《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 35

Cardamom is pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats pain and vomiting caused by cold in the chest and abdomen, and can also remove bad breath. It grows in the Southern Sea region.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Cardamom is tsaoko cardamom. It grows in the Southern Sea region and is now also found throughout Lingnan. Its young shoots resemble reeds; its leaves resemble those of lesser galangal and Du Ruo; and its roots resemble greater galangal. When the flower spike first appears, young leaves curl around it. At first, the spike resembles that of the cotton rose, with a deep red tip. As the leaves gradually unfurl, the flowers open and their color fades; some are yellowish white. People in the south often gather it as a fruit, especially valuing it when dried in the sun. Taken as a decoction, it is very effective at dispelling cold and stopping cholera—a term in ancient texts used broadly for acute illnesses involving vomiting and diarrhea. It also relieves discomfort caused by stagnant food and drink after alcohol.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Tsaoko cardamom can be used on its own and treats various forms of cold.

Tao Hongjing says: The pungent, strongly aromatic kind is of good quality, and it can be kept in the mouth for a long time. All the ingredients used in wuhe san, an ancient kind of seasoning or mixed dish, are suitable for eating. Among them, lesser galangal is best at warming the middle burner and directing Qi downward; Yi Zhi is hot in nature; citron is warm; and banana and Ji Mu are somewhat cool. The original text also gives separate notes on the pronunciations of the terms for the mixed dish, citron, and Ji Mu.

The Commentary from the Tang Materia Medica says: The shoots of cardamom resemble those of lesser galangal, and its flowers are yellowish white. Its shoots, roots, and fruit are reddish, and it resembles Du Ruo. Citron is cold in nature; Tao Hongjing’s claim that it is warm is mistaken. The cardamom discussed here is tsaoko cardamom. It directs Qi downward and stops cholera.

The Daily Use Materia Medica says: Cardamom flowers are hot in nature and non-toxic. They direct Qi downward, stop retching, relieve cholera, harmonize the middle burner, strengthen Stomach Qi, and counteract alcohol toxicity. It also says: Lesser galangal flowers are warm in nature and non-toxic. They harmonize the middle burner, direct Qi downward, aid digestion, and counteract alcohol toxicity.

Yu Xi says: According to the Illustrated Materia Medica of Shu, cardamom shoots resemble Du Ruo and flower in spring. The tip of the flower spike resembles the cotton rose. The flower has four chambers and grows beneath the stem; it is white, turning yellow after it opens. The roots resemble greater galangal, and the fruit resembles longan, though it has no scaly shell; inside, it looks like pomegranate seeds. The stems, leaves, and fruit are all pungent and fragrant. It is gathered in the tenth month and is now also cultivated in palace gardens.

The Overseas Materia Medica says: Cardamom grows in Jiaozhi, an ancient place name roughly corresponding to northern Vietnam today. Its roots resemble Yi Zhi, its small fruit has a thick rind, and its seed kernels resemble pomegranate seeds. It is pungent and fragrant. Na grass is a kind of tree with leaves resembling those of wan lan …

The herb’s leaves are gathered in the third lunar month, chopped, and dried in the shade. Its taste is slightly bitter, with a hint of sweetness.

The Qianjin Fang records: To treat distension and fullness in the chest and abdomen, and shortness of breath, take one liang of tsaoko cardamom, remove the husks and grind it to a fine powder. Swallow half a qian with a decoction of Chinese quince and fresh ginger.

The Yanyi says: “Cardamom” here refers to tsaoko cardamom. It is very pungent, with a trace of fragrance, and was given this name to distinguish it from nutmeg. Its taste is not suitable for eating as a fruit; it is unclear why earlier writers placed it in the “Fruits” section. Tsaoko cardamom is warm in nature and can regulate and disperse cold Qi (vital energy), acting quickly. Its flowers are hot in nature. They are pickled and transported to the capital, but do not taste very good, being somewhat bitter. Perhaps they were classed as a fruit because they can counteract the effects of alcohol. When dried in the sun, the flowers turn pale purple.

Lotus Seeds

The fruit and stems of the lotus are sweet in taste, neutral and somewhat cold in nature, and non-toxic. They chiefly replenish the body’s central Qi, calm and nourish the heart and spirit, strengthen the body, and dispel various illnesses. Taken over a long period, they can make the body light and vigorous, help one endure old age and resist hunger, and prolong life. The plant is also called “Water Mushroom Elixir” and “lotus.” It grows in ponds and marshes in Runan and is harvested in the eighth lunar month.

The Tujing says: The lotus fruit and stems grow in ponds and marshes in Runan; today they are found in many places and grow in water. The lotus leaves are called he. According to the Erya and the commentaries by Lu Ji, in Jiangdong the lotus plant is called he; its stem is called jia, and its leaf xia (pronounced like xia in xia, “distant,” and sometimes written jia). The white part beneath the stem, which grows in the mud, is called mi; the tender white part of the stem in the mud is called ruo (pronounced ruo). Before the flower opens, it is called handan; once open, it is called furong. The seedpod is called the “chamber,” and the root is called the lotus root.

Today, every part of the lotus is used medicinally. The root can be eaten raw. The lotus stem can treat thirst and restlessness after cholera, when a person cannot eat; it can also counteract alcohol and food poisoning. The lotus flower calms the spirit and improves the complexion, and is especially good for making incense. Lotus leaves can relieve thirst and counteract mushroom toxins; they are commonly used in medicines for women. The leaf stalk at the center of the lotus leaf is called the “lotus nose.” It can calm the fetus and expel pathological blood while preserving healthy blood. Lotus seeds replenish strength. The embryo inside the lotus seed, whose outer skin turns black in autumn and which sinks to the bottom of the water, is called “stone lotus.” Lu Ji says stone lotus can be ground into a food resembling millet rice; it can make the body light and vigorous, replenish strength, and strengthen the constitution. Physicians roast lotus seeds and grind them into powder to stop dysentery and treat lower back pain. To stop hiccups, roast six lotus seeds until reddish yellow, grind them to a powder, and stir it into half a cup of cold or hot water; this will stop them. Only the bitter, astringent embryo inside the lotus seed should not be eaten, since it may cause cholera. In general, the various parts of the lotus are most effective for treating disorders of the blood.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines (Yaoxing lun) says that lotus-root juice may also be used on its own. It tastes sweet and can disperse stagnant blood. Mash the lotus root and extract its juice to treat persistent vomiting of blood, as well as bleeding from the mouth or nose.

Tao Hongjing says that this is what people now call the lotus seed. Gather firm, black-colored lotus seeds in the eighth or ninth lunar month, dry them in the sun, and pound them. Lotus flowers and lotus roots are also used in the arts of the immortals. Some people now call it the “stalk,” but this probably refers to the root; otherwise, it would not be said to taste sweet. During the Song dynasty, a palace official developed blood blisters. While someone was peeling a lotus root, its juice accidentally dripped into the blood, causing it to disperse and stop clotting. Physicians then began using lotus root for blood disorders, often with good results.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary (Tang ben zhu) says that the Supplementary Records of Famous Physicians (Mingyi bielu) states that lotus root treats feverish thirst, disperses stagnant blood, and promotes the growth of flesh. Taken over a long period, it makes people feel cheerful.

Chen Cangqi says that the lotus-leaf node—the part where the leaf joins the stem—tastes bitter, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It can calm the fetus, expel pathological blood while preserving normal blood, and treat bloody dysentery when boiled and taken. The lotus-leaf node is also called the lotus-leaf stalk. Lotus leaves and seedpods can treat abdominal distension and pain caused by blood, as well as retained placenta after childbirth; boil them in wine and take the liquid. They can also counter poisoning from eating wild mushrooms; boil them in water and take the liquid. Zheng Xuan says that the stem of the lotus flower is called “he,” while the center of the lotus seedpod is called “yi”; eating it can cause cholera.

Chen Shiliang says to pound fresh lotus-seed hearts into powder and mix three qian with rice water. This treats thirst caused by blood disorders. It can also quickly relieve thirst after childbirth.

The Daily Materia Medica (Rihuazi) says that lotus root is warm in nature. It stops cholera, stimulates the appetite and digestion, relieves vexation and distress, and treats dry mouth and thirst. It can also curb anger and lift the spirits. For oppression caused by blood after childbirth, pound fresh lotus root, extract the juice, and take it. It can also be used for wounds caused by knives or swords and can stop sudden attacks of pain. Eating steamed or boiled lotus root stimulates the appetite. Lotus-root nodes are cool in nature and can dispel heat toxins and disperse stagnant blood. For oppression caused by blood after childbirth, pound lotus root together with raw Rehmannia, extract the juice, and take it with hot wine and urine.

The Daily Materia Medica also says that lotus seeds are warm in nature. Mature, aged lotus seeds, called stone lotus seeds, can also boost Qi, relieve thirst, calm and nourish the mind, stop dysentery, and treat lower-back pain and seminal emission. They also have a calming effect. Eating them in quantity lifts the spirits. Lotus seeds are also called “lotus’s.” Lotus-seed hearts can stop cholera.

The Daily Materia Medica further says that lotus leaves relieve thirst, help expel the placenta, and counter poisoning from toxic mushrooms. They are also used for dry mouth after childbirth, heat and dryness in the heart and lungs, and vexation. When used as medicine, they should be charred.

The Daily Materia Medica also says that lotus flowers are warm in nature and non-toxic. They calm the mind, make the body feel light, enhance the complexion, and delay aging. They are excellent for making incense. When taking them, avoid using them with Rehmannia or garlic.

Meng Shen says that eating raw lotus root treats thirst, vexation, and loss of appetite following cholera. Although people who have given birth should avoid cold and raw foods, lotus root is exempt from this restriction because it can break up blood stagnation. Eating steamed lotus root also greatly nourishes the five viscera and strengthens the lower burner…

Eaten with honey, it can nourish and strengthen the internal organs, make intestinal worms less likely to develop, and may also be used for fasting from ordinary food.

Immortals are said to have preserved stone lotus seeds and dried lotus roots for a thousand years before eating them, considering them exceptionally refined.

Another account says that lotus seeds are cold in nature. They are used to treat weakness of the five internal organs and depletion of the central Qi, and can replenish the blood and Qi of the twelve meridians. Eating them raw may stir the Qi slightly, so cooked lotus seeds are better. They can also be boiled, with the hearts removed, then ground into powder and mixed with beeswax and honey to form pills. Taking thirty pills a day is said to keep one from feeling hungry. This is a formula used by immortals.

Yuxi says: According to the Illustrated Classic of Shu, the lotus grows in water, and its leaves, called “he,” are more than a foot across. The Erya records that the whole plant is generally called “fuqu”; its stem is called “jia,” its leaves “xia,” the rhizome buried in the mud “mi,” its flower “handan,” its fruit “lian,” its root “ou,” and the bitter core inside the lotus seed “yi.”

The Explanations to the Erya says: “‘Fuqu’ is the general name for this kind of plant; it is also called ‘furong.’ In Jiangdong, people call ‘he’ or ‘handan’ the lotus leaf, call the lotus seed ‘di,’ and call its center ‘yi.’” Guo Pu’s commentary says that “mi” is the tender white rhizome buried in the mud. Today, people in Jiangdong call the lotus leaf “furong”; people in the north sometimes call the lotus root “he,” and also call the lotus “he”; people in Shu call the lotus root “jia.” In some places, the flower is named after the parent plant; elsewhere, the names of the root, seed, or leaf are used for one another. These are errors caused by confused names and inherited local usage, which have obscured the original names of the things themselves.

