《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 23

Qin pepper (qinjiao) tastes pungent and is warm in nature. When used raw, it stays warm, but once it has been processed by cooking, it becomes cold. It is toxic. Its main uses are to treat illnesses caused by wind-evil. It warms the middle burner, dispels cold qi, and relieves cold bi (painful, numb limbs caused by cold evil obstructing the channels). It also firms the teeth, darkens the hair, and brightens the eyes. It can further treat hou bi (throat swelling and pain, with obstruction and difficulty swallowing), vomiting, and shanjia (lumps or pain in the abdomen), as well as blood stasis, lingering conditions after childbirth, abdominal pain, and poor sweating. The text also states that long-term use makes the body light and vigorous, keeps the complexion glossy, delays aging, prolongs life, and allows one to penetrate to the divine (shenming). Qin pepper grows in the mountain valleys of Mount Tai and the Qinling range, and it is also produced in Langye. The fruit is harvested in the eighth and ninth months. Qin pepper is incompatible with gualou and fangkui, and it fears xionghuang. In other words, when it is combined with these substances, attention must be paid to conflicts in their properties.

The Illustrated Classic (Tujing) says that Qin pepper is produced around Mount Tai, the Qinling, and Langye, and is now also found in Qinzhou and Fengzhou, as well as in Mingzhou, Yuezhou, Jinzhou, and Shangzhou. It flowers in early autumn, bears fruit in late autumn, and is harvested in the ninth and tenth months. Tao Hongjing says it resembles the huajiao (Sichuan pepper), but its fruit is larger, yellowish-black in color, and some people call it "great pepper" (dajiao). Su Gong says that its leaves, stems, and fruit all resemble those of Shu pepper (shujiao), except that its fruit is smaller and its flavor milder.

The Erya calls the "great pepper" ai. Guo Pu explains that pepper trees grow in clusters, and those with larger fruit are called ai. The Book of Odes, in the "Tang Feng" section, contains the line "the pepper tree, indeed." Lu Ji says that the pepper tree resembles the cornel (zhuyu), that its stems and leaves have thorns, and that its texture is hard and smooth. When people in Shu make tea and people in Wu make ming (a kind of tea), they boil pepper leaves together with it as a seasoning. In the mountains around Chenggao today, this plant is called "bamboo-leaf pepper." Its tree form also resembles Shu pepper, but it is less toxic and more heating in nature, so it is unsuitable for prescriptions. It can, however, be used in food, and it is especially good for steaming chicken and pork.

The Discourse on Drug Properties (Yaoxing lun) says that Qin pepper tastes bitter and pungent, and can treat numbness and painful bi caused by wind-evil throughout the body and the limbs, as well as swollen and loose teeth. It can also be used for women's menstrual blockage and stoppage, for blood stasis after childbirth, and for chronic dysentery. It further promotes hair growth and treats cold pain in the abdomen.

Tao Hongjing also says that Qin pepper is brought from the west. It resembles huajiao but is larger, yellowish-black in color, and has a distinct pepper fragrance, which is why some call it "great pepper." He further doubts whether this Qin pepper is the same as the "jiu tree" (qiushu), and whether the "jiuzi" is the same as the "pig pepper" (zhujiao). The character jiu here should be read as juqiu.

Meng Shen says that Qin pepper is warm in nature and can remove scars and promote hair growth, and it can also be used to eliminate blood stasis. For toothache, Qin pepper may be simmered in vinegar and then held in the mouth. For wounds exposed to wind, flour may be shaped into wonton-like pieces, heated in hot ash, broken open, and applied to the wound while still warm. Once it cools, it should be replaced with a fresh one.

Another method is to rinse the unopened (not yet split) medicinal material in water, mix it with flour and cook it into a gruel, then swallow it on an empty stomach and follow it with rice. For more severe conditions, take a second dose.

The Essentials of Cold Damage Disorders (Shanghan Leiyao) records a prescription for gao dan (gaodan, a wasting-thirst pattern, commonly marked by little drinking and frequent urination): take one fen of Sichuan pepper (qin jiao), stir-fried until it sweats, and two fen of melon stalk (gua di), ground into powder. Take it with water, in a dose of one fangcun bi (a small ancient spoon used to measure powdered medicine), three times a day.

The Supplement to the Thousand Ducats Formulas (Xu Qianjin Fang) records a method for an insect that has entered the ear: take one qian of pepper powder, soak it in half a cup of vinegar for a long time, then pour a small amount into the ear, and the insect will crawl out on its own.

The Yanyi (Extended Meanings) says: Qin pepper takes its name from being produced in the Qin region. In general, pepper trees from different regions are very similar. Qin pepper differs only in having slightly larger leaves and larger peppercorns, with shallower surface ridges, unlike Shu pepper (shu jiao), whose ridges are distinct and raised. However, Qin also grows the same variety as Shu pepper, so origin alone cannot be used to tell them apart.

Shanzhuyu (Cornus Fruit)

Shanzhuyu tastes sour, is neutral in nature but slightly warming, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat evil qi below the heart and alternating chills and fever. It warms the middle burner and expels cold-damp painful obstruction and the san chong (a general term for parasitic worms in the body). It is also used for wind-evil chills and fever in the intestines and stomach, shan jia (abdominal masses or pain), headache from wind, nasal congestion, yellow eyes, deafness, and facial sores that occur when wind attacks. It warms the middle, moves qi downward, induces sweating, strengthens kidney yin, supplements essence and qi, stabilizes the five zang organs, clears the nine orifices, and stops excessive urination. Long-term use is said to make the body light, the eyes bright, the strength greater, and to prolong life.

Shanzhuyu is also called shu zao, ji zu, and ji shi. It grows in the mountain valleys of Hanzhong and in places such as Langye, Yuanju, Donghai, and Chengxian. The fruit is harvested in the ninth and tenth months and dried in the shade. Liao shi (smartweed seed) may be used as its assistant ingredient (a substance that helps the main drug take effect in a formula). It should not be used together with platycodon root, saposhnikovia root, or stephania root.

The Illustrated Classic (Tujing) says: Shanzhuyu grows in the mountain valleys of Hanzhong and in the areas of Langye, Yuanju, Donghai, and Chengxian, and it is also found in Haizhou today. The tree is more than ten chi tall, its leaves resemble elm leaves, and its flowers are white. When the fruit has just ripened and is not yet dried, it is red, shaped like a hu-[illegible]-zi fruit, with a stone inside, and it can also be eaten. After drying, the skin becomes very thin. The fruit is picked in the ninth and tenth months and dried in the shade.

Wu Pu says: Shanzhuyu is also called shu shi (rat droppings). Its leaves resemble plum leaves and are bristly. It flowers in the second month, with flowers like apricot blossoms, and bears fruit in the fourth month. The fruit resembles a sour jujube, is red, and is harvested in the fifth month. The form Wu Pu describes differs somewhat from what is recorded here.

Tao Hongjing says: Shanzhuyu is also found in mountains throughout the surrounding regions, where it grows into large trees. When the fruit has just ripened and is not yet dry, it is red and can be eaten. Once dried, the skin is very thin. For medicinal use, the seed should be used together with the fruit.

