Selected reading of Li Shizen's medical works : the Chinese materia medica Ben cao gang mu 2021943097, 9789811238116, 9789811238123, 9789811238130, 9811238111

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SELECTED READING OF

Li Shizhen’s Medical Works The Chinese Materia Medica Ben Cao Gang Mu

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SELECTED READING OF

Li Shizhen’s Medical Works The Chinese Materia Medica Ben Cao Gang Mu

Ping Wang Translated by: Ya

Liu

Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, China

NEW JERSEY

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LONDON

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SINGAPORE

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BEIJING

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SHANGHAI

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HONG KONG

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TAIPEI

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CHENNAI

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TOKYO

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Published by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021943097 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. 〈〈李时珍医药选读〉〉 By Ping Wang Translated by Ya Liu Originally published by Hubei Science and Technology Press, Wuhan, China SELECTED READING OF LI SHIZHEN’S MEDICAL WORKS The Chinese Materia Medica Ben Cao Gang Mu Copyright © 2022 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the publisher.

For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher.

ISBN 978-981-123-811-6 (hardcover) ISBN 978-981-123-812-3 (ebook for institutions) ISBN 978-981-123-813-0 (ebook for individuals) For any available supplementary material, please visit https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12309#t=suppl Typeset by Stallion Press Email: [email protected] Printed in Singapore

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About the Author

WANG Ping is a professor and chief physician of traditional Chinese medicine and special expert of State Council Government Allowance. Currently, he is the Vice President and Geriatrics Institute Director of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, China. He was honoured with “Young Expert with Great Contribution in Hubei Province” in 2003, “The National TCM Excellent Successor” in 2008, “Star of TCM Science and Technology” in 2010, and was selected in the first group of Hubei Province Medical Leader Project in 2013. He is mainly engaged in the research on Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica) and Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic), the classic works of traditional Chinese medicine, and other classic theories concerning anti-aging function of Chinese medicine. Meanwhile, he works at the research of prevention, treatment, recuperation and product development for geriatric diseases such as insomnia, amnesia and other diseases. Besides, he is adept in traditional Chinese medical diagnosis and treatment of nerves, endocrine disease, deficiency syndrome, and other miscellaneous diseases.

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About the Chief Translator

LIU Ya is a professor of English and dean at the School of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, China. She is the Vice Chairperson of the 4th Board of Specialty Committee of Translation of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies. She is also the Vice Director of Chinese Association for Research and Advancement of Chinese Traditional Medicine. Her primary research is medical English and translation. Her major works include Personality Psychology, Nursing English, A Practical Course in American Literature, and Huangdi’s Internal Classic for Health Preservation, etc. Co-translators: QUE Hongling, ZHANG Linxi, HAO Jianjun, LI Sile, XIE Tingting, WANG Ling, SHI Ping

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Preface

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) contains an extensive knowledge that the Chinese nation has accumulated through practical experimentation and theoretical research in treating diseases and promoting health over a period of thousands of years. Throughout history, many TCM theorists, experts, and pharmacists have contributed valuable works. The most representative of them was Li Shizhen with his Ben Cao Gang Mu, which was praised by Charles Darwin as an “encyclopedia” of ancient China and was selected into Memory of the World Register by UNESCO in 2011. Born in Qizhou (Qichun, Hubei Province), Li Shizhen (1518–1593), also called Dongbi, followed in his father’s footsteps in practicing medicine. He studied medical works intently and determined to correct the errors he found in them. He is said to have read more than 300 medical books. He traveled widely, and interviewed doctors, pharmacists, fishermen, handicraftsmen, snake catchers and hunters over a period of 27 years. He finally completed his Ben Cao Gang Mu in 1578. It derives part of its name from its classification of drugs and treatments into 16 gang (categories) and 60 mu (subcategories). Ben Cao Gang Mu comprises 52 volumes, describing 1,892 drugs, with 1,109 illustrations. Its 16 categories are those of water, fire, earth, metals and stones, herbs, cereals, vegetables, fruits and woods — an evolution from minor to major; and fabrics and utensils, insects, animals with scales, shells, fowls, animals, and finally humans — an evolution from the vii

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least developed to the most advanced. Of the 60 subcategories, those of herbs include mountain herbs, fragrant herbs, herbs from swampland, toxic herbs, creeping herbs, aquatic herbs, herbs from rocky land, mosses, miscellaneous herbs, and herbs with their names recorded but not yet in use. Ben Cao Gang Mu records 1,094 floral drugs, 444 fauna drugs and 354 mineral drugs. As for floral drugs, their roots, stems, flowers, fruits, as well as the time to gather them and processing are stated clearly to guarantee the best pharmaceutical effects. This book is divided into two parts: The introduction and the selected reading of the original work of Ben Cao Gang Mu. In the introductory part, the life story, academic characteristics and main contributions of Li Shizhen are illustrated, and suggested learning methods of the book are recommended as well. Five aspects are mainly discussed in the selected reading part: Original preface and memorial to the throne, essence of Li Shizhen’s medical theories, treatment of various diseases, Li Shizhen’s medical records and medical notes, and health preservation. Apart from the selected reading from the original work of Ben Cao Gang Mu, theoretical exposition and modern application are supplemented in each chapter, so as to improve readers’ theoretical knowledge and ability of practical problem-solving.

Acknowledgment This book is the achievement of the Project of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China in 2018 (18YJA740031).

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Contents

About the Authorv About the Chief Translator vi Prefacevii Introductionxv Chapter 1  Li Shizhen’s Life Experiences and His Works

1

1.1  Li Shizhen’s Life Experiences 1 1.1.1  Early Life of Taking the Imperial Examination 1 1.1.2 Being a TCM Practitioner and Writing Medical Books 2 1.1.3  The Declining Years 3 1.2  Li Shizhen’s Representative Medical Works 4 1.2.1  Ben Cao Gang Mu4 1.2.2  Bin Hu Mai Xue5 1.2.3 Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao6 1.2.4 Lost Works of Li Shizhen 6 Chapter 2  The Main Content and Academic System of Li Shizhen’s Medical System  2.1 The Main Content of Li Shizhen’s Medical System 2.1.1  Herbal Medicine 2.1.2 Prescriptions

9 9 9 11

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2.1.3  Pulse Examination 14 2.1.4  Health Preservation 16 2.1.5  Medical Cases 17 2.1.6  Medical Thoughts  19 2.2  The Academic System of Ben Cao Gang Mu21 2.2.1  The Basic Framework of the Book 21 2.2.2  Compilation Format 28 2.2.3  Preface and Drug Illustration 31 Chapter 3  Academic Characteristics and Main Contributions of Li Shizhen Medicine

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3.1  Academic Characteristics of Li Shizhen Medicine 3.1.1 Equal Emphasis on Medical Science and Medicinal Drugs 3.1.2  Rigorous and Realistic Spirit 3.1.3  Practical and Innovative Spirit 3.2  Main Contributions of Li Shizhen Medicine 3.2.1  Medical Theory 3.2.2 Herbalism 3.2.3 Botany 3.2.4 Zoology 3.2.5 Mineralogy 3.2.6 Others

35 47 54 58 61 73 77 81 83 86

Chapter 4  Suggestions of Learning Ben Cao Gang Mu

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4.1  Get Acquainted with Classics 4.1.1  Choose an Authoritative Version 4.1.2  Read Them Thoroughly 4.1.3  Grab Their Essence 4.2  Make Reference to Annotations if Necessary 4.3  Practice Makes Perfect

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Chapter 5  Original Preface and Memorial to the Throne

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5.1  Original Preface 5.2  Memorial to the Throne

109 111

Chapter 6  Essence of Li Shizhen’s Medical Theories

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6.1  Seven Prescriptions and Ten Formulas 6.2  Quality and Taste, Yin and Yang 6.3 Principles of Giving Prescriptions in the Four Seasons 6.4 Drugs with Mutual Antagonism 6.5  Dietary Prohibitions During Medication 6.6  Dietary Prohibitions 6.7  Contraindications During Pregnancy 6.8 Recommendations and Prohibitions of the Five Tastes; Preferences of the Five Tastes 6.8.1 Recommendations and Prohibitions of the Five Tastes 6.8.2  Preferences of the Five Tastes 6.9 Reinforcement and Purgation of the Five Zang Organs with Drugs of Five Tastes 6.10 The Mutual Functions of Reinforcement, Assistance, Restraint and Inhibition of Drugs 6.11 Medication Concerning Five Circuit Phases and the Excesses of Six Climatic Factors 6.12 Medication for Deficiency and Excess, Incidental and Fundamental Aspects of the Zang Organs and Fu Organs 6.13 Administration of Drugs for Five Zang Organs and Six Fu Organs: Quality and Taste, Tonification and Purgation 6.14 Chen Cangqi’s Medication for Deficiencies 6.15 Three Methods of Sweating, Vomiting and Purgation by Zhang Zihe 6.16  Eight Extra Meridians

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Chapter 7  Treatment of Various Diseases

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7.1  Internal Diseases 7.1.1 Fluid-retention 7.1.2  Nausea and Vomiting 7.1.3 Malaria 7.1.4 Amnesia 7.1.5  Fright Palpitations 7.1.6 Insomnia 7.1.7 Somnolence 7.1.8 Diabetes 7.2  Surgical Diseases 7.2.1  Diseases of the Eye 7.2.2  Diseases of the Ear 7.3  Gynecological and Paediatric Diseases 7.3.1  Menstrual Irregularities 7.3.2 Leukorrhea 7.3.3  Metrorrhagia and Metrostaxis 7.3.4  Diseases of Neonatal Babies

207 207 222 229 245 248 251 254 256 270 270 307 321 321 329 336 346

Chapter 8  Li Shizhen’s Medical Records and Medical Notes

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8.1  Abstract of Li Shizhen’s Medical Records 8.2  Abstract of Li Shizhen’s Medical Notes 8.2.1 Insomnia Cases 8.2.2  Hysteria Cases 8.2.3  Cough Cases 8.2.4  Eye Disease Case 8.2.5  Stroke Case 8.2.6  Mania Psychosis 8.2.7 Infertility 8.2.8 Regurgitation 8.2.9 Jaundice

357 366 366 366 368 370 371 373 374 375 376

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Chapter 9  Health Preservation

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9.1 Li Shizhen’s Thoughts on Medicine and Health Preservation 9.1.1 Anti-aging and Prolonging Life Through Nourishing the Kidney and Liver 9.1.2 Tonifying the Spleen and Stomach; Strengthening Root and Culturing Original Qi 9.1.3 Tranquilizing Mind by Nourishing the Heart; Reinforcing Intelligence and Retaining Youthful Looks 9.1.4 Cultivating Healthy Qi by Eating Cereal, Meat, Fruits and Vegetables 9.2  Li Shizhen’s Recipe for Health Preservation 9.2.1  Health Preservation Through Flowers 9.2.2  Health Preservation Through Wine 9.2.3  Health Preservation Through Porridge 9.2.4  Health Preservation Through Water

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383 384 384 387 399 402

Appendix I: Quoted Medical Works

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Appendix II: TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs

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Introduction

Li Shizhen, whose courtesy name was Dongbi, was also known as Bin Hu Shan Ren in his later years. Born in Waxieba (Doctor Street at present), Dongchang Street, Qizhou town, Qichun county, in Hubei Province, Li Shizhen was a famous medical scientist in the Ming Dynasty and was universally acknowledged as one of the outstanding traditional Chinese medicine masters in the world. Li Shizhen’s distinguished medical achievements shine brightly in the long history of traditional Chinese medicine and the brilliance will last forever, and his medical spirit of “Expounding the truth of life; applying in practice to help the world” is admired by capable and wise people. Li Shizhen had read thousands of books, traveled thousands of miles, consulted ancient maxim diligently, and collected prescriptions extensively. For about ten years, he just read books, identified herbs, inquired in folks, investigated and gathered herbs in person ceaselessly. Finally, it took him 27 years to complete the masterpiece Ben Cao Gang Mu. In the original preface, he was depicted as “reading medical classics like tasting sugar candy”; Gu Jingxing praised him in Li Shizhen Zhuan (Biography of Li Shizhen): “He studied ten years without leaving the house, and nobody was as knowledgeable as him”; “Travelled to the remote unknown places, and ventured into mountainous areas”; “Gathered and identified one by one so as to know the herbs comprehensively”; “Set out all the herbs to observe and identify repeatedly”. Ben Cao Gang Mu, a collection xv

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of the essence of herbal books of the Tang and Song Dynasty, is based on Tang Shenwei’s Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica) in the Song Dynasty. The book has not only blazed a new path, pushed the herbalism to a new peak, but also formed a distinctive characteristic of Li Shizhen’s medical system which pays equal attention to treatment and medicine. The famous litterateur Wang Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty wrote in the foreword of Ben Cao Gang Mu: “Reading the book brings you the pleasure as if you have entered a garden filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs; or you were visiting the imperial palace where treasures can be seen everywhere; or facing with an extremely exquisite jade on which all the detailed works can be seen. The book Ben Cao Gang Mu covered a wide range of knowledge but was not complicated, explained in details but was not pointless, verified comprehensively, and the essence can be easily observed. How could it just be regarded as a medical book? It is definitely a great encyclopedia expounding the subtlety of things, the truth of life, the knowledge of science, and it is a work which should be treasured by emperors as well as common people.” Therefore, after the publication of Ben Cao Gang Mu, various versions of the translation appeared successively which received international acclaim. In 1606, Ben Cao Gang Mu was first introduced into Japan, and it was carved and annotated repeatedly in Japan, which had a great influence on Japanese pharmacology. During the period from the 18th to the 20th century, it was translated into various languages, such as Japanese, French, English, German, and Russian and so on, and became the research object of many scholars in the western countries. The versions published in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were collected by a number of collection organizations in Britain, France, Germany, the United States, South Korea, Russia, Italy and Japan, etc. In 1593 (the 21st year of Ming Emperor Wan Li), Ben Cao Gang Mu was published by Hu Chenglong from Jinling, which is the earliest version of this book, and the only version compiled by the Li family. Dr. Joseph Needham, the well-known British expert in the study of Chinese science and technology, evaluated this book by saying, “Without a doubt, one of the greatest scientific achievements in the Ming Dynasty is Li Shizhen’s Ben Cao Gang Mu.” The introduction of the book focuses on Li Shizhen’s life and works, the main content and academic system of Li Shizhen’s medical system,

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and the academic characteristics and main contributions of Li Shizhen’s medicine. Generally, Li Shizhen’s life has gone through three periods: Taking imperial examinations as a young scholar, practicing medicine and writing medical books as a doctor, and the life of his later years. In his medical works, like Ben Cao Gang Mu, Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology), Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians), Bin Hu Ji Jian Fang (Bin Hu Collection of Simple Formulas), Ming Men Kao (Textual Research into Life Gate), Bin Hu Yi An (Bin Hu’s Medical Cases), Wu Zang Tu Lun (Illustrated Five Zang-organs), San Jiao Ke Nan (Triple Energizers), Tian Gui Lun (On Tiangui) and Bai Hua She Zhuan (Biography of Baihuashe), different subjects are contained, such as internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, o­ phthalmology and otolaryngology, and dermatology; in addition, sphygmology, meridian, acupuncture, diet, medicated diet, anti-aging, etc. are also included. The academic research covers drug name exegesis, textual research of drug variety, drug resources, cultivation, processing, preparation, identification, pharmacology, pharmaceutical, etc. It involves many disciplines of natural science and social science: botany, biology, zoology, mineralogy, smelting, geology, phenology, chemistry, physics, and ­linguistics, history, folklore, Taoism, philosophy, etc. A wealth of dialectical thinking and other medical thinking methods also run through this book, such as the view of yin and yang, the view of holism and the view of constant change, imagenumber view, life gate theory and postnatal view. The name of the book reflects the basic features of the scientific framework: Once the key link is grasped, everything else falls into place. The three gang and mu are listed as follows: Categories as gang and subcategories as mu; subcategories as gang and drugs as mu; drugs as gang and eight items of analysis as mu. From the perspective of herbal medicine, Li Shizhen arranged the 1,892 kinds of drugs according to a scientific system which is well-organized and well-structured. In a sense, the unique arrangement is the key to surpass all previous accomplishments. There are 52 volumes in all. In total, it contains information on 1,892 drugs in 16 categories and 60 subcategories. It records more than 1,100 illustrations and makes huge improvements on more than 800 illustrations recorded in Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica).

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Renowned as a “saint of both pharmacy and medicine”, Li Shizhen has been regarded as an outstanding pharmacologist and a distinguished Chinese physician. Apart from a monograph of pharmacy and medicine, Ben Cao Gang Mu is also a monograph of clinical medicine, which is a must-read for both clinical workers and students learning traditional Chinese medicine. About 113 diseases are recorded in Volumes 3 and 4 entitled “Treatment of Various Diseases”. Based on the previous medical studies, Li Shizhen made great improvement by extracting the essence of previous medical works, expounding basic theories of TCM, supplementing new experiences, and correcting errors committed by predecessors. Among the 11,096 prescriptions recorded in the book, about 2,900 are old ones and the rest are new and improved ones. Common and frequently occurring diseases are recorded in this part. Besides, various medicated preparations such as pills, powders, ointments, and pellets are also listed, most of which proved to be scientific, convenient, inexpensive, effective, and practical in use. The selected readings are mainly from the original introduction for Ben Cao Gang Mu by Wang Shizhen, the leader of the highly prestigious literary school “The Later Seven Talents” in the Ming Dynasty and Jin Ben Cao Gang Mu Shu (Memorial to the Throne) by Li Jianyuan, son of Li Shizhen. Three years after Li Shizhen’s death, Li Jianyuan fulfilled his father’s last wish and submitted to the throne Ben Cao Gang Mu together with Jin Ben Cao Gang Mu Shu (Memorial to the Throne) in which he remarked: “Ben Cao Gang Mu is a book of medicine and pharmacology in name, but actually it is a book of natural science on account of the entries which are from classics written in ancient times, folklores and all other sources that are related to medicine.” For clinical purpose, some contents regarding medical practice are deliberately selected from Ben Cao Gang Mu, including “Seven Prescriptions and Ten Formulas”, “Quality and Taste, Yin and Yang”, “Drugs with Mutual Antagonism”, “Dietary Prohibitions During Medication”, “Dietary Prohibitions”, “Contraindications During Pregnancy”, “Recommendations and Prohibitions of the Five Tastes, Preferences of the Five Tastes”, “Reinforcement and Purgation of the Five Zang Organs with Drugs of Five Tastes”, “The Mutual Functions of Reinforcement, Assistance, Restraint and Inhibitions of Drugs”, “Medication Concerning Five Circuit Phases

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and Six Excesses”, “Medication for Deficiency and Excess, Incidental and Fundamental aspects of the Zang Organs and Fu Organs”, “Administration of Drugs for Five Zang Organs and Six Fu Organs: Quality and Taste, Tonification and Purgation”, “Chen Cangqi’s Medication for Deficiencies”, “Three Methods of Sweating, Vomiting and Purgation by Zhang Zihe” and “Eight Extra Meridians”. As for sphygmology, Qi Yan Mai Jue (Sevencharacter Pulse Verses) and Si Yan Ju Yao (The Essentials of Pulses in Fourcharacter Verses) are covered. In “Treatment of Various Diseases”, 14 common diseases and frequently occurring diseases and their treatment are listed, to go alongside some medical records and notes. From the 16 categories of drugs in Ben Cao Gang Mu, 47 commonly used drugs are presented with its original text; moreover, properties, functions and indications, usage and dosage, application by some famous physicians and modern research on these drugs have also been elaborated on. All these will be conducive to the further study of Li Shizhen’s works and clinical practice. As a medicinal encyclopedia, Ben Cao Gang Mu is also rich in theoretical insight into health preservation, with 390 prescriptions on maintaining health, prolonging life and anti-aging. The book elaborates on Li Shizhen’s thoughts on health preservation from four perspectives, namely, first, anti-aging and prolonging life through nourishing the kidney and liver; second, strengthening root and culturing original qi through tonifying the spleen and stomach; third, calming the mind by nourishing the heart, reinforcing intelligence and retaining youthful looks; and lastly, cultivating healthy qi by eating cereal, meat, fruits and vegetables. In addition, it also introduces Li Shizhen’s recipes for health preservation, including health preservation through flowers, wine, porridge and water, shedding new light on health preservation in TCM. Rigorous and pragmatic, innovative and inspirational, Li Shizhen represents a role model for us. His academic research on TCM, highly valued by scholars at home and abroad, provides important guiding significance for generations of doctors. In order to pass on Li Shizhen’s thoughts on TCM and TCM classics, this book intends to summarize his academic essence and wisdom, to deliver a concise, comprehensible reading material and reference for TCM learners. Finally, your comments and suggestions are highly appreciated to make further improvement.

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Chapter 1

Li Shizhen’s Life Experiences and His Works

1.1  Li Shizhen’s Life Experiences The whole life of Li Shizhen can be roughly divided into three periods, each of which was characterized by distinct life experiences and different goals.

1.1.1  Early Life of Taking the Imperial Examination Li Shizhen was born in 1518 in Waxieba near the Dongchang Street of Qizhou (now known as the Qizhou Town of Qichun County, Hubei Province). Both his father and grandfather were doctors. His grandfather was a bell-ringing doctor, a folk practitioner and a humble nobody at that time. His father Li Yanwen who styled himself as “Zixu” and “Yuechi” had been serving as a well-trained doctor in the neighborhood for years and was respected because of his upstanding morality. However, most of Li Yanwen’s works such as Si Zhen Fa Ming (Invention of Four Diagnoses), Yi Xue Ba Mai Zhu (Notes of Eight Extraordinary Channels), Dou Zhen, Zheng Zhi (Treatment of Smallpox), Ren Shen Zhuan (Legend of Ginseng) and Xin Ai Zhuan (Legend of Chinese Mugwort) were lost, only Si Zhen Fa Ming (Invention of Four Diagnoses) to be found in Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology) written by Li Shizhen. 1

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2  Chapter 1

Li Shizhen lived in the late stage of feudal society in China, and it was a period when the feudal rulers became increasingly corrupt and cruelly exploited and oppressed the people. Li Shizhen was born into a poor ­family and wanted to be a doctor since he was a child. Not wanting to disappoint his father who expected him to participate in the imperial examination and gain fame to bring honor to the ancestors, Li Shizhen passed the county level imperial exam and became a local scholar in 1531. As he failed three times in the later provincial examination and never made it to a higher level, he was determined to study medicine like he wished and further his study in the field. Over ten years of hard work laid solid foundation for Li Shizhen and prepared him to be a good traditional medicine practitioner. The knowledge of ancient history and culture acquired through the study of Si Shu Wu Jing (Four Books and Five Classics) and other literature and history classics is very necessary for the study of medical history and history of herb use. Secondly, some ancient scientific and technological knowledge, such as astronomy, calendar, geography, agronomy, biology minerals and crafts which were originally included in Si Shu Wu Jing (Four Books and Five Classics) were indispensable for medical and pharmaceutical research even though they were not so systematic. Third, in the process of getting prepared for the imperial examinations, Li Shizhen had made solid efforts in textual training, phonology, textual research, writing and reading of classics. All the above merits led to his successful transition to medicine and his future accomplishments in science in the later days.

1.1.2  Being a TCM Practitioner and Writing Medical Books After having failed the provincial-level imperial examinations three times, 23-year-old Li Shizhen bid farewell to his eight-year local scholar career and finally persuaded his father to let him learn to be a medical practitioner. He studied how to cure diseases with his father at Xuanmiao Taoist Temple in Qizhou and spent his leisure time studying medical books. Guang Xu Qi Zhou Zhi (Annals of Qizhou during Reign of Emperor Guangxu) depicts Li Shizhen as “studying all the classics ranging from

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Li Shizhen’s Life Experiences and His Works  3

the earliest ones to various schools of thoughts in the Qin Dynasty very hard for ten years without stepping out of the house”.

1.1.3  The Declining Years When Ben Cao Gang Mu was finalized, Li Shizhen, who had spent 27 years on it, was already 61 years old. In order to have it engraved as soon as possible as he wished in his later years, Li Shizhen went to Taicang, Jiangsu Province in 1580 to pay a visit to Wang Shizhen, a wellknown scholar at that time. Wang Shizhen was once an official inspector in Huguang (Hubei and Hunan Province) who then became a literary leader well-versed in astronomy, geography, literature history, poetry and Chinese folk-art forms. Li Shizhen respected him very much and asked him to write a preface for Ben Cao Gang Mu with best wishes. Wang Shizhen agreed and invited Li Shizhen to stay for a few days and treated him with nice drinks and they had a good talk. In 1599, with the support of Hu Chenglong, a collector and book writer from Nanjing, the earliest version of Ben Cao Gang Mu (Jinling version) was finally engraved. Wang Shizhen wrote a preface for it and praised it as comprehensive, precise and more than just a medical classic. Li Shizhen was down with an illness when the engraving of Ben Cao Gang Mu just began. He died at the age of 76 without taking a look of his masterpiece he wrote with all his life. After the publication of Ben Cao Gang Mu, his son Li Jianyuan contributed the book to the imperial court according to his will. Not paying any special attention to this book, Emperor Mingzong didn’t initiate any promotion of it. Nevertheless, the book was then reprinted two or three times after the Jinlin version. Popular versions were Jiangxi version with the preface written by Xia Liangxin, the Provincial governor in 1603 and Hubei version with the preface written by Dong Qichang in 1606. After its appearance in Japan in 1607, it caught the attention of the medical filed immediately. It was then transmitted to Korea and Europe and translated into different ­languages, bringing about a huge impact on countries around the world.

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Li Shizhen lived a great life. He worked hard, overcame many d­ ifficulties and made great achievements through self-study. ­Strong-willed and persevered, he finally made an indelible contribution to the development.

1.2  Li Shizhen’s Representative Medical Works 1.2.1  Ben Cao Gang Mu Learning from the name of Tong Jian Gang Mu (Comprehensive Mirror for Materia Medica) written by Zhu Xi, Li Shizhen entitled the book “Ben Cao Gang Mu”. Started from the year of 1552 (the 31st year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty) and completed in 1578 (the 6th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty), Li Shizhen spent 27 years and made three major changes to the book which was finally finished when he was 61 years old (1578). Ben Cao Gang Mu comprises 16 categories, 52 volumes, and has about 1.9 million Chinese characters. It records 1,518 drugs mentioned in previous medical works, adds 374 more drugs, and totals 1,892 drugs, among which 1,195 are plants. It records 11,096 prescriptions, along with more than 1,100 illustrations. This great work absorbs the essence of the works of the past dynasties, corrects the previous mistakes to the best of his ­ability, supplements the deficiencies, and makes many important discoveries and breakthroughs. It has been one of the most systematic, integral and scientific medical works in China until the 16th century. Li Shizhen has changed three grades of drugs (high-grade, mediumgrade and low-grade) proposed in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal), which had been passed down for more than a thousand years. In his book, drugs are listed into 16 gang (categories) and 60 mu (subcategories). Its categories include those of Water, Fire, Earth, Metals and Stones, Herbs, Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits, Woods, Fabrics and Utensils, Insects, Animals with Scales, Shells, Fowls, Animals and Humans. Each drug is categorized as gang, with subcategories as mu. The book also systematically describes the knowledge of various drugs, including Corrections, Explanation of Names, Previous Explanations, Preparation, Quality and Taste, Indications, Explication, Appendix and Prescriptions.

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He elaborates on the history, form, function and prescription of the drug, which enriches the knowledge of materia medica. The classification method created by Li Shizhen in botany is a scientific method which classifies plants according to their application and morphology and assorts them into different levels. He not only points out kinship of plants, but also unifies nomenclature of plants. He divides more than 1,000 species of plants into five categories (i.e. herbs, woods, vegetables, fruits and cereals) according to their economic use and body, habits and contents, and then divides them into 30 subcategories (such as 9 kinds of herbs, 6 kinds of woods, 7 kinds of vegetables, 7 kinds of fruits, and 5 kinds of cereals), and then subdivides into several types. Ben Cao Gang Mu has not only made significant contributions to the development of Chinese pharmacology, but also has profound influence on the development of world medical science, botany, zoology, mineralogy, chemistry. It has been translated into over ten languages, such as Japanese, French, Germany, English, Latin, Russian, Korean, and published abroad. The Gang Mu system which classifies materia medica according to their natural property was adopted for the first time in the world. This classification method is one of the important methods of modern biological taxonomy, which is one and a half centuries earlier than the Natural System of Linnaeus, the founder of modern plant taxonomy. It is known as the “Great Classic of Oriental Medicine”. In May 2001, the Jinling version of Ben Cao Gang Mu became one of the Memory of the World Register. Wang Shizhen, a famous litterateur in the Ming Dynasty, highly praised the book as follows: “It is definitely a great encyclopedia expounding the subtlety of things, the truth of life, the knowledge of science, and it is a work which should be treasured by emperors as well as common people” in the Preface of Ben Cao Gang Mu.

1.2.2  Bin Hu Mai Xue Given a great many errors regarding sphygmology of his time, Li Shizhen drew on essence from other schools and complied the book Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology) on the basis of his father, Li Yuechi’s work Si Zhen Fa Ming (Invention of Four Diagnoses).

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Named after Li Sizhen’s style name, Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology) is a book of his late years. The book is concise in language and clear in illustration. It not only summarizes the complex clinical pulse images into 27 basic categories, but also narrates the main contents, namely, pulse images, identification of similar pulse images, and pulse examination in the form of verses and ballads to facilitate recitation. As a widely circulated book, it enjoys high praise from medical practitioners of all times, shedding new light on the theoretical research and clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine.

1.2.3  Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao Li Shizhen’s contribution to the science of acupuncture-moxibustion is primarily reflected in his well-acclaimed book Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians) which gathers the analysis and interpretation of the eight extra meridians of the prior medical scientists. In that book, he summarizes the circulation of each meridian and offered his own understanding of treatment of the diseases that each meridian corresponds with. Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians), full of substantial references, has enriched the theories of eight extra meridians and complemented the theories of meridians and collaterals. Different from the traditional practice to center upon ren vessel and du vessel when referring to the eight extra meridians, Li Shizhen takes yin wei vessel and yang wei vessel as the focal points, which can be distinctly perceived from the layout of the book as well as elaboration in the book: yang wei vessel starts with the confluence of the all the yang meridians, goes through the external malleolus and upward to the defense system; in contrast, yin wei starts with the confluence of all the yin meridians, goes through the internal malleolus and upward to nutrient system, hence their significance as the focal points. This argument epitomizes Li Shizhen’s interpretation and development of the eight extra meridians.

1.2.4  Lost Works of Li Shizhen Apart from the afore-going works, Li Shizhen also authored the following books Bin Hu Ji Jian Fang (Bin Hu Collection of Simple Formulas), Ming

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Men Kao (Textual Research into Life Gate), Bin Hu Yi An (Bin Hu’s Medial Cases), Wu Zang Tu Lun (Illustrated Five Zang-organs), San Jiao Ke Nan (Triple Energizer), Tian Gui Lun (On Tiangui), Bai Hua She Zhuan (Biography of Baihuashe), but regretfully they are all lost.

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The Main Content and Academic System of Li Shizhen’s Medical System

2.1 The Main Content of Li Shizhen’s Medical System 2.1.1  Herbal Medicine The theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been greatly perfected in the Ming Dynasty shown by tremendous number of medical books, scientific and reasonable prescription and drug preparations, and continuous development of medical theories. However, due to dynasty successions in history as well as errors and omissions in the recompilation of classic medical works, a number of omissions and errors could be found in the previous works of herbal medicine; meanwhile, some properties, indications, and marginal data of drugs were not clearly illustrated in those works. Therefore, in order to correct the omissions and mistakes in the previous works of herbal medicine, Li Shizhen established a unique academic system and medical thoughts based on his investigations of drugs in Henan, Hebei, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hubei province to get accurate first-hand data and correct omissions and mistakes in previous works of herbal medicine. 9

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In addition, he made reference to many previous works in the process of compilation. “From ancient books and records, to legends and tales, anything relevant are broadly absorbed.” The works he consulted include 41 kinds of ancient herbal monographs, 271 kinds of various medical books, as well as Chun Qiu Zuo Zhuan (Zuo’s Biography of the Spring and Autumn), Guo Yu (Anecdotes of the Spring and Autumn Annals), Shi Ji (The Historical Records), Han Shu (History of the Han Dynasty), Hou Han Shu (Book of the Later Han), Tong Jian Gang Mu (Comprehensive Mirror for Materia Medica), etc. He also consulted the following works: Guo Pu’s Shan Hai Jing Zhu (Notes on Book of Mountains and Seas), Li Daoyuan’s Shui Jing Zhu (Commentary on the Waterways Classic), Zhang Hua’s Bo Wu Zhi (Natural History), Jia Sixie’s Qi Min Yao Shu (Arts for the People), Shen Kuo’s Meng Xi Bi Tan (Dream Pool Essays), and Wang Zhen Nong Shu (Wang Zhen’s Agricultural Book), etc. Generally, there are 758 scientific works in all. Indeed, the masterpiece — Ben Cao Gang Mu — was completed on the basis of previous research. Afterwards, Li Shizhen spent more than a decade and made three major changes to the book which was officially published in the twenty-four years of the Gregorian calendar. A total of 1,500 kinds of herbal drugs were included in the old edition of the Chinese Materiam, and Li Shizhen added more than 370 kinds to it. Then, how to classify 1,900 kinds of drugs was really a big challenge. Drugs were classified into three grades (high-grade, medium-grade, and low-grade drug) in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) and this classification had been followed for two thousand years. Though the standard of three grades was not scientific, it was applicable and convenient. However, for nearly thousand kinds of drugs, this classification was not applicable anymore. In the Song Dynasty, Tang Shenwei set standards of ten categories and three grades in his Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica); however, unscientific factors still existed despite great improvements. Learning lessons from the classification of ten categories in Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica), Li Shizhen abolished the standard of three grades and established the classification of 15 categories and 60 subcategories, leaving only traces of the three grades classification under names of medicines in order to facilitate retrieval of the previous herbal works.

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Categories and items as his criterion, Li Shizhen created a new system of pharmacy in the history and promoted the scientific herbal research. According to the natural properties of medicines, Li Shizhen’s classification established the basic framework of his book — Ben Cao Gang Mu. Furthermore, Li Shizhen thought that the chapter of “Common Medicine for Various Diseases” in Tao Hongjing’s Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (Commentary on Shen Nong’s Herbal) inspired later generations, so he developed this idea by classifying medicines according to their main functions and wrote two volumes titled “Principal Drugs to Treat Various Diseases” listed as Volumes 3 and 4 of the book. For easy application of later generations and improvement of the inadequate record in previous medical works, Li Shizhen listed 113 diseases, including internal diseases, surgical diseases, pediatric diseases and gynecological diseases. And methods of using medicines were presented along and respective categories of medicines are also noted clearly. Besides, dosages and taking methods of some drugs are specially indicated. Li Shizhen explained drugs from the following eight aspects: The Explanation of Names, Previous Explanations, Correction, Preparation, Quality and Taste, Indications, Explication, and Prescriptions. Among the eight aspects, Indications and Explication, which Li Shizhen spared most of his efforts to, are two important contents of his academic achievements. For the chapter of Indications, both of the inheritance and innovation, are the development of drug research and combination of theory and practice, as well as the integration of medicine and drugs. The chapter of Explication, where he made unique observations, is a precious outcome of his years of research. The chapter of Previous Explanations is about statements from previous medical scholars. As to the chapter of Correction, he corrected some misunderstandings in previous works and put forward his own views. To sum up, his attitude of inheriting herbal medicine critically, the rigorous style of study, and the spirit of initiative bleed from every single line of the book.

2.1.2  Prescriptions Ben Cao Gang Mu sums up an enormous literature conducted before the 16th century. Not only an overview summary of the Science of Herbal

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Medicine in and before the Ming Dynasty, but it is also a book for prescription collections, and it has made indelible contributions to the development of the Science of Prescriptions. As many as 11,000 prescriptions, with the characteristics of simplicity, convenience, effectiveness and low price and the highest record of various herbal books, are included in Ben Cao Gang Mu. With the shift of generations, books on TCM prescriptions were lost inevitably for various reasons. The case can be found that only half of the 361 kinds of medical works (including 270 kinds of prescriptions works) quoted in Ben Cao Gang Mu are still existing; and among the 11,000 prescriptions listed in Ben Cao Gang Mu, only 40% of their original documents can be found. This shows that many ancient prescription works are passed down via Ben Cao Gang Mu. Undoubtedly, the masterpiece Ben Cao Gang Mu is a valuable source for collating ancient books and documents, and for conducting the study and coordination of historical documents. Bin Hu Ji Jian Fang (Bin Hu Collection of Simple Formulas), which is not recorded in Bai Mao Tang Ji (Collections of Baimaotang) and Ming Shi (History of Ming Dynasty), is a lost work compiled by Li Shizhen. However, it is still recorded in the first volume of Ben Cao Gang Mu, and about 207 prescriptions in Bin Hu Ji Jian Fang (Bin Hu Collection of Simple Formulas) can be found in Ben Cao Gang Mu. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, most of the book’s names are quoted as “Ji Jian” and only a few as “Bin Hu Ji Jian Fang.” Certain knowledge of Ji Jian Fang are quoted in some medical books in the Ming and the Qing Dynasties, such as Miao Xiyong’s Ben Cao Jing Shu (Annotation on Materia Medica), Wei Zhiyou’s Xu Ming Yi Lei An (Supplement to the Classified Medical Records of Distinguished Physicians), Zhao Xuemin’s Chuan Ya Nei Bian (Treatise on Folk Medicine), Zhang Wang’s Gu Jin Yi Shi (Ancient and Modern Medical Poems), and Ni Zhumo’s Ben Cao Hui Yan (Collected Works of Materia Medica) (the engraved Dachengzhai version in the first year of Minglongwu), etc. And all these quotations of Ji Jian Fang use Ben Cao Gang Mu as their reference. Therefore, it can be said that Ji Jian Fang is the first-hand historical material for studying Li Shizhen’s academic thought. Judging from the scattered essays of Ji Jian Fang recorded in Ben Cao Gang Mu, most prescriptions collected in this book are simple ones, which are composed of single drug or two or three drugs, to treat

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internal diseases, surgical diseases, pediatric diseases, gynecological diseases, and diseases of five sense organs. According to Li Shizhen, most of the prescriptions collected in Ji Jian Fang are summary of his clinical experience, and it is named because the prescriptions are characterized by their simple compatibility, easy application, and prominent efficacy. Li Shizhen well knows that the use of medicine is much like the use of military force: Quality comes before quantity. This notion embodies in his principles of using medicine: Simple compatibility, easy application, and skilled in external treatment and using wine. Except those indications of indefinite and abnormal symptoms and treatments of medical devices, a total of 9,640 prescriptions are included in the book. There are 3,085 single prescriptions, accounting for 32.00% of the total; 3,521 prescriptions consisted of 2 types of medical substance, accounting for 36.52%; 1,754 prescriptions consisted of 3 types of medical substance, accounting for 18.20%; 703 prescriptions consisted of 4 types of medical substance, accounting for 7.29%; 287 prescriptions consisted of 5 types of medical substance, accounting for 2.98%; 290 prescriptions consisted of 6 and more than 6 types of medical substance, accounting for 3.01%. It can be seen that prescriptions consisted of 5 and less than 5 types of medical substance prevails. Apart from simple compatibility to alleviate the financial burden of patients, easy application is also an important feature of his use of medicine. Among the 9,640 prescriptions, the vast majority of them can be used directly and conveniently with no need of decoction, accounting for 78.35%. Besides, there are 1,231 ointments, accounting for 12.77%; 1,331 pills, accounting for 13. 81%; 2,881 powders, accounting for 29.89%; 68 pellets, accounting for 0.71%; 154 decoctions (including decoction of boiled water, oil, urine, vinegar, honey, etc.), accounting for 1.59%; 237 types of medicinal wine, accounting for 2.46%; 1,651 raw drugs which can be used directly, accounting for 17.13%; 2,087 decoctions (including those need to be decocted, boiled, brewed, steamed, baked, stewed, fried, burned, sunburned, smoked, calcined, etc.), accounting for 21.65%. Based on the documents recorded in Ben Cao Gang Mu, people nowadays compiled many prescription books, such as Yi Fang Lei Ju (Prescription Collections) (collated by Hospital of Huzhou and TCM Institute in Zhejiang province).

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2.1.3  Pulse Examination Li Shizhen attached great importance to the pulse lore. By combining the study of various theories with his personal clinical experience, he wrote books like Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians), Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology), and Mai Jue Kao Zheng (Research on Pulse). Among these works, Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians), one of his representative works on pulse lore, exerted huge influence on later study of extra-meridians and demonstrated his profound knowledge in acupuncture and meridian. Based on the generalization of insights and experiences of ancient physicians, he comprehensively and systematically expounded the eight extrameridians theory in the book which was published in 1658. The book has a major impact on the development of acupuncture and meridian theory and plays an influential role in the history of acupuncture and moxibustion medicine. TCM regards human body as a whole of organic unity which coordinates zang-fu viscera, ying and wei (nutrient and defense), and blood qi. Among the meridians, there are regular meridians and extra-meridians. Compared with regular meridians, extra meridians were less studied in previous medical works. At that time, classic medical works had a unique position of authority and people dared not go one step beyond it. However, Li Shizhen did intensive study and systematic collation of extra meridians which was discussed in Nei Jing (Internal Classic) and Nan Jing (Classic of Medical Problems). For those with different opinions and unsolved problems, Li Shizhen made in-depth research and discussed in detail based on his experience, forming a comprehensive understanding of the important functions of extra meridians on human physiology, pathology, as well as all aspects of therapy with syndrome differentiation. Names of the eight extra meridians are listed as follows: Governor vessel, conception vessel, thoroughfare vessel, belt vessel, yin heel vessel, yang heel vessel, yin link vessel, and yang link vessel. Li Shizhen’s contribution to the science of acupuncture-moxibustion is primarily reflected in his well-acclaimed book Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians) which gathers the analysis and interpretation of the eight extra meridians of the prior medical

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scientists. In that book, he summarized the circulation of each meridian and offered his own understanding of treatment of the diseases that each meridian corresponds with. Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians), full of substantial references, has enriched the theories of eight extra meridians and complemented the theories of meridians and collaterals. Acupoints of Qijing were determined for the first time by him on the basis of previous studies. The basic theory of Qijing Bamai (eight extraodinary meridians) turned to be clearer and more systematic and the locations of acupoints and acupuncture treatments became more standardized through his research. Besides, the treatment of diseases related to Qijing Bamai (eight extraodinary meridians) were systematically discussed and the unique theoretical system of Qijing Bamai (eight extraodinary meridians) was initially formed. Thus, it laid the foundation for the development and clinical application of Qijing Bamai (eight extraodinary meridians) Theory and became the reference for later acupuncture teaching and learning. Pulse diagnosis, one of the four consultations, occupies an important position in the process of syndrome differentiation and treatment in TCM. And medical doctors in the past have paid much attention to it. The earliest monograph on pulse studies is regarded to be Mai Jing (The Pulse Classic) of Wang Shuhe (commissioner of the Imperial Academy of Medicine, also called Wang Xi (210–285). He perfected and systemized the art of pulse-taking and emphasized the use of all the other methods of diagnosis as well. He rearranged Zhang Zhongjing’s Treatise on Coldinduced and Miscellaneous Diseases, and thus contributed much to preserving that important classic of medicine.) in the Western Jin Dynasty. Given a great many errors regarding sphygmology of his time, Li Shizhen drew on essence from other schools and complied the book Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology). Named after Li Shizhen’s style name, Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology) is a book of his late years. The book is concise in language and clear in illustration. It not only summarizes the complex clinical pulse images into 27 basic categories, but also narrates the main contents, namely, pulse images, identification of similar pulse images, and pulse examination in the form of verses and ballads to facilitate recitation. As a widely circulated book, it enjoys high praise from

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medical practitioners of all times, shedding new light on the theoretical research and clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine.

2.1.4  Health Preservation Health preservation refers to the maintenance of human health, and it was first put forward in Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) as follows: It is wise to maintain health by conforming to the changes of four seasons, changes between joy and anger, as well as changes between yin and yang. Only in this way can evil be counteracted, and longevity be achieved. As quoted in Shang Gu Tian Zhen Lun: Su Wen, “The person, who observes to the law of life and conforms to the changes of yin and yang, can achieve harmonization between soma and spirit and thus achieve longevity.” To some extent, Ben Cao Gang Mu can be regarded as an encyclopedia of drugs on health preservation. In all, as many as four to five hundred kinds of these drugs are recorded in the book. However, about 10 kinds of drugs are discovered by him and most of them were recorded in previous ancient medical works, such as Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal), Tang Ben Cao (The Tang Materia Medica), etc. From what we can find the long history with drug use on health preservation. On the basis of previous medical experience, Li Shizhen made scientific and realistic assessments on the former drug use and personally verified some drugs. His discussions on drugs are so insightful that they are still of high practical value today. His study breaks away from the mystery of the Taoist theory on health preservation and elaborates on basic principles of drug properties as well as food collocation. By combining rational components of the Taoist theory and his own reflections on health preservation, he wrote the book that influenced later generations. Fushi, swallowing Chinese herbal medicine to maintain health and prolong life, is a kind of health preservation adopted by ancient Chinese physicians and Taoists. There are many monographs on Fushi in ancient medical books, such as Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal), Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians), Qian Jin Yao Fang

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(Invaluable Prescriptions), Sheng Ji Zong Lu (Complete Record of Holy Benevolence), Yin Shan Zheng Yao (Principles of Correct Diet). In Ben Cao Gang Mu, there are more than 176 drugs and 240 prescriptions discussing functions of attaining longevity and anti-aging. And its guiding principle of health preservation can be generalized as “Tonifying liver and kidney to prolong life; regulating spleen and stomach to prevent diseases; coordinating zang-fu organs to supplement deficiency.” Diet therapy has a long history in China, and it is said that “Medicine and food are homologous,” i.e., some medicines can be regarded as food and vice versa. Li Shizhen inherited the scientific tradition of “Diet is superior to medicine in tonification” adopted by many ancient Chinese medical doctors, emphasizing health preservation through dietary balance in daily life. Besides, Nei Jing (Internal Classic)’s dietary health theory of “balancing the five flavors” is also put into practice, which greatly enriches the content of dietary medicine. In all, there are sixty-two kinds of porridge and more than seventy kinds of alcohol listed in Ben Cao Gang Mu, and their functions, indications, and contraindications are also elaborated. It can be found that a wide range of therapeutic drugs is discussed and the principle of “syndrome differentiation; equal emphasis on porridge and wine” is held.

2.1.5  Medical Cases Books on medical cases account for a considerable proportion among all the medical works of China. There are both monographs on medical cases and medical cases recorded in some medical works. Bin Hu Yi An (Binhu’s Medical Cases), a book of his successful medical cases, was compiled by Li Shizhen. Unfortunately, the book was lost long time ago. And the existing medical cases are recorded in Ben Cao Gang Mu, as well as books like Xu Ming Yi Lei An (Supplement to the Classified Medical Records of Distinguished Physicians), Gu Jin Yi An An (Comment on Medical Records: Ancient and Modern), and Song Yuan Ming Qing Ming Yi Lei An (Classified Medical Records of Distinguished Physicians of Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing Dynasties), etc. Though a few existed, his medical cases are distinctive and valuable. Medical cases recorded in Ben Cao Gang Mu are

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characterized by the unique compilation style: cases classified by drug categories. Each medical case is a specific application of medical principles, treating methods, prescriptions, and drugs. It is indeed a precious book for later scholars to study. It is widely accepted that Li Shizhen develops a unique style by sorting medical cases on the basis of drug classification. Though Li Shizhen highly respected and followed the medical experiences in former dynasties, he didn’t just follow the herd; instead, he always chose treatment flexibly according to clinical syndromes, and found out the slightest clues hiding behind the disease. He didn’t just hold one theory among those various medical theories, nor hold just one opinion. Therefore, he held unique opinions in applying prescriptions, and usually made necessary changes according to different situations. Although not so many words in each medical case, the compilation has strict standard which demonstrates his distinctive clinical experience and medication features. The Yishui School has considerable influence on the development of TCM. It was formed based on the academic propositions represented by Zhang Yuansu, Li Gao and Wang Haogu of Yizhou in Hebei during the Song and Jin Dynasties. When studying drugs, Li Shizhen paid especial attention to the achievements of Zhang Yuansu and his followers. It can be found that Li Shizhen made reference to both Zhang Yuansu’s Zang-fu Biao Ben Han Re Xu Shi Yong Yao Shi and Li Gao’s Sui Zheng Yong Yao Fan Li; he adopted their statements when introducing drugs’ functions and prescriptions; he also paid great attention to their theories and effective formulas when making clinical trials. The medical cases contained in Ben Cao Gang Mu mainly explain the effects of drugs, most of which are used together with other drugs and some of which can be used alone. More than ten medical cases left by Li Shizhen originally and vividly recorded the causes and symptoms of the disease, the medical treatments adopted by previous doctors, principles of syndrome differentiation and treatment of his own, as well as prescriptions he used. Combining both theory and practical effects in his book, Li Shizhen tried to convince people with reason and give profound and detailed enlightenment to future generations. In addition, he recorded in detail his understanding of various medical books, his experience learned from his clinical practice, and his own comments and further application of predecessors’ medical cases.

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Indeed, these valuable medical records left by Li Shizhen have great reference value for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of future generations.

2.1.6  Medical Thoughts Li Shizhen made outstanding contributions to the herbal medicine and achieved huge success in the theories of clinical medicine and pharmacy, especially in the theories of zang-fu, qi-blood, and principles of syndrome differentiation, drug use, and dialectical materialist thinking, and he made up for the shortcomings of predecessors’ studies. More significantly, drug use with clinical syndrome differentiation is put forward on the basis of his study on the basic prescription theories. In the preface of the first Volume of Ben Cao Gang Mu, Li Shizhen quoted statements concerning properties, tastes and efficacy of drugs from Zhang Yuansu1 and his successors Li Dongyuan and Wang Haogu. Most of these statements are about relations between drugs and zang-fu; some statements are about medication rules of ascending, descending, floating and sinking;2 by quoting Zhang Yuansu’s medication rules, he organically linked pathogenesis of zang-fu diseases with their treatments and drugs; he also enriched the meridian tropism (classification of drugs according to the meridians on which their therapeutic action is manifested.) as well as the content of drug use on zang-fu diseases. What’s more, from the perspective of syndrome differentiation and treatment as well as on the basis of pathological mechanism of zang-fu organs and his practical clinical experience, Li Shizhen elaborated shi-ji (ten categories of formulas) in detail to make it with higher value and significance. The content of the book is divided according to different 1

 Physician of the 12th century, also called Zhang Jiegu. He made the bold announcement that in view of the different conditions between ancient and modern times it was impossible to treat new diseases with old methods, discarded obsolete traditional formulas and devised a system of his own. 2  Direction of the action of drugs. The ascending and floating drugs have an upward and outward effect, and are used for activating vitality, inducing sweating and dispelling cold. While the descending and sinking drugs, having a downward and inward effect, are used for tranquilizing, causing contraction, relieving cough, arresting emesis, and promoting diuresis or purgation.

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diseases and subdivided according to different treatments. Medical principles, treating methods, prescriptions, and drugs are well connected into one. It reflects the scientific way of Li Shizhen’s medical research by using his unique medical theory as the guide, focusing on pathogenesis and syndrome differentiation. And it also embodies his academic thoughts, focusing on the pathogenesis of internal organs, discussing the occurrence and development of diseases and the interconnection of syndrome differentiation and treatment. Another important feature of Li Shizhen’s medical thought is the emphasis on “spleen and stomach being the postnatal base.” He points out, “Spleen is the mother of vitality.” If the spleen and stomach function well, one’s original qi (the qi derived from the innate essence and supplemented by acquired qi, acting as the primary motive force for life activities.) can be nourished and supplemented. Human life can be maintained due to the nourishment of the original qi which is the driving force of human life. If the spleen and stomach do not function properly, various pathological phenomena will occur. Therefore, the treatment on spleen and stomach lies mainly in the regulation: Regulating the movement of zang-fu and qi organs and rebuilding the balance of zang-fu. Li Shizhen attached great importance to this regulation and underlined the ascending action of drugs. Besides, Li Shizhen stressed a lot on the idea of preventive treatment of disease. A variety of preventive measures were advocated to treat many internal infectious diseases which fully showed his recognition on infectious and epidemic diseases. More than 100 types of drugs to prevent the infectious and epidemic diseases were collected by him. In addition, various preventive measures were created, such as boiling, smoking, bathing, and oral taking to prevent diseases. This is truly a great initiative for traditional Chinese medicine. Furthermore, Li Shizhen absorbed a lot from Taoism, which exemplifies in the theory of mingmen (life gate) and the thought of “Brain is the house of mental activity.” For example, the recognition of the pubic region in Taoism’s alchemy lays a theoretical basis for the theory of mingmen (life gate). Besides, the thought of “Brain is the house of mental activity” was first put forward in the item of Xinyi/flos magnoliae/biond magnolia flower, the 34th Volume of Ben Cao Gang Mu. Yuan-shen (primordial spirit) refers to mental activity which is believed to be administered by the

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brain. This notion overturns the traditional view that the heart controls mental activities. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, Li Shizhen summarizes basic theories of ancient herbs, such as “seven prescriptions and ten formulas,” “directing to the affected meridian or site” (the action of a conductant ingredient in directing other ingredients to work on the affected meridian or site), and “mutual reinforcement, mutual assistance, mutual restraint, and mutual suppression,” etc. He quoted incisive remarks from previous scholars; at the same time, he made in-depth research and put forward insightful views.

2.2  The Academic System of Ben Cao Gang Mu 2.2.1  The Basic Framework of the Book The book’s name reflects the basic features of the scientific framework: Once the key link is grasped, everything else falls into place. From the perspective of herbal medicine, Li Shizhen arranged the 1,892 kinds of drugs according to a scientific system which is well-organized and wellstructured. In a sense, the unique arrangement is the key to surpass all previous accomplishments. In the book, he made the classification of drugs and treatments into 16 gang (categories) and 60 mu (subcategories). Its 16 categories start from Waters and Fires, followed by Earth, Metals and Stones, and then followed by Herbs, Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits and Woods, reflecting an evolution from minor to major; and then followed by Fabrics and Utensils, Insects, Animals with Scales, Shells, Fowls, Animals, and finally Humans, showing an evolution from the least developed to the most advanced. The three gang and mu are listed as follows: If categories are taken as gang, subcategories are considered as mu; subcategories as gang, drugs as mu; drugs as gang, analysis as mu. I.  Categories as Gang and Subcategories as Mu At first, Li Shizhen classified 1,892 drugs into 16 categories.   1. Category of Waters   2. Category of Fires

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  3. Category of Earth   4. Category of Metals and Stones   5. Category of Herbs   6. Category of Cereals   7. Category of Vegetables   8. Category of Fruits   9. Category of Woods 10. Category of Fabrics and Utensils 11. Category of Insects 12. Category of Animals with Scales 13. Category of Shells 14. Category of Fowls 15. Category of Animals 16. Category of Humans The first advantage of the arrangement is that he classified drugs into 3 major categories: · The inorganic field: Categories of Waters, Fires, Earth, Metals and Stones; · The field of plants: Categories of Herbs, Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits, Woods, and Fabrics and Utensils; · The field of animals: Categories of Insects, Animals with Scales, Shells, Fowls, Animals, and Humans. The second advantage of the arrangement is that it is guided by certain philosophical views. In the inorganic field, water and fire are essential elements to maintain human life and listing categories of Waters and Fires at the very beginning confirms to the basic viewpoint which has been held from the Jin Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty. The Category of Earth is listed after categories of Waters and Fires for the reason that everything grows on the earth. As metals and stones also grow on the earth, they are listed after the Category of Earth. Besides, an evolution from the least developed to the most advanced can be found in the field of plants and animals. In the field of plants, the order of herbs, cereals, vegetables, fruits, wood, and utensils shows an evolution from the least developed to

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the most advanced. In the field of animals, the order of insects, animals with scales, shells, fowls, animals and humans shows an evolution from the least developed to the most advanced. Apart from 16 categories, Li Shizhen made the following 60 subcategories:  1. Category of Waters: Waters from Heaven, Waters from Earth (2 subcategories)   2. Category of Fires: Fire (1 subcategory)   3. Category of Earth: Earth (1 subcategory)   4. Category of Metals and Stones: Metals, Jades, Stones, and Halogens (4 subcategories)  5. Category of Herbs: Mountain Herbs, Fragrant Herbs, Herbs from Swampland, Toxic Herbs, Creeping Herbs, Aquatic Herbs, Herbs from Rocky Land, Mosses, and Miscellaneous Herbs (10 subcategories)   6. Category of Cereals: Sesame, Wheat and Rice, Millet, Beans, and Brewed and Prepared Items (4 subcategories)   7. Category of Vegetables: Pungent, Soft and Slippery, Melons, Aquatic Products, and Fungi (5 subcategories)  8. Category of Fruits: Five Fruits, Mountain Fruits, Exotic Fruits, Spices, Melons and Berries, and Aquatic Fruits (6 subcategories)   9. Category of Woods: Fragrant Woods, Ardent Woods, Bush Woods, Parasitic Woods, Bamboo, and Miscellaneous Woods (6 subcategories) 10. Category of Fabrics and Utensils: Fabrics and Utensils (2 subcategories) 11. Category of Insects: Oviparous Creatures, Incubated Creatures, and Amphibians and Worms (3 subcategories) 12. Category of Animals with Scales: Dragons, Snakes, Fish, and Fish Without Scales (4 subcategories) 13. Category of Shells: Tortoises and Turtles, Mussels and Clams (2 subcategories) 14. Category of Fowls: Aquatic Fowls, Land Fowls, Forest Fowls, and Mountain Fowls (4 subcategories)

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15. Category of Animals: Domestic Animals, Wild Animals, Mice, and Other Animals (5 subcategories) 16. Category of Humans: Humans (1 subcategory) Thanks to the classification of 60 subcategories, people have better understanding of different kinds of drugs. Category of Herbs are classified according to the growth environment, odor, toxicity, and form; Category of Fruits are classified according to the growth environment and quality; Category of Woods are classified according to the form and odor; Category of Fowls are classified according to the habitat environment; Category of Animals are classified into domestic and wild animals. Owing to the classification of 60 subcategories, we can identify and search for the categories via drug names. Therefore, to master the system of the book, one should know the comprehensive content of the book: According to Li Shizhen’s classification, drugs closely related in kinship are often arranged together. For example, fragrant herbs like Lianjiang/ rhizoma alpiniae Chinese/rhizome of Chinese galangal, Shanjiang/alpinia japonica, Doukou/fructus amomi rotundus/round cardamom fruit, Jianghuang/rhizoma curcumae longae/turmeric, and Yujin/radix curcumae/ turmeric root tuber which belong to zingiberaceae are arranged together; herbs from swampland such as Ju/flos Chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower, Yeju/flos chrysanthemi Indici/wild chrysanthemum flower, Aiye/ folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf, Yunianai, Qingli, Baihao/ artemisia stelleriana, Huanghuahao/artemisia annua which belong to compositae are arranged together; mountain fruits such as Li/pyrus ussu riensis maxim/pear, Tangli/birchleaf pear, Mugua/fructus chaenomelis/fruit of common flowering quince, Shanbin, Linqin/fructus mail asiaticae/fruit of Chinese pearleaf crabapple, Pipa/fructus eriobotryae/loquat fruit, Yingtao/ cherry which belong to rosaceous plant are arranged together. II.  Subcategories as Gang and Drugs as Mu The classification of 1,892 drugs into 60 subcategories is a complex and painstaking work, and it is also a great scientific creation as well as huge breakthrough in the thought of drug classification. The thought of drug classification has a long history of development from the Han Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty. Drugs were classified into

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three grades — high-grade, medium-grade, and low-grade drug — in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal). At that time, only 365 drugs were recorded, among which 120 high-grade drugs were regarded as nontoxic and could be taken for long, 120 medium-grade drugs were regarded as either non-toxic or toxic and careful consideration should be reserved when taking, and 125 low-grade drugs were regarded as toxic and could not be taken for long. However, species and genetic relationship were not taken into consideration in this classification, and it was an early stage of people’s recognition of drugs. In the Southern Dynasties, Tao Hongjing supplemented 365 varieties and made important innovations in the compilation in his Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (Commentary on Shen Nong’s Herbal), one of the most valuable books on materia medica in China. In the book, drugs are classified into 7 categories (jade, grass and wood, insect and animal, fruit, vegetable, rice, and names recorded but not yet in use) according to their natural attributes. In the Tang Dynasty, Su Jing was ordered by the emperor to review traditional herbals with a staff of 22 scholars and physicians. As a result of their work, in 659, the Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Compiled Materia Medica) was published as the first official pharmacopoeia in China. And he also made some innovations in drug classification by expanding the 7 categories established in Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (Commentary on Shen Nong’s Herbal) to 9 categories, in which “grass and wood” are separated, “insect and animal” are divided into “insect and fish” and “bird and animal” respectively. Li Shizhen studied influential herbal works through the ages and found some drug classification inappropriate. Many mistakes of drug classification can be found in previous medical works. For example, “Shengjiang/ rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger, Shuyu/rhizoma dioscoreae/rhizome of common yam which should be in the Category of Vegetables are listed in the Category of Herbs; Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed, Longyan/ arillus longan/longan aril which should be in the Category of Fruits are listed in the Category of Woods.” Based on previous experience of compiling herbal works, he adopted multi-level classification: “Things of one kind come together” and “Once the key link is grasped; everything else falls into place.” He divided drugs into 16 categories and then sub-divided them into 60 subcategories. The arrangement of drugs reflects an evolution from minor to major and from the least developed to the most advanced. A

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completely new outlook on the classification of Chinese medicine is acquired; and more importantly, a more advanced drug classification system is established. Thanks to the classification of 60 subcategories, people have better understanding of different kinds of drugs. Category of Herbs are classified according to the growth environment, odor, toxicity, and form; Category of Fruits are classified according to the growth environment and quality; Category of Woods are classified according to the form and odor; Category of Fowls are classified according to the habitat environment; Category of Animals are classified into domestic and wild animals. According to the classification of drugs in Ben Cao Gang Mu, one can easily identify the category and subcategory that a drug belongs to only by searching for the drug name. According to Li Shizhen’s classification, drugs closely related in kinship are often arranged together. For example, fragrant herbs like Lianjiang/rhizoma alpiniae Chinese/rhizome of Chinese galangal, Shanjiang/alpinia japonica, Doukou/fructus amomi rotundus/ round cardamom fruit, Jianghuang/rhizoma curcumae longae/turmeric, and Yujin/radix curcumae/turmeric root tuber which belong to zingiberaceae are arranged together; herbs from swampland such as Ju/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower, Yeju/ flos chrysanthemi indicia/wild chrysanthemum flower, Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf, Yunianai, Qingli, Baihao/artemisia stelleriana, Huanghuahao/artemisia annua which belong to compositae are arranged together. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, herbal drugs are in majority, among which are Category of Herbs (including 8 subcategories), Category of Cereals (including 3 subcategories), Category of Vegetables (including 5 subcategories), Category of Fruits (including 6 subcategories), and Category of Woods (including 5 subcategories). In all, there are 27 subcategories in the 5 categories (4 subcategories — Mosses, Miscellaneous Herbs, Brewed and Prepared Items, Miscellaneous Woods — are excluded in the list). The drug classification created by Li Shizhen is 100 years earlier than the classification method — binomial nomenclature — created by the earliest western ancestor called Carl Linnaeus in 1755. The flowering plants are classified into 23 classes including single stamens, double stamens, and three stamens. It is a very complicated and meticulous task to classify 1,892 drugs into 60 categories. The classification of drugs is a complex and painstaking work, and it is also a great scientific creation as well as

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huge breakthrough in the thought of drug classification. A completely new outlook on the classification of Chinese medicine is acquired, and more importantly, a more advanced drug classification system is established. III.  Drugs as Gang and Eight Items of Analysis as Mu The book Ben Cao Gang Mu is in fact the descriptions of 1,892 drugs. The descriptions make scientific statements on the Quality and Taste, Indications, Preparation, and Explication. And the eight items are listed as follows: (1)  Explanation of Names: It explains the origin of drug names. Certain drugs have more than one name, which may lead to some misunderstandings. For instance, Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root has some other names, such as Zihu, Dixun, Yunhao, Shancai, and Rucao, etc. For another example, Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root is also called Hu and Disui. Besides, “Correction” is attached to some drugs, which is a correction of some misnamed drugs. (2) Preparation: It describes the picking season and processing method of drugs. In particular, it points out that the property, taste, indications and meridian tropism of the same drug may differ due to different processing methods. (3) Quality and Taste: It explains the four natures (cold, heat, warm, or cool), five flavors (pungent, sweet, sour, bitter or salty), poisonous or non-poisonous of drugs, as well as the changes of flavor before or after processing. (4) Indications: It explains the therapeutic effect of drugs and various diseases which can be treated. In this part, oral administration or external use are specified; reinforcement (to activate and restore a decreased function to normal) and reduction (to expel pathogenic factors and thus to restore hyperactivity to normal) are explained; adjusting qi (adjusting the flow of qi in order to guarantee a smooth normal circulation, a term for promoting natural flow of qi in general, and keeping it going downwards in particular) or dispelling heat are illustrated respectively.