Lu Ji’s Explanations says: The lotus seed has a green outer skin and a white kernel inside, called “di.” In the middle of the kernel is a green core called “yi,” which tastes very bitter. Hence the saying, “bitter as yi.”

Sun the Perfected says: If you eat lotus seeds without removing the heart, they may bring on cholera.

The Mirror of the Food Physician says: Lotus seeds are sweet, neutral in nature, and nontoxic. They nourish the body, nurture the spirit, strengthen vitality, and help dispel various illnesses. Long-term use is said to bring cheerfulness, quench thirst, clear heat, make the body light and strong, slow aging, stave off hunger, and prolong life. Lotus root clears heat and quenches thirst, disperses stagnant blood, and promotes the growth of flesh; long-term use is said to give the complexion a healthy glow.

A formula in the Sagely Benevolence Prescriptions for treating fever epidemics with vexing thirst: Take half a cup of fresh lotus-root juice, add one ge of raw honey, and stir well. Drink it in two portions.

Another formula treats blood stasis from blows or falls that attacks the heart, causing chest oppression, agitation, and pain: Take five jin of dried lotus leaves and burn them until the smoke is gone, then grind them into a fine powder. Before meals, mix three qian of the powder with a small cup of warm urine from a young boy and drink it, continuing for seven days.

The Thousand Gold Pieces Formula records a treatment for blood stasis after a fall from a horse, with pain in the heart and abdomen and profuse coughing up of blood: …

Grind the lotus root into powder and take it with wine, one small medicine spoonful at a time, three times a day.

The Postscript to the Book of Proven Remedies says: To treat vomiting blood or coughing up blood, dry lotus leaves over low heat, grind them into powder, and take two and a half qian with rice water.

The Mei Master’s Prescriptions says: To treat lochia that has not fully discharged after childbirth and rises upward toward the heart, causing agitation in the chest and abdominal pain, drink one sheng of fresh lotus root juice.

The Emergency Remedies says: To treat lochia that has not fully discharged after childbirth, accompanied by pain, chest oppression, and heart pain, fry lotus leaves until fragrant, grind them into powder, then take one small medicine spoonful at a time with a decoction.

The Collected Proven Prescriptions says: To treat lacquer sores—skin sores and swelling caused by contact with lacquer—boil one jin of dried lotus leaves in one dou of water until reduced to two sheng, then wash the affected area with it. It is said that two washings will cure the condition.

The Extended Materia Medica says: The dried seeds inside the lotus pod are called “stone lotus seeds.” Rub them dry in a sand basin to remove the red outer skin, leaving the green lotus germ. Grind it into powder, add a little borneol, and stir it into boiling water. Taking it this way can calm the mind and refresh the spirit. Some double-petaled lotus flowers, however, are pink or white and do not produce seeds. Lotus flowers are generally of four kinds. White lotus is best for its roots; nowadays, the palace has also cultivated green lotus, which is regarded as an auspicious sign.

Tangerines and pomelos

Tangerines and pomelos taste pungent, are warm in nature, and are non-toxic. They treat masses in the chest, internal heat, and rebellious Qi; help transform food and drink, direct Qi downward, and stop vomiting and coughing; clear accumulated heat and retained fluid in the urinary bladder; and treat strangury, a painful and difficult flow of urine, by easing urination. They may also be used when the Spleen and Stomach cannot digest food, when Qi surges into the chest, and for vomiting, cholera, and diarrhea. They can expel inch-white worms, a kind of tapeworm. It is said that long-term use can eliminate body odor, promote the circulation of Qi, harmonize the spirit, make the body light and agile, and prolong life. Tangerines are also called tangerine peel. They grow in the valleys of the southern mountains and in the south of the Yangtze River, and are harvested in the tenth month.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Tangerines and pomelos grow in the valleys of the southern mountains and across the regions south of the Yangtze River, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Jingxiang, Huguang, and Lingnan. The trees are one to two zhang tall, with leaves like those of the trifoliate orange and thorny stems. They flower white in early summer, set fruit in the sixth and seventh months, and the fruit turns yellow and ripens in winter, when it can be eaten. Older accounts say the smaller fruit is called a tangerine and the larger a pomelo. Others say the pomelo resembles an orange, is sour, and is larger than a tangerine. The pomelos described by Kong Anguo in his commentary on the Book of Documents and by Guo Pu in his commentary on the Erya are broadly similar.

Pomelos are found in Fujian, Lingnan, and the regions south of the Yangtze River. Their fruits are larger than tangerines and yellowish white. Around Xiang and Tang, pomelos are blue-yellow and smaller. These pomelos are sour and thick-skinned, and are unsuitable for medicinal use. Tao Hongjing says that the medicinal effects described here concern tangerine peel, of which eastern tangerine is the best.

There are also oranges from the Xi River, but their peels are not as good as those produced in the north. Their medicinal nature is somewhat colder, and they can regulate disorders of the Qi. Some say their medicinal effects are even better. People in the north also eat oranges, considering aged oranges superior. The flesh tastes sweet and sour; eating too much readily produces phlegm and may not be beneficial. Although orange peel is now used as medicine, the orange is still a fruit, so it is classified among fruits. Pomelo peel can be taken, but later it ceased to be used medicinally; it probably also has a Qi-regulating effect.

The Commentary in the Tang Materia Medica says: “Pomelo peel is thick and sweet in taste, unlike orange peel, which is pungent and somewhat bitter. Pomelo flesh, like orange flesh, may be sweet or sour; the sour kind is called ‘Hu gan.’ Today, some people call the bitter orange a pomelo, but this is incorrect. According to the Lüshi Chunqiu, among fruits, the pomelos of Yunmeng are delicious. Guo Pu says that a pomelo resembles a bitter orange but is larger. Kong Anguo says the large fruit is called a pomelo and the small one an orange, and both may taste sweet or sour.” Modern commentaries have moved it from the “Wood” section to the “Fruit” section.

Chen Cangqi says: “Beyond the effects originally recorded for oranges and pomelos, their flesh, when cool in nature and sour in taste, tends to gather phlegm, while the sweet kind moistens the lungs. The peel can be used as medicine, but the seeds are not suitable for people to eat. There are many varieties of oranges and mandarins. Pomelos include zhu gan, ru gan, huang gan, shi gan, and sha gan; oranges include zhu ju, ru ju, ta ju, shan ju, and huang danzi. The peels of all these fruits can regulate Qi and harmonize the middle burner, while their flesh can be eaten; ru gan is the best. The Bencao Jing was right to classify them among fruits, though the word ‘fruit’ should be added to their names. It is not appropriate to classify them among trees. In Lingnan there is a kind of pomelo as large as a winter melon.”

The Rihua Materia Medica says: “Oranges taste sweet and sour. They can relieve thirst, stimulate the appetite, and dispel stagnation of Qi in the chest.” It also says: “Orange peel is warm in nature. It can transform phlegm, stop coughing, and be used for conditions such as zhengjia and xianpi”—that is, disorders involving masses or accumulations in the abdomen. “Orange seeds can be used for lower back pain, urinary bladder Qi, and kidney pain. It is better to roast them, remove the shells, and take them with wine. The fine membranes on orange segments can be used for thirst and vomiting after drinking alcohol. Roast them and simmer them in water to make a drink; this is said to be very effective.” It further says: “Pomelos are non-toxic and suitable for pregnant women. They can be used for poor appetite, blandness in the mouth, stomach discomfort, indigestion, and stagnation of Qi in the intestines and stomach. They can also counteract alcohol toxicity and lessen bad breath after drinking.”

Yuxi says that, according to the Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals, orange peel, used as an assistant medicinal, is bitter and pungent in taste. It can regulate stagnation of Qi in the chest and diaphragm, stimulate the appetite, treat Qi dysentery, transform phlegm and saliva, and treat coughing caused by rebellious Qi.

Meng Shen says: “Oranges can stop diarrhea and dysentery, aid digestion, open the chest, transform phlegm, disperse accumulations, and regulate Qi. But the flesh is inferior to the peel, and should not be eaten in large quantities. Orange peel is warm in nature and can relieve thirst.” He also says: “Pound one jin of dried orange peel into a fine powder, and use honey to make it into pills. Take each dose…”

Take thirty pills with wine to treat cold Qi in the lower burner. Another remedy uses one jin of aged tangerine peel and five liang of blanched apricot kernels, pounded into pills with a little honey. Take thirty pills with warm water before meals each day to treat deficiency-cold Qi between the abdominal organs, as well as beriberi Qi surging upward and hardness beneath the heart.

The Food Therapy Handbook says: “Tangerine peel treats heat congested in the chest, regulates Qi, transforms phlegm, and aids digestion. Take half a liang of lightly toasted tangerine peel, grind it to a powder, simmer it as you would tea, and drink it.”

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records: “For sudden loss of voice, when no sound can come from the throat, take five liang of tangerine peel and add three sheng of water. Boil until one sheng remains, strain out the dregs, and drink the entire dose at once.”

The Collected Proven Remedies records: “For cold Qi below the diaphragm, or abdominal distention after drinking or eating too much, take four liang of green tangerine peel and one liang of salt. Divide the salt into four portions and set one aside. Soak the green tangerine peel in hot water overnight, remove it, and scrape away the inner pith. Mix the remaining salt with the peel and leave it for a while, then stir-fry it in a pan until lightly charred and grind it to a fine powder. Take one and a half qian at a time, add half a qian of tea powder, and simmer it in one zhan of water until seven tenths remain. Let it cool to a warm temperature before drinking. You may also omit the tea powder and simply steep the medicine in boiling water.”

The Prescriptions of Physician Sun records: “For various kinds of hiccups and belching, take two liang of tangerine peel, soak it in hot water, remove the inner pith, and chop it. Add one sheng of water and simmer until five he remain. Drink the entire dose while hot. It is more effective if you also add one liang of pith-free, toasted zhike and simmer them together.”

The Collected Tested Prescriptions records: “For unbearable lower back pain, toast tangerine seeds and grind them to a powder. Take one qian at a time, add one zhan of wine, and simmer until seven tenths remain. Drink it together with the dregs, preferably on an empty stomach.”

The Extended Discussion explains: “The tangerine and the pomelo are originally two different fruit trees. The classics therefore speak of ‘tangerine peel’ and do not originally include the word ‘pomelo.’ Since they are different things, yet medical books do not record their effects separately, we can see that the word ‘pomelo’ is a copying error. Later readers failed to examine the original meaning and were instead misled by that word into arbitrarily distinguishing the two; this too is mistaken. Green and ripe tangerines already differ in their medicinal effects, so how much more so the pomelo, which is a different fruit altogether. Guo Pu says that the pomelo resembles the orange but is larger than the tangerine, showing that he understood the difference between tangerines and pomelos. If this distinction is not clarified, later generations may use pomelo peel in place of tangerine peel, causing lasting harm. We are far removed in time from the ancients, and later scholars may not necessarily grasp their intent. In medicine, the tangerine is used chiefly for its peel and seeds; tangerine peel is a commonly used medicine throughout the land. When preparing it, follow the classic and its annotations: soak it in hot water, remove the inner pith, and proceed with the rest as directed.”

