《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 40

Winter Mallow

Winter mallow seeds taste sweet, are cold in nature, and are non-toxic. They mainly treat cold and heat disorders of the five zang organs and six fu organs, bodily weakness and wasting, and the five kinds of urinary retention. They promote urination and can also treat difficulty in lactation and internal blockage in women. Taken for a long time, they strengthen the bones, build muscle, make the body light and agile, and prolong life. Winter mallow seeds grow on Shaoshi Mountain and are gathered in the twelfth month. They are compatible with Scutellaria root.

Mallow root tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It mainly treats malignant sores and strangury, promotes urination, and can also counteract Sichuan pepper poisoning. Mallow leaves are a common vegetable, but they damage the heart Qi.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Winter mallow seeds originally grew on Shaoshi Mountain, but are now found everywhere. Mallow is sown in autumn, covered and tended through the winter, and produces seeds the following spring; these are called winter mallow seeds. They were commonly used in ancient prescriptions. Mallow shoots and leaves can also be eaten as vegetables and taste very good. In general, winter mallow is slippery and helps clear accumulations. It is especially suitable for people taking elixirs and mineral medicines. Drinking its cooking liquid by itself is also beneficial, and promotes the passage of contents through the small intestine. When a pregnant woman is close to delivery, eating cooked mallow leaves can help the fetus descend smoothly and make birth easier. The leaves may be dried and burned to ash, or ground into powder, for use on metal-inflicted wounds, such as injuries from swords and knives. Mallow root treats malignant sores. If a child accidentally swallows a copper coin, the root can be boiled and its liquid given to help the coin pass.

Tao Hongjing says: Mallow sown in autumn, covered through the winter, and allowed to produce seeds in spring is called winter mallow, and is widely used as medicine. It is slippery and helps expel stones from the body. Mallow seeds gathered in spring are also slippery, but should not be combined with other medicines. The root is the root of ordinary mallow. Mallow leaves are particularly cold and should not be eaten in large quantities.

Rihua says: Taken for a long time, winter mallow strengthens the sinews and bones. Autumn mallow is mallow sown early; it is commonly called mallow.

Yuxi says: According to the Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals, winter mallow seeds serve as an assistant medicine. They are slippery and neutral in nature, regulate the five zang organs, and treat breast swelling and promote the flow of breast milk. Mallow root treats malignant sores. If a child swallows a coin and cannot pass it, boil the root and give the liquid to drink; the coin will then pass, with excellent results. Eating mallow after an epidemic illness may cause sudden blindness. Mallow leaves can be burned to ash, or dried and pounded into powder, to treat metal-inflicted wounds; drinking their cooking liquid promotes the passage of contents through the small intestine. Drinking mallow juice alone can treat epidemic jaundice.

Meng Shen says: Mallow is cold in nature and can treat sores caused by childhood malnutrition. If sores develop on the body or face and ooze yellow fluid, burn mallow root to ash, mix it with pork fat, and apply it. It is cold in nature; if eaten hot…

It may also cause a feeling of heat and restlessness, tightness in the chest, and aggravate wind disorders. People who take Dan-stone medicines—mineral drugs refined by Daoist alchemists—for a long time may benefit from occasionally eating a meal of mallow. In winter, if someone taking Dan-stone medicines suffers an attack accompanied by a dry tongue and dry cough, they can drink a cup of mallow-leaf juice after each meal, then lie down for a while.

Mallow seeds can treat sores: swallow one seed, and the head of the sore will burst open. During childbirth, a woman may boil mallow seeds and take them all at once. If she becomes drowsy and feels oppressed during labor, boil one he (an ancient measure of volume) of mallow seeds in two sheng of water until reduced to half a sheng. Strain out the seeds and drink the liquid all at once; after a short while, the baby will be delivered.

The Dietary Therapy says: If a swollen sore has not yet formed a head, take one hundred mallow seeds after three days; the head will break open that same day. For difficult labor when the baby has not yet been delivered, pound one he of mallow seeds, add two sheng of water, and boil until reduced to one sheng. Take only half a sheng, strain out the seeds, and drink it all at once. It is said that the urine, stool, and baby will then be expelled.

The Wai Tai Mi Yao says: When an epidemic causes spotted sores to spread rapidly over the whole body, and white fluid appears on every sore, this is a noxious, toxic influence. In the fourth year of the Yonghui era (653 CE), this kind of sore spread east from the Western Regions into the Central Plains. Simply boil mallow leaves and eat them dipped in mashed garlic; this will stop it.

The Sheng Hui Fang says: For children who develop spots and are afflicted by a spreading noxious influence, squeeze the juice from fresh mallow leaves and feed it to them in small amounts at frequent intervals.

The Qian Jin Fang says: If the fetus dies in the womb, grind mallow seeds into powder and take one square-inch spoonful with wine. If the mother’s jaws are clenched and she cannot open her mouth, pry it open and pour in the medicine; once she swallows it, the fetus can be delivered. The Zhou Hou Fang records the same remedy.

Another prescription: For a pregnant woman with painful, frequent urination resembling strangury, boil one sheng of mallow seeds in three sheng of water until reduced to two sheng, and take it in two doses. If mallow seeds are unavailable, use a handful of mallow roots instead.

The Zhou Hou Fang also says: For constipation lasting from ten days to a month, boil three sheng of mallow seeds in four sheng of water until reduced to one sheng, strain out the seeds, and drink the liquid. If there is no improvement, take another dose. Another prescription treats sudden inability to urinate or defecate, with abdominal distension and a critical condition: boil two sheng of mallow seeds in four sheng of water until reduced to one sheng, and drink it all at once. Adding one ball of pork fat the size of an egg is said to make it more effective.

The Jing Yan Hou Fang says: To treat various swellings and abscesses that have not formed a head, swallow one mallow seed, then drink freshly drawn well water. After a short while, the sore will break open. To make two spots break open, take two seeds; to make a particular number of spots break open, take that number of seeds. It is said to work in every case.

The Bi Xiao Fang says: To treat various fistulous sores, first wash the area with warm rice-rinsing water, then dry it with cotton cloth. Apply mallow leaves that have been warmed slightly to draw out the pus; at most, apply two or three hundred…

When a boil or ulcer has formed a head of pus and the pus is about to drain, the dead flesh at the affected site may be removed. During treatment, avoid foods and sexual activity that could aggravate the condition.

The Chanbao Fang says: To treat breast inflammation and swelling, grind the stems and seeds of the mallow into powder and swallow one square-inch measure of it with wine. This is an ancient measure for powdered medicine, roughly equal to the amount that would cover a square inch.

The Chanshu Fang says: If a fetus is presenting feet first and the mother has cold hands and feet and clenched teeth, roast mallow seeds until yellow, pound them into powder, and swallow two qian measures with wine. The fetus will then be delivered head first.

The Yanyi says: Winter mallow seeds are the seeds of the mallow plant and are found everywhere. Mallow shoots are slippery in nature and offer no benefit to people. If a boil or ulcer is caused by toxic heat gathering within the body and the pus has not yet emerged, swallow three to five mallow seeds with water. An opening will then form at the site, allowing the pus to drain.