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(5) Previous Explanations: Detailed descriptions of drugs from various herbal medical works are listed here. The production places, shapes of drugs, and picking methods are explained. In this part, Li Shizhen outlined his unique views quite often. (6) Explication: Detailed descriptions of actions and indications of drugs are explained. Vivid medical cases or medical notes are enumerated to impress the readers. In this part, Li Shizhen linked his personal experience with experience of the predecessors and put forward his original comments. It can be seen that his philosophical and atheist thought as well as the scientific methodology are often elucidated in “Previous Explanations” and “Explication”. (7) Correction: Certain errors of predecessors’ statements are revised. About 70 items are listed. Errors concerning drug name, production place, shape, property, flavor, and indication, etc. are corrected based on his clinical experience and personal trial and original opinions proposed. (8) Prescriptions: Various prescriptions such as classical formula (formula recorded in the Internal Classic or Zhang Zhongjing’s works), contemporary formula (formula introduced by physicians after the time of the great physician Zhang Zhongjing), simple formula (a formula consisting of one or two medicinal substances for treating a particular illness in uncomplicated condition), and proved formula (a formula that has been proved effective in the treatment of a certain morbid condition) are listed, promoting the practical value of the book greatly. Quality and Taste, Indications, Explication are analyzed from a microscopic view, which are the valuable result of Li Shizhen’s long-term study on traditional medicine.

2.2.2  Compilation Format There are 52 volumes in all. In total, it contains information on 1,892 drugs in 16 categories and 60 sub-categories. It records more than 1,100 illustrations, along with 11,096 prescriptions. This great work absorbs the

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essence of the works of the past dynasties. And it has been one of the most systematic, integral and scientific medical works in our country until the 16th century. Although based on Jing Shi Zheng Lei Bei Ji Ben Cao (Classic Classified Materia Medica for Emergencies), it makes many important improvements as to the compilation format. (1) Volumes 1 and 2 provide a general introduction and examples, listing what the author used as references: over 40 synopses from the Li Dai Zhu Jia Ben Cao (Materia Medica of Previous School), 277 from the Yin Ju Gu Jin Yi Jia Shu Mu (Number of Past and Present Medical Schools Cited as Evidence), and 440 from the Yin Ju Gu Jin Jing Shi Bai Jia Shu Mu (Bibliographies of the Past and Present Confucian Classics, History and Other Schools). The first volume shows theories of pharmacological effects, academic features, principles of drug use and methods, such as “seven prescriptions and ten formulas”, “property and flavor, yin and yang”, “five flavors”, “ascending, descending, floating and sinking”, “drug use according to the four seasons”, “meridian tropism”, and “directing to the affected meridian or site”, etc. (2) The explanation of each drug is systematically arranged. In each entry of the Ben Cao Gang Mu, the first item is the “Explanation of Names”, accurately identifying each drug by name. This is followed by “Previous Explanations”, detailing the drug’s place of origin, shape, and processing method, where the best drug is produced, and which parts are to be used, including its fruit, core, shell, flower, root and skin. The next is “Quality and Taste”, describing its effect. Then comes the “Indications”, explaining its therapeutic effect. The next is “Explication”, a further explanation of the drug’s function. The last item is “Prescriptions”, a record of the drug’s use. Among them, “Explication” and “Previous Explanations” are initiated by Li Shizhen and thus of great significance. (3) Drug classification is improved, and drugs are systematically arranged. Its 16 categories are those of water, fire, earth, metals and stones, herbs, cereals, vegetables, fruits and woods — an evolution from minor to major; and utensils, insects, animals with scales, shells, fowls, animals, and finally humans — an evolution from the least developed to the most advanced. Li Shizhen gave careful

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consideration to the principle of drug classification. For instance, the Category of Woods is further divided into 6 subcategories: Fragrant Woods, Ardent Woods, Bush Woods, Parasitic Woods, Bamboo, and Miscellaneous Woods. Besides, subcategories are further divided into gang and mu. For example, Long (dragon) is designated as gang, and then parts of it which can be used as medicine such as its horn, bone, and saliva, etc. are listed as mu. It can be referred that the understanding of “gang” and “mu” involves three aspects: If categories are taken as gang, subcategories are considered as mu; subcategories as gang, drugs as mu; drugs as gang, analysis of drug use as mu. Therefore, such a classification system can be said to have a clear hierarchy and a clear outline, which is convenient for later research and investigation. (4) In “Explication”, detailed descriptions of actions and indications of drugs are explained. Vivid medical cases or medical notes are enumerated to impress the readers. In this part, Li Shizhen linked his personal experience with experience of the predecessors and put forward his original comments. For example, in the item of Yanhusuo/rhizome corydalis/yanhusuo, cases of using it to cure Princess Jingmu’s stomach and Hua Xingshi’s protracted dysentery and enterodynia. In these cases, Yanhusuo/rhizome corydalis/yanhusuo is proved to activate blood and move qi for relieving pain in the chest and abdomen, dysmenorrhea and traumatic pain. It can be concluded that the part of “Explication” is a huge improvement of herbal works because it not only enables doctors to master drug property and efficacy but also integrates pharmacy with medicine. (5) Textology is used in “Previous Explanation” where detailed descriptions of drugs from various herbal medical works are listed and production places, shapes of drugs, and picking methods are explained. Textual research of drug origin, transmission, and present situation were conducted by Li Shizhen. For instance, tea is native to Yizhou (an ancient plateau in Sichuan province of China); watermelon is native to Qidan (an ancient nationality in China); goldfish keeping was said to begin in the Song Dynasty. These textual researches conducted by him is of great significance in pharmacology, and they also aroused attention from fields of biology and natural history. In

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addition, they are often quoted as evidence in popular science propaganda at home and abroad. For example, Darwin quoted materials about goldfish and Wuguji/gallus domesticus/black-bone chicken from Ben Cao Gang Mu to illustrate the theory of evolution in his The Origin of Species in 1859. In general, the compilation format established by Li Shizhen perfected the format of ancient herbal works and imposed enormous impact on future generations.

2.2.3  Preface and Drug Illustration Those above are the basic structure of Ben Cao Gang Mu. In fact, the structure is also the scientific system of the pharmacy. In addition, readers must understand another two aspects of the book. (1)  “Preface” and “Principal Drugs to Treat Various Diseases” Volumes 1 and 2 provide a general introduction and examples, listing what the author used as references. Volume 1 shows theories of pharmacological effects, academic features, principles of drug use and methods, such as “seven prescriptions and ten formulas”, “quality and taste, yin and yang”, “five flavors”, “ascending, descending, floating and sinking”, “drug use according to the four seasons”, “meridian tropism”, and “directing to the affected meridian or site”, etc. Volume 2 assesses the precautions to be taken when assessing drugs, and other factors such as the similarity and differences in the names of drugs, as well as the principal, adjuvant, auxiliary and opposing functions of drugs. Based on the experience of predecessors, Li Shizhen supplemented new experience and corrected mistakes and misunderstandings in previous study. For example, the supplement to Shi Ji (Ten Categories of Formulas) can be regarded as Li Shizhen’s outstanding contribution to Chinese medicine. These two volumes of prefaces reflect his important thoughts, believing that the research of drugs must be closely integrated with the research of medicine. If one is not proficient in medical skills, one cannot become a famous herbalist. Only by combining the research of medicine with drugs can the two complement each other. Volume 3 and 4 are “Principal Drugs to Treat a Various Diseases” which records main drugs and their types and usage when treating various

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symptoms of diseases. Improved by Li Shizhen, it is an independent part which is based on the previous medical studies. 113 diseases are recorded in this part, including internal diseases, surgical diseases, pediatric diseases, gynecological diseases, and diseases of five sense organs. Several or even dozens of drugs are listed below each disease for clinical practice. So, it is very convenient to check medical drugs according to the classification of diseases. And it can be used for doing research and copying with emergencies. It can be said that scientificity and practicality are closely combined in Ben Cao Gang Mu. Discussions are spread out according to the systematically arranged drugs in Ben Cao Gang Mu, while discussions are spread out according to the classification of diseases in the chapter of “Principal Drugs to Treat Various Diseases.” Undoubtedly, the combination of the two makes it a very complete medical book. (2) Drug Illustrations Li Jianyuan, Li Shizhen’ son, completed the tasks of drug illustrations under the guidance of his father. Although Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica) records 800 drug illustrations, many problems exist. For example, some drug illustrations do not conform to the drug specifications; some drugs are explained with illustrations only and no specifications are provided. Li Shizhen made a great improvement in these problems. More than 60 versions of the book have been published since the publication of Ben Cao Gang Mu in 1596, and 3 versions of drug illustrations are found, i.e., the Jinling version, the Qian Weiqi version, and the Zhang Shaotang version. As the Jinling version is the first version of Ben Cao Gang Mu, drug illustrations in this version can best reflect Li Shizhen’s original intention and they are of great significance to research drug use in the Ming Dynasty. There are 1,110 drug illustrations in the Jinling version, among which 87 illustrations are about minerals, 278 are about animals, and 745 are about plants. 745 drug illustrations about plants were completed on the basis of Ben Cao Tu Jing (Illustrations of Materia Medica) in the Song Dynasty and it is also one of Li Shizhen’s contributions on Chinese medicine. About 80 drug illustrations were modified in the Qian Weiqi version and about 40 drug illustrations were modified in the Zhang Shaotang version. Besides, some of illustrations modified in the Zhang Shaotang version made

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reference to Wu Qijun’s Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao (An Illustrated Book on Plants). Though exquisitely painted, many illustrations in the Zhang Shaotang version distorted the original book. Therefore, Ben Cao Gang Mu is acknowledged as the best book to study drug illustrations. The existing drug illustrations in Ben Cao Gang Mu are taken from the Jiangxi engraved scripts which are formed on the basis of the Jinling version, and some illustrations are selected from Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica). These drug illustrations are more refined than those in the Jinling version and they are of great help for the comparison and search for medicines.

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Chapter 3

Academic Characteristics and Main Contributions of Li Shizhen Medicine

3.1  Academic Characteristics of Li Shizhen Medicine 3.1.1  Equal Emphasis on Medical Science and Medicinal Drugs In Ben Cao Gang Mu, there are abundant medical dialectical thoughts. For instance, Eight Trigram are used to describe drugs and pulses. Li Shizhen’s medical thoughts also run through this book, such as the view of yin and yang, holism, constant change, image-number, and mingmen (life gate) theory, etc. (1) The view of yin and yang in differentiating drugs and pulses In Ben Cao Gang Mu and Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology), Li Shizhen makes elaborate explanations on the theory of yin and yang and a brilliant argument on differentiating yin and yang drugs before using them. He argues that some drugs belong to yang, but also contain yin, and vice versa. Besides listing ideas of Wang Haogu, Zhang Yuansu, and Li Gao, he also added his own views. For example, in Category of Waters, Ben Cao Gang Mu, he says: “Kan, the indicator of water… Its substance 35

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is pure yin, and its function is pure yang.” From the view of Zhou Yi (The Book of Changes), the sun is yang, the moon is yin, fire is yang and water is yin, so he thinks that water is pure yin in its substance. Still according to Zhou Yi (The Book of Changes), kan is yang in Eight Trigram. Therefore, its function is pure yang. Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root is red, bitter, its flavor is flat, so it’s a drug of yang within yin with the tendency of descending. Qianhu/radix peucedani/hogfennel root tastes sweet and pungent, its flavor is slightly flat. It’s a drug of yin within yang with the tendency of descending. Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wild ginger has a thick flavor which produces heat. It’s yang within yang. Dijiang/mudderwater is produced in earth. It is yin within yin and can purge yang within yang. Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar is discovered in the hot south, formed in the li fire. Its property is yang and its function is yin. Therefore, it is red in color exteriorly but contains mercury inside. Its flavor is not hot but cold, indicating yin contained in the li fire. Its taste is not bitter but sweet, indicating earth contained in fire. Li Shizhen cites the theory of yin and yang in Nei Jing (Internal Classic) to expound the relationship between yin and yang and body, ­ property and flavor, and zang-fu organs. Its simple dialectical method is embodied more in the corresponding unified view of drug recognition. Li Shizhen believes that drugs have seven emotions, which oppose and complement each other. He says: “Drugs have seven emotions… There are many mutual inhibition and opposition in ancient prescriptions. The emperor way is to use the drugs that reinforce and assist each other. The king way is to use the ones that are incompatible and counteract each other. The overlord way is to use the ones that inhibit and suppress each other. Using normal and abnormal methods to deal with problems is a strategy needing cautious thoughts.” The mutual promotion between drugs will exert a synergistic effect, but the opposition of drugs will counteract each other’s effect. Some diseases just need be antagonistic to be effective, that is, the incompatibility to a certain extent results in unexpected complement. He illustrates the idea in Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/ rhizome of oriental waterplantain: “In Zhongjing Dihuang Pills, Fuling/ poria/Indian bread and Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental ­waterplantain are used to purge the pathogenic qi of urinary bladder.

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The ancient doctors always used tonics together with the drugs that can purge pathogenic factors. When pathogenic factors go away, the tonics would function in a better way. It’s quite mysterious.” To use the tonics and drugs of purgation at the same time will remove the pathogen and make the tonics more effective. The relationship between opposites and complements is briefly explained. In treatment, there is also the view that yin and yang are opposite and complementary. For example, he treats a febrile syncope and thinks that “... As yang qi cannot be spread outside, yin qi is not held in the inside; that is to say, there is a syncope. Then, with Dachengqi Decoction, the patient was cured when one dose was given.” (Author’s Notes, Volume 1, Ben Cao Gang Mu) Another treatment of the escape syndrome, “this syndrome is reflection of yin deficiency and yang exhaustion. Decoction of Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng was stewed urgently. The patient took it immediately. At the same time, he was given moxibustion on the Qihai (CV6) with eighteen moxa rolls. Then his right hand could move. After another three moxa rolls, his lips and mouth could move slightly. Then he took a cup of Extract of Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng. At midnight he took three more cups, and his eyes could move. After taking three jin1 of Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng, he could talk and ask for porridge. When five jin was consumed, the dysentery stopped. After having ten jin, the patient was cured. If this syndrome had been taken as the syndrome of pathogenic wind and treated, it would have resulted in malpractice.” (Herbs, Volume 12, Ben Cao Gang Mu) These are numerous cases of ­syndrome differentiation based on yin and yang. Li Shizhen also uses yin and yang theory to differentiate pulses in sphygmology. In his Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology), the pulses are labeled as yang and yin. Besides, according to the theory of “yang within yin” and “yin within yang”, pulses also fall into more detailed categories. The so-called “yang” pulses are floating, rapid, smooth, excessive, long, surging, tense, tremulous, running, knotted, and intermittent etc. The pulses labelled “yin” are deep, slow, cold, deficient, short, faint, moderate, soggy, weak, scattered, thready, hidden and so on. The pulses labelled “yin within yang” are smooth, hollow and wiry. “Yang within yin” 1

 1 jin = 16 liang = 500 grams

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is firm pulse. In addition, he uses yin and yang to explain the principal diseases of pulses. For example, the floating pulse indicates an exterior yang disease; the deep pulse indicates “an interior yin disease”; the slow pulse means “yang is invincible over yin, a qi-blood cold syndrome”; and the rapid pulse means “yin insufficiency and yang preponderance, which leads to agitation”. Others, such as “slippery pulse indicates the decline of yang original qi”, “full pulse indicates the excessiveness of yang fire” and so on. Almost for the 27 pulses, all related diseases can be analyzed on the basis of yin and yang concept. (2) The holistic view of syndrome differentiation of drug use The holistic view of medicine differentiation is related to the zang-fu organs and meridians of the whole human body, they cannot be separated. Therefore, sickness cannot be treated one-sidedly and whole conditions should be investigated. In addition to close relationship with the internal aspects, human body is also closely related to the external aspect-nature. The three aspects — heaven, earth and human — should be thought of as a whole. Li Shizhen’s thinking in this respect can be reflected in two points: a) The unity of human and universe. Li Shizhen inherits the medical thoughts of “the correspondence between human and the universe” proposed in Nei Jing (Internal Classic). He says: “Human beings are produced on earth, so their qualities and characteristics are related to the qi of the mountains and rivers. One’s appearance and life span are all involved. Metals, stones, herbs and woods are influenced by the earth and water, not to mention human beings. If people rely on earth and water for their health, shouldn’t they be cautious about their choices?” The relationship between man and nature is emphasized. In terms of menstrual physiology, he took the tide and the moon as an example. He says: “Women are related to yin. Blood is a quite essential thing for a woman. Their blood echoes tai yin (the moon) and the tide. The moon waxes and wanes, the tide ebbs and flows, while women’s menstruation comes and goes monthly. Therefore, it is called yuexin (monthly letter), yueshui (monthly water), and yuejing (monthly experience). If women’s menstruation comes and goes

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monthly, it is regular. If it comes earlier or later, too much or too little, it is regarded as diseases.’’ He also attaches great importance to the illness of seven emotions, emphasizing that “the external cause is in heaven, and the internal cause is in man. The climate changes can be yin, yang, windy, rainy, dark and bright; people have seven emotions: joy, anger, worry, anxiety, sadness, fear and fright.” Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology). He also puts emphasis on the combination of external contraction and internal injury while treating diseases. Like cholera, he points out that “damp-heat, cold-damp, internal injury caused by seven emotions, and external contraction caused by six qi,” thus internal causes and external factors are related. In the medication aspect, Li Shizhen advocates that people should follow the pattern of qi in order to conform to the nature. He says: “In spring months, pungent and warm medicine should be added like Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint, Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb and so on, in order to follow the ascending spring qi; in summer months, pungent and hot medicine should be added like Xiangru/herba elsholtziae/elsholtzia herb, Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger and so on, in order to follow the floating summer qi; in late summer, sweet-bitter, pungent and warm medicine should be added like Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng, Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes, Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome, Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree and so on, in order to go with the evolving and consolidating qi; in autumn months, sour warm medicine should be added like Shaoyao/­paeonia/poeny, Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum and so on, in order to follow the descending qi; in winter months, bitter cold medicine should be added like Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root, Zhimu/­ rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome and so on, in order to follow the sinking qi. This principle is called following the qi of seasons to maintain the natural harmony.” For the pulse, he says: “The sky is less in the northwest, yang is south and yin is north, so the man’s cun (It is the pulse-taking sections, which is on the distal side where the tip of the physician’s index finger

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rests.) is strong and the chi (It is the pulse-taking sections, which is on the proximal side where the tip of the physician’s ring finger is placed) is weak, which is similar to the sky; the earth is less in the southeast, yang is north and yin is south, so the woman’s chi is strong and the cun is weak, which is similar to the earth.” This is also based on the view that human beings are closely related to the world. b) Syndrome differentiation and treatment. Li Shizhen thinks that when treating a disease, a doctor needs to “know the symptoms and give the right prescription”, which means a doctor should give comprehensive analysis by the four examination methods, differentiate the syndromes wholly, and then confirm the treatment and give the prescription for the disease. For instance, “diarrhea” diseases contain kidney diarrhea, watery diarrhea and cold diarrhea, etc. For kidney diarrhea, broken bone, pig kidney can be used to tonify kidney to stop diarrhea; for watery diarrhea, Xiaoxuming Decoction can be used to raise yang to stop diarrhea; for cold diarrhea, Lagui Badou Pill can be used to expel cold to stop diarrhea. The treatment of amnesia is based on the deficiency of heart, while treating this, the doctor should differentiate phlegm and fire. For drug use, it can be applied from a comprehensive perspective, but also has its characteristics. For example, deficiency, amnesia of old and middle-aged people caused by yang deficiency can be treated by Yinyang huo/herba epimedii/ epimedium herb; amnesia related to impaired spleen caused by anxiety can be treated by Longyan/alillus longan/longan pulp; to tonify kidney and treat forgetfulness, Xuanshen/ radix scrophularae/figwort wood can be used; to nourish blood and tranquilize mind, Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root, Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica can be used. As for the treatment of excess, Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread can “purge the heart fire and treat forgetfulness”; Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar is “to remove phlegm and heat accumulation and treats forgetfulness”; Maidongmen/radix ophiopogonis/dwarf lilyturf root, Mudanpi/cortex moutan/tree peony bark, Chaihu/radix bupleuri/ Chinese thorowax root, Mutong/caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis/ manshurian dutchmanspipe stem are used to “remove the stasis of cold and hot qi stuck in all meridians and collaterals, making people not forget.”

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For amenorrhea, syndrome differentiation is applied according to different causes, and ten prescriptions are offered, which are significant for later treatment of amenorrhea. For miscarriage prevention, different drugs are used according to different symptoms to treat bleeding, abdominal pain, to guide and promote the circulation of qi, and so on. Among them, Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root, Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes, Xuduan/radix dipsaci/himalayan teasel root, Sharen/fructus amomi/spiny amomum fruit, Ejiao/colla corii asini/ ass-hide glue, Shudi/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root and other Chinese medicines are the common drugs used in the treatment of prefetal diseases in gynecology. In the treatment of oral disorder, he not only attaches importance to the relationship between the zang-fu organs and the oral cavity in pathology, but also pays attention to the direct damage to the oral cavity caused by the six evil factors, diet, and medicine and so on. In a word, Li Shizhen shows the holistic view in the treatment of many kinds of diseases. Especially, from the angle of syndrome differentiation and treatment, he explains the related prescriptions and formulas based on the pathological mechanism of zang-fu organs in accordance with clinical practice, thus enriching the content of zang-fu syndrome differentiation. (3) Concept of constant change based on regularity Li Shizhen believes that everything in the world is constantly moving and changing and must not be viewed in isolation and stillness. He takes water as an example: “There are twenty-four solar terms in a year. One term marks half a month. The property of water varies with the change of term, responding to the change of climate. And it is not limited by territory.” He also believes that the nature of the drug is changing with the passage of time and geographical change in nature. He appreciates Li Dongyuan’s principle of “applying the drugs according to the syndrome,” saying that when the doctor is diagnosing and treating diseases, “the ­correct compatibility of drugs that should correspond to the disease.” He admires Zhang Yuansu’s view that “the ancient times is different from

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the modern times, so the old prescriptions cannot necessarily cure the new diseases.” He praises that “Zhang Yuansu had profound interpretation of Chinese medicine, and deep understanding of the heaven and people. And he considered that the old prescriptions could not necessarily cure the new diseases, thus forming his own methods.” Li Shizhen, when describing the ascending and descending properties of drugs, says: “Sour and salty drugs do not ascend, sweet and pungent do not descend, cold drugs do not float, hot drugs do not sink. That’s the nature of drugs.” This is about the regular property of drugs. “Use salty and coldness to lead the ascending drug, it’ll sink directly to the bottom of lower energize, while use wine to lead the sinking drug, it’ll float to the top.” This is about the changing property of drugs. For example, with different preparation of Xiangfuzi/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale ­ ­rhizome, it has several applications. “If the crude drug is used, it functions on the chest and diaphragm and reaches the skin. If it is prepared, it functions on the liver and kidney and descends to the waist and feet. If it is stir-fried to turn black, it can stop bleeding. When soaked in children’s urine and stir-fried, it functions on blood system and tonifies the deficiency. Soaked in salt water and stir-fried, it functions on blood system and moistens the dryness. Stir-fried with salt, it tonifies the kidney qi. Soaked in wine and stir-fried, it functions on meridians and collaterals. Soaked in vinegar and stir-fried, it disperses accumulation. Stir-fried with ginger juice, it disperses phlegm and fluid retention.” He states: “Whether the drug is ascending or descending depends on the drug itself as well as the doctor,” which is enlightening to the following generations. Li Shizhen always prescribes medicine according to the physiques and conditions of the patients. Due to different regions and patients’ ­physiques and the differences between ancient and modern, the same medicine should be applied differently. He says: “Both Wutou/radix ­aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood and Fuzi/radix aconiti laterails preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood are toxic and should not be used unless the disease is urgent. But a small amount can be added into tonics to enhance their efficacy. Some patients just take only one qian-bi of these drugs and feel quite restless. But ancient people frequently use them in tonics. Is it because the physiological condition of ancient people was different from that of the present people?” Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread was another example,

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he says: “In the late Han period, the yellow and fat Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread produced in Sichuan was regarded as the best. In the Tang Dynasty, the one produced in Fengzhou was the best. Now, it is produced in Wu area and Sichuan, but the best was produced in Yazhou and Meizhou. It can be seen that the same drug can be regarded differently at different times.” For example, Rendong/caulis lonicerae/honeysuckle stem, “in ancient times, it was used as a principal drug to disperse the pathogenic wind, eliminate distention, and stop dysentery. But the following generations didn’t know the usage. People used it to eliminate swelling and detoxify skin sores. But ancient people didn’t mention such usage. From this, we can learn that theory changes from time to time and shouldn’t be taken as the same all the time.” As far back as the Ming Dynasty, it was not easy for Li Shizhen to treat the relationship of drugs and human body, time and space in such a flexible manner. The treating methods of Li Shizhen are also flexible. Besides internal treatment, there is also external treatment. And the preparation and formula of drugs is rich and colorful, which reflects his concept of constant change based on regularity again. (4) Postnatal view of paying attention to spleen and stomach Li Shizhen lays great stress on the postnatal effect of spleen and stomach on human body. He agrees with Li Dongyuan’s theory of spleen and stomach. Attaching importance to reinforcing earth, he emphasizes ­ spleen and stomach as the root of essential qi and points out their important role in ascending and descending the cardinals. Li Shizhen thus makes a great contribution to the development of spleen and stomach theory. (5) The image and number concept when analyzing drug pulses The thinking methods of observing objects and drawing analogous images are widely used in the theory of zang-fu organs in traditional Chinese medicine and in all aspects of therapeutic prescriptions. “Observing objects and drawing analogous images” are the important principles of understanding property of drugs and deciding prescriptions. Drug classifications in Ben Cao Gang Mu take waters as the first category and rain water as the first one of the 1,897 kinds of medicine, the head of the drugs, which embodies the theoretical viewpoint of “nature

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produces water firstly.” In the categories of Waters, Fires and Earth, Li Shizhen used Eight Trigram images to describe the importance and function of water, fire and earth. For example, “Kan, the indicator of water… Its substance is pure yin, and its function is pure yang” in the Category of Waters. In the Category of Fires, Li Shizhen says, “the fire indicates the south, and the image of inflammation.’’ In the Category of Earth, Li Shizhen says: “Earth is the master of the five elements, the body of kun.” In the Category of Stones, Li Shizhen states that Danshen/radix salvia miltiorrhizae/danshen root “is discovered in the red field, formed in the fire. Its substance is yang and its function is yin. Therefore, the external is red in color but contains true mercury. Its qi is not hot but cold, yin contained in the fire.” In the Category of Herbs, he says: “Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/licorice root is red outside and yellow inside, which is the color of yin and yang. It’s thick in taste and thin in quality. It’s nourished by the virtue of earth. It harmonizes all the drugs in a prescription, that’s why it is regarded as ‘senior statesman’.” In these descriptions, quotations about Eight Trigram are used directly. In Bing Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology), Li Shizhen explains several main pulse images based on Eight Trigram. For instance, “floating pulse obeys the law of the sky, with the sign of floating upward. In Eight Trigram, it is gan; in season, it is autumn; in human body, it is lung.” “Deep pulse obeys the law of the Earth, with the sign of sinking downward. In Eight Trigram, it is kan; in season, it is winter; in human body, it is kidney.” “Surging pulse, in Eight Trigram, is li; in season, it is summer; in human body, it is heart.” “Moderate pulse, in Eight Trigram, is kun; in season, it is all four seasons; in human body, it is spleen.” “Wiry pulse, in Eight Trigram, is zhen; in season, it is spring; in human body, it is liver.” (6) Neutralization theory and mingmen (life gate) theory Li Shizhen believes that medication should be controlled, and dosage should be appropriate, neither excessive nor insufficient. This is about the standard of drug use. In the aspect of drug use, different components and proportions of drugs should be strictly controlled. In addition to changing proportion with the season, deciding light or heavy formula in accordance with

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illness and patient’s physique, doctors should also pay attention to the principle of “things always reverse themselves after reaching an extreme and transform into each other”. For example, in Tingli/semen lepidii seu descurainiae/pepperweed seed, Li Shizhen says: “When the lung is overwhelmed by distended water retention, this drug is needed. But no more is used once water is removed. When it is not overdosed, how could it kill the patient? In Huai Nan Zi, Jingdaji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/peking euphorbia root can remove water retention, and Tingli/semen lepidii seu descurainiae/pepperweed seed treats distention. If both drugs are not used appropriately, they may cause diseases. So, drugs should be used in a well-controlled way.” According to this, if Tingli/semen lepidii seu descurainiae/pepperweed seed is not overdosed, it won’t kill patients. The point lies in well-measured use of it. Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain can brighten or affect the eye. He says: “Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantaincan drain humidity, and heat also disappears. Thus, the earth qi is enhanced, and the lucid qi ascends. Therefore, Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain has the function of nourishing five zang organs, enhancing qi, relieving vertigo, sharpening hearing and brightening the eye. But if it is taken for too long, the descending tendency is too much stressed, the ascending of lucid qi will be hampered, the pure yin is consumed, which will definitely give rise the eye diseases.” As for affecting fertility and infertility, he says: “When Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain is used with tonics, it can disperse the pathogenic humidity, heat and dirt of lower energizer. Once pathogenic qi is dispersed, yin reinforced and sea of blood cleared, it will facilitate fertility. But if it is taken for too long, it will purge kidney qi, the sea of blood will be cold, and it will harm fertility. So, when reading books, one should realize the different conditions.” This is also about well-measured use of drugs. Li Shizhen holds that the medicine decocting should also meet certain standards. Decocting drugs properly is an important link to better curative effect. He says: “If too much medicine but insufficient water is decocted, the qualities of the medicine will not be melted into the decoction. If too much water but insufficient medicine is decocted, the efficacy of the medicine will be reduced. When decocting drugs, bronze ware and ironware are not allowed to use. Silverware and pottery are preferred. Clean and

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cover the utensils, then carefully watch the decocting process. Pay attention to the degree of heating, the decoction is neither underdone nor overdone... For diaphoretics, use tight fire to decoct it, and take the decoction hot. For purgative drugs, use tight fire to decoct it and then add Mangxiao/ natrii sulfas/sodium sulfate or Dahuang/radix et rhizome rhei/rhubarb before it’s done, take the decoction warm. Tonic drugs should be decocted with slow fire and to be taken warm. Drugs for acute yin-cold disease should be decocted rapidly with tight fire and the patient should take the decoction immediately. Drugs for yin-cold agitation and insidious yin in summer months, sink them in the water and take the decoction cool.” Drugs of different functions should be decocted in different ways in order to give full play to the best effect, but still the decocting process should meet certain standards. Taiji model is the basis of the doctrine of mingmen (life gate) in traditional Chinese medicine. Although mingmen (life gate) had been mentioned in Nei Jing (Internal Classic) and Nan Jing (Classic of Medical Problems), since Song Ming’s Neo-Confucianism advocated Taiji theory, doctors also looked for the yin and yang in human body. Famous doctors in the Ming Dynasty also advocated new theories, and the mingmen (life gate) theory was interpreted in a new way. Some doctors did not explicitly refer to the mingmen (life gate) as the Taiji of human, but what they said was also in harmony with the Taiji model of Zhou Yi (The Book of Changes). Li Shizhen discussed mingmen (life gate) theory before Zhang Jiebin and Zhao Xianke, probably he was influenced by Taiji theory. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, he puts forward the idea that mingmen (life gate) is visible. He says: “triple energizers is the representative of original qi. Mingmen (life gate) is the essence of triple energizers. The former is the name indicating the location, the latter indicating the function. Its body is non-fat and nonflesh, wrapped by white membrane, beside the seventh thoracic vertebrae, between the two kidneys. It is attached to the vertebrae with two veins. It is leading to two kidneys downward, and leading to heart and lung upward, controlled by the brain. It is the source of life, master of fire and house of essential qi” (Volume 30, Ben Cao Gang Mu). His theory, though originated from Nei Jing (Internal Classic) and Nan Jing (Classic of Medical Problems), clearly points out that the mingmen (life gate) is the

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visible body, the origin of life formation, house of essential qi, and that both people and animals have their own mingmen (life gate). Earlier than Zhao Xianke, he has shown that mingmen (life gate) and kidney are different; there are close physiological relationships between the mingmen (life gate) and the kidney, the brain, the uterus, the heart, the lung and so on. He also emphasizes the physiological function of “fire in the kidney” in Ben Cao Gang Mu and Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians). He takes the “fire in the kidney” as the center of the treatment of the mingmen (life gate) syndrome and opens the way for the later generations to study the essence of the mingmen (life gate) and the method of replenishing the mingmen (life gate).

3.1.2  Rigorous and Realistic Spirit The compilation of Ben Cao Gang Mu is characterized by “seeking origin of drugs, seeking truth and being practical.” With quotation from a total of 759 classical works of herbal drugs, and medicine and history, it contains 1,899 kinds of drugs and lists 8,169 prescriptions. Following Yan emperor and Huang emperor’s theory, this book establishes the scientific theory system of medicine syndrome differentiation and treatment. Li Shizhen never does his research precipitously. In and before the Ming Dynasty, there were many mistakes in books of materia medica. For example, Tao Hongjing mistook Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/solomonseal rhizome for Gouwen/herbalgelsemimi elegantis/herb of graceful jessamine. Suanjiang/calyx seu fructus physalis/franchet groundcherry fruit and Kudan are the same drug, but they were analyzed as individuals by Zhang Yuxi. Kou Zongshi took Lanhua/orchid as Lancao/herba eupatorii/ fortune eupatorium herb, Juandan/bulbus lilii dahurici/lily bulb as Baihe/ bulbus lilii/lily bulb, Wubeizi/galla chinesis/Chinese nut-gall as fruit from a tree, etc. There were a lot of such mistakes. In order to correct mistakes and avoid errors, he paid special attention to field investigation, collection of specimens and direct observation of the origin, morphology and characteristics of drugs. Sometimes he even tasted the drugs in person to make sure of its property. For example, pangolins love to eat ants, so he went to the deep mountains to study the animal. “He once cut open a pangolin stomach and found a sheng of ants.” Baihuashe/bungarus parvus/little

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silver-banded krait is one of the most valuable specialty products in Qizhou area. It is also the main raw material of Baihuashe Liquor and an important drug for treating diseases such as “stroke, damp arthralgia, loss of sensation, ringworm, scabies and pruritus and so on.” In order to understand its living habits, Li Shizhen went to the place where it grew up and carefully observed it. “Most of the snakes inhabit on the vines of Shinan/ photinia serrulata Lindl./photinia, eat its flowers and leaves, so people could find the snakes there.” Li Shizhen also collects methods of snakecatching and processing. He trekked over mountains and rivers to investigate various kinds of drugs. He heard that on Taihe Mountain (today’s Wudang Mountain) there was a kind of “fairy fruit” that could prolong people’s life, so he decided to explore it. People dissuaded him: “The royal court listed it as a tribute. Anyone who tries to pick it would be arrested by the government.” However, in order to understand it, he took the risk of picking a few fruits at midnight. Then he found that it was merely the fruit of elm transformed by grafting, Langmei which could “quench thirst” and “dilute alcohol”. He walked thousands of miles and collected thousands of drugs. His “quest for truth spirit” is deeply touching. He spent a long time finding Mantuoluohua/flos daturae/flower of stramonium. Later, from the mountain farmers, he knew that it was commonly called the mountain eggplant which was observed on Wudang Mountains. He, at about fifty years old then, climbed up the steep cliffs, and in the grass bush finally found the drug. He tried it in person and drew the conclusion that the flower could “be used as anesthetics”. In practice, he realized that the two drugs Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/rhizome of fragrant solomoseal and Nvwei were different. But in the past, the medical books often confused them. Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaewmatis/ jack-in-the-pulpit tuber and Hugao/tiger fat are the names of the same drug, but they were described as two different drugs in Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica). He points out that many of the predecessors had been unable to correct their mistakes for a long time; the main reason is that “they make guesses only on paper.” Li Shizhen attaches great importance to folk medicine. Among the new drugs supplemented by Ben Cao Gang Mu, there are many drugs with good effects, such as Tufuling/rhizoma smilacis glabrae/glabrous greenbrier rhizome, Danzhuye/herba lophatheri/lophatherum herb, Banbianlian/

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herba scutellariae barbatae/barbated skullcap herb, Zihuadiding/herba violae/tokyo violet herb, Fanmubie/semen strychni/nux vomica, Sanqi/ radix notoginseng/sanchi and so on. Some drugs have special curative effects on certain diseases. Yunnan Baiyao, a famous drug for treating blood and injury, which is mainly made up of Sanqi/radix notoginseng/ sanchi. Sanqi/radix notoginseng/sanchi has now become a common medicine for cardiovascular diseases. It’s increasing in medicinal and economic value. In order to compile Ben Cao Gang Mu, in addition to reference to rich literature and in-depth field investigation of the drugs, Li Shizhen also actively travelled across China, visited famous doctors, searched for all kinds of single and proved simple and proved prescriptions, collected firsthand materials. He asked for advice with an open mind, obtained medicinal knowledge of cereals and vegetables from the country’s old peasants, knew about the species of fish and shellfish from river fishermen, learned about the living habits of animals and birds from hunting families in mountainous areas, and found out the varieties of Fuling/poria/ Indian bread, Zhuling/polyporus/chuling and other drugs from the deepmountain woodmen. Li Shizhen is knowledgeable and also proposes original ideas. He follows the classics and ancient ideas but is not confined to them. (1) Medication according to syndromes and pathogenesis “If you want to cure a disease, check its source first and observe the pathogenesis,” that is to say, the most important thing in the treatment of diseases is to make sure what the disease is. The diagnosis of the disease, first of all, is to examine the origin of the disease, whether it is caused by the invasion of six excesses or the injury of seven emotions. In the course of disease development, the cause of disease is called “evil qi”, also known as “pathogenic factors”. Pathogenic factors invade the zang-fu organs of the human body, damage yin and yang meridians, qi and blood, affect their germination, growth, transformation, collection, storage, and the normal operation of ascending, descending, floating and sinking. Five circuit phases and six qi has changed, the balance and coordination between heaven and man has been destroyed, and the corresponding pathogenesis is formed. For example, the pathogenesis like “evil gather together, then

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qi must be deficient,” “the pathogenic domination is considered as excessiveness, the normal loss is considered as insufficiency,” “yang excess leads to heat, yin excess leads to cold,” the statements show the different forms of excess and deficiency as well as cold and heat, reflecting different syndromes. Syndrome medication is to observe the pathogenesis of different syndromes, select the appropriate drugs for treatment. For deficiency syndrome, tonifying formula should be used. Xu Zhicai’s Ben Cao Shi Yi (A Supplement to the Herbal) says “replenishing is a treatment for debility. Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton are good drugs”. Li Shizhen says “in Nei Jing (Internal Classic), it is pointed out that deficiency was treated by reinforcement. It also says that when the viscus is insufficient, its mother viscus should be tonified. The pungency of Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger can tonify liver, the saltiness of salt can tonify heart, the sweetness of Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/licorice root can tonify spleen, the sourness of Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/Chinese magnoliavine fruit can tonify lung, the bitterness of Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/Chinese corktree bark can tonify the kidney. Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen can tonify heart qi, Shengdi/radix rehmanniae/rehmanniae root can tonify heart blood, Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng can tonify spleen qi, Baishao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root can tonify spleen blood, Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root can tonify lung qi, Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue can tonify lung blood, Duzhong/cortex eucommiae/eucommia bark can tonify spleen qi, Shudi/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root can tonify spleen blood, Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome can tonify liver qi, Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/ Chinese angelica root can tonify liver blood. These are all tonifying formula. Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and Yangrou/caro caprae seu ­ ovis/mutton are not the only tonics.” Xu Zhicai also mentions purgative formula that could treat stagnation, like Tingli/semen lepidii seu descurainiae/­ pepperweed seed and Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/­ rhubarb. Li Shizhen said: “Instead of stagnation, it should be excess. Excess is treated by purgation. Tingli/semen lepidii seu descurainiae/­ pepperweed seed and Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb are not the only choices. Use the sourness of Shaoyao/paeonia/poeny to purge the excess of liver. Use the sweetness of Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/licorice

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root to purge the excess of heart. Use the bitterness of Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread to purge the excess of spleen. Use the pungency of Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum to purge the excess of lung. Use the saltiness of Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain to purge the excess of kidney.” This is one of the leading thoughts of syndrome differentiation and treatment according to the deficiency and excess of zang-fu organs, the incidental and the fundamental of diseases. (2) Adapting to the seasonal change to avoid attack on the harmony of man and nature Li Gao says: “Drugs act towards different directions: Ascending, descending, floating, sinking and germinating, growing, transforming, harvesting, storing and maintaining, which follow the pattern of four seasons. In spring, drugs tend to ascend; in summer, they tend to float; in autumn, they perform an astringent function as if harvesting, in winter they tend to restrain as if storing. And the earth stays in the middle, tending to transform.” In Nei Jing (Internal Classic), there are similar ideas. “One must know in advance the condition of the year’s qi to avoid attack on the harmony of man and nature,” and “treat ascending, descending, floating, sinking cases with drugs similar in nature, while treat cold, hot, warm and cool cases with drugs opposite in nature.” Based on these view, Li Shizhen says: “In spring months, pungent and warm medicine should be added like Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint, Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb and so on, in order to follow the ascending spring qi; in summer months, pungent and hot medicine should be added like Xiangru/ herba elsholtziae/elsholtzia herb, Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/ fresh ginger and so on, in order to follow the floating summer qi; in late summer, sweet-bitter, pungent and warm medicine should be added like Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng, Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes, Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/ atractylodes rhizome, Huangbo/cortex phellpdendri/Chinese corktree bark and so on, in order to go with the evolving and consolidating qi; in autumn months, sour warm medicine should be added like Shaoyao/­ paeonia/poeny, Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum and so on, in order to follow the descending qi; in winter months, bitter cold medicine should be added like Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root,

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Zhimu/­rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome and so on, in order to follow the sinking qi. This principle is called following the qi of seasons to maintain the natural harmony.” According to Nei Jing (Internal Classic), ignorant people prefer the incidental to the fundamental: In spring, pungent or cool drugs are used to suppress wood (liver); in summer, salty or cold drugs are used to suppress fire; in autumn, bitter or warm drugs are used to purge metal (lung); in winter, pungent hot drugs are used to dry water (kidney). The drugs are used wrongly, deviating from the principle of Su Wen (Plain Questions). It is a practice aiming to suppress yin in summer and yang in winter. There are four seasons in a year and diseases correspond to the four seasons; autumn diseases may occur in spring, winter diseases may occur in summer; therefore, when treating the diseases, one should be flexible and shouldn’t be rigid. Human beings obey five normal phrases and grow with wind qi. The qi of the five zang organs of the human body correspond to the interior and exterior environment of four seasons and five elements, including spring warmth, summer heat, autumn cool, and winter coldness. Therefore, the diseases can be treated with the five flavors, and follow the operation of “qi of zang organs obeying of seasons” to cure diseases and prolong life. (3) Drugs for treating a hundred diseases, adopting different methods suitable to different conditions Because diseases wax and wane, syndromes can be internal and external, the treatment has its priority. Common drugs are selected as the principal drugs. For the treatment of malaria, Qinghao/herba ar temisiae annuae/ sweet wormwood herb and Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root can be effective in the eradication of malaria. Since there are various malarias, like cold-wind malaria, summer-heat malaria, damp malaria, miasmic malaria, malaria of five zang organs and six fu organs, debilitating malaria and malarial mass and so on. It is still necessary to follow the principle of “adopting different methods suitable to local conditions.” The malaria identifications are as follows. For malaria caused by summer-heat, deficiency malaria with chills and fevers, Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb can be pounded to get the juice or simmered in wine with Guixin/shaved cinnamon bark. Chaihu/radix bupleuri/ Chinese thorowax root is a principal drug functioning on shao yang

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meridian, which can be used to treat all kinds of malaria. With the conditions of pathogenic cold and heat, deficiency and excess, assisting and guiding drugs can be added to the prescription to the affected meridian or site. Biejia/carapax et plastrum testudinis/tortoise shell can treat chronic malaria with pathogenic conditions in blood system. For debilitating malaria and prolonged malaria, stir-fry it with vinegar and make it into powder. For malaria caused by cold-dampness, use Fuzi/radix aconiti laterails preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood to treat qi deficiency in five zang organs; malaria caused by accumulation of phlegm-fluid retention, decoct Fuzi/radix aconiti laterails preparata/ prepared daughter root of common monkshood with Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date, Cong/herba allii fistolos/green onionsi and Shengjiang/­rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger, take it when the decoction becomes cold. Doukou/fructus amomi rotundus/round cardamom fruit treats asthenia malaria and spontaneous sweating, taking it along with Pingwei Powder (Powder for regulating the function of stomach). For malaria caused by phlegm, Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root can be used to induce phlegm water. To treat miasmatic malaria, decoct Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome, Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb and Taoren/ semen persicae/peach seed. The cough identifications are as follows. To treat wind-cold cough, the drug that can disperse wind-cold and the accumulation of pathogenic fire in the lung is used as the major drug. To treat phlegm-damp cough, make Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia, Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaewmatis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber and Baizhu/ rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes into pills ant take them; To treat qi-deficiency cough, fry Laifuzi/semen raphani/radish seed and take it with sugar. To treat phlegm-fire cough, use Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root, Jiegeng/radix platycodi/ platycodon root, Qianhu/radix peucedani/hogfennel root, Baihe/bulbus lilii/lily bulb, Tiandong/radix asparagi/asparagus root, Madouling/fructus aristolochiae/dutchmanpipe fruit for clearing away the lung heat and subsiding phlegmatic cough. To clear lung phlegm and stop cough, use Beimu/bulbus ftitillaria thunbergii/bulb of thungerg. To relieve phlegm and moisten lung, nourish yin and reduce fire, use Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome. Cough caused by deficiency heat,

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take Tianhuafen/radix trichosanthis/snake-gourd root with Powder of Renshen. Cough caused by consumptive disease, take Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root to tonify lung and purge fire, stop phlegmatic cough, spontaneous sweating and purulent blood cough. To check purulent blood cough and clear phlegm and replenish lung, take Ziwan/radix asteris/tatarian aster root. To cure hemoptysis caused by pulmonary tuberculosis, take Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root and Tingli Powder and glutinous rice soup. To cure inability to eat caused by bone steaming and pulmonary tuberculosis, decoct Lugen/rhizome phragmitis/reed rhizome, Maidongmen/radix ophiopogonis/dwarf lilyturf root, Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry, Fuling/ poria/Indian bread, Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel, Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger and take the medicine. To cure lung abscess, coughing fullness, scaly skin on the chest and epigastrium, decoct Weijing/phragmitis/reed stem, Taoren/semen persicae/ peach seed, Dongguaren/semen benincasae/Chinese waxgourd seed, Yiren/semen coicis/job’s-tears seed and take the ­medicine. Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root can cure lung abscess, drain pus, nourish blood and tonify fistula. As it can be seen, to select the principal drugs to treat a hundred diseases is to identify certain syndrome and p­ rescribe the medicine. It is “integrate the drugs to cure the disease, with each one in proper use, so the treatments are different while the diseases can all be cured,” which is also the feature of syndrome and drug differentiation.

3.1.3  Practical and Innovative Spirit The compilation of Ben Cao Gang Mu can be described as “connecting the past with the future, pioneering and innovating.” Li Shizhen has made bold innovations in drug classification. Besides the fixed pattern of drugs, which are Explanation of Names, Correction, Previous Explanations, Indication, Quality and Taste, Explication and Prescriptions, he analyzes some contents in detail, like “Five drugs with the same name,” “Four drugs with the same name,” “Three drugs with the same name,” “Similar type with names hidden.” For example, in “Four drugs with the same name”, Chixiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean, Hongdoukou/fructus alpiniae galangae/fruit of galangal galangal, Xiangsizi/semen abri precatorii/

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seed of redbean vine, and Haihongdou/semen adenantherae pavoninae/ seed of sandal beadtree couldn’t be regarded as Hongdou. In “Three drugs with the same name”, Shuizhuye/murdannia triguetra (wall.) brucken/ herb of triquetrous murdannia, Suiguzi/rhizome of common lophantherum, Yazhicao/herba commelinae/common dayflower herb couldn’t be regarded as Danzhuye/herba lophatheri/lophatherum herb. Li Shizhen’s dividing principle is from organic to inorganic, from the least developed to the most advanced. Following the method of “analyzing family, distinguishing class, dividing category, classifying subcategory,” drugs are classified into 16 gang (categories) and 60 mu (subcategories). Its categories include those of Waters, Fires, Earth, Metals and Stones, Herbs, Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits, Woods, Fabrics and Utensils, Insects, Animals with Scales, Shells, Fowls, Animals and Humans. These classification methods are logical and in accordance with the objective conditions of the time and the law of the development of natural things. Volume 1 and 2 may be called the outline of the whole book, Volume 3 to 4 may be regarded as the general list of diseases, and the rest are subcategories. It forms the norm of system, partial system and subsystem, making the classification of the book systematic, scientific and integral. Ben Cao Gang Mu integrates the precious and essential medical theories and essential views before the Ming Dynasty, and forms its own thoughts. Based on the theory of zang-fu organs, meridians, correspondence between human and the universe, yin-yang images, five circuit phases, six qi, combined with clinical treatment, the book emphasizes the detection on the causes of disease, observation of disease mechanism, differentiation syndrome and adaptation of treatment and choice of ­ ­appropriate drugs, and blends them together. The scientific connotation of syndrome differentiation and treatment has been expounded systematically, and a new system has been established. The property and flavor of drugs is the focus of Li Shizhen’s textual research. He collects and retains the literature of the past dynasties and puts forward his own opinion after textual research. For instance, Baijiangcao/herba patriniae/patrinia was recorded “bitter, flat and nontoxic” in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) but in some books recorded as “slightly bitter and often sweet.” He not only retains the relevant contents of the previous literature, but also puts forward his own

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views. He accumulates a wealth of information for future generations to study the property and flavor of drugs. Secondly, he corrects and complements the property and flavor of some drugs, such as Shanzha/fructus crataegi/hawthorn fruit. It was recorded as “acid and cold”, but Li Shizhen researched it, he corrected it as “acid, sweet and warm”, which is consistent with the modern research, providing the basis for further research. He makes certain exertion and proposes some original opinions on classification of drugs according to the meridian tropism, the efficacy and the main treatment effects. He carefully studies and seriously analyzes in practice and draws on collective wisdom and absorbs all useful ideas. The drugs in ancient prescriptions were examined and verified one by one. He is praised to “have read lots of books and collected ideas of hundreds of doctors”. He looked up more than 80 ancient books and cited as many as 757 pieces of literature, which makes this masterpiece rigorous, structured, focused, detailed and influential in the medical field. It promotes the inheritance and unearthing of China’s medical heritage and provides a reliable basis for the research of modern medicine and pharmacy. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, drugs are classified into 16 gang (categories) and 60 mu (subcategories). Its categories include those of Waters, Fires, Earth, Metals and Stones, Herbs, Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits, Woods, Fabrics and Utensils, Insects, Animals with Scales, Shells, Fowls, Animals and Humans. Its dividing principle is “from minor to major, from the least developed to the most advanced.” It is said that its reference books are as many as 800, so it can be described as a masterpiece “­connecting hundreds of doctors”. For each kind of drug, its name is listed as Gang, the explanation of name is recorded as Mu, that’s why the book is named Ben Cao Gang Mu. The contents of each drug contain in detail Previous Explanations, Analysis of Dubious Points, Correction, Preparation, Quality and Taste, Indications, Explication and Prescriptions. etc. The clear classification and description method of Ben Cao Gang Mu is a creative development on the basis of predecessors. In fact, this method obtained the scientific nature of modern biological evolution thoughts. Ben Cao Gang Mu has also made remarkable contributions to the development of pharmacology. Li Shizhen not only confirms 1,518 kinds of drugs, but also adds 374 kinds of new drugs to the treasure house of

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Chinese medicine by his own practice, investigation, search and inspection, which is a huge number for a scholar. In drug identification, Ben Cao Gang Mu corrects many errors and unscientific contents of materia medica works before the Ming Dynasty. As for the adaptation of organisms to the living environment, it also ­proposes some original views. Based on Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) and Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic), Li Shizhen praises Zhang Yuansu’s thinking method of “taking drugs according to syndromes” in Jie Gu Zhen Zhu Nang (Materia Medica Annotated By Zhang Jiegu) and states Zhang Yuansu’s achievement as “having profound interpretation of Chinese medicine, and deep understanding of subtle relationship between heaven and man. He considered that the old prescriptions might not necessarily cure the modern diseases, thus forming his own theories, including property and flavor of drugs, yin and yang, thickness and thinness, the movements of drugs (ascending, descending, floating and sinking), the functions of drugs (tonifying and purgative), six qi, twelve meridians and the principles of making prescriptions... Medical theories are comprehensively discussed. He is the one who ranks after Ling Shu (Spiritual Pivot) and Su Wen (Plain Questions).” He makes comments on Li Dongyuan. “He inherited and continued Zhang Jiegu’s theory. Based on Jie Gu Zhen Zhu Nang (Materia Medica Annotated By Zhang Jiegu), Li Dongyuan added introductory notes, guides to the meridians and flexible principles of drug use to his book Yong Yao Fa Xiang (Rules for the Use of Drugs), which can be used as a reference for clinical medicine differentiation and treatment.” Li Shizhen studies the physiology and pathology of zang-fu organs and attaches great importance to the acquired effect of spleen and stomach in human body. He thinks that “The earth is the mother of everything”. Nourished by their mother, the internal organs will be in harmony, with the balance of water and fire and interaction of woods and metal. Therefore, the pathogen will be prevented, and a person will be free from all diseases. (In “Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/solomonseal rhizome”). “After water and cereal have entered the stomach, they are fumigated and steamed by humidity and heat of middle energizer, evolve into red substance and spread in zang-fu organs, meridians and collaterals, which is

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nutrient-blood. The evolvement shows the subtle creation of nature.” (In Hongqu/semen oryzea cum mnasci/medicated red rice.) He emphasizes the close relationship between spleen and original qi and says: “Spleen is the mother of original qi”, “when mother is in harmonious condition, jinye (body fluid) is produced and mental spirit is germinated” (in Lian’ou/ nelumbo nucifera gaertn/lotus). It shows that the original qi of human body depends on the breeding of the spleen and stomach. If the physiological function of the spleen and stomach is normal, the original qi of human body is nourished and enriched. Li Shizhen attaches importance to nourishing earth. He emphasizes that spleen and stomach are the root of original qi and points out the important role of spleen and stomach as ascending and descending cardinal. His idea is an enrichment to the development of spleen and stomach theory.

3.2  Main Contributions of Li Shizhen Medicine Li Shizhen is a prolific writer in his life and makes an indelible contribution to the development and perfection of China’s medical theory. Only three books are extant now: Ben Cao Gang Mu, Bin Hu Mai Xue (Binhu’s Sphygmology) and Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao (Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians). Among them, Ben Cao Gang Mu is world-famous, for which he has struggled for 30 years in spite of hardships. When he was working at the Imperial Academy of Medicine, after a long period of preparation, Li Shizhen began writing Ben Cao Gang Mu. In the process of writing, along with his students and his son Li Jianyuan, he wore straw shoes, carried medicine baskets, climbed mountains and mountains, visited doctors and collected medicines. They traveled over several areas, such as Henan, Hebei, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei ­provinces and others, as well as several mountains, like Mount Niu Shou, Mount She, Mount Mao, Mount Taihe and others. They travelled ­thousands of miles, listened to the opinions of millions of people, read more than 800 kinds of books. After 27 years, he finally finished the book when he was 61 years old (in 1578). Ben Cao Gang Mu comprises 16 ­categories, 52  ­volumes, and has 1.9 million Chinese characters. It records 1,518 drugs mentioned in previous materia medica books, adds 374 drugs, all together 1,892 drugs, among which 1,195 are plants.

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It records 11,096 prescriptions, along with more than 1,100 illustrations. This great work absorbs the essence of the works of the past dynasties, corrects the previous mistakes as far as possible, supplements the deficiencies, and makes many important discoveries and breakthroughs. It has been one of the most systematic, integral and scientific medical works in our country until the 16th century. When faced with the vast treasure house of herbs, how to control and manipulate it becomes the most critical issue for doctors. This is one of Li Shizhen’s greatest contributions. He not only solves the problems such as the way and retrieval of medicine, but also embodies his new understanding of plant taxonomy and valuable of biological evolution thoughts. He has changed three grades of drugs (high-grade, medium-grade and lowgrade) proposed in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal), which had been passed down for more than a thousand years. In his book, drugs are classified into 16 gang (categories) and 60 mu (subcategories). Its categories include those of Water, Fire, Earth, Metals and Stones, Herbs, Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits, Woods, Fabrics and Utensils, Insects, Animals with Scales, Shells, Fowls, Animals and Humans. Each drug is categorized as gang, with subcategories as mu. The book also systematically describes the knowledge of various drugs, including Corrections, Explanation of Names, Previous Explanations, Preparation, Quality and Flavor, Indications, Explication, Appendix and Prescriptions. From the history and form of drugs to function and prescription, the account is very detailed. In particular, the “Explication” is mainly his new discoveries and experiences in drug observation, research and practical application, which enriches the knowledge of materia medica. He is the first one who proposes the name of “savage”. The classification method created by Li Shizhen in botany is a scientific method which classifies plants according to their application and morphology and assorts them into different levels. He not only points out kinship of plants, but also unifies nomenclature of plants. He divides more than 1,000 species of plants into five categories (i.e. herbs, woods, vegetables, fruits and cereals) according to their economic use and body, habits and contents, and then divides them into 30 subcategories (such as 9 kinds of herbs, 6 kinds of woods, 7 kinds of vegetables, 7 kinds of fruits, and 5 kinds of cereals), and then subdivides into several types.

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In a word, Li Shizhen adopts the method of systematic categories to reanalyze and sort out materia medica works of the dynasties following Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal). Therefore, this Chinese herbal masterpiece of nearly 2 million words is rigorous, structured and detailed, with key points standing out. In other words, this book is “comprehensive but not complex, detailed but also with key points.” Ben Cao Gang Mu corrects many mistakes made by predecessors, such as Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaewmatis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber and Huzhang/tiger fat, which are the same medicine, but in the past they were mistaken for two different drugs. Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/­ rhizome of fragrant solomoseal and Nvwei/stem of October clematis were thought to be the same drug, but after identification, Li Shizhen separates them into two different ones. Su Song divided Tianhua/radix trichosanthis/ snake-gourd root and Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/snakegourd fruit into two kinds into Tu Jing Ben Cao (Illustrated Materia Medica), but they are actually different parts of the same herb. The predecessors viewed that “the horse sperm can change into Suoyang/herba cynomorii/songaria cynomorium herb” and “a grass seed can change into a fish”. Li Shizhen corrects them one by one. And many new drugs have been added to the book. The efficacy of certain drugs is further described by Li Shizhen through his own experience. The book also contains a wealth of valuable medical data, in addition to a large number of additional prescriptions, medical examinations, medical records, and some other useful medical data. Ben Cao Gang Mu is a book of pharmacology as well as natural history, which covers a wide range of topics and contributes to biology, chemistry, astronomy, geography, geology, mining and even history. The information collected in the book is extensive, “from the ancient classics to the legends, whatever is relevant has been collected.” Therefore, some of the contents in the book are inconsistent with modern knowledge, and some may even be a bit superstitious. This is unavoidable. For example, Qianfen/lead powder is cold and non-toxic, but modern view holds it is highly poisonous. There are other examples in the category of Humans. Things related to human are used as medicines, like the filial son’s clothing and hat, the dust of the widow’s bed, the grass shoes. Some other examples like “The male pubic hair can be used for snake bite, and the female’s pubic hair for the treatment of stranguria of five types and the

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yin-yang transmission Syndrome (coital transmission of febrile disease). Renpo (the soul human who has just hanged himself or herself) to calm shock, human meat therapy (cut the flesh of thine to treat one’s relative), human feces to treat hematemesis, dust of the house beam to treat ­fainting”. For this part, Li Shizhen mostly cites the words from Chuo Geng Lu (South Village Dropout) and Ben Cao Shi Yi (A Supplement to the Herbal) and adopts the attitude of “the medicines that had been used before can’t be left behind”. However, Li Shizhen refutes Chen Cangqi’s view, believing that it is wrong to eat human flesh in order to cure the disease. But it is just because of the detailed collection that some lost ancient medical books and books of materia medica are preserved. Ben Cao Gang Mu not only makes great contributions to the development of pharmacology in China, but also has a profound impact on the development of medicine, botany, zoology, mineralogy and chemistry in the world. After its publication, it is soon introduced to Japan and later spread to Europe and the United States. It has been translated into Japanese, French, German, English, Latin, Russian, Korean and other languages and spread across five continents. As early as 1951, at the World Peace Council in Vienna, Li Shizhen was listed as an ancient world celebrity; his marble statue stood on the promenade of Moscow University. It has also played a huge role in promoting the development of natural science in the world, thus known as “Colossal Work of Oriental Medicine”. The famous British biologist Darwin also benefited from it, he referred to it as “the encyclopedia of medicine in ancient China”. Joseph Needham, a British expert in the history of Chinese science and technology, wrote in his Science and Civilization in China: “In the 16th century, there were two major works on natural pharmacology in China. The first is Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao (A Compilation of Essential Items of the Materia Medica) at the beginning of the century (1505), and Ben Cao Gang Mu at the end of the century (1595), both of which are very great.”

