《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 8

Illustrated and Annotated Materia Medica, juan 8, part 1

Compiled by Kou Zongshi, a Tongzhilang and official in charge of identifying medicinal materials in the Song dynasty; collated by Xu Hong, an assistant instructor at the Imperial Medical Academy and official in charge of identifying medicinal materials in the Song dynasty.

Upper Class of the Upper Grade, Herb Section

Achyranthes Root

Achyranthes Root is ranked as a chief medicinal. It tastes bitter and sour, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats weakness and painful obstruction caused by cold and dampness, as well as spasms in the limbs, knee pain, and joints that cannot bend or extend. It promotes the circulation of blood and Qi, treats injury from heat and burns, and can induce miscarriage. It also treats internal injury, depleted Qi, weakened sexual function in men, and urinary incontinence in the elderly. It replenishes the center Qi, restores what has been depleted, enriches the marrow, and relieves pain in the head and lower back. It treats women’s absent menstruation and blood stasis, benefits Jing, promotes the flow of Yin Qi, and prevents the hair from turning white. Taken for a long time, it can make the body light and agile and help one endure old age.

Achyranthes Root is also called “Hundredfold.” It grows in the valleys of Hanoi and in Linqu. Gather the roots in the second and eighth months and dry them in the shade. Do not use it together with firefly, luying, or tortoise shell; it is incompatible with baiqian.

The Illustrated Classic says: Achyranthes Root now also grows around the Yangtze and Huai rivers, in Fujian and Guangdong, and in the Guanzhong region, but none of these varieties is as authentic as the kind produced in Huaizhou. In spring, young shoots emerge. The stems grow two or three chi tall, are bluish purple, and have nodes resembling a crane’s knee or a cow’s knee; hence the name.

Cui Yuanliang’s Prescriptions from the Sea of the Tang dynasty records: To treat malaria, boil Achyranthes Root in water and take it before an attack begins. People in Fuzhou now use only local Achyranthes Root: wash it, slice it, dry it over low heat, pound and sift it, then simmer it in wine and drink it warm. It is said to work quickly for women’s blood masses.

Tao Hongjing says: Among the Achyranthes Root grown nearby, the kind from Caizhou is the longest and most supple. Its stem has nodes and resembles a cow’s knee, hence the name. He also says that Achyranthes Root has male and female plants: the male plant has a purple stem and larger nodes, and is of better quality.

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says: Achyranthes Root from Huaizhou has a long, white stem; the kind from nearby Suzhou is purple.

The Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library records: To treat malaria caused by prolonged overexertion that has persisted without recovery, take one handful of Achyranthes Root, chop it, and boil it in six sheng of water until two sheng remain. Divide this into two doses: take the first before an attack begins, and the second just as an attack is about to start.

The Sagely Beneficial Prescriptions records: To treat lower back and knee pain caused by obstruction from Qi and dampness, take one jin of Achyranthes leaves, chop them, and cook them with three he of rice in fermented soybean liquid to make porridge. Season with salt and soy sauce, and eat on an empty stomach.

The Thousand Gold Pieces Prescriptions records: To treat painful, difficult urination in women, take five liang of Achyranthes Root and three sheng of wine. Boil until one and a half sheng remain, strain out the herbs, and divide into three doses.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records: To treat sores in the mouth and on the tongue, soak Achyranthes Root in wine and hold it in the mouth, rinsing with it. The original text continues with “also,” but the passage that follows has not been fully recorded.

Take one large handful of ox-knee root, using the leaves as well; the amount of leaves does not matter. Boil it in wine and drink the decoction. It can treat difficulty urinating and unbearable pain in the penis, as well as hard, painful clots of blood in women. It takes effect immediately. Another proven remedy says that this formula can also be used for a sudden illness marked by a hard, stone-like lump in the abdomen that causes stabbing pain.

The Experience-Based Formulary says: Ox-knee can treat unrelenting wasting-thirst (a disorder characterized by thirst, excessive drinking, and frequent urination) and depletion of the lower source (deficiency of Kidney Qi in the lower burner). Take five liang of ox-knee, chop it finely, and grind it into powder. Soak it in five sheng of raw Rehmannia juice, exposing it to the sun by day and soaking it overnight until all the juice has been absorbed. Then use honey to make pills the size of Chinese parasol seeds. Take thirty pills on an empty stomach with warm wine. Taken over a long period, they strengthen the sinews and bones, preserve one’s appearance, darken the hair, and naturally replenish the body’s fluids.

The Mei Family’s Formula says: If the placenta (fetal clothing) does not come out, take eight liang of ox-knee and one liang of winter-melon seed. Boil them in nine sheng of water until three sheng of liquid remain, then take it in three doses.

The Sun Simiao’s Dietary Taboos says: For toothache, burn ox-knee root to ash and apply it between the teeth. Another formula says: If an unfamiliar, malignant sore suddenly appears, pound ox-knee root and apply it to the affected area.

The Expanded Materia Medica says: Ox-knee now grown in cultivated plots around Xijing can reach three chi in height; this kind is best. Soaking ox-knee with cistanche (a medicinal herb that tonifies Kidney Qi) in wine and drinking it benefits the Kidneys. If a bamboo or wooden splinter is embedded in the flesh, chew ox-knee and apply it to the wound; the splinter will come out.

Bupleurum

Recorded places of origin: Zizhou, Shouzhou, and Jiangning Prefecture.

Bupleurum is a principal medicine. It tastes bitter, is neutral and slightly cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats disorders of the heart and abdomen, disperses bound Qi and accumulated food in the intestines and stomach, and treats pathogenic influences such as alternating chills and fever. It can disperse stagnation and promote the generation of new tissue. It is also used for vexing heat below the heart during cold damage, phlegm-heat congestion, pathogenic Qi surging upward in the chest, and Qi that wanders unsettled among the five viscera. It can also treat abdominal distension caused by accumulated fluid in the large intestine and contraction due to damp impediment. Bupleurum may also be decocted for bathing. Taken over a long period, it can make the body feel light, brighten the eyes, and replenish vital essence.

Bupleurum is also called “Earth’s Fragrance,” “Mountain Vegetable,” and “Ru Grass.” Its leaves are called “Yun Artemisia”; they have a pungent fragrance and can be eaten. Bupleurum grows in the mountain valleys and river valleys of Hongnong and Yuanju. The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months and dried in the sun. Pinellia can assist Bupleurum. Bupleurum is incompatible with Chinese honeylocust and is counteracted by Nüwan and Veratrum.