Yu Xi and others, quoting the Discussion of Drug Properties (Yaoxing Lun), say: Shanzhuyu tastes salty and pungent, and is strongly warm in nature. It treats pain in the bones of the head, corrects irregular menstruation, supplements kidney qi, and invigorates and consolidates yang.

Ziwei (Trumpet Vine Flower)

It can strengthen the penis, replenish essence and marrow, treat tinnitus, and clear scars and blemishes from the face. It also induces sweating and treats urinary incontinence in the elderly.

Rihuazi says that shanzhuyu warms the waist and knees, replenishes the kidneys, dispels various wind and qi stagnations, dissipates zheng (hard masses accumulated in the abdomen), and treats rosacea.

Leigong says that when processing shanzhuyu, one must not mistakenly use queersu. Queersu closely resembles shanzhuyu in appearance, but its seed has eight ridges and it cannot be used medicinally. When using shanzhuyu, remove the seed and take only the flesh. For each processing, remove the seeds and take one piece of the pulp; use about four liang, and simmer slowly over low heat before it can be used medicinally. Shanzhuyu strengthens yuanqi and secures jingqi, whereas the seed causes jingqi to leak away.

The Yanyi says that shanzhuyu and zhuyu are very different. Shanzhuyu is red and about the size of goji berries, while wu zhuyu (a medicinal related to Sichuan pepper), when it first fruits, is no larger than huajiao and a dark green color. The two share only similar names, but their efficacy differs. It is unclear why the ancients gave them this naming. Nonetheless, shanzhuyu nourishes the kidneys and has many applications, which the Benjing and its commentaries describe in considerable detail.

Ziwei (Trumpet Vine Flower)

Ziwei tastes sour, is slightly cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats postpartum conditions that linger in women, uterine bleeding (abnormal bleeding from the uterus), zheng (abdominal masses), amenorrhea, alternating chills and fever, and emaciation; it can also nourish the fetus. Its stems and leaves taste bitter and are non-toxic. They treat flaccidity with inability to walk and can replenish yuanqi. Ziwei is also called lingtiao, bahua, and lingxiao hua, and it grows in valleys and sunny hillsides in the region of the Western Sea.

The Tujing says that ziwei is lingxiao hua, which grows in valleys and sunny hillsides in the region of the Western Sea and is now found everywhere. It mostly grows in the mountains, though some people plant it in gardens. When young, ziwei is a vine that clings to large trees. Over the years the vines climb to the treetops and bloom, flowering most profusely in summer, with yellow flowers tinged with red.

Tao Hongjing says that the tiao zhi hua in the Book of Songs, which Guo Pu glossed as lingxiao, was further cited by Su Gong, who quoted the "Shi Cao" chapter of the Erya to say that tiao is lingxiao. However, in current commentaries on the Erya, tiao is also called lingshi. The Bencao does not list "lingxiao" as a name for this plant. Do the books handed down from past to present record differing accounts? The commentaries of Lu Ji and Kong Yingda also say that tiao is called lingshi, and that lingshi is an alternate name for Salvia (shuwei). Guo Pu likewise glossed tiao as lingshi. The Bencao does not list lingshi as an alternate name for ziwei, but it does list it as an alternate name for Salvia. From this, it seems that the sources Tao Hongjing and Su Gong cited may be…

Here we discuss two medicinal materials: Flos Campsis (Lingxiaohua) and Euphrates Poplar Resin (Hutonglei).

Regarding Flos Campsis, the original text clarifies it is actually a woody plant rather than an herbaceous one. This climbing vine attaches itself to other objects for growth, yet its branches don't wither in winter, displaying distinct woody characteristics. The dried flowers are used to treat gynecological disorders—such as metrorrhagia in women or skin rashes caused by blood-heat in young girls—while also regulating menstruation. The standard preparation involves grinding the flowers into powder, taking approximately 6 grams per dose with warm wine before meals for optimal effect.

With a sweet flavor profile, Flos Campsis primarily treats heat-wind disorders, epilepsy, urinary/defecation difficulties, and postpartum hemorrhage, while also having fetus-calming properties. Its roots alleviate skin itching and wind-rash, with flowers and leaves sharing similar medicinal value. One folk remedy suggests pounding the leaves for juice to treat sudden deafness when dropped into ears.

The second material, Euphrates Poplar Resin (Hutonglei), tastes salty-bitter with intensely cold yet non-toxic properties. Effective against heat-toxicity causing chest/abdominal distress (taken with water to induce vomiting), it also treats acute jaundice in livestock—2-3 liang (60-90g) of crushed resin shows rapid efficacy when administered orally. This resin additionally serves as solder for gold/silver joints, primarily sourced from plains and valleys west of Suzhou (modern Jiujuan, Gansu).

Euphrates poplars grow exceptionally tall, with bark/leaves resembling white poplar, phoenix tree, and mulberry, their timber being craft-worthy. The resin forms when sap permeates saline soil, appearing like yellow alum but harder, sometimes containing rotten wood fragments. In Western Regions, these trees resemble crooked mulberries in morphology.

Tujing says that hutong tears (hutong lei) are produced on the flatlands, marshes, and valleys west of Suzhou, and that merchants in the Western Regions also sell them today. The hutong tree is said to be very tall, with bark like that of the white poplar and the green tung tree. Its leaves resemble willow when they first emerge and mulberry or tung leaves when fully grown. The tree's sap seeps into the ground and congeals beside large rocks. Hutong tears collected in winter look like yellow alum or ginger-stone, taste intensely salty and bitter, and dissolve in water like saltpeter. Ancient formulas rarely used them, but today they are an important medicine for diseases of the mouth and teeth.

Hutong tears are also called hutong lü, since lü and lei (tears) are close in pronunciation. There is, however, another substance called mu lü (wood lü) that closely resembles it but cannot be used medicinally.

Rihuazi says that hutong tears can treat cavities and toothaches caused by wind. There are two kinds of wood lü, neither of which should be used as medicine. Stone lü, which looks like small flakes of yellow-earth-colored stone, is the superior variety. It can be used in tooth medicines and also relieves fire toxicity and facial toxicity.

Haiyao says that, according to the Lingbiao ji, hutong tears treat feng gan (wind scabies), teeth eaten by worms, toothache, and gucao feng lao (wind-fatigue of the bone-socket), among other conditions. They can soften all hard substances. Taking too much causes vomiting. The character lü is not accurate.

Zhuling

Zhuling tastes sweet and bitter, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats malaria and detoxifies, and it is also used for gu poisoning, corpse affliction (shizhu), and other inauspicious illnesses. It promotes urination. Long-term use is said to make the body light and vigorous and to slow aging. Zhuling is also called jia zhu shi (male pig dung) and grows in the valleys of Mount Heng and in the Yuanqu County area of Jiyin Commandery. It is harvested in the second and eighth months and dried in the shade.

Tujing says that zhuling grows in the valleys of Mount Heng and in the Jiyin Yuanqu area, and that it is now also found in Shuzhou and Meizhou. An older account held that it is a fungus growing beneath maple roots, but it is now thought that it does not grow only there. Zhuling grows in soil, has a black outer skin, and forms lumps resembling pig dung, which gives it its name. It is also called di wu tao (earth black peach). After harvesting in the second and eighth months and drying in the shade, the outer skin is peeled away, and the white, firm interior is considered best. The Zhuangzi calls it shi tuo (pig sack). Sima Biao's commentary states that it is also called ling gen (poria root), resembles pig dung in shape, and can relieve thirst.