3.2.1  Medical Theory Although Ben Cao Gang Mu is a pharmacological monograph, it also records many contents closely related to clinical practice. Volume 3 and 4 are “Principal Drugs to Treat a Hundred Diseases”, recording principal

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drugs treating 113 diseases. In Volume 3 “Drugs to Treat Diseases Caused by Exogenous Factors and Internal Injury”, drugs to treat febrile diseases caused by cold, coughing, asthma and dyspnea are included. Volume 4 mainly consists of five organs, surgical, gynecological and pediatric diseases. The drugs that can be used to cure the plague are: Shengma/ rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifoliolious bugbane rhizome, Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/arigyi leaf/argyi wormwood leaf, Laxue/snow-water, Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar, Yangqishi/actinophorum, Huoyao/gunpowder, Daqing/folium isatidis/dyers woad leaf, Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ ephedra, Weilingxian/radix clematidis/Chinese clematis root, Lvcao/herba humulis scandentis/climbing hop herb, Dama/cannabis sativa L./hemp, Dandouchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean, Hu/allium sativum L./garlic, Zhusun/bamboo shoot, Li/fructus pyri/pear, Song/pinus massoniana lamb./pine, Zhuling/polyporus/chuling, Zhu/lophatherum gracile brongn/bamboo, Shiyan/fossilia spiriferis/fossil shell of spirifer, Xi/rhinoceros and Taoduchong/peach moth. In addition, Ben Cao Gang Mu contains 11,096 prescriptions of various kinds, involving various clinical departments, including internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, pentaphysics, etc. Among the prescriptions, more than 2,900 are collected from previous books, and the rest are collected at his own time. The scope of the treatment covers the common diseases and frequently occurring diseases. The forms of drugs include pill, powder, extract and pallet. Many prescriptions have both scientific and practical features. For example, the prescriptions for the treatment of coughing appear in a variety of formulas as follows: Asthma and dyspnoea caused by disorder of lung qi: two liang2 of Madouling/fructus aristolochiae/dutchmanpipe fruit (shell and membrane removed), half liang of butter (stir up in the bowl and stir-bake to dry with slow fire), one liang of Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root (prepared), make into powder. Stew one qian3 with a cup of water until six fen4 is left. Take it warm and little by little. 2

 1 liang = 10 qian = 31.25 grams  1 qian =10 fen = 3.125 grams 4  1 fen = 10 li = 0.3125 gram = 312.5 mg 3

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Phlegmatic cough caused by asthma: Yazhang San (powder of duck web), five Yinxing/ginkgo/ginkgo biloba L., two and half qian of Mahuang/ herba ephedrae/ephedra, two qian of Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root (prepared), stew in one and half cups of water till eight fen are left. Take it before sleep. There was a pharmacy selling Baiguo Dingchuan Decoction (Decoction of Baiguo to treat asthma) in Jinling (now called Nanjing). The drug was so effective that the owner of this pharmacy made huge fortune. Prescription: Twenty-one Baiguo/semen ginkgo/ginkgo seed (stir-fry until they turn yellow), three qian of Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ ephedra, two qian of Suzi/fructus perrillae/perilla fruit, two qian of Kuandonghua/flos farfarae/common coltsfoot flower, Fabanxia/prepared pinellia tuber/rhizome pinelliae preparata, two qian of Sangbaipi/white mulberry root-bark/cortex mori, prepared with honey. One and a half qian of Xingren/bitter apricot seed/semen armeniacae (without peel and tip), one and a half qian of Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root (slightly fried), one qian of Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. Stew in three cups of water until two cups are left. Take the decoction in two times at scheduled time. Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger shouldn’t be used. Phlegmatic cough caused by lung heat with stuffy chest: One liang of Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/snakegourd fruit, and one liang of Banxia/ rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia (soak it in hot water for seven times, bake it dry and grind it). Blend the powder with ginger juice and wheat flour and then make pills (the size of a parasol seed). Take 50 pills every time with ginger decoction after meal. Therefore, Ben Cao Gang Mu has a high reference value in clinical treatment. It is also a great achievement in the field of therapeutics. In the application of syndrome differentiation and treatment, clinical prepared medicine, it provides some new explanations. (1) Synthetical application of eight principles, zang-fu organs, ­aggregation of qi, blood and phlegm and other syndrome ­differentiation methods Synthetical application of eight principles, zang-fu organs, stagnation of qi, blood and phlegm and other syndrome differentiation methods have been employed to treat diseases, as reflected by the classification of

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diseases in “Principal Drugs to Treat a Hundred Diseases”. He takes the disease names as the categories and uses the syndrome differentiation as the subcategory. It is not simply listed according to the disease names, but highlights the principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment. According to the specific differentiation of symptoms and signs, drugs with corresponding main therapeutic effect are provided. For instance, diarrhea disease includes damp-heat, cold-damp, windheat, aggregation-accumulation, fright phlegm and deficiency penetration. Low back pain include consumption, damp-heat, wind-cold, blood stasis and external causes. Dyspnea with reverse flow of qi include wind-cold, phlegm, fire stagnancy, deficiency and asthma. Some of the above classifications are similar to that in the present textbooks of Internal Medicine, such as the classification of low back pain. Some of them are different. But it’s obvious that synthetical application of eight principles, zang-fu organs, aggregation of qi, blood and phlegm and other syndrome differentiation methods are employed. Like the classification of dyspnea with reverse flow of qi different from the current medical textbooks, but it analyzes diseases from the aspect of cold, phlegm, fire and deficiency which is similar to the current ideas. Since Zhu Danxi had treated miscellaneous diseases with aggregation of qi, blood and phlegm, his theory was accepted by most doctors, and there was the saying that “using Danxi’s way to treat miscellaneous diseases.” Although eight principles was first put forward by Cheng Zhongling of the Qing Dynasty, however, people had treated diseases with it for long. Li Shizhen inherits the outstanding dialectical method of predecessors. In the aspect of syndrome differentiation of zang-fu organs, with the proposal of meridian tropism, a simple bridge was built between the differentiation of syndromes and prescriptions, so the method of syndrome differentiation of zang-fu organs became simple and practical. Li Shizhen applies and expands this method. He not only uses this method to differentiate and treat diseases, but also explains the principles of medicine used in the prescriptions of the classics. He applies the theory to explain the difference between Guizhi Decoction (Cassia-twig Decoction) and Mahuang Decoction (Ephedra Decotion). The ancestors mostly ­interpreted the pathogenesis as weak defense with strong nutrient and strong defense with weak nutrient, or exterior deficiency and exterior

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excess, but Li Shizhen elaborates from the aspect of drug composition and the principal treatment pertaining to the zang-fu organs. He says: “Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra is a drug that works exclusively on the Lung Channel, so it is often used in treating Lung diseases.” Zhang Zhongjing treated febrile disease caused by cold with Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra if there was no perspiration. Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig was used if there was perspiration. Famous doctors in different dynasties explained Zhang’s idea only according to the original text, but there hasn’t been a satisfactory explanation yet. Exterior excess syndrome is a jue syndrome, actually the lung is invaded by pathogenic heat, giving rise to the excess of lung qi. Thus, Mahuang Decoction (Ephedra Decotion) is to be used, “although Mahuang Decoction (Ephedra Decotion) is a strong diaphoretic suitable to the jue yang syndrome, it is actually a prescription in dispersing the accumulation of pathogenic fire in the Lung”. Exterior deficiency syndrome is the leakage of jinye and deficiency of the Lung qi, thus Guizhi Decoction (Cassia-twig Decotion) is used to regulate the spleen and rescue the lung, “although Guizhi Decoction (Cassia-twig Decoction) is generally a light prescription suitable to disperse the pathogenic factors from the muscles in the jue yang syndrome, it is actually one in regulating the spleen and rescuing the lung.” And the above analysis hasn’t been found in previous times. In short, in the course of practice, Li Shizhen inherits and develops the methods of syndrome differentiation and treatment of predecessors, and comprehensively applies various methods of syndrome differentiation to treat diseases. Besides, it also reflects that after thousands of years of development, disease differentiation and classification had become fairly mature until the Ming Dynasty. (2) Correct compatibility of drugs corresponding to the disease “Doctors tend to take Xiangyan Decoction as the first choice in treating heatstroke”, in response to this practice, Li Shizhen suggests that treatment should be based on differentiation of syndromes and signs. If the syndrome is caused by exposure to cold and the eating of cold food in summer, yang qi is pent up by pathogenic yin, Xiangyan Decoction can be used to open up the pent-up yang qi, disperse water and harmonize the spleen. If the syndrome is caused by improper intake of food, overwork

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and too much melancholy, it is a syndrome of overwork with interior damage, so Qingshu Yiqi Decoction (Decoction of Eliminating Summer-heat and Replenishing qi) of Li Dongyuan, Rensheng Baihu Decoction of Zhang Zhongjing should be used to purge the pathogenic fire and reinforce the original qi. As to “no matter what the condition is, Xiangyan is drunk as tea to disperse summer heat”. He criticizes the idea and considers it nonsense. People tend to take Zhushen/pig’s kidneys as tonics. He comments that “Zhushen/pig’s kidneys is cool in quality. For people who suffer from excessive heat of deficient type in the kidney, they can take it. But for those whose kidney is cold and deficient, they shouldn’t take it”. By this, he emphasizes differentiating the deficiency and excess of diseases. In the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, Li Shizhen also pays attention to syndrome differentiation and treatment instead of being confused by the appearance of diseases. He used Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed to cure an old woman who had suffered from watery diarrhea for five years. When she ate meat, oily or cold food, she would suffer from pain. She tried drugs with ascending tendency and astringent function to ­regulate the spleen, but the condition became worse. Li Shizhen examined the patient and found her pulse deep and slippery, he concluded that “the disease was caused by prolonged damage to the spleen and stomach due to cold accumulation and abdominal mass. According to Wang Taipu (Taipu, an official title in feudal times), if the great cold accumulated in the body for a long time, it could cause watery diarrhea. Even it was cured once, it would recur and kept on for several years. The treatment should use heat to relieve cold, then the cold would be removed and diarrhea would stop.” So he used 50 pills of Lagui Badou Pill. In two days, the patient had no discharge of stool, then her watery diarrhea was cured. Li Shizhen thought that watery diarrhea was caused by accumulation of cold at the interior, so he dared to try Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed to stop the diarrhea. He was proud of his accurate syndrome differentiation. He stated: “The subtlety lies in the correct compatibility of drugs that should correspond to the disease.” Almost one hundred patients were successfully treated when he used this way to treat those suffering from such diseases.

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(3) Different medications corresponding to different physical conditions Li Shizhen emphasizes the importance of prescribing different medications according to physical conditions of patients. In Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood, he says, “Both Wutou/radix aconite kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood and Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood are toxic and should not be used unless the disease is urgent. But a small amount can be added into tonics to enhance their efficacy. Some patients just take only one qian-bi of these drugs and feel quite restless. But ancient people frequently use them in tonics. Is it because the physiological condition of ancient people was different from that of the present people? King Duchang of Jing state was thin and often felt cold, not s­ uffering from other diseases. He had Fuzi Decoction every day and chewed some Liuhuang/sulfur/sulfur. He kept on doing this for several years. Mr. Zhang, a rich man in Qinzhouwei, got used to take Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deer-horn and Fuzi/radix aconiti laterails preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood all his life. He was healthy until eighty years old. In the book Yi Shuo (Zhang Gao’s Medical Theory) of the Song Dynasty, it was recorded that Mr. Zhao, a governor, indulged himself in sex and wine. He took the Decoction of dried ginger and Fuzi/radix aconiti laterails preparata/­ prepared daughter root of common monkshood with 100 pills of Liuhuang Jinye Pill (Pills of Sulfur) every day. In this way he maintained a good appetite. If he didn’t take the drugs, he would feel exhausted. But he lived up to ninety years. The drugs would be harmful for others even when they tried one pill. The above examples are just extremes for some people who had extraordinary physiological and pathological conditions in terms of zang-fu organs. The drugs are beneficial rather than harmful for them, but other people should not follow it since it is not conventional.” Li Shizhen also points out that certain drugs are essential for certain special physical conditions. As said in Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifolious bugbane rhizome, “Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifolious bugbane rhizome can lead the lucid qi of tai yang to ascend. Chaihu can lead lucid qi of shao yang to ascend. They are the principal drugs of the spleen and stomach. They can be used to treat the following condition: general debility and deficient original qi caused by overstrain, improper intake of cold

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food”. From the above, we can see that if a person’s physical condition is not average, then medication should be different from that of ordinary people. Just as he mentions in Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar, “Human beings are different from one another. The experienced doctors should differentiate yin and yang, the symptoms and signs. They shouldn’t rely too much on first impressions. Only those who know the delicacy of medicine can handle the cases.” (4) Drug processing closely combining with clinical syndromes Concerning drug processing, Li Shizhen adopts different methods of processing according to the different qualities of the syndromes. For example, Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia is the guiding drug for drying dampness, dissolving phlegm, bringing down adverse qi and stopping vomiting. When producing Banxiaqu (Banxia leaven), he chooses different ways according to specific phlegm, “to treat damp-phlegm, blend Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia with juice of ginger and Banxia Decoction; to treat wind-phlegm, blend the drug with juice of ginger and Zaojiao Decoction; to treat fire-phlegm, blend the drug with juice of ginger and Zhuli/succus bambusae/juice in a bamboo stem, or with Jingli/succus schizonepetae/ juice of fineleaf schizonepeta; to treat cold-phlegm, blend the drug with juice of ginger, Baifan/alumen/alum and powder of Baijiezi/semen Sinapis albae/white mustard seed. All these are good ways of processing.” For the usage of Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/gold thread, “to purge the excessive fire of the liver and gall bladder, soak it in pig bile and then stirfry it. To treat deficient fire of the liver and gall bladder, soak it in vinegar and then stir-fry it. To eliminate fire in upper energizer, stir-fry it with wine; fire in middle energizer, with ginger juice; fire in lower energizer, with salt water; fire due to indigestion, soak it with loess in water, and then stir-fry it. The above ways enhance the functions of the drugs. The reason why it is processed in this way is that pungent and hot drugs can hold back the bitter taste of Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/gold thread and cold quality, salty and cold drugs can hold back the dry quality of Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/gold thread. When it is used, all these things should be considered.” It can be seen from the above that Li Shizhen is guided by the principle of processing of drugs serve for clinical practices. The processed drugs are closely connected with clinical syndromes. Li Shizhen

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divides phlegm into different syndromes such as damp-phlegm, wind phlegm, fire phlegm, cold phlegm and so on. Therefore, when making Banxiaqu (Banxia leaven), different auxiliary materials are added. One more example is the liver-gallbladder fire. It is divided into excess fire and deficiency fire, so the meridian tropism, meridian direction, drug qualities, direction of the action of drugs (ascending, descending, floating and sinking) are all altered according to the clinical needs. In a word, Ben Cao Gang Mu records a large number of clinical applications of different processed drugs, which provides valuable data for modern clinical research. (5) Paying attention to the simple prescription and proved prescription, simple and various kinds of treating methods Since Li Shizhen has been practicing medicine for a long time, he knows very well the difficulties of folk life, especially the difficulty of consulting doctors about medical advice. He is also familiar with the magic effect of single prescription and proved prescription. So he attaches great importance to the collection and application of such prescriptions. For example, in Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root. A relative of Mr. Ye (an official whose title was Chaoyi) suffered from bloody stranguria, who consulted several doctors in vain. A village doctor treated him with Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root, which was simmered into a dense decoction. The patient took it five times in a day. Although he didn’t recover immediately, the color of the urine became paler and turned normal after a long time. After ten years, the disease recurred. The same prescription was applied and the patient became well again. … Therefore, I recorded it here to praise its miraculous effect.” The prescriptions collected are mostly simple prescriptions and minor prescriptions. Bin Hu Ji Jian Fang (Bin Hu Collection of Simple Formulas) which was lost was said to be a collection of simple prescriptions and proved prescriptions. Ben Cao Gang Mu collected some prescriptions from this book. There are various treating methods, including internal administration, external application, gargling treatment, anus suppository, threadligating therapy, vagina suppository external coating therapy, b­aking therapy, needling therapy, shock therapy, suction, fumigation throat

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blowing therapy, washing, etc. For example, to treat pruritus vulvae, use one liang of Shechuangzi/frutus cnidii/common cnidium fruit and two qian of Baifan/alumen/alum to make a decoction. Wash the affected part with it frequently. The treating methods are diverse and easy to use. To sum up, Li Shizhen has comprehensively used the eight principles, zang-fu organs, aggregation of qi, blood and phlegm and other dialectical methods to treat diseases, and has put forward some new views. In ­treatment, he insists on dialectical treatment, differentiation of physical condition, pays attention to simple prescription and proved prescription. Especially, he emphasizes that the drug processing should be closely combined with the clinical syndromes, which promotes the development of clinical drug processing. Moreover, Ben Cao Gang Mu has also made a great contribution to the development of the theory of drug meridian tropism. (1) Using meridian tropism to explain efficacy and indication of drugs When discussing the qualities of drugs, Li Shizhen records the drug meridian tropism. For instance, Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra is a drug that works exclusively on the lung meridian, so it is often used in treating lung diseases. Huluba/semen trigonellae/common fenugreek seed is a drug that functions on the right kidney. For the patients who suffer from insufficiency of original yang and hidden cold qi that prevents the returning of original yang, this drug is effective (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 15, Mahuang). The quality and efficacy of drugs are interpreted by meridian tropism. Detailed pharmacological action can be applied in clinical practice effectively. (2) Proving meridian tropism with clinical effects Li Shizhen applies the theory of “five flavors and five colors function on the five zang-organs” proposed in Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) in clinical practice, and gives full play to it, thus improving the practical value of meridian tropism theory. “Tianma/rhizoma gastrodiae/gastrodia tuber is a drug functioning on the qi system of liver meridian. Su Wen (Plain Questions) says, “vertigo caused by pathogenic wind is related to

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liver. Tianma/rhizoma gastrodiae/gastrodia tuber acts on the meridians of tai yin and can treat the above diseases.” (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 12, Tianma) (3) Explaining meridian tropism according to the main treatment of zang-fu organs disease, meridian diseases and orifices disease When discussing meridian tropism, Li Shizhen always combined the functions of zang-fu organs, meridians and orifices together. Wuzeigu/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone is a drug acting on the blood system of the tai yin, since it’s salty and functions in blood. Therefore, original diseases of the tai yin, like blood depletion, bloody masses, amenorrhea, metrorrhagia and leakorrhea, dysentery and infantile malnutrition; the diseases related to the tai yin meridian, like malaria with chills and fever, deafness, goiter, lower abdominal pain, and diseases of genitals; the d­ iseases of orifices of the tai yin, like nebulous eye screen and abnormal shedding of tears, Wuzeigu/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone is good for all the mentioned diseases. Because the tai yin is related to liver, and liver controls blood, it is an effective drug to treat all kinds of blood diseases. (4) Paying attention to drug processing, never confined to the ancient’s meridian tropism theory In Li Shizhen’s view, the processing of drug can change its meridian tropism. Like Both Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root and Shuqi/caulis et folium dichroae febrifugae/stem leaf of antifebrile dichroa can disperse phlegm accumulation and stop malaria… When used with Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum and Linglijia/squama manitis/pangolin scales, they function on the liver. When used with Xiaomai/semen tritici/wheat, they function on the heart. When used with Shumi/husked sorghum and Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra, they function on the lung. When used with Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone and Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood, they function on the kidney. When used with Caoguo/fructus tsaoko/ caoguo and Binlang/semen arecae/areca seed, they function on the spleen. For Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome, if the drug is intended to function on the upper part, it should be soaked in wine and then baked dry. If it is intended to function on the lower part, it should

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be soaked in salt water and then baked dry. These are the criteria for ­clinical doctors to make up prescriptions. (5) Paying attention to the use of guiding drugs Guiding drugs refer to some drugs that can lead other drugs to the site of the disease to play a curative effect. In addition to selecting as many drugs as possible in accordance with the pathological changes of the zang-fu organs in prescriptions, better results can be obtained by paying attention to the use of the guiding drugs directing to the meridians. Some guiding drugs are listed in Ben Cao Gang Mu. Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/gold thread and Xixin/herba asari /manchurian wild ginger are for heart meridian of hand shaoyin. Gaoben/rhizoma ligustici/Chinese lovage and Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree are for small intestine meridian of hand taiyang. Duhuo/radix angelicae pubescentis/ doubleteeth pubescent angelica root, Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig, Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome and Xixin/herba asari/manchurian wild ginger are for kidney meridian of foot shaoyin. Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root is for bladder meridian of foot taiyang. Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root, Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifoliolious bugbane rhizome, Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk, Baizhi/radix angelicae dahuricae/dahurian angelica root are for lung meridian of hand taiyin. Baizhi/radix angelicae/dahurian angelica root, Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifoliolious bugbane rhizome, Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum are for large intestine meridian of hand yangming. Shengma/rhizoma Cimicifugae/largetrifoliolious bugbane rhizome, Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome, Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine and Baishao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root are for spleen meridian of foot taiyin. Baizhi/radix angelicae dahuricae/dahurian angelica root, Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifoliolious bugbane rhizome, Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum and Gegen/ radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine are for stomach meridian of foot yangming. Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root and Mudanpi/ cortex mountan/tree peony bark are for pericardium meridian of hand jueyin. Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/weeping forsythia fruit, Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root, Digupi/cortex lycii/Chinese wolfberry

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bark, Qingpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel and Fuzi/radix aconiti laterails preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood are for triple energizer meridian of hand shaoyang. Qingpi/ pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel, Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/evodia fruit, Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome and Chaihu/ radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root are for liver meridian of foot jueyin. Chaihu/ radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root and Qingpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel are for gallbladder meridian of foot shaoyang. Guiding drugs refer to the drugs that can direct other drugs to work on the affected meridian or site. Li Shizhen combines the theory of drug meridian tropism with clinical practice, which makes the theory become more and more mature, and promotes the application and popularization of meridian tropism. So far, as an important component of traditional Chinese medicine, the theory of meridian tropism has been completely independent, indicating that traditional Chinese medicine has formed a systematic understanding of drug’s selective action on the zang-fu organs and meridians.

3.2.2  Herbalism Ben Cao Gang Mu is the most influential pharmacological works of all ages. The contents of the book are rich and detailed with important points standing out. The style of writing is innovative, with the categories clearly analyzed. The rich contents of the cursive science and the scientific organization form have achieved perfect unity. “Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) divided drugs into three grades, high-grade drug, medium-grade drug and low-grade drug. Tao Hongjing doubled the number of drugs and divided them into categories. Compilers in Tang and Song Dynasties revised the drugs, either adding or deleting them. Although some of these books printed the drugs mentioned in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) in red and other drugs in black, the three grades were actually in disorder. The same drugs were put into several categories, two different things were put in the same category. Wood drugs were put in the Herbs category, Insect drugs were put in the Category of Woods. Water and Earth drugs were in the same category, Insect and Fish drugs were mixed. Even the names of the

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drugs remained unclear.” (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 1, Preface) The above-mentioned points out clearly the malpractice of disorder of previous classification of drugs. Since the “three grades” first created in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) and “seven categories” classified by Tao Hongjing, the classification method had continued for more than a thousand years, resulting in the accumulation of conventions without any change. Li Shizhen studied the strengths and weaknesses of the works of materia medica and broke away from conventions of “three grades”. He invented the classification system of “Gang (category) and Mu (subcategory)”, which makes the substantial and complicated content of Chinese drugs “complex but in order.” (1) Programmatic system of drug classification The programmatic system of drug classification is the general introduction of the book. “It begins with the categories of Water and Fire, then followed by Earth, as Water and Fire appeared the earliest among all things and Earth is the mother of everything. Then followed by Metals and Stones, because they are related to Earth. Then followed by Herbs, Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits and Woods, showing the evolution from minor to major. After this, followed by Fabrics and Utensils, since they are related to Herbs and Woods. Then listed Insects, Animals with Scales, Shells, Fowls, Animals and finally Humans, showing the less developed to the most advanced.” (General Introduction) In a few words, the classification principles and methods of nearly 2,000 drugs have been clearly ascertained. 1,892 kinds of drugs are divided into 16 categories and 60 subcategories. The 16 categories start with Waters, followed by Fires, Earth, Metals, Stones and Minerals, Herbs, Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits, Woods, Fabrics and Utensils, Insects, Animals with Scales, Shells, Fowls, Animals, and Humans. Its arrangements show the scientific evolution from minor to major, the less developed to the most advanced. The classification and arrangement of the old materia medica works were added, dismantled and reedited. The drugs belonging to different categories but put into one wrongly have been corrected and put in the right categories; the same drug has been put into two or more categories, it has been rectified; those put into wrong categories have been corrected; the newly collected ones have been added. The Category of Herbs, Insects and Fishes has been separated

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into Insects, Animals with Scales and Shells. The category of drugs that “names recorded but not yet in use is attached to every category. Drugs that are similar but not in use are provided for reference. Those that are similar and effective but not yet known are also appended for reference. For the drugs having nothing to be recorded, they are appended at the end of the entry. Four categories (Water, Fire, Earth, and Fabrics and Utensils) have been added. And 32 kinds of Waters and 39 kinds of Earths that scattered in category of jade and stone in old works have been put in the categories of water and earth. In previous materia medica works, these drugs were collected in the categories of Herbs, Woods, Jade and Stone, Insects and Fish, and Humans. Now all these things are combined into the category of Fabrics and Utensils, all together 79 kinds (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 38, The Category of Fabrics and Utensils). To summarize, four categories (Waters, Fires, Earth, and Fabrics and Utensils) have been added based on the old materia medica works. One category of Insects and Fishes has been separated into three categories: Insects, Animals with Scales and Shells. One category of drugs that names recorded but not yet in use is removed. Names of two categories have been changed: “Jade and Stone” have been changed into “Metal and Stone”, “Rice and Cereal” have been changed into “Cereal”. 16 categories are given with 60 subcategories, including two subcategories of Waters, one subcategory of Fires, one subcategory of Earth, four subcategories of Metals, Stones and Minerals, ten subcategories of Herbs, four subcategories of Cereals, five subcategories of Vegetables, six subcategories of Fruits, six subcategories of Woods, two subcategories of Fabrics and Utensils, three subcategories of Insects, four subcategories of Animals with Scales, two subcategories of Shells, four subcategories of Fowls, five subcategories of Animals, one subcategories of Humans. A total of 16 categories, 60 subcategories, 1,892 kinds of drugs are listed distinctly. And each kind of drug is arranged according to its similar attribute, appearance, medicinal position, use and kinship. For example, the Category of Herbs includes mountain herbs, fragrant herbs, herbs from swampland, toxic herbs, creeping herbs, aquatic herbs, herbs from rocky land, mosses and miscellaneous herb, arranged according to their living environment. The Category of Cereals includes wheat and rice, millet, beans and brewed and prepared items, listed by using position (seed) and

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processing method. The Category of Animals with Scales includes dragon, sneak, fish and fish without scales, arranged according to the morphological characteristics and living environment of animals. The category of Metals and Stones includes metals, jades, stones and halogen, listed by similar chemical qualities. The arrangement not only reflects Li Shizhen’s scientific method of “drugs of one kind put together, category followed by the subcategory” (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 1, Preface), but also opens the way for the classification of zoology, mineralogy, ­botany, etc. becoming the source of the classification thoughts of later generations in the world. (2) Programmatic system of various drugs The programmatic system of various drugs is the main part of the book. Among the 1892 kinds of drugs, each drug has complex contents. Li Shizhen, in order to collect and record the information of each drug, has also adopted the “programmatic method” arrangement for each drug. He says: The first is the “Explanation of Names” to make sure of the names of the drug. Then followed by “Previous Explanations” to explain the drug’s original place, shape and collections. Then “Analysis of Dubious Points” analyzes the doubts and corrects the mistakes. “Preparation” is about the drug’s processing. “Quality and Flavor” focuses on its effect. “Indications” is about the therapeutic effect. Then “Explication” explains the function. Lastly, “Prescriptions” is about its use. In the “first” and “second” way, the information of each drug is presented in an orderly manner. Take Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/gold thread for example. Huanglian is the general name of the drug, which is the category. Then the Explanation of Names, Previous Explanations, Preparation, quality and Flavor, Indications, Explication and Prescriptions, which are subcategories. In “Explanation of Names”, it is also named “Wanglian”, and “Zhilian”, which are subcategories of its official name. In its byname, a note is given. “Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/gold thread, the root is yellow, and is like pearls linked to each other. Hence it is called Huanglian, of which Huang is the Chinese pinyin of yellow, and Lian is linked.” This note is a minor subcategory, the two by names are the minor category. For Category of Waters, it can be seen that Waters is the general name, which is the category, then the subcategory “Tianshui/Waters from Heaven”, then it’s

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subdivision is rain water (minor category), then rain water is subdivided into rain water at the beginning of Spring and rain in the plum season (minor subcategory). This kind of program style can be seen everywhere. For example, the main Explication is the category, the Prescription is the subcategory and so on. Of the 1892 drugs in the book, there are actually 1,892 categories. Each drug is analyzed in programmatic system. Just as Li Shizhen says: Each entry belongs to one category. A general name is given, then followed by Quality and Flavor and Indications. Then differentiations of Explanation of Names, Previous Explanations and Explication… After the general name, the three grades of Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) are listed to show its history. Then sources of explanations taken from previous doctors are demonstrated… So the readers can understand the structure and history of the drug clearly (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 1, Preface).

3.2.3  Botany Ben Cao Gang Mu is also an important botanical material because Li Shizhen adds two parts when analyzing each plant drug: Explanation of Names and Previous Explanations. In these two parts, he records in detail the medicinal plant’s morphology, characteristics, planting essentials and uses, which is of precious botanical heritage and rich modern botanical value. It is worth our studying, digging and utilizing so as to promote the development of modern botany. (1) The plants recorded in Ben Cao Gang Mu Ben Cao Gang Mu consists of 52 volumes, 16 categories and 60 sub-­ categories, introducing a total of 1,892 kinds of drugs. Among them, a total of 26 volumes, 5 categories, 31 subcategories and 1,096 kinds of plants are recorded, accounting for 58% of all drugs recorded. Obviously, plants is an essential part of Ben Cao Gang Mu. We can say this book is a small encyclopedia of plants. This can be proved by the comparison with the works of modern plants in China. Hu Xiansu’s Jing Ji Zhi Wu Xue (Economic Botany) (published in 1953) and He Nan Jing Ji Zhi Wu Xue (Economic Flora of Henan) (published in 1962) are two important modern and contemporary botanical books in China. By comparison, it can be

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found that 388 kinds of plants recorded in Ben Cao Gang Mu are also recorded in this two works, accounting for more than half of the total number. This is the evidence of the high modern botanic value of this book. Although not recorded according to the classification of modern botany, the plants are divided into herbs, cereals, vegetables, fruits and woods from the perspective of people’s daily life. This way of classification is somewhat random, but conforms to the traditional cultural customs of Chinese people, which is undoubtedly of great significance to the ­traditionalization of modern botanical research in China. In addition, the vivid summarization and descriptions of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits of plants can make up for the deficiency in the description of some nearly vanishing plants in modern botanical works. The planting ­methods recorded are essential to the protection of the diversity of plants in China. (2) The modern botanical value of Ben Cao Gang Mu (a) Abundant information for modern botany has been provided. In ­modern botany research, people should study not only the growth of modern plants, but growth condition of ancient plants as well. Only through the comparison of modern and ancient plants can the development law of plants be founded. Therefore, the study of ancient plants is an important content of modern botany. However, the study of ancient plants can only be carried out in ancient books, and Ben Cao Gang Mu is one of the most important ancient documents. In the records of more than one thousand kinds of plants, there are 171 kinds of plants that complete the research on modern botany. As a major achievement of research on plants before the 16th century, it is the most integral and comprehensive book of economic plants. The contribution mainly lies in two points. Firstly, identification of names of some ancient plants. Because of different customs and cultural customs, the ancient literature of economic plants had different names for certain plants, and there were a lot of homologous and synonymous plants, which was not conducive to the exertion of their pharmacological function. Recognizing this, Li Shizhen collects, sums up and identifies the names of certain plants. Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng

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is called Huangshen in Wu Pu Ben Cao (Wu Pu’s Herbal), Xueshen, Shencao or Mujing in Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians), Renxian or Guigai in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal), and Dijing, Haiyu or Zoumianhuandan in Guang Ya. Secondly, explanations of some plants. He explains the sources of the names of all kinds of plants. For instance, he explains that “the leaves of Machixian/herba portulacae/purslane herb are arranged in the way that looks like horse’s teeth, and the quality is slippery, similar to Xian.” One more example, Huluobo/daucus carota L. var. sativa DC./carrot was introduced from the Hu area during the Yuan Dynasty. Its taste is slightly similar to Luobo/raphanin/radish, so it is called Huluobo/daucus carota L. var. sativa DC./carrot. The origin of carrots, the time that they were introduced, and the reason they were called so are all accounted accurately. The explanations of the origin and meaning of the plant’s name not only help people to know all kinds of plants correctly, but also provide important evidence for modern plant research. (b) The forms and characteristics of plants are vividly recorded, which provide the basis for the development and utilization of economic plants. Modern botany study had not yet been established when Ben Cao Gang Mu was finished, so Li Shizhen’s understanding of various plants could only be described through the senses, that is to say, through vision, smell and touch, he records plant morphology and qualities. Despite the limitation, on the basis of actual investigation, his observation of all kinds of plants is elaborate, his records of plant morphology and qualities are detailed. Even modern botany study fails to find the characteristics of many plants mentioned in this book. Besides, Li Shizhen describes the planting methods and some important problems in detail, which is meaningful for the protection and development of some plants. It can be seen from the recording of Qiaomai/fagopyri esculenti moench/buck wheat. “Qiaomai/fagopyri esculenti moench/buck wheat is found both in the south and north. Sow the seed around the day of the beginning of Autumn, harvest the crop in August and September. It is easily damaged by frost. The seedling is one or two chi tall, with red stalk and green leaf. It looks like

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Wujiuye/folium sapii radices/leaf of Chinese tallow tree. The flowers are white and blooming riotously. The fruit is abundant, similar to Yangti/frutus rumicis japonica/fruit of Japanese dock. The seed is triangle in shape, and turns black when ripe.” From this description, we can find that Li Shizhen records the distribution of buckwheat, the time of planting and harvesting, the shape and color of leaves, stems, flowers and fruits in detail, and points out that frost weather should be avoided when people plant buckwheat. This kind of description is very vivid, which is a big help to the farmers. He also gives detailed description of Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean. “Lvdou/ semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean is planted everywhere. Sow the seed in March or April, the leaf is small and hairy. Small flowers bloom in autumn, the pod is similar to that of rice bean. That with bigger seed and bright color is called Guanlv, which has thin skin and produces more flour. That with small seed and dark color is called Youlv, which has thick skin and produces less flour. That sowed earlier is called Zhailv, which can be picked often. That sowed later is called Bolv, which should be harvested by pulling out the plant.” From the above we can see that he not only mentions the distribution and planting time of Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean, but also describes the shape of the flower and fruit. What’s more, he emphasizes the classification and the characteristics of Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean planted at different times, which is even more elaborate than the modern research. (c) The economic use of many plants are introduced. Ben Cao Gang Mu also makes more detailed account of economic utility of the plants recorded, which is beneficial to the development of economic crops and the satisfaction of people’s production and life needs. For example, the use of dates is recorded. “Clean the land and put the dates on a straw mat, dry them in the day and leave them in the open at night, then get rid of the fat and decayed ones, dry and collect them. The ones cut into two pieces and dried are called preserved dates. The ones stewed and squeezed are called date paste. When stewed, Zaojiao (greasy date) is got, which can be blended with sugar and honey and then steamed. Thus, it will be sweeter. When stewed with Zhimaye/ folium sesami/sesame leaf, it becomes moister. When Zaojiao (greasy

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date) is pounded, date oil is got. Boil red and soft dry dates in a pot, with enough water to cover them. When they have boiled, get the dates out and grind in a pottery pot. Squeeze the paste to get juice, spread it in a plate and dry it in the sun. It looks like greasy oil. Collect it with fingers rubbing it into powder. Put one spoon of the powder in hot water, the soup tastes sour and sweet. If we blend the delicious soup with rice, the food can suppress hunger and quench thirst and benefit spleen and stomach as well.” It can be seen that Li Shizhen records the methods and production of dates in detail, such as date cake, greasy date, etc. It is quite significant for the full development of economic value of dates and the people who cultivate dates, and is consistent with the purpose of modern botany research. The research of modern botany, especially economic botany research, is to protect plant diversity better. What’s more important is to improve the economic value of the plant and provide theoretical basis for the development of regional agricultural economy. For example, Shandong Leling date is the result of the diversification of the date processing. With date industry as its pillar, an agricultural product processing industry is constructed. Date is utilized to its best, including the development of food, beverage, medicine and other aspects, thus contributing to the local economic development. In a word, Ben Cao Gang Mu is of high value for modern botany research, which embodies in its plant research and protection as well as the comprehensive utilization of plants. It plays an important role in promoting modern agriculture and forestry, providing a theoretical guidance on enriching the processing of agricultural products and improving their economic benefits.

3.2.4  Zoology Ben Cao Gang Mu records 462 kinds of animals, accounting for 24% of the total number of drugs. The names, morphology, life habits and medicinal value of animals are well documented. Ben Cao Gang Mu has improved traditional Chinese classification method. The layout is unified, the narrative is scientific and precise. For

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example, the generalized “insects” are expanded to 106 kinds, including 73 kinds of insect drugs. They are divided into three categories, “oviparity”, “metaplasia” and “humidogene”. It is of great significance for the taxonomic development of animals and plants. Ben Cao Gang Mu classifies animal drugs according to the order of insects, animals with scales, shells, fowls, animals and humans, which is arranged from least advanced to the most advanced, reflecting the author’s biological evolution view. Take the description of animal drugs for example, Ben Cao Gang Mu has a general definition of each drug, and can always grasp the biological characteristics of all animals. “If the bird grows up in the forest, its feathers are like leaves. If the animal grows up in the mountain, its hairs are like grass”. And “the hairs vary according to the seasons, the color varies according to five regions”. The descriptions correctly reflect the variable characteristics of the animals’ adaptation to the environment. In the aspect of related animal variation, the book correctly points out that “to identify black-bone chicken is to examine its tongue”. Li Shizhen has dissected pangolins, and obtains about a liter of ants from their stomachs, proving that the pangolin eats ants. He also observes that the pangolin sets a tongue trap instead of spreading the scales to lure the ants. He also corrects the erroneous arguments that “the grass becomes fish” and “the crane is viviparous”, pointing out that they are oviparious. And as in Suoyang/herba cynomorii/songaria cynomorium herb, he corrects some unscientific ideas, “According to Tao Jiucheng’s Chuo Geng Lu (South Village Dropout), Suoyang/herba cynomorii/songaria cynomorium herb was produced in the fields of Dada. When wild horsed and dragons spilled their sperm on the ground, it would sprout like bamboo shoots, but I doubt this view.” Li Shizhen vividly uses the Trigram to explain and analyze the use of fowl and animal drugs. He said: “In the Eight Trigrams, Ji/gallus gallus domesticus brisson/chicken is related to xun, representing Wind. When the time of xun is approaching, chicken senses the atmosphere and then crows. If a patient who suffers from the diseases related to the Wind eats chicken meat, his disease will reoccur. This proves that chicken is related to the xun Trigram.” Zhu/sus scrofa domestica brisson /pig is the animal representing Water and is related to kan in the Eight Trigram. Gou/canis

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familiars L./dog is the animal representing Wood and is related to gen in the Eight Trigram. Yang/capra hircus L./sheep is the animal representing fire, so it develops fast and its meat is hot in quality. It is related to dui in the Eight Trigram, so the sheep is soft outside and hard inside. Ma/horse is the animal representing Fire, and is related to wu or Metal in the Eight Trigram. Niu/bos Taurus domesticus gmelin/ox is the animal representing Earth and is related to kun in the Eight Trigram. The Earth is mild, so the ox is obedient. The different qualities of Niu /bos Taurus domesticus gmelin/ox and Ma/horse are analyzed by trigrams. In Eight Trigrams, the horse is related to qian and yang, and the ox is related to kun and yin, so the horse hooves are round and the ox hooves are cleft. When the horse is sick, it lies down, indicating yin prevails. When the ox is sick, it still stands, indicating yang prevails. When the horse gets up, it begins with the front feet, while lying down, it begins with the hind feet. This indicates the yang prevails. When the ox gets up, it begins with the hind feet, while lying down, it begins with the front feet. This indicates the yin prevails. This is one example to illustrate the saying: “When the yang gets strong, the yin will be obedient”. When explaining tortoise, he says: “The shape of Shuigui/chinemys reevesii/tortoise is like li in eight trigrams. Its divinity is in kan…Shuigui/ chinemys reevesii/tortoise and Lu/deer are divine animals that lives a long life. The tortoise tends to retract its head into its abdomen, connecting the ren meridian, so its shell can be used to nourish yin by tonifying heart, kidney and blood. Whereas the dear rubs its tail with its nose, connecting the du meridian, so its antler can be used to nourish yang by tonifying life, essence and qi.” The statement vividly illustrates the tortoise’s and deer’s medicinal qualities from their habits.

3.2.5  Mineralogy Among all the works of materia medica, Ben Cao Gang Mu contains the largest number of mineral drugs, all together 265 kinds, accounting for 14% of the total number of drugs. There are 61 kinds of earth drug and 161 kinds of stone and jade drug. Some of these drugs are metallic, some natural inorganic compounds containing impurities, or inorganic chemicals that have been prepared or synthesized. Li Shizhen analyzes the

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names, distribution, variety, shape, nature, function, identification method of the mineral drugs and discusses the methods of prospecting, mining and smelting. The rich content is important mineralogical information. Jin/aurum/gold belongs to the Category of Metals, Stones and Minerals, listed as drug of medium-grade in Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians) and also recorded in Bao Pu Zi. It was used to stabilize emotions, tranquilize the spirit and prolong life. Li Shizhen says: “Jin/aurum/gold can be classified as mountain gold and sand gold. The colors of gold could be seven kinds of cyan, eight kinds of yellow, nine kinds of purple, and ten kinds of red. The red is the best. When blended with silver, it becomes softer. When stuck against stones, it leaves cyan marks.” At that time, the analysis of the purity of gold and the test of gold containing silver was in line with the actual situation. He also states that gold is incompatible with mercury, which is concluded according to the practice of making gold foil and mercury into “amalgam” in ancient times. It is also recorded that “Gold flakes were not found in ancient prescriptions, but gold foil was frequently used, which was ­convenient.” According to the textual research, in the late Shang dynasty (before the 12th century AD), in the unearthed relics in the Yin ruins, gold foil found was as thin as 0.01 mm. Until now, some valuable Chinese medicine are still wrapped by gold foil. In modern times, some British scholars prepared gold as colloid gold to treat rheumatoid arthritis, while in Italy, some scholars used minute gold injection to treat lion’s arthritis. Yin/srgentum/silver was listed as medium-grade drug in Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians). It can tranquilize the spirit and stop fright and palpation. According to Li Shizhen’s research, silver is Baijin (white gold) recorded in Er Ya. In Tang Ben Cao (The Tang Materia Medica), the way how alchemists would use silver flake was recorded. “Grind silver foil with mercury until it’s totally melted. Then blend it with Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter and salt, and grind the mixture to powder. Burn to get rid of mercury, and rinse it to get rid of salt and Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter. Then a fine powder will be got.” But in Li Shizhen’s view, “when applying to drugs, it’s easy to grind silver foil to fine powder. If blended with salt and Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter, it will be toxic.” This ­indicates his close observation. In the amalgam method of

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getting sliver powder, mercury might be left, which is inappropriate for drug use. Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury was called as Gong in Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians), and was listed as medium-grade drug in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal). According to Ben Cao Gang Mu, Hu Yan, in his Dan Yao Mi Jue (Secret of Pellets), recorded the delicate method of processing Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury from Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and charcoal in a detailed way. In ancient times, alchemy was popular because people wanted to live forever. Ge Hong, a famous alchemist, recorded in his Bao Pu Zi the methods of alchemy and some practical knowledge of chemistry in detail. Li Shizhen says: “When Dansha is burned, it turns into mercury. Mercury accumulates and becomes pellets.” The pellets were considered to prolong one’s life. Li Shizhen comments: “A large number of people who are greedy of life ate too many pellets and died. Alchemists are not reliable, It is not proper to believe in all what they said.” It shows Li Shizhen’s preciseness in medication and excellence in medicine. Hongsheng Pills (Red Powder) is made from Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/ mercury, Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter, Baifan/alumen/alum, etc. The red one is Hongsheng Pill (Red Powder), and the yellow one is Huangsheng Pill (Yellow Powder), just different crystalline forms of mercury oxide (HgO). In Zhou Li: Tian Guan (256 A. D.) recorded the way of making pellets. The statement of “Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury melts back to Dan (HgO)” was recorded is Bao Pu Zi and Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians). Some scholars believed that refining of Shengdan (HgO) was the earliest record of humans’ efforts to fix oxygen elements. Swedish scientist C. W Scheele confirmed oxygen in 1773. Yinzhu/vermilion recorded in Ben Cao Gang Mu and Lingsha recorded in Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica) are both synthesized by grinding and refining Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury and Liuhuang/sulfur/sulfur which has the same composition as Dansha/­ cinnabaris/cinnabar. But Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar is a natural cinnabar ore, Lingsha is processed product with “bunches of needles. Yinzhu/­ vermilion is also smelted synthesis of red mercury sulfide. The latter is often used for coloring in ancient times.”

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Qingfen/calomelas/calomel was first found in Ben Cao Shi Yi (A Supplement to the Herbal) (739 AD). Li Shizhen sums up three kinds of preparation methods, mainly mixing Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury and salt to smelt and process it. It is low mercury chloride (Hg2Cl2), now known as “calomel” (Calomel), is used as purgative. In Qingfen/calomelas/calomel, Li Shizhen summarizes that “Shuiyin/ hydrargyrum/mercury is a toxic substance of extreme yin, produced by burning Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar. When mixed with salt and Lvfan/ melanterite/melanteritum, Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar will be processed. When mixed with Liuhuang/sulfur/sulfur, Yinzhu/vermilion will be processed.” This analysis of the toxicity of Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury and its products, and the chemical preparation of Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury, Qingfen/calomelas/calomel, Yinzhu/vermilion is fairly accurate. Pishi/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic mine was first recorded in Kai Bao Ben Cao (Materia Medica of Kaibao) (973 AD). Li Shizhen says: “Pishi/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic mine is named after Pi, a legendary fierce animal, because the drug is really powerful.” In Bao Pu Zi, it is recorded: “When Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter and Xionghuang/realgar/realgar are smelted together, its sublimation flies like smoke clouds, as white as ice.” In Ben Cao Bie Shuo, it says: “When Pishi/arsenicum/arsenic is burned, it produces smoke and turns into white frost. Then it becomes Pishuang (the processed drug), which is quite toxic.” Among all the works of materia medica, only in Ben Cao Gang Mu is Huoyao/ gunpowder listed as a drug. It’s pungent and slightly toxic, mainly used to treat sores and tinea, kill insects, and disperse dampness and epidemics. It is a mixture of Yanxiao/sal nitri/niter, Liuhuang/sulfur/ sulfur, and Shanmutong/charcoal of wood of Chinese fir, normally used for military purposes. This further proves that black powder was invented in the practice of medicine preparation.

3.2.6  Others In the discussion of drugs, Ben Cao Gang Mu emphasizes the nature of biological changes when creature’s living habits have been intervened by

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artificial means. The wild animals could be domesticated, the house plants could be better than wild ones, all these indicates that there was some knowledge about the genetic characteristics of biology at that time. In the field of pharmaceutical chemistry and experimental research, Ben Cao Gang Mu also makes a prominent achievement. The recorded pharmaceutical chemistry contains many chemical reactions including distillation, evaporation, sublimation, recrystallization, and weathering, precipitation, drying, burning, and dumping. For instance, Qianshuang/lead acetate could be prepared. Qiandan/lead pellet could be prepared by the decomposition and oxidation of Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter and Fanshi/alumen/alum. Wubeizi/galla chinensis/Chinese gall could produce precipitate when brewed with strong tea; white crystallization of gallic acid could be obtained by fermentation of aspergillus. These examples of pharmaceutical chemistry all reach a high scientific level, and even make the earliest records in the world. In terms of scientific experiments, Li Shizhen verifies the function of Luolezi/ ocimum basilicum L./basil to treat eyes and takes Mantuoluohua/ flos daturae/flower of stramonium to observe the therapeutic and anesthetic effect in person, and conducts animal experiments on the pharmacological effects of some drugs. He observed the pharmacological effects of Dadou/semen sojae/soybean seed and Jichangcao/herba centipedae/small centipeda herb, and dissected the various kinds of less advanced animals such as the pangolin and snake to confirm the similarities and differences in the anatomical structure, and carried out some comparative studies. These methods are a pioneering work in the scientific community at the time. Of course, the unknown or the less known was more common at that time and it was difficult to know the unknown in such a condition. Therefore, in his account of the drugs, Li Shizhen objectively points out that “it hasn’t been tested” or “it hasn’t been confirmed. The information is provided here only to broaden the horizons”, which is enough to prove his scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts. Ben Cao Gang Mu has also made brilliant achievements in the field of humanities, such as Philosophy, History, Geography, Philology, Linguistics, Phonology, Exegesis, and Philological studies, providing valuable data for the later generations.

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In the process of establishing the theory of evolution and arguing for the principle of artificial selection, the great British biologist Charles Darwin referred to Zhong Guo Bai Ke Quan Shu (Ancient China’s Encyclopedia), the content of which is from Ben Cao Gang Mu. For example, when Darwin discussed the variation of chicken and the history of goldfish domestication, he absorbed and quoted the contents of Ben Cao Gang Mu. When Dr. Joseph Needham evaluated this book, he wrote: “Without a doubt, one of the greatest scientific achievements in the Ming Dynasty, is Li Shizhen’s Ben Cao Gang Mu that reaches the summit in the Chinese materia medica books.” “Li Shizhen, as a scientist, reached the highest level that nobody could achieve, except for isolation from Galileo and Vasari’s science activities.” So far, Ben Cao Gang Mu is still an inexhaustible source of knowledge in the research of the history of chemistry and other various sciences.

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Suggestions of Learning Ben Cao Gang Mu

Li Shizhen’s Ben Cao Gang Mu is a great achievement of herbalism for the past dynasties before the Ming Dynasty. It is unprecedentedly complete in its system, detailed in the content, comprehensive in the ­theory, accurate in herb investigation, high in academic achievement, ­profound in its influence on later generations and vivid and smooth in writing. Due to the above characteristics, it not only can best represent the achievement of herbalism in the Ming Dynasty, but also is second to none since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. All in all, it is so unique in the history of herbal medicine that it is considered as the soul of Chinese herbalism. Besides, it is a must as a classic of herbal medicine for teachers and researchers in the field in addition to its guiding role in the clinical ­application of traditional Chinese medicine.

4.1  Get Acquainted with Classics 4.1.1  Choose an Authoritative Version The errors in ancient Chinese medicine classics become even more complicated due to intentional manipulation in addition or deletion as well as unintentional fallacies in innumerable copies and re-engravings in the past hundreds or even thousands of years. That’s why an authoritative version 89

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of those classic books should be chosen. As for how to choose an authoritative version, it might depend on whether they are an existing version or already missing and how many of them are there in circulation. Several versions should be referenced at the same time in order to correct one another. Re-printed corrected classics based on reliable versions in recent years can also be very helpful.

4.1.2  Read Them Thoroughly It occurs to lots of readers that they just neglect the prefaces, postscripts, explanatory notes or contents because of the abstruse words in these parts. They include records of birth, death and living environment of the authors and background, main contents and framework of the book, which in fact are indispensable for a comprehensive understanding of the whole book. For example, whether the doctors were living in the times of peace and prosperity or the times of war and hunger, whether they were living in the northern or the southern part of China, whether they served the nobles or the civilians and whether they wrote the book in the early or late years of their lives. All the above factors have an impact on the main academic ideas and how they prescribed herbs. Therefore, it is not negligible to read these parts first. It is also important to know some knowledge of phonetic loan characters, variant forms, unstandardized forms or tabooed characters, for there are many such words in ancient Chinese medicine books that had been written hundreds or thousands of years ago. Otherwise, readers might misunderstand the meaning of the word or have no idea why the ancients changed the forms of those characters. Moreover, knowing grammatology will enable readers to better understand the development of Chinese medicine culture and related academic thoughts. For most undergraduates who are not good at ancient texts, some good books, such as Kang Xi Ci Dian (Kangxi Dictionary), Gu Han Yu Ci Dian (Ancient Chinese Dictionary), Zhong Yi Da Ci Dian (Chinese Medicine Dictionary) and Zhong Yi Ming Ci Shu Yu Xuan Shi (TCM Terminology Electives) are a must for ­reference. Reading and understanding the original only serves as the preliminary step.

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4.1.3  Grab Their Essence After having a rough idea of the ancient classics of Chinese medicine, readers should also investigate their achievements in medicine, their academic thoughts and clinical experience. The second step is to make a conclusion through an analysis of the thoughts (including medical ethics), scholarship (theoretical insights) practicality (medical experience) in these books. Analyzing and summarizing the academic thoughts, prescriptions, medical records and other essences, and then making notes and totally understanding them are quite important. Generally speaking, famous doctors who wrote well-known books that can last a long time were experts in this field. The inheritance of academic genre and its characteristics, the innovation in physiology and pathology, the pathogenesis, the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, medical experience and the impact of those academic thoughts on future generations should be taken into account. Take the prescriptions or formulas used by the doctors for an example, are these ones inherited from ancients, already added and subtracted on the basis of predecessors or originally innovated on their own? These formulas can be classified in terms of diseases or organs. And the sources, adaptations, characteristics and the application in later generations should be analyzed in details, which will be of great benefit to guide us in how to use formulas. The medical records of different cases written by authors themselves or their disciples are for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Most of the cases were selected purposefully for diseases difficult to treat or innovations obtained from their clinical experience in the past years. Reading those books give readers a clue for how authors’ academic thoughts guide their clinical application and how they add or subtract some ingredients in prescriptions. For instance, readers can be inspired by each case in Ben Cao Gang Mu.

4.2  Make Reference to Annotations if Necessary (1) Ben Cao Gang Mu Xin Jiao Zhu Ben (Newly Annotated Compendium of Materia Medica) (Volume 1 and 2 of the fifth edition edited and

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compiled by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty, annotated by Liu Hengru, Liu Shanyong and published by Huaxia Press) Ben Cao Gang Mu Xin Jiao Zhu Ben (Newly Annotated Compendium of Materia Medica) were completed by the leading contemporary researchers Liu Hengru and his son Liu Shanyong in more than 25 years. Based on the only remaining two Jinling versions, the researchers referenced three Jiangxi versions, nine versions in the Ming and Qing dynasties and about 400 best current versions once cited by Li Shizhen. They carefully selected 15 versions of Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica) out of dozens of different versions. In addition to restoring what the Ben Cao Gang Mu was really like, they cautiously corrected some mistakes. This book is the most authoritative in authorship, the most widely-used in terms of versions, the most accurate in text and the most comprehensive in content. (2) Jin Ling Ben Ben Cao Gang Mu Jiao Zhu (Newly Annotated Compendium of Materia Medica) (Volume 1 and 2 of Jinling Version edited and compiled by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty, annotated by Wang Qingguo and published by China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press) This book was based on the engraved Jinling version (this version was engraved according to Li Shizhen’s manuscript and believed to be best in line with the original text) published in 1593, a variety of ancient books and rare books in ancient and modern times and books of relevant scholars and centered on the pharmacology and its comprehensiveness. (3) Ben Cao Gang Mu Jin Ling Ban Pai Yin Ben (Compendium of Materia Medica) (Volume 1–3 of the second edition of Typeset and Printed Version edited and compiled by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty, annotated by Wang Yujie and published by People’s Medical Publishing House) It was based on the earliest engraved version of the Ben Cao Gang Mu and other relevant literature. The book was novel in design and clear in structure. It only included the original text and did not add any notes. At the end of the book, there was a ready-to-use index of Chinese ­medicine herb names for readers.

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(4) Jin Ling Ben Ben Cao Gang Mu Xin Jiao Zhu (Newly Revised Compendium of Materia Medica) (Volume 1 and 2 of Jinling Version edited and compiled by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty, annotated by Qian Chaochen, Wen Changlu, Zhao Huaizhou, Wen Wubing and published by Shanghai Science and Technology Press) A total of 2.7 million words and 10,821 notes were double checked with a reference of 61 kinds of ancient and modern books in more than five years. (5) Ben Cao Gang Mu Jiao Dian Ben (Newly Revised Compendium of Materia Medica) (Volume 1 and 2 of the Second Edition edited and compiled by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty and published by People’s Medical Publishing House) As the first revised version of Ben Cao Gang Mu, this book had been welcomed and praised by readers since its publication in 1977. It had become the most influential version, widely used in academia and enjoyed a good reputation both at home and abroad. In addition to correction of some errors in the previous edition, the second addition added index to the body part at the end of the book at readers’ convenience. (6) Ben Cao Gang Mu Tong Shi (Annotated Compendium of Materia Medica) (Edited by Chen Guiting, and published by Xueyuan Press) Published in 1992, it was a representative masterpiece in compilation of Ben Cao Gang Mu in recent years. By using the latest research results and modern scientific theories, this book offered notes to the original piece by piece and paragraph by paragraph, examined and analyzed the sources, chemical composition, pharmacological effects and side effects of the herbs included in the book and introduced the progress in modern clinical applications.

Reference Books (1) Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) Even during the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Period, knowledge about clinical pharmacology accumulated rapidly with the development of clinical medicine. Therefore, in the Qin and Han Dynasties

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when the country was unified, the development of medicine itself also required a comprehensive and systematic summary of pharmacology. Then Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) came to the world. Completed in the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the book was written by many medical scientists in the Qin and Han Dynasties upon the call of the government. Containing 365 kinds of herbs, the book divided herbs into three types, i.e., upper, middle and lower levels and systematically and comprehensively summarized the medical experience of doctors and civilians before the Qin and Han dynasties. As the earliest existing Chinese medicine classic in China, it has become a must-have reference book and a research object since the Wei and Jin Dynasty. This book included Zhong Yi Ba Da Jing Dian Quan Zhu:Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Eight Traditional Classics of Traditional Chinese Medicine:Shen Nong’s Herbal) (Published by Huaxia Publishing House in July, 1994), but it excluded some contents regarding celestial beings and Taoism. (2) Ming Yi Bie Lu (Records of Famous Doctors in Medicine) Tao Hongjing in the Liang Dynasty complied Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (Commentary on Shen Nong’s Herbal) which added more than 300 kinds of herbs in addition to the ones already in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal). A total of 730 kinds of herbs and clinical effects were added by various famous doctors through the Han and Wei Dynasties. Many books, such as Wu Pu Ben Cao (Wu Pu’s Herbal) and Li Dang Zhi Yao Lu (Li Dangzhi Materia Medica) written by disciples of Huatuo, a very famous doctor in the Han and Jin Dynasties, were lost and then refound in the book. Tao Hongjing corrected it comprehensively and renamed it as Ming Yi Bie Lu (Records of Famous Doctors in Medicine). Having a wide and far-reaching impact on later generations, this book was among the classic works with its curative effect and rich thoughts, second only to Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal). A modern version was revised by Shang Zhijun and published by People’s Medical Publishing House in June 1996. (3) Yao Xing Lun (Theory of Medicinal Properties) It was written by a famous herbalist Tang Yiquan, who was once an official in the late Sui Dynasty and was already 120 years old when

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Emperor Taizong was in power in the Tang Dynasty. This book, very detailed in the combination of clinical practice and medicinal properties, principles of Jun, Chen, Zuo and Shi and taboos in prescriptions, guides clinical application and has a profound impact on herbalists and clinicians. (4) Tang Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia Medica in the Tang Dynasty) This book was edited by Su Jing, Li Ji and other editors in the Tang Dynasty. Due to prosperity of economy and culture in the Tang Dynasty, the appearance of many new herbs home and abroad and the incompleteness of Tao Hongjing’s Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (Commentary on Shen Nong’s Herbal), Su Jing and other scholars were assigned by the government to revise it in two years. This book summarized and revamped the former herbal medicine books before the Tang Dynasty and illustrated herbs with pictures for the first time. As the first book on materia medica issued by the government in China or even in the world, it had a wide impact on the medical community at home and abroad. It has been circulated for nearly three hundred and sixty years. And then in the Northern Song Dynasty when Zhao Kuangyin was in power, the government revised it and renamed it as Kai Bao Ben Cao (Kaibao Materia Medica). This book was revised only on the basis of Kai Bao Ben Cao (Kaibao Materia Medica) because the Kaibao version replicated most parts of Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia Medica). (5) Ben Cao Shi Yi (A Supplement to Materia Medica) This book was compiled by Chen Zangqi in the Tang Dynasty. In view of the omissions and chaos in Tang Xin Xiu Ben Cao (the Newly Revised Materia Medica in Tang Dynasty), Chen collected the missing herbs and compiled them in a book named Shi Yi and he also carefully put herbs in order and called it Jie Fen. The book contained a total of 692 kinds of herbs that were neglected by Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia) and divided them into ten categories according to their different properties, which enriched the prescription and treatment methods and provided enlightenment for later generations so that Hai Yao Ben Cao (Hai Yao Materia Medica), Kai Bao Ben Cao (Kaibao Materia Medica) and

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Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica) of the Tang and Song Dynasties cited this book. This book was a leading one written by one scholar in the Tang Dynasty. Li Shizhen also spoke highly of this book. This book was revised by Shang Zhijun and published by Department of Scientific Research, Weinan Medical College in October 1983. (6) Hai Yao Ben Cao (Hai Yao Materia Medica) This book was written by Li Xun who lived in the Five Dynasties period in the late Tang Dynasty. As Tang Dynasty was a relatively prosperous in trade and cultural exchanges in the history, many herbs, most of which were perfumed plants, were introduced or transplanted from overseas. Li Wei was a descendant of Arab herb dealers who settled in China. They used to sell fragrant medicines. Therefore, Li Wei was familiar with scent and widely collected such medicine. He was good at literature, and that’s why he eventually completed Hai Yao Ben Cao (Hai Yao Materia Medica), which focused on the function and application of aromatic herbs. It is a famous local materia medica book in the Five Dynasties period in the late Tang Dynasty. It is unique in the history of herbal medicine. (7) Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao (Rihuazi Materia Medica) Confirmative evidence showed that this book was written in the late Tang and Five Dynasties. Some scholars believe that the author’s surname was Da and his first name was Ming. He liked to call him himself Rihuazi. But later scholars were more inclined to the idea the authorship of this book was unknown. The book had a total of 20 volumes with more than 600 kinds of herbs. It had new and detailed records of the properties of herbs and divided them into six types. This book summarized the achievements of herbs in the late Tang and Five Dynasties. With herbs being practical and effective, the book, as famous as Chen Zang’s Ben Cao Shi Yi (A Supplement to Materia Medica), laid a foundation for the later development of herbs in the Song Dynasty. This book was revised by Shang Zhijun and published by Department of Scientific Research, Weinan Medical College in October 1983.

