《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 42

Bitter bottle gourd is bitter in taste, cold in nature, and poisonous. It is chiefly used to treat edema: it reduces swelling of the face, eyes, and limbs, promotes the discharge of fluids, and induces vomiting. It grows along rivers and in marshlands in the region of Jin.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says that the pulp of bitter bottle gourd can be used to treat edema, reduce swelling of the face and limb joints, expel fluids that have accumulated in the body, and treat disorders caused by retained fluid.

Tao Hongjing says that bottle gourd and winter melon have similar properties, though their effects differ in strength, probably because bottle gourd tastes bitter. Sometimes bottle gourd is as bitter as bile and cannot be eaten; this does not mean there is a separate variety called bitter bottle gourd. There is also the bottle gourd known as lou, which belongs to the same family. Its smaller form is called a dipper gourd and tastes better than bottle gourd. All these gourds promote the flow of fluids, so they are well suited to summer eating. In this regard, however, they are still less effective than winter melon.

A note in the Tang Materia Medica says that bottle gourd, winter melon, and lou gourd are entirely different kinds, and that Tao Hongjing made a serious mistake by discussing them together. The bitter part of bottle gourd cannot be used as medicine; winter melon is discussed separately above. Bottle gourd and lou gourd must also be distinguished: their vines and leaves are similar, but their fruits have different shapes.

Bottle gourd is usually sweet, though it is occasionally bitter. It resembles a long oriental melon, may grow to more than a foot in length, and has similar ends. Lou gourds vary in size and shape. Bottle gourd ripens in summer, and by late autumn the whole plant has withered. Lou gourd sets fruit only toward the end of summer, which ripens in autumn. If lou gourds are to be kept for use as utensils, they are suitable only after being exposed to frost.

Bottle gourd and sweet lou gourd have similar properties. They are sweet in taste, cold in nature, promote the flow of fluids, relieve thirst, and clear heat; they are not poisonous. Eating too much can cause vomiting. The medicinal effects of bitter lou gourd are the same as those described in the classic. Bitter bottle gourd, however, cannot be eaten and has no therapeutic effect, so it is not included in prescriptions. Sweet lou gourd and bottle gourd are both tastier than winter melon. Tao Hongjing said they were inferior to winter melon because he did not understand that these gourds are distinct varieties; it is not that a sweet variety has turned bitter.

The pulp of bitter bottle gourd is bitter in taste, cold in nature, and poisonous. It can be used to treat edema, stone lin (gravel or pain during urination), cough, scrotal masses, zhu (a category of lingering chronic illness), gu toxins, and phlegm-fluid retention. If too much is taken and vomiting and diarrhea persist, water mixed with ash from burned millet stalks can be used as an antidote after the ash’s outer layer has been removed. Water boiled for washing the genital area can also be used to treat difficulty urinating.

Ri Huazi says that bottle gourd, a plant of the gourd family, is non-toxic. Another account says it is mildly toxic and can relieve vexation and thirst. It clears heat from the heart, promotes urination and bowel function, and moistens the heart and lungs. It is used to treat stone strangury, in which stones or sand are passed during urination, and the vomiting of roundworms.

Meng Shen says that bottle gourd is cold in nature and can be used for wasting thirst and severe sores. People with beriberi, deficiency-related distention, or internal cold should not eat it, especially in large amounts. Only those taking elixir medicines containing minerals who need to clear excess heat may eat it; others should not consume it casually.

The Wai Tai Mi Yao records: Someone suddenly developed swelling in the foot, which gradually spread upward to the knee. The person could not put the foot on the ground, and later the face and whole body became swollen. Take the white flesh and seeds of a bitter gourd and shape them into seven pieces, each about the size of a soybean. Coat them in flour, boil them once, and take them on an empty stomach. By midday, a large amount of fluid should be discharged. After three days, the edema will subside on its own, though the person will be noticeably thinner; this indicates that the illness has passed. Food must be chosen carefully for the next three years. Select a bitter gourd with no spots, fine texture, and a clean appearance. Otherwise it may be poisonous and must not be used.

Lei Gong says that bottle gourd tastes bitter and is poisonous.

The Jingyan Fang records that bottle gourd can be used to treat wasting thirst.

The Zhou Hou Fang records: If someone accidentally contracts gu poison and vomits blood or passes blood in the stool, with the blood in both cases resembling rotten liver, take one bitter gourd and boil it in two sheng of water until reduced to one sheng. After drinking it, the person will vomit immediately, and then may recover. Another prescription boils a bitter gourd in one sheng of bitter wine, a kind of vinegar, until the gourd dissolves, then has the patient drink it; this is said to work very well.