Turnips

Turnips and radishes taste bitter, are warm in nature, and are non-toxic. They help regulate the five viscera, lighten the body, and strengthen Qi, so they can be eaten regularly. Turnip seeds are said to improve eyesight.

The Tujing says: Earlier herbal texts do not record which prefectures produced turnips and radishes; today they are found throughout both the north and south. Turnips are also called manjing, while radishes are called laifu, the common name for them today. Both vegetables are widely cultivated, especially in the north. Turnips can be eaten throughout the year: the shoots in spring, the flowering stalks—also called taizi—in summer, the stems in autumn, and the roots in winter. They are particularly widely grown north of the Yellow River and can also be kept as famine provisions. Among vegetables, turnips are the most beneficial. Eating them regularly can ease fullness in the chest and abdomen, strengthen Qi, and make the body robust. The character fu is pronounced like “bu.”

Tao Hongjing says: Radishes are what are now called wensong. Their roots can be eaten, but their leaves are unsuitable for food. Turnip roots are thinner than those of wensong, while their leaves resemble Chinese cabbage and are suitable for eating. In western Sichuan, only turnips are grown. Their seeds closely resemble those of wensong, but are smaller.

Chen Cangqi says: According to the Bencao, turnips can treat acute jaundice, jaundice, and yellowing of the body accompanied by abdominal distension and blockage. Pound the turnip, grind it into powder, and press out the juice with water to drink. This may cause sneezing, yellow fluid to drain from the nose, and diarrhea.

Meng Shen says: Turnips aid digestion and help Qi descend. Steam and sun-dry their seeds nine times, then make them into powder and take it to prolong life. Oil pressed from the seeds, applied to the hair, is said to turn white hair black. Grinding the seeds and adding them to facial cream can reduce wrinkles.

Turnip seeds may also be pounded and mixed with water to treat heat jaundice and abdominal distension with blockage. After a while, they cause diarrhea that expels waste, sand and stones, fragments of plants, hair, and other material from the body. They are also said to promote urination and bowel movements and to treat painful breast inflammation. Pound a fresh turnip root, add salt, vinegar, and suanjiang—a sour, rice-based liquid—and boil to extract the juice. Wash the affected area with it five or six times; the condition is said to improve. Alternatively, mix pounded turnip root with egg white and apply it to the affected area.

The Dietary Therapy says that turnip, also called swede, is warm in nature. It can direct Qi downward, treat jaundice, and promote urination. Its root is used to treat wasting thirst, a condition marked by excessive thirst and frequent urination. Turnip can also be used for wind swelling caused by heat toxins, though eating too much can cause abdominal bloating and distension.

The Essentials on Cold Damage records the “Immortal’s Method for Instructing Children”: on a Gengzi day after the Beginning of Spring, warm turnip juice and have the whole family, young and old, drink it. There is no limit on the amount. This can prevent and treat seasonal epidemic diseases.

Cui Yuanliang’s Prescriptions from the Sea says that this method treats lumps that do not suppurate or ulcerate, curing nine out of ten cases. Take six sheng of turnip seeds and steam them in a pot. Once the steam has passed through the entire steamer, remove it from the cauldron, then pour the hot water from the cauldron over the seeds and dry them in the sun. Repeat the pouring and drying three times. Pound the seeds in a mortar and sift them into powder. Before meals, take a two-cun spoonful with clear wine. After seven days, apply a medicinal ointment as well; some people use the treatment this way.

The Sagely Beneficial Prescriptions treats wind rash that has entered the abdomen, with symptoms of a rigid body and dry tongue: grind three liang of turnip seeds into powder and take one qian spoonful with warm wine each time.

The Arcane Essentials from Outside the Capital treats distension and fullness in the chest and abdomen: take one large handful of turnip seeds, pick them clean, and pound them until soft. Add one sheng of water, grind further, and strain out the juice, yielding about one cup. Drink it all at once. Shortly afterward, the person may have diarrhea or vomit; the abdomen will then feel naturally relieved, or the person may sweat and recover. Another prescription treats “granary abscess,” a kind of toxic sore that appears on the hands, feet, shoulders, or back in successive grain-sized spots. The spots are pale; when scraped open, they ooze fluid and then become hot again. Pound turnip seeds until soft, wrap them in cloth, and apply them to the affected area to stop the condition.

The Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold says that taking turnip seeds regularly can improve eyesight and make the bowels moist. Take three sheng of seeds, cook them in three sheng of vinegar, dry them in the sun, then grind and sift them. Take one square-inch spoonful with the first water drawn from a well in the morning, gradually increasing the dose to three spoonfuls. Take this three times daily. There are no dietary restrictions.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies treats pox resembling pea-pox, a type of smallpox: pound turnip root to extract the juice, open the pox sores, and apply the juice. After about the time it takes to eat three meals, the toxins will have been drawn out.

Ge Hong’s prescription treats sudden toxic swelling accompanied by severe pain: take a large turnip root, peel it, and pound it until soft. Mix it with vinegar to make a paste and bring it to a boil three times. Stir quickly, remove it from the heat, and apply it to the swollen area. Wrap it in cloth and change the dressing two or three times a day.

The Proven Prescription from Later Experience treats dim vision caused by debility and exhaustion: gather turnip flowers in the third lunar month, dry them in the shade, and grind them into powder. In the morning, take two qian spoonfuls on an empty stomach, mixed with the first water drawn from a well. Long-term use is said to prolong life.

The Collected Therapeutic Prescriptions treats severe swelling of a man’s genital area and painful testicles that have resisted other treatments: pound turnip root and apply it to the affected area.

The Secret Prescriptions for Mothers and Children treats difficulty urinating during pregnancy: take turnip seed powder to promote urination.

Take it with water, one square-inch spoonful at a time—the amount held by an ancient medicine measure—and continue for seven days. Yang’s Formulas for Childbirth and Nursing records the same information.

The Expanded Materia Medica says: Wujing (turnip) and Lufu (radish) are two different vegetables. Lufu is the radish.

What is now commonly called Wujing is known as Manjing. In summer, it tastes bitter. At that time, another crop is planted in the vegetable garden, called “chicken-feather greens”; its tender shoots are eaten in spring. Of all vegetables, Manjing is beneficial and harmless, and greatly helps people. After harvesting the greens, its seeds can also be collected and pressed for oil. Eating too much of its root can obstruct the movement of Qi. The Manjing roots produced around Hedong and Taiyuan are especially large; those from other regions cannot compare. Later, the text also discusses it under the entry for “Lai Fu” (radish). The Erya identifies it only as “Lufu,” which is what we now call the radish. Mentioning Lufu again under the Wujing entry is therefore clearly redundant; the Erya’s account should be followed.

