《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 7

Yellow essence (huangjing) is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It is chiefly used to replenish the qi of the middle burner, dispel wind-dampness, and nourish the Five Viscera. Taken over a long period, it is said to make the body light and nimble, prolong life, and lessen hunger. It is also known by such names as chonglou, tuzhu, jige, jiuqiong, luzhu, weirui, “the Immortal’s provisions,” chuizhu, majian, and baiji. Yellow essence grows in mountain valleys and is now found in both the south and the north; that from Mount Song and Mount Mao is considered best. The roots are dug up in the second or third month, dried in the shade, and then used.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Earlier books do not record which prefectures and commanderies produce yellow essence. The roots are gathered in the second month, steamed, and then dried in the sun for use. Nowadays, people in many places also dig them up in the eighth month. Mountain folk steam and sun-dry yellow essence nine times, then make it into candied fruit for sale. It tastes very sweet and is yellowish-black. The Record of Things says that the Elder of Heaven once told the Yellow Emperor: “The herb of the sun is yellow essence. Eat it, and you can live forever.”

Tao Hongjing says: Yellow essence is now found everywhere. Its leaves begin to grow in the second month and are shaped like bamboo leaves. Its root resembles weirui, another medicinal herb, and is also shaped like guijiu, another plant. Folk prescriptions rarely use it, but texts on the cultivation of the immortals prize it highly. They say its roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits can all be eaten, or made into wine or powder. Specific methods are given in recipes for avoiding grain. Yellow essence leaves resemble those of gouteng, a poisonous plant, but yellow essence has neither purple stems nor yellow flowers. People often confuse the two for this reason.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: When yellow essence grows in fertile soil, its roots can become as large as a fist; in poor soil, they may be only as thick as a thumb.

The Ri Hua Zi Materia Medica says: Yellow essence replenishes the five kinds of exhaustion and seven injuries, strengthens the sinews and bones, relieves hunger, and helps one endure cold and heat. It also benefits the spleen and stomach and moistens the heart and lungs. To take it alone, steam and sun-dry it nine times, then eat it; this is said to preserve a youthful appearance.

Lei Gong says: When using it, do not mistake gouteng for yellow essence. The two do look alike, but gouteng leaves have hairs and two small hook-shaped projections, which distinguish it; taking it by mistake can be harmful. Yellow essence leaves resemble bamboo leaves. After gathering them, first wash them in stream water, steam them from the hour of the Snake until the hour of the Rat, then slice them thinly and dry them in the sun for use.

The Master Who Embraces Simplicity says: Taking the flowers of yellow essence is more effective than taking its fruit, and the fruit is more effective than the root, though the flowers are hard to obtain. It takes ten years of taking yellow essence to bring great benefit. For avoiding grain, it is less effective than zhu, a category of medicinal herbs including atractylodes. Taking zhu can make a person stout and healthy, able to carry heavy loads and cross dangerous terrain.

Polygonatum is not as sweet as some foods, but it is easy to gather and eat, and in years of famine it can stave off hunger for the elderly and children.

Taking Polygonatum When Food Runs Out

The Treatise on Dietetics says that taking Polygonatum can prolong life and keep a person from feeling hungry. The method is as follows: take an earthenware jar with its bottom removed, set it over a pot, fill it with Polygonatum, and cover it tightly. Steam it until vapor rises, then take it out and dry it in the sun. Steam and dry it a second time in the same way, repeating the process for nine rounds of steaming and sun-drying. A shi of freshly gathered Polygonatum will be reduced to about three or four dou after processing.

If Polygonatum has not been steamed thoroughly, eating it will cause a stinging pain in the throat; if it has not been dried fully, it will spoil easily. When first taking it raw, one should eat only one and a half cun at a time, then gradually increase the amount. The text also says that after taking it for ten days, one can go without food; for long-term use, a total of three chi and five cun is sufficient. After taking it for three hundred days, one will be able to see ghosts and spirits; ultimately, taking Polygonatum allows one to ascend to Heaven. Its roots, leaves, flowers, and fruit can all be eaten. Polygonatum grows in pairs, while the plant that grows alone is called “Flat Essence.”

A Legend of Polygonatum Making People Light and Strong

The Records of Strange Events recounts that a scholar in Linchuan mistreated a maid in his household, so she fled into the mountains. Much later, she saw a wild plant with lovely branches and leaves, pulled it up, and ate its root. She found it delicious and began eating it regularly. In time, she no longer felt hungry, and her body became light and strong.

One night, she rested beneath a large tree and heard something moving in the grass. Thinking it was a tiger, she climbed the tree in fear to hide. At daybreak, she climbed down and suddenly rose into the air. At times she flew from one mountain peak to another, like a bird. Several years later, members of her family found her while gathering firewood in the mountains and told her master. He sent people to catch her, but they failed.

Later, someone used nets to surround her on three sides beneath a sheer cliff. In an instant, she leapt to the mountain summit. Her master found this extraordinary. Someone suggested that the maid might have been born with the bones of an immortal, and that she had merely taken a miraculous herb. So her master placed wine, dishes, and sweet foods along a path she often traveled, to see whether she would come and eat. Sure enough, she came. After eating, she could not get far before she was captured. She described everything in detail and identified the plant she had eaten as Polygonatum.

Claims About Polygonatum’s Effects

The Scripture of Immortal Herbs and Plants in the Daoist Canon says that Polygonatum can ease the chest and abdomen, replenish primordial Qi, and harmonize the five organs. It makes the muscles fuller and the sinews and bones stronger, and greatly increases one’s strength. Long-term use can delay aging and brighten the complexion; white hair turns black, and lost teeth grow back.

The Treatise on Natural History records that long ago the Yellow Emperor asked Tianlao, “Among the things that grow between Heaven and Earth, is there anything one can eat to become immortal?” Tianlao replied, “The plant born of the Qi of the sun is called Polygonatum; taking it can prolong life. The plant born of the Qi of the great yin is called Gouhun…”

Here, “taking” refers to consuming medicinal herbs over a long period after processing them. This was a common cultivation method in ancient Daoist and health-preservation texts. Claims in the scriptures that one can avoid hunger, see ghosts and spirits, ascend to Heaven, or regain youth are traditional accounts and claims about the herb’s effects.

A certain herb can cause death immediately if eaten by mistake. One must believe that goudu (a poisonous herb) can kill; disbelief is no reason to risk one’s life.

Huangjing (a medicinal herb commonly used in Daoist health practices) is beneficial for prolonging life. Are its effects not quite remarkable?

The Shenghui Formula says: Immortals who take huangjing can attain the state of an earthly immortal, one who lives forever among human beings. Use any amount of its roots and stems: slice them thinly, dry them in the shade, then pound them into powder. Take it each day mixed with clean water. After one year, it can restore an aged body to youth.