The Shanghan Leiyao Fang records a treatment for jaundice: Take about one jujube’s worth of the flesh of a bitter gourd and soak it in two he of a child’s urine for the time it takes to eat two or three meals. Remove it, divide it in half, and place one piece in each nostril. The patient should inhale deeply. If yellow fluid flows out, the treatment is considered effective.

Purslane

Purslane is said to treat blindness and white film over the eyes, promote urination and bowel movements, dispel cold and heat, kill parasites, relieve thirst, and disperse abdominal masses and abscesses. Taken over a long period, it can prevent the hair from turning white prematurely. Mixed with grime from a comb, it can be applied to a deep-rooted boil. It can also be burned to ash and mixed with old vinegar residue: first warm the boil with heat, then apply the mixture to draw out its root. Pound the plant and take its juice to promote the discharge of harmful substances from the body and expel white worms. Made into a salve by decoction, it can be applied to treat patchy hair loss. It is also used for various scrofulous swellings, lumps, and sores caused by wind pathogens: boil a cauldronful of purslane in water, let the liquid settle, add three liang of wax, and simmer it into a salve to apply to sores; it may also be taken internally.

The Tujing says that earlier materia medica texts did not record which prefectures produced purslane, but it is now found everywhere. Although its name includes the word “amaranth,” its seedlings and leaves differ from those of common amaranth. It is also called “Five Phases Grass” because its leaves are green, stems red, flowers yellow, roots white, and seeds black.

Zihei—possibly the name of a medicinal herb, as mentioned earlier—comes in two kinds. The kind with large leaves is unsuitable for medicine; the kind with small leaves is better. It is said that mercury is found between its stem joints and leaves. Drying ten jin of it yields eight to ten liang of mercury. The plant is difficult to dry completely: pound it with a wooden mallet, set it on a rack facing east, and leave it in the sun for two or three days; it will dry as thoroughly as if it had been stored for a year. Before using it as medicine, remove the stems and joints. It is said to fill the intestines and suppress the appetite.

Chen Cangqi says: It disperses abdominal masses and accumulations, relieves excessive thirst, and treats malignant sores and insect infestations in horses. The plant is very difficult to dry out completely. Even after drying, it may continue to grow if left on the ground.

Meng Shen says: Purslane can also be used for toxic sores on horses. Boil it in water, give the horse one sheng of the resulting liquid to drink, and apply the liquid to the sores. A paste made from purslane can be applied to moist ringworm and patches of hair loss. Purslane also treats childhood malnutrition with dysentery, dispels various wind disorders, and is effective when applied to bruises caused by blows from a stick. Another way to take it is to boil a bowl of purslane, season it with salt, vinegar, and the like, and eat it on an empty stomach. After a while, it is said to expel white worms.

The Food Therapy text says: Purslane helps prolong life and improve eyesight. For moist ringworm or patches of hair loss, apply purslane paste, or burn the purslane to ash and apply it; both methods are effective. Simmer one dan of purslane with two dan of water and three liang of wax to make a paste. This can treat thirty-six kinds of wind disorders, childhood malnutrition with dysentery, and other conditions. Purslane may also be chopped and boiled into porridge to stop dysentery and treat abdominal pain.

The Sacred Beneficial Prescriptions records: If a horse has been bitten and poisoned, and the poison has attacked its heart, it may be given purslane soup. Another prescription treats everted sores: burn one jin of purslane to ash, grind it finely, mix it with pork fat, and apply it to the affected area.

The Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library records: To treat scrofula, dry purslane in the shade and burn it to ash, then mix the ash with pork fat from the twelfth lunar month. First wash the sores with warm rice-rinsing water and dry them; then apply the medicine for three consecutive days.

The Thousand Gold Pieces Prescriptions records: To treat various kinds of underarm odor, pound purslane and mix it with honey into a ball. Wrap it in paper, coat the outside of the paper thickly with clay, and leave it in the sun to dry before baking it. Take out the medicinal ball and mix it with a little more honey. First rub the armpit with coarse cloth, then place the medicine under the arm until the pain becomes unbearable. Next, bind both arms tightly with a cloth; this is said to cure the condition.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records: To treat smallpox sores, burn purslane to ash and apply it to the sores. The roots of the sores will soon be drawn out. If they do not come out, apply the medicine again.