These two medicinal ingredients are best gathered oneself. A patient who suffered from asthma and coughing for nearly a year was advised to grind equal amounts of tangerine peel, fresh ginger, and roasted, dried Shenqu (a medicinal ingredient made by fermentation) into a powder, then form it into pills the size of tung-tree seeds. After meals and before bed at night, he was to take thirty to fifty pills with rice water. His preexisting bladder disorder also healed as a result. The tangerine peel used here is aged citrus peel, one of the “Six Aged Medicines”—ingredients suited to being stored before use. For kidney zhu (a type of kidney disorder described in ancient medicine), lower back pain, and pain caused by bladder qi, lightly roast jujube pits, remove their shells, grind them into powder, and mix with wine to take; this is said to bring relief.

Jujube

Large jujubes taste sweet, are neutral in nature, and are nontoxic. They treat pathogenic influences in the heart and abdomen, settle the Spleen and Stomach, nourish the Spleen, and help harmonize the twelve channels. They also calm Stomach qi and open the nine orifices; replenish deficient qi and scant fluids; and restore what is lacking in a weakened body. They can also calm the spirit, ease heaviness in the limbs, harmonize various medicines, tonify the middle and boost qi, strengthen the body, relieve vexation, and treat a suspended, sinking sensation below the heart and chronic diarrhea. It is said that taking them for a long time makes the body light and strong, prolongs life, and wards off hunger. Large jujubes are also called dried jujubes, fine jujubes, and good jujubes. They are gathered in the eighth month and dried in the sun. Jujube pits stored for three years taste bitter after being burned and treat abdominal pain and pathogenic influences.

Fresh jujubes taste sweet and pungent. Eating too many can make a person prone to alternating chills and fever; those who are thin and weak should avoid them. Covering ephedra with jujube leaves can help induce sweating. Jujubes grow on the plains around Hedong. They can counteract the toxicity of Aconitum. The term “burned” here means roasted over a fire.

The Illustrated Classic says: Large jujubes are dried jujubes, and fresh jujubes also grow around Hedong. Today, jujube trees are found in most northern prefectures and districts. Those from Qingzhou, Jinzhou, and Jiangzhou are especially good; jujubes from the Jiangnan region are hard and dry, with little oil.

A note: There are many varieties of jujube. In his commentary on the Erya, Guo Pu says that “gourd jujube” is what people in Jiangdong call the large jujube. Its fruit is large and pointed at the top, like a gourd, hence the name. “Narrow-waisted jujube” has a slender, elongated pit and is now called “spindle jujube.” “White jujube” is the variety now known by that name; its fruit turns white when ripe. “Er” refers to sour jujube, which grows on a small tree and has a tart, astringent fruit. “Zunyang jujube” has small, round, purplish-black fruit and is commonly called “sheep-dropping jujube.” “Xijian jujube” grows in Yishi County in Hedong and has fruit as large as an egg. “Juexie” is a bitter jujube. “Xi-wushi jujube” is a jujube that bears no fruit. “Huanwei-ren jujube” has a brief aftertaste and tastes somewhat sour. Sour jujube is listed separately elsewhere. There are many other varieties, some also cultivated in gardens and orchards, and their names are difficult to distinguish one by one. Among the finest jujubes are water-chestnut jujubes, imperial jujubes, and other varieties… The original text breaks off here.

Jujubes vary by place of origin and variety, and their medicinal properties differ accordingly. Tao Yinjū said that older accounts singled out the jujubes from Yishi County in Hedong as unusual. Today, those grown in Qingzhou are large, with small pits, thick flesh, abundant juice, and a very sweet taste. Jujubes can also be obtained through trade in Yuzhou. They are of good quality, though smaller than those from Qingzhou. Those grown in Linyi and Jincheng, east of the Yangtze, are large but rather hollow and have little juice; the better ones are still usable. Southern jujubes are very poor in quality and almost inedible.

Daoist prescriptions often treat jujubes as a suitable food. The skin helps to bind and restrain, while the flesh replenishes deficiency. For this reason, jujubes are usually split open when decocting medicines, so the medicinal properties can be drawn out more readily.

A note in the Tang Bencao quoting the Bielu says that grinding jujube leaves into powder and taking them can make a person thin; prolonged use causes vomiting. Rubbing jujube leaves on prickly heat, sores, or rashes is quite effective.

According to Rihuazi, dried jujubes moisten the heart and lungs, stop coughs, nourish the Five Viscera, treat damage from overexertion, and dispel stagnant Qi in the stomach and intestines. Jujubes roasted with polishing powder, a powder used for external applications, can be used to treat wasting-thirst and dysentery. People with dental problems should especially avoid eating jujubes. Jujubes should not be eaten with raw scallions. Jujube leaves are warm in nature and nontoxic. They can be boiled into a wash for children with high fevers. They are also useful when mixed with kudzu powder and applied to prickly heat, and can be used to treat hot swellings.

Yu Xi records that Meng Shen considered dried jujubes warm in nature and able to replenish fluids and strengthen resolve. The kernels from jujube pits stored for three years can be used to treat sudden attacks of harmful Qi and confusion of the mind. For deafness or nasal congestion that prevents hearing sounds or smelling odors, take fifteen large jujubes, peel and pit them, and three hundred peeled castor beans. Pound them together, wrap the mixture in cotton cloth, and insert it into the ear or nose, changing it once a day. After more than thirty days, hearing and smell are said to return. Treat the ears first and then the nose; do not block both at once. Another prescription calls for ten raw croton seeds, shelled and pounded with pine resin. Wrap the mixture in cotton cloth and insert it into the ear.

Meng Shen also said that jujubes clear harmful Qi from the heart and abdomen. Used with various medicines, they open the nine orifices and replenish what is deficient. Eating too many fresh jujubes causes abdominal distension. Steamed or boiled jujubes, however, nourish the stomach and intestines, promote weight gain, and replenish Qi. Jujubes from Qingzhou are best, followed by those from Puzhou; jujubes from other regions are unsuitable for medicinal use. Children with autumn dysentery can be given jujubes that have been bored into by insects to eat together with the insects.

The Shiliao says that making pills from jujubes, cassia bark, white melon-seed kernels, and pine bark, and taking them over a long period, is said to make the body fragrant, so that even one’s clothes acquire a scent. Soft jujubes are warm in nature. Eating too many stirs wind and may cause cold wind and coughing.

The Shenghui Fang records a method said to help hair grow long: take three feet of root from a jujube tree growing eastward and lay it across a steaming basket… The original text ends here, and the method is incomplete.

Steam it until sweat appears at both ends, then put it away and apply it to the hair. The hair will grow longer.

The Waitai Miyao Fang records: When hemorrhoids flare up and become painful and swollen, take one large date and peel it. Put mercury in the palm of your hand and grind it with saliva until it is very fine and evenly mixed. Spread it over the flesh of the date, then insert the date into the anus. The symptoms will ease.

The Meishi Fang records: At four or five months of pregnancy, if sudden cramping abdominal pain occurs, char fourteen dates, grind them into powder, and swallow the powder with urine.

The Yanyi says: These days, dates from Qingzhou and Puzhou are considered the finest. The dates from these two regions are suitable for drying and use as medicine, and can strengthen the Spleen and Stomach. Other varieties are mainly eaten as food. Imperial dates taste sweet, have a light, crisp texture, and ripen late. Because they are sweet, they are easily infested with insects. The dates now called “Pulongsu” are this variety. There is also the Ya date, which ripens earlier than other dates. It is very sweet but slightly sour, with a pointed, slender shape. These two varieties are best eaten fresh and are not suitable for storing after drying.

Some people today remove the pits from dried dates, warm them slowly over low heat in a pot, and grind them into powder. They add an appropriate amount of powdered fresh ginger and make it into a drink, which can harmonize Stomach Qi. Others mix cooked date flesh into pills used to treat the Spleen and Stomach, making them more effective. Dates from Qingzhou, peeled, pitted, and roasted into rings, are considered a prized fruit around Dadu, the Yuan dynasty capital.

Chestnuts

Chestnuts taste salty, are warm in nature, and are non-toxic. They can boost Qi, strengthen and thicken the intestines and stomach, nourish Kidney Qi, and help people endure hunger. Chestnut trees grow on the north-facing slopes of mountains, and the nuts are harvested in the ninth month.

The Tujing says: Earlier materia medica texts did not record which prefectures and counties produced chestnuts, saying only that they grew on the shady side of mountains. Today they are found everywhere, with those from Yanzhou and Xuanzhou considered the best. The chestnut tree closely resembles the oak. Its flowers are greenish yellow, like walnut blossoms. The chestnut fruit grows inside a husk about the size of a fist, which usually contains three to five nuts. Smaller husks resemble peach or apricot pits and usually contain only one or two nuts. When chestnuts ripen, the husk splits open and the nuts emerge.

There are many varieties of chestnut. The Book of Odes mentions “planting xin chestnuts.” Lu Ji’s commentary says that chestnuts grow everywhere, including Zhou, Qin, Ji, Yang, Xuan, Rao, Wu, and Yue, both within and outside the cities of those regions. Chestnuts from Puyang and Fanyang are the sweetest and richest in flavor; those from other places cannot compare.

Of all fruits, chestnuts are the most beneficial. People with discomfort in the lower back and legs should eat them raw, but first dry them briefly in the sun to remove their raw, woody taste. People with wind-water disorders, conditions associated with pathogenic wind and edema, should not eat them because chestnuts taste salty. A decoction made from chestnut husks can treat regurgitation and wasting-thirst. Chestnut bark can be used to treat sores and toxins, and physicians commonly use it.

The character xin is pronounced “zhen.”

Tao Hongjing, also known as Yinju, says: Today, the Kuaiji region produces the largest quantity of chestnuts. Those from Zhuji (Ji is pronounced like “ji”) are large and thick-shelled, but not especially tasty. Chestnuts from Shan County (Shan is pronounced “shiran”) and Shifeng have thin shells and a sweet flavor. It is said that someone who suffered from weakness in the legs ate several liters of chestnuts beneath a chestnut tree and was then able to stand and walk. This is an example of chestnuts nourishing the kidneys. They should, however, be eaten raw. If taken over a long period as a medicinal food, they should first be steamed and then dried in the sun.

A commentary on the Tang Materia Medica says: Chestnuts ground into flour are more effective than water caltrops and fox nuts. Applying crushed raw chestnuts to sores is very effective for treating pain, swelling, and bruising caused by broken bones or torn sinews. The thin inner skin of a chestnut is called “fu.” Pound it into powder, mix it with honey, and apply it to make excess flesh shrink quickly. The prickly outer husk of the chestnut can treat fire-dan, an acute rash marked by red, hot, painful swelling of the skin, as well as toxic swellings. Feeding chestnut kernels to children can prevent their teeth from coming in. A decoction of the tree’s white bark is used to treat stream poison, an illness that the ancients attributed to toxins in streams in the south.

Zhang Yuxi says: According to the Illustrations of Materia Medica from Shu, the chestnut tree grows to a height of two or three zhang. Its leaves resemble those of the oak, and its bluish-yellow flowers resemble walnut blossoms. The largest fruits are about the size of a fist, and the smallest about the size of a peach or plum. There are also two varieties, banli and jiali, both of which grow on tall trees. Mao chestnuts have fruits like ordinary chestnuts but smaller; though the trees are short, their leaves are no different from those of other chestnut trees. Chestnut trees sprout in spring, flower in summer, bear fruit in autumn, and wither in winter. They are now found throughout the country.