Sweet Flag

Sweet flag tastes acrid, is warm in nature, and is nontoxic. It is used to treat painful obstruction and numbness of the limbs caused by wind, cold, and dampness; coughing with rebellious Qi; and asthma. It opens the heart orifices and replenishes the Five Viscera, clears the nine orifices of the body—such as the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth—and sharpens sight and hearing while clarifying the voice. It is also used for deafness, sores, weakness and coldness of the stomach and intestines, frequent urination, and damp obstruction in the limbs that makes bending and stretching difficult. For children with warm malaria accompanied by fever and persistent internal heat, sweet flag may also be boiled as a bath. Long-term use is said to make the body light and fit, sharpen the senses, strengthen memory, and guard against confusion. It is also said to prolong life, enhance intelligence and resolve, and preserve youth.

Sweet flag is also called changyang and yaojiu. It grows in ponds and marshes in Shangluo and in Yandao, Shu Commandery. Specimens with nine nodes per inch are considered best; roots that grow above ground cannot be used as medicine. It now grows in many regions. It grows among stones and gravel. The roots are gathered in the fifth and twelfth months and dried in the shade. It may be combined with qinpi and qinjiao, but should not be used together with dibie or ephedra.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Sweet flag’s root is twisted and jointed, shaped like a horse’s teeth. Three or four side roots grow beside each main root, and the side roots have especially dense nodes. Specimens with nine nodes per inch are best, though some have twelve. People in Shu use it to treat cramping pain caused by cold in the chest and abdomen: take one or two inches, pound it, and boil it with wuzhuyu to make a decoction. It works very well. Ethnic communities in the Qian and Shu regions also often carry sweet flag with them. If sudden heart pain occurs, they chew one or two inches and swallow it with hot water or wine; this is effective too.

Tao Hongjing says: The thick roots of sweet flag are used to treat wind and dampness, but are unsuitable for consumption. This herb is highly effective at driving away insects and can also remove fleas and lice, though people today do not mention this use. True sweet flag leaves have a raised ridge like a sword’s edge and produce small flowers in the fourth or fifth month. Beside streams in the eastern mountains grows another plant called xisun. Its root resembles that of stone-growing sweet flag in shape, smell, and color, but its leaves are like those of cattail and lack a ridge. People commonly mistake it for stone-growing sweet flag. Xisun is used only to treat coughing with rebellious Qi; it can also remove fleas and lice, but it is not suitable for consumption.

The Rihuazi says: Sweet flag expels wind and regulates Qi. It can be used for cold deficiency of the kidneys in men, for deficiency, coldness, and decline of the blood sea—the functional system associated in Chinese medicine with menstruation—in women, and for forgetfulness and dulled intelligence. It can also relieve agitation and stop pain in the chest and abdomen, as well as cholera, an acute illness involving vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

The rhizomes of sweet flag can be used to treat sores and scabies caused by externally contracted wind pathogens, as well as difficulty urinating. They can also kill intestinal parasites and fleas and lice.

For ear pain, grind sweet flag into powder, heat it in a pan, then wrap it while hot and apply it to the ear. This works very well. While taking it, avoid malt sugar and mutton.

The Baopuzi says that after Han Cong took sweet flag for thirteen years, hair grew all over his body. He could recite ten thousand characters a day and felt no cold even in winter. One should choose sweet flag that grows on rock: the best has stalks one inch long, nine nodes, and purple flowers.

The Inner Traditions of Emperor Wu of Han records that Emperor Wu climbed Mount Song and met an immortal who was two zhang tall. The emperor asked who he was. The immortal replied, “I am from the Jiuyi Mountains. I heard that on the Central Peak there is sweet flag growing on rock, one inch long with nine nodes. Eating it can bring longevity, so I came to gather it.” As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished.

The Bieshuo says that sweet flag growing in ponds and marshes tends to have thick stalks, widely spaced nodes, and a coarse texture. It may be unsuitable for medicinal use and fit only as decoration on a fruit platter. This is because its scent is weak and its medicinal nature mild and insipid.

The Qianjin Fang says: To induce labor before a pregnancy has reached term, pound sweet flag roots and take one to two sheng of the juice by mouth.

Another prescription: To treat persistent uterine bleeding after childbirth, take one and a half liang of sweet flag, chop it, and simmer it in two bowls of wine until reduced to one bowl. Strain out the herbs and divide the liquid into three doses. Take it warm before meals.

Another prescription: To treat a tendency toward forgetfulness, long-term use is said to make a person clever and increase wisdom. On the seventh day of the seventh month, gather sweet flag and take three square-inch spoonfuls of it with wine. Those who favor this practice are said to have confirmed its effectiveness. Do not let the ingredients touch iron while preparing it, or it may cause vomiting.

The Zhouhou Fang says: “Sudden demonic affliction” (a sudden illness that people in ancient times attributed to malign spirits), sudden death, and “ghost strike” (an ancient term for sudden distress) are similar conditions, so methods used for one may be consulted for the others. If someone has already fainted and appears dead, pound fresh sweet flag roots, squeeze out the juice, and pour it into the person’s mouth; they will revive at once.

Another prescription: To treat deafness, take a one-inch piece of sweet flag root and one kernel of croton with its center removed. Pound them together and divide the mixture into seven pills. Wrap each in cotton and place one in the ear each day. It is said to work.

Another prescription: If the fetus suddenly becomes restless, the mother has back pain, fetal movement brings pain up to the heart, or bleeding continues, take three sheng of sweet flag juice.

The Yanyi says: Sweet flag is also called lansun and grows by the water. If it is separated from the water and deprived of nourishment, it withers. Roots with closely packed nodes have a stronger scent and medicinal effect.

Someone developed hot, toxic sores all over his body. They were painful but did not itch, especially on his hands and feet, and spread as far as his neck. The sores stuck to his clothes and bedding, keeping him awake day and night and causing unbearable suffering. A villager advised him to chop three dou of sweet flag, dry it in the sun, and pound it into powder. He was to spread the powder over a mat, let the patient lie on it as he pleased, then cover him with bedding. Since…

(Continued from the previous section) The medicine stuck to the clothes and bedding, and the person fell asleep again. After five to seven days, the sores disappeared. Later, when the author himself developed this kind of sore, he used the same method, and the medicine cured it completely. It proved highly effective. For medicinal use, choose the rhizome of Acorus growing on trailing fig vines; its segments are closely spaced, and this is the kind that should be used.

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum is bitter and sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats headaches, dizziness, swelling, and pain caused by pathogenic wind; eyes that feel as if they might protrude, tearing, numbness of the skin, aversion to wind, and damp impediment. It can also treat recurring lower back pain. Tao Hongjing says that it can dispel vexing heat in the chest, harmonize the stomach and intestines, promote the flow of the five vessels, and regulate the limbs. Taken over a long period, it can improve the circulation of blood and Qi, make the body light and agile, and help one resist aging and live longer.