The Shiyi Xinjing says that purslane (also called horse-tooth vegetable, a wild green) can be used to treat beriberi, swelling of the head and face, fullness and distension in the chest and abdomen, and difficult, scanty urination. Cook purslane with a little non-glutinous rice and seasoning sauce, and eat it.

Another recipe: for a child with bloody dysentery, take fresh purslane, squeeze out one he (a measure of volume) of juice, add a spoonful of honey, and drink it on an empty stomach.

The Chanbao Fang records: for bloody dysentery after childbirth, inability to urinate, and pain around the navel and abdomen, pound fresh purslane to extract three he of juice. Bring it to a boil once, then add one he of honey, stir well, and drink.

The Yanyi says that people commonly eat purslane, but it is cold in nature and has a slippery quality. This point has already been recorded under the entry for “Qingdai.”

Garlic

Garlic, also called hu, tastes pungent and is warm in nature; it is toxic. It treats abscesses, swellings, and sores, and can also dispel pathogenic Wind and eliminate toxic influences. Single-clove garlic is also very good. It enters the Five Zang Organs; eating it for a long time harms the body and damages eyesight. Harvest it on the fifth day of the fifth month.

The Tujing says that hu is garlic. The old text does not record which prefectures produce it; nowadays it is found everywhere and is grown in gardens. Each bulb has six or seven cloves. Plant one clove, and it will grow into single-clove garlic that year; by the following year, it will return to ordinary garlic with several cloves. Garlic flowers also produce seeds, shaped like cloves but very small, which can also be planted. Harvest it on the fifth day of the fifth month.

Considering the Bencao Jing’s claim that garlic can disperse abscesses and swellings, Li Jiang’s Bingbu Shouji Fang records this treatment: for a toxic sore that is swollen and painful, causing the patient to cry out and be unable to lie down, finely pound two bulbs of single-clove garlic and mix them with sesame oil. Apply a thick layer over the sore, replacing it with fresh medicine when it dries.

Tao Hongjing says that people today call hu “garlic” and suan “small garlic,” because the two have similar aromas. Garlic has an intensely pungent, unpleasant smell and is not suitable to eat. In folk practice, it is made into ji (a pickled or pounded condiment) to accompany raw fish and meat; this is especially harmful to the body and shortens life. Garlic is suitable only for eating raw, not for cooking and eating with fermented green fish, which can make a person turn yellow. Seeds taken from garlic scapes and planted will grow into single-clove garlic; by the following year, it will return to ordinary garlic.

The Rihua Zi says that garlic strengthens the Spleen and regulates Kidney Qi, relieves cholera, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and can also dispel evil influences, ward off epidemics, and counteract gu toxins. It is also used for lingering malaria, Cold Wind, abdominal masses known as xianpi, and epidemics. For pain caused by Wind-Cold, snake or insect bites, malignant sores, scabies, stream poison, and sand fleas, pound garlic and apply it as a dressing. Garlic works very well when used after being soaked in vinegar for many years.

Meng Shen says that taking garlic for a long time damages the eyesight and the Liver. To treat a wound from a snakebite, take garlic...

Take one sheng of peeled garlic, crush it, and add one sheng of human urine. Bring it to a boil three or four times. The medicinal liquid may be taken by ordinary people.

If bitten by an insect or snake, and the wound has just begun to sting but has not yet swollen, chew garlic at once and apply it to the wound. Replace it six or seven times from morning to night. Separately, take one sheng of peeled garlic and boil it in two sheng of milk until soft. Take it all at once on an empty stomach, then eat a meal to settle the medicine. Repeat the same treatment the next day. The text says this is also used for various cold toxins and pathogenic wind. Another remedy calls for grinding one solo garlic bulb (a bulb with only one clove) with realgar and apricot kernels into pills. Take three pills with water on an empty stomach, then sit quietly for a while. It is said that if someone suffering from “ghost qi”—an old term for certain illnesses—sweats, the illness will be cured.

The Wai Tai Mi Yao records that for toothache, a solo garlic bulb should be heated in embers, cut open while hot, and pressed against the painful area with the cut side. Replace it when the garlic cools. The remedy is also used for pain from cavities. Another formula says that for fullness and distension in the chest and abdomen, with difficulty passing urine or stool, a solo garlic bulb can be heated, peeled, wrapped in cotton cloth, and inserted into the anus; the flow of qi is said to resume quickly.

The Qian Jin Fang records that for sudden diarrhea, crushed garlic may be applied to the soles of both feet. Another formula says that when qi and blood surge upward, causing distress in the chest or heart pain, taking two sheng of juice from crushed raw garlic is said to bring a cure.

