《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 41

Illustrated and Explicated Materia Medica, juan 41, section 8

Compiled by Kou Zongshi, a Tongzhilang and materia medica examiner of the Song dynasty; collated by Xu Hong, a medical assistant instructor and materia medica examiner of the Song dynasty.

Vegetables, Middle Grade

Smartweed

Smartweed seeds taste pungent, are warm in nature, and are nontoxic. They treat dimness of vision and warm the Spleen and Stomach. They can also help people withstand wind and cold, and promote urination to reduce swelling. Smartweed leaves treat swelling of the face and eyes, as well as carbuncles and sores. The leaves correspond to the tongue; they dispel pathogenic influences from the small and large intestines, clear the Middle Burner, and strengthen the will. Horse smartweed removes leeches from the intestines and makes the body feel light. Smartweed grows around Leize and in river marshes.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Smartweed seeds can guide the effects of medicines upward to the nose, dispel disorders of the Kidney Qi, and treat scrofulous sores, that is, sores involving swollen lymph nodes. Smartweed leaves treat pathogenic influences. It also says that eating too much smartweed can cause heart pain, alternating chills and fever, and damage to the bone marrow. For sores on a child’s head, pound smartweed into a powder and mix it with white honey to apply. Another account says to mix it with egg white; the worms will crawl out by themselves, and no scars will remain.

Meng Shen says: Eating too many smartweed seeds can make a person vomit fluid. They can also free up obstructed Qi in the Five Organs, but will damage Yang Qi.

The Daily Records of Famous Physicians says: Water smartweed is cold in nature and nontoxic. For a snakebite, pound water smartweed and apply it; use the root and stem as well. It also says that red smartweed treats weakness of the feet caused by exposure to cold. Burn red smartweed to ash, soak the affected area in the ash water and rub it clean, then apply steamed mulberry leaves as a hot compress. It is said to bring a quick recovery.

The Sagely Beneficent Prescriptions treats muscle cramping caused by Liver deficiency as follows: Chop the stems and leaves of red smartweed, and decoct them in three ge of water and three ge of wine until four ge remain. Strain out the herb and drink the medicine warm in two doses.

The Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library treats fainting from summer heat as follows: Decoction smartweed strongly, then administer three sheng of the liquid.

The Experiential Prescriptions treats foot pain accompanied by sores as follows: First chop water smartweed and boil it to make a wash. When the liquid is comfortably warm, pour it repeatedly over the affected area. Once the sores dry, they will improve on their own.

The Doumen Prescriptions treats Qi and Blood surging upward into the chest, causing unbearable pain, as follows: Chop smartweed root, soak it in wine, and take it.

The Ancient and Modern Proven Prescriptions treats muscle cramping caused by cholera as follows: Take one handful of smartweed and remove both ends. Boil it in two and a half sheng of water until one and a half sheng remain, then drink it all at once.

The Explications says: Smartweed fruit is the seed of water smartweed mentioned in juan 11 of the Divine Farmer’s Classic of Materia Medica. There, “smartweed” refers to the stem; here, “fruit” refers to the seeds. They are therefore listed separately to explain the effects of smartweed seeds. At the beginning of spring, put water in a gourd, moisten the smartweed, and hang it high above a fire so it stays warm day and night. Red shoots will then grow. The shoots can be eaten as a vegetable and included among the ingredients for the Five Pungent Vegetables platter. There is also a kind of water knotweed, which is similar to this smartweed…

There is a kind of medicinal plant whose stalk can grow to a height of one zhang. Take its seeds, lightly roast them, then grind them into a fine powder. Mix two or three qian with a small amount of wine and take it to treat scrofula, a disease resembling tuberculosis of the lymph nodes in the neck. Take it seven times in succession, and stop once it has worked.

Scallion

Scallion seeds taste pungent, are warm in nature, and are non-toxic. They mainly treat dim eyesight and can also make up for deficiencies in the body. The stalks and white parts of scallions are neutral in nature. They may be boiled into a soup and taken to treat alternating chills and fever caused by cold damage, sweating, swelling of the face and eyes after windstroke, pain in the bones and flesh, and throat obstruction. They can also calm the fetus, improve eyesight, dispel pathogenic influences from the liver, harmonize the internal organs, and counteract the toxicity of many medicines. Scallion roots mainly treat headache caused by cold damage. Scallion juice is neutral and warm in nature. It can treat blood in the urine and counteract the poison of Veratrum.

The Tang Bencao commentary says: There are several kinds of scallions. The mountain scallion, also called ming scallion, can be used medicinally. The Chinese scallion can treat bites from various venomous insects, as well as injuries caused by fox urine spines, sand fleas, and shegong insects. Boil scallions into a juice and soak or wash the affected area, or crush them and apply them externally; both methods are very effective. They are often used together with medicines such as garlic and Sichuan pepper, rather than alone. The scallions eaten by ordinary people also come in different kinds. The winter scallion survives through winter and is propagated by dividing the plant; it does not produce seeds. The Han scallion’s leaves wither in winter. For eating or medicinal use, the winter scallion is best, and it also has a good aroma.

The Rihuazi says: Scallions can treat seasonal epidemics, headache, fever, delirium, inability to urinate or defecate, cholera with muscle spasms, running-piglet Qi—a condition in which Qi surges upward from the lower abdomen into the chest and belly—beriberi, pain in the chest and abdomen, dizziness, and mental confusion and agitation. Grind scallion stalks and leaves with salt and apply them to treat snake and insect bites, metal-inflicted wounds, and skin that has cracked and swollen after exposure to water toxins. Scallions may also be roasted, crushed, and applied to injuries caused by shegong insects and poisonous insects in streams. Scallion seeds warm the middle, make up for deficiencies, increase Jing (essence), and improve eyesight. Scallion roots counteract the toxins of all kinds of fish and meat. Scallions should not be eaten with honey.