Yaoxing lun says that zhuling, used as a chen (minister) herb, is slightly warm in nature. It can resolve the high fevers caused by cold damage and epidemic warm disease, induce sweating, and treat edema, abdominal distension, and acute pain.

Tao Yinju says that the older account held zhuling to be a fungus that grows at the root of the maple, and that its name comes from its black skin and lump-like shape, which resemble pig dung. The white, firm interior is better, and the black skin should be peeled off before use.

Yu Xi says that, according to Wu's record, zhuling is listed as sweet in the Shennong Bencao Jing and as bitter in Leigong's account, and that it is non-toxic.

Poria (Zhuling) harvested, first remove a layer of coarse skin with a copper knife, slice it thin, and soak it overnight in flowing eastward water. The next morning, take it out, cut it finely, and steam it for a full day with cimicifuga (Shengma) leaves. After steaming, remove the cimicifuga leaves, rinse the poria clean, and dry it for later use.

The Waitai Miyao records that for a pregnant woman suffering from zilin (difficult, dribbling urination during pregnancy), take five liang of poria and grind it into powder on its own. Take one fangcuni (a measure of powder, a spoonful by ancient standards) with three he of warm boiled water. Gradually increase the dose to two fangcuni, taken three times a day.

The Zimu Milu records that for a pregnant woman whose swelling begins in the feet and rises to the abdomen, with difficult urination and a mild thirst, take five liang of poria, grind it into powder, and take one fangcuni with warm water, three times a day.

Yang's Chanru records that for generalized edema with difficult urination, take five liang of poria, pound it and sift it, decoct it in water to obtain three he, mix in one fangcuni of powder, and take it. Gradually increase the dose to two fangcuni.

The Yanyi states that poria's diuretic action is long-lasting, and that prolonged use will certainly damage the kidney qi (Qi, vital energy) and blur the vision. If it must be taken over a long period, it should be considered with great care.

Wuyao (Lindera root)

Wuyao is pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It is used to treat sudden attack by malign influences (zhong'e), pain in the chest and abdomen, gu poisoning, zhuwu (illness caused by invading evil qi), ghostly qi, and undigested food retention, as well as epidemic diseases and miasmatic qi. It is also used for cold qi rising from the bladder and kidney region to strike the back and spine, for disharmony of blood and qi in women, and for parasitic worms in the abdomen of children.

The tender leaves and roots of wuyao may be gathered and made into tea slices, which are then roasted, ground, and decocted for use. It is said to replenish central qi, and it is especially suited to frequent urination and incontinence.

Wuyao grows in Yongzhou and Rongzhou in Lingnan, as well as in Jiangnan. The tree resembles a tea plant and grows more than one zhang (about three meters) tall. Its leaves are divided into three lobes, green on the upper surface and white on the underside. The roots are blackish-brown and shaped like a cart hub, resembling the roots of shan shaoyao (mountain peony) or wu zhang (a camphor-type tree). Wuyao with only straight taproots is not suitable. The roots are harvested in the eighth month.

The Tujing states that wuyao is produced in Yongzhou and Rongzhou in Lingnan and in Jiangnan, and is now also found in Taizhou, Leizhou, and Hengzhou, with the variety from Tiantai considered the best. The tree resembles the tea plant or the jia tree, standing five to seven chi tall. Its leaves are roughly round and pointed, divided into three lobes, green above and white beneath. It bears small yellowish-white flowers in the fifth month and fruit in the sixth month. The fruit resembles that of mountain peony, and some are especially large. The roots resemble those of diao zhang (a fishing-pole camphor tree).

Wuyao has two kinds of roots. The roots from Lingnan are blackish-brown and hard in texture, while those from Tiantai are white and loose and soft. Both are harvested in the eighth month. Roots shaped like a cart hub or like strung beads are considered superior. Some say that wuyao from Tiantai is pure white and pleasantly fragrant, but is not as good as the one from Hai...

Myrrh

Wu yao (Lindera root) grown in the south is strong in its medicinal action.

Yu Xi says: According to Ri Huazi, wu yao regulates all kinds of qi stagnation and dispels cold. It may also be used for huoluan (sudden vomiting and diarrhea, or cholera), fanwei (retching and vomiting), diarrhea and dysentery, yong (carbuncles and boils), jiexuan (scabies and ringworm), and mafeng (leprosy). It also regulates chills and fever. Its uses are so numerous that they cannot all be listed. When cats or dogs suffer from various illnesses, wu yao may likewise be ground into powder and given to them.

The Doumen Fang records: For yin-du shanghan (severe febrile disease caused by yin-cold pathogens), take one ge of wu yao seeds and stir-fry them until black smoke rises. Put them into water and decoct for three to five boils, then take one large bowl while hot. When the patient sweats and yang qi returns, the condition will improve.

The Yanyi says: Wu yao regulates the flow of qi, but its dispersing and draining action is strong, while its nature is not especially fierce. When it is ground together with chenxiang (aloeswood) and taken as a decoction or stirred into a drink, it gives good relief from discomfort caused by cold qi in the chest and abdomen.

Myrrh

Myrrh tastes bitter, is mild in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to break up blood stasis and relieve pain. It is also used for metal wounds, injuries from blows, various malignant sores, hemorrhoids and fistulas, sudden bleeding, membranous films over the eyes, dizziness with eye pain, and redness of the skin. Myrrh is produced in the country of Persia. It resembles benzoin in shape, comes in irregular sizes, and is blackish in color.

The Tujing says: Myrrh grows in the country of Persia, and today it is also found in the countries of the Hai Ling region and in Guangzhou. The roots and trunk of the myrrh tree resemble those of the olive tree, and its leaves are green and dense. When the tree is old, resin drips from it onto the ground and hardens into lumps of varying size, also resembling benzoin. There is no fixed season for harvesting.

Modern prescriptions commonly use myrrh for internal-injury pain and blood-dizziness in women, and for sharp pain in the navel and abdomen. Take myrrh alone, grind it into a fine powder, and take one qian with warm wine. The pain will stop.

Another prescription treats lijie feng (a condition marked mainly by joint pain) and bone and joint pain caused by various wind pathogens, so severe that it cannot be endured day or night. Take half a liang of myrrh and grind it fine. Take three liang of tiger skull bone, coat it with butter, roast it until yellow, pound it, and sift it. Then grind it together with the myrrh. Take two qian each time, mixed with warm wine, three times a day. The effect is very good.

Yu Xi says: According to the Yaoxing Lun, myrrh may also be used alone. It tastes bitter and pungent, and it can treat blood stasis in the chest and abdomen caused by falls and blows, fractures and sprains, stagnant pain in the sinews and bones, and wounds from sharp metal weapons such as swords and knives. When the pain is unbearable, taking it mixed with wine works better.

Ri Huazi says: Myrrh can disperse accumulations and stored blood stasis, and it can also reduce swelling and detoxify.