Meng Shen says: Eating chestnuts raw treats ailments of the lower back and legs. Eating them steamed or roasted can cause Qi to stagnate, so people with wind-water Qi, a type of swelling attributed to wind and dampness, should avoid them. The tree bark can treat malignant sores. He adds: Chestnuts should be dried in the sun before eating, so that they can descend Qi and provide nourishment. Otherwise, they retain the Qi of wood and offer no benefit. Chestnuts from the Wu region are large but tasteless, and not as good as those from the north. Grind the thin skin of the chestnut into a fine powder, mix it with honey, and apply it to the face to smooth wrinkles. Drinking a decoction of the shells can stop acid regurgitation and wasting thirst, a condition marked by intense thirst and excessive drinking. Fresh chestnuts can be roasted in hot ashes until they sweat, then eaten; this works well. Do not roast them too hot: excessive heat can cause Qi to stagnate, while eating them raw can stir up Qi. Roasting them is therefore also a way to remove their Qi of wood.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies says: Dan is a malignant sore that can appear in any of five colors. To treat it, boil prickly chestnut husks in water and wash the affected area. This is effective.

The Handbook of Proven Remedies records this treatment for kidney deficiency and weakness in the lower back and legs: Put raw chestnuts in a bag and hang them in a breezy place to dry. At dawn each day, eat a dozen or so, then eat pork kidney congee.

Kou Zongshi’s Explication of Materia Medica says: To dry chestnuts, the best method is to lay them in the sun. To keep them fresh, the best method is to store them buried in moist sand. By late spring or early summer, they will still be as fresh as when first gathered. Children should not eat too many.

Eating grapes raw makes them hard to digest, while cooking them can cause Qi to stagnate and food to become blocked. Eating them raw may also produce worms and often lead to illness. It is unclear what is meant by saying that grapes “tonify Kidney Qi” in children with childhood malnutrition, a condition often associated with disordered eating and inadequate nourishment. Grapes taste salty and can also cause Qi to stagnate; perhaps that is what the claim refers to. In Hubei Circuit there is a kind of grape with a rounded top and a pointed end, called “Xuanli” (“Spinning Chestnut”). The Illustrated Classic quotes the Book of Songs’ phrase “shenli,” explaining that the name comes from its resemblance to a chestnut.

Grapes

Grapes taste sweet, are neutral in nature, and are non-toxic. They chiefly treat damp impediment in the sinews and bones—a numbness and pain in the joints and bones caused by dampness. They can boost Qi, increase physical strength and resolve, strengthen the body, help one endure hunger, and ward off wind and cold. It is said that eating them over a long period can make the body light and agile, delay aging, and prolong life. Grapes can also be made into wine, which helps dispel fluids and promote urination. They grow in the valleys of Longxi, Wuyuan, and Dunhuang.

The Illustrated Classic says: Grapes grow in the valleys of Longxi, Wuyuan, and Dunhuang. Today they are also found in Hedong and in the prefectures near the capital. Their vines grow extraordinarily long; when flourishing, one or two vines can spread across an entire valley. The flowers are tiny and yellowish white. The fruit comes in purple and white varieties, with both round and pointed shapes; some kinds are seedless. They ripen in the seventh or eighth month, and their juice can be used to make wine. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, the people of Dayuan made wine from grapes, and wealthy households stored more than ten thousand dan of it; even after being kept for more than ten years, it did not spoil. When Zhang Qian traveled as an envoy to the Western Regions, he brought back grape seeds for planting in the Central Plains. Grapes have been grown in China ever since. They are probably the most prized of northern fruits.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Grapes taste sweet and sour. They can eliminate fluid accumulation in the intestines, harmonize the Middle Burner—the area occupied by the Spleen and Stomach—treat strangury, a painful and difficult flow of urine, and promote urination.

Tao Hongjing says: Envoys sent by the Wei state often brought grapes. Their shape resembles that of the five-flavor berry, and they taste sweet and delicious; they can be made into wine. Some say that wine made from the juice of grapevines tastes especially good. People in the north are often stout and able to endure cold; perhaps this is because they eat grapes. Grapes do not grow south of the Huai River, just as the tangerine changes when it reaches Hebei. Some say that this fruit is simply the local yingyu, a kind of wild grape. It may be like the trifoliate orange and the tangerine: related plants that differ when grown in different places.

The Tang Materia Medica says: Yingyu resembles grapes, but is the “thousand-year lei.” To make grape wine, press all the fruit for its juice and ferment it; the wine will form naturally. Yingyu and wild grapes can also be made into wine. Tao Hongjing was mistaken in saying that wine is made from vine juice. “Ying” is pronounced as in “yu geng qie,” and “yu” as in “yu liu qie.”

The Extended Discussion says: In the previous dynasty, the Western Xia once brought a lion as tribute…

The goods brought along with the grapes and sent to the various prefectures and commanderies are much like those produced in the Central Plain. But grapes are very difficult to preserve: even when dried in the sun, they are hard to store and still turn sour and spoil, making them inedible. The line in Li Bai’s poem, “The foreign people offer grape wine each year,” refers to these grapes. If sores and blisters have not yet appeared, eating grapes will bring them all out; eating too many can make one’s vision blur.

Chicken-Head Fruit

Chicken-head fruit tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats damp impediment and pain in the lower back, back, and knees. It can nourish the body, dispel acute illness, increase Jing (essence), strengthen the will, and improve hearing and vision. Taken over a long period, it can make the body light and nimble, reduce hunger, and help one withstand old age; it is said to bring one to a state like that of the immortals. It is also called “wild-goose beak fruit” or “qian.” It grows in ponds and marshes around Leize and is harvested in the eighth month.

The Illustrated Canon says: Chicken-head fruit grows at Leize, and is now found in many places. It grows in marshes. Its leaves are as large as lotus leaves, with a wrinkled surface and thorns. The fruit beneath the flower resembles a chicken’s head, which gives it its name. When young, its stem is called weijiao, and people gather it as a vegetable. The fruit is harvested in the eighth month. Those who take it to nourish life pound the chicken-head fruit and its seeds, dry them in the sun, then grind and sift them finely. They mix the powder with paste made by boiling down Cherokee rose fruit and form it into pills for use. These are called “Water-and-Land Elixir,” and are said to nourish the lower body and bring benefit. The scriptures call its seeds “qian.”

Tao Hongjing says: This is what is now called weizi. Its flowers resemble a cockscomb, which is why it is called chicken-head. Immortal prescriptions use it together with lotus seeds, claiming that the mixture keeps children from growing taller; ordinary consumption, however, is also beneficial. The character wei is pronounced like “reed.”

The Commentary in the Tang Pharmacopoeia says: Once the skin is removed, chicken-head fruit can be made into flour. It resembles water caltrop flour and benefits the body, with effects superior to those of water caltrop flour. The character ling is pronounced like “tomb.”

The Ri Hua Zi says: Chicken-head fruit stimulates the appetite and boosts Qi (vital energy); its root can also be eaten as a vegetable.

The Huainanzi says: Chicken-head fruit can treat fistulas on the neck. Recluses call it “wild-goose head.”

Yu Xi says: According to the Illustrated Canon of Shu, chicken-head fruit grows in water. Its leaves are as large as lotus leaves, wrinkled and thorny. Its flower and fruit are about the size of a fist, and the fruit resembles a chicken’s head. The outer skin resembles pomegranate rind and is bluish-black; the flesh is white, like the kernels of water caltrop.

Meng Shen says: Chicken-head fruit is excellent when made into flour and eaten; it is a life-extending medicine. It is said that feeding it to children keeps them from growing further, thereby preserving their youth. Eaten raw, it can stir up wind and cold. Steam it, then leave it to dry in the blazing sun, and its outer skin will split open; it can also be pounded into flour.

Chen Shiliang says that although this plant grows in water, it has soft roots and is called “yi.”

This vegetable can treat accumulations of Qi and pain in the lower abdomen, and is suitable for eating.

The Houfang of Tested Remedies records: Take three he of fox nuts, also called gorgon fruit. Boil them until cooked, remove the shells, and grind them into a paste. Add one he of polished rice and cook it into porridge. Eat it on an empty stomach to nourish Jing and Qi, strengthen the will, and sharpen hearing and sight.

The Yanyi says: Fox nuts are now found everywhere. People living beside ponds and lakes in Hebei gather them, pound off the outer husks, grind them into flour, then steam the flour and make it into cakes, which can serve as a substitute for grain. Eating too much, however, can damage the Spleen and Stomach Qi and make digestion difficult.

Penglèi

Penglèi, an ancient medicinal name for a kind of raspberry-like plant, tastes sour and salty, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to harmonize the five viscera, nourish Jing and Qi, enlarge and firm the genitals, strengthen the will and physical strength, and aid fertility. It can also treat sudden windstroke, fever, and symptoms caused by fright. Taken for a long time, it can make the body light and agile and slow aging. It is also called fupen, linglèi, and yinlèi. It grows on level ground and in marshes on Mount Jing, as well as around Yuanju. The character lèi is pronounced “li gui qie.”

The Tujing says: Penglèi and fupen refer to the shoots and stems of this plant. It grows on level ground and in marshes on Mount Jing and around Yuanju. Older editions do not record which prefectures produce fupenzi; today it is found everywhere, especially in Qin and Wu. The plant is short, no more than one chi tall, and its stems and leaves are thorny. Its flowers are white, and its fruit is reddish yellow, about half the size of a pellet. Each fruit is borne on a stalk beneath it, shaped like the calyx of a persimmon. Children often like to eat the fruit. It is gathered in the fifth month, while the shoots and leaves may be gathered at any time.

People south of the Yangtze call it mei, though it grows somewhat later there: shoots appear in the third month, flowers bloom in the eighth or ninth month, and fruit ripens in the tenth. Its medicinal effects are the same. Ancient prescriptions often call for squeezing the fruit into juice and making it into a paste to apply to the hair, which is said to keep the hair from turning white. The leaves can be rubbed to extract their juice, then the juice dropped into the eyes to remove a red film; parasites are said to emerge like threads, demonstrating the remedy’s effect.

Tao Hongjing says that what Li calls mei is the berry people eat. Current annotations identify penglèi as the shoots and stems of fupen. Tao Hongjing says penglèi is the name of a root, something Chang Rong used to alter her appearance; this was probably because the root resembles the shoots. Li says it is mei. According to the Qieyun, mei refers to fupen grass, while lèi refers to a vine. Judging from the name penglèi, it is clearly a climbing plant.

The Tang dynasty commentary says that penglèi and fupen are different names for the same plant, and that the original account refers to the fruit, not the root. This explanation is also mistaken. The issue is like “Shuqi” and “Changshan” being listed under separate entries, and “Xiongqiong” and “Miwu” likewise having distinct uses…

It was probably included under “Fruits” because its fruit is the raspberry. The name méi is pronounced “mào.”

