied to the affected area to counter poison and relieve pain. Gather the stems and leaves in the sixth or seventh month and dry them in the sun. The Tang Materia Medica was the first to record this account.

Liu Yuxi and others cite the Erya: “Xi” is the name of a plant called Tu Kui. It looks much like the mallow, but its leaves are smaller, shaped like those of goosefoot, and covered in fine hairs. Blanching it in water makes it tender and smooth to eat. “Zhuo” means to boil in water.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that the relevant details can be found under the entry for “Winter Mallow” in volume twenty-eight.

The Elucidation of the Materia Medica says that Tu Kui has green leaves like those of yellow hollyhock. Its flowers are elegant, resembling flowers seen around the Frost’s Descent solar term. They also look like very small hollyhock flowers: when they first open, they have a single layer of petals and a sandalwood-colored center. If the flower is the yellow shade of the peony cultivar “Yao Huang,” then its stamens belong to the hollyhock. The line “Only Tu Kui and wild oats sway in the spring breeze” in Liu Yuxi’s Tang poem “Returning to the Capital” refers to this plant.

Xie grass, a kind of waterside plant, tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat sudden fever, asthma, and children’s red swellings of the skin. It is also called “Hu Rong” and grows by the water.

A note in the Tang Materia Medica says that its leaves are round and resemble those of water plantain, but are smaller. Its flowers are bluish white and can also be eaten. The plant grows everywhere. According to notes in another version, people in Jiangnan steam it with fish and consider it delicious. Gather the stems in the fifth or sixth month and dry them in the sun. The Tang Materia Medica was the first to record this account.

Lichang, also called Lotus Seed Grass, tastes sweet and sour, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat bloody dysentery. If a wound from acupuncture or moxibustion bleeds excessively and will not stop, apply the plant to the wound to stop the bleeding at once. Applying its juice to the hair and eyebrows helps them grow faster and thicker. This plant grows in low, damp places.

A note in the Tang Materia Medica says that its seedlings resemble Inula, and that it is also called Lotus Seed Grass. It is commonly found in ditches and pits. According to notes in another version, gather it in the second or eighth month and dry it in the shade. The Tang Materia Medica was the first to record this account.

Liu Yuxi and others cite Xiao Bing as saying that if the plant is made into a paste and placed in the nostrils, it can nourish the brain. The Rihuazi Materia Medica says it expels pus, stops bleeding, clears the small intestine, and encourages thick growth of the sideburns. It can also be applied to various sores and to silkworm sores, a skin condition caused by silkworms.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that Lichang is the same plant as Lotus Seed Grass. Earlier books do not record which prefectures it comes from, saying only that it grows in low, damp places. Today it is found everywhere, especially in the south. There are two kinds. One has glossy, willow-like leaves and stems like purslane, about one or two feet tall. Its flowers are small and white, and its fruit resembles a tiny lotus pod. This is the kind Su Gong described as having seedlings like Inula. The seedlings and stems of the other kind are dry…

Shoucao closely resembles the lotus. Its flowers are yellow, and its fruits form round chambers like lotus seedpods. In the south, people call it “lotus forsythia.” There are two kinds of this herb. When their young shoots are picked, sap appears and soon turns black. For this reason, the ancients made it into a remedy for darkening the hair. It is commonly called “drought lotus seed” and is also known as “Jinling grass.”

Gather it in the third or eighth lunar month and dry it in the shade. Sun Simiao’s Qianjin Monthly Instructions says it can thicken the beard and hair and turn white hair black. Use one unit of Jinling grass, gathered after the sixth lunar month. Choose plants free of soil and do not wash them with water; select tender green plants without yellow leaves. Pound them, grind them finely, and squeeze out the juice through a new cloth. Then strain it through fine gauze until no residue remains. Put the juice in a clean oil vessel or bowl and simmer it in the sun for five days.

Next, take one jin of fresh ginger and squeeze out its juice. Add this, along with one jin of white honey, to the herbal juice. Stir constantly with a willowwood spatula until evenly mixed, then simmer it in the sun until it thickens to the consistency of thin porridge. The medicine is then ready. Take one spoonful each morning and afternoon, with a cup of warm wine. To make pills, continue simmering it in the sun until it can be rolled into pills the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take thirty pills at a time with wine, as before. It is best to prepare a large batch; the book says the remedy works quickly.