Melon Stem

The melon stem is bitter in taste, cold in nature, and poisonous. It treats pronounced water retention, including swelling of the body, face, and limbs. It promotes the discharge of fluids and counteracts gu poison, a type of harmful substance described in ancient medical texts. It is also used for coughing with rebellious Qi, upward surges of Qi, and pathogenic matter lodged in the chest or abdomen after eating various fruits; it induces vomiting or purging to expel them. It can also remove nasal polyps. Melon flowers treat heart pain, coughing with rebellious Qi, and jaundice. The melon grows on level ground and near marshes around Mount Songgao. Gather it on the seventh day of the seventh month, then dry it in the shade for storage.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: The melon stem is the stem of the sweet melon. It grows on level ground and near marshes around Mount Songgao, but is now found throughout the country and is often cultivated in vegetable gardens. According to earlier accounts, sweet melons come in green and white varieties; the green melon stem should be used medicinally, gathered in the seventh month and dried in the shade. Prescriptions commonly use it in powders blown into the nose and in emetic powders. The melon’s vine can also treat nasal polyps and congestion. Its leaves can be pounded for their juice and applied externally to treat hair loss. The flowers treat heart pain and coughing with rebellious Qi. The flesh relieves thirst and heat, but eating too much can bring on chronic illnesses.

There is also the Yue melon, which is pure white and grows in the Yue region, and the Hu melon, which is yellow and is also called cucumber. Neither has any particular medicinal value or benefit when eaten, so they can be omitted.

Tao Hongjing says: Melon stems are usually taken from melons that are still green. The instruction to gather them in the seventh month refers to the sweet melon stem. Some people also use stems from ripe melons to induce vomiting, with no difference in effect; here, the text is simply describing the stem’s indications. Most melons today are cold in nature and can cause diarrhea, especially young green ones. There are several kinds of ripe melon; once the flesh and seeds are removed, eating them generally does no harm. If you feel you have eaten too much, soak the melon in water and it will quickly dissolve. Note: Sweet melons come in green and white varieties; the green melon stem should be used medicinally.

Earlier, it was said that white melon seeds could treat accumulations and lumps in the abdomen and disperse pus and blood, making them an important medicine for obstructions within the intestines, stomach, and spleen. This is what sweet melon seeds can do. It is incorrect to identify the white melon seeds mentioned earlier as sweet melon seeds.

The Rihuazi says that melon stems are nontoxic and can treat blockages in the brain, febrile illness, blurred vision, and phlegm.

Yuxi says that, according to the Treatise on the Nature of Drugs, melon stems can be used medicinally. Grind melon stems, red beans, and cloves into a powder and blow it into the nose to treat nasal polyps, nasal congestion, and jaundice.

Lei Gong says that white melon stems should not be used; choose green ones instead. Gather them when the melons are ripe and the stems have naturally fallen onto the vines. If they will not be used right away, wrap them in langlang leaves and hang them in a windy place on the east wall. Use them once they have dried.

The Treatise on Dietary Therapy says that melon stems can treat swelling of the body, face, and limbs, and can also be used to dispel gu poison and treat nasal polyps, Yin jaundice, and jaundice. To treat jaundice, take seven melon stems, seven cloves, and seven red beans, and grind them into a fine powder. Blow a dose about the size of a black bean into the nose. After a while, yellow fluid will run from the nose, and the illness will improve.

The Sage’s Prescriptions gives this method for treating nasal polyps: take a little aged melon stem, grind it into a fine powder, mix it with a small amount of mutton fat, and apply it to the polyp three times a day.

The Experiential Prescriptions gives this method for treating skin that has turned golden yellow all over the body: take forty-nine melon stems, gathered on the sixth day of the sixth month, and forty-nine cloves. Place them in a small crucible used for calcining medicines and heat until the smoke has ceased. Grind them into a fine powder. For a child, use half a zi—an ancient unit of dosage—blow it into the nose, and rub it on the teeth. For an adult, use one zi and blow it into the nose. It is said to work quickly.

The Treatise on Cold Damage Prescriptions gives this method for treating jaundice when the eyes remain yellow: grind a melon stem into a fine powder and put a dose the size of a soybean into the nose. Have the patient inhale deeply. Yellow fluid will then run from the nose, easing the symptoms.

The Expanded Materia Medica says that a melon stem is the stem of a sweet melon. Remove the rind and take a stem about half an inch long. Dry it thoroughly in the sun, using as many as needed, and grind it into a fine powder. According to the illness, take one or two qian at a time, add one qian and seven fen of nifan powder, mix with half a he of water, and administer. This treats sudden attacks of wind-phlegm, obstructed breathing, and collapse. After a while, the phlegm will be vomited up on its own. If phlegm seems to be lodged and other medicines used to dissolve it cannot bring it up, this method may also be used to induce vomiting. If the phlegm has still not been vomited after a long time, hold sand in the mouth…

Swallowing a piece of sugar causes saliva to be secreted. It does very little harm to the body and is far better than medicines such as litharge and sal ammoniac.

White Winter Melon

White winter melon tastes sweet and is slightly cold in nature. It is used mainly to reduce swelling in the lower abdomen, promote urination, and relieve thirst.

Tao Yinjü said: Harvest winter melons after frost, store them for a year, then cut them open and remove the seeds. Wash the seeds with water, dry them in the sun, and crush them before use. Winter melon is cold and promotes urination; it can detoxify, relieve thirst, and ease vexation. These effects can also be obtained by crushing the melon, squeezing out its juice, and drinking it.

Rihua Zi said: Winter melon is cold in nature and non-toxic. It can ease vexation and treat heat toxins and abscesses in the chest and diaphragm. Ash made by burning the spot where a bee has stung or where a boil has formed can be applied to remove spots and dark marks left by embroidery needles. It can also be used to wash away dark spots, eczema, and scabies. Winter melon pulp can also be used to wash and bleach white silk.

Yuxi said that, according to the Treatise on the Nature of Medicines, winter melon pulp can also be used on its own; it tastes sweet and is neutral in nature. Winter melon juice can calm agitation, clear heat, counteract the toxicity of medicines made from minerals, relieve heat-related thirst, and promote elimination through the small intestine. It can also treat wasting-thirst and improve the five types of painful urinary dribbling, a group of conditions that make urination difficult and interrupted.

Meng Shen said: Winter melon can replenish original Qi, help people remain youthful, relieve distention in the chest and below the heart, and clear heat from the head and face. It is suitable for people with internal heat; those with a cold constitution may become thinner after eating it.

The Emergency Prescriptions at the Elbow records: To treat a severe abscess on the back, cut off both ends of a winter melon and press the body of the melon against the sore. When the melon has rotted, cut away the spoiled part and replace it with a fresh piece. Once the sore has closed, while some of the melon still remains unused, apply a medicinal plaster to support recovery.

The Collected Proven Prescriptions, Ancient and Modern records: For chronic dysentery with depleted bodily fluids, swelling of the limbs, and dry mouth, take one winter melon and coat it in a thick layer of yellow clay, about five inches deep. Roast it until soft, remove the clay, squeeze out the juice, and drink it.

The Military Department’s Collected Prescriptions records: When dropsy has just begun and the condition is urgent, winter melon may be eaten in unlimited quantities; it is said to work very well.

The Yan Yi says: A white winter melon may grow to one or two dou in size. When storing it for winter use as a vegetable, press out the juice and cook the melon with honey to eat in place of fruit. For an abscess on the back or another carbuncle, shave off a large piece of winter melon and place it on the affected area; replace it when it becomes warm. This can help disperse the heat toxin and is very effective.

White Melon Seeds

White melon seeds taste sweet and are neutral, tending toward cold, in nature. They are non-toxic. They are used to improve a dull complexion and are said to give the face a healthy glow. They can also replenish original Qi and ease hunger. Long-term use is said to make the body light and help people remain youthful. They can relieve vexation and distention in the chest and abdomen, but prolonged use may make the body cold. White melon seeds can also be made into a facial cream to moisturize the face.