The Mei Shi Fang records that when the abdomen is distended and medicine cannot be taken, a suppository method may be used: heat a solo garlic bulb in embers, peel it, wrap it in cotton cloth, and insert it into the anus. Replace it when it cools. Another formula says that for persistent pain from a centipede bite, rub the wound with a solo garlic bulb until the pain stops. For a bite from a snake or pit viper, crush a solo garlic bulb with sour grass, squeeze out the juice, and apply it to the wound.

The Jian Yao Ji Zhong Fang records that when a nosebleed will not stop and medicine has no effect, take one peeled garlic bulb and grind it finely into a paste. Spread it into a cake the size of a copper coin and about as thick as a bean. If the left nostril is bleeding, place it on the sole of the left foot; if the right nostril is bleeding, place it on the sole of the right foot; if both sides are bleeding, place one cake on each sole. After the bleeding stops, the soles should be washed at once with warm water.

The Yan Yi says: “‘Hu’ means garlic, whose taste and smell are intensely pungent. Placed among foul-smelling meat, it can mask the odor. For heatstroke or poisoning, chew two or three cloves of garlic and swallow them with warm water. After swallowing, one will feel better; cold water should then be avoided. For sudden bleeding from below, take five to seven garlic bulbs with their stems and skins removed, add fermented black beans in proportion, and pound them together into a paste. When it can be rolled into pills, make pills the size of Chinese parasol tree seeds. Take fifty or sixty with rice water; this is said to cure the condition. For a nosebleed, one garlic bulb may also be crushed and applied to the soles of both feet, and the bleeding will soon stop.”

When a sore first appears on the back or between the ribs, and it is not yet clear whether it is an abscess of the “yong” or “ju” type, cover the affected area with a slice of garlic and apply moxibustion with mugwort. If the sore is already painful, continue moxibustion until the pain eases; if it is not yet painful, continue until pain appears. It is said that applying moxibustion as soon as the sore is discovered is invariably effective. During treatment, locate the affected area carefully and place the garlic slice at the very center of the sore. People often fail to understand this and refuse to apply moxibustion when a sore is still very small. This is truly regrettable.

“Yong” and “ju” refer here to two types of sores and swellings. With yong, the skin is shiny and red; with ju, the skin and muscle fibers rise up and lose their luster. The original text also describes the difference between them as “Yang stagnating in Yin” and “Yin stagnating in Yang.”

Garlic is pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and slightly toxic. It enters the Spleen and Kidney channels. It is used to treat cholera and abdominal discomfort, and can also aid digestion, regulate Stomach Qi, warm the middle burner, and dispel pathogenic influences, painful obstruction, and toxins. It should be gathered on the fifth day of the fifth month.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that garlic here means small garlic. Ancient books do not record which regions produced it; today it grows throughout the country, in fields. Its roots and shoots resemble those of common garlic, but are very small. It should be gathered on the fifth day of the fifth month. The Erya and Shuowen give names and explanations for suan and li that do not fully agree with the materia medica, which calls large garlic hu and small garlic suan. Ancient books differ in how they name things, so medicinal ingredients must be identified with care. The character li is pronounced “li.”

The Records of the Sun’s Splendor says that small garlic is hot in nature and toxic. It can move Qi, stop vomiting and diarrhea caused by cholera, and disperse food stagnation. It may also be used for Gu poison and sores caused by snakes, insects, or sand fleas. It should not be eaten in the third month.

Meng Shen says that small garlic can also counter various insect poisons and is especially effective for furuncles, but should not be eaten regularly.

The Dietary Therapy text says that small garlic can be used for cholera, aid digestion, regulate Stomach Qi, warm the middle burner, and dispel pathogenic influences. Those gathered on the fifth day of the fifth month are considered best. It can also be used for insect poisons, furuncles, and toxic sores, but should not be eaten often.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records the following treatment for cholera: if the chest and abdomen are distended and full, the Qi is obstructed, and the patient can neither vomit nor pass stool, take one sheng of small garlic, chop it, add three sheng of water, and boil it down to one sheng. Drink the entire amount at once. It also records a treatment for malaria: grind an appropriate amount of garlic very finely, add a little red lead, and shape the mixture into a pill about the size of a chicken’s head. Let it dry, then take one pill at a time.

Place freshly drawn water before you and drink it facing east; it is highly effective.