Chrysanthemum is also known as Jiehua, Rizhi, Nüjie, Nühua, Nüjing, Gengsheng, Zhouying, Fuyannian, and Yinchengsheng. It grows in the valleys, waterways, marshes, and fields of Yongzhou. Gather the roots in the first month, leaves in the third, stems in the fifth, flowers in the ninth, and seeds in the eleventh; dry them all in the shade. Atractylodes, goji root, and mulberry root bark can be used with it.

The Illustrated Classic says: True chrysanthemum has purple stems and a fragrant aroma; its leaves are thick and tender, and can be eaten. It is suitable for people of either sex who have suffered for a long time from wind-related headaches, dizziness and mental fogginess, dry hair and hair loss, or phlegm lodged in the chest. Whenever pathogenic wind flares up, these people become dizzy and lightheaded, their vision grows dim, and they may even feel about to fall. These are the corresponding symptoms.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says: Sweet chrysanthemum, used as an adjunct, can treat wind-related headaches caused by heat. During an attack, the person becomes so dizzy they feel about to fall, and the bones of the head ache. It can also disperse wind from throughout the body.

Tao the Hermit says: There are two kinds of chrysanthemum. One has purple stems, a fragrant aroma, and a sweet flavor; its leaves can be cooked in soup. This is true chrysanthemum. The other has coarse, green stems resembling mugwort, and a bitter, astringent flavor; it cannot be eaten and is called “bitter yi.” It is not true chrysanthemum. Their flowers look much alike, so they can be distinguished only by whether their flavor is sweet or bitter.

The Day’s Brightness says: Chrysanthemum treats wind that moves through the limbs, promotes the flow of the blood vessels, and relieves vexation, congestion and oppression in the chest and diaphragm, abscesses, toxic sores, and headaches. A pillow stuffed with chrysanthemum can brighten the eyes. Its leaves also benefit the eyes and may be eaten raw or cooked.

Yang Sunzhi says: Sweet chrysanthemum can be used as medicine; bitter chrysanthemum cannot.

The Food Therapy says: Sweet chrysanthemum can be cooked in soup. It treats wind-related headaches, dizziness, and tearing, dispels vexing heat, and promotes the flow of the five viscera.

The Prescriptions from the Elbow says: If someone develops a furuncle and the condition becomes critical, take a handful of chrysanthemum leaves, pound them, and squeeze out one sheng of juice for the patient to drink. This can save their life and is highly effective. In winter, chrysanthemum roots may be used instead.

The Extended Explanations says: In recent times, there are more than twenty varieties of chrysanthemum. Only the variety with single-petaled, small yellow flowers, dark green leaves that are small and thin, and blossoms that open at the proper season is the chrysanthemum meant here—the one referred to in the Monthly Ordinances as “the chrysanthemum has yellow flowers.” The single-petaled white chrysanthemum produced in Dengzhou may also be used medicinally. According to the materia medica, the other varieties are not used as medicine. Chrysanthemum specifically treats wind-heat affecting the head and eyes. People nowadays often gather the flowers to make pillows.

Ginseng

Ginseng tastes sweet and is slightly cold or slightly warm in nature. It is non-toxic. It is used to nourish the Five Viscera, calm the mind and hun and po (ethereal and corporeal souls), stop palpitations and fright, dispel malign influences, improve eyesight, open the mind, and increase wisdom. It is also used to treat cold in the stomach and intestines, distending pain in the heart and abdomen, counterflow Qi and fullness in the chest and flanks, cholera, and vomiting. It can regulate the middle burner, relieve wasting thirst, promote the flow of the blood vessels, disperse hard accumulations, and improve memory. Prolonged use can make the body feel light and extend one’s lifespan.

Ginseng is also called “human-holding,” “ghost canopy,” “divine herb,” “human subtlety,” “earth essence,” and “blood ginseng.” A root shaped like a human was considered to have extraordinary efficacy. Ginseng grows in the mountain valleys of Shangdang, as well as in Liaodong, Goryeo, Luzhou, Zezhou, Yizhou, Tanzhou, Jizhou, Youzhou, Guizhou, and other places. Perhaps these regions all produce it because their mountain ranges are connected. The next-best varieties come from the state of Silla east of the sea, and ginseng also grows in Bohai. Today it is found in various prefectures east of the Yellow River and in Taizhou as well. Ginseng from Hebei and central Fujian is inferior to that from Shangdang.

Ginseng roots are dug up in the first ten days of the second, fourth, or eighth month. Scrape off the outer skin with a bamboo knife and dry the roots in the sun, taking care not to expose them to the wind. Poria may be combined with ginseng. Ginseng should not be used with soushu, is incompatible with lilu, and, according to another account, malan may serve as its assisting herb. Ginseng should not be used with salt brine and similar substances. (“Assisting herb” means a medicine that helps the principal medicine act when combined with it; “incompatible” refers to a traditional prohibition against combining certain medicines.)

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: To test Shangdang ginseng, have two people run together, with one holding ginseng in the mouth and the other without it. After running about three to five li, the person without ginseng will be breathing heavily, while the person who held it will still be breathing normally. This demonstrates the efficacy of ginseng.

Li Jiang’s Collected Prescriptions of the Ministry of War records: For counterflow vomiting that will not stop, where even a mouthful of rice water is immediately vomited, and the person is weak and exhausted and near death, take three large liang of Shangdang ginseng, break it into pieces, and boil it in one large sheng of water. Reduce the liquid to four ge and drink it all at once while hot. (“Sheng,” “ge,” and “liang” are ancient units of measurement.)

A famous physician of the Tang dynasty used ginseng to treat diseases of the heart and abdomen. The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says: Ginseng treats deficiency of Qi in the Five Viscera, the five forms of exhaustion and seven injuries, debility and emaciation, excessive phlegm, vomiting, and inability to eat. It can also stop cholera, agitation, and dry retching. In addition, it replenishes the Five Viscera and Six Bowels, safeguards the body’s upright Qi, and calms the mind.

Tao Hongjing said: Shangdang Commandery lies southwest of Jizhou. The ginseng now presented by the state of Wei is this variety. It is long in shape and yellow in color, resembling fangfeng. Its texture is moist and firm, and its flavor is sweet. The kind commonly used among the people is not suitable for medicinal use. For medicine, ginseng from Baekje is also highly prized: it is slender and firm, white in color, and its aroma and flavor do not match those of Shangdang ginseng, though it ranks next to it. Korean ginseng comes after that. It is produced in Liaodong and is large, but hollow and soft, so it is inferior to Baekje ginseng. Baekje now belongs to Goguryeo, and the ginseng presented by Goguryeo includes both kinds; simply choose the appropriate one. In practice, neither has the medicinal efficacy of Shangdang ginseng.

A song of the people of Goguryeo says: “Three branches and five leaves, with its back to the sun and facing the shade. If you wish to find me, look beside a jia tree.” The character for jia is pronounced “jia.” Tao Hongjing’s commentary says: What are called Goguryeo ginseng and Baekje ginseng are Zituan ginseng, produced around the Taihang Mountains.