The Shiliao says: Scallion leaves are warm in nature, while the white parts are neutral. They mainly treat high fever caused by cold damage, sweating, swelling of the face and eyes after windstroke, pain in the joints, and headache. The white parts and roots are neutral in nature and can regulate the flow of Qi; they mainly treat headache caused by cold damage. If a sore becomes swollen and painful after exposure to wind and water, and its opening is blocked, take green scallion leaves and boil them with dried ginger and Amur cork tree bark. Bathe the affected area in the broth, and it will soon heal.

Sun the Perfected One’s Shiji says: In the first lunar month, do not eat too many raw scallions, or roaming wind—a wandering pathogenic wind condition—may arise in the face. Eating scallions roasted together with honey will poison a person.

The Waitai Miyao Fang gives this treatment for intestinal hemorrhoids and frequent bleeding after bowel movements: Boil three to five jin of scallion whites into a broth, then sit over a basin and let the steam and wash reach the affected area. It should heal quickly.

The Jingyan Formula records: To treat dribbling or difficulty urinating, or blood in the urine, take a kind of scallion called red-root lou scallion and cut off about an inch near the root. Place it on the navel, then apply seven moxa cones—one cone being the amount of mugwort burned completely through.

The Meishi Formula records: To treat a restless fetus, cook the white part of a scallion in silver broth and drink it. Another prescription is for restlessness and difficulty sleeping after cholera: take twenty scallion whites and twenty jujubes, add three sheng of water, and boil down to two sheng. Drink in divided doses.

The Food Therapy Mirror Formula records: To treat red-and-white dysentery—dysentery with pus and blood or white mucus in the stool—chop a handful of scallions, cook them with rice into a porridge, and eat it on an empty stomach. Another prescription says that scallions can be used for chills and fever, severe joint pain, and sweating caused by cold damage; they can also be used for facial swelling and obstruction of the throat after windstroke. It further says they calm the fetus, brighten the eyes, dispel pathogenic influences from the liver, settle the Spleen and Stomach, harmonize the five viscera, improve vision, and counteract the toxins of all medicines. Scallion leaves can be cooked into soup or porridge, or finely chopped, pickled, and eaten as a relish.

The Golden Efficacy Formula records: To treat nosebleeds, pound a handful of scallion whites and extract the juice. Add a little wine, heat the mixture by stir-frying, then put two or three drops into the nose; this is said to stop the bleeding.

The Treatise on Cold Damage Remedies records: If a woman in her seventh month of pregnancy contracts cold damage with a high fever, and red spots on her body turn black and blood appears in her urine, take a handful of scallions, add three sheng of water, and boil until hot. Drink the liquid to induce sweating, and eat the scallions as well.

The Yang Family Formula for Pregnancy and Childbirth records: To treat severe, persistent fetal restlessness in the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy, take a large handful of scallion whites, add three sheng of water, and boil down to one sheng. Strain out the solids and drink the liquid all at once. Another prescription is for fetal restlessness, pain in the lower back radiating to the heart and abdomen, or bleeding: take an appropriate amount of scallion whites, boil them down to a concentrated liquid, and drink the juice.

The Extended Materia Medica says: The seed of the scallion, when the plant first sprouts, is called a “scallion needle.” It flowers in summer. In autumn, scallions are planted in high furrows and earthed up as they grow, so they can be eaten in winter; these are called “winter scallions,” though they are in fact the same kind of scallion. There is also a kind called “dragon-horn scallion,” whose stalks branch out like horns. Those with reddish outer skins are called “lou scallions”; they can be boiled and used to fumigate or wash the lower body. Scallion seeds are pungent, black, wrinkled, and divided into three lobes. Scallions generally work chiefly by dispersing, but eating too many can make the mind dull.

Chives

Chives taste pungent and slightly sour. They are warm in nature, non-toxic, and enter the Heart. They can harmonize the five viscera and clear heat in the Stomach. They benefit the sick and may be eaten over a long period. Chive seeds can treat nocturnal emissions and seminal leakage; chive roots can be used to nourish the hair.

The Illustrated Canon says: Older texts do not record which prefectures produced chives, but today they are found everywhere. Xu Shen’s Shuowen Jiezi says that chives are a vegetable; chives that have been cultivated for a long time…

The plant known as "jiu" (韭菜/leek) derives its name from its cultivation characteristics - after planting, it can be harvested three to four times annually without damaging its roots. When properly mulched during winter, it regenerates vigorously in early spring. Truly a perennial vegetable, it stands as the most gentle and nourishing among all greens, suitable for regular consumption.

The "Yijilantu" (易稽览图) records: "When governance is enlightened, yin plants transform into yang nature." Zheng Xuan (Eastern Han dynasty classicist) annotated this phenomenon by citing the example of scallions transforming into leeks. This observation confirms leeks' warm nature in contrast to scallions' cold properties, a characteristic well attested in practice.

Tao Hongjing (Southern Dynasties medicinal scholar) documented multiple therapeutic uses: leek seeds in Jici Wan (棘刺丸) for nocturnal emissions, roots in hair-growth ointments, and leaves boiled with crucian carp for acute diarrhea. However, he noted its pungent aroma persists even after cooking, unlike scallions and Chinese onions which become odorless when cooked - making it less suitable for spiritual cultivators.