Garlic: This refers to small garlic, also called “li.” Its shoots resemble slender scallions, and its large white bulbs look like water chestnuts. It can be cooked and eaten with the roots attached, and is also called “house garlic.” The garlic paste used by Hua Tuo—crushed garlic or minced garlic—was made from this kind.

Eggplant: Eggplant tastes sweet and is cold in nature. Eating it often or in large amounts can make the body cold and harm it; it may also impede the flow of Qi, bring on sores and ulcers, and trigger old ailments. Eggplant is also called “luosu” and grows throughout the country. The roots, dried stems, and leaves are said to be useful for making a decoction in which to soak frostbitten feet. The small, thorny eggplant tree called bitter eggplant is found in Lingnan. Eggplant can be ground with vinegar and applied to treat deep sores and swellings; its roots can also be boiled into a decoction for bathing.

The Food Therapy says: Eggplant is neutral in nature and may be used for conditions such as alternating chills and fever, and exhaustion of the five organs. It should not be eaten in large amounts, however, lest it impede the flow of Qi and cause old ailments to recur. A small amount of cooked eggplant is harmless. Those who are easily chilled should avoid it, as it may trigger old ailments. Soaking the feet in a decoction of eggplant root can treat sores caused by frostbite.

The Shengjin Formula records: For bruises and injuries from falls that leave the skin blue and swollen, take a very large eggplant with its calyx still attached and seeds that have ripened and turned yellow. Cut it into slices about a finger’s thickness, dry them over a new roof tile, and grind them into powder. Before bed, mix three qian and seven fen—a traditional unit of medicinal weight—with wine and take it. The swelling and marks are said to disappear overnight without leaving a trace.

The Lingyuan Formula records: For intestinal bleeding—a traditional term for symptoms such as passing blood in the stool—that continues for a long time, burn the eggplant calyx to ash while preserving its medicinal properties, then grind it into powder. Before each meal, mix three qian and seven fen with rice water and take it.

The Yanyi says: Silla, an ancient kingdom on the Korean Peninsula, produced a kind of eggplant that was pale with a slight purplish hue, had a long stem, and tasted sweet. Today this kind of eggplant grows in vegetable gardens throughout China. But the Yanyi considers eggplant to be of no benefit to people and to have no clearly established therapeutic effect; the text mentions only that it may harm the body. Later authors recorded some ways of using it to treat illness, but these ultimately differ from what the Bencao Jing says. Vegetable growers also cultivate eggplant in warm places, apply heavy amounts of fertilizer, and bring it to market around the time of Lesser Fullness to sell at a high price. This is out of season and means more people may be harmed by eating it. How can we ignore the principle, “Do not eat foods out of season”?

Ma qin seeds: They taste sweet and pungent, are warm in nature, and are non-toxic. They treat distension and fullness in the heart and abdomen, help Qi descend, aid digestion, and can also be used as a seasoning. Their aroma resembles tangerine peel, but they are not bitter.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: Ma qin grows beside marshes. Its shoots resemble beggar-ticks and beet, and its flowers are bluish white. The seeds are yellowish black and resemble those of fangfeng. The Tang Materia Medica Commentary was the first to include it as an appendix to the materia medica.

The Rihuazi says: Ma qin can be eaten when tender, and its seeds can be used for sudden attacks of heart pain. It is said that eating it roasted can help a person fall asleep.

Yuxi says: According to the Illustrated Classic of Shu Materia Medica, the flowers of ma qin resemble those of celery, and its seeds resemble those of fangfeng, but are flatter and larger.

The Erya describes “jiao-niuqi,” which Guo Pu explains as an edible vegetable resembling celery, with slender, pointed leaves. It is also called “jiao,” “niuqi,” or “maqin.” Its seeds can be used medicinally.

Meng Shen says that eating this vegetable with fermented bean paste brings its various flavors into balance, but its roots and leaves are not suitable for eating. For sudden heart pain, grind the seeds into powder and take it with vinegar to ease the pain.

Yuntai (rapeseed) tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat painful erysipelas swelling caused by wandering pathogenic Wind, as well as breast abscesses. Ri Huazi says yuntai is cool in nature and can treat postpartum Blood-Wind and blood stasis; people with body odor should not eat it. Another commentary says it can disperse abdominal masses and congealed blood stasis. Today, people commonly believe that yuntai is suitable for those with blood disorders.

Su Song quotes Meng Shen as saying that people with preexisting ailments of the waist and legs should not eat much yuntai, since it may worsen their condition, damage Yang Qi, cause mouth sores and toothache, and possibly produce worms in the abdomen. Kou Zongshi says yuntai has a faint aroma, and its roots can survive the winter without dying. It can drive worms out of vegetables, but among vegetables its flavor is not especially good.