The Rihuazi says: Ginseng can counteract the toxicity of mineral medicines, regulate the middle burner, regulate Qi, aid digestion, and stimulate the appetite. There are no restrictions on taking it.

The Waitai Miyao records a remedy for bee and scorpion stings: chew ginseng and apply it to the wound.

The Qianjin Fang records a nourishing method: Take one part ginseng and ten parts pig trotter, mix them with wine, and take the mixture. After taking it continuously for one hundred days, it is said to make the body strong and full, replenish vitality, enable a person to recite a thousand words a day, moisten the skin, and dispel pathogenic heat, wind, and phlegm.

The Jingyan Houfang records a remedy for adults and children who have lost their appetite: Take four liang of ginseng and one liang of pinellia, simmer them overnight in ginger juice, then dry them in the sun and grind them into powder. Make the powder into pills the size of mung beans using flour paste. Take ten pills at a time after meals, swallowing them with ginger broth.

Another formula is for dog bites and tetanus: Use any amount of ginseng. Burn mulberry wood as fuel until the smoke is gone, then place the ginseng in a cup, cover it, and grind it into powder. Sprinkle the powder on the wound; it is said to work quickly.

The Shengjin Fang records a remedy for vomiting blood: Use ginseng alone, grind it into powder, and mix it with egg white and freshly drawn water. Take one qian at a time. It also records that ginseng is used to treat coughing, rebellious Qi, and labored breathing.

The Yanyi says: The ginseng used today is mostly Korean ginseng traded through the Hebei border market. It is generally soft in texture and mild in flavor, inferior to Shangdang ginseng from Luzhou, which has a stronger flavor and firmer body. There is greater reason to choose Shangdang ginseng.

Asparagus Root

Asparagus root is bitter and sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, extremely cold in medicinal property, and non-toxic. It treats sudden-onset wind-damp disorders and pain and numbness affecting one side of the body. It strengthens the sinews and bones and nourishes the bone marrow; kills the three worms and dispels hidden corpses; protects and nourishes Lung Qi; dispels cold and heat; nourishes the skin and increases strength; and promotes urination. Though cold in nature, it can nourish and replenish. Taken over a long period, it can make the body light and agile.

Asparagus root can replenish primordial Qi, prolong life, and make a person less prone to hunger. It is also called “Dianle” and grows around the valleys of Fenggao Mountain. The roots are gathered in the second, third, seventh, and eighth months, then dried in the sun for use. Wall moss and rehmannia root may be used as supporting medicines; it is incompatible with Zengqing.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Asparagus root is now found throughout the country. In spring, it sends out vines as thick as a hairpin, which can grow to more than ten feet tall. Its leaves resemble fennel: pointed, slender, sparse, and smooth to the touch. Some have prickles, while others are coarse and rough but unarmed. The leaves look like thin, scattered fir needles; all these forms are called asparagus root. It blooms in summer, with some plants bearing white flowers and others yellow. In autumn, it produces black seeds on branches beside the roots. After the beginning of the hottest period of summer, some plants do not flower but quietly produce seeds. The roots are white or yellowish-purple, about as thick as a finger and two or three inches long. The larger roots are considered better, and they look much like bai bu roots.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says: Asparagus root treats rebellious Lung Qi, coughing, and rapid, labored breathing. It can also clear heat and promote the flow of Kidney Qi. It may be used for Lung atrophy, abscesses in the Lung, coughing up pus, damp scabies, and wasting thirst. It is also suitable for long-term use during febrile illness and wind invasion. Eaten after cooking, it moistens the skin and removes foul Qi and disorders associated with impurity from the body.

The Commentary to the Tang Materia Medica says: Asparagus root comes in two forms. One has prickles on its shoots and feels coarse and rough; the other has no prickles and feels smooth. Both are asparagus root. People commonly call the prickly kind “Diancihuan grass.” Though it has several names, it is in fact the same plant. The roots of both kinds can wash away grime, so “Mendong” and “Huan grass” are also alternative names for it. The character used in the text for “name” is pronounced “ming.”

The Daily Records of Chinese Medicine says: Fritillaria bulb may be used as a supporting medicine for asparagus root. Asparagus root calms the spirit, moistens the Five Viscera, improves the skin and complexion, and replenishes damage from the Five Taxations and Seven Injuries. It may also be used for disordered Lung Qi, coughing, abundant phlegm, wind impediment, toxic heat, wandering wind, vexation, and vomiting blood. Remove the core before taking it.

Yang Sunzhi says: If someone accidentally eats carp after taking asparagus root and is poisoned, duckweed can be used as an antidote.

The Master Who Embraces Simplicity says: Asparagus root is also called “Dimendong,” “Yan mendong,” “Dianji,” “Yinyangshi,” and “Guansong.” The best quality grows on high ground and has short roots, a sweet taste, and a fragrant aroma. The inferior kind grows in low ground near water; its leaves are slender and slightly yellow, its roots are long, and it tastes bitter and has an unusual smell. The lower grade can also be taken, but it readily causes Qi to descend and replenishes the body more slowly. After taking it for one hundred days, a person becomes strong; its effects are said to surpass those of atractylodes and huangjing. After taking it, Du Ziwei was said to have been able to command eighty concubines and father one hundred and forty sons.

Asparagus Root

The Dietary Therapy says that asparagus root can replenish deficiency and debility, treat “lung exhaustion,” relieve thirst, and clear heat pathogens. Remove its outer skin and inner core, cook it with honey, and eat it after meals. It may also be dried in the sun and made into honey pills, which are more effective.

The Wai Tai Mi Yao records that asparagus root can be used to treat wind-related mania, a disorder associated with pathogenic wind. Symptoms include pulling pain in the ribs, vomiting during attacks, and ringing in the ears like the sound of cicadas. Remove the core and skin, dry the root in the sun, pound it into powder, and sift it. Take each dose with wine, using one square-inch spoonful of the powder—the amount held by an ancient measuring spoon for medicines.

The Sun Zhen’s Pillow Book says that drinking wine brewed with asparagus root can eliminate abdominal masses and accumulations, wind-phlegm, mania, and the “three worms and hidden corpses,” an ancient medical notion of parasites or malign influences within the body. It can also dispel epidemics and impediments, make the body light and strong, and keep one from feeling hungry. The text further claims that it restores youth and delays aging.

The Daoist Book says that those who wish to be unafraid of cold should grind equal amounts of asparagus root and poria into powder and take one square-inch spoonful twice a day. It also claims that, in severe cold, one will sweat even while wearing a single layer of clothing.

The Traditions of Immortals records that after Chidingzi ate asparagus root, his lost teeth grew back, and his thinning hair grew again.

The Traditions of Divine Immortals records that Gan Shi of Taiyuan took asparagus root and lived among ordinary people for more than two hundred years.