The "Rihuazi Bencao" (日华子本草) details leek's hot nature with multiple applications: directing qi downward, replenishing deficiency, harmonizing organs, and strengthening yang; treating emissions, bloody urine, cold pain in waist/knees; dispelling cold syndromes in chest/abdomen; relieving stuffiness and abdominal colic. Topically, its juice treats stroke-induced aphasia; raw paste alleviates severe heart/spleen/bone pain; crushed application heals snake/dog bites and malignant sores. Caution: overconsumption causes mental cloudiness and blurred vision - especially contraindicated with alcohol or honey. Its seeds (stir-fried for medicinal use) warm waist/knees and remarkably treat dream intercourse (鬼交).

A Song dynasty official recorded: a polydipsia (diabetes) patient drinking excessively found immediate relief after consuming leek sprouts - 3-5 liang daily, stir-fried or in soup (salt-free for best effect). Ten jin consumption brought marked improvement, though post-Qingming Festival consumption was discouraged (except as fermented paste).

The "Taiping Shenghui Fang" (太平圣惠方) prescribes for deficiency-type nocturnal emissions: 2 liang lightly fried leek seeds (powdered), taken with wine before meals (2 qian 7 fen dose).

The "Waitai Miyao" (外台秘要) recommends for consumptive emissions: 2 sheng fresh leek seeds (harvested after first frost in October), soaked overnight in 8 ge quality wine, pounded 10,000 times next morning by a prepubescent boy facing south. Take 1 fangcunqi (≈3g) with warm wine at dawn, twice daily for immediate effect.

Emergency treatments from "Zhouhou Beiji Fang" (肘后备急方): For unconsciousness - never illuminate with firelight (fatal). Instead, bite the patient's thumbnail edge and spit on their face. Alternatives: leek juice dripped into nostrils (winter: root juice administered orally). For male emissions: leek seed decoction.

When a woman dreams of having intercourse with someone and semen flows out after she wakes, this indicates internal deficiency. The condition is triggered by contact with an evil influence.

Roast Chinese chive seeds, pound them into powder, soak them in wine, and take small doses repeatedly.

The Collected Remedies says: To treat various sores and ringworm, roast Chinese chive roots until their medicinal properties remain, then pound them into powder as needed. Mix with lard and apply to the affected area. Three applications will cure it.

The Extended Discourse on the Materia Medica says: Chinese chives taste fragrant when eaten in spring, but have a foul smell when eaten in summer. Eating too much can make a person drowsy. Chinese chive seeds are very effective for treating seminal emission and involuntary leakage. When Chinese chives have not yet emerged from the soil and are still yellow, they are called yellow chives and are especially unsuitable to eat; eating them can cause Qi stagnation. This is because they contain Qi that is congested and unable to flow freely. Confucius said, “Do not eat food that is out of season,” referring precisely to things of this kind. Eating Chinese chives while they are flowering can stir up wind in the body.

Chinese shallot (pronounced “xie,” a perennial plant related to onions and garlic)

Chinese shallot tastes acrid and bitter, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat metal-inflicted wounds and ulcerated sores. It can make the body feel light, ward off hunger, and promote longevity. Its medicinal action enters the bones, and it is called “vegetable lingzhi.” It dispels cold and heat, reduces water retention, warms the middle burner, disperses congestion, and benefits the sick. It may be applied to various sores, areas affected by stroke or exposure to cold, and edema. Chinese shallot grows on the plains and in marshes of Mount Lu.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Chinese shallot grows on the plains and in marshes of Mount Lu, and is now found in many places. It resembles Chinese chives, but its leaves are broader, usually white, and it does not set seed. Cultivated Chinese shallots come in red and white varieties. Red shallot treats sores and promotes the growth of new flesh; white shallot is cool in nature and replenishes the body. It is generally planted around the spring equinox, and its leaves wither in winter. The Erya says that “xi” and “xie” refer to the same plant; it is also called “Honghui.” “Qingshan xi” is likewise a shallot that grows in the mountains. Its stems and leaves resemble those of cultivated shallot, but its roots are longer and its leaves somewhat larger, almost like those of the amaryllis. Its properties are also similar to cultivated shallot, though it is now rarely used.

Although Chinese shallot tastes acrid, it does not irritate the five viscera as onions do, so Daoists eat it over long periods. It also replenishes deficiency and is very suitable for people to eat. When using onions or Chinese shallots, remove the green parts and keep only the white parts. Some say the white part is cool in nature and the green part warm. Thus, a prescription for treating red dysentery uses the white part of the shallot, boiled with phellodendron bark and taken as a decoction; it is said to be cool in nature and to resolve toxins. “Hui” is pronounced “wu-wai,” and “qing” is pronounced “ju-ying.”

Tao Hongjing says: Onions and Chinese shallots are different plants, but are now grouped together under one entry. The Basic Classic of Materia Medica does not include Chinese chives because they belong to the same category as onions and shallots. They are now also listed as an attached medicinal ingredient. In cultivation and prescriptions, people commonly use the white part of the onion and the juice of its leaves, called “cong ran”; onion seeds are no longer used. Onions also differ in their cold and warm properties: the white part is cool, while the green leaves are warm. Green leaves should not be included in decoctions for cold damage. They can turn cinnamon medicines into water and dissolve the five minerals. Immortality prescriptions use onions, while Chinese shallot is warm in nature and replenishing. It is needed in immortality prescriptions and by people who take nourishing foods to cultivate health, and is especially often used in various medicinal pastes.