White melon seeds are also known as “water fungus” and “white claw seeds.” They grow in the flatlands and marshes around Mount Song and are the seeds of the winter melon. They are harvested in the eighth lunar month. The character “claw” is pronounced “qiao.”

The Illustrated Classic says that white melon seeds are the seeds of the winter melon. In ancient times, they were said to grow on the plains and in the marshes around Songgao. Today, winter melons are cultivated in many regions, usually in gardens. Their fruit hangs beneath the vines; the larger ones are barrel-shaped and elongated. The rind is thick and covered with fine hairs. When young, the melon is blue-green; after frost, it turns white, as if dusted with powder. The flesh and seeds are white as well, which is why it is called the “white melon.”

People often store winter melons. For medicinal use, they should be gathered after the first frost and kept for a year. Then cut them open, remove the seeds, wash and dry them, and grind them before use. Winter melon seeds can also be taken on their own or ground into powder and boiled in a drink. They can also be made into a facial ointment, which is said to give the complexion a healthy glow. The Record of the Seasonal Customs of Jingchu says that the ridges of the winter melon are gathered in the seventh month to make facial cream; the pulp can also be made into bath powder, a cleansing powder used in ancient times. Winter melon flesh can treat dryness and thirst in the Triple Burner, clear accumulated heat, promote urination and bowel movements, and counteract the toxicity of mineral-based medicines.

The Rihuazi says that winter melon seeds dispel harmful influences affecting the skin, fade dark spots, and make the skin supple.

The Essential Secrets from the Outer Coffer records a prescription called “Liver-Tonifying Powder,” used to treat the five strains and seven injuries in men and to improve eyesight. Take seven sheng of white melon seeds, put them in a silk bag, and knead and rinse the bag three times in boiling water. Then soak the seeds overnight in five sheng of vinegar. Dry them in the sun, pound them, and sift the powder. Take one square-inch spoonful at a time with wine, three times a day. Long-term use is said to be effective.

A prescription attributed to Master Sun says that, to treat an injury that has not healed for many years, roast melon seeds, grind them into powder, and take the powder with warm wine.

The Yanyi says that white melon seeds are winter melon seeds, but they are seldom used in recipes for nourishing life through diet.

Amaranth Seeds

Amaranth seeds taste sweet, are cold in nature, and are non-toxic. They are used to treat eye conditions such as green blindness and white opacities, brighten the eyes, dispel harmful influences, and promote urination and bowel movements. They may also be used to drive out alternating chills and fever and kill roundworms. Long-term use is said to increase strength, reduce hunger, and make the body feel light. They are also called horse amaranth and mo shi. The fine-leaved amaranth is said to have the same properties. Amaranth grows along rivers, in marshes, and in fields around Huaiyang. Its leaves resemble those of indigo plants, and it is gathered in the eleventh month.

The Dietary Therapy says that eating amaranth leaves may obstruct the flow of Qi and cause unease, or chill the Spleen and Stomach and harm the abdomen. For this reason, amaranth should not be eaten with turtle meat; the text also records that eating the two together can cause what is called “turtle concretions.” It further says that if a piece of turtle shell the size of a bean is wrapped in amaranth, placed in a pit in the ground, and covered overnight, the shell will turn into a small turtle. Another account says that if amaranth and purslane are gathered on the fifth day of the fifth month, ground together in equal quantities, and given to a pregnant woman after being mixed, they can make delivery easier. These are all accounts found in old books.

The Yanyi says that amaranth seeds are not often used in prescriptions; the young shoots of amaranth are also called “human amaranth.” The original text ends here unfinished.

It has a long stem and red leaves, which can be pickled and eaten. The variety with red and yellow markings is called “red amaranth.”

Coriander (also called cilantro) has a pungent flavor and a warm nature. Some accounts say it is slightly cold and mildly toxic. It aids digestion, regulates the five viscera, replenishes deficiencies, promotes bowel movements, and helps the Qi of the small intestine flow freely. It can also relieve heat in the limbs and headaches, and is used to treat sand rash and pea-pox, a kind of eruptive illness. When made into a medicinal wine or powder, it is said to help bring out the rash. It is also said to open the orifices of the heart. Eating it over a long period can cause forgetfulness and may bring on underarm odor or athlete’s foot. Its roots can trigger old ailments. Coriander seeds can be used to treat sores on a child’s scalp: fry them in oil and apply them to the affected area. They are also used to treat Gu toxins, hemorrhoids, and meat poisoning. If there is bleeding from the bowels, boil the seeds and drink the cooled liquid. People in Bingzhou call it “fragrant coriander”; when used as medicine, it should be dry-fried.

Sun the Perfected said that eating coriander causes forgetfulness and can also bring on old ailments, underarm odor, tooth decay, and bad breath. People with metal-wound injuries—wounds caused by knives or swords, for example—should not eat it.

The Dietary Therapy says that coriander is neutral in nature. It regulates the five viscera, strengthens the sinews and vessels, aids digestion, and stimulates the appetite. Eating too much, however, can cause forgetfulness.

The Essential Secrets from Beyond the Office records this remedy for toothache: take five sheng of coriander seeds and boil them in five sheng of water until one sheng remains, then hold the liquid in the mouth and rinse.

The Proven Remedies from Later Generations records this remedy for helping a child’s rash emerge quickly: chop two or three liang of coriander, bring two large bowls of wine to a boil, and pour it over the coriander. Immediately cover it tightly with a vessel so the fragrance does not escape. Once cool, strain out the solids and gently sprinkle the liquid over the child’s body from the neck down, avoiding the face.

The Formulary of Proven Effectiveness records this remedy for Gu toxins: squeeze half a sheng of juice from coriander roots, mix it with wine, and drink it. The toxins are said to be expelled immediately. It also gives a remedy for heat that becomes congested and recurs year after year: take half a jin of coriander, gather it on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and dry it in the shade. Add seven sheng of water and boil until one and a half sheng remain. Strain out the solids and take the liquid in divided doses; repeat if the illness does not clear. In spring and summer, use the leaves; in autumn and winter, use the roots and stems. These can also be gathered in advance.

The Formulary Collected by the Ministry of War records this remedy for a child’s red dan, a rash marked by red patches on the skin: apply coriander juice until it heals. The Formulary of the Tan Family gives the same account.

The Secret Record of Mother and Child records this remedy for rectal prolapse: chop one sheng of coriander and burn it to produce smoke. Fumigate the area, and the prolapse will retract.

Song, pronounced like “song,” refers to vegetables of the cabbage family.

Song has a sweet flavor, a warm nature, and is non-toxic. It promotes the flow of the stomach and intestines, dispels vexation in the chest, and relieves thirst after drinking alcohol.

The Rihuazi says that song is cool in nature and slightly toxic. Eating too much can bring on pathogenic Wind in the skin and cause itching. The variety with a long stem and tall, narrow leaves is called song. The one with broad, thick, short leaves, a rough leaf surface, and a slender stem is turnip, commonly called manjing.