The Secret Formula of the Way of Cultivation says that an immortal takes thirty jin of asparagus root, cuts it into pieces, dries it in the shade, and pounds it into powder. Each time, take three qian mixed with wine, five or six times a day. The text claims that after two hundred days, the body feels at ease and stiff limbs relax, while the weak become strong; after three hundred days, the body feels light; and after three years, one can run fast enough to catch a galloping horse.

The Yanyi says that with medicines such as asparagus root and ophiopogon, although the inner core is supposed to be removed, the herbs must not be soaked until their juices are lost. Some people do not understand this and soak them in hot water for one or two shichen. They use the herbs once they have softened, but by then their aroma and medicinal properties have been depleted, so taking them has no effect. Asparagus root is particularly effective at clearing and draining lung heat. It tastes bitter and tends toward draining downward rather than astringing; people with a constitution prone to cold should not take it. For other information, see the two related classics.

Licorice

Licorice, also known as “Elder of the State,” tastes sweet, has a balanced nature, and is nontoxic. It treats pathogenic cold and heat in the five zang organs and six fu organs; strengthens sinews and bones; promotes muscle growth; and increases strength. It can be used for metal-inflicted wounds, such as injuries from swords and other metal blades, and for swelling. It also resolves toxins, warms the middle burner, and directs Qi downward. It may also be used for vexation in the chest, shortness of breath, injury to the organs, cough, and thirst. In addition, it opens and regulates the meridians, harmonizes Qi and Blood, and counteracts the toxicity of various medicines. The text calls it “the essence of the nine soils” and says that it can harmonize seventy mineral medicines and twelve hundred herbal medicines. Long-term use can make the body light and extend life.

Licorice is also called honey licorice, beautiful herb, honey herb, and Lu licorice. It grows in the valleys of Hexi, Mount Jisha, and the region of Shangjun. Dig up the roots in the second or eighth month, or on Churi, the year-end day for clearing away the old and welcoming the new, then dry them in the sun. They will be completely dry after ten days.

When combined with lacquer tree resin and sophora root, licorice may serve as an auxiliary medicine. It should not be used together with Polygala root, and is considered incompatible with spurge, lilac daphne, kansui, and seaweed. According to traditional rules of medicinal compatibility, these four substances should not be taken with licorice.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica records that when someone accidentally took medicines such as aconite or croton, or swallowed licorice, their condition then stabilized.

Cui Yuanliang’s Prescriptions from Across the Sea records a secret remedy for back carbuncle, a sore and swelling on the back. Li Beihai said the prescription was said to have been bestowed by a spirit and was exceptionally effective and secret. Take three large liang of raw licorice, pound it, and sift it separately into a fine powder. Then take nine liang of barley flour, place it in a large dish, add the licorice powder, and mix thoroughly. Add a little good butter and knead it into the medicinal powder. Mix with boiling water and knead into a cake slightly larger than the sore. Apply it hot to the swelling, placing oiled paper and old paper over it as a protective layer while leaving the affected area able to breathe. Replace the application when it cools. If pus has formed, it will drain on its own; if it has not, the swelling will subside.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says that licorice treats cold pain in the abdomen, convulsions, and abdominal distension; tonifies the Five Viscera; harmonizes medicines and counteracts their toxicity; and nourishes Kidney Qi. It also says licorice may be used for impotence caused by internal injury, as well as for women’s bloody discharge and lower back pain. It may be added for people who are weak and have heat.

Tao Hongjing said that licorice from Hexi and Shangjun was no longer traded and transported there. The licorice used today mostly comes from Shu and Hanzhong, transported from the areas inhabited by ethnic minorities around Mount Wen. Licorice has a red outer skin. Break it open and examine the cross-section: the firm kind is Baohan licorice, which is the best. Baohan is a place name in Qiang territory. Some licorice is dried by roasting; its cross-section has many loose, open fibers. Another kind is shaped like a carp’s intestine. Licorice damaged by knife cuts is poor in quality. Licorice is also found around Qingzhou, but it is of inferior quality. There is another kind, purple licorice, which is fine and firm; it can be used when other supplies are lacking.

Licorice is an important medicine among medicinal substances, and many classical prescriptions cannot do without it, just as aloeswood is indispensable among aromatics. “Elder of the State” was a title for the emperor’s tutor. Though licorice is no ruler, the other medicines hold it in high regard, so it can harmonize herbal and mineral medicines and counteract the toxicity of various drugs.

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says that licorice can calm the Hun and Po souls; tonify the Five Taxations, Seven Injuries, and various forms of deficiency; and ease palpitations, vexation, and forgetfulness. It can also open the Nine Orifices, unblock the hundred vessels, nourish Jing and Qi, strengthen the sinews and bones, and regulate cold and heat. For medicinal use, it should be roasted first.

Lei Gong said that before using licorice, one must remove its pointed ends, because they can cause vomiting.

Sun the Perfected said that licorice can be used for various patterns of cold damage. Take a piece of licorice as long as a finger, roast it, and cut it finely. Boil it in one sheng of a child’s urine until reduced to seven ge, then drink it on an empty stomach twice a day.

The Golden Coffer and Jade Casket records that if someone accidentally eats food mixed with poison, but does not know which poison they have taken …

For mild poisoning, quickly decoct licorice and jini (a medicinal herb commonly used as an antidote in ancient times) and drink the decoction. It is said that it can save a person as soon as it reaches the mouth.

Another prescription treats children poisoned by gu, with symptoms that have become critical: chop half a liang of licorice, add one zhan of water, and decoct until five fen remain. Strain out the herbs and take the liquid in two doses. It is said that the gu organisms will be vomited out.

The Shanghan Leiyao records that for sore throat on the second or third day of a cold-damage illness, decoct two liang of toasted licorice in three sheng of water until one and a half sheng remain. Take five he each time, three times a day. Another prescription treats cold-damage illness with a bound or intermittent pulse—one that pauses or beats irregularly—and palpitations: decoct two liang of licorice in three sheng of water until one and a half sheng remain. Take seven he each time, twice a day.

The Yao Hezhong Fang records a treatment for blood in a child’s urine: decoct five fen of licorice in six he of water until two he remain, then strain out the herbs. A one-year-old child should take the whole amount over the course of a day.

The Guangli Fang records a treatment for lung atrophy—a weakness or injury of the lungs—with a chronic cough, abundant nasal and oral discharge, discomfort in the joints, and alternating chills and fever: pound twelve fen of toasted licorice into powder. Each day, take three he of urine, add one qian spoonful of the licorice powder, stir well, and drink.

The Yuyao Yuan Fang records that for sore throat on the second or third day of a cold-damage illness, one may drink licorice decoction after straining out the herbs, three times a day.