The Haiyao says: According to the Xu Biao Nanzhou Ji, myrrh is produced in the country of Persia. It is a resin of that land, resembling shenxiang (divine incense) in shape, dark red in color, bitter and pungent in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats injuries from falls and blows, dissolves old blood stasis, and promotes the generation of new blood. Before use, it should be ground fine and then mixed with hot wine.

Myrrh (Moyao)

Myrrh generally frees stagnant blood vessels and relieves pain from falls and injuries. It is usually taken dissolved in wine. When blood stagnates, the movement of Qi (Qi) is obstructed, and when Qi is blocked, the channels swell and become tense, producing pain and swelling. Whenever muscles swell after a fall, it is because the channels have been injured, the flow of Qi and blood has been impeded, and stasis has accumulated.

Longyan (Dragon's Eye)

Longyan tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It governs evil qi within the five viscera (wuzang), calms the Shen (Shen) and steadies the mind, increases appetite, and also expels parasites and detoxifies. Taken over the long term, it strengthens shenqi, makes a person intelligent, light in body, and slow to age, and allows one to penetrate to spirit illumination (shenming). Longyan is also called "Yizhi" (Benefit Wisdom). Its larger fruits resemble areca nuts and grow in the mountain valleys of the South Sea (Nanhai).

Tao Hongjing (Tao Hongjing) said that Guangzhou has another plant also called "longyan," whose fruit resembles lychee but is smaller. This is not yizhi, and the name is probably only a local alias. The yizhi used today is the edible kind that benefits people.

The "Tang Benzhu" (Annotations to the Tang Materia Medica) says that the fruit of yizhi resembles lianqiao (forsythia). When the fruit head has not yet split open, it tastes sweet and pungent and is quite unlike binglang. Its shoots, leaves, flowers, and roots are the same as those of doukou (cardamom), except that the fruit is smaller. Although longyan has the alias "yizhi," yizhi is not longyan. The longyan tree resembles the lychee tree, its leaves resemble apple leaves, its flowers are white, and its fruit resembles binglang, with scales and a flavor that is sweet with a hint of sourness.

The "Yanyi" (Extended Meanings) says that the classics name longyan as another name for yizhi, but today "longyan" refers only to a fruit, and it is not seen used as medicine. The supplementary annotations to the Bencao do not mention it, and the "Shennong Bencao Jing" (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica Classic) lists it among the middle-grade items of the wood section, while it is not recorded among the fruits. If the longyan of the wood section is taken to be yizhi zi, then yizhi zi is used specifically to regulate qi, whereas the longyan eaten today as fruit has no such function. Moreover, yizhi has its own separate entry, and the two differ greatly. It follows that the longyan of the wood section is the longyan eaten today. The current commentaries say that longyan is sweet, enters the spleen channel, and can benefit the mind, and this account is appropriate.

Amole (Amalaka)

Amole tastes bitter and sweet, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats wind-deficiency and heat qi, and it is also called "yuganzi" (emblic myrobalan). It grows in the regions of Jiaozhou, Guangzhou, and Aizhou in Lingnan.

The "Tujing" (Illustrated Classic) says that amole is yuganzi, which grows in Jiaozhou, Guangzhou, Aizhou, and other parts of Lingnan. Today it is found in the valleys of the prefectures of Liangguang and in the areas of Western Sichuan inhabited by minority peoples.

The "Yanyi" (Extended Meanings) says that amole is yuganzi and can neutralize the toxicity of metallic and mineral medicines. It may be ground into powder and stirred into decoction before taking. The amole described in Buddhist scriptures is this same fruit, and presumably this plant also grows in the Western Regions.

Weimao (Euonymus)

Weimao tastes bitter and is cool in nature, and it is non-toxic. It is used mainly for uterine bleeding and spotting (beng lou) in women, for bleeding in the lower body, for abdominal distension, and for sweating. It can expel pathogenic qi and treat gui du (demonic poison), gu du (poison from sorcery), shi zhu (a contagious illness that the ancients attributed to ghosts or corpse qi, here glossed as "transmissible illness"), zhong e (sudden illness from striking an evil qi), and abdominal pain. It also expels white worms, dissipates wind-poison swellings on the skin, and relieves spasms of the genitals. Weimao is also called Guijian (Ghost Arrow), and it grows in the valleys around Huo Mountain. It is harvested in the eighth month and dried in the shade.

The Tujing (Illustrated Classic) states that Weimao is the same as Guijian and comes from the valleys of Huo Mountain. It is also produced in the prefectures and counties of the Jiang-Huai region today. After the third month it sends up stems about four or five chi tall. The stems bear winged ridges resembling arrow fletching, and the leaves are similar to camellia leaves and are green. The branches and stems are gathered in the eighth, eleventh, and twelfth months and dried in the shade. The wood is also called gou gu (dog bone). The Cui Shi formulary records that Guijian Yu Tang (Ghost Arrow Feather Decoction) treats severe pain of the chest from zhu (a stubborn illness) attacking the heart area. The Jiyan Fang (Collected Efficacious Formulas) records that Dahuang Tang (Rhubarb Decoction) is used for sudden heart pain, or pain caused by zhong e or poisonous qi. These are all formulas with many ingredients.

Yu Xi remarks that the Yaoxing Lun (Treatise on Drug Properties) lists Guijian, which is Weimao, as a shi yao (envoy herb). It is slightly toxic and can disperse long-standing blood stasis and also cause the fetus to descend. It treats zhong e, pain in the waist and abdomen, and illnesses caused by various evil spirits and demonic influences.

The Riwazi (Master Ri Hua) states that Guijian Yu tastes sweet and astringent. It can free the menstrual flow, dissolve zheng jie (abdominal masses or accumulations), treat bleeding and leucorrhea, expel parasitic worms from the abdomen, and relieve pain from blood stasis after childbirth.

Lei Gong says that when using the drug, one should not confuse it with the root of Shimao, which resembles Guijian in shape but differs in its leaves and taste. After gathering Guijian, only the winged parts are taken. The red hairs on them are wiped off, and the drug is then slowly stir-fried with ghee, using one fen of ghee for each liang of herb, until the ghee is fully absorbed.

The Waitai Miyao (Secret Essentials from the Outer Terrace) records that to treat insufficient breast milk, one may use five liang of Guijian boiled in six sheng of water until reduced to four sheng. Eight ge are taken each time, three times a day, and the effect is very good.

The Yanyi (Extended Meanings) states that Weimao grows in valleys everywhere, but the author has never seen it grow on level ground. Its leaves are few, and its stems are yellowish-brown, like the bark of the huangbo tree. Along the stems are ridges with three edges, like blades. Common people often burn it to ward off evil, and those who know prescriptions seldom use it.

Haitong Pi (Sea Parasol Bark)

Haitong Pi tastes bitter, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used mainly for huoluan (cholera), zhong e, chi-bai li (dysentery with red or white pus and blood), and chronic dysentery. It also treats gan-? (a term in the original for a worm-borne ailment, rendered with a rare character that cannot be reproduced here), scabies and ringworm, and toothaches caused by worms. It may be decocted and taken, or held in the mouth. Soaking it in water and washing the eyes with the liquid removes redness of the eyelid skin. The bark is tough and suitable for twisting into rope, and it resists rotting even when soaked in water. It grows in the valleys south of the South Sea and resembles the zi tree in shape. Some editions write it as "tong bai pi" (tung-white bark).