Juechuang is salty in flavor, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats pain in the lower back and spine, being bedridden, and difficulty bending or straightening. It also clears heat and can be boiled into a bath. It grows in mountain valleys and fields around Hanzhong.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: The leaves of this herb resemble those of xiangru, but are longer and larger. Sometimes they resemble perilla leaves, though they are narrower. It grows on level ground, in cultivated fields, and beside roads. It is highly effective for blood distension and can also regulate Qi. It can also treat wounds caused by beating with a staff: apply the juice, and they will heal. Its common name is “red-eyed old mother herb.” Another commentary says that people today call it “xiangsu.”

Moss and duckweed from wells are extremely cold in nature. They treat lacquer sores, heat sores, and edema. Blue-green algae from wells can counter poisoning from plants such as wild kudzu and croton.

Tao Yinju says: Abandoned wells often grow moss and duckweed, and miscellaneous plants also grow in the gaps between the well bricks. Since blue-green algae can counter poison, the kind that grows in wells is especially good; there is no need to regard it as a different plant called “well blue-green algae.” The mud at the bottom of a well is extremely cold in nature and can also treat burns from hot water or fire. Well blossom water—water drawn from a well at dawn—is also used in preparing medicines.

Yuxi and others quote the Shu Materia Medica, which says that moss and duckweed from wells are bitter in flavor. The Rihuazi Materia Medica says they are non-toxic. The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that related information is discussed in detail under the entry for “seaweed.”

Maoxiang flowers.

The flower of mao xiang (Mao Xiang) is bitter in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It chiefly treats sudden illnesses attributed to an invasion of malign influences. It warms the stomach and stops vomiting, and can also relieve cold pain in the chest and abdomen. The shoots and leaves of mao xiang can be boiled to make bathwater, which is used to drive away malign influences and make the body fragrant. It grows in the prefectures of Jiannan Circuit. Plants with dark brown stems and leaves and white flowers are the white mao xiang.

Yu Xiliang and others quote Chen Cangqi as saying: Mao xiang is sweet in flavor and neutral in nature. It grows in Annam and resembles the roots of mao grass.

Rihua Zi says: The flowers of white mao xiang can be inserted into the nostrils to treat profuse nosebleeds. Applied to moxa sores that have long failed to heal, or to cuts and arrow wounds, they stop bleeding and relieve pain. A decoction taken by mouth stops vomiting blood and nosebleeds.

The Illustrated Classic says: Mao xiang flower grows in the prefectures of Jiannan Circuit. Today it is also found around Shaanxi, Hedong, Dongjing, and Dongzhou. Shoots emerge in the third month and resemble barley; white flowers bloom in the fifth month, though some plants have yellow flowers. Some bear fruit and others do not. The roots are gathered in the first and second months, the flowers in the fifth month, and the shoots in the eighth month. Plants with dark brown stems and leaves and white flowers are called white mao xiang.

Chen Cangqi says: White mao xiang is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats foul influences and makes the body fragrant. Boiled and taken, it treats cold pain in the abdomen. It grows in Annam, resembles the roots of mao grass, and can also be boiled for bathing.

The Maritime Materia Medica says: According to the Guangzhi, white mao xiang grows in the mountain valleys of Guangnan. It is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It can be boiled with peach leaves to bathe children suffering from sores and blisters over the whole body. Added to scented mixtures for clothing, it gives off an especially fine fragrance, better than aromatics imported from overseas.

The Handbook at the Elbow records a treatment for painful, burning, difficult urination: Take four jin of white mao root, cut it into pieces, and boil it in one dou and five sheng of water until only five sheng remain. Let it cool, then warm it before drinking. Take it three times a day. Another formula says that when bamboo or wood splinters pierce the flesh and cannot be removed, burn white mao root to ash, mix it with oil or fat, and apply it. The same method can treat swellings caused by wind malign influences.