The Baiyi Fang records that a newborn should not be given cinnabar and honey immediately. Take one fen of licorice, cut it into sections, toast it, and pound it. Add two he of water and decoct until one he remains. Dip cotton wool into the liquid and drip about one clam-shell’s worth into the child’s mouth. It is said to make the child quickly vomit the foul fluid in the chest. When the child becomes hungry and thirsty, give another dose. If the child still has not vomited after two doses, finish the one he of liquid. Even if only the foul fluid is expelled, the child is said to grow clever and healthy.

Another prescription treats gu poisoning: boil and drink raw licorice, so that the gu toxin is expelled through vomiting. For prevention, licorice should be toasted before boiling and drinking. It is said that if a person is poisoned by gu, this will disperse the toxin inside the body without causing vomiting, with remarkably effective results. Another prescription says that for poisoning from eating beef or mutton, boil licorice in water and drink one to two sheng of the liquid to recover.

The Jingyan Fang records a prescription for red or white dysentery passed down by Cui Yanzhou: take a licorice root one chi long, toast it, and break it open. Dip it two or three times in thin rice-washing water, then toast it over a low flame. Take half a liang of peeled raw ginger. Add both ingredients to one and a half sheng of rice-washing water and decoct until eight he remain. It is said to take effect immediately.

The Meishi Fang records a treatment for dysentery at its onset, whether caused by cold or heat, with red or white discharge, or accompanied by cholera: chop one liang of toasted licorice and seven cardamom pods, add three sheng of water, and decoct until one sheng remains. Take in divided doses.

The Yanyi says: The stems and leaves of licorice resemble those of the pagoda tree, and the plant grows to five or six feet tall. Its leaves are slightly pointed at the tips and feel rough and astringent to the touch, as if covered with fine white hairs. Its fruit resembles a bean pod, with many seeds in each pod. The seeds are shaped like small lentils and cannot be crushed by biting. Licorice is now produced in the regions of Hedong and Hexi. For medicinal use, it should be lightly roasted. If left untreated, its medicinal nature is somewhat cool; used raw, it also tastes unpleasant.

Fresh and Dried Rehmannia

Dried rehmannia tastes sweet and slightly bitter, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats injuries from falls and blows, severed tendons and vessels, and internal injuries. It disperses blood impediment—painful obstruction caused by sluggish blood flow—and nourishes the bone marrow and promotes the growth of muscle. Taken as a decoction, it can be used for alternating chills and fever, accumulations within the body, and impediment pain. It also treats the five taxations and seven injuries in men, internal injuries in women, and uterine leakage with bleeding. It dispels stagnant blood, treats blood in the urine, promotes the passage of urine and stool, and clears food lodged in the stomach. It can also replenish weakness caused by internal injury to the five viscera, improve the flow of the blood vessels, strengthen the body, and sharpen hearing and sight. Fresh rehmannia is especially effective.

Fresh rehmannia is very cold in nature. It treats uterine hemorrhage in women when the bleeding will not stop; after childbirth, when an upward rush of blood and Qi causes distress in the chest and heart and fainting; bodily injury; fetal movement accompanied by bleeding; failure to deliver the fetus; blood stasis caused by falls or sprains; nosebleeds; and vomiting blood. In all these cases, fresh rehmannia can be pounded, its juice extracted, and the juice taken. Classical texts say that taking it over a long period can make the body light and strong and slow aging.

Fresh rehmannia is also known as “marrow of the earth,” “bian,” and “qi.” It grows in the wetlands along rivers near Xianyang, and that from yellow earth is considered best. The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months and dried in the shade. It combines well with ophiopogon and clear wine. It is incompatible with fritillaria and is counteracted by elm seeds, according to the incompatibilities recorded in ancient materia medica.

The Illustrated Classic records that Cui Yuanliang’s Formulas from the Sea gives a prescription for various kinds of heart pain, regardless of how long the illness has lasted, using only fresh rehmannia. Take an amount of fresh rehmannia suited to the patient’s appetite, pound it and squeeze out the juice, then mix the juice with flour to make cakes, or use it to prepare cold noodles. The text claims that after some time the patient will have diarrhea and pass a worm about one foot long, with a head resembling that of a wall lizard. Afterward, the illness will not recur.

The book also recounts an old story. Someone had suffered from this illness for three years without recovering and deeply regretted it. On his deathbed, he instructed his family to open his abdomen and find the source of the disease. They did so and indeed found a worm, which they placed in a bamboo tube and fed small amounts of food whenever they ate. Later, the man ate a dish made with fresh rehmannia and fed some to the worm; it promptly rotted away. This gave rise to the prescription.

Liu Yuxi’s Verified Prescriptions also records the story. In the tenth year of the Zhenyuan era, the daughter of Cui Kang, a Court Messenger, suffered from heart pain and was nearly at the point of death. Her family prepared cold noodles with fresh rehmannia for her to eat. She immediately vomited up a lump about one inch square, resembling a toad but without eyes or legs.

This passage records the different uses of rehmannia, accounts of its medicinal properties, methods for identifying its place of origin, and remedies from ancient prescriptions.

The Treatise on Medicinal Properties says that dried rehmannia is warm in nature and flavor. It can replenish deficiency, warm the middle burner, direct Qi downward, and promote the free flow of the blood vessels. It is said that taking it for a long time can turn white hair dark again and prolong life. It is also used to treat abdominal pain after childbirth, vomiting, and persistent vomiting of blood. The book further says that fresh rehmannia can clear various heat conditions, break up blood stasis, and promote the flow of menstrual blood and urine. It can be used for absent menstruation and difficulty urinating, and can also disperse blood stasis. Fresh rehmannia may be prescribed for patients who are weak and have pronounced internal heat.

Tao Hongjing says that Xianyang is the same place as Chang’an. The rehmannia produced in Weicheng has seeds resembling wheat. The Huainanzi’s “Powder of the Seven Essences” includes rehmannia. Of the rehmannia produced in different regions, dried rehmannia from Pengcheng is the best, followed by that from Liyang. At the time, the finest was said to come from the Banqiao area of Jiangning.

Chen Cangqi points out that the Classic of Materia Medica does not specify whether rehmannia should be used fresh, sun-dried, or steamed. The two kinds of rehmannia described by physicians are in fact processed differently: steamed and dried rehmannia is warmer in nature and suited to replenishment, while fresh and dried rehmannia is mild and tends to promote circulation. The choice should be made accordingly.

Ri Huazi says that dried rehmannia can replenish the Qi of the heart and gallbladder and calm the hun and po souls. It is used for palpitations and fright, deficiency and exhaustion, damage to the heart and lungs, vomiting blood, nosebleeds, and conditions in women such as uterine bleeding and blood-dizziness. He also describes a way to assess rehmannia by soaking it in water: pieces that float are called “Heaven Rehmannia,” those that are half-submerged “Human Rehmannia,” and those that sink to the bottom “Earth Rehmannia.” The sunken pieces are said to have the strongest medicinal effect, the half-submerged ones are next, and the floating ones are the weakest. Iron utensils should not be used when processing rehmannia.