The Illustrated Classic says: Bupleurum grows in the mountain valleys of Hongnong and around Yuanju. Today it is found in Guanzhong, Shaanxi, Jiangnan, Huguang, and nearby regions; the kind from Yinzhou is the best. In the second month, it sprouts young shoots with a strong fragrance. Its stems are purplish green, and its leaves resemble bamboo leaves but are somewhat narrower. Some resemble slanted Artemisia; others resemble shorter dwarf lilyturf. It flowers yellow in the seventh month. Bupleurum from Danzhou bears blue-green fruit and differs from that grown elsewhere. Its roots are red and shaped like…

The roots of qianhu are thick and sturdy, with fine red hairs on the crown that look like a mouse’s tail. Plants that grow singly and are relatively tall are considered the best quality.

The Treatise on the Nature of Drugs says that bupleurum can treat aching joints caused by heat exhaustion, heat surging upward, and pain in the shoulders and back. It also promotes the circulation of blood and Qi, and helps with fatigue and emaciation, stagnant Qi, and indigestion. When an epidemic illness causes persistent internal and external fever, it may also be decocted and taken on its own.

Tao Hongjing says that the Treatise on Natural History records a plant called “yinhao.” Its leaves resemble those of xiehao, and in spring and autumn it produces tender white stems four or five inches long, fragrant, tasty, and edible. It grows around Chang’an and Henei. The bupleurum discussed here is an important medicine for treating cold damage.

Sun Shangyao’s prescription uses bupleurum to treat jaundice: take one liang of bupleurum, with the shoots removed, and one fen of licorice. Chop the ingredients finely for a single dose. Add a bowl of water and a handful of cogongrass root, then decoct until seven tenths of the liquid remains. Strain out the dregs and take small amounts as needed, finishing the dose in one day.

The Extended Discussion says that the Divine Farmer’s Classic of Materia Medica does not mention bupleurum as a treatment for consumptive illness, yet prescriptions for such illnesses rarely omit it. Alas, this kind of misuse has caused great harm. One form of consumptive illness occurs when the organs are truly depleted and are then assailed by pathogenic heat. The pathogen takes advantage of the body’s weakness, giving rise to the illness; this is why “consumption” suggests something deeply rooted and difficult to dispel. Medicines must be chosen with careful judgment. For example, in the Proven Prescriptions, bupleurum is an appropriate ingredient in pills decocted with sweet wormwood to treat consumptive heat, and the remedy often works. Once the heat has subsided, the medicine should be stopped immediately. If there was no heat to begin with, taking bupleurum may worsen the illness and even endanger life. The author says he has personally witnessed many such cases.

Ophiopogon

Ophiopogon from Suizhou and Luzhou is considered the best. It is the chief ingredient in the prescription. Its flavor is sweet, its nature is neutral and slightly cold, and it is non-toxic. It treats Qi binding in the chest and abdomen, injury to the stomach and intestines, overeating, severed Qi in the channels of the stomach network, emaciation and shortness of breath, heaviness of the body, yellowing of the eyes, fullness below the heart, and internal heat caused by deficiency and exhaustion. It also relieves dry mouth and thirst, stops vomiting, and improves weakness and loss of strength. It nourishes Yin, replenishes Jing, aids digestion, harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach, calms the spirit, and regulates Lung Qi. It can strengthen the body and improve the complexion. The text also says that taking it can aid fertility; prolonged use can make the body feel lighter, slow aging, and lessen hunger.

Ophiopogon is also called yangjiu, aijiu, majiu, yangshi, yu jia, and yu yuliang. Its leaves resemble chives, and it grows in both winter and summer. It is found in the valleys around Hangu, in rich soil on embankments and slopes, among rocks, and in places long left uncultivated. It is gathered in the second, third, eighth, and tenth months, then dried in the shade. Rehmannia and plantain may be used alongside it. It should not be combined with tussilago or bitter gourd, and it is incompatible with Sophora root and qingrang.

The Illustrated Classic records: Cui Yuanliang’s Prescriptions from the Sea contains a pill for treating wasting-thirst (a group of conditions marked by excessive drinking and urination, and thirst), made with maidong (a medicinal plant in the lily family). It is said that he happened upon the prescription through a countryman, and that its effects were miraculous beyond description.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Maidong can be used as a guiding ingredient in prescriptions. It is incompatible with ku’ai and is counteracted by wood ear fungus. It treats toxic heat and relieves vexing thirst. It is used chiefly for edema, reducing swelling of the face, eyes, and limb joints, and also promotes urination. It is also used to treat lung atrophy, coughing up pus and phlegm, seminal emission, stagnation of Qi in the chest and abdomen, darkening of the body, yellowing of the eyes, distress and fullness below the heart, and recurrent heat arising from taxation and debility.

The Rihua Materia Medica says: Maidong can be used for the five taxations and seven injuries. It calms the Hun and settles the Po, relieves thirst, and strengthens the body. It is also used for seasonal epidemic fevers, deranged states of mind, headaches, and coughs.

Tao Hongjing says: Hangu Pass is in the area of Qin Pass. Maidong and yangjiu are different names. Maidong grows throughout the regions and is gathered in the fourth month. In winter it bears fruit like green pearls. Its roots resemble grains of wheat, which is why it is called “maidong.” The plumper roots are best. Before using it in a decoction, soak it until soft and remove the core; otherwise it may cause vexation and unease.

Chen Cangqi says: The Classic of the Materia Medica and the prescriptions used by physicians classify maidong in different ways. The kind from Jiangning is smaller and moist, while the kind from Xin’an is larger and white. The shoots of the larger plants resemble lycoris, while those of the smaller ones resemble chive leaves. Maidong comes in three or four varieties, differing in size but similar in use. Its seeds are round and blue-green. The ancients believed that taking it for a long time could make the body light and the eyes bright. Maidong, plantain seeds, and dried rehmannia can be made into pills and taken after meals. They are said to dispel damp-heat pestilence, restore white hair, and improve eyesight, so that even at night one can see a glimmer of light.

The Extended Materia Medica says: Maidong consists of the seeds that grow at the roots. It can treat deficiency heat in the heart and lungs, as well as recurrent heat from taxation and debility. Its shoots can also be boiled and taken as a drink.

Duhuo (a medicinal plant in the celery family)

Duhuo tastes bitter and sweet, is neutral in nature with a slight tendency toward warmth, and is non-toxic. It treats invasions of Wind-Cold and metal-inflicted wounds, and can relieve pain. It is also used for running-piglet disorder (an illness described by the ancients as Qi surging upward from the lower abdomen), epilepsy, convulsions, and women’s hernias and abdominal masses, as well as wasting. It can also treat various illnesses caused by pathogenic wind and pain in the joints throughout the body, regardless of how long the illness has lasted. The ancients believed that taking it for a long time could make the body light and help one endure old age.