When eating it, take care: it must not be eaten raw, and spicy foods and meat and fish should be avoided. ○ Xie (pronounced like “xie”; a vegetable related to scallions and garlic).

Rihua Zi says: Xie can make the body feel light and vigorous, help it withstand cold, regulate the Spleen and Stomach, and replenish bodily deficiency. Eating it can stop chronic dysentery and cold-type diarrhea and strengthen the body. Eating it raw causes increased nasal discharge and saliva. Xie should not be eaten with beef, or lumps may form in the abdomen; it should also be avoided in the fourth lunar month.

Meng Shen says: Xie can be used to treat sores and wounds, windstroke, and edema. Crush it, heat it, and apply it to the affected area; it may also be boiled for use. White xie is best. Although its flavor is pungent, it is not considered one of the “pungent foods” in the theory of the Five Viscera. Daoist practitioners who take it over a long period can, it is said, gain communion with the spirits, calm the hun-soul, increase their strength, and fortify their sinews and bones.

The Zhouhou Fang records: If someone suddenly collapses and stops breathing, the cause may be “zhong’e” (a term used in antiquity for sudden illness, fainting, and similar conditions). Xie juice can be poured into the nostrils.

The Ge Shi Fang records: To treat scabies, boil xie leaves and wash the affected area, or crush the xie into a paste and apply it. Another method is for someone who has accidentally swallowed a hairpin: dry the white part of the xie—the white bulb—until it turns yellow and softens, then boil it. Do not cut it up; eat it whole, in one bundle. The hairpin is said to pass out of the body with it.

The Mei Shi Fang records: If an injury to a hand or foot comes into contact with something unclean, the ancients believed this could be life-threatening and difficult to treat. Crush the white part of the xie, put it in a cloth bag, and heat it over charcoal until very hot. Remove it and apply it to the wound, then bind it tightly with cloth; replace it when it cools. Alternatively, pound the xie into a cake and heat it with burning mugwort so that the warmth penetrates the wound. Once the pus drains, the wound should heal. Another method treats swelling and pain in a moxibustion burn: mix one sheng of chopped white xie with one sheng of pork fat, soak the mixture overnight in bitter wine (an ancient kind of vinegar), then simmer it over a low flame, bringing it to a boil three times. Strain out the dregs and apply the mixture to the affected area.

The Shiyi Xinjing records: To treat red-and-white dysentery (stools containing red or white mucus), chop a handful of the white part of the xie and cook it into congee. Another method says that xie can treat various ulcerating sores and wounds and help flesh grow back; it is also said to make the body feel light, ward off hunger, and slow aging. The book calls it “the bone-nourishing vegetable fungus that returns to the heart” and says it can dispel cold and heat, warm the middle burner, disperse bound Qi, and help patients recover. For sores and wounds, windstroke, cold pathogen, and edema, crush the xie and apply it.

The Fan Wang Fang records: To treat swollen, painful eyes after exposure to wind, cut the white part of the xie into sections and rub them over the skin, spreading the juice around the eyes; this is said to bring a cure. It can also ease sudden headaches. Another method treats various kinds of dysentery after childbirth: boil the white part of the xie and eat it, with the advice that the more one eats, the better. Fat-trimmed roast mutton may also be eaten, or the white part of the xie may be fried in sheep kidney fat; the latter is said to work even better.

The Chanru Fang records: To treat gan dysentery (chronic diarrhea and dysentery accompanied by weakness and wasting), take a handful of the white part of the xie, pound it raw into a paste, then mix it with polished…

Mix rice flour and honey until evenly combined. Shape the mixture into cakes, bake them until cooked, and eat. Take no more than three liang at a time, divided into several doses.

The Yanyi says: The leaves of xie (pronounced “xie,” a plant in the xiebai family) resemble those of the golden lily, but are narrower and smoother. Thus, when the ancients spoke of “dew on xie,” they were referring to its smooth surface, which does not readily hold dew. The Qianjin Fang uses xiebai to treat Qi rising counter to its proper course in the lungs, with rapid, labored breathing. This, too, draws on its smooth, dispersing action, which helps Qi flow outward. Pound xiebai with honey and apply it to injuries caused by boiling liquid or fire; it works quickly.

Su (purple perilla)

Su is pungent and warm in nature. It is mainly used to direct Qi downward and dispel internal cold. Its seeds are especially beneficial.

The Tujing says: Su is purple perilla. Earlier records did not specify which prefectures it came from, but today it grows everywhere. The undersides of its leaves are purple, and it has a strong fragrance. Gather the stems and leaves in summer and the seeds in autumn. The stems and leaves can reach the Heart channel and benefit the Spleen and Stomach. They work better when boiled in water and drunk. Su pairs well with tangerine peel and is therefore often used in formulas that regulate Qi. Purple perilla seeds can be used for Qi rising counter to its proper course and coughing with rebellious Qi. They are especially good when ground, their juice extracted, and then cooked into porridge. Long-term consumption is said to strengthen the body and promote weight gain. To disperse wind toxins, use the stems of su alone, with the joints removed; this works very well.

I note that the Erya says su is also called “gui ren.” Perhaps it received this name because its flavor is pungent and its appearance resembles ren, a plant similar to sesame. There are several kinds of su, including water su, shao su, fish su, and mountain fish su; all belong to the ren family. Water su has its own entry.