Bóling (spinach) is cold in nature and slightly toxic. It regulates the Five Viscera, promotes the flow of the intestines and stomach, and clears Heat toxins and alcohol toxins. It is considered beneficial for people taking elixirs and mineral medicines. People in the north often eat meat and wheat-based foods, so spinach can help balance their diet. People in the south often eat fish, turtles, and other aquatic foods, which tend to make the body cold, so they should not eat much spinach. Because spinach is cold in nature, it can chill the small and large intestines. Eating it over a long period may weaken the legs and feet, make walking difficult, and cause lower back pain. It should not be eaten with eel, as this may bring on cholera-like illness, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Liu Yuxi’s Jiahua lu says that bóling originated in the Western Regions. People there brought its seeds, just as they brought alfalfa and grapes, and Zhang Qian introduced it to China. “Bóling” was originally the name of the country Poling; over time, its pronunciation became corrupted. Many people at the time did not know this origin.

Hucōng tastes pungent and is warm in nature. It warms the middle, aids digestion, lowers Qi, and kills parasites. Eating it over a long period can harm the spirit and temperament, cause forgetfulness and impaired vision, and possibly bring on old ailments. People with body odor should avoid it, as it can worsen the symptoms. Hucōng resembles small garlic: its bulbs are small and round, with reddish skin, and are somewhat elongated and pointed. It grows in the mountain valleys of Shu Commandery and is harvested in the fifth and sixth months.

The Shiliao says that hucōng is neutral in nature and can aid digestion and stimulate the appetite. Eating it over a long period causes forgetfulness, and its roots may bring on old ailments. If someone eats poisoned meat and suffers persistent vomiting of blood, weakness, and a sallow complexion, take one sheng of hucōng seeds, wash them, and boil them until they split. Let the liquid cool, then drink it: half a sheng in the morning and half a sheng in the evening. The text says this can stop the bleeding. People with body odor or cavities should avoid hucōng, as it will worsen their condition. According to the text, hucōng can also replenish deficiencies in the Five Viscera.

Qi (vital energy) can also damage and sever the blood vessels; eating too much can deplete the spirit. This refers to smoked foods.

Water shield, also called chun, is an aquatic plant. It tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat wasting thirst and heat impediment, the painful obstruction caused by pathogenic heat.

Tao Hongjing says: Water shield is cold in nature, though some accounts say it is cool. It can replenish and direct Qi downward. Cooked in a soup with carp, it promotes urination. But water shield is slippery in texture, so people who eat for health and longevity should not have too much.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: Eating water shield over a long period is very beneficial. Cooked in a soup with crucian carp, it is especially effective for people with Qi deficiency or poor Qi circulation, and is also suitable for the elderly. Water shield should be classed among the superior-grade substances. Water shield gathered between the third and fourth lunar months and the seventh and eighth lunar months is commonly called “silk water shield”; it tastes sweet and is tender. Water shield gathered after Frost’s Descent and through the twelfth lunar month is called “gui water shield”; it tastes bitter and is astringent, and can be used in soups.

The Book of Jin records that whenever the autumn wind began to blow, Zhang Han would think of perch and water shield soup. This soup helps direct Qi downward.

Water celery tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat red or white vaginal discharge and bleeding in women. It can also stop bleeding, nourish Jing (essence), preserve the blood vessels, and replenish original Qi, making people strong and increasing their weight. It is also called “water bloom” and grows in ponds and marshes around the South Sea region.

Tao Hongjing says: The account of water celery’s uses should originally have been placed at the end of the superior-grade section; it is unclear why it appears here. Water celery can be pickled or boiled and eaten when it flowers in the second and third lunar months. Another kind, called “zha celery,” can be served cold or eaten raw. In common usage, its name is usually written with the character for “celery.”

Another commentary says: This is celery. There are two kinds: di celery, whose root is used and is white, and red celery, whose stems and leaves are used. Both kinds can be pickled or served cold. The classic says celery is neutral in nature, though another account calls it extremely cold. It is non-toxic.

The Golden Casket Formula says: In spring and autumn, it is said that dragons carry their vital essence into celery. If someone accidentally eats it, they may develop a disease in which their hands turn bluish and their abdomen swells with unbearable pain. This is called “flood dragon disease.” When the abdomen is hard and distended, take two or three sheng of sugar twice a day. After vomiting up something resembling a lizard, the person will generally recover within two or three doses.