The Treatise on Food Therapy says that song cabbage (a type of Chinese cabbage) is warm in nature and can treat wasting-thirst, a condition marked by excessive thirst and drinking. It may also bring on various wind disorders and cold disorders. People with internal heat who eat it do not develop these illnesses, however, which suggests that its nature is actually somewhat cool. The Materia Medica says it is warm, but this point has not been adequately explained. It can also aid digestion and has a slight effect of directing Qi downward and helping it flow smoothly. Jiuying song cabbage grows in the Hexi region. Its leaves and roots are both thick and long, and it tastes very good when cooked with mutton. People often eat it, yet no one seems to have become ill from doing so. In winter, it can be made into pickles or cooked as a soup to dispel food stagnation and direct Qi downward.

The Shenghui Prescriptions records this treatment for someone who is drunk and unresponsive: grind two ge of song cabbage seeds into a fine powder, mix it into a cup of water drawn from a well at dawn, and take it in two doses.

The Food and Medicine Mirror Prescriptions says that song cabbage clears the intestines and stomach, relieves vexing heat in the chest, and eases thirst after drinking alcohol. Boil two jin of song cabbage into a soup and sip it slowly to relieve thirst. It can also be eaten as pickles or chopped greens.

The Essentials for Cold Damage Prescriptions records that song cabbage can be used to prevent epidemic illnesses. Grind song cabbage seeds into a powder the size of millet grains, take one fangcun spoonful with wine three times a day, and this can prevent epidemic illness for five years.

The Expanded Meaning says that in Zhang Zhongjing’s Treatise on Cold Damage, every prescription containing licorice prohibits eating song cabbage; this is the kind of cabbage meant. Its leaves resemble those of turnip, commonly called kohlrabi. They are a slightly pale green, with a somewhat bitter taste, and are tender and fairly broad. It is not beneficial for people with deficient middle Qi; eating it can make the body feel cold.

Bitter herb is bitter in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats pathogenic influences in the Five Zang organs, can make people lose their appetite for grains, and treats stomach impediment, intestinal dysentery, thirst, internal heat, and malignant sores. Taken over a long period, it can calm the spirit, boost Qi, sharpen hearing and vision, reduce the need for sleep, make the body light and strong, delay aging, increase tolerance for hunger and cold, and sustain vigor without visible signs of aging. It is also called tuber bitter herb, xuan, and youdong. It grows in the valleys and hills of Yizhou (present-day Sichuan and surrounding areas), as well as beside roads. It does not wither even in the depths of winter. It is gathered on the third day of the third month and dried in the shade. The character yan is pronounced “yu ye fan” and means “to subdue,” that is, to suppress.

Tao Yinju (Tao Hongjing) says: “I suspect this bitter herb is the tea plant of today. Tea is also called ming, and it too can keep people from wanting to sleep. It likewise does not wither in winter. Yet I have doubts, because bitter herb grows only in Yizhou, and Yizhou does indeed have another bitter herb, which is actually kuji, pronounced shi. It was already discussed in the note to the entry on baiying in the upper section of the first scroll.” The Records of Tong Jun says: “Bitter herb grows in the third month, when its branches and leaves spread luxuriantly. It flowers in the sixth month, with blossoms emerging from among the leaves. The flower stalks are straight and yellow. In the eighth month it bears black fruit. After the fruit falls, the roots sprout again, and the plant does not wither in winter.”

The Expanded Meaning says: “Bitter herb grows everywhere. In the north, it withers and dies in winter; in the south, it stays green in both winter and summer. This is the plant referred to in the Monthly Ordinances after the Grain Fullness solar term, when it says, ‘Bitter herb comes into flower.’ Its leaves resemble those of chicory, but are narrower and green.”

When the stem or branch is broken, white sap flows out. Applying the sap regularly to warts makes them fall off on their own. The plant tastes bitter. Its flowers resemble wild chrysanthemums, and it blooms in succession through spring, summer, and autumn. It can clear Heat and calm the mind.

The flowers of yellow hollyhock can treat difficult, dribbling urination and may also be used to induce labor. They can also treat various malignant sores. For sores that have resisted treatment for a long time, grind the flowers into powder and apply it to the affected area; they will then heal. Yellow hollyhock is commonly found beside roads.

Yellow hollyhock sprouts in spring. Its leaves look much like those of common hollyhock, but are narrower and pointed, with many notches along their edges. It bears pale yellow flowers in late summer. Harvest it in the sixth or seventh lunar month, dry it in the shade, and use it as needed.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Further details are given under the entry for “winter mallow.”

The Supplement to Tested Prescriptions records: To induce labor when a woman is about to give birth, roast and grind yellow hollyhock seeds into powder, then take two qian and seven fen with the first water drawn from a well at dawn. If no seeds are available, finely slice the root, boil it in water until thick and slippery, let it cool, and then take it.

The Yan Yi says: Among the hollyhocks, the red, single-petaled variety that can be gathered throughout the year may be used to treat leukorrhea—abnormal vaginal discharge—and to help expel pus, blood, and other harmful matter. Dry its root in the shade; it works very well. The flowers of yellow hollyhock belong to a different variety; they are not simply the yellow-flowering form of common hollyhock. The leaves of yellow hollyhock have a purplish-red patch beneath the center. After picking them, cut them open in several places and dry them in the sun at once, or they will easily become damp and rot. This is an important medicine for treating sores. To induce labor, crush forty-nine yellow hollyhock seeds and take them mixed with warm water; labor will begin shortly.

Common hollyhock tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. Eating it over a long period can dull the mind. Its roots and stems can treat externally contracted Heat, promote urination, and expel pus, blood, and harmful discharges. Burn the leaves to ash, grind them into powder, and apply it to wounds caused by knives, swords, and similar weapons. Eating the leaves after cooking can treat fever caused by taking mineral medicines. Crushed leaves can be applied to burns. The leaves may also be roasted or boiled and fed to children to treat diarrhea caused by Heat toxins; they can also treat bloody dysentery in adults. The juice may be taken as well. If there is concern it will cause abdominal pain, warm the juice before drinking it.

The mallow flower is cold in nature and non-toxic. It can treat children’s wind rash. Mallow seeds are cold in nature and non-toxic. They can treat painful, obstructed urination, promote the flow of urine through the small intestine, induce labor, and cause miscarriage. They can also be used for edema, various sores and scabies, scars, and skin spots. Tuye flowers come in five colors. The white flowers can treat recurrent malaria and drive away harmful influences; dry them in the shade, grind them into powder, and take them. The small-flowered variety is called musk mallow, also known as rongkui, and is more potent.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: There are several kinds of mallow. Common hollyhock is the jian and rongkui mentioned in the Erya. In ancient pronunciation, jian was read as “tian.”

The Erya says: “Jian is rongkui.” The commentary explains that jian is also called rongkui. Guo Pu says this is common hollyhock: its shape resembles mallow, and its flowers resemble those of the hibiscus. “Rong” and “Shu” probably gave rise to its name.

Hollyhock

Sun the Perfected said that eating hollyhock makes dog-bite wounds slow to heal and dulls the senses.

Nature, Flavor, and Uses

The Qianjin Fang says that for a fetus lying sideways or a breech birth, hollyhock flowers may be ground to powder and taken with wine, using one square-inch spoonful, an ancient measure for a small dose.