The Yan Yi says: Mao xiang flowers are white, and its roots resemble those of mao grass, but are white and long. Both can be boiled to make bathwater, and they work especially well with gaoben. Mao xiang can also be added to incense mixtures, including blends made with fuzi.

Ma lan is acrid in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats stagnant old blood and nourishes fresh blood. It can be used for wounds caused by blades and weapons, stops bleeding and dysentery, counteracts gu poison and jaundice caused by drinking alcohol, stops nosebleeds and vomiting blood, and neutralizes poisons from various fungi. When crushed and applied externally, it treats snakebites. Ma lan grows beside marshes and has an aroma like zelania. The Songs of Chu uses “evil plants” as a metaphor for wicked people. In the north, people call it “purple chrysanthemum” when it flowers, because its flowers resemble…

There is a purple variety of chrysanthemum. Mountain orchid, also known as mountain-side growth, has leaves much like those of Liu Jinu. Its leaves do not grow in opposite pairs, and the center of its flower is faintly yellow with a reddish hue. It can also treat diarrhea and is commonly used among the people. This is supplementary information recorded in the works of Chen Cangqi and Rihua Zi. For a detailed account in the Illustrated Classic, see the entry on “Marsh Orchid.”

Quisqualis Fruit

Quisqualis fruit tastes sweet, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It is chiefly used to treat the five kinds of childhood malnutrition and wasting, as well as cloudy white urine. It can also expel parasites and treat diarrhea and dysentery. It grows in areas such as Jiaozhou and Guangzhou. Its fruit resembles gardenia, with deep ridges on the shell and pointed ends; it also resembles a lighter form of Terminalia chebula.

According to popular tradition, a man named Guo Shijun in Panzhou often used this medicine to treat children’s illnesses, usually on its own. Later physicians therefore came to call it “Shijunzi” (Quisqualis fruit). It is included here.

The Illustrated Classic records that Quisqualis fruit grows around Jiaozhou and Guangzhou, and is now found throughout the prefectures of Lingnan. It grows in the wild and beside water. Its leaves are green, about two finger-widths wide and two inches long; its vine is as thick as a finger. In the third month, it blooms with pale red flowers, which gradually deepen to a dark red. Each flower has five petals. The fruit forms in the seventh or eighth month, is shaped like a thumb, and is about one inch long. It broadly resembles gardenia and has five ridges. The shell is blue-black, and the kernel inside is white. The fruit is harvested in the seventh month.

The Expanded Meaning says that Quisqualis fruit is purplish black, with four ridges and deep grooves between them. The Materia Medica Classic says that its “grooves are deep,” though the meaning is not easy to understand. In late autumn and early winter, people bring it to Dingzhou and Lizhou; locals say it tastes like coconut flesh. The Materia Medica Classic does not specify whether the medicinal part is the kernel or the shell. Since it says the fruit “tastes sweet,” the kernel seems to be intended. But the kernel is very small and difficult to use, so some physicians today use the shell as well.

Dried Seaweed

Dried seaweed tastes salty and is cold in nature (some say warm). It is chiefly used to treat hemorrhoids and expel parasites. In cases of cholera with persistent vomiting, it can be decocted and taken as a drink. If there is distress and oppression in the chest and abdomen, grind it into a paste with cold water and swallow it to ease the symptoms. It is also used to treat various sores and scabies, help expel mineral medicines known as dan-shi, and counteract the toxicity of various drugs.

Dried seaweed should not be eaten in large amounts, as this can weaken the body, turn the complexion yellow, and diminish the blood. It can also kill wood-boring insects: simply pack it into their holes in the wood. All kinds of marine organisms can help expel dan-shi. This supplementary information is recorded in the works of Meng Shen, Chen Cangqi, and Rihua Zi.

Bird’s-foot Trefoil

Bird’s-foot trefoil tastes sweet and bitter, is slightly cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It is chiefly used to regulate Qi, relieve thirst, clear heat, treat debility and fatigue, and replenish deficiencies. It may be soaked in wine or boiled in water; it can also be used in pills or powders, including in combination with other ingredients. It grows in Suzhou and Baxi.

The Tang Edition Commentary says that this plant’s leaves resemble alfalfa, its flowers are yellow, and its roots resemble polygala. The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months and dried in the sun. The Tang-dynasty Newly Revised Materia Medica was the first to include it.