The Yaoxing Lun says: Purple perilla seeds are nontoxic. They can be used for Qi rising counter to its proper course and coughing with rebellious Qi, as well as for cold Qi and for dampness and stagnant Qi affecting the lower back and legs. Grinding the seeds, extracting their juice, and cooking it into porridge is beneficial. Long-term use is said to strengthen the body, brighten the complexion, and give the body a fragrant scent. Combine equal parts of purple perilla seeds, lesser galangal, and tangerine peel, make them into honey pills, and take ten on an empty stomach to help dispel cold that has accumulated in the body over time. Purple perilla leaves can be eaten raw or cooked in a soup with various kinds of fish and meat.

Tao Hongjing says: The undersides of purple perilla leaves are purple, and the plant has a strong fragrance. If the leaf undersides are not purple and the plant is not fragrant, it is called wild su. Though it resembles ren, it is unsuitable for medicinal use. Purple perilla seeds direct Qi downward and pair well with tangerine peel; the two can be used together for related conditions. Note: Today, people commonly call it “purple perilla.”

The Rihuazi says: Purple perilla regulates and supplements the middle Qi and increases strength. It can be used for fullness and distention in the chest and abdomen, and for muscle cramping during cholera. It stimulates appetite, aids digestion, and can also be used for various kinds of cold Qi. It is also used for beriberi and helps promote urination and bowel movements.

The Rihuazi also says: Purple perilla seeds regulate the middle Qi, benefit the Five Viscera, and direct Qi downward. They can be used for cholera, vomiting, and regurgitation, and can also supplement deficiency and weakness and strengthen the body. They help promote urination and bowel movements, disperse abdominal masses, relieve Qi stagnation in the chest and diaphragm, and stop coughing. They also moisten the Heart and lungs, transform phlegm, and regulate Qi.

Yu Xiqi says: The Erya records “su, gui, and ren.” Guo Pu’s commentary explains that su is a plant of the ren family. Because it tastes pungent and resembles ren, it is also called “gui-ren.”

Meng Shen says: Purple perilla can dispel cold and heat and treat internal cold.

Chu Cheng of the Southern Qi was skilled in medicine and once served as governor of Wu Commandery. A local man named Li Daonian came to the commandery office on official business. When Chu Cheng saw him, he said, “You have a serious illness.” Li Daonian replied, “I have suffered from a cold illness for many years, and many doctors have been unable to cure it.” After examining him, Chu Cheng said, “Your illness is neither a cold syndrome nor a heat syndrome. It must have been caused by eating too many hard-boiled eggs.” He told Li Daonian to boil one sheng of purple perilla in water and drink it. Li Daonian immediately vomited a mass about one sheng in size, wrapped in mucus. When they opened it, the inside looked like a small chick, complete with feathers, wings, claws, and spurs; it could even walk. Chu Cheng said, “The illness has not yet been completely removed.” He told Li Daonian to finish the remaining medicine. Li Daonian then vomited thirteen more of the same “chicks,” and only then was he fully cured. People at the time praised Chu Cheng’s extraordinary medical skill. Another account says to boil garlic in water and drink it.

The Shenghui Fang says: To treat impeded Qi flow and intestinal blockage caused by pathogenic wind, take one sheng of purple perilla seeds, dry-fry them lightly, and crush them. Put them in a bag of raw silk and soak it in three dou of clear wine for three nights. Drink the wine in small amounts, and the illness will be cured.

Another prescription says: To treat beriberi, as well as stiffness and cramping of the limbs and foot pain so severe that the foot cannot touch the ground, caused by pathogenic wind, cold, and dampness, crush two liang of purple perilla and add two sheng of water; grind and strain to obtain the juice. Use the juice of the perilla seeds to cook two he of non-glutinous rice into porridge, then mix in scallions, fermented soybean, pepper, and ginger before eating.

The Waitai Miyao Fang says: To treat nocturnal emissions, dry-fry one sheng of purple perilla seeds and grind them into powder. Take one square-inch spoonful with wine, twice a day.

The Doumen Fang says: To treat blood loss, take an appropriate amount of purple perilla and simmer it in a large pot of water until the water has boiled away. Remove the herbs and continue reducing the liquid to make a paste. Separately, dry-fry red adzuki beans and grind them into powder. Mix the powder with the medicinal paste and form pills the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take thirty to fifty pills with wine each time. Regular use will bring a cure.

The Jinkui Fang says: For poisoning from eating crab, boil purple perilla and drink three sheng of the liquid; one may also drink the juice of purple perilla seeds.

The Yanyi says: Su means purple perilla, and plants with purple on both sides of the leaves are best. It tastes mildly pungent and sweet, disperses Qi, and has a strong fragrance. Some people boil it into a soup and drink it morning and evening, but this is of no benefit. What physicians call “fragrant herbs that cause illness in wealthy households” includes purple perilla. People with weak, cold Spleen and Stomach should be cautious about drinking it. Purple perilla seeds can treat wheezing and shortness of breath caused by Lung Qi, but they readily cause diarrhea, often without the person taking them realizing it.

Water mint (the following entry turns to the medicinal herb “water mint”).