Huang Zhu (bold heading, as in the original)

Haitong Bark

The Tujing records that haitong bark grows in valleys south of the Southern Sea and is also found in Leizhou and other prefectures near the coast. Its leaves are as large as a palm, divided into three lobes with pointed tips. The bark resembles the white bark of the catalpa tree. It is tough and strong enough to be twisted into rope, and it does not easily rot when soaked in water. It may be gathered at any season. Older formulas often steep it in wine to treat wind-induced spasms and contractions of the hands and feet.

Yu Xi remarks that the Rihuazi describes haitong bark as warm in nature, able to free the blood vessels and relieve numbness and pain. When the eyes are red, a decoction of it may also be used to wash them.

The Chuanxin Fang is a collection of medical prescriptions compiled by Wang Shaoyan, Prefect of Yun Prefecture under the Southern Tang. The Xu Chuanxin Fang records a medicinal wine for lower-back and knee pain. Wang Shaoyan writes: "Some years ago, while I was in Gushu, my lower back and knees were so painful that I could hardly bear it. The physicians judged that wind poison had invaded the kidneys, and many remedies failed. Later I read the Chuanxin Fang and found this tested prescription. I prepared one dose accordingly, and the pain eased by half at once, and I could walk much more easily. For this reason I have recorded the formula."

The formula calls for two liang of haitong bark; one liang each of niuxi (Achyranthes root), chuanxiong (Ligusticum), qianghuo (Notopterygium), digupi (lycium root bark), and wujiapi (Acanthopanax bark); half a liang of licorice; one liang of coix seed; and ten liang of fresh rehmannia root. The herbs are washed, dried over a low heat, and cut into pieces. The fresh rehmannia is sliced with a knife made of reed and wrapped in one liang of cotton. All the ingredients are steeped in two dou of unadulterated wine, meaning wine without added lime or similar substances, for twenty days in winter or ten days in summer. Once steeped, the wine is taken one cup at a time on an empty stomach, after meals, at noon, and before bed, and is drunk over the long term until one feels a slight warmth from the wine. The quantities should not be altered arbitrarily, and poisonous foods should be avoided.

Hu Zhang (Japanese Knotweed)

The root of hu zhang is slightly warm in nature and is used to treat amenorrhea, blood stasis, and abdominal masses (fixed lumps that do not disperse).

The Yaoxing Lun states that hu zhang is also called "great tiger staff." It is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats high fever, restlessness, and thirst, promotes urination, and relieves various kinds of heat toxicity. In the summer, it is boiled with licorice; the decoction turns an amber color, which is pleasing to the eye, and it tastes sweet and agreeable.

Tao Hongjing says that hu zhang grows abundantly in the fields. It resembles a tall knotweed, has spotted stems, and round leaves. It may also be used for sudden abdominal masses, with the root steeped in wine before being taken.

Yu Xi remarks that, according to the Shuben Tujing, hu zhang grows in low, damp places and can grow into a small tree more than one zhang tall. Its stems are red and its roots yellow. The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months, dried in the sun, and kept for later use. It can be found in every region.

The Erya records that hu zhang is also called "zhu." Its commentary says that it looks like red grass but grows coarser, has small thorns, and can be used as a red dye.

The Rihuazi states that hu zhang can treat postpartum blood stasis with retention of lochia and distension in the chest and abdomen, and that it can disperse stagnation……

Polygonum cuspidatum (Huzhang) is used to treat boils, abscesses, carbuncles and toxic swellings, as well as postpartum blood dizziness in women, blood stasis from falls and trauma, and tetanus. Huzhang (Polygonum cuspidatum) is also used to treat qi stagnation, and it is also called Suanzhang (Sour Staff) and Banzhang (Spotted Staff). Lei Gong (Master Lei) cautions that when using Huzhang, one should not mistake the roots of Tianlan and Banmao (Blister Beetle) for it, since these plants resemble Huzhang in root shape and taste and are easily confused. After harvesting Huzhang, it should be finely chopped, soaked overnight in the dew collected from its leaves, and then dried for later use.

The Waitai Miyao (Secret Essentials from the External Dais) records that when a hard mass suddenly forms in the abdomen, as hard as stone, with piercing pain day and night, and it is left untreated, death may follow within a hundred days. The remedy calls for roughly one dan (shi) of Huzhang root, washed and pounded into powder; five sheng of glutinous rice is steamed into cooked rice, mixed with the powdered herb, and then steeped in five dou of good wine in a sealed vessel. Once the medicine has dissolved and the rice floats to the top, one and a half sheng is drunk each time. During treatment, one should avoid eating salmon and salt. If the abdominal mass frequently passes out of the body, one may instead take one dou of dried Huzhang, pound it, steep it in wine, and drink it, beginning with small amounts three times a day. The text states that this method for abdominal accumulations surpasses many potent medicines.

The Zhouhou Fang (Handbook of Emergency Prescriptions) records that for epidemic illness or toxic pathogens of cold damage causing swelling and severe pain in the hands and feet, Huzhang root may be chopped, boiled in water, and, once the temperature is suitable, used to soak the hands and feet until sweating occurs. The water level should rise about one chi above the hands and feet. The Shanghan Leiyao (Essentials of Cold Damage) contains the same record.

The Jiyan Fang (Collected Effective Prescriptions) records that for the treatment of the five strangury disorders (various conditions of difficult or painful urination), Huzhang may be used in unlimited quantity. It is ground into powder, two qian are taken each time with rice gruel, with no fixed timing.

The Yanyi (Extended Meanings) states that Huzhang root has a slightly bitter taste, though older texts did not record its flavor. It is an herbaceous medicinal plant. The Shuben Tujing (Illustrated Classic of Shu) describes it as resembling a woody plant more than a meter tall, but this does not match the true Huzhang. Huzhang broadly resembles wild chrysanthemum, but its flowers, leaves, stems and stamens are all larger, and its stems and leaves bear faint dark-black markings. It begins to flower in the sixth and seventh months and finishes only by the middle of the ninth month. The flowers have four petals, colored like peach blossoms, slightly larger, with a deeper hue on the outer side. It grows abundantly on the foothills of Shaanxi and along waterways. Today, during the summer heat in various regions, Huzhang root is often decocted into a drink; without licorice, however, its taste is difficult to tolerate. The Yaoxing Lun (Treatise on Medicinal Properties) says that when Huzhang is boiled together with licorice, it tastes sweet. In fact, the sweetness comes from the licorice, not from Huzhang. Nevertheless, regarding the therapeutic effects of Huzhang, the text's discussion is appropriate.

Wubeizi (Galla Chinensis)

Wubeizi tastes bitter and sour, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat loose teeth and rotting gums, as well as wind-toxin dispersing from the lungs that flows into the skin, causing wind-damp ringworm sores, itching and pus discharge, and it is also used for the five kinds of hemorrhoids.

The ailment-treating power of this herb also extends to hemorrhage, and it can be used to treat sores on the face and nose of infants caused by gan (malnutrition-related) disease. This herb is also called wenge (clam), and it is found everywhere. The fruit is green, and the large ones are about the size of a fist, often containing insects inside, so it is also called baichongcang (the hundred-insect granary).