Chen Cangqi says: It darkens the hair and slows aging. When Buddhist scriptures speak of lighting a lamp with the sumina flower, they mean this flower. Juice pressed from fresh flowers can be made into a paste and applied to the hair to prevent it from turning white. Eating the fruit improves one’s complexion. Rub the leaves to extract their juice, then put drops in the eyes to remove red films and parasites; the worms will come out like threads. There are three kinds of this plant. The one that ripens in the fourth month, tastes sweet, and resembles the raspberry is this kind; the others are unsuitable for medicinal use. Some people today mistake maomei for raspberry.

Yuxi says: According to Chen Shiliang, the various materia medica works all say this is the root of the raspberry. But judging from the plants gathered by herb collectors today and comparing them with descriptions in books on plants, there is another kind called penglei. It resembles silkworm berry, has red fruit and leaves like a thorny wild rose, and tastes sweet and sour. Perhaps the various authors failed to distinguish the plants and mistakenly identified it as raspberry.

The Extended Meaning says: Penglei is not raspberry but a different plant. Even when its branches wither, the stems do not become tangled. People no longer use it today. It is the plant mentioned in Jia Shan’s Memorial.

Raspberry is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and nontoxic. It is used chiefly to strengthen Qi and physical vigor, make the body feel light, and keep the hair from turning white. Gather it in the fifth month.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: For details, see the entry on “Penglei.”

The Treatise on the Properties of Medicinals says: Raspberry is an adjunct medicine, slightly warm in nature, and sweet and acrid in flavor. It treats deficiency of kidney essence in men. Taken by women, it may help them conceive. It also treats impotence and helps the penis become firm and grow.

Tao Hongjing says: Penglei is the name of the root, which Daoist practitioners do not use medicinally. Chang Rong took it to alter her appearance. Raspberry, by contrast, is the name of the fruit. Li says it is méi. The méi fruit today resembles raspberry; its flavor comes from the juice, and its seeds are very small. The raspberry used in medicine differs somewhat from this. It is unclear which account is correct.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: Fupen and penglei are different names for the same plant. The entry here originally refers to the fruit, not the root. Li’s identification of it as méi is closer to the truth. Its root is not used medicinally. The fruit varies according to where the plant grows: in fertile places it is large and sweet, while in poor soil it is small and sour. This shows that the fruit may be sour or sweet, but the root is never sour. Tao Jing believed the root was sour and the fruit sweet, so he placed the root under “Fruits” and then repeated it in the entry on the fruit. This was very careless.

The Modern Commentary says: Penglei is the young plant of the raspberry, while raspberry is the … of penglei.

Tao Hongjing’s commentary and the Tang dynasty commentary do not say this. The current view is that raspberries can strengthen a weakened body and boost Kidney Qi, harmonize Yin-Yang, and keep the skin moist and the internal organs at ease. They can also warm the middle burner, increase physical strength, treat fatigue and damage caused by Wind, and nourish the Liver and improve eyesight.

Rihuazi says: “Berries can calm and nourish the five internal organs, improve the complexion, nourish Jing and Qi, promote hair growth, and strengthen the will. They can also treat windstroke, fever, and palpitations.” There is also a kind of raspberry, namely the fupenzi.

Meng Shen says: “Fupenzi tastes sour. It can be gathered in wheat fields around the fifth month, and the best is of good quality. After gathering it, dry it in strong sunlight to keep it from rotting. In Jiangdong there is also a plant called xuangouzi. It differs in size and shape, but has the same smell and medicinal effects. In the north there is only xuangouzi, not fupenzi; in the south there is no xuangouzi. The two have different names because seasonal conditions vary from place to place and they grow at different times; they are not two distinct plants.”

The Yanyi says: “Fupenzi grows on long branches and ripens in the fourth or fifth month, when its fruit turns red. It is plentiful in Qinzhou, and is also found in Yongxing and Huazhou. Mountain people gather and sell it when ripe. The fruit tastes sour and sweet, and is about the size of a lychee or cherry. It is soft, red, glossy, and appealing. If the harvest season is missed, worms infest the fruit on the branches. It benefits the Kidneys and reduces urination. When taking it, one should collect one’s urine in a basin of fupenzi; this is how it got its name. Eating too much can readily cause internal heat. The fruit may be picked when it is half to three-fifths ripe, then dried in strong sunlight and covered with thin cotton cloth. People nowadays extract its juice and cook it into a preserve with a little honey. Some also cook it into a thin decoction, dilute it with water, and take it to treat deficiency and cold in the Lungs. If the fruit gets wet while being picked, it is unsuitable for decoction.”

Cherry

Cherry tastes sweet. It chiefly harmonizes the middle burner and strengthens the Spleen Qi; it can also improve the complexion and lift the spirits.

Tao Hongjing says: “This is what people today call zhuying. It tastes sweet with a hint of sourness and can be eaten. Its main effects are much like those attributed above to cherry. I suspect that medical texts have confused different things in their accounts, and that this may not be the kind of cherry people mean today. In addition, the silverberry does not lose its leaves in winter, and its fruit may also be beneficial. Some say that cherries should not be eaten during illnesses involving alternating chills and fever.”

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: “Pound cherry leaves and apply them to a wound, or squeeze out the leaf juice and drink it; this can prevent snake venom from entering the body.”

Rihuazi says: “Cherry is slightly toxic. Eating too much causes vomiting.”

Yuxi says: “According to Meng Shen, cherry is hot in nature, can strengthen Qi and physical vigor, and does no harm even when eaten in quantity. But he also says that this fruit is called ying, not tao, and should not be eaten in excess, or it may bring on ‘dark Wind’—a category of symptoms described by the ancients that includes dizziness and numbness in the limbs. The root on the east side of a cherry tree treats tapeworms and roundworms.”

The Yanyi says: “Meng Shen considers cherry to belong to the ying category, not the tao category. Yet it is not a peach…”

The name “cherry” may come from its shape resembling a peach. What is there to doubt about that? Fruits such as the wood-monkey pear and the walnut were also named for their resemblance in shape. The ancients called cherries “offering cherries,” since they could be used in sacrifices at the ancestral temple. The Book of Rites says cherries were the first fruit offered in the temple. A poem by Wang Wei of the Tang dynasty reads: “Only after cherries have been offered at the garden shrine in spring; it is not because birds in the imperial garden have pecked at the remains.” That is, the cherries had just been offered in the garden shrine; they were not leftover fruit pecked by birds in the imperial garden. When children eat cherries, even a little too much can easily cause internal heat.

Water Caltrop Fruit

Water caltrop fruit tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is said to calm and strengthen the Spleen and Stomach, nourish the Five Viscera, and make people feel less hungry and lighter in body. It is also called “ling.” The character ji is pronounced like “ji” in “skill.”

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: Ji is the fruit of the water caltrop. Older books do not record which prefectures and counties produce it, but today it grows everywhere. Its leaves float on the water, and its flowers are yellowish white. After the flowers fall, fruit forms and gradually sinks beneath the water; it is gathered when ripe. There are two kinds of water caltrop: one has four points, the other two. Among the two-pointed kind, one variety has tender skin and a purplish color. It is called “floating water caltrop” and is especially delicious. People in the Jiang-Huai region and Shandong dry the fruit and grind it into flour, which they use as a substitute for grain to stave off hunger.

Tao Hongjing says: Water caltrops are especially abundant around Lujiang. People often roast them over a fire and eat them as grain. Today they are usually steamed, dried, and mixed with honey to make food; some people use them to give up grain during long-term cultivation. Another aquatic food, the young shoot of wild rice, is cold in nature and is probably not a superior food. Eating it after frost makes Yin Qi predominate and Yang Qi weak. It should not be eaten with white honey either, as this is said to produce worms. The character gu is pronounced like “gu” in “lonely.”

The Tang Materia Medica says: When ground into flour, water caltrop fruit is very white, fine in texture, and suitable for eating.

Meng Shen says: Daoist practitioners steam water caltrops, grind them into flour, and mix the flour with honey, using it to abstain from grain for a time. Among aquatic foods, water caltrop is the least suitable for treating illness. He also says it makes the internal organs cold and harms Yang Qi, and may cause impotence, so it should be eaten sparingly. Eating too much can cause abdominal distension. If this occurs, taking one or two cups of warm wine with ginger will bring relief.

The Food Therapy text says: When Daoist practitioners eat water caltrop and feel cold Qi rising, they can hold evodia in the mouth and swallow the saliva to relieve abdominal distension.

The Extended Meaning says: Today, people commonly call ji “water caltrop”; it grows everywhere. The fruit can be boiled, peeled, and eaten as a grain substitute, but it is harmful to the Spleen. The water caltrop is also ji, but it is larger and crisper and can be eaten raw. It has not been reported to have any use in combination with medicines. Eating too many raw water caltrops can cause diarrhea and makes them hard to digest, which also shows that they are cold in nature.

Orange peel tastes bitter and pungent and is warm in nature. It makes an excellent sauce or vinegar, with a pleasing aroma, and can also dispel unpleasant odors in the intestines and Stomach.

Oranges aid digestion and eliminate “floating wind-qi” in the stomach, a kind of gastric discomfort described in ancient medical texts. The orange flesh tastes sour and can ease nausea, but it should not be eaten in excess, lest it harm Liver Qi. Another preparation is to wash the sour juice from the flesh, chop it finely, add salt and honey, and simmer it into a paste. This is said to eliminate floating wind-qi in the stomach.

The orange tree resembles the tangerine tree, but its leaves are larger. The fruit is round, larger than a tangerine, strongly fragrant, and has thick, wrinkled skin. It ripens in the eighth month. The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that further details are given under the entries for tangerine and pomelo.

Yuxi says: According to Chen Shiliang, oranges are warm in nature and non-toxic. They can disperse wind-qi but may bring on deficiency heat. They can be used to treat goiter, swellings of the neck, and scrofula, including tubercular lymph-node swellings and similar lumps. They also counter poisons from fish and insects. Oranges should not be eaten together with betel-nut flesh, as this may cause dizziness and nausea.

The Mirror of Food says: Oranges are warm in nature and can ease nausea and stomach wind. Orange peel may be preserved in salt; the flesh may also be chewed slowly with salt and honey to dispel discomfort in the stomach.

Leigong says: Oranges taste bitter and pungent and are non-toxic.

The Extended Discussion says: People nowadays mostly eat oranges as fruit or steep the peel in hot water to serve guests; they rarely use them as medicine. Eating an orange when still suffering from a hangover can quickly sober one up.

Middle-Grade Fruits

Plum

The plum tastes sour, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It can direct Qi downward, clear heat, agitation, and distention, and calm the mind. It can be used for pain in the limbs, hemiplegia, numbness, muscle death, blue-black moles, and malignant sores. It can also stop dysentery, reduce excessive salivation, and relieve dry mouth. Plums grow in the mountain valleys of Hanzhong. They are gathered in the fifth month and dried over a fire.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: Plums grow in the mountain valleys of Hanzhong. Today they are found in Xiangyang, the Han River region, Sichuan, along the Yangtze, in the lake regions, the Huai River basin, and Lingnan. Fresh plums taste sour; eating too many can harm the teeth and bones and bring on deficiency heat, so they should not be eaten in excess. Those taking Yellow Essence should especially avoid them. A concentrated decoction of plum leaves can be taken to treat recurrent dysentery. Plum roots can treat wind impediment, but roots exposed above ground must not be used. Gather yellow plums in the fifth month and smoke them over a fire to make dark plums. Dark plums are often used to treat agitation and heat caused by cold damage, restlessness and thirst caused by cholera, emaciation from consumptive illness, and Qi dysentery in women after childbirth.