Duhuo is also known as qianghuo, qiangqing, “Protector of the Qiang Envoy,” “Envoy of the Hu King,” and “self-shaking herb.” According to legend, this plant does not sway when there is wind, but moves on its own when there is none. It grows in the mountain valleys of Yongzhou and is also found in Longxi and Nanan. Its roots are gathered in the second and eighth months and dried in the sun. The fruit of the pig can serve as an assisting medicinal.

The Illustrated Classic records: Duhuo and qianghuo grow in the mountain valleys of Yongzhou and are also found in Longxi and Nanan. Today, the kinds from Sichuan and Hanzhong are considered superior. Young shoots appear in spring, and the leaves resemble green hemp…

This plant blooms every month, with flowers growing in clusters. Some bear yellow flowers, others purple. When the fruit ripens, plants with yellowing leaves grow on rocks in crevices, while those with green leaves grow in the channels of the soil. The Bencao Jing says that Qianghuo and Duhuo were originally medicines of the same kind. Today, people call the purple-colored variety with closely spaced joints Qianghuo, and the yellowish, clump-shaped variety Duhuo.

The Yaoxing Lun says: Qianghuo is bitter and acrid, and non-toxic. It treats “thief wind” (wind evil that invades the body), loss of voice and inability to speak, itching in many places, blood leprosy (a severe skin disease), inability to move the hands and feet freely, deviation of the mouth and eyes, and numbness and pain throughout the skin.

Tao Hongjing says: Qianghuo is small in form, with many joints; its substance is soft and moist, and its aroma is extremely strong. The variety from northern Yizhou and western Sichuan is Duhuo. Duhuo is somewhat pale in color and large in form. Its effects resemble those of Qianghuo, but are slightly weaker. Because its single stalk grows straight upward and does not sway in the wind, it is called “Duhuo,” meaning “standing alone.” It is especially prone to insect damage and should be stored in a sealed container.

The Tang Ben Zhu says: For treating wind, use Duhuo; when dampness is also present, use Qianghuo.

The Rihua Zi says: Qianghuo treats various wind disorders and Qi ailments, as well as spasms of the sinews and bones, weak and wasted limbs, and dizziness. It brightens the eyes and treats redness and pain in the eyes. It also treats “Fu Liang” (a mass in the abdomen), water swelling, the “five labors and seven injuries” (various forms of debility and overstrain), deficiency, cold Qi, and aching joints; it also promotes the free flow of the Five Viscera. Duhuo is a related medicine of the same maternal lineage as Qianghuo.

The Qianjin Fang records: To treat wind-stroke with chills throughout the body, clenched jaws, and loss of consciousness, take four liang of Duhuo and add one sheng of good wine. Boil until half a sheng remains, and take it warm in two portions.

The Bixiao Fang records: To treat stabbing, cramping abdominal pain after childbirth, take two liang of Qianghuo and add two sheng of wine. Boil until one sheng remains, strain out the dregs, and take in two portions.

The Xiaopin Fang records: For postpartum wind deficiency, Duhuo decoction is the principal treatment; Bai Xian Pi decoction may also be used. Alternatively, combine three liang each of Duhuo and Bai Xian Pi with three sheng of water, boil until one and a half sheng remain, and take in three portions. Another formula treats wind-stroke after childbirth, difficulty speaking fluently, and stiffness of the limbs: grind three liang of Qianghuo into powder. For each dose, take five qian, add half a cup of water and half a cup of wine, boil, strain out the dregs, and drink warm.

Wen Yibo says: To treat swollen, painful teeth caused by wind evil rising upward, grind three liang each of Duhuo and Rehmannia into powder. For each dose, take three qian, add one cup of water, boil, and drink warm.

The next entry is Shengma, which comes from Hanzhou and Chuzhou. Shengma is sweet and bitter, neutral in nature with a slight cooling tendency, and non-toxic. Its main effects are to dispel various toxins and drive away “the myriad spirits, old beings, calamities, and ghosts”—the various spirits and malign influences described by the ancients—and to ward off epidemics, miasma, and evil influences. When someone is poisoned by gu, the medicine induces vomiting as soon as it enters the mouth, expelling the poison.

Shengma treats sudden abdominal pain, toxic heat caused by seasonal epidemics, headaches, alternating chills and fever, swellings caused by wind toxin, sore throat, and mouth ulcers. It is said that taking it over a long period can prolong life and make the body light and vigorous. It is also called “Zhouma” and grows in the mountain valleys of Yizhou. The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months and dried in the sun.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: Today, Shengma is produced in Shu, Hanzhong, Shaanxi, Huainan, and other regions; the variety from Shu is the finest. In spring, young shoots emerge, and the plant grows to about three chi tall. Its leaves resemble those of hemp and are bluish green. It flowers in the fourth and fifth months, with white flower clusters like millet heads. After the sixth month, it bears black fruit. The root is purple, resembles the root of Artemisia, and has many fibrous offshoots. Physicians commonly use it to treat painful swelling of the throat and sores on the tongue and in the mouth, and also to ease headaches from cold damage and various toxic swellings. Chop one liang of Shengma, add one sheng of water, and boil it down to a strong decoction to drink. It is said to relieve pain and dispel toxin as soon as it is taken. People in Shu often use it.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Shengma from Shu can treat fright disorders and epilepsy in children caused by wind pathogens, as well as seasonal febrile illnesses. It also treats swelling and pain of the teeth and gums after they have been attacked by wind pathogens, loosening and decay at the roots of the teeth, and foul breath. It can also be used for wind toxin in the heart and lungs, heat pathogens obstructing the flow, mouth sores and vexation, abscesses, and smallpox. Boil it in water, then dip cotton cloth in the decoction and wipe the sores. It is said also to drive away various evil spirits and ghosts.

Tao Hongjing says: In the past, Shengma from Ningzhou was the best. Its roots were slender and black, with a very firm texture, but they have become rare in recent times. Today, only the variety from Yizhou is good. Once its outer skin is scraped away, it is bluish green and is called “Chicken-Bone Shengma.” The northern variety is coarse and spongy, and yellow in color. A similar variety grows around Jianping, but its medicinal taste is weak, so it is unsuitable for use.

Lei Gong says: After harvesting Shengma, scrape off the coarse outer skin with a knife, then treat it with smoke. Soak it overnight in the fresh juice of Huangjing, remove it and dry it in the sun, chop it, steam it, then dry it again before use.

The Daily Materia Medica says: Shengma can calm the hun and po souls. It is used for so-called possession by ghosts, incessant crying, wandering wind swellings and toxins, bad breath, and gum erosion. It is also called “Luoxinfu.”