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(8) Kai Bao Ben Cao (Kaibao Materia Medica) In 973, Emperor Taizu commanded Liu Han, Ma Zhi (Taoist) and other seven people to revise Materia Medica on the basis of Tang Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia Medica in Tang Dynasty) and Shu Ben Cao (Shu Materia Medica) with reference to Ben Cao Shi Yi (A Supplement to Materia Medica). The book was revised by Lu Duoxun and then rerevised by Li Ji before it went by Kai Bao Ben Cao (Kaibao Materia Medica). The system basically followed the Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia Medica) but there was an addition of 133 types of herbs (most of them were effective herbs commonly used by famous doctors at that time), making it total 983 kinds of herbs. Due to the invention and promotion of printing, this book was engraved instead, making it the first printed version in the herbal history. (9) Ben Cao Tu Jing (Illustrated Classics of Materia Medica) This book was compiled by Su Song in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Song government asked all the counties to collect specimens and real objects of herbs and their ­functions. In 1061, Su Song and other scholars compiled the Ben Cao Tu Jing (Illustrated Classics of Materia Medica), which consisted 780 kinds of herbs with 933 pictures to help distinguish and use herbs. The book focused on the source and identification of herbs and properties of drugs, which provided reference for drawing, distinguishing and using herbs. (10) Ben Cao Yan Yi This book was written by Kou Zongshi, who believed that it’s the properties of herbs that doctors should depend on when they diagnosed while Tang Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia Medica in the Tang Dynasty), Kai Bao Ben Cao (Kaibao Materia Medica), Jia You Bu Zhu Ben Cao (Complete Annotated Materia Medica of the Jiayou Reign Period) and Tu Jing Ben Cao (Illustrated Materia Medica) were weak in that. Therefore, Kou examined all the above materia medica books carefully and supplemented and revised the properties of more than 470 kinds of herbs with his rich medical practice. This book had great impact on

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later generations and both Li Dongyu and Zhu Danxi strongly recommended this book. The book was selected from Ben Cao Yan Yi revised by Yan Zhenghua, Chang Zhangfu and Huang Youqun and published by People’s Medical Publishing House in March 1990. (11) Zhen Zhu Nang It is written by Zhang Yuansu. Both Zhang and Liu Hejian were the founders of the Yishui School in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. Based on Su Wen (Plain Question), the book elaborated on the smell, yin and yang and other properties of 100 commonly used herbs. It had made outstanding contributions to the efficacy of herbs on viscera and the diagnosis and treatment of viscera diseases and had played a guiding role in Yishui School and clinical application. However, the original book were lost. The title Zhen Zhu Nang was first seen in the Tang Ye Ben Cao (Tang Ye Materia Medica) compiled by Wang Haogu in the Yuan Dynasty. Du Sijing in the Yuan Dynasty cited this book in Ji Sheng Ba Cui. A total of 113 herbs in the book made it more detailed than Tang Ye Ben Cao (Tang Ye Materia Medica). (12) Yao Lei Fa Xiang (On Herbs) and Yong Yao Xin Fa (Experience in Prescription) It was written by Li Gao (Dong Yuan). Jin and Yuan Dynasties were a milestone for the inheritance and development of Chinese medicine. As one of the founders, Li Dongyuan became a name living in history forever with his book Pi Wei Lun (On Spleen and Stomach) which focused on internal injury theory of the spleen and stomach. He was creative in prescriptions, which had a profound influence on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. His work, Yao Lei Fa Xiang (On Herbs) and Yong Yao Xin Fa (Experience in Prescription), were two of the must-read books for Chinese medicine learners. On the basis of the Yishui School’s theory of herbs, Yao Lei Fa Xiang (On Herbs) highlighted the parts and trends (viscera, meridians, triple energizers and limbs, etc.) of the herbs used on the human body in addition to the efficacy of herbs while Yong Yao Xin Fa (Experience in Prescription) focused on some of the mechanisms closely related to the clinical prescriptions. It was only cited by Tang Ye Ben Cao (Tang Ye Materia Medica). Quotations of Dongyuan of which were also

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included in this book. The book was selected from Yao Lei Fa Xiang (On Herbs) which was published in 1992 by Tianjin Science and Technology Press. Yong Yao Xin Fa (Experience in Prescription) was selected Jin Yuan Si Da Jia Yi Xue Quan Shu:Yao Lei Fa Xiang (Materia Medica Masterpieces:Tang Ye Materia Medica) which was published by Huaxia Publishing House in October 1998. (13) Tang Ye Ben Cao (Tang Ye Materia Medica) This book was written by Wang Haogu in the Yuan Dynasty. As he was the disciple of Zhang Yuansu and Li Dongyuan, the two masters of the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, this book was good in theory and practice. Including 242 kinds of herbs, the book inherited Zhang and Li’s doctrines, put forward new perspectives, and focused on the medicinal properties in responding to meridians, which contributed a lot to the development of Chinese medicine in that period. (14) Ben Cao Fa Hui (A Collection of Materia Medica) This book completed in the Ming Dynasty was edited by Xu Yanchun, one of the disciples of Zhu Danxi. Deeply influenced by the various schools in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, he compiled this book by borrowing from scholars like Zhang Jiegu, Li Dongyuan, Wang Haizang, Zhu Danxi and Cheng Wuji. Although it was similar to Tang Ye Ben Cao (Tang Ye Materia Medica) to some degree, this book had something Tang Ye Ben Cao (Tang Ye Materia Medica) didn’t have. As a reference for studying Chinese medicine in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, this book had a profound influence in the medical history in the early Ming Dynasty. (15) Ben Cao Yan Yi Bu Yi (A Supplement to Ben Cao Yan Yi) This book was written by Zhu Danxi in the Yuan Dynasty and supplemented by Fang Guangzeng. Being the first in inventing nourishing yin and reducing fire and initiator of Nourishing Yin School, Zhu Danxi was a famous medical scientist in the Yuan Dynasty and known as one of Four Great Medical Scientist together with Liu Hejian, Li Dongyuan and Zhang in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. As a supplement to Ben Cao Yan Yi, this book mainly focused on medicinal properties and featured five elements of medicine. The book, as a representative work of Zhu Danxi,

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added 43 new types of herbs in addition to the original 153 ones. Basically, what Li Shizhen cited in Ben Cao Gang Mu was from this book, which offered inspiration for studying Zhu Danxi’s theory and medical thoughts. (16) Ben Cao Meng Quan This book was written by Chen Jiamo in the Ming Dynasty. The word of Meng Quan meant enlightening beginners, especially when the author added his own understanding of herbs in the book. Both Ben Cao Gang Mu and other books quoted it. The most striking feature of this book is that it divided herbs in terms of shape, color, property or taste and focused on principles of using herbs, thus being unique in the theory of medicine. (17) Yao Jian (Reflection on Herbs) Written by Du Wenxie in the Ming Dynasty, this book discussed in detail the toxicity, taste, yin, yang, ascending, descending, meridian tropism, processing, function and clinical application of 137 commonly-used herbs. As a short practical medicinal book, it elaborated on smell, yin and yang and the principles of compatibility among herbs based on his personal experience. (18) Ben Cao Jing Shu (Annotation on Materia Medica) Written by Miao Xiyong in the Ming Dynasty, this book was mainly an annotation of the essential herbs commonly used in the clinical practice included in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal). He discussed properties of medicine in terms of Elaboration, Primary Treatment and Simplified Mistakes. He disclosed many unique insights in clinical experience, which were of great significance to the development of Chinese medicine. (19) Lei Gong Pao Zhi Yao Xing Jie (Elaboration on Properties of Herbs Processed by Master Thunder) Written by Li Zhongzi in the Ming Dynasty and contained 332 kinds of herbs, this book elaborated on medicinal properties, primary treatment and main mechanism of meridian tropism. The theory of meridian tropism could be based on primary treatment, properties, visceral relationship and

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five elements. In addition, this book also had a more in-depth study on the relationship between taboos and properties of herbs, making it a unique and clinically significant book in Chinese medicine. (20) Ben Cao Cheng Ya Ban Jie (Materia Medica in Halves) This book was written by Lu Zhiyi in the Ming Dynasty. Ban Jie in Chinese means half. Based on his father Lu Fusuo’s Ben Cao Gang Mu Bo Yi (Discussions on Compendium of Materia Medica), the author compiled Ben Cao Cheng Ya (Materia Ben Cao Cheng Ya), which was divided into four parts, namely, Kao, Can, Yan and Duan. Later, the manuscript was lost because of war. Lu then rewrote half of the book by memory and renamed it Ben Cao Cheng Ya Ban Jie (Materia Medica in Halves). Containing 377 kinds of herbs, the book explained properties of medicine using Confucianism and Buddhism and elaborated on principles of prescriptions from names and ecology of herbs. Despite being superstitious to some degree, this book is a good reference to clinical practice with its own insights into medicine. (21) Ben Cao Chong Yuan (Origin of Materia Medica) This book was written by Zhang Zhicong in the Qing Dynasty, who put priority on the awareness of properties of medicine rather than what herbs for what diseases. He insisted formulas would be carried forward if it’s applied based on its properties and opposed to random use of formulas only on basis of the diseases themselves. He elaborated on properties, tastes and main treatment of formulas from the perspective of inheritance, which was a pioneering creation in explanation of medicinal properties. (22) Ben Cao Xin Bian (New Edition of Materia Medica) Written by Chen Shiduo in the Qing Dynasty, this book is famous for its perspective on properties of medicine. It explained the medicinal properties from the angle of medical treatment at which Chen was good. He wrote the book Wai Jing Wei Yan (External Canon of Reflections) and interpreted the medical theory Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) from different angles, which were filled with new ideas. The repeatedly-mentioned extraordinarily talented people he came across in his works were most likely to be referred to as Fu Qingzhu and his son Fu

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Mei. If the above statement is conclusive, then the book can not only be a reference for studying Chen’s thoughts but also be beneficial to researchers on Fu Qingzhu. (23) Ben Cao Bei Yao (Essentials of Materia Medica) Complied by Wang Ang in the Qing Dynasty. He was good at Confucianism, medicine and pharmacology. As he believed that Ben Cao Gang Mu was complete but not concise, he edited this book, a shortened book on materia neduca based on Ben Cao Gang Mu and Ben Cao Jing Shu (Annotation on Materia Medica). More than 470 kinds of commonly used herbs were selected and divided into eight categories according to their properties. Tastes, functions, pharmacology, origin, processing and taboos were introduced, which was detailed, practical and widely used in clinical practice. (24) Ben Cao Feng Yuan Written by Zhang Yu in the Qing Dynasty, this book mainly focused on the theory of medicinal properties. Although slightly disorganized in structure, it was not confined to old sayings and innovative in clinical knowledge and theoretical thinking accumulated in years. Based on his reflections on Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal), he combined treatment methods of different schools in the book so that learners in later generations could learn what they want and be a good doctor. As an important piece of work in the early Qing Dynasty, this book had a great influence on Chinese medicine. (25) Ben Jing Jing Jie (Interpretation of Classics of Materia Medica) The book was actually written by Yao Qiu despite the fact that the author on the cover was Ye Gui. Each paragraph of description on one kind of herb consisted of large characters describing taste, toxicity and main treatment of it, small characters on processing and explaining inheritance, meridian tropism and compatibility of herbs and formulas centering on this kind of herb. Selections from Ben Cao Chong Yuan (Origin of Materia Medica), Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing Du (Reflections on The Shennong’s Materia Medica) and this book were jointly published by Guo Yucong as Ben Cao San Jia He Zhu (Joint Annotation to Three Masters of Materia

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Medica), which was a masterpiece in five element motions and six climatic changes and inherited dispositions. (26) Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing Bai Zhong Lu (Selection of a Hundred Kinds of Herbs from Shen Nong’s Herbal Classics) This book was written by Xu Dachun in the Qing Dynasty. With a total of 100 kinds of commonly used herbs from Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal), the book explained the author’s medicinal viewpoints on each kind of herb. Xu believed that medicinal properties were the basis for prescriptions. The premise of medicinal properties was Shape (including qi, taste, smell, sound and whether it’s light, heavy, long or short, etc.) and Qi (including seasonality, aging, hobbies, etc.). He asserted that the application of herbs should be based on its qi, taste, color, shape, nature, temperament or origin. Reasoning methods like analogy (most commonly used), general reasoning and experimental reasoning were adopted in this book. Due to the persuasiveness of the book and Xu’s greatness in clinical practice, this book is highly valued. (27) De Pei Ben Cao The book was written by Yan Xiting, Shi Daning and Hong Hong Qi’an. In clinical practices, the authors would repeatedly debate on ­treatment of diseases and trial of formulas. In reference to Ben Cao Gang Mu, this book recorded more than 640 kinds of herbs in 25 parts, discussed the relationship between herbs, such as mutual counteraction, mutual antagonism, mutual incompatibility and mutual enhancement and summarized the compatibility of herbs in the past. Including more than 40 kinds of herbs concerning the eight extra channels, it had a significant impact on clinicians and served as a supplement to the theory of meridian tropism. (28) Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi (A Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica) Written by Zhao Xuemin in the Qing Dynasty, this book was a ­supplement to and examination of Ben Cao Gang Mu just as the name suggested. Most of over 920 types of herbs listed in the book were c­ ollected and used in

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such coastal areas as Jiangsu, Zhejiang or remote areas and ethnic minority areas. Each herb was explicitly detailed in terms of ecology, properties, meridian tropism, processing, and main treatment. It inherited and preserved a large number of folk herbs and experiences, not only having supplemented Ben Cao Gang Mu but also enriched herbal medicine. (29) Ben Cao Qiu Zhen (Truth-seeking Materia Medica) Written by Huang Gongxiu in the Qing Dynasty, this book best represented a perfect combination of theory and practice in the history of Chinese herbs. In terms of medicine, the author argued that it would not be good to prefer one to the other between contemporary and ancient medicine as long as both theory and herbs are for diseases. Just as the name of the book showed, it elaborated properties of herbs from the perspective of clinic practice. It took primary properties of herbs as the guiding principle of their function and principal treatment. As for the function of herbs, the author insisted the division of yin, yang, qi and blood instead of a vague and general name. And the author distinguished major and minor meridian tropism and advocated the overall view of smell and shape. In short, this book is highly respected. (30) Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing Du (Reflections on The Shen Nong’s Herbal) Written by Chen Xiuyuan in the Qing Dynasty, this book commented on commonly used herbs selected from Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing Zhu (Annotations to The Shen Nong’s Herbal) written by him. This book was also a model for following classics in the Qing Dynasty, because Chen Xiuyuan, as a master on typhoid diseases, advocated in following the steps of predecessors. The book studied medicinal properties from the angle of inheritance, image-number, meridian tropism and explained properties of herbs using the righteousness mentioned in Zhongjing Formula. Ben Cao Jing Jie (Interpretation of Classics of Materia Medica), Ben Cao Chong Yuan (Origin of Materia Medica) and this book were jointly published by Guo Yucong as Ben Cao San Jia He Zhu (Joint Annotation to Three Masters of Materia Medica), which was a masterpiece in five element motions and six climatic changes and inherited dispositions.

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(31) Ben Jing Shu Zheng (Annotated Revision of The Shen Nong’s Herbal) This book was written by Zou Shu in the Qing Dynasty. In contrast to Ben Cao Shu (Narration of Materia Medica) which quoted more from Dongyun, Danxi, Haizang and Jiagu instead of Sun Changsha and Sun Zhenren, this book mostly took Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) as a reference. Despite the weak reasoning and random comments on medicinal properties, this book didn’t deviate from practice. Instead, it combined the principles of Zhongjing and Sun Zhenren’s experience in prescriptions and integrated herbs with formulas and symptoms, highlighting its practicality. (32) Ben Cao Fen Jing Written by Yao Lan in the Qing Dynasty, this book was quite concise. Including a total of 804 kinds of herbs, it consisted an internal map of the meridians and a summary of different herbs in only one volume. It listed names and meridian tropism of herbs according to their nature. Based on the twelve meridians, extraordinary channels and mingmen (life gate), this book divided herbs into five types such as cold and heat herbs and so on together with properties, taste and main treatment indicated under the name of the herb. (33) Ben Cao Si Bian Lu (Reflections on Materia Medica) This book, written by Zhou Yan in the Qing Dynasty, discussed performances of herbs with a focus on the taste and the theory of meridian tropism. On the basis of essence of medicine stated in Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Febrile Diseases) and Jin Gui Yao Lve (Synopsis of the Golden Chamber) and annotations of famous scholars in the past, it elaborated medicinal properties in details. The author put forward his own viewpoints based on his clinical experience whenever doubt arose. It is a useful reference book in terms of formula and prescriptions. (34) Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu (Records of Chinese Medicine with Reference to Western Medicine) This book was written by Zhang Xichun in the times of Republic of China, who was one of the main representatives of the modern Integration

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of Chinese and Western Medicine School. In addition to a few points cited from predecessors, the book was mostly based on his own clinical experience. The reason he added western medicine was that he believed western medicine was somewhat similar to traditional Chinese medicine and tried to integrate Chinese and Western medicine together. As for the right medicine for a disease, he insisted on the combined use of Chinese medicine and western medicine in practice. Due to his innovative understanding of medicine, this book was a great one for learners of later generations.

4.3  Practice Makes Perfect To become a qualified Chinese medicine clinician, all students, whether an undergraduate, a master candidate or a doctoral candidate, must study Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic), Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Febrile Diseases), Jin Gui Yao Lve (Synopsis of the Golden Chamber) and Ben Cao Gang Mu when they enter the Chinese medicine u­ niversities. Nearly all the masters in Chinese medicine are not only familiar with provisions and prefaces in the classics but also good at ­ clinical application. Despite that the long-standing theory of TCM is hard to understand in terms of its philosophy in yin and yang, its world outlook, cosmology and methodology, famous masters make it easier to understand in respect to diseases that are difficult to treat for Western medicine with their easy-tounderstand language. Only the classics of traditional Chinese medicine can help integrate Chinese medicine theory into modern clinical practice and then solve practical problems. Beginners learn to use known and ready-made formulas from other people’s experience first before they have their own. They will move to the second step when they have their own experience and apply formulas accordingly in different regions and different social and cultural backgrounds. After reading the classics again, they can understand the interaction between yin and yang, five movements, five internal organs, four properties, five tastes and seven emotions. They will move directly to the third step when they, like a general fighting a war on a battlefield, can analyze relevant provisions in a comprehensive way, appreciate the similarities and differences and reasons of the herb use and the treatment based on syndrome differentiation.

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Li Shizhen’s inheritance from and criticism on traditional Chinese medicine is also an important part of Li Shizhen’s thoughts. Due to the limitations of historical conditions, Li Shizhen also made some mistakes in the book. For example, he mistook some highly toxic plants such as Poison Nut as a non-toxic herb. Li Shizhen had put many efforts into correcting previous mistakes, which makes Ben Cao Gang Mu valuable. Si Ku Quan Shu Zong Mu Ti Yao (Annotated Catalog of the Complete Imperial Library) considers it to be the unprecedented one in terms of Chinese herbs.

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5.1  Original Preface [Notes] The original preface of Ben Cao Gang Mu was written by Wang Shizhen (1526–1590), the leader of the most renowned literature school Latter Seven Masters in the Ming Dynasty. Li Shizhen visited Wang Shizhen twice “To beg a preface, to make the book eternal”, in hope of introducing the book Ben Cao Gang Mu to the world. In 1590, Wang Shizhen was finally moved by Li Shizhen’s persistent and tenacious spirit and agreed to write the preface. What’s more, he spoke highly of Ben Cao Gang Mu; thus, this great masterpiece was printed in Jin Ling (now Nan Jing). [Original text] The historical canon said: “The sight of dragon light signifies the location of the precious sword, and the splendor of the treasure distinguishes the brilliant pearl. Treasures like Pingshi (a large round fruit, which is said to be the fruit of duckweed) and Shangyang (a legendary bird) are only known by those who are exceptionally wise. The naturalist Zhanghua, the philologist Ji Kang and the jeweler Yidun are so talented that they are just like the stars shining in the early morning. Li Dongbi, a man from Qichun, Hubei Province, once paid a visit to my place in Yanshanyuan and he stayed for a few days. While he drank with

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me, I noticed that he was thin but spirited with radiant face, witty while talking. He should be the most talented person at that time in China! When he unpacked his luggage, there was no other things but d­ ozens of volumes of the manuscripts of Ben Cao Gang Mu. Then he said: ‘I was born in Jing Chu (now Hubei Province), and I was often sick when I was young. When I grew up, I was obsessed with reading ancient classical works. To me, reading books was just like having the molasses. I read extensively and swallowed various categories of books, ranging from philosophy, history, Confucian classics, biography, music, agriculture, medicine, divination, astrology to Yuefu (folk songs and ballads in the Han Dynasty). In addition, I usually took notes while reading these books. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal), which was handed down from ancient times, had been annotated and revised by many scholars, from the time of Yandi and Huangdi, Han, Liang, to the Tang and Song dynasties. However, mistakes, fallacies and inconsistencies could be easily found in those editions. Therefore, I, though humble, boldly vowed to be devoted to making a new compilation of the book. After 30 years of efforts, with the reference of more than 800 books, the manuscript was revised three times. Redundancies were removed, missing information were added, and mistakes were corrected during the revisions. There were 1,518 kinds of medicinal materials recorded in the previous editions, and 374 entries were added into the new edition. The present book with 52 volumes was divided into 16 categories. Though it might not be comprehensive enough, it covered nearly all medicinal materials and I named it Ben Cao Gang Mu. I do hope that you could write a preface for the book to make it widely spread and become an eternal work.’ While I opened the book and studied it carefully, I found that each medicinal material has a formal name as the outline (gang), with explanation of names as the subtitle (mu). Thus, the origin of the name is clear. In the following part, “Previous Explanations”, “Analysis of Dubious Points”, “Correction of Mistakes” are listed in order, and the shape of the original medicinal material is described in details as well. Then, “Property and Flavor”, “Indications”, “Prescriptions” are listed to elaborate the specific usage of the medicinal material. The book covers a wide range of knowledge, in which anything related to the medicinal material, from ancient classics to folk legends, are included. Reading the book brings you the pleasure as if you have entered a garden filled with

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exotic flowers and rare herbs; or you were visiting the Imperial Palace where treasures can be seen everywhere; or facing with an extremely exquisite jade on which all the detailed works can be seen. The book Ben Cao Gang Mu, covered with a wide range knowledge but not complicated, explained in details but not pointless, verified comprehensively, and the essence can be easily observed. How could it just be regarded as a medical book? It is definitely a great encyclopedia expounding the subtlety of things, the truth of life, the knowledge of science, and it is a work which should be treasured by emperors as well as common people. How great the efforts Li Shizhen had made! How diligent and attentive he had been! It has been a long time since people remain indifferent to stones with jade inside and couldn’t distinguish the genuine and fake. Thus, you have to wait for Confucius if you want to know the giant bone which can only be loaded by a cart; you have to ask the fortune teller if you want to know the stone which was put under the weaving machine. I was writing Yan Zhou Zhi Yan, a book of textology, while this kind of book could hardly be seen since the publication of Yan Shen’s Dan Qian Zhi Yan. How lucky and happy am I to see Mr Li’s work with such rich knowledge! Such a masterpiece should never be stored in a stone room secretly and should be printed to be learnt by people, just like people learn Yang Xiong’s Tai Xuan.” — Written by Wang Shizhen, also known as Yanzhou Shanren, with respect, on the 15th day of the first month of Gengyin year (also referred to as the Chinese year of the tiger) of the reign title of Wanli (an emperor of the Ming Dynasty reigning from 1573 to July 1620).

5.2  Memorial to the Throne [Notes] Shu, or Zoushu (memorial to the throne), a type of ancient Chinese writing, is a general term for the documents written by the officials in feudal society to the emperors. Printed by Hu Chenglong, a Jinling bookseller in 1596, Ben Cao Gang Mu officially came to the public in Nanjing three years after the death of Li Shizhen, which was later called the “Jinling version”. In November the same year, his son Li Jianyuan, honoring his father’s wish, submitted this great work to the emperor Wanli

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of the Ming Dynasty and won the emperor’s approval for publication. Since then, Ben Cao Gang Mu has been widely circulated. [Original text] Li Jianyuan, a holder of the academic title Ruxue Zengguang Shengyuan (one of the names of scholars passed the imperial examination at county level) from Huangzhou (now Huanggang), is submitting this memorial to the throne to respond to Your Majesty’s call for collecting books in the country. By following the policy of our court, the book Ben Cao Gang Mu is submitted for royal use. After reading the stipulations of the Ministry of Rites carefully, I learned that by the grace of Your Majesty, a publishing house was set up to amend the annals. In the meantime, all famous works regarding the system and etiquette of the state, books recording the deeds of the sagacious and virtuous emperors and officials, as well as books on astronomy, geography, music, medicine and folklore, as long as it is valuable, should be submitted to the country for the convenience of the publishing house to compile the Yi Wen Zhi (Book of Art and Literature) and pass on for future generations. If published, one copy should be sent to the court. In accordance with the decrees of the Ministry of Rites, I would report the following as my humble service to the throne with my great respect: Li Shizhen, my late father, was a medical officer at the Chu palace before. Later, he was promoted to Wen Lin Lang, a post of seventh official rank and the magistrate of Pengxi county, Sichuan Province. My father loved learning and was determined to write a book since he was little. The manuscript he wrote, Ben Cao Gang Mu has been printed, which ought to be submitted to the court by himself, yet his days have been exhausted. He had to ask me to present the book for him. After handling the final arrangement of his funeral, I thought about it for a long time and was caught in a dilemma. However, it is believed that it is against the will of the heaven if a son disobeyed his father; it is against the rule of the court if the son did not present his father’s final work to the court. Moreover, it is right upon the time of compiling the annals, to respond to the call of the court, I finally decided to honor the last words of my father and submit the book to the court despite possible gossips and presumptions from others. My father was plagued with disease when he was little, still, he loved reading, especially classics and great literature. He liked to comment on the books and got to the bottom of things. Whenever he caught a mistake

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in the book, he would take notes and refer to other books, then compare different versions again and again upon careful thought, which gradually became a hobby for him. Later, he favored books on herbal medicines. Taking notes of every key point and doubt, he decided to write a book to correct existing errors and discrepancies. After 30 years hard work and repeated rectification, he finally finished compiling the book in his seventies. As a subject of your rule, I shall make my fair share of ­contributions. In this sense, how can I not send my father’s last work to Your Majesty? In ancient times, Emperor Yan, also named Shen Nong, identified all kinds of grains, tasted all kinds of herbs, and distinguished their properties and toxicity through their smell. Xuanyuan, also named Huangdi learned from Qibo and analyzed the causes of meridians according to Bogao’s guidance. Therefore, the three volumes of Shen Nong Ben Cao (Sheng Nong’s Herbal), which is included in the Yi Wen Zhi (Book of Art and Literature) are compiled. Being Considered a great achievement, this medical book, amended at the end of the Han Dynasty and annotated at the end of the Liang Dynasty by Tao Hongjing records three hundred and sixty-five kinds of medicine. In the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gao Zong asked Li Ji to amend it. Meanwhile, the chief historian pleaded with the emperor to add another one hundred and fourteen kinds of medicine. In the Song dynasty, Emperor Song Tai Zu ordered medical official Liu Han to amend it; later, Emperor Song Ren Zong asked medical officials to make further amendment, then another one hundred kinds of medicine were added. Shortly after that, the emperor asked the medical official, Tang Shenwei, to combine the two books in the early Song Dynasty, Bu Zhu Shen Nong Ben Cao (The Supplement to Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic) and Tu Jing Ben Cao (Illustrated Materia Medica) into one book — Jing Shi Zheng Lei Bei Ji Ben Cao (Classic Classified Materia Medica for Emergencies), which summarizes the achievements of pharmacology before the Song Dynasty, including five hundred kinds of herbal medicine. Since then, it is considered an encyclopedia of Chinese medicine and a classic medical book among doctors. However, after in-depth study, plenty of flaws are still found in the Jing Shi Zheng Lei Bei Ji Ben Cao (Classic Classified Materia Medica for Emergencies). For example, medicines that should be illustrated

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separately are mixed together, such as Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/ fragrant solomoseal rhizome and Nvwei/stem of October clematis; two medicines of different natures are cataloged as one; other medicines that should be combined as one are divided into two categories, such as Nanxing/rhizoma arisaematis/jack-in-the pulpit tuber and Huzhang/­ rhizoma polygoni cuspidati/giant knotweed rhizome. Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/fresh ginger and Shuyu/rhizoma dioscoreae/rhizome of c­ ommon yam should be under the Category of Vegetables, rather than the Category of Herbs, as shown in the book. Moreover, Binlang/semen arecae/areca seed, and Longyan/arillus longan/longan aril should be under the Category of Fruit, instead of the Category of Woods. Ancient people said that: “food is the paramount necessity of the people”. As the staple food, the eight cereals including wheat, rice, and millet, should be illustrated one by one, instead, the book lumps them together and only makes generalizations about them. Sansong, a kind of vegetable used in daily life, according to the book, remains unknown to the people since the book fails to provide any other names or explanations. Moreover, black soybeans and red beans should be differentiated in size, because different sizes possess different properties and different curative effects, yet the book classifies them as the same. The book also confuses Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter with Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/sodium ­sulfate, completely two different medicines. Besides, Lanhua/orchid is mistaken for Lancao/herba eupatorii/fortune eupatorium herb; Juandan/ bulbus lilii dahurici/lily bulb is mistaken for Baihe/bulbus lilii/lily bulb. Following the mistakes in Ming Yi Bie Lu (Records of Famous Doctors) by Tao Hongjing from the Southern Dynasty of Qi Liang, Jing Shi Zheng Lei Bei Ji Ben Cao (Classic Classified Materia Medica for Emergencies) confuses Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/solomonseal rhizome with Gouwen/­herbalgelsemimi elegantis/herb of graceful jessamine, Xuanhua/ flos calystegiae sepii/flower of hedge glorybind with Shanjiang/rhizoma alpiniae japonicae/rhizome of Japanese alpinia. In Zhang Yuxi’s Jia You Bu Zhu Ben Cao (Complete Annotated Materia Medica of the Jiayou Reign Period), Suanjiang/calyx seu fructus physalis/franchet groundcherry and Kudan are the same drug, but they appear twice in the book, one in the Category of Herbs, the other in the Category of Vegetables. The illustrations for Tianhuafen/radix trichosanthis/snake-gourd root and

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Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/snakegourd fruit, different parts of the same fruit, are inconsistent, a mistake from Tu Jing Ben Cao (Illustrated Materia Medica) compiled by Su Song, Director of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs in the Northern Song Dynasty. All these mistakes and inconsistencies seem confusing indeed. There are many more mistakes like this. Wubeizi/galla chinensis/ Chinese nut-gall is wrongly taken as a kind of fruit from a wood. Dapingcao, just another name of Tianzicao, is taken as Fuping/herba spirodelae/common ducksmeat herb. The above are only a few examples of such errors. If left uncorrected and uncategorized, the harm they create would be unimaginable. Therefore, in a presumptuous manner, my father, despite his humble status and gossip from others, deemed it his task to correct past mistakes and amend ancient medical books by deleting the redundancies and adding the needed. The following drugs are widely used these days but were not recorded in previous Ben Cao works, hence added, including Modaoshui/water used when sharpening a knife, Liaoshui/accumulated rain water, Sangchaihuo (fire made by mulberry wood), Aihuo (fire made by Chinese mugwort) , Suoyang/herba cynomorii/songaria cynomorium herb, Shannai/rhizoma kaempferiae/­rhizome of galanga resurrectionlily, Tufuling/rhizoma smilacis glabrae/glabrous greenbrier rhizome, Fanmubie/semen strychni/nux vomica, Jingan/fructus fortunellae margaritae/fruit of oval kumquat, Zhangnao/camphora camphor, Xiehu/gekko/house lizard, Gouying, Baila, Shuishe, Goubao and Qiuchong. The following drugs are used by people but not carried in the official materia medica works as they are considered native produce: Sanqi/radix notoginseng/sanchi, Jindiluo/herba droserae burmannii/herb of burmann sundew, Jiuxianzi, Zhizhuxiang, Zhuyaozi and Goujinpi. In this regard, with 374 kinds of newly added medicines, this new medical book is indeed a breakthrough! Based on the original categorization, the new book is further divided into 16 volumes. It might not be an encyclopedia, yet it draws on the essence of ancient books, covering nearly all kinds of medicines. In terms of structure, the formal name of a drug is given first at the outline, then followed by other names as the subtitles to rectify the names. Then comes the “Previous Explanations”, “Analysis of Dubious Points” and “Correction of Mistakes” to give the

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places of origin and the shapes of the medicines. Finally followed by “Property and Flavor”, “Indications” and “Prescriptions” for therapeutic use. Encompassing a wide range of medicines and prescriptions from various sources, from classics written in ancient times to folklores and anecdotes, it is not just a book of medicine and pharmacology but also a naturalist work. Since Emperor Tai Zu established the first Imperial Hospital, his Majesty prioritizes the science of medicine over theology and witchcraft, which is indeed admirable and sensible. Later, Emperor Shi Zong ordered to publish medical books and brochures, spreading the benevolence nationwide. Your Majesty, with your grace, cares about the livelihood of your people, complying with the ancestral system, you show great foresight and merit. Now I realize that to manage one’s body is like govern the country. Books should be valued as the sun and the moon. If we want our country to prosper, we must first improve the health and living standards of our people, for without a healthy population, how can we pursue the development of our country? It is my hope that my father’s work will not wither as grass and wood with time passing by. All things considered, though in awe, I still find the courage to submit the book to the court. It is my wish to beg Your Majesty’s attention to this matter and allow the Ministry of Rites to accept the book for their use or have people amend it. In this way, my father and I will forever be grateful to your benevolence whether deceased or alive. Finally, your humble servant is showing his respect and loyalty again.

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6.1  Seven Prescriptions and Ten Formulas [Explication] Seven Prescriptions and Ten Formulas are under different classification in formula study, in which, Seven Prescriptions, based on the seriousness of the pathogenic attack, the location of the disease, the severity of the condition and the health condition of the patient, include major prescriptions, minor prescriptions, slow-acting prescriptions, quick-­ ­ acting prescriptions, odd-numbered prescriptions, even-numbered prescriptions and compound prescriptions, and Ten Formulas, based ­ on different philosophy of ­treatment and functions of the formulas, can be categorized into dispelling formulas, obstruction-removing formulas, tonifying formulas, purgative formulas, light formulas, heavy formulas, astringent formulas, lubrication formulas, desiccating formulas, ­moistening formulas.m

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[Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] (1) Seven Prescriptions1 Qi Bo: Qi can be excessive or weak. Humans may have strong or weak physiques.2 Cases can be mild or severe. Prescriptions can be major or minor. Diseases can be chronic or acute. Syndromes can rest at the interior or at the exterior. Treatment can be light or heavy. To tackle acute cases, odd-numbered prescriptions are supposed to be given; while to tackle chronic cases, even-numbered prescriptions are supposed to be given. Diaphoretic formulas do not have ingredients with odd numbers and purgative formulas do not have ingredients with even numbers. If medicines are meant for tonifying and curing ailments on the upper part of the body, prescriptions with mild functions should be used; if medicines are meant for tonifying and curing ailments on the lower part of the body, quickacting prescriptions with quick functions should be used. For acute cases, 1

 Seven Prescriptions: Seven Prescriptions refer to major prescriptions, minor prescriptions, slow-acting prescriptions, quick-acting prescriptions, odd-numbered prescriptions, even-numbered prescriptions and compound prescriptions. Among them, major prescriptions, containing large quantity of ingredients to be finished at one time with sharp effects, apply to conditions with strong pathogenic qi and accompanied symptoms, for instance, Da Chengqi Decoction (Drastic Purgative Decoction); minor prescriptions, containing small quantity of ingredients to be finished over many times, apply to upper-energizer syndrome with weak pathogenic qi and no accompanied symptoms, for instance, Cong Chi Decoction (Scallion and Fermented Soya Beans Decoction); slow-acting prescriptions refer to prescriptions with many ingredients and light smell aiming at dispelling pathogenic qi gradually, or treating the fundamental with mild medicine. This form of prescriptions is meant for chronic weak conditions, for instance, Sijunzi Decoction (Decoction of Four Noble Ingredients); quick-acting prescriptions are prescriptions with strong smell and effects, they can work very promptly to tackle severe or acute conditions, hence its name, for instance, the yang-restoring emergency formula: Sini Decoction (Cold-extremities Decoction). Besides, odd-numbered prescriptions, named after the fact that the number of the ingredients in a prescription is odd, apply to diseases with comparatively simple cause; similarly, even-numbered prescriptions are named after the fact that the number of the ingredients in a prescription is even and apply to diseases with comparatively complex causes; lastly, compound prescriptions, based on the combination of two or more than two forms of prescriptions, apply to complicated conditions or lingering chronic diseases. 2  Humans may have strong or weak physiques: In Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic), the original text is “sickness may have different degrees of seriousness” which literally means the development of the condition can be either strong or weak.

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no matter whether the number of the ingredients is odd or even, the dosage should be reduced. For chronic diseases, the prescriptions should be ­otherwise. When the dosage is large, the number of ingredients should be fewer, sometimes as few as one. When the dosage is small, the number of ingredients should be more, sometimes as many as nine. If an odd-­ numbered prescription does not work so effectively as to remove the condition, give an even-numbered prescription. If the prescription still does not work effectively, add medicines with the same quality and nature as the disease — cold, heat, warm or cool — to reinforce the functions. Wang Bing: Zang organs are located within the body cavity in higher or lower positions; fu organs are either close or distant. Syndromes are found exteriorly or interiorly, and thus medication should be light or heavy accordingly. An odd-numbered prescription is called “a simple prescription” which is in contrast to “a compound prescription” that is constituted by an even number of ingredients. As for the position, the heart and the lung are close, while the liver and the kidney are distant, in between, the spleen and the stomach are in the middle. This difference in positions also applies to the intestines, urinary bladder, gall bladder, namely, they are either close or distant. It is of vital importance to have a good mastery of it so as to ensure the right dosages for prescriptions. If a prescription only includes very small number of ingredients, then make each bigger; on the contrary, if a prescription is large in the number of ingredients, then make each of them lighter. To treat the condition of the viscera at close distance, resort to the prescription with more ingredients, and ask the patient to take it at short intervals; on the other hand, if the case is with the viscera which are distant, then use the prescription with smaller number of ingredients and ask the patient to take it at one time. Normally, when treating the lung problems, a prescription with nine ingredients should be used; for heart problems, a prescription with seven ingredients should be used; for spleen problems, a prescription with five ingredients should be used; for liver problems, a prescription with three ingredients should be used, for kidney, a single-ingredient prescription is the normal practice. At the initial stage of the treatment, a lighter dosage is preferred to a heavy one, a prescription with few toxic ingredients is favored and compared with a prescription with a large number of

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ingredients, a smaller number of ingredients should be employed. If a simple prescription cannot remove the condition, increase the number of the ingredients or dosage, and if the increased ingredients or dosage still fail to cure the disease, more medication of the same nature as the illness is supposed to be added. When treating a slight fever, medicine with cold quality should be used; in contrast, when treating a condition with a touch of cold, medicine with heat quality should be used. Great cold and heat can definitely overcome the pathogen, in the wake of which, resistance can be perceived due to the confrontation caused by the joint effect brought about by great cold and heat. As is known, sound and music correspond with each other only when they are in harmony; likewise, the qualities and natures of medicines and diseases must also be in line with each other in order to maximize the efficiency of the treatment and eliminate resistance mentioned above. Only through it, the marriage of cold and heat can work harmoniously to achieve a new balance. The foregoing tactic may run counter to the routine treatment, but its effects have been proved in special cases. Li Shizhen: Routine treatment means treatment with medication of opposite qualities and nature to those of the illnesses, while treatment contrary to routine means medicine that complies with the qualities and nature of the illnesses should be added.3 For example, if the pathogenic heat exists at the lower part of the body while the upper part has been invaded by pathogenic cold, then only medicines of cold employed to address the lower heat will not do, for they will be repulsed by the upper cold, in this situation, medicines of heat qualities should be added for the sake of promoting the functions of the medicine which dispels pathogenic heat and cold simultaneously through going from the upper part to the lower part. Conversely, if the pathogenic cold exists at the lower part of the body, only medicines with heat qualities will not work due to the fact that the floating fire at the upper part will resist, so medicines of cold qualities are supposed to be added, and when the medicine goes from the upper part to the lower 3

 This guiding principle, aiming at treating diseases by finding out the fundamental causes, is from Treatise of Supreme Importance in Su Wen (Plain Question), Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic).

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part of the body, pathogenic heat and cold will be eliminated together. In summary, medicines of the same nature as the disease can be added, i.e. medicines with cold nature can be employed to tackle cold conditions; likewise, medicines with heat nature can be employed to tackle heat conditions. This also applies to other cases with similar heat and cold nature. Liu Wansu: Diseases are changing, and it is the doctors who should modify the prescriptions accordingly. In TCM, prescriptions can be either major or minor, can have slow or quick effects, and contain ingredients in odd or even numbers. Besides, based on the tastes of the ingredients involved, prescriptions, on the one hand, can be categorized into the cold, heat, warm and cool qualities, which originate in the Heaven; on the other, prescriptions can be categorized into sour, bitter, pungent, salty, sweet and plain flavors, which originate in the Earth. Generally, the latter feature of the prescriptions, correlating yin, can be sensed but the former, correlating yang, cannot be sensed. Nevertheless, no demarcation line can be draw between yin and yang in tastes: pungent and sweet having dispersive features, pertain to yang; sour, bitter and salty are emetic and purgative, and thus pertain to yin; plain taste is characterized by osmosis and pertains to yang. To sum up, medicines are either astringent or dispersive, either function slowly or quickly, either used to dry or moisten, either used to soften or stabilize, the only thing should be remembered is that all the abovementioned functions and features of the medicines should match the conditions of the zang organs and fu organs. As regards the ingredients and dosage of a prescription, it should abide by the seven patterns: The prescription should be major or minor, slow or quick in effects, which has ingredients in odd, or even numbers, or a compound situation as is stated in “treatment should work either slowly or quickly and prescriptions should be either major or minor”. (2) Ten Formulas Xu Zhicai4: According to the functions of the formulas, they can be categorized as follows: Dispelling formulas, obstruction-removing formulas, 4

 Xu Zhicai: Xu Zhicai, also known by his style name Xu Shimao, was a famous physician born to a medical family in the Northern Qi Sate during the period of the Northern and

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tonifying formulas, purgative formulas, light formulas, heavy formulas, astringent formulas, lubrication formulas, desiccating formulas, and moistening formulas. This differentiation in formulas is the fundamental regulations and principle for giving formulas, yet they have neither been included in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal)5 nor mentioned by later physicians. Anyone who will give formulas is supposed to study the following content discreetly: Dispelling Formulas: Xu Zhicai: Dispelling formulas as is shown in its name can be used to dispel and remove the blockage, for example, Shengjiang/rhizome zingiberis recens/fresh ginger and Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel are cases in point in dispelling formulas. Li Shizhen: Stagnancy refers to a pathological condition where the normal flow of body fluids is obstructed, and dispelling means treating the pathological obstruction or stagnancy with appropriate formulas. Stagnancy is caused by the congestion of ascending and descending, thus losing the transformation. Prolonged stagnancy may cause diseases; in the same way, prolonged disease may cause stagnancy and depression.6 In order to deal with the stagnancy, it is essential to employ the dispelling formula. Emetic drugs, among the other things, can be used to dispel the stagnancy. If the stagnancy is caused by qi depression,7 medicines such as Xiangfu/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome and Chuanxiong/ rhizoma chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome are supposed to be used. Southern Dynasties (420–589). It is said that he compiled Lei Gong Yao Dui (Lei’s Pharmacy and Compatibility), the original version of which was lost. Li Shizhen argued that the term Ten Functions of Prescriptions was first used by Xu Zhicai; however, according to the Japanese medical scientist, it was not Xu Zhicai but Chen Cangqi in the Tang Dynasty who created the term Ten Functions of Prescriptions. 5  Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal): Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) is the earliest pharmaceutical works in China. 6  Stagnancy and depression falls into six types: Stagnancy and depression of qi, blood, dampness, fire, phlegm (mucus) and food. 7  Qi depression, resulted from emotional upset and stagnancy of qi, usually causes local distention and pain and may lead to further pathological changes such as blood stasis or formation of phlegm and retained fluid.

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However, if such stagnancy is deficient, medicines that tonify the middle and replenish qi should be used. If the stagnancy is caused by stagnant light fire,8 medicines such as Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape Jasmine and Qingdai/indigo naturalis/natural indigo are supposed to be used to dispel the stagnancy. However, if such stagnancy is too serious, medicines to elevate the yang and dispel pathogens from the muscle should be applied. If the stagnancy is caused by light dampness,9 medicines such as Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome and Baizhi/radix angelicae/dahurian angelica root or other similar medicines should be used to dry the dampness. If such condition is too serious, medicines that can dispel the pathogenic wind ought to be applied. If the stagnancy is caused by a slight accumulation of phlegm,10 medicines such as Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaematis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber, and Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel or other similar ­medicines can be used to resolve it. If the condition is serious, medicines like Guadi/pedicellus melo/muskmelon base, and Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/falsehellebore rhizome or other similar medicines ought to be applied. If the stagnancy is caused by slight bloodstasis,11 medicines such as Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed and Honghua/flos cathami/safflower

Qi depression can be categorized into two types: The excessive condition which means the hyperactivity of qi and blood, resulting in depression and stasis; the deficient condition which means the qi and blood are weak, thus resulting in depression and stasis. 8  Stagnant light fire: Stagnant light fire, also known as heat depression, is formed by the accumulation of the pathogenic heat and usually causes irritation, drowsiness, scanty reddish urine. According to the degrees of stagnancy and depression, “light” and “heavy” are identified. For the “light” condition, scatter it; for the “heavy” condition, disperse it. 9  Stagnant damp: One of the six stagnancy and depression conditions, it refers to the stagnation of damp in the superficial portion of the body, usually impeding the circulation of qi and blood and causing a sensation of heaviness and aching of the limbs. 10  Phlegm stagnancy: One of the six stagnancy and depression conditions, it refers to the accumulation and stasis of phlegm which affect the normal flow of qi in the lungs, thus causing cough and distention in chest. 11  Bloodstasis: One of the six stagnancy and depression conditions, it is caused by the blood stagnation and usually manifested in syndromes like piercing pain in costal areas, weakness in limbs and hematochezia.

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are supposed to be used. If the condition is serious, emetic or purgative formula can be applied. If the stagnancy is caused by slight indigestion,12 medicines such as Shanzha/fructus crataegi/hawthorn fruit and Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven are supposed to be used. If the condition is serious, an emetic or purgative can be applied. In all the above cases, dispelling formulas have been employed. Obstruction-Removing Formulas Xu Zhicai: Obstruction-removing formulas are employed to remove obstructions, for example, Tongcao/medulla tetrapanacis/ricepaper-plant pith and Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root are epitomes of such drugs. Li Shizhen: “Obstruction” refers to a condition of stagnancy. When the damp-heat pathogen rests on the qi system,13 which leads to retention, pain and dysuria, medicine with light taste should be prescribed to help lung qi to go down so that retention can be removed and urination will resume. In this case, Mutong/caulis akebiae/akebia stem and Zhuling/ polyporus umbellatus fries/agaric may be used. And when the damp-heat pathogen rests on the blood system, pain, obstruction, swelling, dysuria and constipation will occur. Medicines with a bitter taste and cold qualities should be employed to remove the obstruction in the blood, thus helping and renewing the stool and urination. Medicines like Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root should be favored. According to Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic), drugs with a light taste are featured by its function of removing the obstruction, hence their name “obstruction-removing formula”. Tonifying Formulas Xu Zhicai: Tonifying formulas are employed to treat cases of debility. Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton are such tonics. 12

 Food stagnation: One of the six stagnancy and depression conditions, it is caused by indigestion and has the following syndromes: oxyrygmia, abdominal distention, anorexia. 13  Qi system: If the diseases are caused by the disorder of qi system, qi should be treated, never use drugs that are meant for treating blood conditions, vice versa.

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Li Shizhen: Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) argues that deficiency should be tonified. It also narrates that when one zang organ is in deficiency condition, its mother zang organ14 should be tonified accordingly. Literally, the pungent taste of Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger can be employed to tonify the liver; the salty taste of the stir-fried salt can be used to tonify the heart; the sweet taste of Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root is employed to tonify the spleen; the sour taste of Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/chinese magnoliavine fruit is employed to tonify the lung; the bitter taste of Huangbo/ cortex phellodendri/bark of chinese corktree is employed to tonify the kidney. Additionally, Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen is employed to tonify the heart qi and Shengdi/radix rehmanniae/rehmanniae root is employed to tonify the heart blood; similarly, Renshen/radix ginseng/ ginseng is employed to tonify the spleen qi and Baishao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root is employed to tonify the spleen blood; Huangqi/ radix astragali/milkvetch root is employed to tonify the lung qi and Ejiao/ colla corii asini/ass-hide glue is employed to tonify the lung blood; Duzhong/cortex eucommiae/eucommia bark is employed to tonify the kidney qi and Shudi/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root is employed to tonify the kidney blood; Chuanxiong/rhizoma chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome is employed to tonify the liver qi and Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica is employed to tonify the liver blood. All the above medicines can be employed as tonics, alongside Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/ mutton.

14

 Mother zang organ: The five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water are in the mutual relationship of generation. If A generates B, then A is called mother, and B is called child. The five zang organs which relate to the five elements therefore also have the relationship of mother zang organs and child organs. When one zang organ is deficient and weak, its mother zang organ can be tonified so as to bring it back to its normal state according to the mutual generation of the five elements. For example, kidney (water) generates the liver (wood), kidney is the mother zang organ and the liver is the child organ, when the liver (wood) is in a deficient condition, liver is not directly tonified, but it can be restored through tonifying and replenishing kidney qi instead.

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Purgative Formulas Xu Zhicai: Purgative formulas can be employed to remove the blockage. Tinglizi/semen lepidi/seed of pepperweed and Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb are medicines with purgative effect. Li Shizhen: To remove the blockage means to remove the excess. Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) says when one zang organ is too excessive, purge the child zang organ.15 The five zang organs all have their respective purgative medicines of the five tastes.16 The above-mentioned Tinglizi/semen lepidi/seed of pepperweed and Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb are only two examples of such medicines. Literally, the sour taste of Shaoyao/paeoniae/peony can be employed to purge liver excess; the sweet taste of Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root can be employed to purge heart excess; the bitter taste of Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread can be employed to purge spleen excess; the pungent taste of Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum can be employed to purge lung excess; and the salty taste of Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain can be employed to purge kidney excess. Light Formulas Xu Zhicai: Light formulas can be employed to treat excess. Mahuang/ herba ephedrae/ephedra and Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine are typical ingredients for light formulas. Li Shizhen: Light formulas, as it said, can be employed to remove excess, and they can also be employed to dispel a close-up condition which may occur in the exterior, the interior, the upper and lower part of the body. 15

 Child zang organ: When there is excess of some zang organ, the normal state can be achieved through purging its child zang organ. For example, if excessive liver fire keeps ascending without any sign of descending, the therapy of clearing the heart and purging the fire can be used. 16  The five zang organs all have their respective purgative medicines of the five tastes, for example, drugs with sour taste can purge the excess of the liver, drugs with sweet taste can purge the excess of the heart, drugs with bitter taste can purge the excess of the spleen, drugs with pungent taste can purge the excess of the lungs, drugs with salty taste can purge the excess of kidney.

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The exterior close-up condition refers to the condition when the windcold is attacking the epidermis, the striated layer will close up to resist the invasion, which will trap the yang qi inside and it cannot exit, thus resulting in symptoms like fever, chills, headache, stiff back & neck, etc. To tackle such cases, light formulas can be employed to induce diaphoresis so as to ultimately remove the exterior syndromes. The interior close-up condition refers to the repression of fire-heat, the abnormal circulation of body fluids and the abnormal dryness of the skin accompanied by fever, restlessness, headache, swollen eyes, loss of consciousness and vesicles. In these cases, light formulas should be employed to get rid of the illness in muscles and fire together with the syndromes will disappear naturally. The close-up condition in the upper part of the body has two forms: firstly, the invasion of the exterior cold traps the heat inside, resulting in the close-up of the upper energizer accompanied by sore throat and pain. In this case, light formulas with pungent and cool qualities should be employed. Secondly, taking cold food will trap the yang qi down below, resulting in the symptoms of fullness, distention and qi stagnancy at the thorax and diaphragm. Light formulas are supposed to be used to exalt the clarity and disperse the turbidity. Similarly, the close-up condition in the lower part of the body also has two forms: when yang qi sinks to the lower part of the body, tenesmus will occur. Patients with this condition may have the drive to defecate but of no avail. However, if the sunken yang qi has been elevated, the normal defecation will be assumed. This treatment is called “elevating the sunken”. Secondly, when the dryness-heat harms the lung, the metal qi will be trapped at the upper part of the body while the bladder will be blocked accompanied by dysuria. Light formula like Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifoliolious bugbane rhizome can be employed to dispel the trapped metal qi and simultaneously the dysuria will disappear. This is called treatment of the lower ailment by tackling the upper ailment. Heavy Formulas Xu Zhicai: Heavy formulas can be employed to treat timidity. Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite and Tiefen/ferrum/iron powder are typical ingredients of heavy formulas.

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Li Shizhen: Heavy formulas can be employed to treat the following four cases: firstly, a patient whose qi has been stirred up by the fright and therefore his spirit seems to be lost; secondly, heavy formulas also apply to a patient who raves because his liver qi has ascended adversely due to anger. In this case, Tiefen/ferrum/iron powder, Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment and similar ingredients can be employed to harmonize the liver; thirdly, a patient who is absent-minded and suffers from amnesia and restlessness can be treated with Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and Zishiying/fluoritum/ fluorite which can reverse the abnormal condition of the heart qi; fourthly, heavy formulas can be applied to a patient who is suffering from fear that contributes to his timidity and irritation, as if someone is to arrest him. In this case, Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite and Chenxiang/lignum aquilariae resinatum/Chinese eagle wood and other similar medicines can be employed to pacify the kidney qi. In general, apart from treating timidity, heavy formulas can be employed to quell the floating fire and disperse the accumulating phlegm. Likewise, heavy formulas can be employed to treat the following conditions which are caused by the floating fire and accumulation of phlegm17: Diseases caused by invasion of pathogenic wind, which are accompanied by fright, epilepsy, phlegm fluid-retention and asthma, as well as nausea and vomiting, adverse ascension of qi in the thorax and acid regurgitation. Lubrication Formulas Xu Zhicai: Lubrication formulas can be employed to remove the condition of sticky contact. Dongkuizi/semen malvae/seed of cluster mallow and Yubaipi/cortex ulmi pumilae/bark of siberian elm are such medicines. Li Shizhen: Sticky contact refers to the condition of the retention of the pathogen in meridians and collaterals, zang organs and fu organs with the symptoms of dysuria, urination with turbid substances, phlegm and salivation, disorder of the fetus, carbuncles and swellings. In these cases, lubrication formulas should be employed to remove the stuck pathogens. 17

 Li Shizhen developed the theories about heavy formulas, arguing that they can be employed to treat ailments caused by the floating fire and the accumulation of phlegm, for example, constant emesis, regurgitation and so on.

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Rather than employing medicines like Mutong/caulis akebiae/akebia and Zhuling/polyporus/chuling which are plain in taste and purgative in quality, medicines like Dongkuizi/semen malvae/seed of cluster mallow and Yupi/cortex ulmi pumoilae/bark of siberian elm, sweet in taste and lubricant in quality, are usually employed to disperse pathogens brought about by substantial damp-heat. The former are designated to remove shapeless pathogens involving damp-heat, therefore they are meant for stagnancy; however, the latter are meant for sticky contact. The following cases are all treated with lubrication formulas: Constipation can be treated with Bocai/herba spinaciae/spinach, Qianniuzi/ semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed, and so on; dysuria can be treated with Cheqianzi/semen plantaginis/plantain seed, Yupi/cortex ulmi pumoilae/bark of siberian elm and so on; stagnancy of seminal duct can be treated with Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree, Kuihua/flos malvae/ flower of cluster mallow, and so on; difficulty in labor can be treated with Kuizi/semen malvae/seed of cluster mallow, Wangbuliuxing/semen vaccariae/seed of cowherb and so on; dispelling of phlegm and saliva by way of urination can be achieved with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber, Fuling/poria/Indian bread, and so on. Dispelling of pyogenic toxin by way of urination can be achieved with Wuyeteng and Xuancaogen/radix hemerocallis/daylily root. Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Tiannanxing/ rhizoma arisaematis/jack-in-the pulpit tuber, both pungent and lubricant, can be employed to disperse damp qi, loosen the bowel in that pungency can moisten, smooth the qi and dissolve the retention. Some people argue that these two medicines are of desiccating quality, but this remark is not line with the fact because the earth will be desiccated when the dampness is gone, which denies the desiccating quality of the two medicines. Astringent Formulas Xu Zhicai: Astringent formulas can be employed to treat escape. Muli/ concha ostreae/oyster shell and Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone are such ingredients for astringent formulas. Li Shizhen: Escape is embodied in the following four types: Escape of qi, escape of blood, escape of essence, escape of vitality. Literally, escape means scattering, not rounding up, therefore medicines with sour,

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astringent, warm and plain features should be employed so as to stop the escape and resume the health. Escape of qi finds it expression in the following cases: Heavy perspiration accompanied by yang collapse, incontinence of spermatorrhea, continuous diarrhea, incontinent defecation and urination, persistent cough with exhaustion of body fluids. Escape of blood is manifested in the following cases: Continuous bleeding, heavy vaginal bleeding, and other types of bleeding. To treat different types of escape, astringent medicines can be employed, for example, Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell, Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone, Haipiaoxiao/os sepiae/cuttlebone, Wubeizi/galla chinensis/Chinese nut-gall, Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/Chinese magnoliavine fruit, Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum, Shiliupi/pericarpium granati/ pomegranate fruit, Hezi/fructus chebulae/fruit of medicine terminalia, Yingsuqiao/pericarpium papaveris/poppy capsule, Lianfang/receptaculum nelumbinis/lotus seedpod, Zonghui/petiolus trachycarpi carbonisatus/ charred petiole of fortune windmillpalm, Chishizhi/halloysitum rubrum/red halloysite, Mahuanggen/radix ephedrae/ephedra root, and so on. In treating escape of qi, medicines that can elevate qi should go alongside other medicines; in treating of escape of blood, medicines that can consolidate blood and qi should be added to other medicines, for qi is the master of blood. A person who is suffering from yang collapse has illusions, a person who is suffering from yin collapse will become blind. These two cases, which are epitomes of escape of essence, can only be cured by astringent formulas. Desiccating Formulas Xu Zhicai: Desiccating formulas can be employed to disperse damp, to deal with such cases, desiccating medicines like Sangbaipi/white mulberry root-bark/cortex mori and Chixiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean can be prescribed. Li Shizhen: Damp can be categorized into two types: The damp from the natural environment and the damp from inside the human body. In the first type, if a patient is suffering from the disease caused by the damp from the natural environment, it means he has been affected by being exposed to

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rain, dew, fog, water or dampness, and such attacks only invade the skin, the muscles, the tendons, meridians and collaterals, etc; while if a patient has been affected by the inside damp, it may be because of the excessive intake of water, wine and food, or because of the imbalance between the weak spleen and strong kidney. No single reason is for the above cases, they may vary. Damp can be dispelled in the following ways: Medicine with the function of dispelling wind can be employed to eliminate the damp; desiccating medicines & plain medicines can be both employed to dispel the damp; besides, diuresis can discharge the damp, purgatives can discharge the damp, expectoration can discharge the damp as well. If there is heat in damp, medicines with bitter and cold features can be employed to desiccate it; in contrast, if there is cold in the damp, medicines with pungent and hot features can be employed to desiccate it, Sangbaipi/white mulberry root-bark/cortex mori and Chixiaodou/ semen phaseoli/rice bean are only two examples with desiccating functions. Conclusions can be drawn from the above cases that when damp is gone, only dryness will be left, therefore medicines with such functions are called desiccating formulas. Moistening Formulas Xu Zhicai: Moistening formulas can deal with withered and dry conditions. Baishiying/quartz album/quartz and Zishiying/fluoritum/fluorite are good medicines with moistening functions. Li Shizhen: Moistening medicines are so called in that they can be employed to moisten the excessive dryness conditions. When the autumn starts, the corresponding Five element — Metal, together with the wind heat — will begin to eat into human body fluids, resulting in the ailment brought about by the thickening of blood. Dryness at the upper part of the body will give rise to thirst; dryness at the lower part of the body will give rise to constipation; dryness at tendons will give rise to stiffness; dryness at the skin will give rise to scaling; dryness at the muscles will give rise to tearing, dryness at the bones will give rise to the withered conditions; dryness at the lungs will give rise to pneumonia and dryness at the kidney will give rise to diabetes.

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Maren/semen cannabis/cannabis-seed and Ejiao/colla corii asini/asshide glue are medicines with moistening quality. To nourish the blood, Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root can be employed. To produce body fluids, Maimendong/radix ophiopog onis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf and Gualougen/ radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root can be employed. To consolidate the essence, Congrong/herba cistanches/desertliving cistanche and Gouqi/ fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry can be employed. One point has to be noted is that it is partial to interpret only Zishiying/fluoritum/fluorite and Baishiying/quartz album/quartz as moistening medicines. The reason for such misconception can be ascribed to the fact that ancient people employed stones and similar minerals as something that can nourish their health.

6.2  Quality and Taste, Yin and Yang [Explication] Quality and taste, yin and yang are a set of terms referring to the yin and yang quality of four natures and five tastes of the drugs marked by their movements of ascending, descending, floating and sinking. All drugs are characterized by their four qualities, that is, warm, heat, cold, cool, as well as their five tastes, that is, sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty (Sometimes “tasteless” is included as the sixth taste). Among the four qualities, warm and heat are of yang quality while cold and cool are of yin quality; among the five tastes, pungent and sweet are of yang quality while sour, bitter and salty are of yin quality. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] Li Gao18: Drugs have four qualities: warm, heat, cold and cool, and five tastes: pungent, sweet, (plain), sour, bitter, salty tastes. Drugs also have 18

 Li Gao: Li Gao, also known by his style name Mingzhi and his assumed name Old gentlemen from Dongyuan, one of the four famous doctors in the Jin and Yuan Dynasty in China. Li Gao inherited his teacher Zhang Yuansu’s medical theories and skills, and meanwhile incorporated his own understanding and developed his own. Based on the hands-on experience derived from years of medical practice, Li Gao proposed “Internal damage to spleen and stomach, Illnesses all come”, thus establishing a distinctive school of treating “internal damage to spleen and stomach”. Due to the fact that spleen belongs to the central earth element, Li Gao’s theory is termed as the school of “tonifying the earth”.

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ascending, descending, floating and sinking movements as well as differences in thickness (strong quality), thinness (mild quality), yin and yang qualities and tastes. In a single drug, there exists both quality and taste; while in different drugs, they may either have the same quality with different tastes, or the same taste with different qualities. The features of quality resemble those of the heaven, warm and heat qualities accord with the yang of the heaven; cold and cool qualities accord with the yin of the heaven. To be more specific, the heaven is featured by yin, yang, wind, cold, summer-heat, damp, dryness and fire. The three yin and the three yang correspond to the internal organs in the upper part of the body. The features of the tastes resemble those of the earth, and the yang of the earth includes pungent, sweet, and tasteless; the yin of the earth includes sour, bitter, and salty. The earth has yin and yang, and the metal, wood, water, fire and earth elements as well as the generation, growth, transformation, harvest and storage functions. Drugs with mild quality and light taste will grow to possess the features of the heaven and are likely to ascend. Drugs with thick quality and heavy taste will grow to possess the features of the earth and are likely to descend. Wang Haogu19: Materia Medica has five tastes and four qualities. One single taste may have four qualities, for example, the following drugs all have pungent taste but with different qualities: Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum is with cold quality; Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig and Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood is with heat quality; Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/ pinellia tuber is with warm quality; Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint is with cool quality. Qualities correlate with the heaven. The warm and heat qualities correlate with the yang of the heaven; the cold and cool qualities correlate 19

 Wang Haogu: Wang Haogu (1200–1264), from Zhaoxian county, Hebei province and also known by his style name Jinzhi and his assumed name Haizang, is a prestigious physician in the Jin and Yuan Dynasty. In his early years, he co-studied with Li Gao under the guidance of Zhang Yuansu and later, he made his classmate Li Gao his teacher. Wang Haogu’s chief contribution was the explanation of yin syndrome and the use of warming tonics in the later stage of cold-induced diseases, which established his name in the school of Yishui and deeply influenced later doctors. Five of his publications are influential and well acclaimed by later medical scientists, including Tang Ye Ben Cao or Materia Medica of Decoction.

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with the yin of the heaven. Yang of the heaven is ascending and yin of the heaven is descending. Tastes correlate with the earth. The pungent, sweet, light tastes correlate with the yang of the earth; the sour, bitter, salty tastes correlate with the yin of the earth. Yang of the earth is floating and yin of the earth is sinking. When employing the drugs, different situations should be taken into account: sometimes only the qualities of the drugs are considered, sometimes only the tastes of the drugs are considered, while in some other times, both qualities and tastes are considered. Still more complicated situation is where qualities of the drugs function first and the tastes do, and vice versa. Some single drug has only one taste, some other drugs have three tastes; similarly, some single drug has only one quality, some other drugs have two qualities. More variations about qualities and tastes can be discerned, depending on whether the drugs have been processed or not, and sometimes, the root and seedling of the same drug may probably have different qualities and tastes. If the warm quality in a drug is too strong and overwhelming, heat will be produced in it; if the cool quality in a drug is too strong and overwhelming, cold will be produce in it. If the warm and cool qualities are equally balanced in a drug, then warm quality will be evolved. A drug can demonstrate cold quality with some heat factors, then its cold quality will be alleviated; in contrast, a drug can demonstrate heat quality with some cold factors, then its heat quality will be alleviated, so when employing drug careful considerations should be made. If a drug has equal cold and heat qualities, its heat quality will overwhelm and ascend if taken in the day while its cold quality will overwhelm and descend if taken at night. Weather can also affect the qualities of the drugs, they tend to demonstrate heat quality if taken in a fine day while they tend to demonstrate cold quality if taken in a cloudy day. Cases are complex because of the changes of the four seasons and six positions, five circuit phases and six qi, when prescribing varying factors should be considered and negligence should be removed. Liu Jie Zang Xiang Lun (Treatise on Correspondence of Seasons and Visceral Manifestations) of Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic): The heaven provides people with the five qi and the earth provides with five tastes. The five qi goes through the nostrils and will be stored in the heart and the lungs, which will bring about fair complexion

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and sonorous voice. The five tastes go through the mouth and will be stored in the intestines and stomach, which will finally nourish the five qi. When the qi is nourished and becomes harmonious, body fluids will naturally be generated and the spirit will be vigorous. Liu Jie Zang Xiang Lun (Treatise on Correspondence of Seasons and Visceral Manifestations) also argues that the physique should be warmed with qi when it is not in good condition; the essence should be tonified with tastes when it is deficient. Wang Bing: Among the five qi, the dryness qi tends to go forward to the liver, burnt qi tends to go forward to the heart, fragrant qi tends to go forward to the spleen, fishy qi tends to go forward to the lungs and rotten qi tends to go forward to the kidney. The heart is responsible for the color and complexion, the lungs are responsible for the sonorous voice; therefore, the conditions of the voice and face can be discerned by the strengths of the qi stored in the heart and lungs. Qi is the mother of the water; hence tastes are stored in the intestines and the stomach so as to nourish the five qi. Sun Simiao: Essence relies on qi, qi nourishes essence to generate healthy and fair complexion; the physique relies on tastes, tastes nourish physique to generate strength. If the five tastes are supportive of the essence, then the person will be energetic and wise; similarly, the physique is nourished and consolidated by the five tastes. Drugs with converse qualities to the patient’s need will harm his essence; drugs with converse tastes to the patient’s needs will harm the physique. Hence, sages in ancient times established the principle of treating diseases by first having food taboos and then prescribing drugs. Drugs with warm and tonifying qualities and tastes should be employed to maintain the healthy essence and the physique.

6.3 Principles of Giving Prescriptions in the Four Seasons [Explication] The principle of giving prescriptions in the four seasons refers to the ­scientific practice of prescribing formulas based on the following two

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f­actors: Firstly, the climatic features of “generation in spring, growth in summer, harvest in autumn and storage in winter”, and secondly, the mutual beneficial and mutual contradictory qualities of the drugs. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] Li Shizhen: Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) says that when treating a case, the changes of the four seasons should be taken into consideration in order to avoid the damage to the harmony between men and nature. Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) also argues that prescriptions should go with the ascending, descending, floating and sinking movements; in contrast, prescriptions should go against the cold, heat, warm and cool qualities of the diseases. In consequence, in spring, drugs with pungent taste and warm quality like Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint and Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/ fineleaf schizonepeta herb are supposed to be added to the prescriptions so as to go with the ascending qi in the season. In summer, drugs with pungent taste and heat quality like Xiangru/herba elsholtziae/elsholtzia herb and Shengjiang/rhizome zingiberis recens/fresh ginger are supposed to be added to the prescriptions so as to go with the floating qi in the season. In the long summer, drugs with sweet, bitter, pungent tastes and warm quality like Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng; Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes; Cangzhu/ rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome; Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/ bark of Chinese corktree are supposed to be added to the prescriptions so as to go with the evolving and consolidating qi then. In autumn, drugs with sour taste and warm quality like Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony and Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum are supposed to be added so as to go with the descending qi of the season. In winter, drugs with bitter taste and cold quality like Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap/baical skullcap root and Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome are supposed to be added so as to go with the sinking qi in the season. All the above practices are to go with the seasons to harmonize the men and the nature. Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) maintains that in spring, reduce the intake of sour-tasting food or drugs, and increase that of sweet-tasting food or drugs to nourish the spleen qi; in summer, reduce the intake of bitter-tasting food or drugs, and increase that of

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pungent-tasting food and drugs to nourish lung qi; in long summer, reduce the intake of sweet-tasting food and drugs while increase that of saltytasting food and drugs to nourish kidney qi. In autumn, reduce the intake of pungent-tasting food or drugs, and increase that of sour-tasting food or drugs to nourish liver qi; in winter, reduce the intake of salty-tasting food and drugs, and increase that of bitter-tasting food and drugs to nourish heart qi. The above practices do not only maintain the natural harmonization, but also prevent the excessive employment of the tastes and qualities, thus complying with the harmony generated by the mutual effect of the heaven and the earth. Some quacks substitute the incidental with the fundamental and they employ drugs with pungent taste and cool quality in spring only to damage the wood (the liver); they employ drugs with salty taste and cold quality in summer only to damage the fire (the heart); they employ drugs with bitter taste and warm quality in autumn only to damage the metal (the lungs); they employ drugs with pungent taste and heat quality in winter only to damage the water (the kidney). This is the practice literally called “Use of drugs according to season changes” which runs exactly counter to the text in Su Wen (Plain Questions) of Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic), for in Su Wen (Plain Questions), the opposite situation can be inferred from “yin is latent in hot summer days and yang is latent in cold winter days”. We have twelve months in four seasons in a year and we have twelve sections of time in four periods in a day, autumn diseases can befall in spring and winter diseases can befall in summer; therefore, it is advisable to thoroughly understand the mechanism of diseases and act accordingly rather than bigotedly. Wang Haogu: In all the four seasons, Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony is a preferred drug for the spleen.20 Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome is a preferred drug for the stomach,21 and Chaihu/radix bupleuri/

20

 Shaoyao/paeonia/poeny: Shaoyao/paeonia/poeny, a drug with bitter and sour tastes, is neutral in nature and mildly cold in quality, of which, the root is used in medicine. Wang Haogu argues that Shaoyao/paeonia/poeny can be used to regulate the middle qi and treat spleen deficiency, abdominal distention, epigastric stuffiness, etc. 21  Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome: Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/ atractylodes rhizome, a drug with sweet and pungent tastes, is warm and dry in nature, of which, the root is used in medicine. Wang Haogu argues that Cangzhu/rhizome

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Chinese thorowax root can be employed in all seasons throughout the year,22 because the shao yang (which represents gallbladder) is the triggering and decisive organ of the health and conditions the of all the eleven zang organs and fu organs.23 When prescribing drugs with only cold quality or drugs with only heat quality, or drugs with mixed qualities of cold and heat, Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root is supposed to be added to harmonize the ingredients, with the exception that Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root should be skipped in a case with epigastric fullness.