Wubeizi (Gallnut)

The Tujing (Illustrated Classic) states that wubeizi had no specific place of origin recorded in the past, only that it was found in all regions. Today Sichuan is considered to produce the higher-quality material. Wubeizi grows on the leaves of the fumu (Rhus chinensis) tree, bearing fruit in the seventh month, and it has no flowers. The branches and leaves of the fumu are greenish-yellow, and the fruit is initially green, turning yellow when ripe. The large fruits are about the size of a fist and contain many insects. It is harvested in the ninth month and dried in the sun. Those that promote the production of fluids (shengjin) have the best medicinal effect.

Chen Cangqi, in his preface, states that wubeizi can treat diarrhea and dysentery caused by weakness of the stomach and intestines, taken with hot water.

The Boji Fang (Formulas for Broad Relief) records that when wind toxin rises upward to attack the eyes, causing swelling, itching, dryness, and unbearable pain, or redness and ulceration along the edges of the upper and lower eyelids, with floating cloudy films and proliferating flesh encroaching on the black of the eye, one may use the formula called qufeng san (wind-dispelling powder), which is said to be very effective. The formula consists of one liang of wubeizi and one and a half liang of manjingzi (Vitex), pounded together into a fine powder. Each time, two qian are taken and simmered with two zhan of water in a copper or stone vessel. When the liquid is reduced to one zhan, the dregs are filtered out, and the eyes are washed with the warm liquid. The dregs are kept and simmered again, and the eyes are washed in the same way. The text states that this method greatly improves eyesight and relieves dryness and itching of the eyes.

The Jingyan Houfang (Later Empirical Formulas) records that for infants with persistent vomiting, one should take two wubeizi, one used raw and one processed by heating, together with a handful of gancao (licorice). These are wrapped in damp paper and roasted. The materials are then pounded together into a fine powder, and half a qianbi is taken each time, mixed with mi gan shui (rice-washing water). It is said that this cures the condition.

The Yanyi (Extended Meanings) states that wubeizi is also used in dyeing. For mouth sores, the powder is sprinkled on the affected area, after which one can eat.

Mimenghua (Honey-Mongolian Flower)

Mimenghua is sweet in flavor, neutral to slightly cold in nature, and non-toxic. It primarily treats qingmang (blue blindness), yizhang (eye films and obstructions), and redness of the eyes, as well as excessive eye discharge and tearing. It can also be used to dispel red blood vessels in the eyes, and to treat eye conditions that arise in children after smallpox or gan disease.

Mimenghua grows in the mountain valleys of Yizhou. The tree is over one zhang tall, with leaves like those of the dongqing (holly), but thicker, and with whitish undersides covered in fine hairs. The flowers are picked in the second and third months.

The Tujing states that mimenghua is produced in the mountain valleys of Yizhou, and today it is found in all the prefectures and counties of Sichuan. The tree is over one zhang tall, with leaves like holly leaves, but thicker, whitish on the underside, and covered with fine hairs. The flowers are slightly orange-yellow in color, with a faintly purple tint. The flowers are picked in the second and third months and used after drying in the sun. Although it is a tree, it is listed in the herbal section of plants, and the reason for this is unknown.

Leigong (Master Lei) states that when processing mimenghua, one should first carefully select and clean the material, then soak it in wine overnight, remove it and air-dry it, then mix it with honey until it is thoroughly moistened, and then steam it from the mao hour to the you hour. After it is removed and dried in the sun, the next step is...

This passage from the Compendium of Materia Medica primarily discusses the processing methods and medicinal values of several herbal ingredients:

Regarding Buddleja officinalis (mimeng flower, a Chinese medicinal herb), this plant was abundantly produced in Lizhou Circuit (an ancient administrative region) of Sichuan. Its leaves remain evergreen in winter, though not as rigid as holly—being soft yet lacking luster, with a pale green hue. The tiny flowers grow in dense clusters, with dozens forming a single inflorescence, sprouting in winter and blooming in spring. Its current classification among herbaceous medicinal plants may be somewhat inaccurate.

Ink (pine-soot ink) has a pungent taste and is non-toxic. It can stop bleeding and promote wound healing, being particularly effective for treating postpartum hemorrhage. For usage, grind it with vinegar before ingestion; it also treats foreign objects in the eyes. Powdered ink mixed with water can cure bloody dysentery and infantile convulsions. However, only high-quality pine-soot ink is suitable for medicinal use—coarse, inferior ink must be avoided. Special caution is noted: tribute ink from Goryeo (Korea) might contain adulterants and should not be used medicinally. The text specifically mentions that ink made from petroleum soot from Yanchuan (modern-day Yan'an, Shaanxi), though glossy and jet-black, is likewise unsuitable for medicine.

Tribulus flower (the blossom of a thorny plant) has a bitter taste, neutral nature, and is non-toxic. Primarily used for treating knife wounds and internal bleeding, it must be collected 120 days after the winter solstice. Its fruit improves vision, alleviates heart/abdominal pain, reduces fever, and promotes diuresis. Collected in April, it has alternate names including Thlaspi, horse belly thorn, and thorn origin. Date tree thorns can also treat lumbar pain and throat swelling. Tao Hongjing (the renowned pharmacologist) noted possible confusion in these records: while asparagus shoots are valuable medicine, they cannot substitute for tribulus thorns.

(Note: The original Chinese names "蜜蒙花," "松烟墨," and "棘刺花" are preserved as technical terms. Ancient place names like "Lizhou Circuit," "Goryeo," and "Yanchuan" include modern equivalents for clarity. Tao Hongjing's identity is briefly contextualized.)

The term "ji" (thorn) refers to the small jujube, which is very common in fields. It grows in clumps about two or three chi (roughly a foot each) tall, and its flowers, leaves, stems, and fruit all resemble those of the jujube tree.

The Shenghui Fang (Holy Benevolence Formulary) records that for various childhood ganbing (wasting or malnutrition-type disorders), thorn needles (ci zhen) and melon pedicles (gua di) may be ground in equal parts into a powder and blown into the nostrils twice a day.

Anxi xiang (benzoin) is acrid and bitter in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats malign qi (e qi) in the chest and abdomen, as well as guzhu, a condition once believed to be caused by the intrusion of ghostly evil. It comes from the Xirong (Western Rong) regions. It resembles pine resin, is yellowish-black, and forms into lumps, and when freshly harvested its resin is pliable.

Yu Xi writes that, according to Xiao Bing, burning anxi xiang can drive off ghosts and summon spirits. Duan Chengshi's Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang says that the anxi xiang tree grows in the Persian state, where locals call it the "tree that wards off evil." The tree is about three zhang tall (roughly ten metres), has yellowish-black bark and four-cornered leaves, and is hardy and does not shed in winter. In the second month it bears yellow flowers with a faint bluish tint at the center, and it bears no fruit. When the bark is cut, it exudes a resin as thick as malt syrup, which is anxi xiang. The resin is collected in the sixth or seventh month, after it has hardened. Burning it is said to commune with spirits and expel all kinds of evil.