The Baopuzi records that after taking rehmannia for eight years, Chu Wenzi could see light in the dark and lift a crossbow used on a chariot with his hands. The Huainanzi says that rehmannia primarily enters the bones. These are accounts found in ancient books.

The Dietary Therapy says that rehmannia is slightly cold. It may be boiled with honey and eaten after soaking, or made into a decoction or infused in wine for drinking. If it is first stir-fried and then used fresh, its cold nature is reduced. The book also records its use for toothache, spitting blood, and injuries from falls or blows; its leaves can be made into a soup.

A prescription by Zhang Wenzhong for treating steaming bone disorder, recorded in the Waitai Miyao, calls for one sheng of fresh rehmannia. Pound it to extract the juice, then pound it three more times, squeezing out all the juice. Divide it into two doses. If it causes diarrhea, reduce the amount until the body feels cool and comfortable.

The Qianjin Fang records that when the roots of the teeth are loose and about to fall out, fresh rehmannia can be cut into fine pieces, wrapped in cotton cloth, and held against the teeth so its juice moistens the roots. Do this three or four times a day, swallowing the juice. Continue for ten days; the treatment is said to work very well.

The Zhouhou Fang records that for persistent ringing in the ears, a piece of fresh rehmannia can be cut and inserted into the ear, then replaced frequently until the symptoms improve. Another method is to wrap fresh rehmannia in paper and warm it in the ashes of a low fire before use.

The Baiyi Fang says: To treat bleeding during pregnancy, take one sheng of fresh Rehmannia juice, add four he of wine, and bring it to a boil three to five times before drinking. If the bleeding has not stopped, take another dose.

Another remedy: For a bite from a rabid dog, pound fresh Rehmannia to extract its juice. Take the juice by mouth and apply it to the wound. Repeated applications are said to stop the condition.

The Meishi Fang says: For injuries from falls or blows, dislocated tendons or bones, or fractures, pound fresh Rehmannia and apply it hot to the affected area, then bandage it. Continue for three days and three nights, changing the application several times. If blood has pooled beneath the skin, puncture the area with a needle to let it out.

Another remedy: For vomiting blood, take one sheng of fresh Rehmannia juice and two he of white rosin. Place them in a ceramic vessel and steam it in a food steamer until the rosin melts, then take it.

Another remedy: For breast abscesses—red, swollen, painful lumps in the breast—pound fresh Rehmannia to extract its juice and apply it to the affected area. Replace the application once it has warmed; this is said to be effective.

The Sun Zhao Fang says: For nosebleeds and excessive heat above the chest and diaphragm, grind equal amounts of dried Rehmannia, borneol, and mint into a powder, then take it mixed with cold water.

The Chanbao Fang says: If bleeding during pregnancy flows as freely as menstrual blood, raising concern that the fetus may not be nourished, grind equal amounts of dried Rehmannia and dried ginger into a powder, then take one square-inch spoonful mixed with wine.

The Yanyi says: Rehmannia leaves resemble those of Glechoma hederacea, and its flowers resemble sesame blossoms, but have tiny spots. People in the north call them “milkweed flowers.” The stems bear short, fine white hairs. The medical classics mention only dried Rehmannia and fresh Rehmannia; they do not mention prepared Rehmannia. For conditions requiring Rehmannia—such as blood deficiency, fever from exhaustion, postpartum fever from deficiency, and dryness and heat in older people with weak Spleen and Stomach—fresh Rehmannia or dried Rehmannia is often considered too cold in nature. Later generations therefore began using prepared Rehmannia.

Zhu (Atractylodes)

Zhu is bitter and sweet in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats Wind-Cold-Damp Bi syndrome—joint pain, numbness, and impaired movement caused by Wind, Cold, and Dampness—as well as numbness of the flesh, spasms, and jaundice. It can stop sweating, reduce fever, aid digestion, and is also used for Wind afflicting the whole body or face, dizziness and headache, tearing, phlegm and retained fluids, edema beneath the skin, and urgent distension and fullness below the heart. It can also treat persistent vomiting and diarrhea resembling cholera, regulate the blood between the lower back and navel, replenish fluids, warm the Stomach, aid digestion, and stimulate appetite. Taken as a decoction or medicinal preparation over a long period, it can make the body feel light and strong, prolong life, and reduce hunger. Zhu is also called mountain thistle, mountain ginger, or mountain lian. It grows in the valleys of Mount Zheng and around Hanzhong and Nanzheng. Its roots are gathered in the second or third month and again in the eighth or ninth month, then dried in the sun. Saposhnikovia and Chinese gromwell can assist its medicinal effects.

The Tujing says: Zhu from Mount Song and Mount Mao is considered good. In spring, it produces green shoots without branches. It is also called mountain thistle because its leaves resemble those of a thistle. Its stems grow like mugwort…

This plant is green and can grow to two or three feet tall. It flowers in summer, producing purple and blue-green blossoms resembling thistle flowers; sometimes it also bears yellow or white flowers. After the start of the hottest period of summer, it sets seed, and by autumn its stems and leaves wither. Today, Baizhu grows on the high hills and mountain slopes around Hangzhou, Yuezhou, Shuzhou, Xuanzhou, and other places. Its leaves grow in pairs and are hairy on the surface; its stem is square, and its tip bears pale purple, blue-green, or red flowers. The root often branches. The roots are gathered in the second, third, eighth, and ninth lunar months and dried in the sun. Large roots with purple flowers are considered best.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says that Baizhu is a chief medicinal. While taking it, avoid peaches, plums, sparrow meat, songcai (cabbage-family vegetables), and black carp. Baizhu tastes sweet and acrid and is non-toxic. It treats severe wind disorders, bi disorders (numbness and pain in the limbs, with restricted movement), and chronic qi dysentery that has persisted for years. It relieves distention and pain in the chest and abdomen, digests accumulated food and stimulates the appetite, dispels phlegm and drool, regulates alternating cold and heat, and stops diarrhea. It can also improve the complexion, treat edema and abdominal distention, stop retching, and treat cold pain in the abdomen and dysentery caused by deficiency and cold in the stomach qi.

Tao Hongjing says that Baizhu grows in many places today, and that the varieties from Jiangshan, Baishan, and Maoshan are especially good. The Scripture of the Immortals says that Baizhu can also dispel malign influences and avert calamities and strange portents. There are appropriate methods for preparing it as pills, powder, or decoction. Its tender shoots can also be made into a drink, which is fragrant and pleasant. The so-called “Water Zhu” refers to two other varieties: Baizhu has large, hairy leaves and a branching root; the Zhu produced in eastern regions has a large root but a strong odor, making it unsuitable for medicinal use. Baizhu sold in markets today is often whitened by coating it with rice flour; this is not its natural color, so scrape off the coating before use.