6.4 Drugs with Mutual Antagonism [Explication] Mutual antagonism is the taboo in synergy in dispensing a prescription due to damage to the effects of the drugs or the side effect brought about by mutual incompatibility of the drugs. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing: Xu Li (Shen Nong’s Herbal: Preface) first proposed the issue of the taboo in synergy by saying that “Spare drugs of mutual inhibition and antagonism in one prescription”, which has been enriching since then by later medical scientists and doctors. Zhang Zihe in the Jin Dynasty summarized and composed “The 18 Mutual Antagonism in Rhyme” in his book Ru Men Shi Qin (The Scholar’s Care of Their Parents) which is known to the world ever since.

atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome can be used to regulate the stomach, replenish the spleen, and alleviate epigastric pain, etc. 22  Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax: Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax, a drug with mild bitter taste, is neutral in nature and mild coldly cold in quality, of which, the root is used in medicine. Wang Haogu argues that Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax can dispel the fatigue in both the interior and exterior of the zang organs and fu organs, which assists the ascension of clear qi that complies with the yang, the male or positive principle, as well as enters foot shao yang. When in meridian system, it is in charge of qi, while in zang and fu organs, it is in charge of the blood. 23  The eleven zang organs and fu organs refer to the five zang organs and six fu organs; shao yang refers to the gallbladder meridian of foot shao yang. Su Wen (Plain Questions) says that all the eleven zang organs and fu organs are rooted in gallbladder.

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[Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] 36 Examples of Drugs for Mutual Antagonism24 • Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root antagonizes the following drugs: Daji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/root of Peking euphorbia; Yuanhua/flos genkwae/flower bud of lilac daphne; Gansui/radix kansui/gansui root; and Haizao/sargassum/seaweed. • Daji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/root of peking euphorbia antagonizes the following drugs: Yuanhua/flos genkwae/flower bud of lilac daphne; and Haizao/sargassum/seaweed. • Wutou/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood antagonizes the following drugs: Beimu/bulbus ftitillaria thunbergii/bulb of thungerg; Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/snakegourd fruit; Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber; Bailian/radix ampelopsis/root of Japanese ampelopsis; and Baiji/rhizoma bletillae/tuber of common bletilla. • Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/falsehellebore rhizome antagonizes the following drugs: Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng; Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia; Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root; Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root; Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/root of lightyellow sophora; Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wildginger; Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony; and Lirou/caro felis/meat of leopard cat. 24

 36 Drugs with Mutual Antagonism: To complement “The 18 Mutual Antagonism in Rhyme” by Zhang Zihe, Li Shizhen added the above cases of mutual antagonism. Nevertheless, this addition is far from practicability for the reason that Lirou is never an easy and ordinary ingredient to come by; Lilu and Hetun/musculus fugu/globefish muscle are toxic and few people employ them as drugs; as regards the side effects of the mutual antagonism between Mi and Cong, Shizi and Xie, more further research needs to be ­conducted to verify them.

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• Hetun/musculus fugu/globefish muscle antagonizes the following drugs: Meitai/Timonius srboreus Elmer/Meliolales; Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb; Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root; Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower; Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root; Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root; Wutou/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood; and Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood. • Mi/mel/honey antagonizes Cong/herba allii fistolos/green onionsi. • Shizi/fructus kaki/fruit of persimmon antagonizes Xie/eriocheiris sinensis/crab.

6.5  Dietary Prohibitions During Medication [Explication] Dietary prohibitions during medication mean that types of food that are not allowed to be taken during the drug treatment period. Ancient literature records that Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root should be prohibited from Cong/herba allii fistolos/green onionsi, Bohe/ herba menthae/peppermint should be prohibited from Bierou/caro trionycis/turtle meat, Fuling/poria/Indian bread should be prohibited from Cu/vinegar, Biejia/carapax et plastrum testudinis/tortoise shell should be prohibited from Xiancai/caulis et folium amaranth tricolors/stem and leaf of three-colored amaranth, etc., which reveals that some food taboos should be made when taking drugs, for fear that the effects of the drugs would be lessened, or give rise to the recurrence of existing diseases, or even induce new disease. Moreover, stodgy and stimulating food with raw, cold, sticky, fishy and smelly qualities should be avoided according to the conditions of the cases during the medication. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] • Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root should be prohibited from the following drugs:

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Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; Songcai/plantula brassicae chinensis/seedling of pakchoi; and Haicai (vegetables from the sea, including Haidai/herba zosterae marinae/herb of common eelgrass, kunbu/thallus laminariae/kelp, and Haizao/sargassum/seaweed, etc.). Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread and Huhuanglian/­ rhizome picrorhizae/figwortflower picorhza rhizome should both be prohibited from Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat and cold water. Cang’er/herba xanthii/herb of siberian cocklebur should be ­prohibited from the following drugs: Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; Marou/caro equi/horse meat; and Miganshui/water that has been used to wash rice. Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root and Wumei/fructus mume/ smoked plum should both be prohibited from Zhurou/caro si scrofa/ pig meat. Xianmao/rhizoma curculiginis/rhizome of common curculigo should be prohibited from the following drugs: Niurou/coro bovis/beef; and Niuru/lac bovis/cow milk. Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Changpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag should both be prohibited from the following drugs: Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton; Yangxue/haemal caprae seu ovis/goat or sheep blood; and Yitang/saccharum granorum/malt extract. Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root should be prohibited from Niurou/coro bovis/beef. Yangqishi/actinolitum/actinolite; Yunmu/muscovitum/muscovite; Zhongru/stalactium/stalactite; Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt; and Yushi. All the above drugs should be prohibited from the following drugs: Yangxue/haemae caprae seu ovis/goat or sheep blood. Shanglu/radix phytolaccae/pokeberry root should be prohibited from Gourou/caro canitis/dog meat.

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• Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar; Kongqing/azuritum/azurite; and Qingfen/calomelas/calomel. All the above drugs should be prohibited from all kinds of blood. • Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/evodia fruit should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhuxin/cor si scrofa/pig heart; and Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat. • Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root and Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber should be prohibited from all kinds of blood and the following drugs: Cong/herba allii fistolosi/green onion; Suan/bulbus allii/garlic; and Laifuzi/radix raphani/radish seed. • Buguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpae fruit should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhuxue/haemae si scrofa/pig blood; and Yuntai/herba brassicae campestris/herb of bird rape. • Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wildginger and, Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/rhizome and root of falsehellebore   should be prohibited from the following drugs: Lirou/caro felis/meat of leopard cat; and Shengcai/caulis et folium lactucae sativae/stem and leaf of garden lettuce. • Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb should be prohibited from the following drugs: Lvrou/caro asini/donkey meat, and it antagonizes; Hetun/musculus fugu/globefish muscle; and Xie/eriocheiris sinensis/crab and all fish without scales. • Zisu/herba perillae/perilla herb; Tianmendong/radix aspagi/root of cochin Chinese asparagus; Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar; and Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone. All the above drugs should be prohibited from Liyu/cyprinus/carp. • Badou/fructus crotonis/croton seed should be prohibited from the following drugs:

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Yezhurou/caro si scrofae/meat of wild boar; Gusun/galla zizaniae caduciflora scapo/scape gall of fewflower  wildrice; Lusun/gemma et folium phragmitis/reed bud and leaf; Jiang/miscellus amylum preparatum/paste; Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean; and Cold water. Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome and, Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes should both be prohibited from the following drugs: Querou/passer montanus/house sparrow meat; Qingyu/mylopharyngodon piceus/black carp; Songcai/plantula brassicae chinensis/seedling of pakchoi; Tao/fructus persicae/peach fruit; and Li/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum. Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint should be prohibited from Bierou/ caro trionycis/turtle meat. Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf should be prohibited from Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp. Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root should be prohibited from the following drugs: Cong/herba allii fistolosi/fistular onion; and Shengcai/caulis et folium lactucaesativae/stem and leaf of garden lettuce. Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; Wutou/radix aconite kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood; and Tianxiong/radix aconiti/common monkshood should be prohibited from the following drugs: Chizhi/semen soiae preparatum/juice of fermented soybean; and Jimi/semen panici miliacei/seed of broomcorn millet. Mudan/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark should be prohibited from the following drugs: Suan/bulbus allii/garlic; and Husui/herba coriandri/coriander herb.

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•  Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark; and Bima/semen ricini/cast bean should be prohibited from Stir-fried beans. • Biejia/carapax et plastrum testudinis/tortoise shell should be prohibited from Xiancai/caulis et folium amaranth tricoloris/stem and leaf of three-colored amaranth. • Weilingxian/radix clematidis/chinese clematis root and Tufuling/rhizoma smilacis glabrae/glabrous greenbrier rhizome should be prohibited from the following drugs: Noodle soup; and Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/tea bud and leaf. • Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica should be prohibited from noodles. • Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root, Fuling/poria/Indian bread; and Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen. All the above drugs should be prohibited from Cu/vinegar and all other sour things. During medication, fat pork, dog meat, greasy dishes, fishy and strong smelly food and so on should be prohibited. During medication, garlic, coriander, scallions, fruits, sticky food and food hard to digest mustn’t be excessive. What’s more, patients should not see dead bodies, women in labor or drowned people or dirty stuff during medication.

6.6  Dietary Prohibitions [Explication] Just like medicine, food also has four natures and five tastes, between which there is also a problem of compatibility. Dietary prohibition is the prohibitive principle of dietary collocation. The combination of food whose tastes are incompatible can cause diseases and aggravate the symptom of illness or poisoning, which must be paid attention to. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] • Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat should be prohibited from the following drugs:

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Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger; Qiaomai/semen fagopyri esculent/buckwheat; Kuicai/herba malvae/cluster mallow; Husui/herba coriandri/coriander herb; Meizi/semen mume/seed of Japanese apricot; Stir-fried beans; Niurou/coro bovis/beef; Marou/caro equi/horse meat; Yanggan/hepar carpe seu ovis/liver of goat or sheep; Milu/elaphurus davidianus milne-edwards/David’s deer; Gui/testudinis/tortoise; Bie/trionycis/turtle; Anchun/coturnix/Japanese quail; and Lvrou/caro asini/donkey meat. • Zhugan/hepar si scrofa/pig liver should be prohibited from the ­following drugs: Yukuai/seasoned fish slice; Anchun/coturnix/Japanese quail; and Liyuchang/intestinum cyprini/carp intestine. • Zhuxin/cor si scrofa/pig heart and Zhufei/pulmo si scrofae/pig lung should be prohibited from the following drugs: Yitang/saccharum granorum/malt extract; Baihuacai/herba cleomis/spiderflower; and Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/evodia fruit. • Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton should be prohibited from the following drugs: Meizi/semen mume/seed of Japanese apricot; Xiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean; Doujiang/miscellus amylum preparatum/bean paste; Qiaomai/semen fagopyri esculent/buck wheat; Yukuai/seasoned fish slice; Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; Cu/vinegar; Lao/lac preparatum/junket; and Yuzha/preserved fish.

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• Yangxin/cor caprae seu ovis/goat or sheep heart and Yanggan/ hepar caprae seu ovis/liver of goat or sheep should be prohibited from the following drugs: Mei/fructus mume/plum fruit; Xiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean; Huajiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/prickly-ash peel; and Kusun. • Baigouxue/haemae canitis/blood of a white dog should be prohibited from the following drugs: Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton; and Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat. • Quanrou/caro canitis/dog meat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Lingjiao/fructus rapae/water caltrop; Suan/bulbus allii/garlic; Niuchang/intestinum bovis/ox intestine; Liyu/cyprinus/carp; and Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel. • Lvrou/caro asini/donkey meat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Fuci/cornus eleocharis dulcis/waternut corm; Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb; Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud and leaf of tea; and Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat. • Niurou/coro bovis/beef should be prohibited from the following drugs: Shumi/semen panici/broomcorn millet; Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion; Xiebai/bulbus allii macrostemi/bulb of longstamen onion; Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger; Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; Quanrou/caro canitis/dog meat; and Lizi/semen castaneae/seed of hairy chestnut • Niugan/hepar bovis/ox liver should be prohibited from Nianyu/parasilurus asotus/mudfish. • Niuru/lac bovis/cow milk should be prohibited from the following drugs:

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Shengyu/fresh fish; and sour food. Marou/caro equi/horse meat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Chencangmi/Long-stored rice; Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger; Cang’er/herba xanthii/herb of siberian cocklebur; Jingmi/ultivarietas oryzae sativae/polished round-grained nonglutinous rice; Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; and Lurou/caro cervi/deer meat. Turou/caro cuniculi/rabbit meat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger; Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel; Jiemo/semen brassicae/powder of India mustard seed; Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat; Lurou/caro cervi/deer meat; and Tarou/caro lutrae/common otter meat. Zhang25 rou/caro hydropotis inermis/Chinese river deer meat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Mei/fructus mume/plum fruit; Li/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum; Shengcai/caulis et folium lactucae sativae/stem and leaf of garden lettuce; Ge/columbam/pigeon; and Xia/macrobrachium/freshwater shrimp. Milu/elaphurus davidianus milne-edward/David’s deer should be prohibited from the following drugs: Shengcai/caulis et folium lactucae sativae/stem and leaf of garden lettuce; Gupu; Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat;

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 Zhang, also called Tushe or Xiangzhang, is one kind of small animals in the deer family. According to Ben Cao Gang Mu, Zhangrou/caro hydropotis inermis/Chinese river deer meat is sweet in taste, warm in nature and has no toxicity.

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Weiyu/leiocassis longirostris gunther/leiocassis longirostris; Zhi/phasianus/ring-necked pheasant; and Xia/macrobrachium/freshwater shrimp. Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Suan/bulbus allii/garlic; Jiemo/semen brassicae/powder of India mustard seed; Cong/herba alli fistolosi/fistular onion; Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice; Li/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum; Yuzhi/fish juice; Quanrou/caro canitis/dog meat; Liyu/cyprinus/carp; Turou/caro cuniculi/rabbit meat; Tarou/caro lutrae/common otter meat; Bierou/caro trionycis/turtle meat; and Zhi/phasianus/ring-necked pheasant. Jizi/ovum gigeriae galli/chicken egg Prohibition is the same as Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat. Zhirou/caro phasiani/ring-necked pheasant meat should be ­prohibited from the following drugs: Qiaomai/semen fagopyri esculent/buck wheat; Mu’er/auricularia/jew’s ear; Mogu/agaricus campestris/mushroom; Hutao/fructus juglandis/English walnut; Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp; Zhugan/hepar si scrofa/pig liver; Nianyu/parasilurus asotus/mudfish; and Lurou/caro cervi/deer meat. Yeya/anas platyrhynchos linnaeus/mallard should be prohibited from the following drugs: Hutao/fructus juglandis/English walnut; and Mu’er/auricularia/jew’s ear. Yazi/ovum anatis/duck egg should be prohibited from the following drugs: Li/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum; and Bierou/caro trionycis/turtle meat.

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• Anchun/coturnix/Japanese quail should be prohibited from the ­following drugs: Mushrooms and Mu’er/auricularia/jew’s ear. • Querou/passer montanus/house sparrow meat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Li/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum; Jiang/miscellus amylum preparatum/paste; and Livers of different animals. • Liyu/cyprinus/carp should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhugan/hepar si scrofa/pig liver; Kuicai/herba malvae/cluster mallow; Quanrou/caro canitis/dog meat; and Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat. • Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp should be prohibited from the following drugs: Jiemo/semen brassicae/powder of India mustard see; Suan/bulbus allii/garlic; Tang/sugar; Zhugan/hepar si scrofa/pig liver; Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat; Zhi/phasianus/ring-necked pheasant; Lurou/caro cervi/deer meat; and Hourou/monkey meat. • Qingyu/mylopharyngodon piceus/black carp should be prohibited from Douhuo/folium soiae/soybean leaf. • Yuzha/preserved fish should be prohibited from the following drugs: Douhuo/folium soiae/soybean leaf; Maijiang/miscellus amylum preparatum/wheat paste; Suan/bulbus alli/garlic; Kuicai/herba malvae/cluster mallow; and Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean. • Huangyu/huso dauricus/huso sturgeon should be prohibited from Qiaomai/semen fagopyri esculent/buck wheat. • Luyu/lateolabrax japonicus/perch should be prohibited from Rulao/ lac preparatum/junket.

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• Xunyu/acipenser sinensis/Chinese sturgeon should be prohibited from Gansun/gemma bambusae/bamboo shoot. Huiyu/leiocassis longirostris gunther/leiocassis longirostris  should be prohibited from the following drugs: Yezhurou/caro si scrofae/meat of wild boar; and Zhi/phasianus/ring-necked pheasant. • Nianyu/parasilurus asotus/mudfish should be prohibited from the following drugs: Niugan/hepar bovis/ox liver; Lurou/caro cervi/deer meat; and Yezhurou/caro si scrofae/meat of wild boar. • Niqiu/misgurnus/loach and Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel should be prohibited from the following drugs: Quanrou/caro canitis/dog meat; and Cooked with fire of Sangzhi/ramulus mori/mulberry twig. • Bierou/caro trionycis/turtle meat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Xiancai/caulis et folium amaranth tricolors/stem and leaf of threecolored amaranth; Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint; Jiemo/semen brassicae/powder of India mustard seed; Tao/fructus persicae/peach fruit; Jizi/ovum gigeriae galli/chicken egg; Yarou/caro anatis/duck meat; Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; and Turou/caro cuniculi/rabbit meat. • Pangxie/eriocheiris sinensis/crab should be prohibited from the following drugs: Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb; Shizi/fructus kaki/fruit of persimmon; Juzi/fructus citri reticulatae/ripe tangerine; and Soft date. • Xia/macrobrachium/freshwater shrimp should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; and Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat.

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• Lizi/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum should be prohibited from the following drugs: Fengmi/mel/honey; Jiangshui/aqua setariae germinatus fermentata/ferment water of foxtail millet; Yarou/caro anatis/duck meat; Querou/passer montanus/house sparrow meat; Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat; and Zhangrou/caro hydropotis inermis/Chinese river deer meat. • Chengzi/fructus citri junoris/fruit of fragrant and Juzi/fructus citri reticulatae/ripe tangerine/citrus should be prohibited from the following drugs: Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed; and Tarou/caro lutrae/common otter meat. • Taozi/fructus persicae/peach fruit should be prohibited from Bierou/ caro trionycis/turtle meat. • Zaozi/fructus jujubae/Chinese date should be prohibited from the following drugs: Cong/herba allii fistolosi/fistular onion; and Fish. • Pipa/fructus eriobotryae/loquat fruit should be prohibited from hot noodles. • Yangmei/fructus mica rubrae/fruit of Chinese waxmyrtle should be prohibited from Shengcong/herba allii fistolosi recens/fresh fistular onion. • Yinxing/fructus ginkgo/ginkgo fruit should be prohibited from Manli/anguilla japonicae/Japanese eel. • Cigu/rhizoma sagittaria sagittifolia/rhizome of oldworld arrowhead should be prohibited from Zhuyu (Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/ evodia fruit, or Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit). • Zhugua (Various melons) should be prohibited from fried cakes. • Shatang (also named Baitang/sacchari albicans/white sugar) should be prohibited from the following drugs: Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp; Zhusun/gemma bambusae/bamboo shoot; and Kuicai/herba malvae/cluster mallow.

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• Qiaomai/semen fagopyri esculent/buck wheat should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/lamb; Zhirou/caro phasiani/ring-necked pheasant meat; and Huangyu/huso dauricus/huso sturgeon. • Shumi/semen panici/broomcorn millet should be prohibited from the following drugs: Kuicai/herba malvae/cluster mallow; Fengmi/mel/honey; and Niurou/coro bovis/beef. • Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean should be prohibited from the following drugs: Feizi/semen torreya/seed of grand torreya (mixed use of the two could be lethal); and Liyuzha/preserved carp. • Chaodou (stir-fried beans) should be prohibited from Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat • Shengcong/herba allii fistolosi recens/fresh fistular onion should be prohibited from the following drugs: Fengmi/mel/honey; Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat; Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date; Quanrou/caro canitis/dog meat; and Yangmei/fructus mica rubrae/fruit of Chinese waxmyrtle. • Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion and Xiebai/bulbus allii macrostemi/bulb of longstamen onion should be prohibited from the following drugs: Fengmi/mel/honey; and Niurou/coro bovis/beef. • Husui/herba coriandri/coriander herb should be prohibited from Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat. • Husuan (also named Suan/bulbus allii/garlic) should be prohibited from the following drugs: Yukuai/seasoned fresh fish slice; Yuzha/preserved fish;

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Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp; Quanrou/caro canitis/dog meat; and Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat. Xiancai/caulis et folium amaranth tricolors/stem and leaf of threecolored amaranth should be prohibited from the following drugs: Juecai/rhizoma pteridii esculent/rhizome of esculent bracken fern; and Bie/trionycis/turtle. Baihuacai/herba cleomis/spiderflower herb should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhuxin/cor si scrofa/pig heart; and Zhufei/pulmo si scrofa/pig lung. Meizi/semen mume/seed of Japanese apricot should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton; and Zhangrou/caro hydropotis inermis/Chinese river deer meat. Fuci/cornus eleocharis dulcis/waternut corm should be prohibited from Lvrou/caro asini/donkey meat. Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat; Niurou/coro bovis/beef; Marou/caro equi/horse meat; and Turou/caro cuniculi/rabbit meat. Jiemo/semen brassicae/powder of India mustard seed should be prohibited from the following drugs: Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp; Turou/caro cuniculi/rabbit meat; Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat; and Bie/trionycis/turtle. Gansun/gemma bambusae/bamboo shoot should be prohibited from the following drugs: Baitang/sacchari albicans/white sugar; Xunyu/acipenser sinensis/Chinese sturgeon; Yangxin/cor caprae seu ovis/goat or sheep heart; and

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Yanggan/hepar caprae seu ovis/liver of goat or sheep. • Mu’er/auricularia/jew’s ear should be prohibited from the following drugs: Zhirou/caro phasiani/ring-necked pheasant meat; Yeya/anas platyrhynchos linnaeus/mallard; and Anchun/coturnix/Japanese quail. • Hutao/fructus juglandis/English walnut should be prohibited from the following drugs: Yeya/anas platyrhynchos linnaeus/mallard; Jiu/vinum/wine; and Zhi/phasianus/ring-necked pheasant. • Lizi/semen castaneae/seed of hairy chestnut should be prohibited from Niurou/coro bovis/beef.

6.7  Contraindications During Pregnancy [Explication] Taboos during pregnancy mean pregnant women are prohibited from or they must be very cautious about using some medicine so as to ensure the normal development of the fetus and a smooth labor. Drugs that pregnant women should be prohibited from are generally very toxic, or drugs with strong effect; drugs that pregnant women should be cautious about include those that are used to remove obstruction in meridians and stasis, drugs that are used to move qi and break stagnancy and drugs with bitter taste and heat qualities. The following drugs are prohibited when prescribing for women who are pregnant. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] When prescribing for the patients during pregnancy, the followings drugs are prohibited: · Wutou/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood; · Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; · Tianxiong/radix aconiti/common monkshood;

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· Wuhui (Fuzi)/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; · Cezi/radix aconiti lateralis/fine daughter root of common monkshood; · Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine; · Yangzhizhu/rhododendron molle/Chinese azalea; · Gui/cinnamomum cassia/cassia; · Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaematis/jack-in-the pulpit tuber; · Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tubet; · Badou/fructus crotonis/croton seed; · Daji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/root of Peking euphorbia; · Yuanhua/flos genkwae/flower bud of lilac daphne; · Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/falsehellebore rhizome; · Yiyiren/semen coicis/coix seed; · Weixian/herba pyrolae/pyrola herb; · Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root; · Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/Chinese honeylocust fruit; · Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed; · Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark; · Huaizi/flos sophae/pagodatree flower; · Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed; · Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark; · Danggen/radix zanthoxyli ailanthoides/root of ailanthus-like prickly ash; · Qiangen/radix rubiae/root of Indian madder; · Baimaogen/rhizome imperatae/lalang grass rhizome; · Ganqi/lacca sinica exsiccatae/dried lacquer; · Qumai/herba dianthi/ilac pink herb; · Luru; · Chijian/rhizoma gastrodiae/tuber of tall gastrodia; · Caosanleng/rhizoma sparganii/rhizome of common burreed; · Wangcao/folium illicii lanceolata/leaf of lanceleaf anisetree; · Guijian/ramulus euonymi/twig of winged euonymus; · Tongcao/medulla tetrapanacis/ricepaper-plant pith; · Honghua/flos cathari/safflower; · Sumu/lignum sappan/sappan wood;

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· Mainie/semen hordei germinatus/malt; · Kuizi/semen malvae/seed of cluster mallow; · Daizheshi/haematitum/hematite; · Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root; · Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury; · Xifen/stannum/tin powder; · Naosha/sal ammoniaci/sal ammoniac; · Pishi/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic mine; · Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/mirabilite; · Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur; · Shican/larva phryganeae japonicae/phrygana larva; · Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment; · Shuizhi/hirudo/leech; · Mengchong/tabanus/gadfly; · Wuqing/lytta caraganae/lytta caraganae; · Banmao/mylabris/blister beetle; · Didan/meloe corvinus/round-necked blister beatle; · Zhizhu/aranea/spider; · Lougu/grillotalpa/mole cricket; · Geshangtingzhang/epicauta gorham/bean blister beetle; · Wugong/scolopendra/centipede; · Yiyu/lepisma saccharina/silverfish; · Shetui/periostracum serpentis/snake slough; · Xiyi/eremias argus/lizard; · Feisheng/petaurista/common giant flying squirrel; · Zhechong/eupolyphaga seu opisthopatia/female ground beetle; · Chuji/hucechys canguinea/hucechys sanguinea; · Zhachan/cryptotympana atrata/cicada; · Qicao/holotrichia diomphalia/northeast giant black chafer; · Ciweipi/corium erinacei/hedgehog skin; · Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar; · Shexiang/moschus/musk; · Cihuang/orpimentum/orpiment; · Turou/caro cuniculi/rabbit meat; · Xiezhao/unquicula eriocheiris sinensis/crab claw; · Xieqiao/concha eriocheiris sinensis/crab shell;

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· Gourou/caro canitis/dog meat; · Marou/caro equi/horse meat; · Lvrou/caro asini/donkey meat; · Yanggan/hepar carpe seu ovis/liver of goat or sheep; · Liyu/cyprinus/carp; · Hamo/rana limnocharis/rice frog; · Niqiu/misgurnus/loach; · Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel; · Gui/testudinis/tortoise; · Bie/trionycis/turtle; · Xie/eriocheiris sinensis/crab; · Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger; · Suan/bulbus allii/garlic; · Querou/passer montanus/house sparrow meat; and · Madao/concha solen gondii/shell of razor calm.

6.8 Recommendations and Prohibitions of the Five Tastes; Preferences of the Five Tastes [Explication] Drugs, according to their different functions fall into five tastes: sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty, which, on the one hand, is the substantial generalization of the functions of the drugs, on the other, the true tastes of some drugs. Five tastes go into five zang organs while diseases of five zang organs are compatible and incompatible with certain tastes. In other words, appropriate quantity of five tastes will be conducive to replenishing healthy qi and help rebuild health; excessive quantity of them will otherwise damage the healthy qi, thus inducing diseases. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu]

6.8.1  Recommendations and Prohibitions of the Five Tastes Qi Bo: Among the five elements, wood produces sour taste, fire produces bitter taste, earth produces sweet taste, metal produces pungent taste and water produces salty taste. The pungent causes dispersion, the sour is

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astringent, the sweet has a moderating effect, the bitter makes firmness and the salty softens. Drugs with toxic effect can counter attack pathogens, which can be aided by the nourishment of the five cereals, the help of the five fruits, the benefits of the five livestock and the complement of the five vegetables. If the qualities and tastes of these drugs and similar things suit the case, they can tonify the essence and replenish qi. Each of the five tastes is conducive respectively to a specific zang organ in a specific season, prescriptions should be given accordingly. Qi Bo also says yin is generated by the five tastes, the yin characteristic of the five zang organs can be harmed by the five tastes. What symbolizes longevity is that the bones are in healthy condition and the tendons are so flexible that qi-blood will circulate normally, striated layers will be compact, and the qi of bones will be exuberant. Qi Bo also maintains that ancient sages nourished their yang by having cool food in spring and cold food in summer, and they nourished their yin by having warm food in autumn and hot food in winter, thus making their yin and yang full. The five needs: The liver needs sour taste to nourish it, the heart needs bitter taste to nourish it, the spleen needs sweet taste to nourish it, the lungs need pungent taste to nourish it, the kidney needs salty taste to nourish it, all the above mentioned tastes correspond with the five zang organs respectively. The five recommendations: Blue corresponds with the sour taste which acts on the liver; therefore, food recommendations for liver diseases are sesame, dog meat, plums and leeks. Red corresponds with the bitter taste which acts on the heart; therefore, food recommendations for heart disease are wheat, lamb, apricots and long stamen onions. Yellow corresponds with the sweet taste which acts on the spleen; therefore, food recommendations for spleen diseases are non-glutinous rice, beef, dates and cluster mallows. White corresponds with the pungent taste which acts on the lungs; therefore, food recommendations for lung diseases are millet, chicken, peaches and scallions. Black corresponds with the salty taste which acts on the kidney; therefore, food recommendations for kidney diseases are soy germinant soybean, pork, walnuts and soybean seedling.

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The five prohibitions: Liver diseases should be prohibited from food with pungent taste while food with sweet taste is recommended, for example, non-glutinous rice, beef, dates and cluster mallows. Heart diseases should be prohibited from food with salty taste while food with sour taste is recommended, for example, sesame, dog meat, plums and leeks. Spleen diseases should be prohibited from food with sour taste while food with salty taste is recommended, for example, soybean, pork, walnuts and soybean seedlings. Lung diseases should be prohibited from food with bitter taste, while the following food is recommended: wheat, lamb, apricots and long stamen onions. Kidney diseases should be prohibited from food with a sweet taste while food with pungent taste is recommended, for example, millet, chicken, peach and scallions. Sun Simiao: In spring, the spleen should be nourished by reducing the intake of sour-tasting food or drugs while increasing that of sweet-tasting food or drugs; in summer, the lungs should be nourished by reducing the intake of bitter-tasting food and drugs while increasing that of pungenttasting food and drugs; in autumn, the liver should be nourished by reducing the intake of pungent-tasting food and drugs while increasing that of sour-tasting food or drugs; in winter, the heart should be nourished by reducing the intake of salty-tasting food and drugs while increasing that of bitter-tasting food and drugs. In all the four seasons, the kidney should always be nourished by reducing the intake of sweet-tasting food and drugs while increasing that of the salty-tasting food or drugs. Li Shizhen: As for the five needs, they enter the stomach and will go to their corresponding zang organs. Diseases with excessive feature should be treated with their corresponding tastes. As for the five prohibitions, diseases caused by the deficiency of the five zang organs should be treated with the tastes they accept and refuse those they don’t. The five routes: The sour taste goes through the tendons, so limit the intake of sour-tasting food when suffering from tendon diseases, or dysuria will occur, because the sour is astringent, which will shrink the urethra and clog it. The bitter taste goes through the bones, so limit the intake of bitter-tasting food

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when suffering from bone diseases, or nausea will occur, because when bitter taste circulates to the area around the umbilicus, the triple energizers (referring to the three portions of the body cavity, through which qi and fluids are transmitted) will close, causing nausea. The sweet taste goes through the flesh and muscles, so limit the intake of sweet-tasting food when suffering from flesh or muscle diseases, or dysphoria will occur, because the sweet taste is softening and moistening. When the stomach is softened, its movement will become slow, which further contributes to the activity of the parasites, resulting in dysphoria. The pungent taste goes through qi, so limit the intake of pungent-tasting food, or a feeling of emptiness in the epigastric region will occur, because the pungent taste goes through the upper energizer, the same route as qi, therefore, when it stops at the epigastrium, it will cause a feeling of emptiness. The salty taste goes through the blood, so limit the intake of salty-tasting food when suffering from blood diseases, or thirst will occur, because blood will coagulate when it meets salty taste, once it is coagulated, stomach fluids will be absorbed, finally resulting in dryness of the pharynx and the larynx, and parched tongue. However, Jiu Zhen Lun (Treatise on Nine Needles) states otherwise: The salty taste goes through the bones, so limit the intake of salty-tasting food when suffering from bone diseases; while it is the blood that the bitter taste goes through, so bitter-tasting food should be limited when suffering from blood diseases. The five damages: The sour taste damages the tendons but the pungent taste overcomes the sour taste; the bitter taste damages qi but the salty taste overcomes the bitter taste; the sweet taste damages the flesh and the muscles but the sour taste overcomes the sweet taste; the pungent taste damages the skin and the hair but the bitter taste overcomes the pungent taste; the salty taste damages the blood but the sweet taste overcomes the salty taste. The five excesses: The intake of excessive amount of sour-tasting food overwhelms the liver and exhausts the spleen, finally resulting in the thickened and crumpled muscles and chapped and shrunken lips. The intake of excessive amount of bitter-tasting food fails to nurture the qi of the spleen and

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over-strengthens the qi of the stomach, finally resulting in the withering and peeling of the skin, and the falling of the hair. The intake of excessive amount of sweet-tasting food brings the brimming of the qi of the heart, darkens the skin, breaks the balance of the qi of the kidney, finally resulting in bone pain and falling hair. The intake of excessive amount of pungent-tasting food obstructs tendons and vessels, finally resulting in abnormal condition of mood, contraction of the tendons and hands. The intake of excessive amount of salty-tasting food damages the bones and muscles and suppresses the qi of the heart, finally resulting in mental depression, complexion and pulse change. Li Shizhen: The five routes and the five damages are the effects of the corresponding tastes of the five zang organs. The five excesses are the excessive conditions of the five tastes acting on their pertaining zang organs and the unfavorable result of such excessiveness.

6.8.2  Preferences of the Five Tastes Qi Bo: The five tastes go to their favored organs after they enter the stomach. i.e. the sour taste firstly goes to the liver, the bitter taste firstly goes to the heart, the sweet taste firstly goes to the spleen, the pungent taste firstly goes to the lungs and salty taste firstly goes to the kidney. An amassed accumulation of this tendency will strengthen the preference, this is a general law which also shows that too much of and prolonged intake of a taste may result in sudden death. Wang Shui26: A taste going to the liver will turn into warmness. A taste going to the heart will turn into heat. A taste going to the lungs will turn into coolness. A taste going to the kidney will turn into coldness. A taste going to the spleen will turn into extreme yin accompanied by the four qi. The intake of a certain taste will enhance the qi prevailing in the 26

 Wang Shui: Wang Shui is another name of Wang Bing. The two Chinese characters “shui” and “bing” are so close in writing that his name has been mistaken. Wang Bing (710–805), also known by his assumed name Xuanzi, is a great medical scientist in the Tang Dynasty. His accomplishment in the study of the five circuit phases and six climatic factors can be verified in his commentary of Su Wen (Plain Questions) (81 texts in 24 volumes).

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corresponding zang organ. Each taste only acts upon its favored organ, but a prolonged act will cause a change, for example, the prolonged intake of Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/coptis root and Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/root of light-yellow sophora will not achieve the desired cold effect; instead, it will cause heat. The similar changes apply to all the other tastes. The constant increase of a taste will result in the excessive qi in a zang organ, which may also cause a fatal condition. Therefore, when making prescriptions, drugs of all five tastes and four qualities should be given together because fatality will be caused if only one or two drugs are given without the reconciliation of drugs of other tastes and qualities, which accounts for the situation when some patients who take only drugs while give up diet die quickly. That is because food which is of five tastes and provides the major nourishment is missing. Li Gao: The balance of one yin and one yang naturally brings the Tao, and the imbalance between yin and yang will cause diseases. Prescriptions with yang nature are tough and mighty, if they accumulate, they will be as strong as wild fire and able to eradicate diseases like diabetes, mania and carbuncles; however, meanwhile such drugs will exhaust Tiangui,27 blood and qi. Prescriptions with yin nature are softening, and they can accumulate and congeal as water, bringing about diarrhea and cold conditions inside the body. In this case, genuine fire, another name of kidney yang, will become weak and the defense qi will evanescence. Therefore, great caution should be taken when using drugs with excessive cold and heat qualities, and when the balance between yin and yang has been achieved again, drugs should be suspended. More treatment will worsen the condition and make some pathogenic factor in a zang organ rampant, thus threatening the life.

6.9 Reinforcement and Purgation of the Five Zang Organs with Drugs of Five Tastes [Explication] The concept of reinforcement and purgation of the five zang organs with drugs of five tastes, originated from Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s 27

 Tiangui: Tiangui refers to sex-stimulating essence, a substance that promotes growth, development and reproduction in both sexes, it also refers to menstruation.

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Internal Classic), is one of the theoretical sources of meridian entry. Here in Ben Cao Gang Mu, Li Shizhen, based on the Violation and Submission of the Five Zang Organs, a chapter of Su Wen: Zang Qi Fa Shi Lun (Plain Question: Seasonal organ pathology), argues from the perspective of four seasons and the generation and restriction of the five elements that the five tastes all have the functions of reinforcement and purgation, and then specifies those functions. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] The liver, when in a case caused by urgency, needs drugs with sweet taste to relieve it urgently, for example, Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. Drugs with sour taste can be applied to purge the liver, for example, Chishaoyao/paeoniae rubra/red peony. If there is a case of excessive restraint, purge it with Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. When dispersion in the liver is needed, oral administration of drugs with pungent taste should be conducted. For example, Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/rhizome of szechwan lovage. When the liver needs tonifiying and reinforcing, drugs with pungent taste should be prescribed, for example, Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wildginger. When the liver is deficient, reinforce and tonify the mother zang organs, and drugs like Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root, and Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of chinese corktree can be used. The heart, when in a loose and leisurely condition, needs to be attended to urgently with sour-tasting drugs, for example, Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of Chinese magnoliarine, and at the same time, drugs with sweet taste should be used to purge it, for example, Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/ liquorice root, Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root, and Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root. If there is a case in the heart caused by excesses, purge the child zang organs, drugs like Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root can be employed. If in a condition to soften the heart, take drugs with salty taste, for example, Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/mirabilite. Meanwhile, salty-tasting drugs can reinforce and tonify the heart, Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain is such a drug. When there is a deficient condition in the heart, tonify the mother zang organs, Shengjiang/ rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger can be used. The spleen, when in a case caused by the damp qi, needs urgent treatment with bitter-tasting drugs to dry it, for example, Baizhu/rhizoma

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atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes, at the same time, bitter-tasting drugs like Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/coptis root can be used to purge it. If there is an excess of the damp qi, purge the child zang organs, then Sangbaipi/cortex mori radicis/root-bark of white mulberry can be employed. When the damp qi in the spleen should be removed, drugs with sweet taste are supposed to be used, for example, Zhigancao/radix glycyrrhizae preparata/prepared liquorice root. When it is necessary to reinforce and tonify the spleen, drugs with sweet taste should also be used, for example, Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root, and while the Spleen is deficient, reinforce the mother zang organs with Chaoyan/sal/stir-fried salt. The lungs, when they are affected by the reversed flow of qi, need drugs with bitter taste like Hezi/fructus chebulae/fruit of medicine terminalia to deal with it urgently, at the same time, drugs with pungent taste like Sangbaipi/cortex mori radicis/root-bark of white mulberry should be used to purge the lungs. When there is an excess in the lungs, purge the child zang organs, Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain can be used. When the lungs need to be astringed, drugs with sour taste should be employed, for example, Baishao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root. To reinforce and tonify the lungs, sour-tasting drugs like Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of Chinese magnoliarine should be used. If there is deficiency in the lungs, reinforce and tonify the mother zang organs with Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of chinese magnoliarine. The kidney, when harmed by dryness, needs to be moistened by drugs with pungent taste, for example, Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree, and Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena, at the same time, drugs with salty taste should be used to purge it, for example, Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain. When dryness is excessive, purge the child zang organs with Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root. When the kidney needs to be solidified, drugs with bitter taste like Zhimu/thizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena should be employed urgently. To reinforce and tonify the kidney, drugs with bitter taste like Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree should be used. When there is deficiency in the kidney, reinforce and tonify the mother zang organs with Wuweizi/ fructus schisandrae/fruit of Chinese magnoliarine.

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Zhang Yuansu: The five tastes of the drugs enter the five zang organs and function either as tonics and purgatives which is regulated by the qualities of the drugs. As is known, drugs with sour taste go to the liver; drugs with bitter taste go to the heart; drugs with sweet taste go to the spleen; drugs with pungent taste go to the lungs and drugs with salty taste go to the kidney. The functions of these drugs are that drugs with pungent taste can disperse; drugs with sour taste can astringe; drugs with sweet taste can relax; drugs with bitter taste can consolidate and drugs with salty taste can soften, that is to say, drugs with pungent taste can disperse stagnancy and moisten dryness, generating body fluid and facilitating the flow of qi. Drugs with sour taste can astringe the dispersion. Drugs with sweet taste can relieve the anxiety and tension. Drugs with bitter taste can remove the dampness and solidify the softness. Drugs with salty taste can soften the hardness. Drugs with bland taste can benefit the orifices. Li Shizhen: It is the nature and functions of sweet-tasting drugs to relieve, sour-tasting drugs to astringe, bitter-tasting drugs to dry, pungent-tasting drugs to disperse, salty-tasting drugs to soften and bland-tasting drugs to drain, which will never be altered. They are either used to tonify or purge the five zang organs according to the rhythms of the seasons. Warm, cold, cool, heat are the four qualities of drugs and they are used case by case. The above quotations are from Zhang Jiegu who, based on the tonifying and purgative functions of the daily diet in Huang Di Nei Jing · Su Wen (Huangdi’s Internal Classic: Plain Questions), enriched the medication so as to give TCM learners to choose from.

6.10 The Mutual Functions of Reinforcement, Assistance, Restraint and Inhibition of Drugs [Explication] The mutual functions of reinforcement, assistance, restraint and inhibition are part of the seven ingredient combination forms of Chinese medicine. Mutual reinforcement means “two ingredients with similar qualities used in combination to reinforce each other’s action”; mutual assistance means

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“two or more ingredients in a prescription used in combination, one being the principal substance while the others play a subsidiary role to reinforce the action of the former”; mutual restraint means “the mutual restraining effect of different ingredients to weaken or neutralize each other’s action”; mutual suppression means “quality of one ingredient to neutralize the toxicity of another ingredient”. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] The following part, from Yao Dui (Pharmaceutical Couplet), is demonstrated here for those who work for the supplement and revision of books about materia medica. • Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root The following drugs are its courier ingredients: Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes; Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/root of light-yellow sophora; and Gangqi/lacca sinica exsiccatae/dried lacquer. It is inhibited from Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort. It is prohibited from Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat. • Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root The courier ingredient of it is Fuling/poria/Indian bread. It is inhibited from Baixianpi/cortex dictamni/dittany root-bark and Guijia/plastrum testudinis/tortoise plastron. • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root The following drugs are its courier ingredients: Fuling/poria/Indian bread and Malinzi/semen iridis chinensis/seed of Chinese small iris. It is inhibited from Luxian/crystallus bittern/bittern crystal and Soushu/fructus deutzia sabre/fruit of scabrous deutzia It is suppressed by Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterori/trogopterus dung. • Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia It is inhibited from Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root. • Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root The courier ingredient of it is Nodes and bark of Jiegeng/platycodon grandiflorum/platycodon.

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It is suppressed by Baiji/rhizoma bletillae/tuber of common bletilla, Longdan/radix gentianae/Chinese gentian, and Longyan/­ alillus longan/longan pulp. It is prohibited from Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat. It oppresses Pishuang/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic. Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/rhizome of king solomonseal It is prohibited from Meishi/fructus mume/fruit of Japanese apricot. Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/rhizome fragrant solomoseal It is suppressed by Luxian/crystallus bittern/bittern crystal Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome It is reinforced by Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree and Jiu/vinum/wine. It is oppressed by Pengsha/borax/sodium borate and Shiyan/sal/salt. Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocepahlae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes The following drugs are its courier ingredients: Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root and Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/garden burnet root. It is prohibited from Tao/fructus persicae/peach fruit; Li/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum, Querou/passer montanus/house sparrow meat; Songcai/plantula brassicae chinensis/seedling of pakchoi; and Qingyu/mylopharyngodon piceus/black carp. Gouji/rhizoma ciboti/cibot rhizome The courier ingredient of it is Bixie/rhizoma dioscoreae hypoglaucae/rhizome of hypoglaucous collett yam. It is inhibited from Shacao/herba cyperi/herb of nutgrass galingale and Baijiang/herba patriniae/herb of dahurian patrinia. Guanzhong/rhizoma dryopteris crassirhizomae/Chinese aspidium The courier ingredients of it include: Guanjun and Chixiaodou/ semen phaseoli/rice bean. It is oppressed by Zhongrushi/stalactium/stalactite. Bajitian/radix morindae officinalis/morinda root The courier ingredient of it is Fupenzi/fructus rubi immaturus/ immature fruit of palmleaf raspberry.

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It is inhibited from Leiwan/omphalia/Stone-like omphalia; Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/root of danshen; and Chaosheng/ hibiscus syriacus/shrubalthea. Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort It is reinforced by Fuling/poria/Indian bread; Longgu/os draconis/ dragon’s bone; and Kuizi/semen malvae/seed of cluster mallow. It is suppressed by Zhenzhu/margarita/pearl; Feilian/blatta seu periplaneta/cockroach; Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/falsehellebore rhizome; and Qige/concha solen gondii/shell of razor calm. Yinyanghuo/herba epimedii/ epimedium herb The courier ingredients of it are Shuyu/rhizoma dioscoreae/rhizome of common yam and Zizhi/ganoderma lucidum seu japonicum/ lucid ganoderma. It is reinforced by Jiu/vinum/wine. Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root It is inhibited from Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root; Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger; Dazao/fructus jujubae/ Chinese date; and Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/fruit of asiatic cornelian cherry. Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/root of garden burnet It is reinforced by Renfa/crinis/human hair. It is inhibited from Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf. It is oppressed by Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar; Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment; and Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur. Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/root of danshen It is suppressed by Salty water. Zishen is suppressed by Xinyi/flos magnoliae/magnolia flower bud. Baitouweng/radix pulsatillae/root of Chinese pulsatilla The courier ingredient of it is Lishi/semen iridis chinensis/seed of Chinese small iris. It is reinforced by Jiu/vinum/wine. Baiji/rhizoma bletillae/tuber of common bletilla The courier ingredient of it is Zishiying/fluoritum/fluorite. It is inhibited from Lishi/gypsum fibrosum/mineral gypsum. It is suppressed by Xingren/semen armenicae amarum/bitter apricot seed and Liheren/semen pruni salicinae/seed of Japanese plum.

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6.11 Medication Concerning Five Circuit Phases and the Excesses of Six Climatic Factors [Explication] Five circuit phases refer to the circuit phases between the matches of ding-ren-wood, wu-gui-fire, jia-ji-earth, yi-geng-metal, bing-xin-water. Six climatic factors — the tai yin, the jue yin, the shao yin, the jue yang, the shao yang, and the tai yang — are the six phases in the development of weather changes, which is in accordance with different phases in the development of a disease if one climatic factor prevails. This negative influence differs in the first and second halves of the year: In the first half of the year, this is known as Si Tian, and in the second half as Zai Quan. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] When the tai yin is prevailing in the first half of the year (the years of Si and Hai),28 it indicates a year when pathogenic wind prevails. To deal with corresponding conditions, drugs with pungent and cool qualities should be used, to go with which, drugs with bitter and sweet taste should be added. Simultaneously, drugs with sweet taste are supposed to be added to alleviate it, and drugs with sour taste are added to purge it. (Wang Bing’s note: For the reason that the tai yin is not yet too hot in its essence, so drugs with cool qualities can be used to tackle it.) When pathogenic coolness is in charge, drugs with sour taste and warm qualities should be used, and they will function better if assisted by drugs with sweet and bitter taste. When shao yin is prevailing in the first half of the year (the years of Zi and Wu), it indicates a year when pathogenic heat prevails. To deal with corresponding conditions, drugs with salty tastes and cold qualities should be used. To maximize the effect, drugs with bitter and sweet taste should be added. Simultaneously, drugs with sour taste should be employed so as to astringe the heat. However, when pathogenic cold is prevailing, 28

 The year of Si and Hai: In traditional Chinese culture, there is a 60-year cycle of the 10 Heavenly Stems (Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Gen, Xin, Ren, Gui) and 12 Earthly Branches (Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai). The years of Si and Hai indicate those years that have the signs Si and Hai of the Earthly Branches.

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prescribe drugs with sweet taste and warm qualities which are assisted by drugs with bitter, sour and pungent taste advisably. When jue yin is prevailing in the first half of the year (the years of Chou and Wei), it indicates a year when pathogenic dampness prevails. To deal with the condition brought about by it, drugs with bitter tastes and heat qualities should be used. To maximize the effect, drugs with sour and pungent taste should be added. Simultaneously, drugs with bitter taste should be employed to dry the condition, and drugs with bland taste should be added to purge it. When pathogenic dampness prevails and ascends to bring heat, drugs with bitter taste and warm qualities, assisted by drugs with sweet and pungent tastes, should be prescribed. When perspiration occurs, it means the removal of the pathogenic factors. (When the upper part of the body is invaded by the dampness, together with heat, drugs that can release the exterior and induce perspiration should be used.) However, when the pathogenic heat is prevailing, prescribe drugs with bitter taste and cold qualities which are assisted by drugs with bitter and sour taste. When shao yang is prevailing in the first half of the year (the years of Yin and Shen), it indicates a year when pathogenic fire prevails. To deal with the condition brought about by it, drugs with sour taste and cool qualities should be used. To maximize the effect, drugs with bitter and sweet tasted should be added. Simultaneously, drugs with sour taste are added so as to astringe the condition, and drugs with bitter taste are also used to disperse it. Then, drugs with sour taste are supposed to be used to reinforce the effect. (When the pathogenic heat is dispersed yet with some repeated relapses, a condition manifested in heart deficiency and qi dispersion is suggested, then drugs with sour taste, assisted by drugs with cold qualities, should be employed to astringe the qi, thus curing the disease. If the pathogenic heat is excessive and rampant, drugs with bitter taste should be used to remove it, and the pathogenic factors will be totally dispersed after the perspiration. If there is still a fever after the perspiration, it means the pathogenic factors still remain, drugs with sour taste should be used to astringe it. If the fever reoccurs after one fit of perspiration, diaphoretics should be used again. If, after the second perspiration, a fever occurs, the deficiency of zang organs is indicated. In this situation,

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tonify the heart.) However, when the pathogenic cold is prevailing, drugs with sweet taste and heat qualities should be employed alongside drugs with bitter and pungent taste. When tai yang is prevailing in the first half of the year (the years of Mao and You), it indicates a year when pathogenic dryness prevails. To deal with the condition brought about by it, drugs with bitter taste and warm qualities should be used. To maximize the effect, drugs with sour and pungent taste should be added, and at the same time, drugs with bitter taste should be employed to purge the condition. (In order to tackle pathogenic dryness, drugs with bitter taste and warm qualities should be used. To make the pathogenic factors descend, drugs with bitter taste should be employed, to tonify the deficiency, drugs with sour taste should be employed and to purge the pathogenic condition drugs with pungent taste should be employed.) However, when pathogenic heat prevails, treat the condition with drugs with pungent taste and cold qualities whose effect will be enhanced by drugs with bitter and sweet taste. When jue yang is prevailing in the first half of the year (the years of Chen and Xu), it indicates a year when pathogenic coldness prevails. To deal with this condition, drugs with pungent taste and heat qualities should be used. To maximize the effect, drugs with bitter and sweet taste should be added. At the same time, purge it with drugs with salty taste. However, when the pathogenic heat prevails, drugs with salty taste and cold qualities should be used whose effect can be enhanced by drugs with bitter and pungent taste. When tai yin is prevailing in the second half of the year (the years of Yin and Shen), it indicates a year when pathogenic wind prevails in the interior. To deal with it, drugs with pungent taste and cool qualities should be used. To maximize the effect, drugs with bitter taste, harmonized by drugs with sweet taste, should be added. At the same time, drugs with pungent taste should be used to disperse the condition. (Pathogenic wind accepts warmth and reject coolness, so drugs with pungent taste and cool qualities can be used to beat it, which can be enhanced by adding drugs with bitter taste. If the wood is excessive, drugs with sweet taste should be used to ease it; if the wood is restrained and curbed, drugs with pungent

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taste should be used to release it.) However, when coolness prevails, drugs with sour taste and warm qualities should be employed alongside drugs with bitter and sweet taste. Also, drugs with pungent taste should be prescribed to harmonize the condition. When shao yin prevails in the second half of the year (the years of Mao and You), it indicates a year when pathogenic heat prevails in the interior, which can be treated by drugs with salty taste and cold qualities assisted by drugs with sweet and bitter taste, astringed by drugs with sour taste and dispersed by drugs with bitter taste. (Pathogenic heat can be overwhelmed by coldness, so drugs with salty taste and cold qualities are used to reduce the heat, while pathogenic heat is rampant at the exterior, drugs with bitter taste can be used to disperse it, if the heat remains, drugs with cold qualities should be used again. If there is still heat, drugs with bitter taste should be used to disperse it, assisted by drugs with sour taste to astringe it. For severe conditions, give two treatments; for less serious conditions, giving one treatment will be sufficient. In the situation of frequent relapses, drugs with sour taste should be employed to astringe it.) However, when pathogenic coolness prevails instead, drugs with sweet taste and heat qualities should be used assisted by drugs with bitter and pungent taste and drugs with salty taste can be used to harmonize the condition. When jue yin prevails in the second half of the year (the years of Chen and Xu), it indicates a year when pathogenic dampness prevails in the interior, treat the condition with drugs with bitter taste and heat qualities assisted by drugs with sour and plain taste; meanwhile, drugs with bitter taste can be used to dry the condition and drugs with plain taste can be used to purge it. (Pathogenic dampness runs counter to dryness, therefore, drugs with bitter taste and heat qualities can be used to remove it. Alongside that, drugs with sour and plain taste should be added to maintain the smooth flow of qi.) However, when pathogenic heat prevails instead, treat the conditions with drugs with bitter taste and cool qualities, assisted by drugs with salty and sweet taste and drugs with bitter tastes can be prescribed to harmonize the condition. When shao yang prevails in the second half of the year (the years of Si and Hai), it indicates a year when pathogenic fire prevails in the interior, which can be treated by drugs with salty taste and cool qualities, assisted by drugs with pungent and bitter taste. Drugs with sour taste can be used to

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astringe it and drugs with bitter taste can be used to disperse it. (When pathogenic fire is rampant in the enterocoelia, drugs with salty taste should be used to soften it and drugs with sour taste should be used to astringe it. If great perspiration is desired, assist it with pungent-tasting drugs.) However, when pathogenic coldness prevails instead, treat the condition with drugs with sweet taste and heat qualities, assisted by drugs with bitter and pungent taste and drugs with salty taste can be used to harmonize the condition. When tai yang prevails in the second half of the year (the years of Zi and Wu), it indicates a year when pathogenic dryness prevails in the interior, which can be treated by drugs with sweet and pungent taste. (Warm qualities can harmonize the cool qualities, so drugs with bitter taste can be used to purge it.) However, when pathogenic heat prevails instead, drugs with plain taste and cold qualities can be used, assisted by drugs with bitter and sweet taste; meanwhile, drugs with sour taste can be used to harmonize the condition. When jue yang prevails in the second half of the year (the years of Chou and Wei), it indicates a year when pathogenic coldness prevails in the interior, which can be treated by drugs with sweet taste and heat qualities, assisted by drugs with bitter and pungent taste; meanwhile, drugs with salty taste can be used to purge it, drugs with pungent taste can be used to moisten it and drugs with bitter taste can be used to consolidate it. (The application of drugs with heat qualities in treating the pathogenic coldness means removing the imbalance and re-achieving the balance.) However, when pathogenic heat prevails instead, use drugs with salty taste and cold qualities, assisted by sweet and pungent taste. Drugs with bitter taste can be used to harmonize the condition. Li Shizhen: The climatic influence that prevails in the first half of the year is called Si Tian, which is in the charge of climatic factors. In that situation, the excesses of the six climatic factors affect the world, an influence from the above — the heaven, so the principle of treatment is to harmonize the condition. The second half of the year is dominated by earthly influences. In that situation, the excesses of the six climatic factors prevail in interior, which should be attended to timely. When some climatic factor prevails but the opposite condition and syndrome happen, it is named “countervailing”.

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How do the six excessive climatic factors show themselves? The answer is as follows: When pathogenic dryness is excessive, the land becomes very dry; when pathogenic heat is excessive in summer days, the land is hot; when pathogenic wind is excessive, the land shakes; when pathogenic dampness is excessive, the land is muddy; when the pathogenic coldness is excessive, the land cracks; when the pathogenic fire is excessive, the water of the land runs dry. The prevailing and countervailing, the host and the guest climatic factors, and their corresponding syndromes and mechanism of diseases are recorded in detail in the Su Wen: Zhi Zhen Yao Da Lun (Plain Questions: Treatise of Supreme Importance). They will not be quoted here, for they are lengthy.

6.12 Medication for Deficiency and Excess, Incidental and Fundamental Aspects of the Zang Organs and Fu Organs [Explication] The zang-organ qi and fu-organ qi are either deficient or excessive. The syndromes of diseases concerning the zang organs and fu organs are either incidental or fundamental. Therefore, when practicing the principle of “syndrome differentiation and treatment”, the deficiency and excess, incidental and fundamental should be identified, centering upon which, the following excerpt shows the clinical creed (reinforcing and reducing, minding the cold and warm qualities of the drugs, inducing diaphoresis to release the exterior and mild treatment and gradual removal of the diseases) of Li Shizhen who rolled his own experience of clinical medication and the essence of the TCM practitioners before him into one. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] The Liver The liver houses blood and relates to wood. Fire of the gall bladder rests in it. The liver is in charge of blood, the eyes, the tendons, shouting and anger.

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Fundamental disease29: apoplexy, vertigo, falling down rigidly, fright and epilepsy, swelling and pain in the costal areas, fullness and pain in the chest and costal areas, haematemesis, abdominal pain brought about by hernia and hard lump, and menstrual disorder. Incidental diseases: malaria, headache and salivation, bloodshot eyes, blue faces, anger, infection of the ears, swollen cheeks, spasms and contraction of the scrotum, hernia in men, abdominal swelling and pain, and gynecological problems in women. When there is an excessive condition, purge it. Purge the child zang organ30 with Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. Relieve the stagnation of qi, with the following drugs: Xiangfu/rhizoma cyperi/rhizome of nutgrass galingale; Xiongqiong/ herba chuan xiong/herb of szechwan lovage; Qumai/herba dianthi/herb of lilac pink; Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed; and Qingpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel. Facilitate the circulation of blood, the following drugs can be used: Honghua/flos cathami/safflower; Biejia/carapax trionycis/turtle shell; Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed; Ezhu/rhizoma zedoariae/zedoray; Sanleng/rhizoma sparganii/common burred tuber; Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scales; Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb; Shuizhi/ hirudo/leech; Mengchong/tabanus/gadfly; Sumu/lignum sappan/sappan wood; and Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark. Settle the fright and calm the mind with the following drugs: Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment; Tieluo/scobis/iron filings; Zhenzhu/ margarita/ pearl; Daizheshi/haematitum/hematite; Yemingsha/faeces vespertilionis/bat dung; Hufen/lead carbonate; Yinbo/frustillatim silveris/silver foil; Qiandan/minium/lead pellet; Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone; and Shijueming/concha haliotidis/sea-ear shell. Disperse the pathogenic wind with the following drugs: 29

 Fundamental disease: Fundamental disease and incidental disease are complementary in concept. The former means the root conditions of the disease which may risk human life, and other less serious conditions resulted from it is the latter. They are interchangeable. 30  Purge the child zang organ: Wood (liver) generates fire (heart), so here “purge the child zang organ” means to purge the fire of the heart.

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Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root; Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb, Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint; Huaizi/flos sophae/pagodatree flower; Manjingzi/ fructus viticis/ shrub chaste-tree fruit; Baihuashe/bungarus parvus/little silver-banded krait; Duhuo/radix angelicae pubescentis/doubleteeth pubescent angelica root; Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root; Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust; Wutou/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezotoff monkshood; Baifuzi/rhizoma typhonii/rhizome of giant typhonium; Jiangcan/bombyx batryticatus/larva of a silkworm with batrytis; and Chantui/ periostracum cicadae/cicada slough. When there is a deficient condition, tonify it.31 Tonify the mother zang organ with the following drugs: Gouqi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry; Duzhong/cortex eucommiae/eucommia bark; Goujin/rhizoma cibotii/rhizome of east Asian tree fern; Shudihuang/radix rehmanniae preparata/prepared rehmannia root; Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/root of light-yellow sophora; Bixie/rhizoma dioscoreae hypoglaucae/rhizome of hypoglaucous collett yam; Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue; and Tusizi/semen cuscutae/dodder seed. Tonify the blood with the following drugs: Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica; Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root; Xuduan/radix dipsaci/ himalayan teasel root; Baishao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root; Xuejie/resina draconis/dragon’s blood; Moyao/myrrha/myrrh; and Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage. Tonify qi with the following drugs: Tianma/rhizoma gastrodiae/gastrodia tuber; Baiziren/semen biotae/ seed of Chinese arborvitae; Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/ rhizome of largehead atractylodes; Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum; Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wild ginger; Mimenghua/flos buddlejae/pale butterfly-bushflower; Jueming/semen cassiae/cassia seed; 31

 The deficient condition refers to the liver qi deficiency syndrome, which should be dealt with by tonifying and replenishing liver qi.

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Gujingcao/flos eriocauli/pipewortflower; and Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger. Fundamental heat condition should be dealt with by applying drugs with cold qualities.32 Purge the wood (i.e. remove the liver heat with purgatives) with the following drugs: Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root; Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum; and Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain. Purge the fire (i.e. remove the heart fire with purgatives) with the following drugs: Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread; Longdancao/radix gentianae/Chinese gentian; Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root; Kucha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud and leaf of tea; and Zhudan/fel si scrofae/pig gall. When there are interior syndromes, purge it with Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb, and if there is exterior heat syndrome, disperse it. Harmonize the condition with drugs like Chaihu/radix bupleuri/ Chinese thorowax root and Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber. Disperse the pathogens in the muscles with drugs like Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig and Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra. The Heart The heart houses the spirit. In the heart is the sovereign fire, while the minister fire is in the pericardium, which on behalf the heart exerts influences on all the other organs. The heart is in charge of the blood, speech, perspiration and laughter. Fundamental diseases: blurred vision, spasms because of the invasion of different types of pathogenic heat, fright, bewilderment, delirium, irritation, abnormal condition of crying and laughing, palpitation, amnesia, perspiration and different types of pain, itching, skin sores and carbuncles. 32

 If the fundamental disease is characterized by heat syndrome, drugs with cold qualities should be employed to tackle it according to Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic).

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Incidental diseases: fever in muscles, intolerance of cold with shivering, stiff tongue that harms the speech, flushed face and yellow eyes, hot palms with restlessness, pain caused by the fullness in the chest and costal areas including the waist, back, shoulders, elbows and arms. When there is excessive fire, purge it. Purge the child zang organ (i.e. the spleen) with drugs like Huanglian/ rhizoma coptidis/golden thread and Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/ rhubarb. Purge the fire in qi with the following drugs: Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root; Renshen/radix ginseng/ ginseng root; Chifuling/poria rubra/red Indian bread; Mutong/caulis akebiae/akebia stem; and Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree. Purge the fire in the blood with the following drugs: Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/root of danshen; Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark; Shengdihuang/radix rehmanniae/ rehmanniae root; and Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root. Settle the fright with the following drugs: Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar; Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar; and Zishiying/ fluoritum/fluorite. When there is a deficient condition of the spirit, tonify it. Tonify the mother zang organ, that is the liver, with the following drugs: Xixin/herba asari/herb of Manchurian wildginger; Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum; Suanzaoren/semen ziziphi spinosae/seed of spine date; Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger; and Chenpi/ pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel. Tonify qi with the following drugs: Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark; Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain; Baifuling/poria/Indian bread; Fushen/ poria cum radice pino/fu-shen; Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort; and Shichangpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag. Tonify the blood with the following drugs: Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica; Ruxiang/­ olibanum/frankincense; Shudihuang/radix rehmanniae preparata/prepared rehmannia root; and Moyao/myrrha/myrrh.