The Secret Record of the Child and Mother says: Celery can be used for childhood cholera, vomiting, and diarrhea. Chop and boil the celery, then drink the juice in any desired quantity until the illness stops.

Chickweed, also called chicken-intestine grass, tastes sour, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat severe sores that have not healed for many years. Gather it at noon on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, dry it in the sun, and keep it for use.

The Illustrated Classic says: Chickweed is chicken-intestine grass. Earlier books do not record which prefectures produce it. Today it grows abundantly in fields in the south, and is sometimes found in damp places near the capital. Its leaves resemble those of water mallow, but are smaller. Between summer and autumn, it puts forth tiny, whitish-yellow…

The stalks that emerge between the leaves and flowers spread as they grow. When broken, they reveal threadlike fibers; the stalks are slender and hollow. Their shape resembles a chicken’s intestine, which is why the plant is called “Chicken-Intestine Herb.”

The Bencao Jing lists it under two entries. Su Gong believed these were actually one herb with two names. According to the Erya, “ao,” “soulou,” and “lü” are names for the same plant. The commentary says that ao is also called soulou, fanlou, or Chicken-Intestine Herb; in fact, all these names refer to one and the same plant. The herbs that grow throughout the north and south today may look different because of the richness or barrenness of the soil. The plant also has many names, so people unfamiliar with it often mistake it for two different species. “Lou” is pronounced like “lü.”

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says that this herb is Chicken-Intestine Herb. Neither fanlou nor Chicken-Intestine Herb appears in the original text of the Bencao Jing, yet they are described separately in different places. Both mostly grow in damp locations, such as beside pits and ditches. Ordinary people usually call it Chicken-Intestine Herb, while writers use fanlou as a general name. The Erya lists together plants that have different names but are actually the same.

The Yanyi says that fanlou and Chicken-Intestine Herb are one and the same plant. Although they are now listed under separate entries, the entry for Chicken-Intestine Herb gives no distinct account of its properties and flavors, which shows that the two are in fact one plant. Chicken-Intestine Herb blooms in spring with small flowers about the size of mung beans; its stems and leaves resemble coriander. When it first sprouts, the stems stand upright, but as it matures they lie along the ground. Rural households gather it to make ji (a dish of finely chopped, pickled vegetables). It is said to make the beard and hair turn black.

Chicken-Intestine Herb can be used for toxic swellings and can reduce excessive urination.

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says that Chicken-Intestine Herb is simply fanlou, so there is no need to list it again; the separate entry should be deleted. On review, Chicken-Intestine Herb was originally listed in the lower grade of the herbs section, and the Tang Materia Medica commentary considered it a duplicate entry. Since the two entries describe similar indications, they may originally have referred to the same plant. Chicken-Intestine Herb is therefore now placed under the entry for fanlou.

White lettuce: bitter in flavor and cold in nature (some say neutral). It is used to strengthen the sinews and bones, regulate the five organs, ease and open the chest and diaphragm, promote the flow of Qi and the channels, and stop disorders of the Spleen. Regular consumption can whiten the teeth, sharpen the mind, and reduce drowsiness. People with cold Qi may feel chill in the abdomen after eating it, but it generally causes no serious harm. It should not be eaten after childbirth, as it may make the body cold inside and cause pain in the lower abdomen. Chen Cangqi says that white lettuce resembles lettuce and has white hairs on its leaves.

Malabar spinach: sour in flavor, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It promotes bowel movements and dispels heat; its fruit can give the complexion a healthy glow. Malabar spinach is also called Heavenly Mallow and Fanfanlu.

Tao Hongjing says that Malabar spinach is also called Dew-Bearer and is commonly grown by ordinary people. Its leaves are suitable only for making ji. Malabar spinach is cold and slippery in nature. It is said that if someone who has been bitten by a dog develops an open sore, eating Malabar spinach will cause the sore never to heal. Its seeds are purple. Women can soak the seeds and mix the extracted juice into powder to apply to the face.

The dosage should be determined according to the needs of the prescription.

Violet juice tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat sores caused by horse venom. Crush the violet to extract its juice and use it to wash the affected area; it may also be taken by mouth.

The “jin” referred to here is violet. The Xiaopin Fang and the Wanbi Fang record that it can counter the poison of snakes and scorpions and can also be used for abscesses and swellings. The Tang Ben Cao commentary says that violet grows wild rather than being cultivated. It is commonly called violet; its leaves resemble those of fish mint, and its flowers are purple.