The Sagely Prescriptions of Benevolent Sages records: To treat children’s spotted sores and smallpox when the outbreak causes vexation and restless sleep, use Sichuan Shengma alone, in any amount. Chop it, add one cup of water, and boil it. Strain out the dregs, dip cotton cloth in the liquid, and wash the surface of the sores.

The Supplement to the Thousand Gold Prescriptions records: To treat lingering lochia after childbirth that continues for a month and a half or even half a year, use three liang of Shengma and five sheng of clear wine. Boil until reduced to two and a half sheng, then divide into two warm doses.

Meishi’s Formula records: To treat pustules caused by an epidemic, take five liang of cimicifuga, add water and honey, and boil until it bubbles three times. Divide the liquid in two: drink one half and apply the other half to the pustules.

Yao Hezhong’s Formula records: To treat blood in a child’s urine, take five fen of Sichuan cimicifuga, add five he of water, and boil down to one he of liquid. Strain out the herb. A one-year-old child should take the whole dose over the course of a day.

The Formula from the Elbow says: To treat throat impediment—a condition involving swelling and pain in the throat, or obstruction—chop cimicifuga and hold it in the mouth. This can also be done when the throat feels blocked.

Plantain seed is sweet and salty in flavor, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It chiefly treats urinary obstruction and pain caused by Qi stagnation. It promotes the flow and discharge of fluids, and treats difficulty urinating, damp impediment—pain or numbness in the limbs caused by dampness—internal injury in men, persistent dribbling in women, and poor appetite. It also nourishes the lungs, strengthens Yin, replenishes essence, aids fertility, brightens the eyes, and treats redness and pain in the eyes. Taken over a long period, it can make the body light and help one withstand old age.

The leaves and roots of plantain are sweet in flavor and cold in nature. They chiefly treat metal-inflicted wounds, such as injuries from swords and other metal implements, and stop bleeding. They are also used for nosebleeds, blood stasis, blood masses in the abdomen, blood in the stool, and reddish urine. They can also relieve agitated heat, direct Qi downward, and expel small parasites.

Plantain seed is also known as Dangdao, Fuyi, Hama Yi, Niuyi, and Shengxi. It grows on flat ground, hills, and sloping ground beside roads around Zhending. Gather it on the fifth day of the fifth month and dry it in the shade.

The Illustrated Classic says: Today, plantain grows everywhere in the Jiang, Hu, and Huai river regions, near the capital, and throughout the northern regions. Its young shoots appear in early spring, with leaves spread over the ground and shaped like the bowl of a spoon. Mature plants can grow to more than a chi tall. Their flower spikes resemble mice’s tails, and their tiny flowers are bluish with a slight reddish tinge. The fruit resembles the seeds of draba and is reddish in color.

The Pill for Aiding Vision uses plantain seed and dodder seed. Make them into honey pills and take them before meals. People today regard this formula as remarkable.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Plantain seed is sweet in flavor and neutral in nature, and serves as a chief herb. It dispels wind toxins and treats red, painful eyes, blurred vision or eye obstructions, headache, and tearing caused by wind-heat toxins in the Liver channel. It can also lessen the toxicity of mineral medicines and dispel agitation and heat in the chest. Plantain leaves are used for seminal emissions and blood in the urine. They also replenish the Five Zang, brighten the eyes, promote urination, and treat the Five Strangury disorders, a group of conditions involving dribbling or impaired urination.

The Daily Record of Bright Essence says: Plantain seed uses changshan as its assistant herb. It promotes urination and treats painful, difficult urination. It also strengthens Yang, treats seminal leakage, relieves agitation in the heart, and directs Qi downward.

Yuxi carefully verified the sources: The Erya says that Fuyi is Maxi, and Maxi is plantain. The commentary explains that the plantain seen today has large leaves and a long spike, and often grows by roadsides; east of the Yangtze, it is called “toad’s clothing.” The subcommentary quotes Lu Ji’s annotation: Maxi is also called plantain and Dangdao because it likes to grow in the prints of ox hooves; hence the names plantain and Dangdao. In Youzhou, people call it “ox-tongue grass.” It can be boiled and eaten as a vegetable, and has a slippery texture. Its seeds can be used to treat difficult childbirth in women.

The Waitai Miyao says to treat blood in the urine by crushing plantain herb, squeezing out five he (a traditional measure) of juice, and taking it on an empty stomach.

The Shenghui Fang says to treat chronic internal eye disease—an illness within the eye, often referring to conditions that impair vision—by taking equal amounts of plantain seeds, dried rehmannia root, and dwarf lilyturf root. Grind them into a fine powder, mix with honey, and form pills the size of parasol tree seeds. The text says this remedy has repeatedly proved effective.

The Baiyi Fang says to treat difficulty urinating by boiling one jin of plantain seeds and plantain herb together in three sheng of water, reducing the liquid to one and a half sheng, and taking it in three portions. Another remedy for stone-related urinary disease, in which stones pass during urination, uses two sheng of plantain seeds placed in a silk bag. Boil them in eight sheng of water until the liquid is reduced to three sheng. Take the entire amount at once without eating beforehand. After a while, the stones will pass.

The Meishi Fang says to treat urinary disease during pregnancy, with burning and difficulty urinating, by boiling five liang of plantain seeds and one sheng of chopped mallow root in five sheng of water. Reduce the liquid to one and a half sheng and take it in two portions.

The Zimu Milu says to treat a fetus lying crosswise and preventing an easy delivery by grinding plantain seeds into powder and swallowing two qianbi (an ancient unit for measuring medicinal doses) with wine.

A remedy for diarrhea: Ouyang Wenzhong once suddenly developed diarrhea, and the imperial physicians were unable to cure him. His wife said that someone in the marketplace was selling a medicine for three coins per dose, and that it worked very well. She bought some, mixed it with the medicine prescribed by the imperial physicians, and gave it to him. Ouyang Wenzhong recovered after taking it once. The seller was later summoned and asked for the prescription. He said it contained only plantain seeds, ground into a fine powder and swallowed in a dose of two qianbi with rice water, because the seeds promote the flow of urine.

The Yanyi says: “Plantain seeds: Tao Hongjing said that drinking juice made from crushed leaves can treat involuntary seminal emission. This is a serious error. Plantain seeds are sweet and slippery; they promote urination, but this also causes Jing to be discharged and depleted. The classics say they treat scanty, painful urination and can lower Qi. Some people ate them as a vegetable and then became unable to control their urination, nearly bringing harm upon themselves.”

Mugwort root

Mugwort root is produced in Guangzhou and Haizhou.