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If there is fundamental heat, cool it. Purge the fire with the following drugs: Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root; Zhuye/folium bambusae/bamboo leaf; Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf; Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/sodium sulfate; and Chaoyan/sal/stir-fried salt. Cool the blood with the following drugs: Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rhizome of rehmannia; Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine; and Tianzhuhuang/concretio silica bambusae/tabasheer. If there is exterior heat, disperse it. Disperse the fire with the following drugs: Gancao/radix glycyrhizae/liquorice root; Duhuo/radix angelicae pubescentis/doubleteeth pubescent angelica root; Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra; Chaihu/radix bupleuri/root of Chinese thorowax; and Longnaoxiang/borneolum syntheticum/borneol. The Spleen The spleen houses thoughts and relates to earth element. It provides fundamental conditions for everything in nature. It is in charge of nutrient system and defense system, taste, muscles and the limbs. Fundamental diseases: swelling caused by the invasion of pathogenic dampness, fullness and belching, constipation and dysuria, yellow jaundice, phlegm-fluid retention, emesis, diarrhea and cholera, epigastric and abdominal pain, and indigestion. Incidental diseases: edema all over the body, heavy sleepiness, hard to lift the limbs, stiff and painful tongue, disability of the big toe, obstruction of the nine orifices, spasms and stiff neck. When the earth is excessive, purge it. Purge the child zang organ (i.e. the lungs) with the following drugs: Hezi/fructus chebulae/fruit of medicine terminalia; Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root; Sangbaipi/cortex mori radicis/root-bark of white mulberry; and Tinglizi/semen lepidi/seed of pepperweed. Induce emesis with the following drugs:

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Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean; Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine; Laifuzi/semen raphani/radish seed; Changshan/radix dichroae febrifugae/root of antifebrile dichroa; Guadi/ pedicellus melo/muskmelon base; Yujin/radix curcumae/turmeric root tuber, Jizhi/a kind of vegetable juice; Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/falsehellebore rhizome; Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/root of lightyellow sophora; Chixiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean; Shiyan/sal/salt; and Kucha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud and leaf of tea. Also, purgatives can be used in this condition: Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb; Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/mirabilite; Qingmengshi/lapis chloriti/chlorite-schist; Daji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/root of Peking euphorbia; Gansui/radix kansui/gansui root; Xusuizi/herba euphorbiae lathyris/mole weed herb; and Yuanhua/flos genkwae/flower bud of lilac daphne. When there is deficiency in the earth, tonify it. Tonify the mother zang organ, that is the heart, with the following drugs: Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark and Fuling/poria/Indian bread. Tonify qi with the following drugs: Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root; Huangqi/radix astragali/ milkvetch root; Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/rhizoma of largetrifolious bugbane; Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine; Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root; Chenpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel; Huoxiang/herba agastaches/herb of wrinkled gianthyssop; Weirui/ rhizoma polygonati odorati/rhizome of fragrant solomoseal; Suosharen/ fructus amomi xanthioidis/fruit of cocklebur-like amomum, Muxiang/ radix aucklandiae/costus root; and Biandou/semen dolichoris/seed of hyacinth bean. Tonify the blood with the following drugs: Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes; Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome; Baishaoyao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root; Jiaoyi/saccharum granorum/malt extract, Dazao/fructus jujubae/chinese date; Ganjiang/­ rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger; Mugua/fructus chaenomelis/fruit of common floweringquince, Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum, and Fengmi/ mel/honey.

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If there is fundamental dampness, dry it. Dry the middle palace33 with the following drugs: Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes; Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome; Jupi/ pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel; Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/ pinellia tuber; Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/fruit of medicinal evodia; Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaematis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber; Caodoukou/ semen alpiniae katsumadai/seed of katsumade galangal; and Baijiezi/ semen sinapis albae/white mustard seed. Clean the dampness in the spleen and stomach with the following drugs: Mutong/caulis akebiae/akebia stem; Chifuling/poria rubra/red Indian bread; Zhuling/polyporus/agaric; and Huoxiang/herba agastaches/herb of wrinkled gianthyssop. If there is incidental dampness, drain it. Open the Guimen, i.e. the sweat pores with the following drugs: Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine; Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/ atractylodes rhizome; Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra; and Duhuo/radix et rhizoma angelicae pubescentis/root and rhizome of double-teeth pubescent angelica. The Lungs: The lungs house corporeal soul and relates to the metal element. They are in charge of the original qi, and control the sense of smell, weeping, the skin and the hair. Fundamental diseases: stagnation of gas, dyspnea, asthma, nausea, shortness of breath, coughing with ill ascension of air, hemoptysis, insomnia, frequent and scanty urine, and fecal incontinence. Incidental diseases: severe cold and fever, cold with spontaneous perspiration, pain and cold feeling in shoulders and back, pain in the frontal part of the arms. When the qi is excessive, purge it. Purge the child zang organ (i.e. the kidney) with the following drugs:

33

 The middle palace refers to the spleen and stomach.

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Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain; Tinglizi/ semen lepidi/seed of pepperweed; Sangbaipi/cortex mori radicis/root-bark of white mulberry; and Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry. Disperse the dampness with the following drugs: Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber; Baifan/alumen/alum; Baifuling/poria alba/white Indian bread; Yiyiren/semen coicis/coix seed; Mugua/fructus chaenomelis/fruit of common floweringquince; and Jupi/ pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel. Purge the fire with the following drugs: Jingmi/ultivarietas oryzae sativae/polished round-grained nonglutinous rice; Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum; Hanshuishi/caleium/calcite; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena; and Kezi/fructus chebulae/fruit of medicine terminalia. Remove the obstruction with the following drugs: Zhiqiao/fructus aurantii/bitter orange; Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint; Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger; Muxiang/radix aucklandiae/costus root; Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark; Xingren/semen armenicae amarum/bitter apricot seed; Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust; Jiegeng/radix platycodi/ballonnflower root; and Zisugeng/caulis perillae/perilla stem. Where there is qi deficiency, tonify it. Tonify the mother zang organ with the following drugs: Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root; Renshen/radix ginseng/ ginseng root; Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/rhizoma of largetrifolious bugbane; Huangqi/radix astragali/root of mongolian milkvetch; and Shanyao/rhizoma dioscoreae/rhizome of common yam. Moisturize the dryness with the following drugs: Gejie/gecho/tokay; Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue; Maimendong/ radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf; Beimu/bulbus ftitillaria thunbergii/bulb of thungerg; Baihe/bulbus lilii/lily bulb; Tianhuafen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root; and Tianmendong/radix aspagi/root of cochin Chinese asparagus. Astringe the lungs with the following drugs: Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum; Yingsuqiao/pericarpium papaveris/poppy capsule; Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of Chinese

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magnoliarine; Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root; and Wubeizi/galla chinensis/Chinese nut-gall. When there is fundamental heat, clear it. Clear the metal (the lungs) with the following drugs: Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome; Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf; Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine; Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia; Ziwan/radix asteris/tatarian aster root; and Tianmendong/radix aspagi/root of cochin Chinese asparagus. When there is fundamental cold, warm it. Warm the lungs with the following drugs: Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove; Huoxiang/herba agastaches/herb of wrinkled gianthyssop; Kuandonghua/flos farfarae/common coltsfoot flower; Tanxiang/lignum santali albi/sandalwood; Baidoukou/fructus amomi rotundus/fruit of round cardamon; Yizhi/fructus alpiniae oxyphyllae/fruit of sharpleaf galangal; Suosha/fructus amomi xanthioidis/fruit of cockleburlike amomum; Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice; and Baibu/ radix stemonae/sessile stemona root. When there is incidental cold, disperse it. Release the exterior with the following drugs: Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra; Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/ fistular onion stalk; and Zisu/herba perillae/perilla herb. The Kidneys The kidneys house will (or memory) and relates to the water element. They are the sources of primordial water and in charge of hearing, the bones and the genitalia. Fundamental diseases: coldness in the limbs because of the invasion of pathogenic cold, bone weakness, pain in the waist, ice-cold feeling in the waist, swelling and coldness in tibia, fullness and distention, hard mass and hernia in the lower abdomen, constipation or watery stool, vomiting with fishy and foul smell, watery diarrhea with uncontrollable feeling and diabetes. Incidental diseases: fever but not so serious, vertigo and headache, pain in pharyngeal and parched tongue, pain in back and spine.

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When the water is excessive, purge it. Purge the child zang organ (i.e. the liver) with the following drugs: Daji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/root of Peking euphorbia and Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed. Purge the fu organs with the following drugs: Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain; Zhuling/ polyporus/agaric; Cheqianzi/semen plantaginis/plantain seed; Fangji/ radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root; and Fuling/poria/ Indian bread. When the water is weak, tonify it. Tonify the mother zang organ (the lungs) with drugs like: Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root and Shanyao/rhizoma dioscoreae/ rhizome of common yam. Tonify qi with the following drugs: Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena; Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root; Buguzhi/fructus psoralae/ malaytea scurfpae fruit; Sharen/fructus amomi/spiny amomum fruit; and Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/root of light-yellow sophora. Tonify the blood with the following drugs: Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree; Gouqizi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry; Shoudi/radix rehmanniae preparata/rhizome of rehmannia prepared; Suoyang/herba cynomorii/songaria cynomorium herb; Roucongrong/herba cistanches/desert-living cistanche; Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit; Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue; and Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of Chinese magnoliarine. When the fundamental heat is excessive, purge it. Shao yin disease induced by cold with parched mouth and pharynx can be treated with Da Chengqi Decoction (Drastic Purgative Decoction). When there is fundamental cold, warm it. Warm the interior with the following drugs: Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger; Rougui/ cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark; Shujiao/pericarpium zanthoxy li /Sichuan pepper; and Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes.

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When there is incidental cold, release it. Release the exterior with the following drugs: Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra; Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wildginger; Duhuo/radix angelicae pubescentis/doubleteeth pubescent angelica root; and Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig. When there is incidental heat, cool it. Clear heat with the following drugs: Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root; Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/capsule of weeping forsythia; Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root; and Zhufu/cutis si scrofae/pigskin. The Mingmen (Life Gate)34 The mingmen (life gate) is the source of the ministerial fire, and the beginning of the heaven and the earth. It houses essence and generates blood. When it descends, seminal emission will happen, and when it ascends, it provides energy for the whole body. It is in charge of the primordial qi of the triple energizers. Fundamental diseases: dysuria, constipation, adverse ascension of gas in the thorax and distention in the epigastrium, hernia and fullness in the lower abdomen, diabetes and stranguria, spermatorrhea, cold sperm, reddish and whitish turbid urine, hematuresis, metrorrhagia, and metrostaxis. When the pathogenic fire is excessive, purge it. Purge the ministerial fire with the following drugs: Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena; Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark; Digupi/cortex lycll radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry; Shengdi/radix rehmanniae/rhizome of rehmannia; Fuling/poria/Indian bread; Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root; and Hanshuishi/caleitum/calcite. When the fire is weak, tonify it. Replenish yang with the following drugs:

34

 Li Shizhen thought that mingmen is some part in between the two kidneys, which are the root of the physiological function of human body. Mingmen is in charge of the original qi of the triple energizers.

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Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; Rougui/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark; Yizhizi/fructus alpiniae oxyphyllae/fruit of sharpleaf galangal; Poguzhi/fructus psoralae/ malaytea scurfpea fruit; Chengxiang/lignum aquilariae resinatum/wood of Chinese eaglewood; Chuanwutou/radix aconiti/mother root of common monkshood; Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur; Tianxiong/radix aconiti/common monkshood; Wuyao/radix linderae/root of combined spicebush; Yangqishi/ actinolitum/actinolite; imported Huixiang/fructus foeniculi/fennel fruit; Hutao/fructus juglandis/English walnut; Bajitian/radix morindae officinalis/morinda root; Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar; Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica; Gejie/gecho/tokay; and Fupenzi/fructus rubi immaturus/immature fruit of palmleaf raspberry. When there is, consolidate it. Astringe sperm with the following drugs: Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell; Qianshi/semen euryales/seed of gordon euryale; Jinyingzi/fructus rosae laevigatae/fruit of cherokee rose; Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of Chinese magnoliarine; Yuanzhi/ radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort; Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit; and Gelifen/pulveratum mactrae conchae/shell powder of clam. The Triple Energizers (Sanjiao)35 The triple energizers functions as the ministerial fire and has the original qi of the mingmen (life gate) distributed across. It is in charge of the ascending, descending, exiting and entering of qi that travels all over the body and controls the qi of the five zang organs and six fu organs, nutrient and defense, channels and collaterals, interior and exterior, upper part and lower part, left and right. It is also the palace of the middle lucidity, in which the upper energizer is responsible for intake of the food; the middle energizer is responsible for the digestion and absorption of the nutrition; the lower energizer is responsible for the excretion.

35

 The triple energizers: One of the six fu organs. It is a collective term for the three portions of the body cavity, through which qi and fluids are transmitted. Among the three portions, upper energizer is above the diaphragm, middle energizer is in between the diaphragm and the umbilicus, and below the navel is the lower energizer.

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Fundamental diseases: blurred vision, spasms because of the invasion of different types of pathogenic heat, sudden sickness, sudden death, sudden blindness, restlessness and madness, delirium, panic, blood hemorrhage, adverse ascension of gas, skin sores, carbuncles, smallpox and papules, tumor and masses. If the pathogenic heat prevails at the upper energizer, asthma and fullness will occur, also there will be other diseases like vomiting, stagnation of qi and costal pain, indigestion, and perspiration on the head. If there is pathogenic heat prevails at the middle energizer, some patients may get hungry easily but is still thin, and some patients may have some sub-health problems, fullness in the epigastrium, full and swollen abdomen as in the shape of a drum and can give off a sound when patted, vomiting with dysuria and constipation and cholera with vomiting and diarrhea. If the pathogenic heat prevails at the lower energizer, there may be such symptoms like watery stool with tenesmus and turbid fluid, fullness and distention in the lower abdomen, dysuria or dripping of urine, constipation or diarrhea. If the pathogenic cold prevails at the upper energizer, the following symptoms can be identified: vomiting of food, phlegm and fluid, chest qi-blockage, pain in the chest and back, and vomiting of food right after eating. If the pathogenic cold prevails at the middle energizer, the following symptoms can be identified: indigestion, flatulence with cold, regurgitation and vomiting of fluid, and watery stool without thirst. If the pathogenic cold prevails at the lower energizer, the following symptoms can be identified: incontinence of urine and stool, coldness around the umbilicus and abdomen, hernia, and pain. Fundamental diseases: aversion to cold and shivers, trance, tinnitus, deafness, sore and painful throat, swellings and edema, panic, and paralysis of the small and index fingers. When the fire is excessive, purge it. Induce diaphoresis with the following drugs: Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra; Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root, Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine; Jingjie/ herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb; Shengma/rhizoma

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cimicifugae/rhizoma of largetrifolious bugbane; Bohe/herba menthae/ peppermint; Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root; and Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum. Promote emesis with the following drugs: Guadi/pedicellus melo/muskmelon base and Shiyan/sal/salt, and Jizhi/a kind of vegetable juice. Purge with the following drugs : Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb and Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/ mirabilite. Where there is deficient fire, tonify it. For the upper energizer, the following drugs can be used : Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root; Tianxiong/radix aconiti/common monkshood; and Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark. For the middle energizer, the following drugs can be used: Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root; Huangqi/radix astragali/ milkvetch root; Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove; Muxiang/radix aucklandia/common aucklandia root; and Caoguo/fructus tsaoko. For the lower energizer, the following drugs can be used: Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark; Liuhuang/sulfur/ sulphur; Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root; Chengxiang/lignum aquilariae resinatum/wood of Chinese eaglewood; Wuyao/radix linderae/root of combined spicebush; and Poguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpea fruit. Where there is fundamental heat, cool it. For the upper energizer, the following drugs can be used: Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root; Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/capsule of weeping forsythia; Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena; Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root; Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum; and Shengdihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root. For the middle energizer, the following drugs can be used: Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread; Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/capsule of weeping forsythia; Shengdi/radix rehmanniae/rhizome of rehmannia; and Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum. For the lower energizer, the following drugs can be used:

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Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena; Shengdi/radix rehmanniae/rhizome of rehmannia; Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum; Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark; and Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry. When there is incidental heat, disperse it. Release the exterior with the following drugs: Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root; Xixin/herba asari/herb of Manchurian wild ginger; Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb; Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root; Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine; and Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum. The Gallbladder The gallbladder relates to the wood and is the ministerial fire of shao yang, it is where all things generate. It is responsible for making decisions and the master of the eleven fu organs. Its determinant functions are the same as those of the liver. Fundamental diseases: bitter feeling in the mouth with spitting of bitter juice, panic, paranoia, blurred vision and insomnia. Incidental diseases: intermittent cold and fever, malaria, costal pain, pain in forehead, deafness and timmitus, scrofula, beadstring scrofulae, and paralysis of the small and second toes. When the fire is excessive, purge it. Purge the gallbladder with the following drugs: Longdan/radix gentianae/Chinese gentian; Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root; Zhudan/fel si scrofae/pig gall; Shengruiren/nux prinsepiae/nut of hedge prinsepia; Shengsuanzaoren/ semen ziziphi spinosae/seed of spine date; Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/ golden thread; and Kucha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud and tea leaves. When there is deficient fire, tonify it. Warm the gallbladder with the following drugs: Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root; Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wild ginger; Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber; stir-fried Chaoruiren/nux prinsepiae/nut of hedge prinsepia; stir-fried Chaosuanzaoren/semen ziziphi spinosae/seed of spine date; Danggui/

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radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica; and Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/ rhizome of rehmannia. When there is fundamental heat, harmonize it. Reduce fire with the following drugs: Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root; Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread; Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root; Lianqiao/ fructus forsythiae/capsule of weeping forsythia; and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. Settle the fright and calm the mind with Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/ mercury. When there is incidental heat, harmonize it with drugs like: Chaihu/ radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root; Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root; Huangqin/radix scutellariae/Baikal skullcap root; Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber; and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. The Stomach The stomach relates to the earth element and is an organ of receiving and holding food, it is vividly called the sea of cereals and fluid. Its determinant functions are the same as those of the spleen. Fundamental diseases: dysphagia and regurgitation, fullness, swelling and distention of the epigastrium, emesis, diarrhea and dysentery, cholera with pain in the abdomen, diabetes with frequent hunger, indigestion, anorexia, pain in the digestive tract in the middle of the thorax, and a hard mass over the costal areas. Incidental diseases: fever with perspiration, feeling hot in front of the body, feeling cold in the front of the body, mania, delirium, impediment in the throat, upper jaw toothache, deviation of mouth and eyes, pain in the nose, epistaxis, and acne rosacea. When the stomach is excessive, purge it. Purge the damp-heat with the following drugs: Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb and Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/ mirabilite. Treat the food stagnation with the following drugs: Badou/fructus crotonis/croton seed; Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven; Shanzha/fructus crataegi/hawthorn fruit; Awei/ resina ferulae/Chinese asafetida; Naosha/sal ammoniaci/sal ammoniac;

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Yujin/radix curcumae/turmeric root tuber; Sanleng/rhizoma sparganii/ common burred tuber; and Qingfen/calomelas/calomel. When the stomach is deficient, tonify it. When there is damp-heat, tonify the stomach with the following drugs: Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome; Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes; Banxia/ rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber; Fuling/poria/Indian bread; Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel; and Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger. When there is cold-damp in the stomach, tonify it with the following drugs: Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger; Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; Caoguo/ fructus tsaoko; Rougui/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark; Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove; Roudoukou/semen myristicae/nutmeg; Renshen/ radix ginseng/ginseng root; and Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root. When there is fundamental heat, cool it. Reduce fire with the following drugs: Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum; Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/­ rhizome of rehmannia; Xijiao/cornu rhinocerotis/rhinoceros horn; and Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread. When there is incidental heat, disperse it. Release the muscles with the following drugs: Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/rhizoma of largetrifolious bugbane; Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine; and Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean. The Large Intestine The large intestine, relating to metal element and responsible for changes, is an organ of transportation. Fundamental diseases: constipation, dysentery and blood stool, tenesmus, Gangrene hemorrhoid and rectocele, borborygmus and pain. Incidental diseases: toothache and impediment in the throat, swollen neck and parched mouth, feeling something foreign in the pharynx,

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epistaxis and yellowish eyes, pain in thumbs and forefingers, indigestion, fevers and shivers. When the large intestine is excessive, purge it. Purge the heat with the following drugs: Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb; Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/mirabilite; Taohua/flos persicae/peach flower; Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/ pharbitis seed; Badou/fructus crotonis/croton seed; Yuliren/semen pruni/ seed of Chinese dwarf cherry; and Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum. Remove the qi with the following drugs: Zhiqiao/fructus aurantii/bitter orange; Muxiang/radix aucklandiae/ costus root; Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel; and Binglang/ semen arecae/areca seed. When the large intestine is deficient, tonify it. Tonify the qi with Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust. Dry it with the following drugs: Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed; Maren/semen cannabis/hemp seed; Xingren/semen armenicae amarum/bitter apricot seed; Dihuang/ radix rehmanniae/rhizome of rehmannia; Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense; Songzi/colophonium/colophony; Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/ Chinese angelica; and Roucongrong/herba cistanches/desert-living cistanche. Dampness: Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes; Cangzhu/rhizoma atracty lodis/atractylodes rhizome; Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinelliae tuber; and Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur. Raising the sinking with the following drugs: Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/rhizoma of largetrifolious bugbane and Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine. Rescuing the evanescent with the following drugs: Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone; Bai’e/chalk/chalk; Kezi/fructus chebulae/fruit of medicine terminalia; Yingsuqiao/pericarpium papaveris/ poppy capsule; Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum; Baifan/alumen/alum; Chishizhi/halloysitum rubrum/red halloysite; Yuyuliang/limonitum/limonite; and Shiliupi/pericarpium granati/pomegranate rind. When there is fundamental heat, cool it.

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Clear the heat with the following drugs: Qinjiao/radix gentianae/root of gentian; Huajiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/prickly-ash peel; Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root; and Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root. When there is fundamental cold, warm it. Warm the interior with the following drugs: Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger; Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; and Roudoukow/ semen myristicae/nutmeg. When there is incidental cold, disperse it. Release the muscles with the following drugs: Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum; Baizhi/radix angelicae/dahurian angelica root; Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/rhizome of largetrifolious bugbane; and Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine. The Small Intestine The small intestine is an organ of receiving food and is responsible for the digestion and absorption of nutrient from the food. Fundamental diseases: watery stool with undigested food, dysuria, scanty urine, hematuria, aconuresis, bleeding after the stool, hernia in the small intestine, indigestion, fever in the night while stops in the day. Incidental diseases: fevers and aversion to cold, painful and swelling throat, oral ulcer and deafness. When there is fundamental heat, purge it. To deal with the qi, the following drugs can be used: Mutong/caulis akebiae/akebia stem; Zhuling/polyporus/agaric; Huashi/talcum/talc; Qumai/herba dianthi/herb of lilac pink; Zexie/­rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain; and Dengxincao/medulla junci/rush. To deal with the blood, the following drugs can be used: Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rhizome of rehmannia; Puhuang/pollen typhae/cattail pollen; Chifuling/poria rubra/red Indian bread; Zhizi/ fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine; and Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark. When there is deficient cold, tonify it.

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Tonify qi with the following drugs: Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes; Chuanlianzi/fructus toosendan/fruit of Szechwan chinaberry; Huixiang/fructus foeniculi/fennelfruit; Sharen/fructus amomi/spiny amomum fruit; Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven; and Biandou/semen dolichoris/seed of hyacinth bean. Tonify the blood with the following drugs: Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark and Xuanhusuo/rhizoma corydalis/yanhusuo. When there is fundamental heat, cool it. Reduce the fire with the following drugs: Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree; Huangqin/ radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root; Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/ golden thread; Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/capsule of weeping forsythia; and Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine. When there is incidental heat, disperse it. Release the muscles with the following drugs: Gaoben/rhizoma ligustici/Chinese lovage; Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root; Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root; and Manjingzi/fructus viticis/ shrub chaste-tree fruit. The Bladder The bladder is in charge of fluids in the body. Urine generates and is discharged from the bladder which is susceptible to all diseases. Fundamental diseases: frequent micturition, urgent urination, dysuria, yellowish and whitish urine, incontinence of urine or urodynia. Incidental diseases: fevers and aversion to cold, headache, stiff lumbus and spinal cord, stuffy nose, and the paralysis of the small toes. When the fundamental heat is excessive, purge it. Disperse the fire with the following drugs: Huashi/talcum/talc; Zhuling/polyporus/agaric; Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain; and Fuling/poria/Indian bread. When the lower energizer is deficient, tonify it. If there is heat, drugs as follows can be used: Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree and Zhimu/ rhizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena.

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If there is cold, drugs as follows can be used: Jiegeng/radix platycodi/ballonnflower root; Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/rhizoma of largetrifolious bugbane; Yizhi/fructus alpiniae oxyphyllae/fruit of sharpleaf galangal; Wuyao/radix linderae/root of ­combined spicebush; and Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit. When there is fundamental heat, drain it. Reduce the fire with following drugs: Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rhizome of rehmannia; Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine; Yinchen/herba artemisiae scopariae/herb of virgate\capillary wormwood; Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree; Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark; and Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry. When there is incidental cold, disperse it. Release the exterior with the following drugs: Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra; Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig; Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root; Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome; Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root; Huangqi/radix astragali/ milkvetch root; and Muzei/herba equiseti hiemalis/herb of common scouring rush.

6.13 Administration of Drugs for Five Zang Organs and Six Fu Organs: Quality and Taste, Tonification and Purgation [Explication] All drugs are featured by their four qualities: warm, heat, cold and cool, as well as five tastes: sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty. These qualities and tastes are used to either tonify or purge in clinical practice by analyzing the differences of each of the five zang organs and six fu organs. [Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] The liver and the gallbladder: Tonify them with drugs of warm qualities and purge them with drugs of cool qualities. Tonify them with drugs of pungent taste and purge them with drugs of sour taste.

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The heart and the small intestine: Tonify them with drugs of hot qualities and purge them with drugs of cold qualities. Tonify them with drugs of salty taste and purge them with drugs of sweet taste. The lungs and the large intestine: Tonify them with drugs of cool qualities and purge them with drugs of warm qualities. Tonify them with drugs of sour taste and purge them with drugs of pungent taste. The kidney and the bladder: Tonify them with drugs of cold qualities and purge them with drugs of hot qualities. Tonify them with drugs of bitter taste and purge them with salty taste. The spleen and the stomach: Tonify them with drugs of warm and hot qualities, and purge them with drugs of cold and cool qualities. Tonify them with drugs of sweet taste and purge them with drugs of bitter taste. The triple energizers and the mingmen (life gate) are treated the same way as that for the heart. Zhang Yuansu: The five zang organs should be in a state of balance. When one of them falls into imbalance, drugs of opposite quality and taste should be used to treat it. It is said that a man can be healthy if he has good appetite, and will perish if he cannot take in food. The nutrient will evanesce if the water in the body is used up, the defense system of the body will collapse if the food is not taken in. While the nutrient and defense are both gone, the spirit will have no place to rest. Therefore, blood has to be nourished and replenished, and defense system has to be warmed because in the condition of warmed blood and harmonized qi, nutrient and defense system will play their due role in maintaining the normal state of life.

6.14 Chen Cangqi’s Medication for Deficiencies [Explication] Chen Cangqi (687–757), a pharmacologist from Siming (Now Ningbo, Zhejiang) in the Tang Dynasty, is reputed for his ten-volume masterpiece Ben Cao Shi Yi (A Supplement to the Herbal). Li Shizhen argued that it was Chen Cangqi who first created the medication for ­deficiencies, but findings from modern scholars deny Li Shizhen’s argument.

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[Excerpts from Ben Cao Gang Mu] Different kinds of diseases are the accumulation and assemblage of deficiencies which can be taken as the root of the diseases. Accumulation is formed in the five zang organs while the assemblage is formed in the six fu organs. To treat these diseases, old prescriptions can be used without any alteration. However, additions and substractions should be made to suit the specific condition if the deficient syndrome is combined with tuberculosis. In ancient times, excellent and superb doctors picked drugs they used on themselves because they could identify their qualities and tastes, and also know the right time to pick them. If they are picked and collected before they are ready, they will not have desired effect; if they are picked and collected late, their effect will also be weak. Contemporary doctors don’t either pick drugs in person or know the right season to collect the drugs; therefore, they do not know the real qualities and tastes of the drugs, nor the right dosage. They are just fishing for compliments by giving prescriptions. What a shameful practice! The following list presents the cold and hot qualities of drugs and offers some drugs and alternatives to some specific conditions. For deficiency with consumptive conditions, headache, fevers, add Gouqi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry and Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/rhizome of fragrant solomoseal. For deficiency with emesis, add Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root. For deficiency with restlessness, add Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root, too. For deficiency with dreaminess, add Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone. For deficiency with fever, add Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rhizome of rehmannia, Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell, Difuzi/fructus kochiae/ belvedere fruit and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. For deficiency with cold, add Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/ Chinese angelica, Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage and Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger. For deficiency with consumption, add Zhongrushi/stalactium/stalactite, Jici/spina ziziphi spinosae/spine of spine date, Congrong/herba

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cistanches/desertliving cistanche and Bajitian/radix morindae officinalis/ morinda root. For deficiency with high fever, add Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root, and Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf. For deficiency with amnesia, add Fushen/poria cum radice pino/ fu-shen, and Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort. For deficiency with parched mouth, add Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf, and Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/rhizome of common anemarrhena. For deficiency with tachypnea, add Huma/semen sesami/sesame seed, Fupenzi/fructus rubi immaturus/immature fruit of palmleaf raspberry, and Baiziren/semen biotae/seed of Chinese arborvitae. For deficiency with adverse ascenscion of qi and slight cough, add Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of Chinese magnoliavine, and Dazao/ fructus jujubae/Chinese date. For deficiency with palpitation and restlessness, add Longchi/dens draconis/dragons teeth, Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia, Zishiying/fluoritum/fluorite, and Xiaocao/caulis et folium polygalae/stem and leaf of thinleaf milkwort. If the patient feels cold, use the following drugs: Zishiying/fluoritum/fluorite and Xiaocao/aulis et folium polygalae/ stem and leaf of thinleaf milkwort. If the patient feels hot, use the following drugs: Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia and Longchi/ dens draconis/dragon’s teeth. If there is no cold or hot feeling, use all of the above. For deficiency with lumbago but strong in build, add Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite, and Duzhong/cortex eucommiae/eucommia bark. For deficiency with much cold, add Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark, Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/fruit of medicinal evodia, Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood, and Wutou/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood. For deficiency with consumptive conditions and reddish urine, add Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root. For deficiency condition with guest heat, add Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry, and Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root from the place Baishui.

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For deficiency with cold, add Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root from Longxi. For deficiency with phlegm and adverse ascenscion of qi, add Shengjiang/thizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger, Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber, and Zhishi/fructus aurantii immaturus/ immature bitter orange. For deficiency with normal small intestine, add Sangpiaoxiao/ootheca mantidis/mantis eggs, Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone and Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat. For deficiency condition with diarrhea, add Fuling/poria/Indian bread, and Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain. For deficiency with consumption and whitish urine, add Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark. When marrow is exhausted, add Shengdi/radix rehmanniae/rehmanniae root and Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica. When the lung qi is insufficient, add Tianmendong/radix aspagi/root of cochin Chinese asparagus, Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf, and Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of chinese magnoliarine. When the heart qi is insufficient, add Dangshen/radix codonopsis pilosulae/root of pilose asiabell, Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen, and Shichangpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag. When the liver qi is insufficient, add Tianma/rhizoma gastrodiae/gastrodia tuber, and Chuanxiong/rhizoma chuanxiong/rhizome of szechwan lovage. When the spleen qi is insufficient, add Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes, Baishao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root, and Yizhi/fructus alpiniae oxyphyllae/fruit of narpleaf galangal. When the kidney qi is insufficient, add Shoudihuang/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root, Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort, and Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark. When the gallbladder qi is insufficient, add Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wildginger, Suanzaoren/semen ziziphi spinosae/seed of spine date, and Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/root of garden burnet.

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When deficiency is with obnubilation, add Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar, Yuzhizi/fructus akebiae/akebia fruit, and Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen.

6.15 Three Methods of Sweating, Vomiting and Purgation by Zhang Zihe [Explication] Zhang Congzheng, styled Zihe, the author of Ru Men Shi Qing (Confucians’ Duties to Their Parents), is a famous medical scientist in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. Zhang Zihe advances the methods of sweating, vomiting and purgation as the curative treatments of dispelling pathogens and eliminating diseases, so he is regarded as the representative figure of School of Attacking Pathogen. [Explanation of the Original Text] The human body can be divided into the exterior and interior. Similarly, the pathological changes of qi and blood can be generally classified into two aspects: deficiency syndrome and excess syndrome. The skilled doctor first treats excess syndrome, then deficiency syndrome. Doctors with poor medical skills have no therapeutic principles for treating diseases, and either treat it as excess syndrome or as deficiency syndrome. If a doctor mistreats a patient, the patient with deficiency syndrome will become weaker and the patient with excess syndrome will become more hyperactive. But mediocre doctors can only treat deficiency syndrome by tonifying and dare not treat excess syndrome. At present, doctors don’t realize their own mistakes, which is why I want to establish three therapeutic methods of sweating, vomiting and purgation. A disease is not something inherent in the human body but the result of pathogenic factor invading the human body from outside, or ­perhaps arising from inside body. Though the pathogenic factor invades the human body, it is possible to eliminate it. Whether the health can be affected when it stays in the body? If it is not so serious, the pathogen may gradually subside. Otherwise, the impact on health is far-reaching. Even worse, it can lead to sudden death.

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If the disease has not been eliminated, the use of tonics is like the robbers who have not yet been driven out, but to mend the holes in the house firstly, leading to the rampant disease in the body. The use of tonifying method will be taken into consideration only when those patients are afflicted with pulse collapse, deficiency of vital energy and no accumulation of excess pathogenic factors. All other diseases shall be treated by three therapeutic methods of sweating, vomiting and purgation to dispel pathogenic factors, and the vital energy of the human body will naturally be restored. Su Wen (Plain Question) records that the pungent and sweet-flavored drugs have the effects of dispersing, and the light-flavored drugs have the effects of inducing sweating, promoting urination and regulating body fluids. These all belong to the efficacy of yang. The sour, bitter, and salty drugs can cause vomiting and diarrhea, which belongs to the efficacy of yin. The dispersing is characterized by sweating, the surging is characterized by vomiting and the discharging is characterized by defecation. The manifestation of seepage is similar to sweating. The discharging is similar to diarrhea through urine. These treatments don’t involve the efficacy of supplementation. The so-called supplementation is that pungent drugs can tonify the liver, salty drugs can tonify the heart, sweet drugs can tonify the kidney and bitter drugs can tonify the lungs. It also needs to be compatible with the principle of monarch, minister, assistant and guide, so as to achieve the purpose of diffusing striate of skin, distributing body fluids and transporting qi and blood. The supplementation method is not only limited to the warming, drying and partial tonifying which is commonly used by doctors nowadays. Every plant in nature can be used to treat diseases. When you are healthy, daily grains, fruits, vegetables and meats are the best tonics. It is also necessary to distinguish the exuberance and decline of the five zang organs, and not to break the balance among them. If drugs are used to replenish, even common drugs like licorice and ginseng can affect the qi and blood if overdosed for a long time, leading to imbalance of yin and yang and causing diseases, not to mention those drugs that are poisonous and toxic. Therefore, the three treatments of sweating, vomiting and purgation are like the rule of law, and the dietary

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taste and tonic drugs are like the rule of virtue. It is a common sense that the idea of ruling by law shall be followed in times of trouble and the idea of ruling by virtue shall be practiced in times of peace and prosperity. While using the three methods of sweating, vomiting and purgation, I also use other methods of treatment, such as the methods of pressing, eliminating and inducting. According to the actual situation, there is an increase or decrease, and timely stop and continuation during the treatment. It’s said that some doctors don’t really follow my methods for they believing that there is something wrong with my treatments. Vomiting also includes ways for patients to increase saliva and tear secretion and to sneeze. Fumigating, washing, ironing, acupuncturing, stone needling, inducting and massaging can all be classified into the method of sweating. For example, accelerating the delivery of ­pregnant women, promoting the milk secretion of lying-in women, eliminating indigestion and edema, activating blood circulation, dredging ­menstruation, and diffusing qi stagnation, etc., all of which have the characteristics of descending efficacy and can be classified into the ­ method of purgation. Wind, coldness, summer-heat, dampness, dryness and fire, the six pathogenic factors are closely related to climate change, mostly leading to diseases in the upper part of the human body. Fog, dew, rain, snow, water, mud, these pathogenic factors are more related to the geographical environment, mostly leading to diseases in the lower part of the human body. Sour, bitter, sweet, bitter, salty and light, six flavors mostly leading to the pathological changes of human internal organs. There are three different diseased sites and three different methods to eliminate pathogenic factors. Pathogen such as wind-cold, remains in the skin or stagnates in the meridians, leading to pain, bleeding, paralysis, edema, itching, spasms and other symptoms, which can be treated by sweating. The symptoms caused by phlegm retention, overnight undigested food staying in the chest, diaphragm and stomach can be treated by vomiting. The cold pathogen, damp pathogen and fire-heat pathogen remained in the lower energizer, can all be treated by purgation. The sweating can be included in the method of vomiting and the method of purgation contains the idea of tonifying. This is what the Huang Di Nei

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Jing (Huangdi’s Internal Classic) states: “If you know the main points, you can express it clearly in one sentence.”

6.16  Eight Extra Meridians [Excerpts from Qi Jing Ba Mai: Zong Shuo (On Eight Extra Meridians: General)] The human body has meridians and collaterals. The trunks moving straight are called meridians and the branches of meridians are called collaterals. There are a total of twelve meridians, including three yin meridians of hand, three yang meridians of hand, three yin meridians of foot and three yang meridians of foot. There are a total of fifteen collaterals: collaterals, including twelve collaterals of the twelve regular meridians, one major collateral of the spleen and two collaterals of ren and du meridians. (Difficult Classics refers to them yin collateral and yang collateral.) A total of 27 meridian qi permeates the whole body, like springs running, like the alternation of sun and moon, running constantly. Therefore, the yin meridian belongs to the five zang organs and the yang meridian belongs to the six fu organs. The yin meridian and the yang meridian are connected to each other, like a circle, which has no end point, and no one knows its clue. It starts and moves in endless cycles. The twelve regular meridians are full of meridian qi, which will flow to the eight extra meridians. They will be stored for the use of warming the viscera inside and moisturizing the skin outside. There are eight extra meridians, because they do not belong to the twelve regular meridians, and there is no coordination between the interior and the exterior, so they are called qi. Because the regular meridian is like a ditch, and the extra meridian is like a lake, when regular meridian is full of meridian qi, it will flow into the eight extra meridians. Therefore, the famous physician Bian Que in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period, compared the vessel qi to rain. It rains in the sky, and the ditches (regular meridian) overflow; it rains heavily, and the water overflows and fills the lakes (extra meridian). This theory tells the truth that is not spoken in Ling Shu (Spiritual Pivot) and Su Wen (Plain Questions).

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The theory of eight extra meridians is scattered in various books, brief but not detailed. If doctors do not know this, it is difficult to explore the pathogenesis; if people who practice Taoism do not know this, it is difficult to cultivate internal skills. I (Li Shizhen) am not intelligent, and I have referenced various doctrines to compile this book for the reference of medical practitioners and Taoist practitioners. [Excerpts from Qi Jing Ba Mai Shuo: Ba Mai (On Eight Extra ­Meridians — Eight Vessels)] The eight extra meridians refer to: Yin link meridian, yang link meridian, yin heel meridian, yang heel meridian, chong meridian, ren meridian, du vessel and dai meridian. The yang link meridian starts from the head and moves from the lateral malleolus upward, running in the defense system; while the yin link meridian starts from the chest and abdomen and moves from the medial malleolus upward, running in the nutrient system; so yin link and yang link are the general principles of protecting nutritive qi and defensive qi together. The yang heel meridian starts from the heel and moves up the lateral malleolus, running on the left and right sides of the body; while the yin heel meridian starts from the heel and moves up the medial malleolus, running on the left and right sides of the body; so yin heel and yang heel are the essentials of human walking and lower limb movement. The du meridian starts from the perineum, moves along the back and runs behind the body, regulating the qi and blood of yang meridian in whole body, so it is called the sea of yang meridians; while the du meridian starts from the perineum, moves along the chest and abdomen and runs in front of the body, nourishing the qi and blood of yin meridian in the whole body, so it is called the sea of yin meridians. The chong meridian starts from the perineum, moves along the navel and runs straight up, which is the main passage of blood circulation for twelve meridians, so it is called the sea of twelve meridians; while the dai meridian runs horizontally around the waist and is shaped like a belt, so it can restrain the longitudinal meridians. Therefore, it is the concept of Heaven and Earth that yang link meridian is in charge of the exterior of human body and yin link meridian is in charge of the interior of human body. It is the concept of East and West

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that the yang heel meridian and yin heel meridian are respectively in charge of the yang qi and yin qi around the human body. It is the concept of North and South that du meridian controls yang qi behind human body, and ren meridian and chong meridian control yin qi in front of human body. It is the concept of Six Harmonies that the dai meridian restrains meridians laterally. Therefore, people who study medicine can understand the eight extra meridians, then they are able to clearly understand the functional application of the meridian theory. People who practice Taoism know the eight extra meridians, so they are able to explore the mysterious and profound ways of the transformation of all things.

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7.1  Internal Diseases 7.1.1  Fluid-retention There are six causes for phlegm, namely humidity, heat, wind, cold, ­indigestion and disorder of qi movement. Similarly, fluid-retention can be categorized as Zhiyin, Liuyin, Fuyin, Yiyin and Xuanyin. All the above-mentioned conditions are the result of attacks of pathogenic ­ humidity.

7.1.1.1  Drugs for Dispersing Pathogenic Wind, Cold and Humidity [The Category of Herbs] • Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber: This is a drug that can facilitate the movement of humidity and drive qi flow downward. When pathogenic humidity is dispersed, the saliva will dry up; when qi is directed downward, phlegm disperses. Therefore, this is a principal drug for treating fluid-retention syndrome. When the drug is prepared into Fabanxia/prepared pinellia tuber/rhizome pinelliae preparata, it can be chewed. When there is a feeling of suffocation in the thorax and diaphragm region due to phlegm accumulation, the drug can be prepared with Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger in 207

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the shape of cakes. For treating phlegm accumulation and indigestion due to intake of cold food, decoct the drug with Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel and administer the decoction. When phlegm and slobber occur in the middle energizer, take pills made of the drug with Kufan/alumen preparatum/prepared alum. When it is difficult to spit out the phlegm, administer pills made of the drug together with Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark and Caowu/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/wild aconite root. For treating Zhiyin fluid-retention with nausea, decoct the drug with Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger and Fuling/poria/ Indian bread. Take Qinghu Pill for diseases due to attack of windphlegm and humidity-phlegm. Take Chensha Huatan Pill for diseases due to attack of wind-phlegm. Take Sanxian Pill for diseases due to a disorder of qi movement with phlegm accumulation. For the aged, Banxia Xiaoshi Pill is effective for treating diseases due to attack of wind-phlegm. For small children with phlegm-heat, take pills made of the drug and with Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaematis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber, for the latter is effective for dispersing phlegm and drying humidity. Put them in an ox gall (Niudan/fel bovis/ox gall) and then dry them in the shade. For patients with strong physiques who suffer from diseases due to attacks of pathogenic wind and phlegm, decoct the drug together with Muxiang/radix aucklandiae/common aucklandia root and Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger. Moreover, Shouxing Pill can be administered for treating mental confusion due to excessive phlegm. Baolong Pill can be administered for treating diseases due to attacks of pathogenic wind and phlegm among small children. • Cangzhu/rhizoma atrachylodis/atractylodes rhizome: Effective for dispersing excessive phlegm and fluid; relieving accumulation of humidity. It is effective for removing masses formed by intermingling of phlegm and blood stasis. • Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes: Effective for dispersing phlegm and fluid as well as drying humidity in the spleen and stomach. For treating fluid-retention at the heart, decoct the drug with Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain and drink the decoction. For treating pain with masses on both flanks due to excessive consumption of alcohol, take

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pills made of the drug together with Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger and Rougui/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark. • Xuanfuhua/flos inulae/inula flower: Effective for treating accumulation of phlegm in the thorax with expectoration of greasy sputum. It is also effective for dispersing remaining fluid-retention in the urinary bladder. Bake the drug and grind it into powder. Make pills with Fengmi/mel/honey. • Weilingxian/radix clematidis/Chinese clematis root: Effective for dispersing excessive phlegm and fluid resting in the heart and diaphragm and long-lasting accumulation of pus. For treating accumulation of phlegm and fluid with asthma, coughing, nausea and retching, take pills made of the drug with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust. • Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra: Effective for dispersing pent-up fire in the lung channel with repeated expectoration of sputum and asthma. • Xixin/herbs asari/herb of manchurian wild ginger: Effective for dispersing accumulation of phlegm and fluid; dissolving stagnancy and accumulation resting in the thorax. • Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint: A primary drug for treating acute infantile convulsion. • Zisuzi/fructus perillae/perilla fruit: Effective for dispersing pathogenic wind; facilitating the flow of qi and eliminating phlegm. • Fo’ercao/herba gnaphalii affinis/herb of cudweed: Effective for ­dispersing phlegm accumulation and resisting the onset of epidemics. • Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting due to attacks of cold, humidity and phlegm to the stomach, take pills made of the drug together with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger. • The following three drugs are effective for treating diseases due to attacks of pathogenic wind and phlegm, humidity and phlegm: Wutou/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood; Tianxiong/radix aconiti/common monkshood; and Baifuzi/rhizoma typhonii/giant typhonium tuber. • Caowu/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood: Effective for dispersing accumulation of cold phlegm in the thorax

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with anorexia, cardiac and abdominal pain due to accumulation of cold phlegm. • Zijinniu/caulis et folium ardisiae japonicae/stem and leaf of Japanese ardisia: Effective for treating diseases due to attacks of pathogenic wind and phlegm. • Bailiangjin: Effective for treating acute infantile convulsion. • For treating profuse salivation of lucid fluid, drink Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf. • Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root: Effective for treating Zhiyin syndrome resting at the diaphragm with asthma and a feeling of fullness. Patients who suffer from the above symptoms should administer Mufangji Decoction. • Tinglizi/semen lepidi/seed of pepperweed: Effective for treating ­stagnant qi due to excessive fluid-retention in the thorax. • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng: Effective for treating acid regurgitation due to accumulation of phlegm in the thorax and adverse y­ ellowish condition. • Roudoukou/semen myristicae/nutmeg: Effective for treating foamy salivation due to attacks of pathogenic cold. Make pills together with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Muxiang/radix aucklandiae/common aucklandia root. • Yizhizi/fructus alpiniae oxyphyllae/fruit of sharpleaf galangal: Effective for treating foamy salivation due to attacks of cold above the diaphragm. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Caodoukou/semen alpiniae katsumadai/seed of katsumade  galangal; Gaoliangjiang/rhizoma alpiniae officinarum/rhizome of lesser  galangal; Lianjiang/fructus piperis lycii dasystemi/fruit of hainystamen  wolfberry; Biba/fructus piperis longi/long pepper; Hongdoukou/fructus glangae/fruit of galanga galangal; Jujiang/spica piperis betlis/fruit-spike of betel pepper; and Langdu/radix euphorbiae et stellarae/root of fischer euphorbia.

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[The Category of Vegetables and Cereals] • Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger: Effective for treating disease due to attack of cold and phlegm. It dries the humidity and warms the interior. • Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger: Effective for dispersing humidity, eliminating phlegm and checking upward perversion of qi. For treating phlegm syncope and sudden epilepsy, decoct the drug with Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood. • The following three drugs are effective for dispersing phlegm resting in both flanks, under the skin and elsewhere: Jiecai/caulis et folium brassicae/stem and leaf of India mustard; Jiezi/semen brassicae/seed of India mustard; and Baijiezi/semen sinapis albae/white mustard seed. Make pills with Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes. To reduce excessive phlegm, take pills made of the drugs with Zisuzi/fructus perillae/perilla fruit and Laifuzi/ semen raphani/radish seed. Micu/rice vinegar, and Shaojiu/liquor. [The Category of Fruits and Woods] • The following five drugs are effective for dispersing humidity and phlegm accumulation with expectoration and salivation: Mugua/fructus chaenomelis/fruit of common flowering quince; Zhazi/fruit of chaenomeles lagenaria; Wenbo/fructus cydoniae oblongae/fruit of common quince; Chengpi/pericarpium citri junoris/peel of fragrant citrus; and Youpi/exocarpium citri grandis/pummelo peel. • Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel: Effective for dispersing humidity and phlegm accumulation; remaining fluid-retention with nausea, retching and regurgitation. Prescriptions include: Erchen Decoction, Runxia Pill and Kuanzhong Pill. For treating a hot and distended sensation in the thorax and diaphragm due to phlegm accumulation, decoct the drug and drink the decoction. For treating discomfort with acid regurgitation and salivation, the patient shall lick the powder of the drug. To treat accumulation of cold phlegm resting in

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•

•

•

•

•

•

•

the lower energizer of the body cavity, administer the drug in the shape of pills. Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed: Effective for digesting cereals and checking upward perversion of qi; dispersing fluid and dissolving greasy phlegm accumulation. Grind the drug into powder and wash it down with water. Decoct the drug with Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel or administer its powder for treating expectoration of phlegm and salivation. Dafupi/pericarpium arecae/areca peel, Dunianzi, Duxianzi and Shujiao/ pericarpium zanthoxyli/Sichuan pepper are drugs effective for warming the interior and dispersing humidity, dissolving remaining fluidretention resting in the heart and abdomen. Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/evodia fruit: Effective for treating phlegm accumulation with salivation in the greater yin channel. Moreover, pills made of Jiaomu/semen zanthoxyli/bungeseed and Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed are effective for treating remaining fluid-­retention with abdominal pain. The following three drugs are effective for dissolving phlegm and warming the interior: Hujiao/fructus piperis nigri/black pepper; Bichengqie/fructus listeae/fruit of mountain spicy tree; and Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark. Prepare the drug with Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger and grind the drug into powder. Administer the powder for treating excessive phlegm with nausea and adverse ascension. Chenxiang/lignum aquilariae resinatum/wood of Chinese eaglewood: Effective for treating cold phlegm with deficient heat. Decoct the drug with Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood and drink the decoction. Shancai/lignum seu ramulus cunninghamiae lanceolatae/heart-wood or twig of Chinese fir: Effective for treating pulmonary abscess with phlegm accumulation. Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust: Effective for treating phlegm accumulation resting in the thorax. Pound the drug into extract juice, and then decoct till it becomes paste. Administer the paste in the shape of pills. For treating all kinds of phlegm accumulation with disorder of qi movement, burn the drug and grind it into

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powder to make pills with Laifuzi/semen raphani/radish seed. Mix the drug with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Baifan/alumen/ alum to make Diaotan Pill. The patient shall hold the pills in the mouth. • A mixer of Zaozi/semen gleditsiae/seed of Chinese honeylocust and Zaojiamupi/cortex gleditsiae/bark of Chinese honeylocust: Effective for treating diseases due to attacks of pathogenic wind and phlegm accumulation. • Baiyangpi/cortex populi davidianae/bark of david poplar: Soak the drug in wine. Drink the medicinal wine to dissolve greasy phlegm. • Huaijiao/resin sophorae/resin of Japanese pagodatree: Effective for treating all kinds of acute infantile convulsion. [The Category of Insects and Stones] • Fanshi/alumen/alum: Effective for treating excessive phlegm with salivation and fluid-retention with greasy phlegm. • Chishizhi/halloysitum rubrum/red halloysite: Effective for treating fluid-retention with repeated vomiting of fluid caused by excessive intake of water. Grind the drug into powder and administer a large quantity of the powder (one jin1). • Baijiangcan/bombyx batryticatus/larva of a silkworm with batrytis: Effective for dissolving accumulation of phlegm and wind with tuberculosis. Grind the drug into powder and wash it down with Jiangzhi/ succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger. • Guiduchong: Effective for dissolving cold stagnation with greasy phlegm.

7.1.1.2  Drugs for Dispersing Humidity-heat and Pent-up Fire [The Category of Herbs] • Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/snakegourd fruit: Effective for reducing fire, clearing the lung and dispersing phlegm accumulation. To clear phlegm and facilitate the normal flow of qi in the diaphragm region, make paste together with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber. For treating chest-obstruction syndrome with expectoration of phlegm and 1

 1 jin = 16 liang = 500 grams

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coughing, stew the seed (Gualouzi/semen trichosanthis/snakegourd seed) with Xiebai/bulbus allii macrostemi/bulb of longstamen onion. Administer the decoction. For treating phlegm accumulation with expectoration of greasy sputum due to excessive intake of alcohol with nausea and vomiting, distended ribs and borborygmus, administer the drug with powder of Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven. • Beimu/bulbus fritillariae cirrhosae/unibract fritillary bulb: Effective for dissolving phlegm, directing qi downward, relieving melancholy and moisturizing the lung. Distention due to phlegm accumulation can be treated by administering pills made of the drugs and Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Qianhu/radix peucedani/hogfennel root; Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root; Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root; Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome; Baiqian/rhizoma cynachi stauntonii/rhizome of willowleaf  swallowwort; Ziwan/radix asteris/tatarian aster root; Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf; Denglongcao (Suanjiang/herba physalis/herb of franchet  groundcherry); Yazhicao/herba commelinae/common dayflower herb; Xuangouzi/fructus rubi corchorifolii/fruit of juteleaf raspberry; Jieduzi/radix stephaniae delavayi/root of delavay stephania; Bihuilei; Caoxi; Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain; Duocai; Shanyao/rhizoma dioscoreae/common yam rhizome; and Zhusun/gemma bambusae/bamboo shoot. [The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum;

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Linqin/fructus mail asiaticae/fruit of Chinese pealeaf crabapple; Baishi/fructus kaki/fruit of persimmon with white powder; Yanfuzi/fructus rhois chinensis/fruit of Chinese sumac; Juice of Ganzhe/caulis saccharum sinensis/sweet-cane stem; Juice of Li/fructus pyri/pear; Juice of Ou/rhizoma nelumbinis/lotus rhizome; Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud leaf of tea; Gaoluye/folium camelliae macrophyllae/leaf of bigleaf tea; Ruiren/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepia nut; and Zhishi/fructus aurantii immaturus/immature orange fruit. • Zhiqiao/fructus aurantii/bitter orange: Effective for treating phlegm accumulation resting in the hypochondrium with fluid-retention, qi stagnation and distention. Grind the drug into powder. Administer the powder. • Sangbaipi/cortex mori radicis/white mulberry root-bark: Effective for treating phlegm accumulation resting in the upper energizer of the body cavity. • Jingli/succus schizonepetae/juice in fineleaf schizonepeta: Effective for treating syndrome involving vexation, heat, expectoration of phlegm and nausea. • Zhuli/succus bambusae/bamboo juice: Effective for clearing vexation and fever; dispersing phlegm accumulation and nourishing the blood. When phlegm is resting in the channels and collaterals, in the extremities, under the skin or elsewhere, this is the only drug to disperse it. • Zhuru/caulis bambusae in taeniae/bamboo shavings and Zhuye/folium bambusae/bamboo leaf: Effective for clearing phlegm accumulation and heat with nausea and adverse ascending qi. • Mujinhua/flos hibisci/flower of shrubalthea: Effective for treating disease due to attacks of pathogenic wind and phlegm with accumulation and adverse ascent. Grind the drug into powder and wash it down with water. • Fuling/poria/Indian bread: Effective for dispersing fluid-retention; draining humidity and heat. • Hezi(Helile/fructus chebulae/fruit of terminalia): Effective for reducing fire and dispersing phlegm. Heziye/folium chebulae/leaf of medicine terminalia shares similar functions. • Tianzhuhuang/concretio silicea bambusae/tabasheer.

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[The Category of Metals and Stones] • The following five drugs are effective for reducing pathogenic wind and heat, dispersing phlegm and tranquilizing feelings of fright: Qian/plumbum/lead; Qianshuang/lead acetate; Qiandan/minium/lead pellet; Hufen/lead carbonate; and Tiehuafen/ferrous acetate. • Mituoseng/lithargyrum/litharge: Effective for dispersing accumulation of phlegm resting in the thorax. Stew the drug in water with vinegar. Then pound the drug into powder. Stew two qian2 of the drug in water with wine to get a decoction. Administer the decoction. • Lingsha: Effective for treating syndrome with upper excess and lower deficiency, and excessive phlegm and salivation. • Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury: Effective for treating acute infantile convulsion with fever and fright. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Pengsha/borax/borax; and Fushi/pumex/pumice stone. [The Category of Insects and Scales] • Wubeizi/galla chinensis/Chinese nut-gall: Effective for dissolving prolonged accumulation of phlegm and eliminating heat and toxins. • Baiyaojian/massa fermentata gallae et thei/leaven of Chinese nut-gall and tea: Effective for clearing the lung and dissolving phlegm. Make pills together with Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud leaf of tea and Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone. [The Category of Shells and Animals] • The following drugs combined are effective for dissolving phlegm of humidity nature, phlegm of heat nature and prolonged phlegm: Haige/concha cyclinae/clam shell; Wenge/concha meretrics seu cyclinae/clam shell; Gefen/pulveratum mactrae conchae/shell powder of clam; and  Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell. 2

 1  qian =10 fen = 3.125 grams

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• Xianqiao/concha corbicula/corbicula shell: Effective for dispersing phlegm and fluid resting in the thorax and heart with acid regurgitation. Burn the drug in the costal regions. • Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar: Effective for dissolving phlegm of heat nature. • Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue: Effective for moistening the lung and resolving phlegm.

7.1.1.3  Drugs for Dissolving Qi Stagnation and Indigestion [The Category of Herbs] • Xiangfu/rhizome cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome: Effective for dispersing qi depression, relieving indigestion and phlegm-fluid retention, and facilitating the functioning of qi in thorax and diaphragm region. For treating prolonged phlegm-fluid retention, make pills together with the following: Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinelia tuber, Baifan/alumen/ alum, water in which Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust has been soaked. • Jisu/herba stachydis japonicae/herb of Japanese betony: Effective for dissolving indigestion with acid regurgitation. • Zisuye/folium perillae/perilla leaf. [The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • Jiuqu/distiller’s yeast, Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven and Mainie/semen hordei germinatus/malt combined: Effective for relieving indigestion with phlegm-fluid retention and directing qi downward. • Cu/vinegar and Laifuzi/semen raphani/radish seed are strong agents for relieving indigestion and phlegm accumulation, with immediate effect. • Xianrenzhangcai: Effective for dispersing cold phlegm accumulation. • Hancai/herba rorippae/herb of Indian rorippa: Effective for reliving indigestion and dispersing cold phlegm. • Sang’er/auricularia in mori/jews ear in mulberry: Effective for dispersing phlegm-fluid retention and phlegm accumulation, remaining

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fluid-retention and indigestion. Steam the drug with Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed and make pills. Administer the pills. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Mogu/chulingus campestris/mushroom; and Tonghao. [The Category of Fruits and Stones] • Shanzha/fructus crataegi/hawthorn fruit: Effective for relieving indigestion and dispersing phlegm accumulation. • Yanyangmei/fructus myica rubrae/fruit of Chinese waxmyrtle, salted: Effective for relieving indigestion and phlegm. Pound the drug into fine grains. Administer the grains. • Yinxing/ginkgo/ginkgo biloba L.: Administered raw, it has the function of reducing phlegm. • The following drugs combined are effective for dissolving phlegm and prolonged fluid retention: Xingren/semen armenicae amarum/bitter apricot seed; Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment; Fenshuang/calomelas preparata/prepared calomel; Qingfen/calomelas/calomel; Jinxingshi; Qingmengshi/lapis chloriti/chlorite-schist; Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt; and Lvfan/melanteritim/melanterite. • Yinzhu/vermilion: Effective for dispersing phlegm accumulation resting in the thorax. Make pills with Fanshi/alumen/alum, then take the pills. When a sound is heard, the pathological condition is relieved. • Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum: Effective for treating indigestion and intermingling of phlegm and heat. Calcine the drug and grind it into powder. Make pills with Cu/vinegar. [The Category of Shells and Fowls] • Madao/concha solen gonldii/shell of razor calm, Muli/concha ostreae/ oyster shell and Kuige: Effective for dispersing phlegm accumulation.

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• Bangfen/caro anodonate/meat powder of fresh water clam: Effective for dispersing phlegm and saliva accumulation in the thorax and diaphragm region with cardiac and abdominal pain day and night. Stir-fry the drug together with Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed till it turns red. Take out Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed and make pills with Cu/vinegar. Administer the pills. • Guiyanjing: Effective for dispersing phlegm-fluid retention with humid phlegm and cardiac and abdominal pain. Burn the drug and grind it into powder. Wash it down with wine. Guiyanjing, may indicate either of the following: Jimu; Yangti/radix mumicis japonici/root of Japanese dock; Ziwei/flos campsis grandiflorae/flower of Chinese trumpetcreeper; and Baiying/herba solani lyrati/herb of bittersweet. • Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterori/trogopterus dung: Effective for dispersing intermingling of phlegm and blood. Take pills made of the drug together with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Jiangzhi/ succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger.

7.1.1.4  Drugs Used as Emetics • Renshenlu/rhizoma ginseng/ginseng rhizome; Jiegenglu/rhizome platycodi/platycodon rhizome; Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/rhizome and root of falsehellebore; and Juice of Sanbaicao/rhizoma seu herba saururi/rhizome or herb of Chinese lizartail. • Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root; Shuqi/caulis et folium dichroae febrifugae/stem and leaf of antifebrile dichroa; and Yujin/radix curcumae/turmeric root tuber (administered together  with powder of Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/rhizome and root of falsehellebore). • Other drugs of similar functions include: Duheng/herba asari forbesii/herb of forbes wildginger; Shixian;

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Juice of Shihusui/herba centipedae/herb of small centipede; and Juice of Ligecao. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Fuzijian/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared fine daughter root of common monkshood; Tuguagen/radix trichosanthis cucumeroidis/root of Japanese  snakegourd; Jiji/radix chloranthi serriati/root of serrate chloranthus; Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/root of lightyellow sophora; Tianmingjing/radix carpesii/root of common carpesium; Xixiancao/herba siegesbeckia/herb of glandularstalk st.paulswort; Yangzhizhuo/rhododendron molle/Chinese azalea; Ziheche/placenta hominis/dried human placenta; Hu’ercao/herba saxifragae/saxifrage; Bajiaoyou/succus musae/juice of Japanese banana; Luobozi/semen raphani/radish seed; Kuhu/fructus lagenariae makinois/fruit of makino bottle; Guadi/pedicellus melo/muskmelon base; Kucha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud and tea leaves; Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum; Shiliupi/pericarpium granati/pomegranate rind; Juice of Li/fructus pyri/pear; Tongyou/oleum verniciae fordii seminis/seed-oil of tungoiltree; Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust; Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine; Xiangsizi/semen abri precatorii/seed of redbean vine; Songluo/usnea/long usnea filament; Retang/boiling water; Jizhi; Yanlushui/solutia salis/bittern; Shilv/malachitum/malachite; Shiqing/azuritum/azurite; Shidan/chalanthitum/chalanthite; Baiqing/white soil; Pishi/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic; Mituoseng/litharyrum/litharge;

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Fanshi/alumen/alum; Dayan/sal/salt; and Juice of Xiazhi/macrobrachium/freshwater shrimp.

7.1.1.5  Drugs for Dispersing and Purging • Gansui/radix kansui/gansui root: This drug goes directly to the loci where pathogenic water and fluid accumulate. • Yuanhua/flos genkwae/flower bud of lilac daphne: Effective for dispersing fluid and phlegm resting in the thorax and fluid-retention resting in the costal regions. • Raohua/flos wikstroemiae dolichanthae/flower of longflower stringbush: Effective for dispersing remaining fluid-retention in the stomach and intestines. • Daji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/root of peking euphorbia: Effective for intermingling of pathogenic humidity and heat, and fluid-retention. • Xusuizi/herba euphorbiae lathyris/mole weed herb: Effective for dispersing phlegm-fluid retention and prolonged stagnation. • Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed: Effective for dispersing phlegm-fluid retention and prolonged pus. • Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb, Shegan/rhizoma belamcandae/ rhizome of blackberry lily and Taohua/flos persicae/peach flower: Effective for dispersing phlegm-fluid and water retention. Pound the drug into powder and wash it down with water. It can also be used to make cakes. Administer the cake to get a loose stool. • Jiegumu/ramulus sambuci williamsii/twig of williams elder: Effective for purging fluid-retention. • Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed: Effective for dispersing fluidretention of cold nature with indigestion and constipation. Stew the drug in wine for three days and nights. Make pills and wash them down with water. For dispersing wind-phlegm syndrome, squeeze the drug in the palms of the hands to extract juice. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/glauber’s salt; and Puxiao/mirabiliti/mirabilite.

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7.1.2  Nausea and Vomiting Nausea and vomiting may be caused by phlegm and heat, or by deficiency and cold, or by stagnation and indigestion.

7.1.2.1  Drugs to Disperse Phlegm-heat [The Category of Herbs] • Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting with excessive heat, nausea and vomiting in small children. Rinse the drug to get starch. Take the starch. • Zexie/rhizome alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain: Effective for stimulating fluid circulation and stopping vomiting. • Xiangfu/rhizome cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome: Effective for treating morning sickness due to pregnancy. Decoct the drug together with Huoxiang/herba agastaches/herb of wrinkled gianthyssop and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. Take the decoction. • Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/golden thread and Suanjiang/herba physalis/herb of franchet groundcherry: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting with general fatigue. • Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf: Effective for stopping nausea and vomiting with dryness and thirst. • Qianhu/radix peucedani/root of white flower hogfennel: Effective for relieving phlegm and stopping vomiting. • Lugen/rhizome phragmitis/reed rhizome: Effective for stopping nausea and adverse ascension of qi with lost appetite. Good for dispersing irregular recurrent fever resting in the diaphragm region. Methods of preparation: Decoct the drug and drink the decoction or add Tongniao/ urina hominis/urine of boys to the decoction. • Gantai/enteromorpha/enteromorpha: Stew the drug in water to get juice. • Chixiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean • Wandou/semen pisi sativi/seed of garden pea: Effective for stopping nausea and adverse ascension of qi. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Powder of Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean; and Shicaozi/semen carecis kobomugi/seed of kobomug sedge.