The Jingyan Houfang says that for a carbuncle without a pus head, crush hollyhock powder and apply it to the affected area.

The Shenghui Fang says that for women with excessive white vaginal discharge, cold pain around the navel and abdomen, a sallow complexion, and gradually worsening weakness, take one liang of white hollyhock flowers. Dry them in the shade, grind them to powder, and take two qian-spoonfuls on an empty stomach with warm wine. For red discharge, use red hollyhock flowers instead.

The Yanyi says to see the entry on “yellow hollyhock flowers” for related information.

Muskmelon

Muskmelon is cold in nature and poisonous. It can quench thirst and relieve feverish discomfort. Eating too much can cause dampness, itching, and sores in the genital area; stir up longstanding cold ailments; bring on deficiency heat and diarrhea; and leave a person listless and weak in the limbs. In small amounts, it can quench thirst, promote urination, and clear obstructed Qi between the Triple Burner—the upper, middle, and lower functional regions through which Qi and fluids move in Chinese medicine. It can also be used for sores in the mouth, on the tongue, or in the nose. The Rihuazi says it is non-toxic. Muskmelon leaves may be used to treat hair loss: crush them, apply the juice to the head, and they are said to encourage hair growth.

The Tujing says to see the entry on “melon stems” for related information.

Chen Cangqi says that sweet melon seeds treat excessive menstrual bleeding. Grind the seeds to powder, remove the oil, and mix the powder with water to take.

The Shiyi Xinjing says that muskmelon clears heat and relieves intense thirst. Peel and eat it after a meal; it is also good cooked into a soup with the rind.

Sun the Perfected’s Shiji says that people with beriberi should not eat muskmelon, or the illness will be difficult to cure completely. A muskmelon submerged in water during the fifth lunar month can be fatal. Eating too much can bring on jaundice, worsen coldness in the body, cause weakness and emaciation, and reduce the effectiveness of medicines. A muskmelon with two stems can be fatal.

The Qianjin Fang says that to treat bad breath, grind dried muskmelon seeds to powder and mix with honey to form pills. Each morning, after washing the mouth, hold one pill in the mouth; it should be about the size of a jujube pit. The powder may also be applied to the teeth.

The Yanyi says that eating muskmelon in hot weather prevents heatstroke, but eating too much often causes diarrhea. Poor households often eat muskmelon, and by late autumn they are prone to diarrhea that is difficult to treat, because muskmelon damages Yang energy. White muskmelon can also be cooked, steeped, and stored.

Shepherd’s Purse

Shepherd’s purse is sweet in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It helps course the Liver Qi and harmonize the Middle Burner. Its fruit can brighten the eyes and relieve eye pain.

Tao Hongjing says there are many kinds of shepherd’s purse; the one discussed here is the kind people eat today. Its leaves can be pickled and are also suitable for making soup. The Classic of Poetry says: “Who says the bitter herb is bitter? It is as sweet as shepherd’s purse.”

Ri Hua Zi says that shepherd’s purse can nourish the Five Viscera, and its root can treat eye pain.

Chen Shiliang says that the seeds of shepherd’s purse are also called Ximingzi. They can relieve obstruction and dispel wind toxin and pathogenic influences. They brighten the eyes, reduce opacity in the eyes, and clear heat toxin. Regular consumption is said to make vision clear. The seeds are best gathered on the eighth day of the fourth month. Placing shepherd’s purse flowers beneath a sleeping mat can drive away insects.

Yuxi notes that, according to the Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals, shepherd’s purse seeds taste sweet and are neutral in nature. People with Qi disorders who eat them may have old ailments of a cold nature recur. The seeds can be used to treat “blue blindness,” a condition in which a person cannot see, and to replenish deficiencies in the Five Viscera. Ash made by burning shepherd’s purse roots and leaves is effective for treating red and white dysentery.

Meng Shen says that shepherd’s purse seeds are used in prescriptions for eye disorders, but should not be eaten with flour-based foods, as this may cause a sensation of fullness and blockage in the chest and back. Those taking mineral medicines should avoid them.

The Holy Benevolent Prescriptions records that, to treat a sudden attack of red, swollen, painful eyes with tearing and stinging, shepherd’s purse root juice may be dripped into the eyes.

Xiehao is pungent in flavor, warm and neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It resembles fine, soft Artemisia. It can regulate foul and pathogenic influences in the area between the chest and diaphragm, promote the flow of the Stomach and intestines, open the blood vessels, and replenish deficient Qi. Eating it raw may slightly stir up wind; it is better cooked in a soup. Do not eat it with coriander, as this is said to make the sweat smell foul.

The Food and Medicine Heart Mirror says that xiehao can be used for pathogenic influences in the Five Viscera, poor appetite, disorders of the Spleen and Stomach, intestinal diarrhea, thirst, internal heat, acute illness, and severe sores. Cook it and serve it dressed with bean paste and vinegar.

Crown daisy is neutral in nature. It can calm the heart’s Qi, nourish the Spleen and Stomach, and eliminate retained fluids. However, it can also stir up wind, disturb the spirit, and cause a feeling of fullness, so it should not be eaten in large quantities.

Basil is pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and slightly toxic. It can harmonize the middle burner, aid digestion, and dispel foul influences and retained fluids; it is suitable for eating raw. It can also be used to treat sores caused by ulceration of the gums. Burn it to ash and apply it; this is very effective. It should not be eaten in excess, however, as it may cause obstruction in the joints, disrupt the circulation of the defensive and nutritive Qi, and impede the blood vessels. It may also stir up wind and bring on beriberi. If hiccups occur, take half a he of basil juice to stop them; in winter, decoct dried basil instead.

Basil seeds can be used to treat eye opacities and foreign bodies in the eye. Place three to five seeds in the eye; after a while, they swell as they absorb moisture and are said to draw the foreign body out with them. They can also be used to treat red eyes, discharge, and tearing caused by wind-heat. Basil root can treat yellow, weeping sores in children; it is best burned to ash and applied. In the north, people call basil “lanxiang,” a name said to have been adopted to avoid using the taboo name of Shi Le.

The Illustrated Classic says that there are three kinds of basil: one is suitable for use as a raw vegetable; another has larger leaves and a fragrance that can be smelled from twenty paces away; and a third has leaves like those of perilla.

Tao Hongjing says that practitioners of ritual arts take the horns of sheep and the hooves of horses, burn them to ash, and scatter the ash…

This grass grows wherever one walks across the wetlands. Folk tradition calls it “Queen Mother of the West’s vegetable”; eating it is said to benefit the body.

The Waitai Miyao records a remedy for removing facial scars: take one jin of magnolia fragrance, soak it in aged rice vinegar for three years, then remove it after one hundred days, dry it in the sun, grind it into powder, and apply it to the scar. It may also be soaked in vinegar slurry for one hundred days, then removed, sun-dried, and ground into powder. Take one fangcun bi (an ancient measure for medicinal powder, meaning one scoop).

Shi Husui (also called “Goose Won’t Eat Grass”) is cold in nature and non-toxic. It opens the nasal passages, clears the nine orifices (the openings of the ears, eyes, mouth, nose, and so on), and induces the expulsion of wind-phlegm. When a film forms over the eye, mash the herb and insert it into the nose; the film will fall away on its own. Its unpleasant taste gives rise to its common name, “Goose Won’t Eat Grass.”