Mugwort root is pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats pathogenic influences and wards off toxic epidemics and warm-ghosts (the disease-causing spirits believed by the ancients to bring epidemics), while strengthening the mind and will. It treats urinary disorders and involuntary seminal emission, improves weakness of Qi and localized chill in the muscles, and can also replenish deficient Qi, dispel toxins and disease spirits, drive away apparitions, and treat warm-type malaria and Gu toxins. It is an important herb for directing the movement of medicinal effects. It is said that taking it for a long time prevents alarming dreams, makes the body light and nimble, and may even enable one to attain the Dao and become an immortal. It is also called “honey fragrance” and grows in the mountain valleys of Shuichang.

The Tujing says: “Only Guangzhou receives mugwort root by sea vessel; it is not produced elsewhere. Tao Hongjing said that a kind also grows in the Jianghuai region, called ‘Upper Green Mugwort Root,’ but it is not suitable for medicinal use. The Book of Cultivation and Nourishment says that on the first day of the first lunar month, bathing in water boiled with five kinds of wood will keep one’s hair black into old age.”

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica records the following about costus root (木香, muxiang):

This medicinal herb primarily treats heart pain in women caused by stagnant blood and qi, with severe unbearable pain relieved by grinding it into powder and taking it with wine. It addresses nine types of heart pain, chronic cold accumulation, abdominal masses with distending pain, and resolves qi stagnation with chest oppression. It's also effective against cholera with vomiting/diarrhea and gripping pain in the heart and abdomen.

Tang dynasty medical annotations specify two varieties—the superior kind comes from Kunlun Mountain (a legendary Daoist sacred mountain), while inferior quality grows in the Western Regions. Its leaves resemble sheep-hoof herb but are longer, flowers resemble chrysanthemums, and fruits are yellow-black, growing widely. Another physician describes leaves like yam leaves but with larger roots, purple flowers, and high medicinal value—refuting Tao Hongjing's claim of being "non-medicinal."

The Song dynasty Rihuazi adds: Muxiang regulates all heart-abdominal qi stagnation, stops diarrhea/dysentery, stabilizes pregnancy, strengthens spleen-stomach function, and treats indigestion, emaciation, cold bladder pain, and vomiting. Xiao Bing notes premium muxiang resembles dried bones, mostly shipped from Kunlun trade vessels.

Other texts record: Sichuan-cultivated muxiang has yellow flowers, grows 3-4 chi tall, with 8-9 inch wrinkled hairy leaves. Sui dynasty official Fan Zigai once presented green muxiang to the emperor against northwestern miasma. The Marine Materia Medica cites the Classic of Mountains and Seas locating its origin at Kunlun Mountain by the Eastern Sea.

Practical formulas: Soaking green muxiang in vinegar and placing it underarms treats body odor; for febrile epidemics with rashes, decocting 2 liang shows efficacy. Kou Zongshi concludes: Muxiang excels at dispersing cold stagnation in the chest/abdomen, especially when combined with tangerine peel, nutmeg, and ginger. Another variety from Minzhou has leaves like narrow burdock, stems 3-4 chi tall with coin-shaped yellow flowers, and intensely pungent roots with exceptional qi-moving properties.

Regarding coix seed (薏苡仁, yiyiren):

Sweet and slightly cold in nature, non-toxic. Treats muscle spasms, wind-damp bi pain, expels pathogenic numbness from sinews/bones, and benefits intestinal digestion. The plant has erect stems, leaves resembling broomcorn millet, red-white flowers, and bluish-white bead-like fruits harvested in September. Prime quality comes from Zhending (modern Zhengding, Hebei)—plump, bluish-white kernels are best.

Coix seed, also called coix grain or pearl coix, can be used for edema. It is said that taking it for a long time can make the body feel light and nimble and strengthen Qi. Its root can also expel intestinal parasites.

Coix seed is also known as Jieli, Wutan, Qishi, and Ganshengzhen.

Coix grows on flat ground, in marshes, and in fields around Zhen Ding; today it is found throughout the country. The fruits are harvested in the eighth month, while the roots can be gathered at any time.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: Coix grows on flat ground, in marshes, and in fields around Zhen Ding, and is now found throughout the country. It sprouts in spring. Its stalks grow three or four feet tall, and its leaves resemble those of millet. It blooms with red and white flowers arranged in spikes. The fruits form in the fifth and sixth months. They are blue-white and shaped like slightly elongated beads, which is why they are called pearl coix. Children often thread them on string and play with them like bead necklaces.

Most ancient prescriptions use coix to treat disorders of the heart and lungs. Ge Hong says that for sudden fullness and oppression in the heart and abdomen, with pain in the chest and flanks, coarsely chop the coix root, simmer it down to a strong decoction, and take three sheng of the liquid; the condition will then ease. People today often gather coix leaves and steep them as a drink. Zhang Zhongjing treated wind-damp illness causing bodily vexation and pain that worsened each afternoon with the Ma Huang, Xing Ren, Yi Yi Ren, and Gan Cao Decoction: three liang of ma huang, thirty apricot kernels, and one liang each of licorice and coix seed. Add four sheng of water to the four ingredients, simmer until two sheng remain, and take warm in two doses.

Tao Hongjing says: Zhen Ding County belongs to Changshan Commandery, and coix is also commonly found near the capital. Coix fruits from Jiao Zhi are the largest; the local people call them “dry pearls.” Ma Yuan once gathered a large quantity and brought it back. Later, someone falsely accused him of having brought back real pearls. Full, heavy grains are of good quality; for medicinal use, choose grains of medium size. Today, when children have roundworms, coix root can be boiled into a decoction, which is then used to cook a soft rice porridge for the child. The porridge is fragrant, and it is highly effective at expelling roundworms.

Chen Cangqi adds: Coix can treat wasting-thirst and kill roundworms. A decoction of coix root, when taken, causes miscarriage.

Lei Gong says: There is a substance called “Qianmi” whose grains are large and tasteless. People at the time called it “Jingqian”; it must not be mistaken for coix seed. Coix seed has smaller grains, a bluish color, and a sweet taste; when chewed, it sticks to the teeth. For use, take one liang of coix seed and stir-fry it with two liang of glutinous rice. When the rice is cooked, remove it and use only the coix seed. Another preparation method is to boil it first in salted water.

After careful checking, Yuxi says that the Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals records: Coix seed can treat spasms of the sinews and vessels caused by pathogenic heat and can stimulate the appetite. It can be used for lung atrophy, depletion of Lung Qi, coughing, coughing up pus and blood, excessive nasal discharge and saliva, and rebellious Qi surging upward.

Meng Shen says: Coix seed is neutral in nature. It expels dampness and is highly effective for beriberi caused by dampness.