White Cardamom: Pungent in flavor, very warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats accumulations of cold Qi, stops vomiting, harmonizes the stomach, aids digestion, and directs Qi downward. It grows in the kingdom of Gagulora, where it is called “Duo Gu.” The plant resembles a banana tree, and its leaves resemble du ruo. They are eight or nine inches long and remain green in both winter and summer. Its flowers are pale yellow, and its fruits grow in clusters resembling grapes. They are slightly green when newly formed and turn white when ripe. The fruits are gathered in the seventh month. This entry was newly added at the time.

The Illustrated Classic says that white cardamom comes from the kingdom of Gagulora. It is now also grown in Guangzhou and Yizhou, though its quality is inferior to that of the cardamom brought from overseas by sea. The plant resembles a banana tree, with leaves like du ruo, eight or nine feet long, smooth-surfaced, and evergreen in both winter and summer. Its flowers are pale yellow, and its fruits grow in clusters like grapes, green when unripe and white when ripe. They are gathered in the seventh month.

Zhang Wen Zhong records that people with weak, cold stomach Qi who feel like vomiting as soon as they eat may take three white cardamom seeds, crush and sift them, then grind them finely and mix them with a cup of mildly warm, good-quality wine. Drinking two or three cups in succession is said to work well. A decoction of six ingredients, including white cardamom and bai zhu, is also used to treat vomiting. In general, it is suitable for people with a cold stomach.

Di Sun: Warm in nature and non-toxic. It opens the nine orifices, unblocks the blood vessels, and expels pus. It can be used to treat blood disorders, stop nosebleeds and vomiting of blood, and relieve abdominal and chest pain after childbirth as well as various blood disorders. Women who have recently given birth and are strong and well nourished may eat it as a vegetable, with good results. It is the root of ze lan. This entry was added by Chen Cang Qi and Ri Hua Zi.

Kelp: It can induce labor, treat women’s disorders and wind disorders, and serve as a diuretic. It grows in the waters of the Eastern Sea, attached to rocks, and is coarser than seaweed, yet supple and long. People in Dengzhou now dry it in the sun and use it to tie up objects. This entry was newly added and revised.

Tuo De Flower: Sweet in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats various wind disorders and blood disorders and can be infused in wine for drinking. It grows in western regions and was brought by Hu people. They gather the flowers to make wine, which they call “Wang Le Pulp.” This entry was newly added at the time.

Jian Cao: Cool in nature and non-toxic. It treats severe sores, scabies, ringworm, and itching caused by wind. Its root is called “Bai Yao.” Ri Hua Zi listed it as a separate entry.

The Illustrated Classic says that jian cao grows in Runzhou. It is bitter in flavor, neutral in nature, and toxic. It treats various sores, scabies, crusted sores, fistulas, and ulcers, and can also be used for various sores on cattle and horses. It is gathered in the second and third months and used after being dried in the sun.

Chen Cangqi says that jiancao tastes very bitter, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is mainly used to treat sores caused by worms, scabies, and ringworm. It can be soaked in wine and taken. Jiancao grows among mountain marshes. Its leaves resemble tea leaves, but are smaller and finer. People in the Jiangdong region use it.

A prescription for treating lao zhai—a term used in the past for certain chronic lung diseases and wasting illnesses—says that jiancao grows in both Wuzhou and Taizhou, but only the kind from Wuzhou is suitable. It resembles madder and also asarum. Take one jin, wash it, and grind it into a fine powder. Mix in one jin of raw honey to make a paste, then place it in a container. Do not let it touch iron during preparation or storage. Steam the paste nine times and dry it in the sun nine times, steaming and drying it once each day.

The patient should rise at the fifth watch, sit facing east, and remain silent. Take the medicine by the spoonful, swallowing it as one would drink porridge; each dose is four liang. After a while, drink a thin millet gruel to wash it down. The medicine should be taken cool, and the gruel should not be too hot. Vomiting or diarrhea after taking it does not interfere with the treatment.