The Rihuazi says that Zhu can be used for various wind disorders and the Five Taxations and Seven Injuries (a range of debilitating conditions). It also regulates cold qi and abdominal distention, strengthens the lower back and knees, transforms phlegm, treats water disorders, promotes urination, and stops regurgitation and vomiting. It is also used for weakness of the sinews and bones, abdominal masses known as xuanpi, cold-type abdominal masses in women, warm diseases, and miasmatic vapors from mountain regions. It relieves agitation and promotes the growth of flesh. Before using it as medicine, soak it overnight in rice-washing water.

The Baopuzi says that Zhu is also called “Mountain Essence.” Thus the Shennong Materia Medica says: “If you wish to live long, take Mountain Essence regularly.”

The Shenghui Formulary records this treatment for night blindness, whenever it occurs: pound one liang of Cangzhu and sift it into powder. Take one qian each time, at any hour.

The Qianjin Formulary records this treatment for distress in the heart: take powdered Baizhu and mix it with water; drink one square-inch spoonful, a small measure used in ancient times.

The Meishi Formulary records this treatment for fluid retention below the heart (the accumulation of fluid in the upper stomach): take three liang of Baizhu and five liang of Zexie, cut them into pieces, and boil them in three sheng of water until one and a half sheng remain. Divide the decoction into portions and take them.

The Yanyi says that Cangzhu is about as long as a thumb or little finger, thick and solid in shape, with brown outer skin.

It has a pungent, strong smell. It should be soaked and washed in rice-washing water, then soaked in fresh rice-washing water for two days before the coarse outer skin is removed. Baizhu is shorter and coarser in texture, slightly brown in color, and somewhat pungent and bitter in smell, but not strongly so.

Ancient recipe books and the Bencao Jing mention only “Zhu,” without distinguishing between Cangzhu and Baizhu. This is because it was only after Tao Hongjing said that there were two kinds of “Zhu” that people began to place greater value on Baizhu. Nowadays, people often prize only the hard-to-find Baizhu and leave Cangzhu unused. Yet in formulas such as the ancient “Pingruo Powder,” Cangzhu is the most important ingredient, and its effects are especially swift. People have not considered that the Bencao Jing originally did not use the name “Baizhu.” Baizhu, which has been commonly used in recent times, should also be carefully distinguished. Ji Kang said that, according to words passed down by a Daoist, taking Zhu and Huangjing can enable one to live a long life; here, too, Baizhu is not specified.

Cuscuta seed (the seed of the parasitic plant Cuscuta)

Cuscuta seed is pungent and sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats injuries to the sinews and bones that have not healed, as well as bodily weakness and deficiency. It replenishes Qi and strength and makes the body robust. Its juice can remove facial blemishes and nourish the skin. It also strengthens Kidney Qi and reinforces the sinews and bones. It can be used to treat coldness in the penis, involuntary seminal emission, lingering drops of urine after urination, bitter taste in the mouth and thirst, and accumulations formed by cold pathogenic influences. Taken for a long time, it can brighten the eyes, make the body feel light, and prolong life.

Cuscuta seed is also called Tulu, Tulu, Tangmeng, Yunu, Chi Wang, and Tu Lei. It grows in streams and fields around Korea, twining around plants and trees. Seeds that are small and yellow are called “Chi Wang”; those that are paler and larger are called “Tu Lei.” The seeds are gathered in the ninth month and dried in the sun. It is best processed with wine. Shuyu and pine resin serve as supporting ingredients; it should not be used together with Huanjun.

The Tujing says: According to the Erya, “Tangmeng,” “Nüluo,” and “Tusī” are four names for the same plant. The Mao Commentary also says that Nüluo is Tusī. The Book of Songs contains the line, “The creeper and the Nüluo.”

Immortals’ formulas often prescribe Cuscuta seed on its own: soak the seeds in wine and dry them in the sun, then repeat the soaking and drying until the wine’s aroma has evaporated. Grind the seeds into a fine powder and take it with wine. It works better when taken for a long time and can also brighten the eyes. It is said that pounding the tender shoots, extracting their juice, and applying it to the face is highly effective against facial blemishes.

The Yaoxing Lun says that Cuscuta seed can be used for deficiency and cold in both men and women. It replenishes Jing and vital energy, as well as the marrow, and eases lower back pain and cold knees. Taken for a long time, it can prolong life and keep the complexion radiant.

Tao Hongjing said that Cuscuta seed is suitable for making into pills, but not for decocting. It is commonly found in fields, growing on plants such as indigo, ramie, and mugwort. An old belief holds that Fuling grows in the soil beneath Cuscuta.

There is no need to insist that dodder must be understood in this way. Its stems can be rubbed and used to bathe children, treating heat rash.

Before use, dodder seeds should be soaked in wine overnight. Both the Immortals’ Classic and folk formularies regard them as a tonic.

Lei Gong says: Do not mistake the seeds of Tianbi grass for dodder. They look very similar, but taste sour and astringent and have a sticky texture; they must not be used as medicine.

The Baopuzi says that beneath dodder grows the root of a crouching hare; without this root, dodder cannot grow above it. In fact, however, dodder does not depend on it. The Inner Chapters of the Baopuzi also say that when dodder first begins to grow, its root is shaped like a rabbit. Dig it up, take its juice, mix it into an elixir, and ingest it; transformation will then occur.

The Book of Childbirth says that to treat a fetus presenting sideways during delivery, grind dodder seeds into powder and take one qian mixed with wine. Rice water may also be used.

The Handy Prescriptions for Emergencies says that for sudden swelling of the whole body and face, soak one sheng of dodder seeds in five sheng of wine for two or three nights. Take one sheng each time, three times a day. Another prescription says that to treat facial pimples, crush dodder, squeeze out the juice, and apply it to the affected area; they will then heal.

The Experiential Prescription from Later Times says that for men with pain in the lower back and knees caused by accumulated cold, or with numbness and weakness, take one liang each of washed and weighed dodder seeds and Achyranthes root. Soak them together in a silver vessel for five days, then dry them in the sun and grind them into powder. Pour the original soaking wine back over the powder, add a little strong wine, and mix into a paste. Form pills the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take twenty pills on an empty stomach with wine. Another prescription, called “Yang-Firming Elixir,” calls for soaking two liang of dodder seeds in wine for ten days, rinsing them, then drying them over a fire and grinding them into powder. Add one liang of Eucommia bark, honey-roasted and crushed. Mix the powders with yam powder cooked in wine to make a paste, then form pills the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take fifty pills on an empty stomach with wine.

The Cultivation of the True quotes the Immortal’s Prescription, saying that taking dodder seeds gives the complexion a radiant glow; an elderly person who takes them for three years can become youthful again. This medicine can also treat problems of the lower back and knees and dispel wind. Taken over a long period, it can prolong life.

The Extended Meaning says: Dodder attaches itself among clusters of trees, quickly spreading, flowering, and bearing fruit, yet it has no green leaves. This is an unusual case among plants. As for the claim that “where dodder grows above, Poria grows below,” it may not be reliable; this matter has already been discussed in detail in the entry on Poria.