The Heart Mirror of the Food Physician records: Coix seed can treat spasms of the sinews and vessels and long-standing painful impediment caused by wind-dampness, and can direct Qi downward.

It can dispel pathogenic influences from the bones, ease the bowels and stomach, and reduce edema. Taken over a long period, it can make the body light and nimble and increase strength.

Take one sheng of coix seeds and pound them into a powder. For each dose, take two spoonfuls of the powder and boil them in two sheng of water to make a porridge. Eat it on an empty stomach.

The Meishi Recipe says: To treat lung disease with coughing and expectoration of pus and blood, take ten liang of coix seeds, pound them, and boil them in three sheng of water. Reduce the liquid to one sheng, then add a little wine and take it.

The Yanyi says: Coix seeds are the “pearls that resemble coix, which must not be overlooked” mentioned in Li Shangyin’s Inscription on the Great Granary. The kernel is used medicinally. The Classic of the Materia Medica says it is slightly cold in nature and treats tightness and spasms of the sinews and channels. There are two kinds of tightness and spasms. A commentary on the Suwen says that when the major sinews are affected by heat, they contract and shorten, becoming tight and unable to stretch. Coix seeds can treat this kind of spasm caused by heat. But if, as the Suwen says, tightness of the sinews and channels is caused by exposure to cold, coix seeds should not be used.

Alisma (a plant in the Alismataceae family, whose root is used medicinally)

Alisma is sweet and salty in flavor, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats wind-cold-damp impediment and blocked lactation. It can reduce edema, nourish the five organs, increase strength, and make the body robust. It also replenishes deficiency, treats the five taxing injuries, clears fullness and obstruction in the five organs, invigorates Yin energy, stops seminal emission, treats wasting-thirst and dribbling urination, and drains stagnant fluid from the bladder and Triple Burner. Taken over a long period, it can sharpen hearing and vision, lessen hunger, prolong life, make the body light and nimble, brighten the complexion, and even enable a person to walk on water. Bian Que says that taking too much can damage a patient’s eyes.

Alisma is also called water alisma, ji xie, mang yu, and gu xie. It grows in ponds and marshes in Runan. Its roots are dug up in the fifth, sixth, and eighth months and dried in the shade. It is incompatible with sea clam and striped clam.

Alisma leaves are salty in flavor and non-toxic. They treat severe wind disorders, blocked lactation, and difficult childbirth, and can also strengthen Yin energy. Taken over a long period, they can make the body light and nimble. Gather the leaves in the fifth month.

Alisma fruit is sweet in flavor and non-toxic. It treats wind impediment and wasting-thirst, replenishes Kidney Qi, strengthens Yin energy, restores deficiency, and dispels pathogenic dampness. Taken over a long period, it can brighten the complexion, but it can also cause infertility. Harvest it in the ninth month.

The Illustrated Classic says: Alisma grows in ponds and marshes in Runan. Today it is also produced in Shandong, Hedong, Shaanxi, and the regions along the Yangtze and Huai rivers; the finest comes from Hanzhong. In spring, it sends up young shoots and grows mostly in shallow water. Its leaves resemble plantain leaves, and it has a single, long stalk. In autumn it blooms with white flowers in clusters, resembling gu jing cao. Dig up the roots in the fifth, sixth, and eighth months and dry them in the shade.

The Suwen says that a condition marked by fever, fatigue and weakness, profuse sweating, aversion to wind, and shortness of breath is called “wine wind.” To treat it, combine ten portions each of alisma and atractylodes with five portions of mi xian…

Take a pinch with two fingers (a small amount held between the thumb and forefinger) as a medicine to be taken after a meal. “After the meal” means taking the medicine first and eating afterward.

When Zhang Zhongjing treated miscellaneous disorders, he used Alisma Decoction for patients with retained fluid below the heart (water and fluid gathered between the chest and abdomen), accompanied by dizziness and vertigo, as if they were about to faint. The prescription calls for five liang of Alisma and two liang of Atractylodes. Boil them in two sheng of water until half a sheng remains, then divide into two warm doses. The Great Alisma Decoction, Lesser Alisma Decoction, and Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria, among the formulas used to treat cold damage, also contain Alisma. Alisma is especially effective at directing out and expelling stagnant fluids.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says that Alisma tastes bitter. As a principal medicine, it can treat kidney deficiency and the spontaneous leakage of seminal fluid. It can also treat the Five Types of Strangury, clear heat from the bladder, and open the urinary passages.

Tao Hongjing says that Alisma also grows near Runan in Yuzhou, but the quality is poor and it is unsuitable for medicinal use. The best Alisma comes from Nanzheng in Hanzhong and the Qingyi area. Choose large, long specimens whose tails have two distinct forks in the middle. Alisma decays easily and is prone to insect damage, so it must be stored carefully in a sealed container. Its leaves are narrow and long, growing in clumps in shallow water. The scriptures of the immortals, which describe taking substances for nourishment and practicing grain abstention, also make use of Alisma. They further say that taking it makes the body light and strong, allowing one to walk on the surface of the water.

The Rihuazi says that Alisma treats the Five Taxations and Seven Injuries (various conditions of exhaustion and debility), relieves dizziness, hollow ringing in the ears, and spasms in the sinews and bones. It promotes urination and bowel function, stops involuntary urination and blood in the urine, and helps bring on labor in difficult childbirth. It also nourishes women’s Blood Sea (the functional system associated in Chinese medicine with menstruation and conception), helping them conceive. Alisma leaves are also used medicinally. The text says they strengthen the Water organs (the kidneys and other organs involved in fluid metabolism), promote milk production, and open the blood vessels.

The Proven Prescriptions records this method: Take Alisma regularly, boil it until soft in water prepared with Chinese honey locust, then roast it dry and grind it into a fine powder. Make pills the size of Chinese parasol tree seeds using refined honey. On an empty stomach, take fifteen to twenty pills with warm wine. The text calls this highly effective, especially for sores caused by wind in the kidneys.

The Extended Account of Materia Medica says that Alisma’s chief action is to move water, that is, to direct the flow of fluids. Zhang Zhongjing included Alisma in the Eight-Ingredient Pill only to guide medicines such as cinnamon twig and aconite into the Kidney channel; he had no other purpose in using it. Everyone who takes Alisma Powder urinates more. Once urination has increased, how can Kidney Qi become full again? For this reason, people today dare not use Alisma to treat excessive seminal emission.