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[The Category of Fruits and Woods] • The following drugs are effective for stopping nausea and directing qi downward: Fuling/poria/Indian bread; Zhuling/polyporus/chuling; Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine; Qiubaipi/cortex catalpae bungei/bark of manchurian catalpa; and Zibaipi/cortex catalpae ovatae radicis/root-bark of ovate catalpa. • Sufangmu/lignum sappan/sappan wood: Effective for treating nausea and frequent vomiting. Decoct the drug and drink the decoction. • Yangmei/fructus myica rubrae/fruit of Chinese waxmyrtle: Effective for stopping nausea and vomiting; dispersing vexation and fullness. • Pipa/fructus eriobotryae/loquat fruit: Effective for stopping vomiting and directing qi downward. • Mubaipi: Effective for stopping nausea and Vomiting. For great effects, drink its decoction. • Ye (leaf of the above drug): Effective for stopping incessant nausea and vomiting. [The Category of Waters and Stones] • Huangdan/minium/lead oxide: Effective for stopping vomiting with adverse ascension of qi. • Hufen/lead carbonate, Shuiyin/hydrargyum/mercury, Qian/plumbum/ lead and Huashi/talcum/talc: Effective for treating sudden onset of vomiting with adverse ascension of qi. Stew two qian3 of the drug in water. Drink the decoction. • Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting with excessive fire in the stomach. • Yinyangshui: Drinking a few mouthfuls of Yinyangshui will stop nausea and vomiting. [The Category of Insects and Animals] • Chantui/periostracum cicadae/cicada slough: Effective for treating vomiting with stomach heat. Stew the drug together with powder of Huashi/talcum/tale. Drink the decoction. 3

 1  qian =10 fen = 3.125 grams

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• Luduchong: Effective for treating vomiting with adverse ascension of qi occurring after lactation. Stew two to get juice. Drink the juice. • Yangshi/faeces caprae seu ovis/sheep’s dung: Effective for treating vomiting with acid regurgitation. Decoct 10 pieces of the drug in wine and drink the decoction. • Niuru/lac bovis/cow milk: Effective for stopping incessant vomiting of milk of infants. Stew the milk together with Cong/herba allii fistolosi/ fistular onion and Shengjiang/rhizome zingiberis recens/fresh ginger. • Tutougu (rabbit’s head bone): Effective for stopping epidemic incessant vomiting. Burn the drug and grind it into powder. Wash it down with water. • Renru/lac hominis/human milk: Effective for stopping vomiting of milk of a new-born baby. Decoct the drug together with Quchumie and a little bit of salt. Then drink the decoction with Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar.

7.1.2.2  Drugs for Warming and Tonifying Deficiency and Cold [The Category of Herbs] • Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wildginger: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting due to deficiency and cold. Take the drug together with powder of Dingxiang/floscaryophylli/clove. • Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome: Effective for warming the stomach, helping digest cereals and stopping nausea and vomiting. • Baizhu/rhizome atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes: Effective for stopping nausea and vomiting due to stomach deficiency occurring in women after labor. • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng: Effective for stopping nausea and vomiting with stomach deficiency and phlegm. Add Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger and Zhuli/succus bambusae/ bamboo juice to its decoction in a bamboo stem. Take the decoction. To treat stomach cold, stew the drug together with Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove. Huoxiang/herba agastaches/herb of wrinkled gianthyssop, and Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel. To stop vomiting of fluid of a pregnant woman, make pills together with Ganjiang/rhizome zingiberis/dried ginger.

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• Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf: Effective for stopping vomiting of lucid liquid. Stew the drug. Take the decoction. • Banxia/rhizome pinelliae/pinellia tuber: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting with cold extremities and accumulation of cold phlegm. Make pills with wheat flour. Boil the pills and take them. To treat nausea and vomiting in a pregnant woman, make pills together with Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and Ganjiang/rhizome zingiberis/dried ginger. Take the pills. To treat vomiting and expectoration of sputum in a baby, make pills by coating Banxia/rhizome pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove with wheat flour and baking it till it is well done. • Tiannanxing/rhizome arisaematis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber: Effective for relieving phlegm, directing qi downward and stopping nausea. • Xuanfuhua/flos inulae/inula flower: Effective for stopping nausea and vomiting with anorexia. Effective for relieving phlegm and directing qi downward. • Zisuzi/fructus perillae/perilla fruit: Effective for stopping vomit. • Xiangru/herba elsholtziae/herb of haichow elsholtzia: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting due to attack of summer-heat. • Huoxiang/herba agastaches/herb of wrinkled gianthyssop: A primary drug for treating vomiting with adverse ascension of qi due to disorder of the spleen and the stomach. • Muxiang/radix aucklandiae/common aucklandia root and Danggui/ radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica: Effective for warming the middle, stopping nausea and vomiting. • Maoxiang/infloresoentia hierochloes odoratae/vanillagrass infloresoence: Effective for warming the stomach to stop nausea. • Baidoukou/fructus amomi rotundus/fruit of round cardamom: Effective for stopping vomiting with adverse ascension of qi and dispersing pathogenic cold. Good for treating sudden onset of nausea due to stomach cold. Chew several pieces of the drug and wash them down with wine. To treat vomiting of milk of a baby due to stomach cold, wash down the drug with powder of Suosha/fructus amomi xanthioidis/fruit of cocklebur-like amomum and Gaocao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. • Shengfuzi/radix aconiti lateralis/daughter root of common monkshood: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting due to stomach cold

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and accumulation of phlegm. Stew the drug with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger; then drink the decoction. • The following drugs are effective for warming the middle, bringing down adverse ascension of qi and helping digest cereals: Suosharen/fructus amomi xanthioidis/fruit of cocklebur-like  amomum; Lianjiang/rhizome alpiniae officinarum/lesser galangal rhizome; Baizhi/radix angelicae dahuricae/dahurian angelica root; Hongdoukou/fructus glangae/fruit of galanga galangal; and Gaoliangjiang/rhizoma alpiniae officinarum/rhizome of lesser  galangal. To treat sudden onset of vomiting of lucid fluid, hold a few pieces of the drug in the mouth. • Roudoukou/semen myristicae/nutmeg: Effective for warming the middle, bringing down adverse ascension of qi and stopping vomiting. Good for treating infantile vomiting with stomach cold. [The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice: Effective for stopping vomiting with adverse qi ascension due to deficiency and cold. • Shaojiu/liquor; Baibiandou/semen dolichoris album/white byacinth bean; Jiangdou/semen vignae sinensis/cowpea; Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger; and Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger: Stir-fry the  above drugs with vinegar. Another method of preparation: Stew the drug together with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber. It is effective for relieving phlegm and bringing down adverse ascension of qi; stopping nusea and vomiting; killing parasites. • Jiezi/semen brassicae/seed of Indian mustard: Effective for stopping vomiting of food just taken due to stomach cold. • Baijiezi/semen sinapis albae/white mustard seed.

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[The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulate/orange peel: Effective for stopping vomiting, dissolving phlegm and warming the middle. Effective for treating discomfort with acid regurgitation and vomiting of lucid fluid. Take out the white Juluo/vascular aurantii/tangerine pith and grind the drug into powder. Lick the powder with the tongue tip frequently. • Shujiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/Sichuan pepper: Effective for stopping vomiting and killing parasites. • Hujiao/fructus piperis nigri/black pepper: Effective for dispersing cold phlegm and stopping vomiting of fluid right after eating. It is very effective. • The following drugs are effective for stopping vomiting due to invasion of pathogenic cold: Bichengqie/fructus listeae/fruit of mountain spicy tree; Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/evodia fruit; and Shizhuyu/fructus zanthoxyli aianthoidis/fruit of ailanthus-like  prickly ash. • Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed: Effective for stopping vomiting of fluid. Stew the drug together with Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/ orange peel. • Chenxiang/lignum aquilariae resinatum/wood of Chinese eaglewood, Tanxiang/lignum santali albi/sandalwood and Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove: Effective for stopping vomiting. Methods of preparation: Stew the drug together with Chenpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/ tangerine peel and drink the decoction; or make pills for children; or make pills with Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber. • Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark: Effective for treating anorexia due to phlegm stagnation with nausea and adverse ascension of qi. Soak the drug in Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/ juice of fresh ginger, and then bake the drug. Grind the drug into powder and wash down with rice soup. It is good for warming stomach cold with incessant vomiting. • Kelile/fructus chebulae/terminalia fruit: Effective for stopping incessant vomiting with anorexia. Effective for relieving phlegm and

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bringing down the adverse ascension of qi. Stir-fry the drug and grind it into powder to make pills. [The Category of Stones and Animals] • Chishizhi/halloysitum rubrum/red halloysite: Effective for treating a patient who frequently vomits fluid due to over-consumption of cold food. Wash down one fangcunbi4 each time with wine till one jin5 is consumed. This will stop the vomiting for good. • Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur: Effective for treating different kinds of ­vomiting with adverse ascension of qi. Grind the drug with Shuiyin/ hydrargyrum/mercury. Make pills with Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger. • Lusui/medulla cervi/deer marrow: Effective for stopping nausea and vomiting.

7.1.2.3  Drugs for Relieving Stagnation and Indigestion [The Category of Herbs and Cereals] • Xiangfuzi/rhizome cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome: Effective for stopping nausea and vomiting, promoting digestion and relieving distension. • Suoshami/fructus amomi xanthioidis/fruit of cocklebur-like amomum: Effective for warming the middle, promoting digestion and stopping vomiting. • Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb: Effective for treating frequent nausea and vomiting of lucid and tasteless fluid. Stew the drug and take the decoction. • Xusuizi/herba euphorbiae lathyris/mole weed herb: Effective for treating phlegm fluid retention with anorexia, nausea and vomiting. • Other drugs of the same category include: Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed; Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven; and Mainie/semen hordei germinatus/malt.

4

 1 fangcunbi = 2 grams for metal and mineral drugs = 1 gram for herbal drugs  1 jin = 16 liang = 500 grams

5

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[The Category of Woods and Fowls] • Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed and Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterori/ trogopterus dung: Effective for treating nausea and vomiting that hampers the intake of a medicinal decoction. Make pills with Goudan/fel canitis/dog gall.

7.1.3  Malaria Malaria may be caused by attacks of pathogenic wind, cold, summer-heat, heat, humidity, indigestion, miasma (malignant malaria) and noxious agents. It can be divided into four categories, namely, malaria of the five zang organs (liver, heart, spleen, lung and kidney), malaria of the six fu organs (gall bladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, urinary bladder and triple energizers), malaria with general debility and malaria with splenomegaly.

7.1.3.1  Drugs for Dispersing Pathogenic Summer-heat [The Category of Herbs] • Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root: This is the principal drug of the shao yang channel, and the monarch drug for treating all kinds of malaria. Guiding and assistant drugs can be added to the prescription in accordance with the conditions of cold, heat, deficiency and excess. • Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root: Effective for treating intermittent chills and fevers. It functions on the following channels: the heart channel of hand shao yin, the large intestine channel of hand tai yang, the triple energizes channel of hand shao yang, the lung channel of hand tai yin, the gall bladder channel of foot shao yang and the spleen channel of foot jue yin. • Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root: Effective for treating chills and fevers due to pathological conditions of the five zang organs (liver, heart, spleen, lung and kidney) and six fu organs (gall bladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, urinary bladder and triple energizers).

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• Huangqi/radix astragali/baical skullcap root: Effective for treating chills and fevers due to pathological conditions of the spleen channel of foot tai yin and the lung channel of hand tai yin, with spontaneous perspiration and consumptive diseases. • Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root: Effective for treating prolonged malaria and malaria with general debility. Decoct the drug and take the decoction daily. Its stem and leaf can be used to make medicinal wine: Soak them in wine. Drink the wine. • Cang’erzi/fructus xanthii/siberian cocklebur fruit: Effective for treating prolonged malaria. Add wine to make pills or drink the juice extracted from its leaf. • Maibiancao/herba verbenae/european verhena herb: Effective for ­treating prolonged malaria. Pound the drug to get juice. Take it with wine. • Malan/herba kalimeridis/herb of Indian kalimeris: Effective for treating various types of malaria with chills and fevers. Take the drug in the early morning of the day of the attack. • Xiangru/herba elsholtziae/herb of haichow elsholtzia: Take the drug together with powder of Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb. To treat malaria due to attack of pathogenic summerheat, add Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig and Maiya/semen hordei germinatus/malt. • Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb: (1) Effective for treating malaria caused by deficiency with chills and fevers. Pound the drug to get juice. Take the juice. Or decoct the drug together with Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cinnamon bark in wine and drink the decoction; (2) To treat pyrexial malaria with fevers but without chills, take the drug together with powder of Huangdan/minium/lead oxide; (3) To stop the onset of malaria, take the drug together with powder of Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root, Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and wine. • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng: Effective for treating malaria caused by deficiency with little appetite. Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis ­macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes must be added. For pregnant women and women after labor, whether it is a malaria of yin

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or a yang nature, stew one liang6 of the drug to make a decoction. Take the cool decoction. It is the same for treating malignant malaria. Moreover, Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes, Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome and Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root, are considered primary drugs for treating malaria. • Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifoliolious bugbane rhizome: When pathogenic factors are attacking yin, combine it with Honghua/ flos carthami/safflower and Chaihu Siwu Decoction to raise the sunken pathogens. • Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine: Add this drug to treat a malaria patient without perspiration. To treat chronic malaria, use together with Chaihu/radix bupleuri/ Chinese thorowax root, Baizhu/ rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes and Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome. This is a prescription with both tonifying and dispersing effects. Besides, Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage, Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome, Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/fragrant solomoseal rhizome and Niubanggen/radix arctii/root of great burdock are all effective for treating malaria with general debility. • Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica: Decoct the drug and drink the decoction daily. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root; Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag  rhizome; Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root; Zishen/herba salviae chinesnsis/Chinese Sage herb; Baiji/rhizoma bletillae/common beltilla tuber; Huhuanglian/rhizoma picrorhizae/figwortflower picrorhiza rhizome; Nvqing/radix potentillae kleinianae/root of clein cinquefoil; Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root; and Qingmuxiang/radix aristolochiae dutchmanspipe root. 6

 1  liang=10 qian = 31.25 grams

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[The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • Maimiaozhi (juice of Maimiao/folium tritici/wheat seedling) and Huma/ semen sesami/sesame seed: Effective for treating pyrexial malaria. • Jingmi/ultivarietas oryzae sativae/polished round-grained nonglutinous rice: Effective for treating malaria due to attack of excessive heat and malaria due to disorder of the lung. Please refer to Baihu Decoction for its usage. • Baihu Decoction: Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome; Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquoriceroot; and Jingmi/ultivarietasory zae sativae polished round-grained nonglutinous rice. • Shumi/husked sorghum: Effective for treating malaria due to disorder of the lung with profuse sputum. Stew the drug together with Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. • Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean: Effective for treating malaria due to disorder of the heart and malaria due to disorder of the kidney. • Hanshimian: Effective for treating malaria due to excessive heat. Make pills together with juice of Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb. Take two qian7 of the pills per dose. • Fanbaicao/herba potentillae discoloris/diverse-color cinquefoil: Stew the drug in wine. • Dongguaye/folium benincasae/leaf of Chinese waxgourd: Effective for stopping the onset of malaria. Make pills together with Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb, Maibiancao/herba verbenae/ european verhena herb and Rougui/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark. Take the pills. • Qiaoyao/herba viciae hirsutae/herb of pigeon vetch. [The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Shujiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/Sichuan pepper: Effective for treating pyrexial malaria. 7

 1  qian =10 fen = 3.125 grams

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• Ganzhe/caulis saccharum sinensis/sweetcane stem: Effective for treating malaria with general debility. • Zhuye/folium bambusae/bamboo leaf: Effective for treating pyrexial malaria and malaria due to disorder of the heart. • Digupi/cortex lycii/Chinese wolfberry bark: Effective for treating malaria with deficiency and malaria due to excessive heat. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Zhuling/polyporus/chuling; and Fuling/poria /Indian bread. [The Category of Waters, Stones and Insects] • Dongshuang (winter frost): Effective for treating malaria due to excessive heat. Take one qian of the drug with wine. • Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum: Add this drug to a prescription for treating syndromes with excessive heat, thirst and headache. • Shufu/armadillidium vulgare/pill bug: Wrap seven pieces in Yitang/ saccharum granorum/malt extract, and then swallow them to stop malaria. Or make pills together with Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/ fermented soybean. • Qiuyin/lumbricus/earthworm: Effective for treating malaria due to excessive heat with manic actions. Take the drug together with Bohe/ herba menthae/peppermint, Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/ fresh ginger and Fengmi/mel/honey. • Qiuyinni/feces of earthworm: Make pills together with wheat flour. Take the pills. • Chanhua/cordyceps cicadae/fungus sclerotia on cicada. [The Category of Scales and Shells] • Wuzeigu/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone: Effective for treating pyrexial malaria. • Guiban/plastrum testudinis/tortoise plastron: Effective for stopping malaria. Burn the drug, and then grind it into powder. To treat malaria with general debility and prolonged malaria, soak the drug in vinegar, and bake it. Then grind the drug into powder and take the powder. • Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell: Effective for treating malaria caused by deficiency with chills, fevers and spontaneous perspiration. To treat

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malaria of yin type, stew the drug together with Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra, Shuqi/caulis et folium dichroae febrifugae/stem and leaf of antifebrile dichroa and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/­ liquorice root.

7.1.3.2  Drugs for Dispersing Pathogenic Cold and Humidity [The Category of Herbs] • Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood: Effective for treating malaria caused by qi deficiency in the five zang organs (liver, heart, spleen, lung and kidney) with accumulation of phlegm and stagnation. Stew the drug together with Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date, Cong/herba allii fistolosi/fistular onion and Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger to make a decoction. Take the cool decoction. If the case is compounded by vertigo, tendency to fall down and cold extremities, add the following: Chenpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel; Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root; and Helile/fructus chebulae/fruit of medicine terminalia. (1) To treat malignant malaria, stew the drug together with Shengjiang/ rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger to make a decoction. Take the decoction; (2) To stop the onset of malaria, make pills with Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar. Take the pills to induce vomiting. • Caowu/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/wild aconite root: Effective for treating prolonged malaria in late autumn with pathogenic factors penetrating deep into the abdomen, resulting in abdominal distention with little appetite. Stew the drug together with Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/ atractylodes rhizome and Xingren/semen armenicae amarum/bitter apricot seed to make a decoction. Take the decoction. • Caodoukou/semen alpiniae katsumadai/seed of katsumade galangal: Effective for treating malaria of deficiency type with spontaneous perspiration. Bake the drug and then grind it into powder. Add the

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powder to Pingwei Powder (Powder for regulating the function of stomach). To treat malignant malaria, stew the drug together with Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood to make a decoction. Drink the decoction. To treat the onset of malaria due to exposure to natural noxious substances, soak the drug in wine with Changshan/radix dichroae/ antifeverile dichroa root. Drink the medicinal wine. To treat all kinds of malaria, stir-fry the drug with Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root till they become scorched. Then make pills. Wash down the pills with cool wine. This type of pill is named Zhanyang Pill. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome; Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra; Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root; Root of incised notopterygium; and Gaoliangjiang/rhizoma alpiniae officinarum/rhizome of lesser  galangal. [The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • Huomaye/folium cannabis/hemp leaf: Stir-fry the drug and then grind it into powder. Take the powder. • Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger: Leave the juice in the open overnight before drinking. It is especially effective for treating malaria of a pregnant woman. • Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger: Stir-bake to black. Take the drug with wine at the onset of malaria; stir-bake at a high temperature and grind it into powder, then make pills with pig gall to treat spleen deficiency. • Suan/bulbus allii/garlic: Burn the drug and then grind it into powder. Take the drug with wine. • Xiebai/bulbus allii macrostemi/bulb of longstamen onion, and Jiubai/ bulbus allii tuberosi/stalk of tuber onion share similar functions.

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[The Category of Fruits, Woods and Stones] • Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum: Effective for treating malaria with general debility. Take the drug together with Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger, Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/ fermented soybean, Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae /liquorice root, Liuzhi/ ramulus salicis babylonicae/twig of babylon weeping willow and Tongniao/urina hominis/urine of boys under three years old. • Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel: Effective for treating Jienve. Soak the drug in Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger and then stew it. Then bake the drug and grind it into powder. Decoct the drug with Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date to make a decoction. Drink the decoction. Jienve: A general term for malaria. Malaria occurring at night is termed Jienve and that occurring in the daytime is termed Nve. These terms may also refer to two-day and three-day malaria. • Qingjupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel: Effective for treating malaria and smoothing the liver. If the patient cannot perspire when needed, or the perspiration is not a thorough one, blend the drug together with Zisu/herba perillae/perilla herb to induce plentiful perspiration. To stop the onset of malaria, burn the drug, and then grind it into powder. Take one qian of the drug with wine in the morning of the day an onset is expected. Give another dose just before the onset of malaria. • Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark: Serve this drug to patients with excessive pathogenic cold. Grind the drug into powder together with Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb in the ratio of 3:7, depending on the extent of cold and heat. Take them with Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger and wine. • Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove: Effective for treating prolonged malaria. Soak the drug in wine with Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root, Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed and Wumei/ fructus mume/smoke plum. Drink the medicinal wine. • Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur: Make pills together with an equal amount of Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar. Take the pills. Or wash it down with powder of Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud and leaf of tea with cold water. • Yunmu/muscovitum/muscovite: Effective for treating malaria of yin type with chills but no fever. Grind the drug into powder with Longgu/

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os draconis/dragon’s bone and Shuqi/caulis et folium dichroae febrifugae/stem and leaf of antifebrile dichroa. Take the powder. • Daizheshi/haematitum/hematite. [The Category of Scales, Fowls and Animals] • Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone: Effective for treating prolonged and stubborn malaria. Stew the drug to get a decoction. Take the decoction. Jizibai (egg white): Effective for treating prolonged malaria. • Zhegu/francolinus pintadeanus/Chinese francolin: Stew the meat in wine to make a decoction. Take the decoction. • Zhupi (pig spleen): Effective for treating malaria of deficient and cold type. Make dumplings with Hujiao/fructus piperis nigri/black pepper, Gaoliangjiang/rhizoma alpiniae officinarum/rhizome of lesser galangal and powder of Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/evodia fruit. Eat the dumplings. • Niugan/hepar bovis/ox liver: Stew the drug with vinegar. • Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton and Huanggourou/caro canitis/ meat of a yellow dog: Both are effective for making prepared meal or for extracting juice. • Shanyangrou/caro naemorhedi/goral meat: Effective for treating prolonged malaria. Make prepared meat. • Guoranrou/meat of Guoran: Edible, effective for treating malignant malaria. Its skin is also effective for treating malaria. • Lvzhi/adeps asini/donkey fat: Effective for treating prolonged malaria lasted for years. Make pills together with Wumei/fructus mume/ smoked plum. Take the pills. • Lujiao/cornu cervi/deer horn: Effective for treating infantile malaria. Grind the unprepared drug into powder. Take the powder.

7.1.3.3  Drugs for Dispersing Phlegm and Indigestion [The Category of Herbs] • Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root:   (1) Effective for treating malaria with profuse phlegm and indigestion. It is the only effective drug for such conditions. To prevent

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vomiting and diarrhea, stew the drug in vinegar till it dries up, then stew the drug in water to make a decoction.   (2) Make pills with Jizibai (egg white). Stew the pills well.   (3) Soak the drug in wine with Fuling/poria/Indian bread and Gancao/ radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. Drink the medicinal wine.   (4)  Stew the drug in wine with Caoguo/fructus tsaoko/caoguo, Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome and Beimu/bulbus fritillariae cirrhosae/unibract fritillary bulb to make a decoction. Drink the decoction.   (5) Stew the drug together with Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root to make a decoction. Drink the decoction.   (6)  Stew the drug together with Xiaomai/semen tritici/wheat and Zhuye/folium bambusae/bamboo leaf to make a decoction. Drink the decoction.   (7) Make pills with Huangdan/minium/lead oxide. Take the pills.   (8) To treat malignant malaria, stew the drug together with Zhimu/ rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome, Qinghao/ herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb and Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed to get a decoction. Take the decoction.   (9) To treat malaria in a pregnant woman, soak the drug together with the following drugs in wine or water: Wumei/fructus mume/ smoked plum, Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root and Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum. Then take the drink. • Yuanhua/flos genkwae/flower bud of lilac daphne: Effective for treating prolonged malaria with pathogenic condition resting at the ribs. Make pills with Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar. Take the pills. • Zuiyuhua/flos buddlejae lindleyanae/flower of lindley butterflybush: Effective for treating prolonged malaria with hard mass. Simmer the drug together with Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp. Or pound it into paste to apply to the affected area. • Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb: Effective for treating malaria with bloody discharge of a dark color, profuse salivation and sputum. When a loose stool is required but the patient is constipated, a prescription should be given to bring one about. In this case, Dahuang/radix et

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rhizoma rhei/rhubarb should be added to the prescription to assist the main drug Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root. • Awei/resina ferulae/Chinese asafetida: Effective for treating malaria with phlegm accumulation, chills and fevers. Make pills together with Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment and Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar. • Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber: A drug indispensable for dispersing phlegm accumulation. If phlegm is heavily accumulated, the dosage of this drug should be doubled. Prescription: Prepare 25 pieces of each of the following drugs in the size of Zaozi/semen gleditsiae/seed of Chinese honeylocust: Baidoukou/ fructus amomi rotundus/fruit of round cardamon, Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger, Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date, and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root. Stew the above drugs with Conggen/radix allii fistolosi/fistular onion root to make a bowl of decoction. Leave the decoction in the open overnight, and then divide it into 3 servings. This is a very effective prescription for serious cases of malaria. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Sanleng/rhizoma sparganii/common burreed tuber; and Ezhu/rhizoma zedoariae/zedoray. [The Category of Cereals and Fruits] • Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven and Mainie/ semen hordei germinatus/malt: Both drugs are effective for treating malaria due to indigestion and malaria with splenomegaly. • Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed: Effective for helping digestion and dispersing miasma. Steam the drug in wine with Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root, and then make pills. Take the pills. This prescription is named “Shengjin Pill.” According to another prescription, Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scales may also be added. • Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed: Make pills with Huangdan/­minium/ lead oxide; garlic may be added. • Taohua/flos persicae/peach flower: Grind the drug into powder and take the powder to loosen bowels. • Xingren/semen armenicae amarum/bitter apricot seed.

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[The Category of Woods and Stones] • Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed and Pishuang/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic are wonder drugs to stop the onset of malaria and disperse phlegm accumulation. Prescriptions:   (1)  Make pills together with Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean and Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur;   (2)  Make pills together with Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment, Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and Maimian/semen tritici/wheat flour;   (3)  Make pills together with Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean, Heidou/semen sojae nigra/black soybean and Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar;   (4) Make cakes with Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root and Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar; then fry it in Mayou/oleum sesami seminis/sesame oil till it is well done. Grind the cake into powder and wash down with cold water. • Huangdan/minium/lead oxide: Effective for directing ascending phlegm downward and relieving indigestion.   (1) To treat various cases of malaria, blend one qian of the drug in honey water then drink the decoction;   (2) Make pills with Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb;   (3) Make pills with Baicaoshuang/pulvis fumi carbonistus/soot on the bottom of a boiler;   (4) Make pills with Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed;   (5) Make pills with Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud and leaf of tea;   (6) Make pills with Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root. The above six prescriptions are effective for relieving malaria. • Fanhong (Fanshi/alumen/alum): Effective for treating malaria due to indigestion. Make pills with Suan/bulbus allii/garlic. Take the pills. • Lvfan/melanteritum/melanterite: Effective for treating malaria of yin type. Stew the drug with Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger, Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber and vinegar to make a ­decoction. Take the decoction.

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• Fanshi/alumen/alum: Make pills with vinegar. Take the pills. • Gushihui (Shihui/lime/limestonum seu calx of ancient time): Make pills with Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterori/trogopterus dung and Tougou/ human dandruff. Take the pills. • Mituoseng/lithargyrum/litharge. [The Category of Insects and Fowls] • Baijiangcan/bombyx batryticatus/larva of a silkworm with batrytis: Effective for treating malaria due to phlegm. Make pills. Take the pills. • Linglijia/squama manitis/pangolin scales: Effective for treating Jienve (malaria attacking at night or attacking every three days), malaria of yin type, malaria with chills and fevers. Burn the drug together with Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date and then grind them into powder. Take the powder. Steam the drug together with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica, Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root and Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome in wine to make pills. Take the pills. • Yemingsha/faeces vespertilionis/bat dung: Effective for treating five kinds of incessant malaria and malaria in pregnant women. Take two qian of the drug with cold tea or make pills together with Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and Shexiang/moschus/musk. Take the pills. • Jipichizhonghuangpi (Jineijin/endothelium corneum gogeriae galli/ membrane of chicken gizzard): Effective for treating infantile malaria. Burn the drug before taking it. Xiongjishi (Jishi/faeces gigeriae galli/ chicken dung).

7.1.3.4  Drugs for Dispersing Pathogenic Qi [The Category of Cereals, Fruits and Utensils] • Duanwu Zongjian (a pyramid-shaped dumplings made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves eaten on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month): Make pills with it to treat malaria. • Taoxiao: Make pills with water. Take the pills. • Make pills with Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed, Heidou/semen sojae nigra/black soybean and Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar to treat five kinds of malaria.

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• • • •

Zhongkui: The drug should be burnt before taking. Liri: Burn into ash and make pills. Take the pills. Guxiedi (used shoe sole): Burn to ashes. Zengdai/rice steamer.

[The Category of Insects, Shells, Fowls and Animals] • Wugong/scolopendra/centipede and Leyugu (bone of Leyu) may be added to prescriptions for malaria. • Nuegui: Effective for treating Jienve (malaria attacking at night or malaria attacking every three days). Burn the drug and take the ash, or use it to prepare bath water, or wear it as an ornament. • Chixiao: Stir-fry and take as food. • Quanmao (dog hair): Burn to ashes and take. • Baigoushi (faeces of a white dog): Burn and take. • Bailvti (hooves of a white donkey): Make pills together with Pishuang/ arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic. Take the pills to treat malaria due to attack of the devil. Malaria due to attack of the devil (Guinve): Malaria with unknown pathogens, or noxious agents, bringing with irregular attacks and mental disorder. This may refer to an onset of malaria at night. • Houtougu (head bone of monkey): Burn the drug to ashes. Take the ashes with water. • Heiniuwei (tail of a black ox): Burn the drug to ashes and wash down with wine. • Wumaoshi (faeces of a black cat): Effective for treating infantile malaria. Wash down with decoction of Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed. • Lishihui (ash of feces of a leopard cat): Effective for treating malaria due to irregular attacks of the devil. • Lingmaoyin/testis et penis viverrae zibethae/testes and penis of zibet. [The Category of Humans] • Tougou/human dandruff, Tianlinggai/top of the skull and Xiao’erqidai (umbilical cord of newborn baby): Burn the drug to ashes and wash down with water.

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• Rendan (human gall): Fill the gall with Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/­ polished glutinous rice then add Shexiang/moschus/musk. Smoke and let it dry. When the rice grain turns blue, it can be used to treat ­prolonged malaria that has lasted for years. Wash down 15 medicated rice grains with decoction of Chenpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel.

7.1.3.5  Drugs to Dispel Phlegm • Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root, Shuqi/caulis et folium dichroae febrilfugae/stem and leaf of antifebrile dichroa and Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/rhizome and root of falsehellebore: Stew the drugs. • For the following drugs, extract the juice, including: Disong (Tianmingjing/radix carpesii/root of common carpesium), Xixian/ herba siegesbekiae/herb of glandularstalk st. paulswort, Lucao/herba humuli sc andentis/climbing hop herb, Shihusui/herba centipedae/herb of small centipeda, Ligecao and Sanbaicao/rhizoma seu herba saururi/ rhizome or herb of Chinese lizartail. • Zeqi/herba euphorbiae helioscopiae/herb of sun euphorbia, Raohua/ flos wikstroemiae dolichanthae/flower of longflower stringbush, Chitang (decoction of Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean), Guadi/pedicellus melo/muskmelon base and Xiangsizi/semen abri precatorii/seed of redbean vine: Grind into powder and process in water. • Niliushui and Renniao/urina hominis/human urine: Blend with Fengmi/ mel/honey and take to induce vomiting.

7.1.3.6  Drugs for External Use • Mohanlian/herba ecliptae/herb of yerbadetajo; Maogen/herba ranunculi japonici/herb of Japanese buttercup; Shilongrui/herba ranunculi scelerati/herb of poisonous buttercup; Machixian/herba portulacae/parslane herb; and Xiaosuan/bulbus allii scorodoprasii/garlic:

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  (1) Pound the drugs together with Hujiao/fructus piperis nigri/black pepper and Baicaoshuang/pulvis fumi carbonistus/soot on the bottom of a boiler to get a paste;   (2) Blend the drugs together with Awei/resina ferulae/Chinese asafetida and rouge;   (3) Preserve the drugs with Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed. • Zhizhu/aranea/spider; Hama/rana limnocharis/rice frog; and Shaorenchangshangheitu (black soil from a crematorium); Attach the above three things to the arm. • Wukuihua (flower of Shukui/althaea rosea/hollyhock): Rub between the palms. • Yuxingcao/herba houttuyniae/herb of heartleaf houttuynia: Extract its juice and wash the body with it. • Wutoumo/radix aconite kusnezoffii/kusnezoff monkshood root: Grind the drug into powder. Soak the powder in wine and then use the medicated wine to rub the back of the patient during an attack of malaria. • Guijianyu/ramulus euonymi/twig of winged euonymus: Prepare the powder of Guijianyu and Linglijia/squama manitis/pangolin scales. Blow it into the nostrils of a patient suffering from an attack of malaria. • Yanshi/faeces hirundo dauricae/feces of swallow: Soak the drug in wine and let the patient sniff it. • Yehufen (fox feces): Make pills with Yemingsha/faeces vespertilionis/ bat dung and vinegar. Hold the pills and sniff them. • Yehugan (fox liver): Make pills. Wrap the pills in silk and attach them to the middle finger. • Other drugs of the same category include: Hujing (tiger’s eyes); Hugu/os togris/tiger bone; Huzhuapi (tiger paw fur); Shexiang/moschus/musk; Ligan/hepar felis/liver of leopard; Yezhutougu (head bone of boar); Lvpigu (donkey’s skin and bone); Niugu (ox’s bone);

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ianniu/anoplophora seu apriona/citrus trunk borer or brown T mullberry borer; Malu/cervus elaphus/wapiti; Liangtoushe (snake with two heads): Wear as an amulet; Shetui/periostracum serpentis/snake slough: Insert into the ears; Renya (human teeth); and Rendan (human gall).

7.1.4  Amnesia Amnesia is a manifestation of heart deficiency, complicated with phlegm or pathogenic fire.

7.1.4.1  Drugs for Tonifying Deficiency [The Category of Herbs and Woods] • Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root: Effective for calming the mind, purging pathogenic fire and nourishing the blood. Good for treating amnesia. • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng: Effective for improving intelligence and memory. Stew the drug in Zhuzhi/adeps si scrofae/pig fat and take with wine. • Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort: Effective for stabilizing heart and kidney qi, improving intelligence and memory. Grind the drug into powder and take with wine. • Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Effective for smoothing the heart function and dredging the nine orifices. Long-term administration of the drug equips the user with strong memory and determination. Grind the drug into powder and take with wine. • Xianmao/rhizoma curculiginis/rhizome of common curculigo: Longterm administration of the drug is effective for improving memory. • Yinyanghuo/herba epimedii/epimedium herb: Effective for replenishing qi and strengthening memory. Effective for treating trances and dimness in the aged; amnesia in the middle-aged.

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• Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root, Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/ rehmannia root are all effective for nourishing the blood, calming and stabilizing the mind. • Yuzhizi/fructus akebiae/fruit of fiverleaf akebia: Effective for treating deficient condition of the heart with trance, amnesia, palpitation, vexation and melancholia. Make pills together with Renshen/radix ginseng/ ginseng, Changpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome, Shanyao/rhizoma dioscoreae/common yam rhizome and Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/solomonseal rhizome. Take the pills. [The Category of Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits and Woods] • Mabo/flos cannabis/hemp flower: Effective for treating amnesia. On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, collect one sheng of Mabo/ flos cannabis/hemp flower and grind it into powder with two liang8 of Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng, then steam it until well done. Take one daogui9 of the powder at bedtime. This will strengthen the ability to know things in the world. One-tenth of one fangcunbi,10 a small pinch of the powder. • Shanyao/rhizoma dioscoreae/common yam rhizome: Effective for calming the mind and tranquilizing the spirit. Good for treating amnesia and improving intelligence. • Longyan/alillus longan/longan aril: Effective for tranquilizing the spirit and strengthening the mind, effective for treating an impaired condition of the spleen due to anxiety and melancholy with amnesia, severe palpitations, spontaneous perspiration and fright. It is used in the prescription of Guipi Decoction. • Lianzi/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed: Effective for clearing the mind and tranquilizing the spirit. Grind it into powder and take. • Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense: Effective for treating impaired nourishment of the heart and discoordination of water and fire, amnesia with fright and palpitations. Make pills with Chenxiang/lignum 8

 1  liang = 10 qian = 31.25 grams  1 daogui = 1/10 fangcunbi 10  1 fangcunbi = 2 grams for metal and mineral drugs = 1 gram for herbal drugs 9

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aquilariae resinatum/wood of Chinese eaglewood and Fushen/poria/ Indian bread with pine-root. Take the pills. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen; Fuling/poria/Indian bread; Baishi/semen boitae/seed of Chinese arborvitae; and Suanzao/fructus ziziphi spinosae/spine datefruit. [The Category of Scales and Animals] • Bailonggu (white Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone): Effective for treating amnesia. Grind the drug into powder with Yuanzhi/rradix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort, and take it with hot water or rice soup. • Hugu/os tigris/tiger bone: Grind the drug into powder with Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone and Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort. Take the powder. • Liuchuxin (hearts of six livestocks): Effective for treating amnesia with trance. Grind the drug into powder. Take the powder with wine.

7.1.4.2  Drugs for Dispelling Phlegm-heat [The Category of Herbs and Fruits] • Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread: Effective for relieving pathogenic heart fire and improving memory. • Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root: Effective for tonifying the kidney and treating amnesia. • The following drugs are effective for easing pent-up condition of cold and heat stuck in the channels and collaterals and treating amnesia: Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf; Mudanpi/cortex moutan/tree peony bark; Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root; and Mutong/caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis/manshurian dutchmanspipe stem. • Shangluhua/flos phytolaccae/pokeberry flower: Effective for treating trance and dimness with amnesia and involuntary misbehavior. Grind

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the drug into powder. Take the powder at night. This will make the patient vigilant even during sleep. • Taozhi/caulis persicae/tender twig of peach: Effective for treating amnesia. Fill pillowcase with it or carve it as human figures to wear. [The Category of Metals, Stones and Animals] • Jiutiehua (used iron plough): Effective for treating trance and amnesia with heart deficiency. Heat it before dipping it in wine and then soak it in water. Drink the medicated water daily. • Tiehuafen/ferrous acetate; Jinbo/aurum/gold foil; Yinbo/frustillatim silveris/silver foil; Yingao; Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar; and Kongqing/azuritum/azurite. • Baishiying/quartz album/crystobalite: Effective for treating amnesia with fright and palpitations due to attack of pathogenic wind and heat. Good for dissolving phlegm and tranquilizing the spirit. Grind the drug into powder with Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar. Take with powder. • Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar: Effective for relieving accumulation of phlegm- heat and treating amnesia.

7.1.5  Fright Palpitations Fright palpitations may result from the attack of pathogenic fire (fire as a pathogenic factor), or accumulation of phlegm, along with deficiency (insufficiency of healthy qi).

7.1.5.1  Drugs for Clearing Heat and Suppressing Fright [The Category of Herbs and Cereals] • Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread: Effective for eliminating pathogenic heat from the liver and the heart, removing blood stasis from the heart, and stopping fright and palpitations. • The following six drugs are effective for tranquilizing the heart, pacifying the soul, and stopping fright palpitations:

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Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf; Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort; Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root; Mudanpi/cortex moutan/tree peony bark; Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort root; and Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome. • Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root: Effective for stopping fright palpitations, relieving vexation and stuffiness, pacifying the soul, and treating palpitations with intermittent pulse in the case of a febrile disease caused by cold. Stew the drug to make a decoction for oral administration. • Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber: Effective for treating severe palpitations. Make pills with Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra. Take the pills. • Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaematis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber: Effective for treating attacks of fright to the heart and the gall bladder with evanescent spirit, trance and amnesia, delirium and illusions. Make pills with Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and Hupo/succinum/amber. Take the pills. • Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root: Effective for stopping fright and relieving vexation, and good for eliminating ministerial fire resting with the liver, the gall bladder and the pericardium. • Longdan/radix gentianae/Chinese gentian: Effective for eliminating pathogenic heat in the liver and the gall bladder and stopping fright palpitations. • Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root: Effective for eliminating heat from the liver and treating fright and mania with vexation and fever. • The following drugs are effective for pacifying a patient who faints at the sight of fire. Stew to get a decoction for oral administration: Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng; Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root; Baiji/rhizoma bletillae/common beltilla tuber; Huma/semen sesami/sesame seed; Shanyao/rhizoma dioscoreae/rhizome of common yam; Danzhuli/succus lophantheri/juice of common lophantherum; Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree;

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Baishi/semen biotae/seed of Chinese arborvitae; Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen; Fuling/poria/Indian bread; Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense; Moyao/myrrha/myrrh; Xuejie/resina draconis/dragon’s blood; Suanzaoren/semen ziziphi spinosae/spine date seed; Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark; and Zhenshaomu. [The Category of Metals and Stones] • Pilizhen: Effective for treating great fright with epilepsy and trance, pacifying the soul and tranquilizing the mind. • Tianzijitianlixiatu: Effective for treating fright palpitations with epilepsy and attack of noxious agents. Take with water. • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction: Jinxie/aurum/gold filings; Yinxie/argentum/silver filings; Shengyin/argentum/natural silver; Zhushayin; Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar; Yingao; Zirantong/pyritum/pyrite; Qianshuang/lead acetate; Huangdan/minium/lead oxide; Tiejing; Tiefen/ferrum/iron powder; and Zishiying/fluoritum/fluorite. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Xionghuang/realgar/redorpiment; Boli/glass; Baishiying/quartz album/crystobalite; and Wuseshizhi/halloysitum/halloysite of five colors. [The Category of Scales, Shells, Fowls and Animals] • The drugs listed below are effective for tranquilizing the heart, calming the

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•

•

•

• • •

liver, and relieving fright palpitations: Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone; Longchi/dens draconis/dragon’s teeth; Yemingsha/faeces vespertilionis/bat dung; Toujia/squama alligatoris sinensis/scales of Chinese alligator; Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar; Lingyangjiao/cornu saigae tatariae/antelope horn; Hujing (tiger’s eye); Hugu/os tigris/tiger bone; Hudan/fel tigris/tiger gall; Guyangjiao/cornu caprae seu ovis/goral horn; Xiangya/dens elephatis/ivory; Shexiang/moschus/musk; Xijiao/cornu rhinoceri/rhinoceros horn; and Tihu/finest cream. Zhuxin/cor si sorfae/pig heart: Effective for relieving fright and tonifying the blood. Effective for treating puerperal fright and palpitations. Stew the drug and take. Zhuxinxue/haemae si scrofae/pig heart blood: Make pills with Qingdai/ indigo naturalis/natural indigo and Zhusha/cinnabaris/­cinnabar. Take the pills to eliminate pathogenic heat from the heart. Zhushen/pig kidney: Effective for tonifying deficient and damaged condition of the heart and kidney. Stew the drug together with Renshen/ radix ginseng/ginseng and Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica. Take the decoction. Liuxuxin (hearts of six livestock): Effective for relieving pain in the heart due to deficient condition, with fright, palpitations and terror. Zhenrou (meat of livestock killed by lightening): Effective for treating epilepsy due to fright. Preserve the meat. Renpo: Grind the drug with water. Effective for tranquilizing fright and palpitations with manic walking.

7.1.6  Insomnia Insomnia could result from a deficient condition of the heart or the gall bladder, along with pathogenic fire.

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7.1.6.1  Drugs for Clearing Heat [The Category of Herbs] • Dengxincao/medulla junci/rush: Effective for treating insomnia that the patient holds his eyes open all night. Stew the drug to get a decoction. Drink the decoction as a substitute for tea. • Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber: When yang is exuberant and yin deficient, the patient cannot close his or her eyes. Stew the drug with Shumi/husked sorghum in Qianliliushui (water running for a thousand miles.) to get a decoction. The fuel used to stew the decoction should be Luwei/caulis phragmitis/reed stem. Once this decoction taken, the patient is able to sleep. • Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root: Good for reinforcing the vital energy in the heart and the gall bladder. • Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf: Good for eliminating pathogenic heat from the heart and the lung and pacifying the soul. [The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • Shumi/husked sorghum; and Dadou/semen sojae/soybean seed: Good for treating insomnia both during the day and at night. Put the drug in a bag made of new cloth, and scorch it till it becomes hot. Apply the bag to the eyes. Also, steam the beans and fill a pillowcase with them. Let the patient sleep on that to treat insomnia. • Ganjinag/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger: Good for treating insomnia due to consumptive disease. Grind the drug to powder. Take two qian11 of the powder with hot water or rice soup to induce perspiration. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Kuzhusun/herba pleiobasti/seedling of bitter bamboo; Shuicai/herba menyanthis/herb of bogbean; Juecai/rhizoma pteridii esculenti/rhizome of esculent bracken fern; and Maqinzi. 11

 1  qian =10 fen = 3.125 grams

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[The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum; and Langyu: The above two drugs are good for treating insomnia. • Yujiaren/fructus seu semen ulmi pumilae/fruit or seed of siberian elm: Good for making people sleep well. Make it into gruel and take. • Ruiren/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepia nut: Use the prepared drug. • Suanzao/fructus ziziphi spinosae/spine datefruit: Good for treating insomnia due to deficient condition of the gall bladder with vexation. Stir-fry the drug, and then grind it into powder. Take the powder with decoction of Zhuye/herba lophatheri/lophatherum herb. Other preparations: (1) Stew the drug together with Renshen/radix ginseng/ ginseng, Fuling/poria/Indian bread, Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/­ rhizome of largehead atractylodes and Gancao/ radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root to make a decoction. Take the decoction; (2) Make pills with Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng, Chensha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense. Take the pills. • Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date: Good for treating insomnia with vexation and stuffiness. Stew the drug together with Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk to get a decoction. Take the dcoction. • Mujinye/folium hibisci/leaf of shrubalthea: Stir-fry the drug first and then stew it to get a decoction. Drink the decoction to treat insomnia. • Yuliren/semen pruni/seed of Chinese dwarf cherry: Good for treating insomnia due to palpitations. Grind the drug into powder. Wash down the powder with wine. • Songluo/usnea/long usnea filament: Good for eliminating phlegm and pathogenic heat so as to enable the patient to have a good sleep. • Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense: Acts on the heart to remove blood stasis, and effective for treating insomnia. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome; and Mudanpi/cortex moutan/tree peony bark.

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[The Category of Metals and Stones] • Shengyin/argentum/natural silver; Zishiying/fluoritum/fluorite; and Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar. [The Category of Insects and Animals] • Fengmi/mel/honey, Baiya (Yarou/caro anatis/duck meat): Stew the drug to get a decoction. • Matouguhui (ash of horse skull): Good for treating insomnia due to a deficient condition of the gall bladder. Take the drug together with powder of Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense and Suanzao/fructus ziziphi spinosae/spine datefruit.

7.1.7  Somnolence Somnolence results from a deficient condition of the spleen, complicated with pathogenic humidity and heat, or wind and heat.

7.1.7.1  Drugs for Drying Humidity in the Spleen [The Category of Herbs and Woods] • Mutong/caulis akebiae/akebiae stem: Good for treating somnolence due to disorder of the spleen. • Zhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/largehead atractylodes rhizome; Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/fragrant solomoseal rhizome; Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root; Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng; Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia; Tufuling/rhizoma smilacis glabrae/glabrous greenbrier rhizome; Fuling/poria/Indian bread; Jingli/succus schizonepetae/juice of fineleaf schizonepeta; and Nanzhu/vaccinium bracteatum/oriental blueberry. The above nine drugs are good for treating somnolence. • Ruihe/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepia nut: Good for treating somnolence. Use the raw drug.

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• Huagouye: Good for treating somnolence. Dry the drug in the sun and grind it into powder. Wash down the powder with hot water or rice soup twice a day. This should be Chuye/folium broussonetiae/papermulberry leaf, as Gou has another name — Chu. [The Category of Scales and Fowls] • Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone: Good for treating somnolence with seminal discharge. • Shijiu: Good for pacifying the mind and stabilizing the spiritual condition, and effective for treating somnolence.

7.1.7.2  Drugs for Eliminating Pathogenic Wind and Heat [The Category of Herbs] • Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/light-yellow sophora root; and Yingshi/semen rosae multiflorae/seed of Japanese rose: Good for treating somnolence with fever. • Ganlan/caulis et folium brassicae capitatae cabbage/stem and leaf; and Ganlanzi/semen brassicae capitatae/cabbage seed: Both the above drugs are good for reinforcing mental acitivity and effective for treating somnolence. • Longkui/herba solani nigri/herb of black nightshade; and Suanjiang/aqua setariae germinatus fermenatata/fermented liquid of ­foxtail millet: Both the above drugs are good for making people less somnolent. • Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica; Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root: Both the above drugs are good for treating somnolence with paralyzed and limp extremities due to disorder of the spleen. • Cang’er/fructus xanthii/siberian cocklebur fruit. Baiwei/radix cynanchi atrati/root of blackened swallowwort: It’s good for treating somnolence due to attack of pathogenic wind and heat. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Baiju/caulis et folium lactucae sativae/stem and leaf of garden lettuce; Kuju/herba sonchi oleracei/common sawthistle.

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[The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/tea bud or leaf: Good for treating somnolence that makes the patient unable to wake up due to attack of pathogenic wind and heat. • Gaolu/folium camelliae macrophyllae/leaf of bigleaf tea: Good for relieving vexation and dissolving phlegm, and effective for treating somnolence. • Suanzao/fructus ziziphi spinosae/spine datefruit: Good for treating somnolence due to invasion of pathogenic heat into the gall bladder. Grind the raw drug to powder. Wash down the powder with hot water or rice soup. • Suanzaoye/folium ziziphi spinosae/leaf of spine date: Stew the drug to get a decoction. Serve the decoction. [The Category of Animals] • Matouguhui (ash of horse skull): Good for treating somnolence due to invasion of pathogenic heat into the gall bladder. Take the ash with water three times during the day and once at night. The ash can also be used to fill a pillowcase for the patient. Also, make pills together with Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar, Tiefen/ferrum/iron powder and Longdan/ radix gentianae/Chinese gentian. Take the pills.

7.1.8  Diabetes Diabetes of the upper energizer makes the patient eat less. Diabetes of the middle energizer makes the patient eat a lot. Diabetes of the lower ­energizer makes the urine as greasy as paste and oil.

7.1.8.1  Drugs for Producing Body Fluid and Moisturizing Dryness [The Category of Herbs] • Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root: This is a very important drug for treating diabetes. It can be made into a decoction, powder or paste.

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• Huanggualou (Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/yellow snakegourd fruit): Wash the drug with wine, and then make a paste. Then make pills together with Baifan/alumen/alum. Swallow the pills. • Wangguazi/semen trichosanthis cucumeroidis/seed of Japanese snakegourd: After a meal, chew two or three liang12 of the drug. • The following drugs can be stewed to make a decoction for oral administration: Wangguagen/radix trichosanthis cucumeroidis/root of Japanese  snakegourd; and Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine. • Baishao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root: Stew the drug together with Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root to make a decoction. Drink the decoctions three times a day. This is effective for treating diabetes that has lasted 10 years. • Lanye/folium eupatorii/leaf of fortune eupatorium: Effective for helping produce body fluid and quenching thirst and eliminating prolonged stagnation caused by pathogenic humidity that has existed a long time over the spleen. • Bajiaogenzhi (juice of Baijiaogen/radix musae/root of Japanese banana): Drink the juice daily. • Niubangzi/fructus arctii/burdock fruit; and Kuigen/radix malvae/root of cluster mallow: The above drugs are effective for treating diabetes with dysuria and diabetes of the middle energizer with plenty of urine. Stew the drugs to get a decoction for oral administration. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Gantengzhi (juice of Ganteng) and Dahutengzhi (juice of Hanshuiteng). [The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • Gumi/fructus zizaniae caduciflorae/fruit of fewflower wildrice: Stew the drug to get a decoction for oral administration. • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction: Qingliangmi; Sumi/semen setariae/millet; and Maziren/semen cannabis/hemp seed. 12

 1 liang = 10 qian = 31.25 grams

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• Oumazhi (water in which hemp has been soaked); and Bolinggen/radix spinaciae/spinach root: The above drugs are good for treating a patient who drinks large quantities of water (one dan,13 or 10 dou,14 or 100 sheng15) within a single day. Take the drug daily together with powder of Jineijin/endothelium corneum gogeriae galli/membrane of chicken gizzard with rice soup. • Chuleziluobo (Luobo/radix raphani/radish root that has ripe seeds): Pound the drug to get juice or powder. Take it daily to quench thirst and moisturize dryness. • Manjinggen/radix brassicae rapae/turnip root; Zhusun/bamboo shoot; and Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger: Make pills together with Jiyudan/fel carassii/gall of crucian carp. Swallow the pills. [The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum: Effective for quenching thirst and helping produce body fluid. Grind the drug roughly and then stew it in water. Then put in Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean and stew it again to get a decoction. Drink the decoction. • Beishi: Effective for treating quenching thirst and relieving vexation. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Junqianzi/fructus disphroris loti/fruit of dateplum persimmon; Ligenbaipi/cortex pruni salicinae radicis/root-bark of Japanese  plum; and Shanfanye/folium symplocoris caduatae/leaf of caudate sweetleaf. [The Category of Stones and Insects] • Fanshi/alumen/alum; and Wubeizi/galla chinensis/Chinese nut-gall: Effective for quenching thirst and helping produce body fluid. Grind the drug into powder. Wash it down with water three times a day. 13

 1 dan (volume) = 10 dou = 100 sheng = 1000 ge = 1073.7 litre  1 dou (volume) = 10 sheng = 100 ge =107.37 litre 15  1 sheng (volume) = 10 ge = 1.0737 litre 14

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• Calcine the following drugs and grind into powder. Take it with decoction of Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp. Two or three doses will work out the ailment: Baiyaojian/massa fermentata gallae et thei/leaven of Chinese nutgall and tea; Haige/concha cyclinae/clam shell; Kuige; Geli/caro mactrae/clam meat; Zhenzhu/margarita/pearl; and Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell. [The Category of Fowls and Animals] • Xunjitang (stewed chicken): Filter the decoction and drink. No more than three chickens are needed before it works. • Xunzhutang (stewed pork): Filter the decoction and drink daily. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Su/lac obesus preparatum/butter, Lao/lac preparatum/junket, Niuru/lac bovis/cow milk, Yangru/lac caprae sue ovis/sheep or goral milk, Lvru/lac asini/donkey milk; and Maru/lac equi/horse milk.

7.1.8.2  Drugs for Bringing Down Pathogenic Fire and Clearing the Lung [The Category of Herbs] • Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf: Good for eliminating pathogenic heat resting with the heat and lung. Make pills together with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread. Swallow the pills. • The following drugs are good for treating diabetes of the upper, middle and lower energizers: Tianmendong/radix aspagi/root of cochin Chinese asparagus; and Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread. Prepare the drug in the following ways:

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  (1) Stew the drug with wine;   (2) Stew the drug together with Zhudu/ventricullus si scrofae/pig stomach;   (3) Soak the drug in juice of Donggua/fructus benincasae/fruit of Chinese waxgourd, and then make pills; and   (4) To treat a syndrome with urine as greasy as oil, make pills with Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root. Swallow the pills. • Fuping/ herba spirodelae/common ducksmeat herb: Pound the drug to get juice. Drink the juice. Or make pills together with Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root. Swallow the pills. • Lvcao/herba humuli scandentis/herb of Japanese hop: Good for quenching the thirst due to deficient heat. Pound the drug to get juice. Drink the juice. • Zige: Good for treating vexation and quenching thirst of a woman after labor. Stew the drug in water to get a decoction. Drink the decoction. • Lingxiaohua/flos campsis/Chinese trumpetcreeper flower: Stew the drug with water. • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction: Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain; Baiyao/radix platycodi/platycodon root; Beimu/bulbus fritillariae cirrhosae/unibract fritillary bulb; Baiying/herba solani lyrati/herb of bittersweet; Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia; Qini/radix adenophorae trachelioidis/root of apricotleaf ladybell; and Maogen/herba ranunculi japonici/herb of Japanese buttercup. • The following drugs are good for treating prolonged thirst due to attack of pathogenic wind: Maozhen/gemma ranunculi japonici/seedling of Japanese buttercup; Gugen/radix zizaniae caduciflorae scapo/root of fewflower  wildrice; Fukui (Chuncai/herba braseniae/watershield); Shuiping/herba spirodelae/herb of common ducksmeat; Chuncai/herba braseniae/watershield; Shuizao; Zhili;

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Youcao/herba digitariae/herb of common crabgrass; Dengxincao/medulla junci/rush; Zhumagen/radix boehmeriae/root of ramie; Kuzhang (Huzhang/rhizoma polygoni cuspidati/rhizome of giant  knotweed); Ziwan/radix asteris/tatarian aster root; Hongcao/herba polygoni orientalis/herb of prince’s-father; and Baizhi/radix angelicae/dahurian angelica root. • Kuandonghua/flos farfarae/common coltsfoot flower: Effective for treating diabetes and asthma. • Zisuzi/fructus perillae/perilla fruit: Effective for treating diabetes with edema. Take the drug together with powder of Laifuzi/semen raphani/radish seed and decoction of Sangbaipi/white mulberry rootbark/cortex mori three times a day. Edema will be expelled through urination. • Yanrucao: Burn the drug to ashes. Take the drug with Muli/concha ostreae /oyster shell and Yangfei/pulmo caprae seu ovis/sheep or goral lung. [The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • Xiaomai/semen tritici/wheat: Take it as porridge or steam it. • Maiqiu: Effective for quenching thirst and relieving vexation. • Yiyiren/semen coicis/coix seed: Stew the drug to get a decoction. • Heidou/semen sojae nigra/seed of black soybean: Put the drug into Niudan/fel bovis/ox gall for 100 days. Swallow it. • Dadoumiao/gemma sojae/soybean seedling: Bake the drug with Su/lac obesus preparatum/butter, and then grind it into powder. Take the powder. • Chixiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean: Stew the drug to get a decoction. • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction: (Do not put in salt.) Fubi/Japanese premna herb; and Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean. • Donggua/frutus benincasae/fruit of Chinese waxgourd: Effective for smoothing urination and quenching thirst due to diabetes. Dry pulp to get juice. Its seedling, leaf and seed are effective.

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[The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction: Lizhi (juice of Li/fructus pyri/pear); and Anluoguo/fructus phyllanthi/fruit of emblic leafflower. • The following drugs are effective for quenching thirst due to diabetes with frequent urination and exceptionally good appetite. Stew the drugs to get a decoction for oral administration: Linqin/fructus mail asiaticae/fruit of Chinese pearleaf crabapple; Jishi (Lingjiao/fructus trapae/water calptrop); Xigua/citrullus vulgaris/watermelon; Ganzhe/caulis saccharum sinensis/sweet-cane stem; Wuyu/cornus eleocharis dulcis/waternut corm; and Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree. • Sangbaipi/white mulberry root-bark/cortex mori: Stew the drug to get a decoction. • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction and drink daily. Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry; Jingli/succus schizonepetae/juice of fineleaf schizonepeta; and Zhuli/succus bambusae/bamboo juice. • Zhuye/herba lophatheri/lophatherum herb; and Fuling/poria/Indian bread: The above drugs are good for treating a pathological condition with upper excess and lower deficiency. Diabetes results when exuberant fire exhausts water, causing great thirst. Stew the drug to get a decoction. Make pills together with equal amount of Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread and Tianhuafen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root. Swallow the pills. • Zhuling/polyporus/agaric. [The Category of Utensils] • Gumaxiedi (sole of used hemp sandals): Stew the drug to get a decoction. Drink the decoction. • Jingsuotouhui (ash of noose used to fetch well water): Wash down the drug with water. • Huangjuan (yellow tough silk): Stew the drug to get a decoction.

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[The Category of Waters and Stones] • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction: Xinjishui (water just fetched); Laxueshui (water melted from winter snow); Xiabing (ice preserved to summer); Ganlu (sweet dew); Liquan; and Wuguwa. • Heiqian/plumbum/lead: Process the drug together with Shuiyin/ hydrargyrum/mercury to get a substance similar to mud. Hold a small piece the size of a soybean grain in the mouth. Swallow the juice little by little. • Qianbaishuang/lead acetate: Make pills with Baifan/alumen/alum. Hold the pill in the mouth and swallow the juice little by little. • Huangdan/minium/lead oxide: Take one qian16 with water just fetched. • Mituoseng/lithargyrum/litharge: Make pills together with Huanglian/ rhizoma coptidis/golden thread. Swallow the pills. • Xilinzhi: Effective for treating diabetes of the triple energizers. • Huashi/talcum/talc; Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum; Changshi/anthydritum/anthydrite; and Wumingyi/pyrolusitum/pyrolusite: Make pills together with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread. Swallow the pills. • Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar: Good for quenching the thirst and relieving vexation. • Ningshuishi/caleitum/calcite; Lujian/crystallus bittern/bitten crystal; and Tangpingjian: Make pills with Sumi/semen setariae/millet and swallow with decoction of Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng. Swallow 20 pills per dose. Other methods of preparation:

16

 1  qian =10 fen = 3.125 grams

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  (1) Stew the drug together with Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine and Shuiping/herba spirodelae/herb of common ducksmeat to get a decoction for oral administration;   (2) Stew the drug together with Baqia/rhizoma smilacis chinensis/ rhizome of chinaroot greenbrier and powder of Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum to get a decoction for oral administration. • Fushi/pumex/pucice stone: Stew the drug to get a decoction for oral administration. Other methods of preparation:   (1)  Take the drug together with Qingdai/indigo naturalis/natural indigo and Shexiang/moschus/musk;   (2)  Blend the drug with Gefen/pulveratum mactrae conchae/shell powder of clam, powder of Chantui/periostracum cicadae/cicada slough and Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall. Take it. [The Category of Insects and Animals] • Shiyan/fossilia spiriferis/fossil shell of spirifer: Stew the drug to get a decoction. Drink the decoction to treat prolonged diabetes. • Canjian/bombyx bomycis/silk cocoon: Stew the drug to get a decoction. Drink the decoction • Canyong/pupa bombycis/silkworm pupa: Stew the drug in wine and drink. • Cansha/faeces bombycis/silkworm faeces: Bake the drug, and then grind it into powder. Wash down two qian of the drug with cold water. A few doses will work. • Soak the following drugs in water and drink the water. Or grind the drugs to get juice: Saositang (water in which silk cocoon has been boiled); Xuecan; and Woniu/eulota/snail. • Tianluo/cipangopalundina/river snail: Soak the drug in water. Drink the water. • Soak the following drugs in water and drink the water: Woluo/bellamya/spiral shell; and Xianrou/caro corbiculae/corbicula meat. • Haiyue/caro placunae/window shell meat; Zhupao/urocystis si scrofae/pig bladder:

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Burn the above drugs, and then grind into powder. Wash down the powder with wine. • Xiongzhudan (Zhudan/fel si scrofae/gall of a male pig): Make pills with Dingfen/lead carbonate. Swallow the pills. • Niudan/fel bovis/ox gall: Effective for quenching thirst with hot feeling in the epigastrium and abdomen.

7.1.8.3  Drugs for Tonifying Deficiency and Moisturizing Yin [The Category of Herbs] • The following drugs are good for quenching the thirst and relieving vexation. Stew the drugs to get a decoction for oral administration: Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome; and Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/fragrant solomoseal rhizome. • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng: Effective for helping produce body fluid and quench thirst. Grind the drug into powder, and blend with Jiziqing (egg white). Other preparations:   (1) Make pills with Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root. Swallow the pills;   (2)  Make pills with Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root and Zhudanzhi/succus fel si scrofae/pig bile. Swallow the pills; and   (3) Make paste with powder of Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine and Fengmi/mel/honey. Take the paste. • Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root: Effective for quenching thirst due to deficient condition or thirst after abscess has formed. Take the drug together with half the quantity of raw Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/ liquorice root and half the quantity of prepared Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root in the form of powder. • Xiangfu/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome: Effective for treating chronic diabetes due to deficient condition of the lower energizer. Soak the drug in juice of Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root and then dry in the sun. Then make pills. Swallow the pills. • Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/fruit of Chinese magnoliarine: Effective for helping produce body fluid and tonifying the kidneys.