Tao Yinju says: These are what are now called dark plums. Before use, remove the pits and lightly stir-fry them. For agitation and heat caused by cold damage, soak dark plums in water and drink the infused liquid. Fresh plums and white plums should have similar effects. People nowadays often combine white plums with medicines and apply them to moles or to eat away malignant flesh. Those taking Yellow Essence are said to have to avoid plums.

The Tang Materia Medica says: The Supplementary Records state that plum roots can treat wind impediment, but roots exposed above ground can poison people. Plums can ease the sinews and vessels and dispel impediment pain.

Chen Cangqi says: Plums can relieve thirst, but they also cause heat to rise above the diaphragm. Black plums (wumei) can transform phlegm, treat illnesses caused by malaria and miasma, relieve thirst, and harmonize the Spleen and Stomach. They can also treat dysentery and vomiting in which cold and heat alternate. Pound plum leaves and use the liquid to wash clothes; the clothes will be easier to clean.

Songyangzi says: Rub plum leaves in clean water, then wash clothes woven from banana fiber and kudzu fiber. The fabric will be less likely to become brittle. I tried this myself, and it really works.

Rihuazi says: Plums are warm in nature and can relieve thirst. But eating too many produces phlegm, harms the teeth and bones, damages the Spleen and Stomach, and causes fever. A strong decoction made from plum roots and leaves can treat recurrent dysentery and cholera. He also says: White plums are warm in nature and non-toxic, and can be used for wounds from knives and arrows. Grind them and apply them to stop bleeding.

Yuxi says: According to the Treatise on the Properties of Medicinals (Yaoxing Lun), plum kernels can also be used on their own. They are sour and non-toxic, and can dispel vexing heat. Xiao Bing says: People nowadays often smoke plums to make black plums.

Meng Shen says: Eating too many black plums damages the teeth. If a thorn is embedded in the flesh, chew a white plum and apply it to the spot; the thorn will come out. For constipation with rebellious abdominal Qi, when the condition is urgent, take ten black plums and put them in a decoction. After a while, remove the pits, pound the fruit into a pill the size of a jujube, and insert it into the anus. The bowels will move shortly.

Carefully noted: Split open a black plum and soak it in water, then mix in a little honey. This can relieve thirst and may also be used for cholera, unease in the heart, and dysentery. Prescriptions for treating malaria also commonly use black plums.

The Shenghui Formulary records: To treat worm sores around the anus after an attack of cold damage, take three liang of black plum flesh, dry-fry it, and pound it into powder. Form the powder with refined honey into pills the size of Chinese parasol tree seeds. Before meals, take ten pills with a decoction of pomegranate root bark.

Another prescription: To treat headache caused by phlegm syncope, take ten black plums, remove the pits and keep the flesh, then add two qian of salt and half a cup of wine. Boil until reduced by three tenths, strain out the dregs, and drink warm at any time. Vomiting after taking it is considered a good response.

Another prescription: To treat dysentery that has persisted for a long time without improvement, after the sticky filth in the intestines has been discharged, take twenty black plums and boil them in one cup of water until reduced by four tenths. Strain out the dregs and drink in two doses before meals. The Elbow Reserve Formulary (Zhouhou Fang) gives the same account.

The Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library (Waitai Miyao Fang) records: To treat bites by worms around the anus, pound one hu of plum leaves and peach leaves, steam them until hot, and put them in a small vessel. Spread a large piece of cloth over the top and sit on it, using the rising heat to fumigate the area. This is said to kill the worms.

The Elbow Reserve Formulary records: To treat distending pain in the chest and abdomen with shortness of breath, when the condition is urgent and the patient has even fainted, take fourteen black plums and boil them in five sheng of water. Add twenty-eight large coins and continue boiling until reduced to two and a half sheng. A robust person may drink it all at once; a frail person may take it in two doses.

Another prescription: To treat sudden swelling and pain in a finger, a condition called “substitute finger” …

Crush the seeds of the black plum and mix them with bitter wine (vinegar). Dip a finger in the mixture and apply it; relief should come after a short while.

The Ge Family Formula: For dysentery with red or white discharge (stool containing blood or mucus), as well as a dragging, heavy pain at the anus. Crush twenty black plums, add two sheng of water, and boil until one sheng remains. Take the entire dose at once.

An Experienced Formula: For sores caused by horse sweat entering the flesh. Pound a black plum, including its pit, into powder and mix it with aged vinegar to make a paste. First prick the sore with a needle until purple blood flows out. If bright red blood appears, wipe it dry with a cloth, then apply the medicinal paste and secure it with a bandage.

The Mei Master’s Formula: For headache, high fever, and distressing pain and oppression in the chest that arise four or five days after cold damage. Take fourteen black plums and five he of salt, add one sheng of water, and boil until half remains. After drinking it, induce vomiting.

The Brief Formula for Aiding the People: Used to relieve wasting thirst (symptoms such as excessive drinking and urination) and distress. Lightly toast two liang of black plum flesh and grind it into powder. For each dose, take two qian, add two zhan of water, and boil until one zhan remains; strain out the solids. Then add two hundred fermented beans (douchi) and boil until half a zhan remains; strain again and take before bed.

The Ghost Remains Formula: For dead flesh growing in sores of various kinds. Burn a black plum to ash, grind it into powder, and apply it to the affected area. The dead flesh will soon come away; the treatment is very effective.

The Yanyi says: Eating plums causes fluids to flow outward. Water engenders Wood, and fluids belong to Water; when fluids are lost, the teeth are harmed. The Kidneys belong to Water, and the teeth are their counterpart on the body’s exterior; hence this effect. Wang Shuhe says that the Bladder and Kidneys are paired and govern the fluids. Though this is stated rather roughly, there is some truth in it. Plums smoked for preservation are called black plums; when dried in the sun and stored in a jar of honey, they are called white plums.

Quince

The fruit of the quince is sour in taste, warm in nature, and nontoxic. It treats damp impediment and pathogenic influences, as well as the violent vomiting and diarrhea of cholera and persistent cramping (muscle spasms). Quince branches may also be boiled and used.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: The quince’s place of origin is not clearly recorded. Tao Hongjing says that it is especially abundant around Lanting in Shanyin. Today it is found everywhere, but the finest comes from Xuancheng. The quince tree resembles the apple tree. It flowers in late spring, with deep red blossoms. The fruit ranges in size from large, like a melon, to small, like a fist. The Erya calls it “mao.” Guo Pu says that its fruit resembles a small melon, tastes sour, and can be eaten, but should not be eaten in excess and offers no benefit to people. The people of Xuanzhou take particular care in cultivating quince, and the valleys are full of it. As soon as the fruit begins to form, they paste thin, patterned paper onto it. The fruit turns red gradually through exposure to the night dew and sunlight, and the paper’s pattern is imprinted on the skin, as if it had grown there naturally. Xuanzhou presents this kind of quince as a local tribute.

Tao Hongjing says that quince is especially abundant around Lanting in Shanyin, where local people regard it as a superior fruit.

Quince is especially effective for treating sudden muscle cramps. When cramping strikes, simply calling out the name “quince,” or writing the two characters for “quince,” is said to bring relief, though the reason cannot be explained. Some people in the folk tradition lean on staffs made from quince wood, believing that they strengthen the sinews and bones.

There is also the mûngzha, pronounced “mingcha,” a kind of fruit. It is large and yellow, and can be served with wine or used to dispel phlegm. Its seeds are astringent and can stop dysentery. The Book of Rites says that pears are called “cuanzhi.” Zheng Gong did not recognize the mûngzha and called it an inferior pear. The ancients also counted zha among fruits; otherwise, perhaps it would not have been included in this category.

Chen Cangqi says: In addition to the effects described above, quince dispels internal cold, strengthens the sinews and bones, aids digestion, and stops watery diarrhea. If unquenchable thirst follows watery diarrhea, quince can be made into a drink and taken. When beriberi strikes and Qi surges into the chest, take one quince, remove the seeds, and decoct it; young quince is better. Quince can also stop vomiting and ease the accumulation of phlegm and saliva between the chest and diaphragm.

Rihua Zi says: Quince can stop vomiting and diarrhea, counterflow surges from the abdomen, and the edema associated with beriberi. It can also treat dysentery with alternating chills and fever, pain in the heart and abdomen, thirst, retching, and phlegm and saliva. The root of the quince tree can treat beriberi.

Meng Shen says: On examination, drinking a decoction of quince branches and leaves can also treat cholera. But quince should not be eaten in large quantities, as it harms the teeth and bones. For cramping pain below the navel, take one or two slices of quince, seven mulberry leaves, and three dates. Crush them, add two sheng of water, and boil until half a sheng remains; drink the dose at once, and the condition will be cured. He also says that mûngzha is neutral in nature, but harms the teeth, sinews, and bones when eaten, so it should not be consumed. It can, however, treat cholera-related muscle cramps: boil it and drink the liquid. Its effects are much like those of quince, and it has no other beneficial properties. In the Jiangnan region, people commonly eat it as a fruit.

Yuxi says: According to the annotations in the Shu Materia Medica, the quince tree’s branches resemble those of the nai tree, a kind of apple tree; its flowers grow in clusters, and its fruit resembles the snake gourd. When dried, it has a strong fragrance. The Erya says that mao is quince. The commentary explains that quince fruit resembles a small melon and is sour but edible; eating too much, however, is of no benefit. Another commentary in the Erya says that mûngzha resembles a pear and is sour and astringent.

Lei Gong says: When using quince, do not mistake heyuanzi, manzi, or tufuzi for it. These substances are similar to quince in color and shape, but differ in the shape, taste, and inward orientation of their seeds. True quince has thin skin, is faintly reddish yellow, and has a fragrant smell. Its taste is sweet with a little sourness, but not astringent. It helps harmonize the Nutritive and Defensive Qi—the Qi that nourishes the body and protects its surface—and supports the Spleen and Stomach in transforming food. Examine the inward-facing side: a true quince has seeds with pointed tips and one flat side. Heyuanzi is pale yellow, has a thick stem, and small, round seeds. It tastes astringent with a hint of saltiness, and harms the body when eaten.

The Food Therapy says: Quince can treat vomiting and illnesses caused by wind. If muscle cramps occur after vomiting, boil quince and drink the juice.

Papaya is highly effective for painful cramps and tension in the sinews. Boil the papaya until soft, grind it into a paste, and spread it over the painful area like thick porridge. When it cools, replace it with a fresh, warm application. Change it three to five times overnight, and the pain will improve. You may add wine equal to about half the papaya’s weight and boil them together.

The Yan Yi says: Papaya receives the pure Qi of Wood and therefore acts on the sinews. If lead frost is applied to it, the papaya loses its sour taste. Sourness belongs to Wood, and this happens when it is constrained by the Qi of Metal. People today generally consider the large papayas from the western capital to be the best. Their flavor is balanced and sweet, and they remain greenish-white when ripe. They have strong medicinal effects and are superior to papayas from Xuanzhou, which have a milder flavor. Papaya enters the Liver channel and thus nourishes the sinews and Blood. This medicinal is indispensable for people with weakness in the lower back, kidneys, legs, or knees.