Water mint is pungent in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and nontoxic. It mainly treats obstructed Qi flow, indigestion, and food stagnation. It can also eliminate bad breath, counteract toxins, and ward off foul influences. Taken over a long period, it can clear the mind, make the body light and agile, and help one withstand old age. It also treats vomiting blood, nosebleeds, and profuse uterine bleeding. Other names for it are chicken mint, Laozu, jiezu, and jieju. It grows in ponds and marshes in Jiuzhen Commandery and is gathered in the seventh month. “Zu” in jiezu is pronounced zu; “ju” in jieju is pronounced yu.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Water mint grows in ponds and marshes in Jiuzhen Commandery. Today it is found throughout the country, usually along water’s edge. Its young shoots resemble Inula, with leaves growing in opposite pairs and a strong fragrance. In the Qing and Qi regions it is called water mint; south of the Yangtze it is called jining; around Wu and Hui it is called chicken mint. People in the south often eat it as a vegetable. It is said to treat various disorders of Qi and swollen feet. Although it is abundant north of the Yangtze, people there do not gather it to eat.

People south of the Yangtze regard chicken mint and water mint as two different plants. Chen Cangqi, however, considers jining a separate plant, not water mint: water mint leaves have serrations like the teeth of a goose, and its smell is like that of Elsholtzia—pungent and spicy. Jining leaves are hairy, with somewhat long hairs, and have an unpleasant smell. It treats cold Qi, diarrhea, and dysentery; it can be eaten raw as a vegetable and can also dispel sour fluid in the stomach.

Tao Hongjing says: This herb is not used in prescriptions, and ordinary people do not recognize it. Jiuzhen lies in a remote region, and no one can go there to investigate.

Rihua says: Chicken mint is warm in nature. It treats lung wasting, uterine bleeding, vaginal discharge, bloody dysentery, head-wind, dizziness, postpartum windstroke, and persistent bleeding. It is also called stinking mint and green-white.

Meng Shen says: Chicken mint is also called water mint. Crush the fresh leaves, wrap them in cotton cloth, and place them in the ear to treat deafness. For head-wind and dizziness, boil chicken mint in clear wine and drink one sheng of the liquid; it is also very effective for postpartum windstroke. Chicken mint can be burned to ash. Wash the hair with the liquid made from the ash or with a decoction of the herb to make the hair fragrant and prevent dandruff. Dried chicken mint can also be brewed into wine, or steeped in clear wine for regular use.

The Master Mei’s Formulary records: To treat vomiting blood, blood in the stool, and women’s uterine bleeding, decoct the stems and leaves of chicken mint and drink the liquid. Another formula treats persistent nosebleeds: take five he of fresh chicken mint and two he of fermented black beans, pound them together, shape the mixture into a date pit-sized pellet, and insert it into the nose to stop the bleeding.

Elsholtzia (an aromatic medicinal herb) is pungent in flavor and slightly warm in nature. It mainly treats cholera, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, and can also dispel edema. “Ru” is pronounced rou.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Earlier books do not record which prefecture or county produces Elsholtzia. Tao Hongjing says…

Shirun (a medicinal herb described in the original as having finer leaves than white perilla) grows in many places, and is now cultivated in various regions, though somewhat less often in the north. It resembles white perilla, but its leaves are finer. Harvest it in the tenth month, dry it in the sun, and keep it for later use. Among the people it is also called “fragrant velvet.” For cholera—a term used in ancient times for acute conditions involving vomiting and diarrhea—accompanied by muscle spasms, decoct it in water and drink it; it is said to be unfailingly effective. If the limbs feel feverish yet cold, with sweating and thirst, add knotweed seeds, chop the ingredients together, and decoct them.

Tao Hongjing said: Every household has this herb, and people usually eat it raw. Harvest and dry it in the tenth month. When cholera occurs, boil it in water and drink the decoction; it is said to work in every case. A decoction of it is especially good for reducing edema.

Ri Hua Zi said: Shirun is non-toxic. It regulates the flow of Qi, relieves feverish discomfort, and can also treat vomiting and ailments caused by cold.

According to Su Bing, a variety of shirun now grows on rocks around Xinding and Xin’an. Local people call it “stone shirun.” It is fine-textured and pungent, and is especially good in quality.

Meng Shen said: Shirun is warm in nature. He also said that it dispels heat-related wind and can be added to raw vegetables, but should not be eaten in large quantities. For sudden muscle spasms, boil it and drink half a sheng of the liquid at one time to stop them. Shirun can also be dried, ground into powder, and swallowed with water; it is said to stop nosebleeds.

The Hu Qia Fang records this treatment for severe edema with abdominal swelling: Take fifty jin of dried shirun, chop it, and put it in a pot. Add enough water to cover the herb by one cun, and boil until its medicinal properties have been fully extracted. Strain the liquid, then reduce it over high heat until it is thick enough to form pills. Take five pills at a time, each about the size of a tung tree seed. Gradually increase the dose each day until urination flows freely.

The Waitai Miyao Fang records this treatment for severe edema with persistent abdominal swelling and undigested food: Take fifty jin of roasted dried shirun, or use it fresh, chop it, and put it in a pot. Add enough water to cover the herb by several cun, and boil until its medicinal properties have been fully extracted. Remove the herb, let the liquid settle until clear, then reduce it over low heat until it is thick enough to form pills. Take five pills at a time, about the size of a tung tree seed, three times a day. Gradually increase the dose until urination flows freely.

The Qian Jin Fang records this treatment for bad breath: Take a handful of shirun, add one dou of water, and boil it down to three sheng. Use small amounts repeatedly to rinse the mouth.

The Zhouhou Fang records that if blood suddenly appears on the tongue as though from pinholes, one may take one sheng of shirun juice three times a day.

The Shiyi Xinjing Fang records that shirun can be used for feverish discomfort in the heart. It may be decocted as a drink, prepared as a soup, cooked as porridge, or eaten raw; all are suitable.