The Haiyao (Marine Medicines), after careful examination, states that the Guangzhou Ji records that the anxi xiang tree grows in the South Sea and Persian regions. The substance is a resin resembling peach gum, harvested in autumn. Another formulary holds that when a woman dreams at night of having intercourse with a ghost, anxi xiang may be compounded with chouhuang (sulfur) into pills, and the smoke used to fumigate the dan xue (vulva), which is said to end the condition permanently. It is also said to treat seminal emission (yi jing) in men, to warm and tonify the kidneys, and to expel malign qi.

Songluo is bitter and sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats irritability and anger, malign qi, night sweats, wind-headache, and cold, swollen, painful conditions of the female genitals. It is also used for phlegm-heat and warm malaria, can be decocted as an emetic, and promotes urination. Also called nüluo, it grows in the valleys of Xiong'er Mountain, parasitic on pine trees. It is harvested in the fifth month and dried in the shade.

The Tujing (Illustrated Classic) states that for further details on songluo, see the entry on sangjisheng (mulberry mistletoe).

Tao Hongjing writes that songluo is abundant in the East Mountain region, where it parasitizes many kinds of trees, but only that growing on pine is considered authentic. The Book of Odes says, "Niao and nüluo spread over the pine" (Niao yu nüluo shi yu song shang). Here niao refers to a parasitic plant. Some, however, hold that the kind growing on mulberry is the true one and that pine-grown material should not be used. The views of the authorities differ.

Yu Xi writes that, according to the Yaoxing Lun (Treatise on Drug Properties), songluo used as medicine is bitter and pungent and slightly warm. It can treat alternating cold and heat, induce vomiting of heat-phlegm lodged in the chest, and treat scalp sores and goiter in the neck.

The Rihuazi says that songluo can help a person sleep soundly.

Dafu (a drug name) is slightly warm and non-toxic. It treats cold and heat qi surging upward into the chest and abdomen, toxic qi stagnating in the large intestine, phlegm-qi obstruction, and acid regurgitation. Decocted with fresh ginger and salt, and combined with qi-regulating agents, it works better. Place of growth:

Its stems, leaves, roots, and trunk all resemble those of the areca palm (binglang), differing only slightly, and it grows in the countries of the South Seas.

The Illustrated Classic (Tujing) says that the detailed account appears under the entry for "binglang."

Yu Xi says that, according to the Daihua Zi, it regulates the qi throughout the body, halts cholera, clears the large and small intestines, strengthens the spleen, stimulates the appetite, and harmonizes the spleen and stomach.

Master Sun (Sun Zhenren) says that poisonous birds of the myna kind roost in areca palms, so the medicinal material should first be washed with wine and then rinsed with soybean juice before use.

Tianzhuhuang (bamboo manna) tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats infantile convulsions and "heavenly suspension" (acute symptoms in children such as seizures and upward-rolling eyes). It calms the heart and spirit, brightens the eyes, dispels various kinds of wind-heat, and treats metal wounds (injuries caused by swords and other blades) by stopping bleeding. It is also said to nourish the five zang organs. Its other name is "bamboo paste" (zhugao). Some people mix in various bones, kudzu starch, and similar materials, roast the mixture, and pass it off as tianzhuhuang. The Linhai Gazetteer records that it comes from the kingdom of Tianzhu (India), and nowadays it is often found inside bamboo.

Yu Xi says that, according to the Daihua Zi, tianzhuhuang is neutral in nature and treats wind stroke and surging phlegm, as well as sudden loss of voice and inability to speak. It also treats "keowu" (a sudden illness in children after being startled by outside disturbance) and phlegm epilepsy. This medicine is formed from sand and dust that condense inside bamboo in the South Seas region.

The Yanyi says that tianzhuhuang is by nature a substance formed inside bamboo, just as yellow earth clings to bamboo. It cools the heart and spirit and dispels wind-heat. It is especially suited to children's prescriptions because its nature is mild and gentle.

Baiji (white thorn) tastes pungent, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats pain in the heart and abdomen and abscesses that form pus. It relieves pain and draws out foreign objects lodged in the flesh. It also treats deficiency damage in men, impotence, and seminal emission, supplements kidney qi, and benefits essence and marrow. Its other names are jizhen (thorn needle) and jici (thorn spike), and it grows in the valleys of Yongzhou.

The Illustrated Classic says that baiji is the same as jizhen and grows in Yongzhou. The flowers of jici grow beside roads, and nowadays they are also found near the capital. Ji is a dwarf jujube tree that grows in clumps three or four chi tall. Its flowers, leaves, stems, and fruit all resemble those of the jujube, and it comes in red and white varieties. Su Gong says that the stems of baiji are white as powder, and its fruit and leaves are the same as those of chiji (red thorn). Baiji sometimes grows mixed in among chiji, which is why it is hard to obtain. Thorns are either hooked or straight: straight ones suit tonic prescriptions, while hooked ones suit treating abscesses. Thorn needles may be gathered at any time. The flowers are gathered 120 days after the winter solstice, and the fruit in the fourth month.

The Yanyi says that baiji is also called jizhen and jici, as the classic states clearly. Other physicians' views deliberately raise doubts, so they are not adopted here, and judgment rests only on the classic. "Baiji" refers to the kind whose branches are thick and purplish, with a thin, wrinkled white film on the surface that has begun to peel. It is called "white thorn" because of this whitish surface.

The general meaning is no more than this. The so-called "jici flower" (thorn-spine flower) is simply the flower that grows on brambles, with no further significance. Nowadays some people burn twigs to extract their oil and smear it on hair caked with grime, and it can loosen the dirt.

Xianren zhang (Immortal's Staff): salty in flavor, neutral in nature (some say cold), and non-toxic. It treats hiccups and vomiting and drives out malaria. It is also used for infants who spit up milk and adults who vomit food. Boil it in water and take the decoction. It can also be used for infantile convulsions and fright and for crying at night, as it has the effect of settling the body and aiding sleep. It further treats hemorrhoids: burn it to ash and take one fangcun bi (a small measuring spoon of the ancient period) at a time.

This Immortal's Staff is the shoot of the bamboo that dies just as it is about to grow into full bamboo. Its color is as black as lacquer. It is harvested in the fifth and sixth months and mostly grows among kubi zhu (bitter-brush bamboo).

There is also another kind of Immortal's Staff, sweet in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and non-toxic. Long-term use is said to strengthen the body, firm the sinews and bones, and keep a person from aging quickly. It can be cooked as a vegetable, dissolves phlegm and clears phlegm accumulations, and is used for wind-cold conditions. It grows on the plains of Jiannan, with leaves like kuju (bitter chicory), clustering in tufts. This is a newly added record, found in Chen Cangqi and the Rihuazi (Master Sunflower).

Pilile (Bibhitaka): bitter in flavor, cold in nature, and non-toxic. Its efficacy is the same as that of amolie (Amalaka), and it is produced in the Western Regions and in the Jiao'ai and other prefectures of Lingnan. The non-Chinese peoples call these two "the three fruits."

The Tangben Zhu (Commentary of the Tang Materia Medica) says that this tree resembles the walnut, and its fruit is also shaped like a walnut. Its pit resembles that of helile (Haritaki), but it is rounder and shorter and lacks ridges. Its uses are the same. The Tangben Zhu was the first to record this drug. The Rihuazi says it causes qi to descend and stops diarrhea and dysentery.