If a long illness has damaged the lungs and caused coughing up blood, one dose can bring a cure. For an ordinary cough with blood, another spoonful is enough. A nobleman who ruled a fief once suffered from lao zhai, and an elder in his family gave him this prescription. The medicine took nine days to prepare. On the night before he was due to take it for the first time, he dreamed that someone warned him not to take it carelessly the next day. When he was about to take it the next morning, dirt from the roof fell into the vessel, making the medicine unusable. After it was prepared again, the vessel was contaminated by the material covering it just as he was about to take it, so he could not eat it then either. Before the third preparation was complete, his wife died. The original text offers this story to show that the medicine is somewhat unusual; for a small amount of blood coughed up, one mouthful is said to bring a cure.

Ten Additional Entries by Chen Cangqi

Diemixiang is pungent in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It can dispel foul airs and scent clothing. Burning it can drive away ghosts. The Weilüe says it comes from the Kingdom of Daqin; the Guangzhi says it comes from the Western Sea. The Haiyao says it is neutral in nature and cannot treat illness, but that burning it can dispel ghostly influences. Combined with qianghuo and made into pills or powder, it can be burned at night to keep mosquitoes away. It has no other uses.

An old fishing net can be used to treat a fish bone stuck in the throat. Lay the net over the patient’s neck to ease the discomfort in the throat. Alternatively, boil the net and drink the resulting liquid; it is said that the fish bone will then come out.

Old foot-binding cloth is non-toxic and can be used for relapse after a febrile illness brought on by exertion, as well as for black sweating caused by ma jun feng. Soak the cloth, then drink the liquid used to wash it. Old cloth with dirt on it is considered best.

Bolu gathered from a river can help a husband and wife live in harmony; there is a separate method for using it.

Shijian grass is bitter in taste and non-toxic. It can remove nits and lice from the head. Crush it, extract the juice, and wash the hair with it; the lice will die. If someone accidentally swallows a louse and becomes ill, crush shijian grass, extract the juice, and take a small cupful to treat it.

A herb used for various insect sores grows in damp places at the foot of mountains. Its stems and leaves resemble those of mountain lily, with a faint reddish color, and it stands one to two feet tall. There is also a plant called “water bamboo leaf.” Its leaves look like bamboo leaves but are smaller, and it grows in water. It is also called “lice-removing herb.” Some people eat water bamboo leaf raw to get rid of lice.

“Life-containing herb” is used to treat difficult childbirth. Holding the herb in the mouth can bring about a rapid delivery; its juice may also be swallowed. Its leaves resemble those of spikemoss, but are larger, and it grows in the country of the Mohe. Water does not become hot even when this herb is boiled. It is non-toxic.

“Rabbit-liver herb” tastes sweet, has a neutral nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat metal-inflicted wounds, stop bleeding, and promote the growth of flesh. It can also relieve fever caused by taking mineral elixirs. Its newly sprouted leaves are slender and soft, resembling a rabbit’s liver, hence its name. It is also called “chicken-liver herb.” The name “rabbit-liver herb” is also found for fanlou.

“Stone-miscanthus” tastes sweet, has a neutral nature, and is non-toxic. It treats wounds from bites by tigers, wolves, and other animals. If there is concern that the poison may penetrate the flesh, take the stems and kudzu root, simmer them together into a strong decoction, and drink it; the juice may also be taken directly. The plant grows on high mountains and resembles miscanthus, but has shorter joints. People in Jiangxi call it “break-stem herb.” In the sixth or seventh month, it produces ears resembling those of reeds.

“Silkworm-net herb” tastes pungent, has a neutral nature, and is non-toxic. It treats bites from silkworms or other worm-like insects. If there is concern that the poison may enter the abdomen, drink a decoction of the herb or crush it and apply it to the wound. It grows in damp places, is about the size of smartweed, and has red stems and white flowers. It also grows in the eastern regions.

“Horsetail” tastes bitter, has a neutral nature, and is non-toxic. It treats accumulations of Qi, painful swellings, upward surging of Qi, and shortness of breath; it may be taken as a decoction. It grows on river islands and banks in the Yi and Luo regions. Its young shoots resemble scouring rush, and its stem joints are joined together, so it is also called “continuity herb.”