Chinese yam (also called mountain yam)

Chinese yam produced around Mingzhou and Chuzhou tastes sweet and is warm yet moderate in nature. It is nontoxic. It treats internal injury and replenishes deficiency; dispels pathogenic cold and heat, boosts the middle and increases Qi, strengthens the body, and promotes muscle growth. It can also treat wandering wind pathogens in the head and face, headache, and dizziness; direct Qi downward and relieve lower back pain; nourish debility and wasting, replenish the Five Viscera, dispel vexing heat, and strengthen Kidney Yin. Long-term use is said to sharpen hearing and vision, make the body light and strong, lessen hunger, and prolong life.

Chinese yam is also called mountain taro. In the regions of Qin and Chu it is known as “Jade Extension,” while in Zheng and Yue it is called “Earth Tuber.” It grows in the valleys of Mount Songgao.

The roots are gathered in the second and eighth months and dried in the sun. Purple Lingzhi is used as an assistant herb (to support the principal herb in a formula). Do not use it together with Gansui.

The Illustrated Classic says: The best Shuyu (Chinese yam) comes from the areas around Beidu and Siming. In spring, young shoots emerge, and the vines climb along fences. The stems are purple; the leaves are blue-green, three-pointed, and shaped like morning-glory leaves, though thicker and more glossy. Guo Pu’s commentary says that the root resembles taro and can be eaten. Today, people in Jiangnan pronounce the related names with varying tones. Judging by this commentary, Shuyu and the plant called “Zhu” in the text may be the same species, differing only slightly in appearance because they grow in different regions of the north and south. The difference in pronunciation probably arose through transmission errors. It is also called mountain taro.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: As a minister herb, Shuyu can replenish and treat the five taxations and seven injuries, dispel cold wind, ease lower-back pain, calm the mind and settle the soul, open the heart’s apertures, and strengthen memory. It can also supplement insufficiency of the heart Qi. Shuyu may be added for people who are weak and thin.

Tao Hongjing says: Today, Shuyu can be found everywhere not far from human settlements. It is especially abundant around Dongshan and Nanjiang, where people often dig it up to eat and use it as food. The kind produced around Nankang is the largest and also tastes good; it is used in nourishing regimens as well.

Yuxi says: I consulted Wu’s records. Shuyu is also called “Zhushu”; in the Qi and Yue regions it is called mountain taro, and is also known as “Xiucui” and “Er Cao.” The Divine Farmer’s Classic of Materia Medica says it tastes sweet and is slightly warm in nature; Tong Jun and Lei Gong say it tastes sweet and is non-toxic. It grows in some places around Linqu and Zhongshan. When it first sprouts, its stem is red and its vines are slender. It flowers white in the fifth month and bears bluish-yellow fruit in the seventh; the fruit ripens and falls in the eighth month. The inside of the root is white, its skin is yellow, and its shape resembles taro.

The Heart Mirror of the Food Physician says: Shuyu can be used for deficiency and cold in the lower burner, frequent urination, weakness and wasting, and lack of strength. Take half a jin of fresh Shuyu, scrape off the skin, cut it into small pieces with a knife, and grind it until very smooth. Put wine in a pot first; when it boils, add the Shuyu without stirring. Once it is cooked, add salt and scallion whites, then pour in a little more wine. Drink two or three cups on an empty stomach. It is highly effective.

The Sagely Benefactions Formula says: Shuyu can replenish deficiency and improve the complexion. Grind the Shuyu finely in a sand basin, then put it in a pot. First fry it in one large spoonful of ghee until fragrant, then slowly add one cup of wine, frying and stirring until evenly mixed. Drink on an empty stomach.

Chongwei seeds (the seeds of motherwort) taste pungent and sweet, are slightly warm, and also have a slightly cold nature; they are non-toxic. They chiefly improve eyesight, supplement Jing, and eliminate water retention. They can be used for Qi and blood surging upward, intense heat, headache, and irritability. Taken over a long period, they make the body feel light and agile. The stems can be used to treat wind wheals and rashes on the skin, as well as itching; they may also be decocted for bathing. They are also called Yimu, Yiming…

This herb is called “Dazha” and is also known as “Zhenwei.” It grows along seashores, around ponds, and in marshes, and is gathered in the fifth month.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says that all authorities identify “Tui” as motherwort. Thus, when Zengzi saw it, he was reminded of his mother’s kindness. Liu Xin also says that “Tui” has a fishy, foul smell. The herb described as having a fishy, foul smell is Chongwei, that is, motherwort.

The Guangji Formulary records that if a child has gan dysentery—a condition involving indigestion and diarrhea—and is so weak that death seems near, motherwort may be boiled and fed to the child until the illness is cured. It is highly effective. Motherwort can also treat difficult labor: pound the fresh herb, extract seven ge of juice, and simmer it until only half remains. Take this dose at once, and the fetus will be delivered. If fresh herb is unavailable, use a large handful of dried herb, boil it in seven ge of water, and drink the decoction.

Tao Hongjing says: Motherwort is now found everywhere. Its leaves resemble those of ren (white perilla), its stem is square, and its seeds are slender and three-sided. It is not often used in prescriptions.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: Pound the stems of Chongwei and apply them to a ding abscess, a type of boil. Taking the juice can disperse the swelling from within. The herb can also expel a dead fetus from the womb, treat postpartum distension and discomfort caused by blood stasis, and address various toxic swellings, erysipelas, and oil-wind swelling, a skin condition. Put a drop of the juice into the ear to treat chronic discharge from the ear. Applied externally, it can also treat bites from a venomous snake.

Chen Cangqi says: In the fields, people call this herb “Yuchou,” or “foul-smelling herb.” Another materia medica commentary says that its seeds resemble those of Ximing, but are somewhat larger. Steamed and then decocted, or pounded and squeezed for its juice, the herb can expel a dead fetus.

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says: The shoots and leaves of motherwort have the same effects as the rest of the plant and can treat postpartum fullness caused by blood. The seeds mentioned here are motherwort seeds. Its flowers grow in segments, resemble a cockscomb, and bear black seeds. They are gathered in the ninth month.

The Sagely Aid Formulary records that when a woman has painful breast distension that develops into an abscess, motherwort may be ground into powder, mixed with water, and applied to the breast; the condition will be better by morning. Fresh herb may also be pounded and applied.

Another prescription says: If postpartum lochia does not flow, pound motherwort and squeeze out the juice. Take one small cupful at a time, mix in one ge of wine, warm it, stir well, and drink.

The Emergency Prescriptions from the Elbow records that to treat various blood disorders in women, as well as injuries suffered by women after childbirth, take an appropriate amount of motherwort, chop it with a bamboo knife, and wash it clean. Cook it down into a paste in a silver vessel, seal it in a porcelain container for storage, and take it with wine.

A prescription of Sun the Perfected says: For a horse bite, chop motherwort, stir-fry it with vinegar, and apply it to the wound.