Mustard is pungent, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It enters the nasal channel and treats pathogenic Qi affecting the kidneys. It clears the nine orifices, brightens hearing and sight, and steadies the spleen and stomach. Long-term consumption warms the spleen and stomach.

The Illustrated Classic says: Older texts do not record where mustard grows, but today it is found everywhere. It resembles song (a type of cabbage), with hairy leaves and an extremely pungent taste; this is what is called green mustard. There are many varieties. Purple mustard has stems and leaves that are entirely purple and is commonly pickled; it has the best flavor. White mustard seeds are large and coarse, and resemble white millet. This variety is considered especially valuable medicinally.

Tao Hongjing says: Mustard resembles song, with hairy leaves and a pungent taste. It is suitable for pickling and can also be eaten raw. Mustard seeds can be used to preserve winter melon. Another kind, langjie, is very pungent and refreshing when pickled.

The Tang Ben Zhu says: There are three kinds of mustard. The kind with large, coarse leaves can be eaten, and its seeds are used medicinally; applied hot, they are very effective for ezhu (a category of contagious or sudden-onset illnesses described by the ancients). The kind with small leaves and fine seeds cannot be eaten as a leaf vegetable; its seeds are suitable only for pickling. There is also white mustard seed, which is relatively large, resembles white millet, and is pungent and flavorful. It came from the frontier regions.

The Bielu says: Mustard seeds treat shegong (an illness the ancients attributed to injury by foreign substances or malign influences) and zhuqi (a pathogenic Qi that strikes suddenly and moves unpredictably). They may be made into pills and taken, or pounded into powder, mixed with vinegar, and applied externally; they often take effect quickly.

The Yanyi says: Mustard leaves resemble turnip greens, with wrinkled surfaces and a particularly deep green color. Both the seeds and young shoots are pungent, but the seeds are more so. Eating too much can stir up wind pathogens. Purple mustard resembles ordinary mustard, differing only in its purple color, and is much liked; eating too much of it can also stir up wind. White mustard seeds are slightly larger than other mustard seeds, white in color, and used medicinally.

Lai Fu (radish) root is pungent and sweet, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It may be ground into powder, processed, or cooked before being taken. It can strongly regulate Qi, aid digestion, dispel tanpi (illness caused by accumulated phlegm), and strengthen the body. Juice from the freshly pounded root can be taken to treat xiaoke (a disorder characterized chiefly by thirst and excessive drinking); it is said to work very well. The “fu” in lai fu is pronounced fu, as in fu.

The Erya says, “tu, lu, fei.” The commentary identifies these as purple-flowered cabbage, commonly called “warm cabbage.” It resembles turnip, with a large root, and is also called tu or lufu; among the people it is known as “baotu.” Today it is called radish.

The Tang Ben Zhu says that the “warm cabbage” mentioned by Tao Hongjing is this vegetable. Its tender leaves can be eaten raw; the larger leaves are eaten cooked and help digestion and harmonize the spleen and stomach. Its root also has medicinal effects, similar to those of turnip.

Xiao Bing says that radish root aids digestion, benefits the joints, improves the complexion, regulates the five viscera, dispels harmful Qi from the body, and relieves discomfort caused by wheat-based foods. After overeating, chewing raw radish can aid digestion. It is also good to mash it into a paste and mix it with flour to make botuo, an ancient kind of noodle dish. It is said that eating radish after a very full meal is unlikely to cause fever. It can also be used for cough with lung symptoms and coughing up blood; frying it in butter and eating it can help Qi descend.

The Yanyi says that the root of laifu is the same as the lufu mentioned earlier. Today it is usually called radish. It grows widely in Hebei, and good radishes are also produced in Dengzhou and Laizhou. It was commonly said at the time that people taking Rehmannia or fleeceflower root would grow white beards and hair if they ate radish. People generally say that among plants, radish is the quickest to bring Qi downward because it is pungent. Yet ginger and mustard seed are pungent too, and their effects are not limited to bringing Qi down. Radish is both pungent and sweet, so it can disperse the movement of Qi while acting more gently, and it also brings Qi down quickly. Use ginger to disperse Qi, and radish to make Qi descend.

Perilla seed, the seed of purple perilla, is pungent and warm, and non-toxic. It can be used for coughing and rebellious Qi, to warm the center, and to strengthen the body. Perilla leaves harmonize the spleen and stomach and remove unpleasant odors. Harvest the seeds in the ninth month and dry them in the shade. Tao Hongjing says that perilla resembles purple perilla but is paler in color and less fragrant. Ground seeds cooked with rice make a rich, flavorful porridge that also brings Qi down and strengthens the body. People in the east call it “yu,” because the written form resembles that of “su,” but without the “grain” radical. Oil pressed from the seeds can be used for frying and cooking. It is also the oil now used to coat silk and mix lacquer, and is taken as food or used during fasting; it is called “heavy oil.”

Cucumber leaves are bitter, neutral in nature, and slightly toxic. They can be used for shanpi in children, a type of abdominal accumulation. A one-year-old child may take a little more than one leaf, with the amount adjusted as appropriate. Crush the leaves and squeeze out the juice for the child to drink; this may induce vomiting and diarrhea. The root, pounded into a paste, can be applied to toxic swellings caused by hu-ci.

Cucumber fruit is sweet, cold, and toxic, and should not be eaten in large quantities. Eating too much may cause alternating chills and fever, malaria, fever from accumulations, zhuqi—a term used at the time for certain contagious illnesses or chronic symptoms—deficiency heat rising upward, reduced Qi, and various other disorders. It may also bring on sores and scabies, damage Yin-Blood and the pulse Qi, and trigger beriberi. It should not be eaten after an epidemic illness, and children in particular should avoid it. It can also cause loose bowels and may give rise to gan worms. The final phrase, “not with vinegar,” means that cucumber should not be eaten with vinegar.

When eaten with the food described above, it is also called “yellow melon” in the north. To avoid using Shi Le’s personal name, people kept using this name, and it was never changed.

The Thousand Gold Marrow records: To treat water disease with abdominal distension and swelling of the limbs, take one hu-gua melon and split it in half without removing the seeds. Boil one half in vinegar and the other half in water until both are soft and mushy. Take both halves at once on an empty stomach. Before long, water will be expelled.

Yue-gua melon tastes sweet and is cold in nature. It can promote the flow of the intestines and stomach and relieve vexing thirst, but it should not be eaten in large amounts. Eating too much can disturb the movement of Qi, bring on various sores, and leave a person weak and unable to walk. It is also harmful to children. It should not be eaten after contracting a seasonal epidemic, or together with cow’s milk, cheese, or pickled fish; nor should it be eaten on an empty stomach, as these can cause heart pain.

Liu Yuxi says: Chen Cangqi records that the large variety of yue-gua is pure white. People in Yue eat it as fruit, believing it can promote urination, dispel vexing heat, counteract alcohol toxicity, and release heat. Small yue-gua can be pickled in fermented grain paste. Ash made by burning yue-gua can be applied to sores at the corners of the mouth and to hot sores on the penis.