Persimmon

Persimmon is sweet in flavor, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats impeded Qi movement in the nose and ears, as well as accumulations and weakness in the intestines.

The Illustrated Classic says: Ancient books do not record which prefectures produced persimmons, but today they are found throughout the north and south. There are many varieties. Yellow persimmons grow in the prefectures near the capital; red persimmons are found in both the north and the south. Vermilion persimmons grow on Mount Hua. They resemble red persimmons, but have thinner skins and are sweeter. Bei persimmons grow in Xuanzhou, Shezhou, Jingzhou, Xiangzhou, Fujian, Guangdong, and other places. They are suitable only for eating fresh, not for making dried persimmons. All varieties are beneficial to eat, and bei persimmons are especially effective at reducing the toxicity of medicines made from mineral substances.

Persimmons dried over a fire are called black persimmons. They are produced in Xuanzhou and Yuezhou and are warm in nature. If, after taking medicine, you experience a bitter taste in the mouth or nausea, eating a little black persimmon can ease these symptoms. It can also be used to stop diarrhea.

Tao Hongjing says: There are several kinds of persimmon. Black persimmons smoked over a fire are hot in nature; they can stop diarrhea and treat dog bites. Persimmons dried by fire are also good. Persimmons dried in the sun are cold in nature. The coarse, astringent ones especially should not be eaten in large quantities, or they may cause abdominal pain. Fresh persimmons are even colder. Another kind, the green bei persimmon, is suitable only for eating fresh and is colder still than ordinary persimmons. It is harmless for people who have heat in the body after taking mineral medicines, but it is not used as a medicine. Here, “bì” means dried over a fire; “bēi” is pronounced like “bei.”

The Tang Materia Medica says: The Supplementary Records state that fire-dried persimmons can detoxify and treat wounds caused by metal or fire. They promote the growth of new flesh over wounds and relieve pain. Soft, ripe persimmons can dispel heat after drinking alcohol, ease dry mouth, and reduce pent-up heat in the stomach.

Chen Cangqi says: In addition to the effects already described, sun-dried persimmons are warm in nature and nourishing. Eating them in quantity can lighten facial spots and disperse stagnant Blood accumulated in the abdomen. In Shan County, persimmons dried over a fire are called black persimmons. For people who experience a bitter taste in the mouth or nausea after taking medicine, eating a little brings quick relief. Drinking a decoction of persimmon stems has similar effects.

Steaming flour made from yellow persimmons into a cooked rice-flour dish, then feeding it to a child, can stop hiccups.

Red persimmons can stop diarrhea. But eating them while drinking alcohol can cause heart pain and may even be fatal; it also makes a person more likely to become drunk. Tao Hongjing said that persimmons counteract alcohol poisoning, but this claim is mistaken.

Ri Huazi said that persimmons are cold in nature and moisten the heart and lungs. They can stop thirst, tighten the bowels, treat lung wasting and cough caused by heart heat, transform phlegm, stimulate the appetite, and treat vomiting blood. He also said that persimmons are neutral in nature, moisten the throat, and kill parasites. Fire-roasted persimmons are warm in nature and have the same effects as those described above.

Yuxi said that persimmons are cold in nature and replenish deficiency and depletion. I note that dried persimmons tighten the stomach and intestines, strengthen the Spleen and Stomach Qi, and disperse stagnant blood. Red persimmons replenish Qi and restore the Qi of the meridians. Lian persimmons—persimmons prepared by soaking—tighten the lower burner, strengthen the Spleen and Stomach Qi, and disperse stagnant blood. Making persimmons into cakes or pastries and feeding them to children can treat autumn diarrhea. Another method is to mash the persimmons, cook porridge first, then add the persimmons when the porridge is nearly done. Boil it two or three more times and let the child eat until full. The nursing mother should eat some as well; this is also effective.

The Shenghui Fang records: To treat deafness and nasal congestion, chop three dried persimmons and cook them into porridge with three ge of polished rice and a little fermented beans. Take it on an empty stomach.

The Chanbao Fang records: To treat coughing and retching after childbirth, disordered breathing, and restlessness, mash one dried persimmon, boil it in ten parts water until hot, and drink it.

The Yanyi says: One kind of persimmon grows an extra fruit cap beneath the stem and is called a cap persimmon. The ox-heart persimmon is shaped like an ox’s heart, while the steamed-cake persimmon resembles the steamed cakes sold in markets today. Huazhou produces a cinnabar persimmon, the smallest of all persimmons, with a deep red color. There is also a pagoda persimmon, larger than ordinary persimmons. All these persimmons are cool in nature, but not intensely cold. Persimmons readily produce phlegm and taste very sweet, which accounts for these claims. Peel the persimmons and hang them in a large tree to dry naturally in the wind and sun. Eating too many can stir up wind and fire. Dried persimmons do not taste good; fresh persimmons are astringent, but can be soaked in warm water and eaten once the astringency is gone. When persimmons naturally turn red and soft, their astringency also disappears on its own. Once dried, their nature becomes neutral.

Water chestnut (also called matai)

Water chestnuts taste bitter and sweet, are slightly cold in nature, and are non-toxic. They treat wasting thirst and heat-related impediment, and can warm the middle and boost Qi. They are also called jigu and shuiping. Their leaves emerge in the second month and resemble taro leaves. On the third day of the third month, dig up the roots and dry them for later use.

The Tujing says: Water chestnut is the same as matai. Older books do not record which prefectures produce it. Its shoots resemble slender dragon whiskers and are deep green. Its roots are black, about the size of a finger, with thick, hairy skins. Another kind has a thin, hairless skin and also grows in fields.

When eaten with other foods or made into a powder, it fills the stomach and intestines and helps ward off hunger.

It is especially suitable for people taking alchemical elixirs or mineral medicines, as it can counteract their toxicity. The Erya also calls it “shao.”

Tao Hongjing said: What people now call jiegu grows in rice paddies. Its leaves are divided and shaped like those of Alisma, though less regularly, and resemble taro leaves. Its roots are yellow and look like taro, but are smaller; once cooked, they can also be eaten as a vegetable. He suspected that the root of a plant called wuqi was very similar: its roots are slender and tasty, but its leaves are different, shaped like amaranth leaves. People call it “yaci,” and this may be the plant in question. (The character ya is pronounced yā.)

A note to the Tang Bencao says: This plant is also called “chaya” or “cigu,” and can counteract various kinds of poison. If a woman faints after childbirth because stagnant blood has rushed to her heart, or if the afterbirth or placenta is slow to come out, she may drink one sheng of its crushed juice. The plant grows in water; its leaves are arrow-shaped and also resemble those of Alisma. The Qianjin Fang says it can treat stone strangury, a condition involving urinary stones.

Yuxi said: According to Meng Shen, cigu should not be eaten in large quantities. People in the Wu region eat it often; some have consequently developed ailments of the feet. It may also bring on beriberi, paralysis, and similar conditions, damage the teeth, and leave the complexion poor and the flesh dry. Eating a large amount all at once may cause someone to vomit clear fluid.

Meng Shen also said: Yaci is cold in nature. It can counteract the wind toxins caused by taking dan and mineral medicines, and clear excess heat that has accumulated in the chest. It can be made into a powder and eaten; it benefits the ears and eyes, relieves thirst, and reduces jaundice. But people who already have internal cold should not eat it, or they may develop abdominal swelling and fullness. If children eat it in autumn, they may feel pain below the navel.

The Rihuazi says: Yaci is non-toxic. It can counteract wind toxins, clear heat in the chest and stomach, treat jaundice, stimulate the appetite, and aid digestion. It is beneficial for people taking medicines made from metals and minerals. Another account says that cigu is cold in nature and poisonous. Its leaves can be crushed and applied to snake and insect bites. Eating too much may cause deficiency heat and may worsen intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoids with fistulas, uterine bleeding, vaginal discharge, boils, and other sores. Adding fresh ginger when cooking cigu can lessen its cold nature. Pregnant women should not eat it. It is also called “yanyi cao” and “wuqi.”

The Bencao Yanyi says: Wuqi is now commonly called boqi. Those with thick, black skins and firm, white flesh are called “pig boqi”; those with thin, glossy skins, pale purple in color, and soft flesh are called “sheep boqi.” People commonly gather and eat both kinds in the first and second lunar months. They are seldom used as medicines; in years of famine, people often gather them as food.

Loquat

Loquat leaves are bitter, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. They treat sudden, persistent hiccups and help Qi descend.

The Illustrated Classic says: In the past, no records specified which prefectures produced loquat leaves. Today, they are found around Xiangyang and the Han River, as well as in Wu, Shu, Fujian, and Lingnan. The loquat tree grows more than ten feet tall. Its leaves resemble a donkey’s ears and have fine hairs on their upper surfaces. Its thick shade and spreading branches and leaves are pleasing to the eye, and it stays green throughout the year. It bears white flowers in deep winter and fruit in the third or fourth month. For this reason, Xie Tiao wrote in his Rhapsody on the Loquat: “In autumn it sends out green branches, receiving the warmth of spring; it flowers in winter’s cold, and as frost falls, its buds take shape. When the weather turns hot, dew nourishes its fruit.” He was speaking of the loquat.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Loquat tastes sweet and can treat persistent vomiting and hiccups caused by deficiency-cold in the Stomach Qi.

Tao Hongjing says: Loquat leaves need not be boiled; chewing them can also ease illness. If they are boiled into a drink, their medicinal nature tends somewhat toward cold.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: Before using loquat leaves, roast them over a fire, then wipe away their fine hairs with a cloth. Otherwise, they may irritate the lungs and cause persistent coughing. Loquat leaves can also treat rebellious Qi and difficulty swallowing food. The Current Commentary says: Loquat fruit tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. Eating too much can produce phlegm and increase heat.

The Daily Flower says: Loquat seeds are neutral in nature and non-toxic. They can be used for impaired Lung Qi, to moisten the Five Zang organs, direct Qi downward, stop vomiting, and relieve thirst. It also says that loquat leaves can ease dry mouth in women after childbirth.

Lei Gong says: When selecting loquat leaves, their weight can be used as a guide: one fresh leaf weighing one liang, or three dried leaves weighing one liang, indicates leaves with sufficient medicinal strength. First wipe away the leaf hairs with coarse cloth, then wash the leaves once in licorice decoction. Wipe them clean with cotton cloth and leave them to dry. For every one liang of leaves, add one fen of butter and roast until the butter has been used up.

Yuxi says: According to the Illustrated Classic of Shu, the loquat tree grows more than ten feet tall. Its leaves resemble a donkey’s ears and have fine yellow hairs on their upper surfaces. Its fruit resembles a small plum; it is yellow and sweet with a hint of sourness. The seed is about the size of a small chestnut, and both the skin and flesh are thin. The loquat flowers in winter, bears fruit in spring, and ripens in the fourth or fifth month. Its leaves do not fall even in winter. It grows south of the Yangtze and in the southern mountain regions, and is now found in many places.

Meng Shen says: Loquat is warm in nature and can promote the flow of the Five Zang organs; eating it over a long period can also generate heat. Loquat fruit moistens the lungs. Eating it with hot-roasted meat or hot noodles can easily increase heat and may bring on jaundice.