The Shiliao says that violet tastes bitter and treats alternating chills and fever, scrofula, lymph-node swellings, sores and nodules, stagnant Qi that gathers and does not disperse, and accumulated blood stasis. Its leaves can be used for cholera, with effects like those of fragrant mugwort. For a snakebite, crush the violet and apply it to the wound to draw out the poison. Violet may also be dried, ground into powder, and fried with oil to make an ointment. Apply it to the nodules three to five times, and the condition should improve.

Fish mint tastes pungent and is slightly warm in nature. It treats sores caused by the secretions of earwigs and similar insects. Eating too much can cause shortness of breath. The character for fish mint is pronounced “ji,” while the characters for earwig are pronounced “qu” and “sou.”

The Tujing says that fish mint tastes pungent, is slightly warm in nature, and treats sores caused by earwig secretions. It grows in shady, damp places in mountain valleys. Its stems are purplish red and trailing; its leaves resemble buckwheat leaves but are thicker. People in the regions south of the mountains and east of the Yangtze like to eat it raw. It should not be eaten in large amounts, however, because it can cause shortness of breath and weakness, damage Yang, and deplete Jing. Those who already suffer from weak legs should especially avoid it; even eating it once may leave them with a condition that never heals. In the Guanzhong region it is called “zu cai.” It is also rarely used in medical prescriptions, either ancient or modern.

The Jingyan Fang says: To treat a red, swollen, hot sore on the back, apply fish mint juice to the affected area. Once an opening forms in the sore and the toxic heat has begun to dissipate, replace the juice with fresh juice whenever it cools. This can cure the condition.

Water spinach tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats poison from wild kudzu. Eat it cooked, or crush it raw and take the extracted juice. In Lingnan, people cultivate a trailing variety with white flowers, which can be eaten as a vegetable. In Yunnan, some people eat water spinach before eating wild kudzu, believing that the two counteract each other and therefore prevent poisoning. Some also drip water spinach juice onto wild kudzu seedlings, which soon wither. This is roughly how the two substances counteract one another. Zhang Sikong said that after eating wild kudzu, Emperor Wu of Wei could still walk one chi; perhaps this was because he had eaten this vegetable beforehand.

Bitter lettuce is cold in nature and non-toxic. It can treat yellowing of the face and eyes, increase strength, and relieve fatigue. It can also be applied to bites from snakes and insects. Applying its juice to a boil can draw out the core. When silkworm moths emerge from their cocoons, never pick or break bitter lettuce, as doing so may harm the young moths; silkworm breeders also avoid eating it. After wild bitter lettuce has been picked repeatedly five or six times, its flavor becomes sweet and smooth, making it better than cultivated bitter lettuce.

The Rihua Zi says that bitter lettuce can treat yellowing of the face and eyes.

Deer-horn seaweed is extremely cold in nature and mildly toxic. It clears heat and wind pathogens from the body and can be used to treat fever in children caused by steaming-bone disorder, as well as consumptive fever. Adults should not eat it over long periods, however, as it may bring on old illnesses that are difficult to cure, damage the meridians and Qi and blood, make the feet cold and numb, harm the lower back and kidneys, and worsen the complexion. For people taking mineral medicines, eating deer-horn seaweed can weaken the medicines’ effects. It grows in the sea around Haizhou, Dengzhou, Laizhou, Yizhou, and Mizhou. It can also relieve the heat produced by eating wheat-flour foods.

The Qianjin Fang says that deer-horn seaweed can bring heat in the body downward.

Jun-da (a leafy vegetable) is neutral in nature and mildly toxic. It strengthens the body’s central Qi, directs Qi downward, regulates Spleen Qi, and dispels head wind. It also benefits the Five Organs. However, it tends toward cold and should not be eaten in large amounts, since overeating can disturb the flow of Qi. People who are already prone to abdominal cold may develop diarrhea after eating it. The stems of jun-da can be burned to ash; washing clothes with the resulting ash water makes them white as jade.

Dongfeng vegetable tastes sweet, is cold in nature, and is nontoxic. It is used to treat headache and dizziness caused by wind and heat pathogens obstructing the body, and redness of the eyes caused by Liver heat. It can be added to soup and tastes very good when cooked. It grows in flat, damp places in Lingnan. Its stems are two or three chi tall; its leaves resemble apricot leaves but are longer, very thick and soft, and covered with fine hairs. It grows before spring arrives, which is how it got its name, “East Wind Vegetable.”

Illustrated and Annotated Materia Medica, juan 42