The Zimu Milu Fang records this treatment for a child with white ringworm on the scalp, hair that will not grow, oozing fluid, and pain: Make a strong decoction of aged shirun and take the liquid. Add a little fat and white powder, mix well, and apply it to the affected area.

The Yanyi says: Shirun grows in the hills and fields. It is found in Hunan north and south of the Yangtze, as well as throughout the two Sichuan regions.

People in the two capitals grow this plant and also eat it as a vegetable in summer. The text says it is very effective for treating cholera. Its leaves resemble those of Yinchenhao, and its purple flower spikes grow on one side. Each spike has about forty or fifty flower chambers. They look like the spikes of Jingjie, but belong to a different plant, whose fragrance resembles that of perilla leaves.

Jiasu

Jiasu tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats alternating chills and fever, scrofula and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, sores, accumulations of Qi within the body, and blood stasis. It can also dispel damp impediment. It is also called Shuming and Jiangjie, and grows in river valleys and marshes around Hanzhong.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Jiasu is Jingjie. It grows in the river valleys and marshes around Hanzhong and is now found everywhere. Its leaves resemble those of goosefoot, but are finer. When newly sprouted, they are fragrant and pungent and can be eaten; people often prepare them as a raw vegetable. Ancient prescriptions rarely used this plant, but physicians in recent times have made it an important medicine for head-wind, deficiency taxation, sores and scabies, and blood-wind disorders in women. For medicinal use, the flowering and fruiting spikes are usually gathered and dried in the sun. They take effect quickly.

Tao Hongjing said that this medicine was no longer used in prescriptions. A Tang-era commentary on the Materia Medica says it is the Jingjie eaten as a vegetable, and that “Jiangjing” is a corruption introduced during transmission of the name. It was originally listed in the section on herbs, but is now commonly eaten, so it has been recorded in the section on vegetables.

Chen Shiliang says: Jingjie can be used for blood deficiency and taxation, obstruction by pathogenic wind, back pain, and spontaneous sweating. It can also treat beriberi in men, painful tension in the sinews and bones, Yin-Yang toxin, headache from cold damage, dizziness, and spasms of the sinews and vessels in the hands and feet. Ancient materia medica texts call it Jiasu. On examination, Jiasu has pointed, rounded leaves and usually grows in the wild. Because its fragrance resembles that of perilla leaves, it is called “su.”

The Materia Medica Explained says: Jiasu is Jingjie. Use only the flower spikes of Jingjie to treat postpartum blood fainting and conditions such as the eyes rolling upward and the limbs stiffening after windstroke. Grind the medicine into a fine powder, take two or three qian, and mix it with a small cup of a boy’s urine. After a short while, the patient will regain consciousness; the book says this method is very effective.

To treat wind affecting the head and eyes, grind Jingjie flower spikes, Xixin, Chuanxiong, and other ingredients into a fine powder. After eating, take two qian stirred into hot water. If pathogenic wind causes itching over the whole body, boil Jingjie into a fairly strong decoction and use it to pour over the body, or soak in it while seated.

Bairanghe

Bairanghe is slightly warm in nature and treats Gu poisoning and malaria.

The Classic of the Materia Medica says: Older texts do not record which prefectures Bairanghe comes from. Today it is widely cultivated around Jingzhou and Xiangzhou and in the Jianghu region; it is also found in the north. Its leaves emerge in early spring and resemble those of the banana plant. Its root resembles ginger but is larger and fleshier. The rhizome can be pickled and eaten. The plant prefers shady places, and the parts near the root that grow underground are especially delicious.

Tao Hongjing says: Today, people call the red kind “nanghe” and the white kind “fuzhu.” In fact, they are different varieties of the same plant. The red kind is better for eating, while the white kind is suitable for treating cases of gu poisoning, believed to result from harmful substances produced by sorcery. After drinking its juice and then lying on its leaves, a person is said to be able to name the one who cast the spell. It can also be used to treat injuries caused by various poisonous creatures found in streams and ravines, as well as sand fleas and the like. Eating too much, however, weakens its medicinal effect and can harm the feet. Some people say that planting white nanghe around the home can drive away snakes.

The Shenghui Fang records: To treat loss of voice and obstruction of the throat caused by wind-cold, take two liang of nanghe root, grind it, and squeeze out the juice. Mix the juice with one large cup of wine and take half a qian warm, at any time.

The Zhouhou Fang gives the same account.

The Waitai Miyao Fang records: For sores or ulcers in the throat or mouth, soak nanghe root in wine for half a day, then hold the infused liquid in the mouth and gargle with it; this should bring relief.

The Meishi Fang records: To treat sudden gu poisoning accompanied by bloody stools resembling chicken liver, continuing day and night, with the internal organs damaged and the patient near death, place the leaves thickly beneath the patient’s sleeping mat. The patient is said to name the one who cast the spell spontaneously. Do not let the patient notice what you are doing, so as not to interfere with the name being spoken.

The Yanyi says: White nanghe can be pickled and stored in the eighth or ninth month, then eaten as a vegetable in winter or kept for medicinal use. When using it as medicine, however, use only the fresh plant.

Mint is pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats pernicious wind and cold damage, and can induce sweating. It is also used for foul influences, fullness and distention in the chest and abdomen, cholera, and accumulated food that will not digest; it can direct Qi downward. It may be taken as a decoction or eaten raw. People grow mint at home and drink its juice to induce sweating and greatly relieve fatigue.