The Collected Proven Prescriptions records that to treat red or white vaginal discharge, gather motherwort while it is flowering and pound it into powder. Take two qian at a time, mixed with warm water, before meals.

The Mirror of the Sources of the Elixir Chamber says: Burn motherwort to ash, mix it with flour broth, and refine it by burning. This preparation is specifically used to treat facial wind eruptions, a type of facial rash. Motherwort can also be used in refining sulfur.

The Extended Commentary says that the leaves of motherwort can also be boiled and eaten as a vegetable in early spring. They do not wither over the winter. Empress Wu of the Tang dynasty once burned them to ash and mixed the ash into a preparation used to firm the face.

Lady’s tresses (also called wei-rui, or jade bamboo)

Lady’s tresses (wei-rui) tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat sudden fever after a stroke, inability to move the body, spasms of the sinews and vessels, muscle discomfort, general weakness and deficiency, stagnation of Qi in the chest and abdomen, deficiency heat, damp toxins, lower back pain, cold within the penis, and sore, watering eyes. Taken over a long period, it is said to reduce dark spots on the face, improve the complexion, moisten the skin, make the body feel light, and slow aging.

It is also called ying, earth-joint, jade bamboo, or horse-scent. It grows in the valleys and hilly areas of Mount Tai. Dig it up after the Start of Spring and dry it in the shade. Its medicinal properties are incompatible with salt brine.

The Illustrated Classic says that Guo Pu’s commentary identifies it as a medicinal herb and does not distinguish lady’s tresses from wei-rui as separate names. Yet the text also suggests that they may be different medicines, since the Classic of Materia Medica lists lady’s tresses separately among its middle-grade substances. Su Gong held that lady’s tresses is the medicine described here. In the current text, the red characters record the effects of lady’s tresses, while the black characters record those of wei-rui. Judging from how they are used in old prescriptions, the two do seem to differ.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says that wei-rui is a principal medicine. It can be used for alternating chills and fever caused by seasonal illnesses, strengthen a weak body, and dispel internal heat arising from exhaustion. It is especially effective when added to prescriptions for headaches or an unsettled spirit.

Tao Hongjing says that, on consulting the Classic of Materia Medica, one finds lady’s tresses but not wei-rui; the Supplementary Records has no entry for lady’s tresses, only wei-rui. The two books describe the same effects under different names. Lady’s tresses, therefore, must be wei-rui. This medicine is now found in many places. Its root resembles polygonatum but is smaller, and it is also used by those who cultivate health through dietary practice.

The Daily Records of the Sun says that wei-rui dispels agitation, relieves thirst, and nourishes the heart and lungs. It replenishes deficiency caused by the Five Exhaustions and Seven Injuries, and can also be used for pain in the lower back and legs, as well as manic agitation caused by seasonal febrile illness. There are no particular restrictions on taking it.

Lei Gong says not to mistake it for Chinese goldthread or polygonatum. They look similar but are different medicines, and using the wrong one can make a person ill. Wei-rui has hairs at its joints, spots on its stem, and small yellow dots at the tips of its leaves. After gathering it, use a bamboo knife to scrape the skin from the joints, wash it, soak it overnight in honey water, steam it, then dry it over a fire for later use.

Xiao Bing says that wei-rui replenishes central Qi and strengthens original Qi. It is produced in Junzhou.

The Yang Family’s Guide for Childbirth and Nursing records a method for treating persistent, chronic diarrhea with rectal prolapse: cut one sheng of lady’s tresses, burn it over a fire, and use the smoke to fumigate the affected area. This is a method of external treatment by fumigation.

Fang Kui

Xiangzhou.

Fangkui has a pungent, sweet, and bitter taste, and is cold in nature. It is not poisonous. It is used to treat hernias, abdominal masses, diarrhea, and conditions in which heat in the bladder causes urine to become obstructed and difficult to pass. It is also used for coughing with rebellious Qi, warm malaria (malaria accompanied by fever), epilepsy, sudden fright, and frenzied agitation. It can also treat weakness of the Five Viscera, Qi deficiency, fullness in the lower abdomen, abdominal distension, and dry mouth. It dispels pathogenic influences from the kidneys and strengthens the will. Long-term use is said to strengthen the marrow, replenish original Qi, and make the body light and agile. However, it must not be taken after being overheated during processing, as this can cause mental confusion and even hallucinations of ghosts and spirits.

Fangkui is also known as Ligai, Fangci, Jueli, Nongguo, Liru, and Fangai. It grows in the mountain valleys of Linzi and around Songgao, Taishan, and Shaoshi. Its roots are gathered on the third day of the third month, then dried for later use.

The Illustrated Materia Medica quotes Tao Hongjing as saying that the roots of fangkui resemble those of langdu, but do not sink when placed in water. Some people now pass off withered langdu as fangkui; this is a grave mistake. Fangkui is gathered in the third month, flowers and bears fruit in the sixth, and its root is used medicinally.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says that fangkui is classified as a superior-grade medicine and is non-toxic. Long-term use can treat fright and mania caused by pathogenic influences. Its roots and leaves resemble those of the mallow plant, its fruit resembles mallow seeds, and its root smells like fangfeng; hence its name, “fangkui.” Fangkui gathered at the proper time can also sink in water. Passing off withered langdu as fangkui is an egregious error.

Chen Cangqi points out that fangkui and langdu are different medicines: one is superior-grade, while the other is toxic, and they also differ in shape and texture. Tao Hongjing said their roots were similar and that they could be distinguished only by whether they sank in water. Later generations followed this account and consequently used them incorrectly. Fangkui was originally used to disperse hard masses, but later came to be treated as a lower-grade medicine with the same effects as langdu. This confusion has persisted from ancient times to the present without being corrected—a serious mistake.

Lei Gong warns that langdu must never be used in place of fangkui. Langdu closely resembles fangkui, but examination shows that the two have different effects. They must be identified with care to prevent harm from mistaken use.

Yuxi quotes the Treatise on the Properties of Medicines as saying that fangkui, when used as the principal medicine, is slightly poisonous. It treats hernias, xuanpi (abdominal masses formed by accumulated pathogenic factors), masses caused by Qi, fluid accumulation in the bladder, and tumor-like masses of Qi and blood as large as a bowl, and can disperse these accumulations. It also treats ghost malaria (malaria believed in ancient times to be caused by ghostly influences), drives away various evil spirits and monsters, and restores the flow of Qi.

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records a treatment for mania: grind fangkui into powder and take one daogui (an ancient small unit of measure) with warm wine. After two or three doses, the body will sweat slightly and feel mildly numb; the text regards this as a sign that the medicine is taking effect.