Yujin xiang (Curcuma Incense): bitter in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats poison from gu (venomous insect-sorcery), poisons encountered in the wild, heart-qi disorders, guizhu (a disease that the ancients attributed to invasion by ghostly evil), and foul odors of the yagu kind of birds. Chen's account says this incense has twelve leaves and is the essence of all herbs. According to the Weilue (Brief Accounts of Wei), it grows in the state of Daqin. It blooms in the second and third months, with flowers shaped like safflower. The flowers are picked in the fourth and fifth months, and what is obtained from them becomes the fragrant material. This entry was added later.

Yu Xi says: According to Chen Cangqi's record, Curcuma Incense is neutral in nature and is listed among the various fragrant medicines. According to the Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining Simple Characters and Analyzing Compound Ones), this incense is a fragrant herb with twelve leaves. When it is gathered and processed, it can be used to make chang (a fragrant wine used in sacrifices), and it is regarded as the essence of all herbs. When it is combined and brewed into wine, it is used to summon the spirits. From this, it is an herb and should not be classed under the wood section.

Zi teng (Purple Wisteria): sweet in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and mildly toxic. Boil it down into a thick syrup like sugar, and take it with water for good effect. Crushed flowers can be rubbed on the white mold that forms on wine and vinegar. Its fruit forms pods with seeds inside. Roast the seeds until they smell fragrant and put them into wine, and this prevents the wine from spoiling; if the wine has already spoiled, treating it with them can also restore it. Purple wisteria blooms purple in the fourth month, and it is very lovely, so people also plant it. In Jiangdong it is called "beckoning-bean vine." Its bark clings to the tree...

Hehuan, also called yehe or yehehua (night-closing flower), is said by Chen Cangqi to cure water-yin illness (shuiyin), and people in the capital region also plant it to decorate their gardens.

Hehuan tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to settle the five viscera and free the flow of the heart and mind, making people joyful and free of sorrow. Taken over a long period, it lightens the body, brightens the eyes, and can fulfill one's wishes. It grows in the valleys of Yizhou.

The Illustrated Classic (Tujing) says that hehuan grows in the valleys of Yizhou and can now also be seen near the capital and in the areas of Yongzhou and Luoyang. It is often planted in courtyards. The tree resembles the wutong, and its branches are very supple. Its leaves resemble those of the pod tree (zaojia) or the locust, but they are small and dense and interlace with one another. When the wind blows, the leaflets seem about to part yet never tangle. At dusk the leaves close, which is why it is also called hehun, "closing at dusk." It blooms in the fifth month with flowers of red and white, the petals covered with silky down. In autumn it forms pods with thin skins. Both the bark and the leaves are used medicinally, and they may be harvested at any time.

The Yanyi says that the color of the hehuan flower resembles dyed silk threads, white in the upper half and flesh-pink in the lower half, hanging loosely like silk. It is a flower of unusually distinctive form. Its green leaves close at night, which is why it is also called yehehua. Chen Cangqi and Rihuazi both say that the bark of the hehuan tree kills parasites and can mend sinews and bones, but the classic does not record these effects.

Funiu flower (funiuhua) tastes bitter and sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats long-standing wind-damp impediment pain, spasms of the limbs, and joint pain. Decocted and taken, it treats wind-dizziness, headache, and bleeding hemorrhoids. It is also called gehuzicihua, "barrier-tiger-thorn flower." Its flowers are yellow, it grows in Shu, and it is also found elsewhere. It is harvested in the third month.

Funiu grows in Shu and is now found mainly in the counties near Yizhou and Shu, usually along rivers and marshes. Its leaves are green and slender, resembling those of the huangbo, but without luster. Its stems are red and thorny. Its pale yellow flowers grow in spikes and resemble apricot blossoms, but are smaller. It is picked in the third month and dried in the shade.

Tianzhugui tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats various cold conditions within the abdomen and blood and qi distension. Its effects are similar to those of cinnamon bark, but its bark is thinner and its potency is milder. It grows in the Western Hu kingdom and is recorded here for reference.

The Haiyao (Marine Medicines) investigation says that the Guangzhou Record notes tianzhugui grows in the valleys of the South Sea. It warms and strengthens the waist and legs, disperses postpartum blood, and treats bloody dysentery and intestinal wind, with actions the same as those of guixin (cinnamon heart). However, prescription manuals and physicians rarely use it.

Zheshang wood tastes sweet and salty, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats fractures from falls, sinew and bone pain, and disperses blood stasis while nourishing the blood. It also treats postpartum blood congestion and relieves pain. It is decocted in wine and water, and the concentrated liquid is taken.

Produced in the mountain valleys of Zizhou.

The commentary to the Tang Materia Medica (Tang Bencao) says that the vine grows spreading and twining around trees. Its leaves resemble those of yun cao, an ancient grass, and their surfaces are glossy. The stems are harvested in the eighth and ninth months and dried in the sun.

Mulberry flower is warm in nature and non-toxic. It strengthens the spleen and astringes the intestines, and it treats nosebleed, blood in vomit, bloody stool from "intestinal wind," uterine bleeding and flooding, and white vaginal discharge. This "mulberry flower" is not the blossom of the mulberry fruit. It is a white moss growing on mulberry trees, shaped like the lichen called diqian ("earth coin"). It also treats night sweats. The text says it can stop the bleeding indicated by the character pronounced xian, but this character is probably miscopied, and a later note records that it is "untested."

The Formulas of Sacred Benevolence (Shenghui Fang) records its use for bladder deficiency heat, where urination expels grit or stones and is painful and constricted. The drug is burned to ash, ground fine, and taken with warm wine, one qian and seven fen, before meals.

Gan wood is bitter in taste, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats postpartum blood stasis and is taken as a decoction. Its crushed leaves are applied to snakebite, and they can also be used to wash sores and ringworm. The tree resembles the pomegranate, with slender leaves and a height of over one zhang, about three meters. In the fourth month it bears white flowers like snow, and it grows in forests in Jiangdong.

Hanging-down vine (daogua teng) is bitter in taste and non-toxic. It mainly treats all old blood stasis and postpartum disorders. It also treats hardened pain, qi and blood surging upward, and critical conditions in which the patient is near death, and it is taken as a decoction of the juice. It grows deep in the mountains. Its branches resemble hanging hooks, with thorns that grow backward, and it often hangs down from trees. Its leaves are long and pointed at the tips.

Old wooden chopping block (gu muzhen), also called "hundred flavors" (baiwei), is non-toxic. The text records that when a patient relapses after illness through eating or overexertion, one may take hair (the reference of the original phrase here is unclear), and, when the patient arrives, take soil from beneath the path of his steps, about the size of a coin. For a man, take soil from the left side; for a woman, from the right. Mix it with grime from the chopping block and one rat's head. If no rat's head is available, use three parts of rat droppings to seven parts of the other ingredients. Decoct and take; the text says it is efficacious. For sudden abdominal pain, take the grime from the chopping block and place it in the sole of the sufferer's shoe, and it is said the shoe will wear through completely. Crumbs from a wooden table may also be burned and applied to a sore on the lips. Several phrases in the original are doubtful, and the above readings are based on context.