The Tujing says: Earlier materia medica texts did not record which prefectures produced mint, but today it is found everywhere. Its stems and leaves resemble those of ren (a plant related to perilla), but are larger and longer. Its roots survive the winter. The stems and leaves are gathered in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Ancient prescriptions rarely used mint; sometimes it was combined with xie (a plant related to Chinese shallots) and made into ji, a pounded or pickled condiment. In recent times, physicians have often used it to treat wind-cold, wind-related headaches, and obstruction of Qi. It is also an important remedy for wind-induced phlegm in children, so people commonly grow it in their courtyards.

There is also hu mint, which resembles mint but tastes slightly sweeter, making the two easy to distinguish. Hu mint grows in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region, where local people often drink it as tea. It is commonly known as “Silla mint.”

The Rihua Zi says: Mint treats loss of voice caused by wind-stroke and the expectoration of phlegm; it dispels pernicious wind, treats fullness and distention in the chest and abdomen, directs Qi downward, digests accumulated food, and can also be used for wind-related headaches.

Yuxi says: According to the Yaoxing Lun, mint, when used as an assistant herb in a prescription, dispels pent-up indignation, promotes sweating and the expulsion of pathogenic influences, invigorates the blood, stops dysentery, and frees the joints. It is especially suitable for making into ji together with xie…

Those who have only recently recovered from illness should not eat it. Doing so may weaken the body and cause continuous sweating.

Chen Shiliang says: Wu bala (the name of a medicinal herb) can guide other medicines into the nutritive blood and defensive Qi. It treats headaches in cold damage caused by Yin-Yang toxins and is suitable to eat in all seasons. He also says: Hu bala can treat obstruction by pathogenic wind and discomfort in the chest and diaphragm. Boil it as a tea, and it works immediately. Among the people, it is called “Silla bala.”

The Dietary Therapy says: This medicine is mild in nature and can relieve fatigue. It pairs well with xie (a vegetable in the onion and garlic family). It induces sweating and frees the joints. Drink its pounded juice to dispel wind-heat in the heart.

The Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library says: If stung by a bee, crush the herb and apply it to the wound to bring about recovery.

The Proven Formulas says: If water enters the ear, put drops of the herb’s juice into the ear; it works immediately.

The Food Remedies for the Heart says: It may be boiled in a fermented soybean broth and taken with warm wine, brewed as a tea, or eaten raw.

The Expanded Meaning says: Bohe is commonly called “southern bohe” to distinguish it from another variety known as “dragon-brain bohe.” When children suffer convulsions with a high fever, it is used to guide the effects of other medicines. Cats become intoxicated after eating bohe; this is an instance of different things responding to one another. To treat steaming-bone exhaustion, a condition seen in pulmonary tuberculosis and other illnesses and marked by heat deep in the bones and emaciation, take bohe juice and simmer it with other medicines to make a paste.

Tian cai, or beet, is sweet and bitter in taste, and very cold in nature. It treats the high fever of epidemic illness and can also dispel wind-heat toxins.

The character tian is pronounced “tian,” meaning “sweet.”

Tao Hongjing says: This is the tian cai now used to make pickles and eaten steamed. The character tian is pronounced “tian” and is also written as tian. At the onset of an epidemic fever, pound it, drink the juice, and the illness can be cured.

Chen Cangqi says: Pound tian cai, squeeze out the juice, and drink it to treat dysentery caused by cold or heat. It can also stop bleeding and promote the growth of new flesh. When a person or animal is injured or has a broken bone, apply it to the affected area for a quick recovery. Gather its seeds, soak them in vinegar, and rub the mixture on the face to make the skin supple and radiant.

Ri Hua Zi says: Beet is cold in nature and non-toxic. Roast it, then boil it in water and drink the liquid to stimulate the appetite and relieve obstruction in the chest and diaphragm.

Qin dili is pungent and warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats cold and distension in the heart and abdomen, and also regulates Qi and aids digestion. This vegetable, which people eat, grows in damp, low-lying places and is found everywhere.

Chen Cangqi says: The five pungent vegetables are pungent in taste and warm in nature. Eating them at the start of the year helps stir the Qi of the five organs. Regular consumption warms the middle burner, dispels foulness, aids digestion, and regulates Qi. The Seasonal Records of Jing and Chu says the same. However, they should not be eaten during a fever, as they may damage the eyesight.

Yuxi says: According to Meng Shen, Qin dili grows among clusters of vegetables. It is strongly fragrant and delicious, and especially effective at breaking up Qi. Grind it into powder and take it with wine to treat sudden heart pain and oppressive blockage in the chest. Grind the seeds into powder, mix them with strong vinegar, and apply to swellings, changing the dressing three times a day.

Tihu cai.

Lei Gong says: When using this herb, do not choose varieties that look like ox-hide vine. The suitable kind for harvesting is the one that releases a milky-white liquid when snapped open, has a sweet fragrance, and whose liquid is said to rise straight to the crown of the head. After harvesting, finely cut it with a bitter-bamboo knife, grind it into a paste in a sand mortar, then wrap it in fine, clean raw silk and knead it to squeeze out the juice. Warm the juice before drinking; it may also be used for other purposes. Whenever the herb is prepared, remove the roots and seeds.

The Qianjin Fang says: To treat persistent uterine bleeding caused by internal injury, pound red tihu to extract its juice, mix it with wine, bring it to a boil, and take one cup on an empty stomach.

Another formula says: To treat absent menstruation, squeeze the juice from the leaves, mix it with wine, and boil it; take one cup.

“Cup” is an ancient unit of volume and here means roughly one cup.