White mustard tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It is mainly used to treat cold Qi. White mustard is white and has a very pungent, savory taste; it comes from the Western Regions, an ancient term for the lands west of China. White mustard seeds can treat shegong, a legendary harmful insect poison, as well as zhu Qi, a lingering pathogenic influence, and upward surging Qi. They can induce sweating and treat cold phlegm between the chest and diaphragm, as well as a yellow complexion. The plant grows in Hedong.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: For related information, see the entry on “mustard.”

The Daily Materia Medica says: White mustard can stabilize the five viscera, and its effects resemble those of mustard. Taking the ash of burned white mustard seeds can ward off evil spirits.

The Thousand Gold Prescriptions records: To treat food regurgitation, vomiting, and upward surging Qi, dry small mustard seeds and grind them into powder. Take one square-inch spoonful, an ancient measure of medicine, with wine.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records: To treat sudden loss of speech after a stroke, boil mustard seeds in bitter wine—that is, vinegar—and apply them all around the neck, then wrap the area in cloth. The patient will recover after a day and a night.

Longkui tastes bitter, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. Eating it relieves fatigue, reduces sleepiness, and dispels deficiency heat and swelling. Longkui seeds can treat furuncles. This plant grows everywhere.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Older books state that longkui grows everywhere, but nowadays it is rarely seen even in nearby regions and is found mostly in the north. Northerners call it “bitter kui.” Its leaves are round, like those of the plant called paifeng, but hairless. Its flowers are white, and its fruit resembles that of the niuli tree. The fruit is green when unripe and turns black when ripe. It also resembles paifeng fruit. It must be cooked before eating and should not be eaten raw. The red fruit is called “red pearl”; taking it can turn white hair black. Longkui should not be eaten with scallions or Chinese chives. Its root can also be used medicinally. Physicians now use it to treat sores such as back carbuncles and deep-seated abscesses that have suppurated and broken open. The prescription is: one liang of longkui root, chopped, and one fen of musk, finely ground. First pound the longkui root…

Sift the medicinal powder finely, then add musk and grind them together until evenly blended. Apply it to the sore; it works very well.

The young shoots of Kudan taste bitter, are cold in nature, and are slightly toxic. They are chiefly used to treat conditions such as “transmitted corpse” and “hidden affliction,” which were attributed to attacks by ghostly Qi. They may also be used for disturbances caused by malign influences, heat bound in the abdomen, yellowing of the eyes, poor appetite, difficulty urinating or defecating, steaming-bone fever, cough, drowsiness, fatigue, vomiting, phlegm congestion, abdominal masses, and distension. They may also be used for children with innocent malnutrition, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, alternating chills and fever, or a large, swollen abdomen. They can kill parasites, induce abortion, and dispel Gu toxins. They may be taken as a decoction or as crushed juice, or ground into powder for external application. They may also be used for children with shanpi.

This herb grows on old walls, among ruins, and beside ditches, reaching two or three feet in height. Its fruit forms horn-shaped pods resembling small purses drawn shut; the seeds inside are like beads and turn red when ripe. Some people with steaming-bone consumptive fever take it in large quantities. People in Guanzhong call it “Luoshen Pearl”; it is also known as “Queen Mother’s Pearl” and “Pibian Grass.” A smaller variety is called “Kuyu.”

Kujü tastes bitter and is neutral in nature, though one account says it is cold. It can be used for yellowing of the face, eyes, or area beneath the tongue, as well as weakness and insomnia. Break the stem and apply its white sap to a furuncle to draw out the root; drop the sap onto a carbuncle to make it break open quickly. Crushed stems and leaves can be applied to snakebites. The root can be used for red or white dysentery and steaming-bone fever, and may also be taken as a decoction.

People now cultivate kujü as a vegetable and often eat it raw. It is said that eating it over a long period can make the body light and nimble, reduce sleep, regulate the Twelve Channels, and promote the free flow of the Five Zang organs. After cholera, if Stomach Qi rebels upward and the heart feels oppressed, crush kujü and drink the juice. Though cold in nature, it is very beneficial. Do not eat kujü together with blood foods—foods made from animal blood. Another source says to avoid eating it with honey, or hemorrhoids may result. Kujü is the same as wild lettuce. The wild variety is also called “Bianju”; the cultivated variety is now commonly called “Baiju.” Beyond the Jiangnan region, there is no baiju in Lingnan or Wu, so people there often cultivate wild lettuce for the kitchen.

The Yan Yi says: Applying the juice of crushed kujü to a furuncle is highly effective. The green shoots may be dried in the shade, kept until winter, then ground into powder, mixed with water, and applied.

Alfalfa tastes bitter, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is said to settle and harmonize the chest and abdomen and make the body feel comfortable; it can also be eaten over a long period.

Tao Hongjing says: There are alfalfa gardens around Chang’an, and people in the north value this plant highly. People in Jiangnan do not eat much of it, considering it bland. In foreign lands there is another herb also called alfalfa that can treat eye disorders, but it is not the plant discussed here.

The Tang Bencao annotation says: The stems and leaves of alfalfa are neutral in nature, while the root is cold. It is used for febrile illness, oppression in the chest and abdomen, yellowing and redness of the eyes, yellow urine, and wine jaundice (jaundice caused by drinking alcohol). Drinking one sheng of its crushed juice can induce vomiting; after vomiting, the illness may be cured.

The Rihuazi says: Alfalfa is cool in nature. It can dispel malign influences from the abdominal organs and clear heat between the Spleen and Stomach.

Small Intestine

The Extended Meaning says that alfalfa—the fodder plant, which can also be eaten—is the alfalfa mentioned in the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai’s line, “The heavenly steed often holds alfalfa in its mouth.” It grows abundantly around Shaanxi, where people feed it to cattle and horses. When it is young, people also gather and eat it. Its taste is slightly sweet and mild. It should not be eaten in large quantities, as it promotes the passage of waste through both the small and large intestines. It has perennial roots, so it grows back after being cut.

The leaves of bracken resemble those of mature fern, and its roots resemble those of gromwell. According to the text, bracken tastes sweet and is cold and slippery in nature. It can clear sudden attacks of heat and open the waterways—that is, promote urination. However, it weakens a person’s Yang energy. Children who eat it may become so weak in the legs that they cannot walk. Bracken grows in the mountains, and people often gather it to eat as a vegetable.

Tradition says that the Four Eminent Ones, four recluses who lived at the end of the Qin dynasty, ate zhi mushrooms and lived long lives, while Boyi and Shuqi ate bracken and died young. This shows that bracken is ultimately no good. The Records of the Search for Spirits recounts that when Xi Jian was stationed at Dantu, he went hunting in the second month. An armored soldier broke off a sprig of bracken and ate it. He felt unwell, later fell sick, and vomited up a small snake. They hung the snake in front of a house; as it gradually dried out, it turned into bracken. This shows that bracken should not be eaten raw.

The Dietary Therapy says that bracken is cold in nature. It replenishes deficiencies in the Five Viscera, but it can also cause Qi to stagnate between the channels, sinews, and bones, where it forms a toxin. It may also weaken the legs until a person cannot walk, impair sexual function, blur the vision, block the nose, and cause hair loss. For these reasons, it should not be eaten. People who are sensitive to cold may also develop abdominal bloating after eating it.