The Dietary Therapy says: For sudden vomiting, persistent hiccups, or loss of appetite, loquat juice may be boiled and drunk. It can also stop thirst, and is especially suited to lung disorders, sores caused by Lung Wind, and sores on the chest and face.

The Extended Meaning says: Loquat leaves are found in Jiangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, and both Sichuan regions, north and south. The tree is named for its leaves, which resemble the lute. Its leaves have some efficacy in treating cough caused by heat in the lungs.

The flowers are white and bloom first in spring. The fruit is as large as a pellet and ripens in the fourth or fifth month. Its color is yellow like an apricot, its surface slightly downy, and its flesh rather thin. Its medicinal nature is mild and differs from that of the leaves.

A woman suffered from heat in the lungs and a long-lasting cough. Her body felt as if it were being scorched by fire, and her flesh had grown thin. Her illness was on the verge of developing into “lung taxation,” a chronic lung disorder accompanied by bodily weakness. One portion each of loquat leaf, mu tong, coltsfoot flower, zi wan, apricot kernel, and mulberry root bark was used, with rhubarb reduced by half. After the ingredients had been prepared in the usual way, they were ground together into a fine powder and mixed with honey to make pills the size of cherries. She let one pill dissolve in her mouth after meals and another at night before going to bed. Before she had finished a full course of the medicine, she recovered.

Lychee

Lychee fruit is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and nontoxic. It can relieve thirst and give the complexion a healthy glow. The lychee tree grows in Lingnan and Banzhong. It reaches a height of one to two zhang, with green leaves and dense shade, and does not shed its leaves even in winter. The fruit is about the size of a pine nut. Its shell is vermilion, marked with ridges like red woven lines; its flesh is pale greenish white, like crystal, and as sweet as honey. It ripens in the fourth or fifth month. Many birds eat it and grow plump.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: The lychee tree grows in Lingnan and Banzhong. Today it is also found in Quanzhou, Fuzhou, Zhangzhou, Jiazhou, and the Shu region, as well as Yuzhou, Fuzhou, Xinghua Jun, and the various prefectures of the two Guang regions. Lychees from central Fujian are the finest, those from Shu are next, and those from Lingnan are inferior. The Record of Funan says the tree is called “lychee” because, when it bears fruit, its branches are pliant while the fruit stems are firmly attached. The fruit cannot simply be picked, so the fruiting branches must be cut off with a knife or axe; hence the name. The word li is pronounced like “lee” and means to cut off with a blade.

The Dietetic Therapy says: Lychee is slightly warm in nature. Eating it benefits the spirit, intelligence, strength, and complexion, but eating too much causes heat in the body.

Cui Liang’s Formula from the Sea records: To treat throat obstruction, a disorder involving a painful, swollen, or blocked throat, take twelve portions of lychee flowers and roots and boil them in three sheng of water. Strain out the herbs, hold the liquid in the mouth, and swallow it slowly; the condition will then be cured.

The Expanded Materia Medica says: To this day, lychee has not appeared among the commonly used remedies in materia medica prescriptions; only Cui Yuanliang’s formula includes it. As a fruit, lychee is of the highest grade, but eating too much causes deficient heat. Lychees sometimes grow as a pair of fruits, which is especially charming. Cai Junmo of the former dynasty wrote a detailed Treatise on Lychees. A poem by Du Mu of the Tang dynasty says, “A rider raises a cloud of red dust, and the consort smiles; none knows that lychees are on their way.” This refers to lychees from Shu, which could be transported fresh, with their pits, all the way to Chang’an. Roast a pit over a low flame until its medicinal qualities remain, then grind it into powder. Mix the powder from one pit with fresh wine and take it to treat heart pain and small intestine qi, a disorder marked by pain in the lower abdomen or groin.

Milk orange is sweet in flavor and very cold in nature. It is used to treat heat toxins in the intestines and stomach and to relieve the heat toxins caused by taking mineral elixirs.

Mandarin oranges can relieve sudden thirst and promote urination. Eating too many can chill the spleen and stomach, causing food stagnation, chronic ailments, and diarrhea. Other varieties include sand oranges and mountain oranges, which have similar properties. Only the peel of the mountain orange is effective for sore throats; the other varieties are not suitable for medicinal use. The tree resembles an orange tree, and its fruit resembles an orange, but is rounder and larger. The peel is green when unripe and yellow-red when ripe. Before frost, the fruit tastes very sour; after frost, it becomes very sweet. Hence the name “mandarin orange.” These fruits grow in Lingnan and Jiangnan.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: “Milk oranges are cold in nature and should not be eaten in excess. People today use only their seeds to make a preparation for applying to the face, and they have few other uses, so they are not discussed in detail here.”

Liu Yuxi says: “According to Xiao Bing, the mandarin oranges produced in Xirong”—an ancient name for the regions west of China—“are superior.”

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says: “Mandarin oranges are cold in nature and non-toxic. Toasting the peel and decocting it in water can counteract alcohol poisoning and thirst after drinking. Eating too many, however, can cause sweating in the genital region.”

The Dietary Therapy says: “Mandarin oranges are cold in nature and may be eaten, but their peel is not suitable for medicinal use. Eating too many can dry out the lungs, chill the spleen and stomach, and cause xuanpi, a condition involving abdominal masses.”

The Experiential Prescriptions of Later Generations records a recipe called “The Sobering Decoction”: Take an appropriate amount of mandarin orange peel, remove the inner white pith, bake it dry, and grind it into powder. Add salt and take half a qian each time.

The Treatise on the Origins of Things says: “Some people today sell mandarin orange peel as tangerine peel, so buyers must distinguish between them. Mandarin orange peel is not very bitter, whereas tangerine peel is extremely bitter. Even when the fruit is ripe, tangerine peel remains very bitter. Some people distinguish tangerines from mandarin oranges by the thickness of their peels, but varieties differ from place to place, and peel thickness varies accordingly. People with a weak, cold spleen and stomach who eat too much mandarin orange flesh may chill their internal organs and even develop diarrhea.”

Stone Honey (milk sugar): Sweet in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats heat and distension in the chest and abdomen, dry mouth, and thirst. Its cold nature promotes free passage. It is produced in Yizhou and Xirong, and is made by boiling and refining brown sugar into cakes that are yellowish white.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: “Stone honey is made by mixing refined brown sugar with cow’s milk; it is also known as milk sugar.”

The Tang Materia Medica Annotation says: “It can be made into solid cakes by boiling buffalo milk with rice flour. The product from Xirong is superior. It is also produced in Jiangnan and is said to be better than that from Shu. Another account says that cow’s milk boiled together with brown sugar can also form firm, heavy sugar cakes.”

The present annotation says: “The stone honey discussed here is in fact milk sugar. Since the name ‘stone honey’ was already used in the previous volume, this entry specifically identifies it as milk sugar. The Tang Materia Medica Annotation had included related information earlier.”

Liu Yuxi says: “According to Meng Shen, stone honey treats the hot film that forms over the eye”—a membranous opacity caused by internal heat—“and improves vision. The products from Shu and Persia are superior. Stone honey is also produced in Eastern Wu, but it is not as good as that from the first two places.”

These sugars are made by simmering sugarcane juice and milk. They are therefore easy to refine until smooth and white. Mix them with jujube flesh and ground giant sesame seeds, then form the mixture into pills. Suck one or two pills after each meal to moisten the Lung Qi and help the Five Viscera produce fluids.

The Yanyi says: Stone honey from the regions of Sichuan and Zhejiang is the finest, with a rich flavor; that from elsewhere is somewhat inferior. Once the stone honey has been boiled down and set, it is shaped in molds and sent to the capital. In summer, or during prolonged rainy weather, it readily melts on its own. Local people first wrap it in bamboo leaves and paper, then bury it under lime; this also keeps it from exposure to the air. People nowadays call it “milk sugar.” Stone honey made into cakes, yellowish-white in color, is now also called “twisted sugar.” It is easy to digest and is used in very small amounts as medicine.

Zhongsi jujubes are sweet in flavor and warm in nature, and non-toxic. They are used to replenish deficiency and boost Qi, moisten the Five Viscera, transform phlegm and relieve coughs, and ease cold Qi. Taken over a long period, they make the body full and strong and the complexion ruddy. The text also says that after taking them, one can go without hunger like an immortal. They resemble ordinary jujubes, are one or two inches long, deep purple, finely wrinkled, and have small pits and a rich sweetness. During the Northern Qi, an immortal named Zhongsi obtained these jujubes, and they were named after him. In the Daye era of the Sui dynasty, Xindu once presented several of them as tribute. Another kind, called “thousand-year jujubes,” grows in Persia and also has some warming and tonifying effect, but is inferior to Zhongsi jujubes.

Yuxi says: According to the Erya, jujubes have such names as pot jujube, narrow-waisted jujube, ji, white jujube, er, sour jujube, yang, che, Qi jujube, zun, Wangxi, large jujube, zhu, tian jujube, juexie, bitter jujube, xi, seedless jujube, huanwei, and ren jujube. The Erya commentary says that pot jujubes are shaped like a pot. Guo Pu says that in Jiangdong today, large jujubes pointed at the top are called pot jujubes; “pot” here also means gourd. Those broad at the ends and narrow at the middle are called narrow-waisted jujubes. Guo Pu says their pits are long and slender, and that they are now called pulley jujubes. Jujubes whose flesh turns white when ripe are called ji. Those with small, sour fruit are called er. Zun is also called sheep jujube. Guo Pu says its fruit is small and round, purplish-black in color, and is commonly called sheep-dung jujube today. Wangxi refers to the largest kind of jujube. Guo Pu says that the large jujubes from Yici County in Hedong are as big as eggs. Juexie are bitter jujubes. Xi are jujubes without flesh. Huanwei refers to jujubes with a brief, mild taste. The commentary says that the names “yang,” “che,” and “zhu,” as well as the meaning of “tian jujube,” are unclear.

Chen Shiliang says: Bitter jujubes are extremely cold in nature and non-toxic. They are the bitter-tasting kind of jujube, which people generally do not eat. They are used to treat latent pathogenic heat from cold damage lodged in the Viscera and Bowels, as well as mania, sores and ulcers, vexation, and difficulty urinating or defecating. They work better if the flesh is boiled, ground, and made into honey pills. Nowadays, in places…

Taro is acrid in flavor, neutral in nature, and poisonous. It is used to ease and open the bowels and stomach, nourish the skin, and promote regular digestion. Taro is also known as “earth fungus.”

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says that there are six kinds of taro: green taro, purple taro, true taro, white taro, lianchan taro, and wild taro. Green taro is slender and long, and highly poisonous. When first cooking it, one must use water mixed with plant ash, then change the water and cook it thoroughly before eating. White, true, lianchan, and purple taro are less poisonous and can generally be eaten after steaming or boiling. They are also suitable to eat after cooling; it is said that they dispel heat and relieve thirst. True, white, and lianchan taro taste very good when cooked with meat in a broth. The abundance referred to in the ancient phrase “the bounty of crouching owls” means a plentiful supply of taro. Wild taro is highly poisonous and must not be eaten.

The Rihuazi says that taro leaves are cool in nature and nontoxic. They can relieve vexation and stop diarrhea, and may also be used for restlessness and chest oppression during pregnancy, as well as threatened miscarriage. Pound taro leaves with salt and apply them externally to treat snake or insect bites and toxic swellings; they can also be applied to wounds caused by poisoned arrows.