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• Tusizi/semen cuscutae/dodder seed: Stew the drug to get a decoction. Drink the decoction. • Qiangweigen/radix rosae multiflorae/root of Japanese rose: Stew the drug in water. • Baqia/rhizoma smilacis chinensis/rhizome of chinaroot greenbrier: Stew the drug together with Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum to make a decoction. Drink the decoction. • Other drugs of similar functions include: Fupenzi/fructus rubi immaturus/immature fruit of palmleaf raspberry; Xuangouzi/fructus rubi corchorifolii/fruit of juteleaf raspberry. [The Category of Cereals, Vegetables, Fruits and Woods] • Nuomifen (powder of Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice): Make one dou of gruel and eat. Or squeeze juice and blend with Fengmi/mel/honey. Drink the juice. • Nuogu (rice with husk, paddy): Stir-fry the drug till it breaks open. Stew the drug together with Sangbaipi/white mulberry root-bark/cortex mori to make a decoction. Drink the decoction to treat diabetes of three portions. • Daorangxinhui (ash of rice stalk): Soak the drug in water. Drink the water. • Baibiandou/semen dolichoris album/white hyacinth bean: Make pills with juice of Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root. Swallow the pills. • Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion: Stew the drug in water without adding salt. Eat as much as 10 jin17 to get its full efficacy. • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction for oral administration: Juice of Ou/rhizoma nelumbinis/lotus rhizome; Yezijiang/succus cocois endospermio/endosperm-juice of coconut; and Like/pericarpium castaneae/chestnut capsule. • Gouqizi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry; and Sangshen/fructus mori/mulberry: Eat it separately, • Songzi/colophonium/colophony. 17

 1 jin = 16 liang = 500 grams

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[The Category of Stones, Scales, Fowls and Animals] • Prepare the following drugs with Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/tea bud or leaf, and then bake. Eat the prepared fish. No more than several pieces are needed: Yushi; Shizhongru/stalactium/stalactite; Gejie/gecho/tokay; Liyu/cyprinus/carp; and Jiayu/carassius/crucian carp. • Erou/caro anseris/goose meat: Stew the drug to get a decoction. • Stew the following drugs to get a decoction: Baixiongji (white cock); and Huangciji (yellow hen). • Zhi/phasianus/ring-necked pheasant: Stew the drug to get a decoction. • Baige (Gerou/caro columbae/meat of a white pigeon): Slice the meat and stew with Tusu and take. Tusu, another name of Laifu/radix raphani/radish root. But the Chinese characters, though having the same sound, are different. In this instance, it is most likely Laifu/radix raphani/radish root. • The following drugs are good for treating mania with irritability and thirst: Xiongquerou (Querou/passer montanus/house sparrow meat); and Baiourou (meat of Hongzuiou/larus ridibundus linnaeus/black headed gull). • Xiongzhudu (Zhudu/ventricullus si scrofae/male pig stomach): Stew the drug to get a decoction. Drink the decoction. Master Zhang Zhongjing’s prescription. Steam the following drugs together and then make pills: Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread; Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome; Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf; Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root; and Liangmi/semen setariae/millet. Swallow the pills. • Zhujigu (pig’s spinal bone): Stew the drug together with Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root, Muxiang/radix aucklandiae/common

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aucklandia root, Shilianzi/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed and Dazao/ fructus jujubae/Chinese date to make a decoction for oral administration. • The following drugs are good for treating diabetes of the lower energizer: Zhushen/ren si scrofae/pig kidney; and Yangshen/ren caprae seu ovis/sheep or goat kidney. • Yangdu/ventricullus caprae sue ovis/sheep stomach: Effective for treating diabetes due to deficient condition of the stomach. • Yangfei/pulmo caprae seu ovis/sheep or goral lung; and Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton: Stew the above drugs with Kuhuzi/semen lagenariae makinois/seed of makino bottle, Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger and wheat flour to make gruel and take. • Stew the following drugs together with juice of Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/snakegourd fruit to make a paste and take. Niudu/ventricullus bovis/ox stomach; Niusui/medulla bovis/ox marrow; and Niuzhi/sebum tourinum/ox fat. • Stew the following drugs together with Shiyan/fossillia spiriferis/fossil shell of spirifer to make a decoction for oral administration: Niunao/myelencephalon bovis/ox brain; Shuiniurou/caro bulbali/water buffalo meat; and Niubi (ox’s nose). • Stew both of the following drugs to get a decoction for oral administration: Turou/caro cuniculi/rabbit meat; and Tutougu (head bone of rabbit). • Lutou (deer’s head): Stew the drug to get a decoction for oral administration.

7.1.8.4  Drugs for Killing Parasites [The Category of Woods and Stones] • Kulianpi/cortex meliae/bark of szechwan chinaberry: Effective for treating diabetes complicated with parasites. Stew the drug in water

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and then add Shexiang/moschus/musk. This is a prescription that has been kept a secret for a long time. Or grind the drug with Huixiang/ fructus foeniculi/fennel fruit into powder. Take the powder. • Yanjiao: Soak the drug together with Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger in water. Drink the water daily. • Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury: Effective for treating diabetes with vexation and fever. Process the drug together with Qian/plumbum/lead to get an alchemical drug. Blend the drug with Su/lac obesus preparatum/butter, Zaojia/fructus gleditisiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust and Shexiang/moschus/musk. Then grind the whole thing into powder. Take the powder. • Cihuang/orpimentum/orpiment: Effective for treating diabetes due to disordered condition of the kidney with frequent urination. Stir-fry the drug together with Shiyan/sal/salt and Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/ dried ginger, and then make pills. Swallow the pills. [The Category of Scales and Fowls] • Shantou (head of Shangyu/monopterus/mud eel); and Niqiu/misgurnus/loach: Burn the drug, and then grind it into powder. Take the powder with Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint and water just fetched. • Jiyudan/fel carassii/gall of crucian carp; Jichang (chicken’s intestine); and Jineijin/endothelium corneum gogeriae galli/membrane of chicken gizzard: It is good for treating diabetes of the middle energizer with great thirst. Stir-fry the drug together with Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/ snakegourd root, and then grind them into powder. Make pills. Swallow the pills. • Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterori/trogopterus dung: Take three qian of the drug and powder of Heidou/semen sojae nigra/seed of black soybean as a dose. Wash down with decoction of Dongguapi/exocarpium benincasae/peel of Chinese waxgourd. [The Category of Animals and Humans] • Goudan/fel canitis/dog gall: Effective for quenching thirst and killing parasites.

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• Niushi/faeces bovis/ox dung: Squeeze the thing to get juice. Drink the juice. • Shexiang/moschus/musk: Effective for treating diabetes due to overconsumption of alcohol, food or fruit. Grind the drug and make pills together with wine. Wash down with decoction of Zhijuzi/fructus hoveniae/fruit of Japanese raisin tree. • Niubiquan (nose ring of an ox): Stew the drug to get a decoction. Drink the decoction. Or burn the drug into ashes. Wash down the ashes with wine. • Zhongrennikengshui: Drink.

7.2  Surgical Diseases 7.2.1  Diseases of the Eye Diseases of the eye include reddened eye, internal ophthalmopathy, blurring of vision and blindness, external ophthalmopathy and nebula, eye squinting caused by physical injury.

7.2.1.1  Drugs for Eliminating Reddened and Swollen eye [The Category of Herbs] • Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread: Effective for treating reddened and swollen eye, purging liver and gallbladder and heart fire, but it cannot be taken for too long. To treat painful and itchy pink eye with tears and photopobia, soak it in Jizibai/egg white and drip it into the eye, steam it with Renru/lac hominis/human milk and then drip it; simmer it with Dongqing/ilicis purpureae/holly and then drip it; simmer it with Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger and Xingren/semen armeniacae amarae/bitter apricot seed, then drip it; blend it with water to make a paste, then apply it to the sole centre; To treat marginal blephariti, steam it with Renru/lac hominis/human milk, Huaihua/flos sophorae/pagodatree flower and Qingfen/calomelas/calomel and then rub the diseased area with hot compression.

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To treat blindness and nebula caused by the attack of wind-heat, make pills with Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver, then take them. • Huhuanglian/rhizome picrorhizae/figwortflower picrorhiza rhizome: Soak it in Renru/lac hominis/human milk, then drip it into reddened eye. For infants, apply it to the sole center. • Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root: Effective for treating reddened and swollen eye and blood stasis. • Shaoyao/paeonia/poeny: Effective for treating irritation and pain of reddened eye, it can tonify liver and improve the eyesight. • Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root: Effective for treating swelling and pain of reddened eye.To treat pain in the pupil of the eye caused by the attack of liver wind, make pills with Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed, then take them. • Baiqianniu/semen pharbitidis/white pharbitis seed: Effective for treating reddened eye caused by wind-heat, stew it with Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk, and then make pills. • Longdan/radix gentianae/Chinese gentian: Effective for treating reddened and swollen eye with pterygium and unbearable pain. It can remove pathogenic liver and gallbladder heat and eliminate yellow color in the eye. When assisting with Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root, it is an indispensable drug for treating eye diseases. To treat irritation of the eye in summer, drip it with juice of Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread To treat secretion of pus, take it with the powder of Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica. • Weirui/rhizome polygonati odorati/fragrant solomoseal rhizome: Effective for treating blepharitis angularis and dacryorrhea. To treat irritation and pain of the eye, stew it with Shaoyao/paeonia/ poeny, Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread, and wash the eye with the decoction. • Baizhi/radix angelicae dahuricae/dahurian angelica root: Effective for treating reddened eye with pterygium, itchy tears caused by attack of head wind.

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To treat all kinds of eye diseases, mix it with Xionghuang/realgar/ red orpiment to make pills, then take them. • Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint: Effective for eliminating wind-heat. To treat marginal blepharitis, soak it in juice of Shengjiang/rhizoma aingiberis recens/fresh ginger, then wash the eye with the decoction. • Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb: Effective for treating all kinds of head and eye diseases caused by wind-heat. Grind it into powder and take it with wine. • Lanye/folium eupatorii/leaf of fortune eupatorium: Effective for treating painful and hot reddened eye. Stew it with Cheqian/herba plantaginis/plantain herb and Danzhuye/herba lophatheri/lophatherum herb, then wash the eye with the decoction. • Yinchen/herba artemisiae scopariae/virgate wormwood herb: Effective for treating reddened and swollen eye. Grind it with Cheqianzi/semen plantaginis/plantain seed to powder and then take it. • Wangguazi/sementrichosanthis cucumeroidis/Japanese snakegourd seed: Effective for treating irritation and pain of reddened eye. Make pills with Huaihua/flos sophorae/pagodatree flower and Shaoyao/paeonia/poeny, then take the pills. • Xiangfu/rhizome cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome: Effective for treating painful eye with photophobia caused by liver deficiency. Take it with powder of Xiakucao/spica prunellae/common selfheal fruitspike and water of Shatang/sacchari albicans/granulated sugar. To treat pain in the eye caused by headache, take it with powder of Chuanxiong/ rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome and tea. • Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root: Effective for treating sudden pain in the eye. Wash it with wine for three times and grind it into powder and then take it. • Xiakucao/spica prunellae/common selfheal fruit-spike: Since it can tonify the jue yin blood vessel, so it’s effective for treating pain in the eye. • Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Effective for treating all kinds of reddened eye. Pound it and stew it to get the paste, then drip it. When used with yan/sal/salt, it’s effective for treating stye. • Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root: Effective for treating redness of eye occurring after sleep caused by blood heat. Stew it with rice

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to make porridge, then eat it. To treat sudden pain in the eye and infant’s reddened eye, plaster it. • Difuzi/fructus kochiae/belvedere fruit: Effective for treating reddened eye caused by wind-heat, make pies with Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/ rehmannia root, dry it and grind it into powder, then take it. • Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/light-yellow sophora root and Xixin/herba asari/manchurian wild ginger can improve the eyesight, tonify liver and gallbladder, and stop lacrimation induced by wind. • Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baikal skullcap root and Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/weeping forsythia fruit can wash marginal blepharitis. Besides the above two, Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb can also treat reddened eye caused by heat toxin. • The following eight drugs are effective for treating swelling and pain of reddened eye caused by wind-heat: Chishaoyao/paeoniae rubra/red peony; Baiji/rhizoma bletillae/tuber of common bletilla; Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root; Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root; Baixianpi/cortex dictamni/dittany root-bark; Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root; Zelan/herba lycopi/bugleweed herb; and Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra. • The following four drugs can be used to drip into the reddened eye: Yehujiangcaozhi (juice of Yehujiangcao/Tusizi/semen cuscutae/dodder herb); Jixuecaozhi (juice of Jixuecao/herba centellae/asiatic pennywort  herb); Qumaizhi (juice of Qumai/herba dianthi/liliac pink herb); and Cheqiancaozhi (juice of Cheqiancao/herba plantaginis/plantain  herb). Their leaves can also be applied. • Qianlijizhi (juice of Qianliji/herba senecionis sc entis/herb of climbing groundsel) can be used to drip into the eye with marginal blepharitis. • Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/Chinese magnolivine fruit: Stew the drug with Manjingzi/fructus viticis/shrub chaste-tree fruit, then wash the marginal blepharitis with the decoction.

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• Aiye/folium frtemisia argyi/arigyi wormwood leaf: Stew the drug with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread, then wash the reddened eye with the decoction. • Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood: Effective for treating sudden pain in reddened and swollen eye. Apply it the size of a grain of millet to the eye. • Gaoliangjiang/rhizome alpiniae officinarum/lesser galangal rhizome: Insufflate the powder of the drug into the nose to eliminate reddened eye. • Gouweicao/herba setariae viridis/herb of green bristlegrass: Effective for treating reddened eye and remove blood stasis. • Shihu/herba dendrobii/dendrobium: Insufflate the powder of the drug with Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome into the nose to treat trichiasis. Apply Mubiezi/semen momordicae/cochinchina momordica seed to treat trichiasis. [The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • Sugandian (Sumigan/aqua semen setariae preparatum/millet water): Blend the drug with Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root and rub the congestive eye with the hot compression. • Doufu/bean: Apply the drug to the eye while it’s still hot. • Heidou/semen sojae nigra/seed of black soybean: Put the drug in a bag and soak it in hot water. Apply the hot bag to the eye. Shaojiu/liquor can be used to wash reddened eye. • Shengjiang/rhizoma aingiberis recens/fresh ginger: Effective for treating reddened and swollen eye of a sudden onset, drip its juice into the eye. • Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger: Effective for treating prolonged reddened eye with cold tear and itching. Soak it in water and wash the eye. It’s good to get its powder to drip into the eye. What’s more, the powder can be applied to the sole center. • Dongfengcai: Effective for treating reddened eye caused by excessive liver heat. Take it as porridge. • Jicai/herba capsellae/shepherd’s purse. • Gouqicai/cortex lycii/Chinese wolfberry bark.

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[The Category of Fruits] • Xigua/citrullus vulgaris/watermelon: Dry the drug under the sun, and grind it into powder. • Shilianzi/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed: Effective for treating reddened eye with pain. Make porridge with Jingmi/ultivarietas oryzae sativae/ polished round-grained nonglutinous rice. Take the porridge. • Lizhi (Juice of Li/fructus pyri/pear): Drip it onto the pterygium to treat reddened eye. Blend it with Nifen/calomelas/calomel and powder of Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread. • Ganzhezhi (juice of Ganzhe/caulis saccharum sinensis/sweet-cane stem): Stew it with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread. Drip the reddened and swollen eye of a sudden onset. • Xingren/semen armeniacae amarae/bitter apricot seed: Bury the drug with Guqian/ancient copper coin together in the ground. They will be dissolved into fluid. Drip it into the eye to treat hyperemia of subconjunctival capillaries. Blend with Nifen/calomelas/calomel and drip into the eye to treat blood eye of an infant. Burn the oil of it to treat the reddened eye of a new-born baby. • Shiliupi/pericarpium granati/pomegranate rind can be used to treat the eye tear. • Yanfuzi/fructus rhois chinensis/fruit of Chinese sumac can be used to wash reddened eye caused by the attack of wind. [The Category of Woods] • The following three drugs can also be used to wash reddened eye caused by the attack of wind: Haitongpi/cortex erythrinae/coral-bean bark; Shanfanye/folium symplocos caduatae/leaf of caudate sweetleaf:  Soak it with Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger in hot water; and Huanglu/folium et ramulus cotini/smoketree twig. • Tongyou/oleum verniciae fordii seminis/seed-oil of tungoil tree: Effective for treating reddened eye caused by attack of wind. • Qinpi/cortex fraxini/ash bark: The drug can be used to wash reddened and swollen eye. To treat sudden onset of swollen eye, stew it with

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Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread and Kuzhuye/folium pleioblasti/bitter bamboo leaf to make a decoction, then drink it. • Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/Chinese corktree bark: Effective for treating reddened eye with pain and hot feeling and purge the yin fire. To treat epidemic reddened eye, soak it in water and steam it. Then wash the eye. To treat reddened eye of an infant, soak it in Renru/lac hominis/ human milk. Drip into the eyes. • Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/cape-jasmine fruit: Effective for treating reddened eye with pain and improve vision. • Gouqipi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry: The drug can be used to wash epidemic reddened eye. • Chuzhihui (ash of Chuzhi/broussonetia papyrifera/papermulberry): Soak it in water to wash the reddened eye. • Jushupi/cortex zelkovae/bark of schneider zelkova: The drug can be used to wash reddened eye with blood. • Luanhua/flos koelreuteriae paniculatae/flower of apniculate goldraintree: Effective for treating reddened and swollen eye with blepharitis angularis and pain. Stew it with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread to make a decoction. Drip it into the eye. • Huaihua/flos sophorae/pagodatree flower: Effective for treating the reddened eye. Grind Huaizhi/ramulus sophorae/twig of Japanese pagodatree against a copper container to obtain juice. Apply it to treat fetal redness. • Dongqingye (leaf of Dongqing/ilicis purpureae/holly /holly): Stew the drug with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread to make paste and drip into the reddened eye. Juice of fruit of Dongqing/ilicis purpureae/holly can be used with Poxiao/mirabiliti/mirabilite to drip into the eye. • Mufurongye (leaf of Mufurong/hibiscus mutabilis/cotton rose hibiscus): Blend the drug with water and apply it to the temples to stop pain in the reddened eye. • Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/cloves: Effective for treating a hundred kinds of eye diseases. Stew it with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread in Renru/lac hominis/human milk. Drip into the eyes.

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• Ruiheren/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepianut: Blend the drug with Hufen/lead carbonate and Longnao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol and drip into the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis. • Yuliren/semen prunic/Chinese dwarf cherry seed: Blend the drug with Longnao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol and drip into the reddened eye. • Danzhuli/succus lophantheri/juice of common lophatherum: The drug can be used to drip into the reddened eye. • Jingli/succus schizonepetae/juice of fineleaf schizonepeta: The drug can be used to drip into the reddened eye. • Helile/fructus chebulae/fruit of medicine terminalia: Grind the drug and blend it with Fengmi/mel/honey. Then drip into the painful eye caused by attack of wind. • Sangye/folium mori/mulberry leaf: Effective for treating reddened eye with pain and irritation. Grind it into powder and roll it with paper. Burn the roll to fumigate nostrils. • Baijigou/white spine can be used to drip into an eye with trichiasis. • Qingbu/black cloth: Effective for treating pain in the eye with pain and irritation, and reddened eye with nebula after the patient has just suffered from a disease. Heat it, rub the diseased area with the hot compression when the patient is lying down. [The Category of Waters and Earth] • Retang/hot water: The drug can be used to wash the reddened eye. • Bai’e/chalk/chalk: Effective for treating marginal blepharitis and trichiasis. Soak it with Tongqing/verdigris. Wash the eye with the water. • Guzhuan/ancient brick: Soak it in a toilet and then take it out till frost appears. Use the frost to drip into the reddened eye. [The Category of Metals and Stones] • Jinhuan/gold ring and Tongshi/copper spoon: Effective for treating the reddened eye caused by attack of wind-heat. • Manao/achates/agate: When heated, it can be used to treat the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis. • Shuijing/crystal and Boli/glass: When heated, it can be used to treat the swollen eye.

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• Liuli/azure stone: Soak it in water. When heated, it can be used to treat the reddened eye. • Yanyao/medicinal salt: It can be used to drip into the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis caused by attack of wind. • Luganshi/calamina/calamine: Burn it, and then dip it into Tongniao/ urina hominis/ urine of boys. Grind it into powder. Drip it into the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis caused by attack of ­wind-dampness. Soak it with Poxiao/mirabiliti/mirabilite to wash the reddened eye caused by attack of wind. • Mangxiao/natrii sulfa/sodium sulfate: It can be used to wash the reddened eye caused by attack of wind. • Baifan/alumen/alum: Soak the drug with Tongqing/verdigris, and wash the reddened eye caused by attack of wind. Blend it with Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root and make a decoction. Apply to the eyelids to treat the reddened and swollen eye. • Qingfan/blue alum: Grind the drug to wash the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis, and trichiasis, or sudden onset of reddened eye. • Shidan/chalanthitum/chalanthite: The drug can be used to wash the reddened eye caused by attack of wind. • Lvyan/atacamitum/atacamite: Blend the drug with Fengmi/mel/honey to drip onto fetal reddened eye. • Guangmingyan/salt, Yaxiao (mayaxiao) and Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter: These drugs can be used to drip into the reddened eye with pain. • Lujian/crystallus bittern/bitten crystal: Soak the drug with Qingmei/ vatica astrotricha/green plum and Guqian/ancient copper coin, then drip the water into the reddened eye caused by attack of wind-heat. Wrap it with paper and put it in a place where there is wind. Then, it can be used to treat all kinds of eye diseases. Blend it with Shihui/calx/ lime and vinegar to treat trichiasis. • Guqian/ancient copper coin: Use the drug to rub Shengjiang/rhizoma zingiberis recens/fresh ginger to get juice. Then drip the juice into the reddened and swollen eye. Grind it with Fengmi/mel/honey, and then fumigate it with smoke of Aiye/folium frtemisia argyi/arigyi wormwood leaf. Then drip the the reddened eye with sores. • Tongqing/verdigris: Blend the drug with water and apply it to the surface of a bowl. Fumigate it with smoke of Aiye/folium artemisiae

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argyi/argyi wormwood leaf. Then use it to treat the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis and tears. Burn powder of Wumingyi/pyrolusitum/pyrolusite to fumigate trichiasis. • Shiyan/fossilia spiriferis/fossil shell of spirifer: Grind the drug in water, then drip it to treat trichiasis. • Qiandan/minium/red pellet: Mix the drug with the powder of Wuzeigu/ os sepiae/cuttlebone with Fengmi/mel/honey. Drip into the reddened eye. Apply it to the temples to relieve pain and eliminate swelling. • Tuzhu/haematitum/hematite: Use the drug with Shihui/calx/lime to treat the reddened eye with swelling and closure of eyelid. • Xuanjingshi/selenitum/selenite: Effective for treating hyperemia of subconjunctival capillaries. Take it with powder of Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root. To treat the reddened eye with pain and irritation, drip the eye with Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/Chinese corktree bark. • Jingquanshi/stone in the well: Effective for treating the reddened eye caused by attack of wind toxin. Grind it with Gujingcao/flos eriocauli/ pipewort flower, Jingzhongtai/moss in the well and Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean to powder. Take the powder. To treat the reddened and swollen eyelid, take it with Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb and Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/cape jasmine fruit. • Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum: Effective for treating the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis caused by attack of wind. [The Category of Insects] • Wubeizi/galla chinesis/Chinese nut-gall: Effective for treating the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis caused by attack of wind. Grind the drug and apply it to the eye. Or burn it and blend it with Huangdan/ minium/lead oxide. Soak it with Bai’e/chalk/chalk and Tongqing/ verdigris water, and then wash the eye. Stew it with Manjingzi/fructus viticis/shrub chaste-tree fruit to make a decoction, and then wash the eye. Use it with Luganshi/calamina/calamine to kill parasite in the eye. • Nizhongqu/maggot: Wash it in the mud, dry it under the sun and then grind it into powder. Apply it to the reddened eye.

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• Ying/fly: Insert it into the nostrils to treat trichiasis. • Shizi/adult louse: Use its blood to treat trichiasis. [The Category of Shells and Scales] • Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scale: Effective for treating trichiasis. Stir-bake it with Yangshenzhi/sheep’s kidney oil. Grind it into powder. Insufflate it into the nose. To treat reddened eye, burn it to fumigate the eyes. • Shougongfen (feces of Shougong/gecko/house lizard): It can be used to treat the reddened eye with marginal blepharitis. • Tianluo/cipangopalundina/river snail: Insert salt into it until it dissolves into juice. Drip the juice into the reddened eye caused by liver heat. To relieve pain in the eye, blend it with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread and Zhenzhu/margarita/pearl. Use it with Tonglv/ verdigris to treat an eye with marginal blepharitis. • Hailuo/caro rapanae/oyster meat: Same as Tianluo/cipangopalundina/ river snail. • Bang/clam: Effective for treating reddened eye and blurring of vision. Blend Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread into it, drip the juice into the eye. • Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone: Soak it with Tonglv/verdigris in water. Wash the reddened eye of a woman to treat the overgrieved ophthalmopathy. • Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall and Qingyu/mylopharyngodoni/black carp can be used to drip into the reddened eye. [The Category of Fowls and Animals] • The following three drugs can also be used to drip into the reddened eye: Wujidan/gall of black-bone silky fowl; Yadan/fel anatis/duck gall; and Jizibai/egg white. • Jiluanbaipi/membrana follicularis ovi/inner shell membrane of fowl’s egg: Effective for treating reddened and swollen eye with pain. Insufflatethe powder of it and Gouqibaipi/cortex lycii radicis/Chinese wolfberry root-bark into the nose.

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• Jiguanxue/blood from cockscomb can be used to treat epiphora. • Lvru/lac asini/donkey milk: Soak Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread in it to treat the reddened eye caused by attack of wind and heat. • Lvniao/ass urine: Drip it with salt to treat pterygium. • Zhudan/fel si scrofae/pig gall; Goudan/fel canitis/dog gall and Yangdan/ fel caprae seu ovis/sheep gall: Steam the drug with Fengmi/mel/honey nine times; and Xiongdan/fel ursi/bear gall. They can be used to drip into the reddened eye. • Ciweidan/fel erinacei/hedgehog gall: It can be used to drip into the eye affected by smallpox complicated by conjunctivitis. [The Category of Humans] • Xiao’er qidaixue/blood of the umbilical cord of a newborn baby: It can be used to drip into the eye affected by smallpox complicated by conjunctivitis. • Renru/lac hominis/human milk: It can be used to drip into the r­ eddened eye with tears. Blend it with Baidingxiang/faeces passeris/sparrow feces to treat the pterygium. • Renniao/urina hominis/human urine: It can be used to wash the reddened eye. • Renersai/human earwax: It can be used to treat all kinds of eye diseases. • Tougou/human dandruff: It can be used to treat the reddened eye.

7.2.1.2  Drugs for Treat Blurring of Vision and Blindness [The Category of Herbs] • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng: Effective for reinforcing qi and improving vision. To treat sudden blindness caused by alcoholism, take the powder of it with decoction of Sumu/lignum sappan/sappan wood. Stew it with Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue to make a decoction to treat deviation of an infant’s pupil after it has been frightened, Drink the decoction. • Huangjing/rhizome polygonati/solomonseal rhizome: Effective for tonifying the liver and improving vision. Steam it with Manjingzi/

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fructus viticis/shrub chaste-tree fruit, and then dry them under the sun. Repeat the procedure nine times. Then grind it into powder. Take it daily. • Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome: Effective for tonifying liver and improving vision. Make pills with Shudihuang/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root, then take them. Make pills with Fuling/poria/Indian bread. Take them. To treat optic atrophy and night blindness, stew it with Zhugan/ hepar si scrofae/pig liver or Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver in the soup of Sumi/semen setariae/millet and take it. To treat irritation of blurred vision, grind it with Muzei/herba equiseti hiemalis/ common scouring rush herb into powder, then take the powder. To treat irritation of closed eyes in an infant, stew it with Zhudan/fel si scrofae/pig gall, and make pills, then take them. • Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort wood: Effective for tonifying the kidney and improving vision. To treat hyperemia of the subconjunctival capillaries, mix the powder of it with Zhugan/hepar si ­scrofae/ pig liver and take it. • Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica: Effective for treating blurred vision caused by internal deficiency. Make pills with Fuzi/ radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood. Take the pills. • Qinghaozi/semen artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwoodbvseed: Effective for treating irritation in the eyes. Grind it into powder. Take the powder daily. Long-term use of it can improve vision. • Cang’erzi/fructus xanthii/siberian cocklebur fruit: Grind it into powder, and add it to porridge and eat it, which can improve vision. • Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root: Effective for tonifying yin to treat sudden loss of vision. Make pills with Jiaohong/pericarpium zanthoxyli/Chinese prickly ash to tonify the kidney and improve vision, then take them. • Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/dwarf lilyturf root: Effective for improving vision and physical movement. Make pills with Dihuang/ radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root and Cheqianzi/semen plantaginis/ plantain seed. Swallow them.

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• Juemingzi/semen cassiae/cassia seed: Effective for dispersing wind heat in the liver and gall bladder, phlyctenular kerato-conjunctivitis and optic atrophy. It tonifies the kidney and improves the vision. Take one spoonful of it every morning. After one hundred days, the patient will see things more clearly at night. To tonify the liver and improve vision, stew it with Manjingzi/fructus viticis/shrub chaste-tree fruit in wine, and then grind them into powder. Take the powder daily. To treat blindness that has lasted for many years, optic atrophy and night blindness, grind it into powder. Take it with rice soup. Or make pills with Difuzi/fructus kochiae/belvedere fruit, then take them. • Difuzi/fructus kochiae/belvedere fruit: Effective for tonifying deficiency and improving vision. Grind it with Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/ rehmannia root to powder. Take it. Wash the eye with a decoction of Difuziye/folium kochiae/belvedere leaf: Effective for treating night blindness and eliminating hot and irritable pain. Juice of Difuzi/fructus kochiae/belvedere fruit can treat an eye with physical injury. • Cheqianzi/semen plantaginis/plantain seed: Effective for improving vision, dispersing wind, heat toxin in the liver that are invading the eyes, treating reddened eye, cataracts and nebula, and tears caused by pain in the brain. To treat blurring of vision caused by attack of wind-heat, grind it with powder. Take it with the powder of Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/ golden thread. To treat blurring of vision with cataracts and nebula, and tonify the liver and kidney, make pills with Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root and Tusizi/semen cuscutae/dodder seed. Take the pills. The pills are named Zhujing Pill. • Jili/fructus tribuli/ puncture-vine caltrop fruit: Effective for treating blindness which has lasted for 30 years. Grind it into powder and take it daily. • Tusizi/semen cuscutae/dodder seed: Effective for tonifying the liver and improving vision. Soak it in wine, and then make pills. Swallow them. • Yingshi/semen rosae multiflorae/seed of Japanese rose: Effective for treating blurring of vision with hot feeling. Make pills with Gouqizi/

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fructus lycii/barbary wolfberry fruit and Difuzi/fructus kochiae/belvedere fruit, then take the pills. • Qianliji/herba scnecionis sc entis/herb of climbing groundsel: Effective for eliminating heat and improving vision. Stew it with Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root to make a decoction, then drink the decoction. • Diyicao/lichen grass: Effective for treating night blindness. Grind it into powder, then take it. • Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/fragrant solomoseal rhizome: Effective for treating blurring vision, and reddened eye. Stew it to make a decoction. Then take it daily. • Yinyanghuo/herba epimedii/epimedium herb: Effective for treating night blindness after the patient has suffered from a disease. Stew it with Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean to make a decoction. Then take it. To treat infant’s night blindness, stew the powder with Can’e/bombyx/male silkworm, Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root, Shegan/rhizoma belamc ae/rhizome of blackberry lily, amd Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver. Eat the liver. • The following three drugs are effective for tonifying the liver and improving vision: Tianma/rhizoma gastrodiae/gastrodia tuber; Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome; and Bixie/rhizoma dioscoreae hypoglaucae/rhizome of hypoglaucous  collett yam. • Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/largehead atractylodes rhizome can stop tears. • Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower can relieve severe pain as if the eyeballs are coming out and stop tears. It can also nourish eyes and treat blindness. Fill a pillowcase with it to help improve vision. • Juye/folium chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum has the same efficacy. • Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/Chinese magnoliarine fruit: Effective for tonifying the kidney, improving vision and treating mydrasis. • Fupenzi/fructus rubi immaturus/immature fruit of palmleaf raspberry: Effective for tonifying the liver and improving vision.

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• Chongweizi/fructus leonuri/motherwort fruit: Effective for tonifying essence and improving vision. Patients with mydrasis should not take this drug. • Mubiezi/semen momordicae/cochinchia momordica seed: Effective for treating blindness resulting from malnutrition. Make pills with Huhuanglian/rhizoma picrohhizae/figwortflower picrorhiza rhizome. Take the pills. • Longnaobohe (Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint) can be used to treat an eye with blurring of vision in summer. Drip the juice into the eye. • Ruoyehui (Ash of Ruoye/folium indocalami tessellati/chequer-shaped indocalamus leaf): Soak it in water. Wash the eye with the decoction to treat all kinds of eye diseases. • Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root: Effective for treating blurring of vision. Grind it with Juemingzi/semen cassiae/cassia seed into powder. Blend it with Renru/lac hominis/human milk, and then apply to the eye. The patient will see different colors of things after repeated application. • The following sixteen drugs are effective for improving vision: Ji/radix adenophorae trachelioidis/apricotleaf ladybell root; Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/garden burnet root; Shishi/fructus carecis kobomugi/kobomug sedge fruit; Aishi/fructus artemisiae argyi/argy wormwood fruit; Niubangzi/fructus arctii/burdock fruit; Liaozi/semen polygoni hydropiperis/red-knees seed; Kuandonghua/flos farfarae/common coltsfoot flower; Qumai/herba dianthi/liliac pink herb; Tongcao/medulla tetrapanacis/ricepaper-plant pith; Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root; Xixin/herba asari/manchurian wild ginger Lichang/herba ecliptae/yerbadetajo; Suanjiangzi/semen physalis/franchet groundcherry seed; Xuancao/herba hemerocallis/daylily; Chuihugen; and Hongcaoshi/fructus polygoni orientalis/fruit of prince’s-feather.

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[The Category of Cereals and Vegetables] • The following three drugs are effective for improving vision: Chixiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean; Fubi/Japanese premna herb; and Baibiandou/semen dolichoris album/white hyacinth bean. • Dadou/semen sojae/soybean seed: Effective for treating blurring of vision caused by liver deficiency. Put it into Niudan/fel bovis/ox gall. Eat twenty-one pieces at night. • Kuqiaopi/pericarpium fagopyri tatarici/tartarian buckwheat skin: Put the drug with Heidou/semen sojae nigra/seed of black soybean, Lvdoupi/pericarpium phaseoli radiati/green gram skin, Juemingzi/ semen cassiae/cassia seed and Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower into a pillowcase. Using such a pillowcase enables one to keep good vision into old age. • Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk: Effective for dispersing pathogenic qi in the liver and improving vision. • Congshi/semen allii fistulosi/fistular onion seed: Make it porridge, which can improve vision. • Manjingzi/fructus viticis/shrub chaste-tree fruit: Effective for improving vision and reinforcing qi. Boil it in water for three times to remove the bitter taste. Dry it under the sun, and then grind it into powder. Take it with water. It can also be used in such ways: Stew it in vinegar. Or steam it with vinegar three times. Then grind it into powder. Take the powder to treat optic atrophy. Nine out of ten cases will be cured. Other methods of preparation: Stew it with Juemingzi/semen cassiae/cassia seed in wine to make a decoction. Or steam it with Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/ solomenseal rhizome, and then dry them under the sun. Repeat nine times. • Manjinghua/viticis/shrub chaste-tree flower: Grind it into powder. Take the powder to treat blurring of vision caused by overstrain consumption. • Jiezi/semen brassicae/seed of Indian mustard Effective for treating night blindness. Stir-fry it, and then grind it into powder. Stew the powder with Yangdan/fel caprae seu ovis/sheep galll. Then take it. Insert a little bit of the powder into the eye to treat nebula.

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• Baijiezi/semen sinapis albae/white mustard seed: Apply it to the sole center to conduct heat downward in order to prevent invasion of chickenpox and measles into the eyes. • The following eight drugs are effective for improving vision: Jicai/herba capsellae/shepherd’s purse; Ximizi/semen thlaspis/boor’s mustard seed; Xianshi/semen amaranthi tricoloris/seed of three-coloured  amaranth; Kuju/herba sonchi oleracei/common sawthistle; Woju/caulis et folium lactucae sativae/stem and leaf of garden  lettuce; Qiaoyao/herba viciae hirsutae/pigeon vetch; Dongguaren/semen benincasae/Chinese waxgourd seed; and Mu’er/auricularia/jew’s ear. [The Category of Fruits] • Meiheren/semen mume/seed of Japanese apricot and Hutao/fructus jugl is/English walnut: Effective for improving vision. • Shimi/sacchari albicans/white sugar: Effective for improving vision and removing the nebula with a hot feeling. Make pills with Jushengzi (Huma/semen sesami/sesame seed). Then take them. • Zaopihui (Ash of Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit): Stew it with ash of Sangbaipi/cortex mori radicis/white mulberry bark to make decoction. Wash the eyes with it to improve vision. • Jiaomu/semen zanthoxyli/seed of bunge prickly ash: Effective for treating dotted black nebula lasted for years. Make pills with Cangzhu/ rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome. Swallow the pills. • Shujiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/Sichuan pepper and Qinjiao/Shanxi pepper: Effective for improving vision. [The Category of Woods] • The following four drugs are effective for improving vision: Gui/cinnamonmum cassia presl/cassiabarktree; Xinyi/flos magnoliae/biond magnolia flower; Zhishi/fructus aurantii immaturus/immature orange fruit; and Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit.

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• Chenxiang/lignum aquilariae resinatum/Chinese eagle wood: Effective for treating blurring of vision caused by kidney deficiency. Make pills with Shujiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/Sichuan pepper. Swallow the pills. • Tonghua/flos paulowniae/furtune paulowniaflower: Effective for treating muscae volitantes. Stew it with Suanzao/fructus ziziphi spinosae/ spine datefruit, Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root and Xuanmingfen/natrii sulfas exsiccatus/exsiccated sodium sulfate to make a decoction. Drink it. • Huaizi/flos sophorae/pagodatree pod: Long use of it will help eliminate heat, improve vision, and stop tears. Stew it to get a decoction and drink it. Insert it into Niudan/fel bovis/ox gall, dry it in the shade and eat it. Grind it with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread to powder, and then make pills. • Wujiapi/cotex acanthopanacis/slenderstyle acanthopanax bark: Effective for improving vision. Soak it in wine. Drink it to treat deviation of vision. • Mujingjing/rhizoma viticis cannabifoliae/hemp-leaved vitex stem: Effective for treating blindness. Make pills with Wujing/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl. Take the pills. • Huangbo/cotex phellodendri/Chinese corktreebark: Effective for treating blurring of vision. Stew it to make a decoction. Rinse the mouth and wash the eyes with the decoction every morning. This will prevent any kind of eye diseases throughout one’s life. • Songzi/colophonium/colophony: Effective for treating tears caused by liver deficiency. Brew wine. • Chunjiahui (ash of Chunjia/fructus toonae sinensis/Chinese toonafruit) and Huanzipi: Washing hair with a decoction of the drugs every month will improve vision. • The following three drugs can be used to make a decoction to wash the eyes day by day, month after month, which can improve vision and treat optic atrophy: Sangye/folium mori/mulberry leaf; Sangchaihui/carbo mi lignum/ash of white mulberry wood; and Zhemuhui (ash of Zhemu/lignum cudraniae tricuspidatae/wood of tricuspid cudrania). • Manjingzi/fructus viticis/shrub chaste-tree fruit: Effective for improving vision, treating blurring of vision and stopping pain in the eye.

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• Ruiren/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepia nut: Drip it with Longnao/ borneolum syntheticum/borneol into the eye to treat blurring of vision and all kinds of black dotted nebula. • Zibaipi/cortex catalpae ovatae radicis/root-bark of ovate catalpa: Effective for treating eye diseases. • Shinan/photinia serrulata lindl/photinia: Effective for treating infantile deviation of pupils caused by fright. When the child wants to see things in the east, he sees things in the west. This is called “Tongjing.” Insufflateit with powder of Guading/pedicellus melo/muskmelon fruit and Lilu/black false hellebore/falsehellebore root and rhizome and root into the nose. Use Qinpi/cortex fraxini/ash bark, Zhuzhe (Houpozi/fructus seu semen magnolia officinalis/officinal magnolia fruit seed), Luanjingzi/ goldenrain tree seed, Mujinpi/cortex hibisci/shrubalthea bark, Sangjisheng/ramulus taxilli/mulberry mistletoe to wash the eyes. • The following four drugs can be used to rub the teeth and wash the eyes: Kuzhuye/folium pleioblasti/bitter bamboo leaf; Tianzhuhuang/concretio silicea bambusae/tabashir; Luhui/aloe/aloes; and Mimenghua/flos buddlejae/pale butterfly-bushflower. [The Category of Metals and Stones] • The following six drugs can be used to rub the teeth and wash the eyes: Yinxie/argentum/silver filings; Yingao/argentums/silver paste; Chitongxie/cuprum scobis/copper scraps; Yuxie/nepherifum/nepherite grains; Tiejing/ferrum/iron powder; and Qianhui/plumbum/ash of lead. • Luganshi/calamina/calamine: Effective for treating blurring of vision. Make pills with Huangdan/minium/lead oxide and Fengmi/mel/honey. Eat the pills. • The following five drugs are effective for improving vision: Zhongrushi/stalactium/salactite; Chishizhi/halloysitum rubrum/red halloysite;

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•

•

• • • •

Qingshizhi/halloysitum/blue halloysite; Changshi/anthydritum/anthydriter; and Lishi/gypsum fibrosum/mineral gypsum. Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum: Effective for dispersing wind-heat. To treat night blindness, stew it with Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver and take it. To treat eye coldness caused by accumulation of blood stasis when wind-cold have penetrated the brain, grind it with Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome and Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root to powder. Take the powder. Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar: Effective for treating blurring of vision, cataract and mydrasis. Make pills with Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite and Shengqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven. Swallow them. Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/sodium sulfate: It can be used to wash eyes day by day every month and can improve vision. Huangtu/loess/loess: Effective for treating sudden loss of vision. Soak it in water. Filter the water to wash the eyes. Shiyan/sal/salt: Effective for improving vision and stopping tears when it is used to wash the eyes. The following five drugs are effective for improving vision: Rongyan/halite/halite; Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite; Shiqing/azuritum/azurite; Baiqing/white soil; and Shiliuqing (Ref.Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur).

[The Category of Waters] • The following five drugs are effective for improving vision: Laxue/winter snow; Mingshui/open water; Ganlu/sweet dew; Changpushanglu (dew on Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/  grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome); and Baiyeshangzhu (dew on Baiye/cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig and leaf).

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[The Category of Insects, Shell and Scales] • Yinghuo/cicindela/firefly: Effective for improving vision. • Fengmi/mel/honey: Effective for treating reddened and swollen eye. To treat night blindness caused by liver deficiency, stew it with Gefen/ pulveratum mactrae conchae/shell powder of clam and Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver, and take it. • Bangfen/caro anodonate/meat powder of fresh water clam can treat night blindness. Stew it with Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver and Migan/rice water. It has similar effective as Yemingsha/faeces vespertilionis/bat dung. • Gefen/pulveratum mactrae conchae/shell powder of clam can treat night blindness. Stir-fry it and make pills with oil and Huangla/cera flava/bee wax. Stew the pills with Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver, and then take them. • Daimao/carapax eretmochelydis/hawksbill shell: Effective for treating tears when exposed to wind caused by liver-kidney deficiency heat. Grind it with Lingyangjiao/cornu saigae tataricae/antelope horn and Shiyanzi/fossilia spiriferis/fossil shell of spirifer to powder. Take it. • Zhenzhu/margarita/pearl: Blend the drug with Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall and Fengmi/mel/honey to drip into the eye to treat night blindness caused by liver deficiency. • Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp: Effective for treating blurring of vision in febrile disease. Make broth with it. Slice the meat, and place on the eye. Blend Liyunao/encephalon cyprini/carp brain with Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall to drip into the eye to treat optic atrophy. • Qingyujingzhi (juice of eye of Qingyu/mylopharyngodon piceus/black carp): The drug can be used to drip into the eye, enabling the patient to see things clearly at night. [The Category of Fowls and Animals] • Wumuzhi (juice of eye of a thick-billed crow): The drug can be used to drip on the eye, enabling the patient to see things clearly at night. • Quyujingzhi (juice of eye of crested myna) and Yingjingzhi (juice of eye of Cangying/accipiter gentilis/goshawk): Effective for improving vision, enabling the patient to see things far away in the sky.

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• Henao/crane brain: Blend it with Tianxiong/radix aconiti/common monkshood and Congshi/semen allii fistulosi/fistular onion seed. Taking the drug enables patient to write at night. • Quetouxue (blood from a sparrow’s head) can be used to drip into the eye to treat night blindness. • Fuyi/vespertilio/bat can treat pain and itching of the eye. Taking it enables the patient to see things much more brightly at night. Its blood and bile can be used to drip on the eye to make people see clearly at night. • Xiongjidan/cockgall: Blend it with Yangdan/fel caprae seu ovis/sheep gall and Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall to drip into the eye to treat ­physical injury. • Wujigan (liver of Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl): Effective for treating blurring of vision caused by wind-heat. Make porrige with it. Take it. • Banjiu/streptopelia ientalis/rufous turtle dove can tonify the kidney, reinforce qi and improve vision. • Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver can tonify the kidney and improve vision. To treat night blindness, stew it with Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone and Huangla/cera flava/bee wax, and take them. Or stew it with powder of Shijueming/concha haliotidis/sea-ear shell and Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome, and take them. • Qingyanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver: Effective for tonifying the liver, and treating reddened eye with blurring of vision caused by deficiency-heat of liver wind. It can also treat sudden loss of vision after suffering from febrile disease. Take it uncooked. Soak it in water, and then apply it to the eye. To treat optic atrophy, make pills with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread and Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root. Take the pills. To treat infantile night blindness, stew it with powder of Baiqianjiu/ semen pharbitidis/white pharbitis seed and take them. Stew it with Gujingcao/flos eriocauli/pipewort flower and take them. To treat reddened eye with loss of vision, take it with powder of Juemingzi/semen cassia/cassia seed and Liaozi/semen polygoni hydropiperis/red-knees seed,

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To treat nebula with blurring of vision caused by wind-heat, pound the raw drug into powder and make pills with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread. Swallow the pills, To treat short-sight, stew it with powder of Congzi/semen allii fistulosi/fistular onion seed to make porridge. Eat the porridge. To treat eye disease, stew it and use hot juice to fumigate the eye. • Niugan/hepar bovis/ox liver can tonify the liver and improve vision. • Tugan/jecur cuniculi/rabbit liver: Effective for treating blurring of vision caused by upward wind-heat. Make porridge and eat it. • Goudan/fel canitis/dog gall can treat blurring of vision caused by liver deficiency. Drip the bile with powder of Yinghuo/cicindela/firefly into the eye. Apply it with wine at Sanfu (a certain day in the hottest season). • Niudan/fel bovis/ox gall: Effective for improving vision. Soak Huaizi/ fructus sophorae/pagodatree pod in it and swallow it. Soak Heidou/ semen sojae nigra/seed of black soybean in it and swallow it. Make pills with Baiye/cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig and Yemingsha/faeces vespertilionis/bat dung. Swallow the pills. • Shudan/rat gall: The drug can be used to drip into the eye to treat optic atrophy and night blindness. Blend it with Yugao/fish fat and drip it into the eye to improve vision. Shushi/faeces ratti/rat dung can improve vision. • Baiquanru/milk of a white dog can be used to drip into the eye to treat optic atrophy lasted for ten years. • Tihu/finest cream: Apply it on the head to improve vision. • Niuxian/ox saliva can be used to drip into the eye to treat eye with injury. • Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deer-horn: Effective for tonifying deficiency and improving vision. • Guyangjiao/cornu caprae seu ovis/goral horn: Effective for improving vision. • Lingyangjiao/cornu saigae tataricae/antelope horn: Effective for improving vision. [The Category of Humans] • Tianlinggai/top of the skull: Effective for treating optic atrophy.

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7.2.1.3  Drugs for Removing Nebula [The Category of Herbs] • Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower: Effective for removing nebula after suffering from a disease. Grind it with Chanhua/ cordyceps cicadde/fungus sclerotia on cicada into powder. Take it. To remove nebula caused by chicken pox, stew it with Lvdoupi/ pericarpium phaseoli radiati/green gram skin, powder of Gujingcao/ flos eriocauli/pipewort flower, and Shizi/fructus kaki/persimmon, and take it. • Yinyanghuo/herba epimedii/epimedium herb: Effective for removing nebula caused by blurring of vision. Grind it with Wanggua/fructus trichosanthis cucumeroidis/Japanese snakegourd into powder. Take the powder. • Qingshi/fructus abutili/fruit of chingma abutilon: Effective for removing nebula, pterygium, trichiasis and entropion. Make pills with Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver. Take them. • Gujingcao/flos eriocauli/pipewort flower: Effective for removing nebula. Grind it with Fangfeng/radix saposhnikovia/divaricate saposhnikovia root into powder. Take it. To remove nebula after chicken pox, make pills with Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver. To treat glaucoma after chicken pox, stew it with Shetui/periostracum serpentis/snake slough and Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver and take it with Tianhuafen/radix trichosanthis/snake-gourd root. • Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver and Fupenzi/fructus rubi immaturus/immature fruit of palmleaf raspberry. Grind it into powder to drip on the eye to remove nebula caused by chicken pox. • Baiyaozi/radix stephaniae cepharanthae/oriental stephania root: Effective for removing nebula caused by infantile malnutrition. Stew it with Gancao/glycyrrizae/licorice root and Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver and take it. • Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root: Effective for treating nebula caused by liver heat. Stew it with powder of Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean and Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver and take it.

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• Shuiping/herba spirodelae/duckweed: Effective for treating nebula caused by invasion of toxin from skin eruption and rashes. Stew Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver to make a decoction. Blend powder of it with the decoction and take it. Ten doses will work. • Fanmubie/semen strychorni/nux vomica: Effective for treating nebula caused by invasion of toxin from skin eruption and rashes. Blow it with Longnao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol and Shexiang/­ moschus/ musk into the ears. • Mabo/lasiosphaera seu calvataia/puffball: Effective for treating nebula caused by invasion of toxin from skin eruption and rashes. Calcine it with Shepi/periostracum serpentis/snake skin and Yuzi/fish roe. Grind them into powder and take it. • Beimu/bulbus fritillariae cirrhosae/unibract fritillary bulb: Grind it into powder, and drip into the eye to remove nebula. Drip it with powder of Hujiao/fructus piperis nigri/black pepper into the eyes to stop tears. Blend it with Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar, or Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/cloves to into the eye to treat pterygium • Mahuanggen/radix ephedrae/ephedra root: Effective for treating internal and external ophthalmopathy, and nebula. Insufflate it with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Shexiang/moschus/musk into the nose. • Lichang/herba ecliptae/yerbadetajo: Soak it with Lanye/folium eupatorii/leaf of fortune eupatorium in oil and rub the top of the head with it. This can help grow hair and remove nebula. • Niuxiye/folium achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes leaf: Pound it and use the juice to drip into the eye to treat hyperemia of sub conjunctival capillaries. • Qingxiangzi/semen celosiae/feather cockscomb seed can treat reddened cataract caused by liver heat, nebula, swelling and optic atrophy. • Baijiang/herba patriniae/patrinia: Effective for treating reddened eye, nebula, ophthalmopathy and pterygium. • Baidoukou/fructus amomi rotundus/round cardamon fruit: Effective for treating nebula around bulbar conjunctiva and move lung qi.

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• Muzei/herba equiseti hiemalis/common scouring rush herb can remove nebula. • Xinggen/radix nymphoides peltatum/edible amaranth: Use it with other drugs to drip into the eye to remove nebula. • Ebushicao/herba centipedae/small centipedaherbis: Effective for removing nebula. Insufflate it into the nose, put in the ears and apply to the eyes. • Juice of Jingtianhua/flos hylotelephium erythrostictum/red-spotted stonecrop: The drug can be used to drip into the eye to remove nebula. [The Category of Vegetables and Cereals] • The following two drugs can be used to drip into the eye to remove nebula: Xianrencaozhi (juice of Xianrencao/mesona chinensis/Chinese mesona; and Kuhuzhi (juice of Kuhu/fructus lagenariae makinois/fruit of makino bottle). • Small Hulu/pericarpium lagenariae/calabash gourd: Effective for absorbing nebula. • Jiegen/radix capsellae/shepherds’pure root: Effective for improving vision and removing nebula. Drip its juice into the canthus while the patient is lying down. Nebula will be removed after a long-time use. • Jieshi/fructus capsellae/fruit of shepherds’purse: Effective for treating pain in the eye and optic atrophy and removing nebula. Long-time use will help the patient to see things more brightly. • Ximizi/semen thlaspi/boor’s mustard seed: Effective for treating pain and tears in the eye, improving vision and eliminating pterygium. Grind it into powder and drip it into the eye while the patient is lying down. • Xianshi/semen amaranthi tricolis/seed of three-colored amaranth: Effective for treating optic atrophy with black dotted nebula and dispersing intruding liver heat. • Machixian/herba portulacae/parslane herb: Effective for treating pterygium, optic atrophy and white nebula. Grind its seed into powder. Steam it, and apply it. Lanxiangzi/semen ocimi pilosi/basilseed: Put it

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into the eye to remove nebula. It can also be stewed to make a decoction. • Heidoupi/pericarpium sojae nigra/black soybean skin: Effective for removing nebula caused by chicken pox. • Lvdoupi/pericarpium phaseoli radiati/green gram skin: Effective for removing nebula caused by chicken pox. Grind it with Gujingcao/flos eriocauli/pipewort flower, and Juhua/chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower powder. Stew the powder with Shizi/fructus kaki/persimmon in Sumigan/aqua semen setariae preparatum/millet water, then take it. It is pretty effective. [The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Xingren/semen armeniacae amarae/bitter apricot seed: Deoil it, then blend with Tonglv/verdigris, drip into the eye to remove nebula. Blend with Nifen/calomelas/calomel and drip into the eye to treat pterygium. • Lijiao/resina pruni salicinae/Japanese plum resin can remove nebula, eliminate swelling and relieve pain. • Yingyu/vitis bryoniifolia bunge/thonberggrape: Drip its juice into the eye to remove nebula caused by heat and cataracts. • Longnaoxiang/borneolum syntheticum/borneol can improve vision, and remove nebula, internal and external ophthalmopathy. Drip it into the eye several times a day. Add Pengsha/borax/borax, then insufflate into the nose. • Mimenghua/flos buddlejae/pale butterfly-bushflower: Effective for treating optic atrophy and nebula, reddened eye with secretion, hyperemia of sub conjunctival capillaries, and eye disease caused by infantile malnutrition, because it can moisturize liver dryness. Make the drug into pills with Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/Chinese corktree bark to treat cataracts and nebula. • Chushi/fructus broussonetiae/papermulberry fruit: Effective for treating nebula caused by liver heat. Grind it into powder and take it everyday. To treat blurring of vision, make pills with Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb. The powder of its leaf and the ash of its bark can be blended with Shexiang/moschus/musk. Then drip the mixture into the eye to treat all kinds of nebula.

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• Qiuye/folium catalpae bungei/manchurian catalpaleaf: Roast it to get juice, stew it and drip it into the eye to remove infantile nebula. • Gouqi/fructus lycii/barbary wolfberry fruit: Drip its juice into the eye to treat cataracts caused by attack of pathogenic wind, and reddened eye with pain and blurring of vision. Extract its oil and use it in a lamp, which can improve vision. • Ruiren/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepia nut can disperse epigastric and abdominal pathogenic heat and treat reddened and swollen eye with pain and tears and marginal blepharitis. To treat reddened eye and nebula caused by attack of pathogenic wind, blend it with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread and drip it into the eye, To remove nebula, blend it with Pengsha/borax/borax and drip it into the eye. To remove nebula, blend it with Qingyan/halitum/halite and Zhuyi/ pancrenas si scrofae/pig pancreas, and drip it into the eye. • Moyao/myrrha/myrrh can remove nebula, reddened eye with pain and vertigo caused by insufficiency of liver blood. • Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense and Hupo/succinum/amber can dissolve nebula. [The Category of Waters and Earth] • Jinghuashui/first fetched well water can wash the eye to remove nebula and protrusion of the eyeball. • Baiciqi/white porcelain: Calcine the drug and grind it into powder. • Dongbitu/earth from the eastern wall: The drug can be used to drip into the eye. [The Category of Metals and Stones] • The following six drugs can be used to drip into the eye: Xilinzhi/Persian silver; Shanhu/callium/coral; Manao/achates/agate; Baoshi/precious stones; Boli/glass; and Pusashi/stone from e’mei mountain.

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• Guwenqian/ancient copper coin: Grind the coin with water to get juice. Drip the juice into the eye to remove nebula and treat sudden loss of vision. • Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar: Effective for being used to rub nebula and drip into the eye to treat pterygium. To treat hyperemia of the subconjunctival capillaries, blend the drug with Beimu/bulbus fritillariae cirrhosae/unibract fritillary bulb. • Qingfen/calomelas/calomel can be used to drip into nebula. To treat nebula resulted from chicken pox, blow the drug with Huangdan/minium/lead oxide into the nose • Fenshuang/calomelas prerparata/prepared calomel: Effective for removing nebula caused by chicken pox and measles. Blend the drug with Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and water. Pour the mixture into the ear. • Luganshi/calamina/calamine: Effective for improving vision and removing nebula, eliminating reddened eye and drying humidity. Calcine the drug till it becomes red and dip it onto Tongniao/urina hominis/urine of boys. Repeat the procedure seven times. Blend with Longnao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol. Drip it into the eye to treat all kinds of eye diseases. It can also be stewed with Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden root, which is effective. To treat nebula with dim vision and marginal blepharitis, blend the drug with Pengsha/borax/borax Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/ cuttlefish bone and Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar. • Kongqing/azuritum/azurite: Drip the juice into the eye to treat optic atrophy, cataracts and nebula. Even the damaged pupils can be healed, and the eyesight restored. To treat all kinds of eye diseases, blow the drug with Huanglian/ rhizoma coptidis/golden thread, Huaiya/folium sphae/bud of Japanese pagoda tree and Piannao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol into the nostrils. To treat nebula, drip the juice of the drug with Ruiren/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepia nut into the eye. To treat black nebula, drip the juice of the drug with Fanshi/alumen/ alum and Beizi/concha cypraei/cypraea shell into the eye.

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• Zengqing/azuritum/azurite: Effective for treating all kinds of eye ­diseases caused by attack of wind-heat. Grind the drug with Ganjiang/ rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger, Manjingzi/fructus viticis/shrub chaste-tree fruit and Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/ divaricate ­ ­saposhornikovia root into powder. Blow the powder into the nose. To treat reddened eye caused by invasion of toxins of skin eruption and rashes, blend the drug with Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and Qicao/ grub, drip it into the eye. • Mituoseng/lithargyrum/litharge: Effective for treating nebula with profuse tears. • Huarushi/ophicalcitum/ophicalcite: Effective for treating prolonged nebula and ophthalmopathy. Blend it with Chuanxiong/rhizoma chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome and Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhomikovia root. Drip it into the eye. • Jingquanshi/stone in the well: Effective for treating night blindness, optic atrophy and nebula caused by infantile malnutrition of heat. Take the drug with Shijueming/concha haliotidis/sea-ear shell. • Xuanjingshi/selenitum/selenite: Effective for treating reddened eye, sudden loss of vision, nebula and ophthalmopathy. Make pills with Shijueming/concha haliotidis/sea-ear shell, Ruiren/nux prinsepiae/ hedge prinsepia nut, Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread and Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver. Take the pills. • Yuedi/grindstone in south China: Grind the drug with water to get juice. Drip it into the eye to remove nebula and sudden loss of vision and relieve pain. • Qiandan/minium/lead pellet: Effective for treating all kinds of eye diseases. Stew it with Fengmi/mel/honey and drip it into the eye. To treat reddened eye with nebula, blend it with Wuzeigu/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone and drip it into the eye. To remove nebula, blend it with Baifan/alumen/alum. To treat hyperemoia of the subconjunctival capillaries, blend it with Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall. Drip into the eye. To treat nebula caused by invasion of toxins of chicken pox and measles, blend it with Qingfen/calomelas/calomel, and blow it into the ear. • Shiyan/fossilia spiriferis/fossil shell of spirifer: Grind it into powder. Drip the powder into the eye to treat ophthalmopathy, nebula, trichiasis and entropion.

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• Shixie/fossilia brachyurae/fossil crab: Grind it into powder. Drip the powder into the eye to treat optic atrophy, reddened eye and nebula. • Fanshi/alumen/alum can be used to drip into the eye to treat nebula and pterygium. • Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt: Effective for treating nebula and pterygium; Xingren/semen armeniacae amarae/bitter apricot seed may be added. • Pengsha/borax/borax can be dripped into the eye to treat nebula, pterygium and prodruding eyeballs, along with Piannao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol. • Lvyan/atacamitum/atacamite can be used to drip into the eye to treat nebula, eliminate reddened eye and relieve pain. • Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/sodium sulfate can be used to drip into the eye to treat ophthalmopathy, nebula, reddened and swollen eye with pain and dryness. Huangdan/miniunm/lead oxide, Longnao/­ borneolum syntheticum/borneol and Shexiang/moschus/musk may be added. • Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter: Effective for removing nebula when blended with Huangdan/minium/lead oxide and Piannao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol. • Fushi/pumex/pumice stone: Effective for treating ophthalmopathy and nebula. [The Category of Insects, Scales and Shells] • Cantui/periostachcum bombycis/silkworm slough: Effective for treating ophthalmopathy and nebula. • Chantui/periostracum cicadae/cicada slough: Effective for treating ophthalmopathy, nebula and dim vision. Stew the drug to get a decoction and drink it. To treat puerperal nebula, grind the drug into powder. Take the powder with soup of Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver. • Wujing/lytta caraganae/blister beetle: Effective for removing ­prolonged nebula. Blend the drug with Chuji/hucechys canguinea/hucechys sanguinea, Banmao/mylabris/blister beetle, Pengsha/borax/borax and Ruiren/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepia nut. Drip the mixture into the eye.

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• Chuji/hucechys canguinea/hucechys sanguine, Qicao/holotrichia diomphalia/northeast giant black chafer: Drip the juice of the drugs into the eye to treat blue nebula and white membrane. • Shetui/periostracum serpentis/snake slough: Effective for treating sudden appearance of nebula and ophthalmopathy. Blend it with wheat flour, bake the drug, and then grind it into powder. Take the powder with soup. To treat nebula caused by chicken pox, stew it with Tianhuafen/ radix trichosanthis/snake-gourd root and Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/goat or sheep liver and take them. • Ranshedan/fel pythonmoluri/boa gall: Effective for removing nebula. • Wushedan/fel zaocys/black-snake gall: Effective for treating nebula caused by attack of wind and toxic qi. • Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall and Qingyudan/fel mylopharyngodontis picei/black carp gall: Effective for treating ophthalmopathy and nebula. Huanglian/rhizoma coptidiis/golden root and Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone may be added. Make pills with Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall, Niudan/fel bovis/ox gall, Yangdan/fel caprae seu ovis/sheep gall, Xiongdan/fel ursi/bear gall, Shexiang/moschus/musk and Juemingzi/semen cassiae/cassia seed. Swallow the pills. • Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone: The drug can be used to drip into the eye to treat floating nebula and heat dacryorrhea. To treat nebula caused by attack of heat toxin in cases of febrile disease, blend Piannao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol with the drug. Drip it into the eye. To treat red nebula in the pupil with pterygium, make pills with Chensha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and Huangla/cera flava/bee wax. Apply the pills to the canthus of eye. To treat profuse tears caused by infantile malnutrition, stew the drug with Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell and Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver and take them. • The following two drugs can be used to drip into the eye to treat nebula caused by chicken pox and measles: Manlixue (blood of Manli/anguilla japonicae/Japanese eel); Shanxue (blood of Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel).

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• Jiaoyupi/cutis musteli/shark skin: Effective for removing nebula. It has a similar function to that of Muzei/herba equiseti hiemalis/common scouring rush herb. • Yuzi/fish roe can be added to a prescription for removing nebula, ophthalmopathy and pterygium. • Shijueming/concha haliotidis/sea-ear shell: Effective for improving vision and eliminating nebula. To treat photophobia, stew the drug with Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/ liquorice root and Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower to make a decoction, then drink it. To treat nebula caused by liver dificiency, stew the drug with Haige/ concha cyclinae/clam shell and Muzei/herba equiseti hiemalis/ common scouring rush herb to make a decoction. Then drink it. To treat nebula caused by chicken pox, blend the drug and powder of Gujingcao/flos eriocauli/pipewort flower with a piece of Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver. • Zhenzhu/margarita/pearl: The drug can be used to drip into the eye to treat nebula. To treat invasion of toxins of measles and chicken pox into the eye, blend the drug with Zuochangen/radix lonicerae/honeysuckle root. To treat prolonged nebula, stew the drug with Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/garden burnet root, and then soak the drug in vinegar. Grind it into powder. • Zibei/concha erosariae/erosaria caputerpentis shell: Grind the raw drug into powder, and stew it with Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver. Take it to treat nebula caused by invasion of toxins of chicken pox and measles. • Beizi/concha cypraei/cypraea shell: Burn the drug and grind it into powder. Drip it into the eye to treat dotted nebula with pain. • Ke/concha mactrae sulcatariae/mactra sulcataria shell: Effective for treating nebula. Piannao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol and Kufan/ alumen preparatum/prepared alum can be added. • Luosi/bellamya/spiral shell: Eating the drug frequently can eliminate nebula caused by chicken pox. • Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell: Effective for treating nebula and ophthalmopathy, and invasion of toxins of skin eruption and measles into the eye.

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[The Category of Fowls and Animals] • Baochujiluanqiao/egg shell after the chick is hatched: Effective for treating nebula and ophthalmopathy, and invasion of toxins of skin eruption and measles into the eye. • Maque/passer montanus/house sparrow: The drug can be added to prescriptions to treat cataracts, external ophthalmopathy and nebula. • Queshi/faeces passeri montanus/house sparrow dung: The drug can be used to drip into the eye to treat pterygium, hyperemia of subconjunctival capillaries stretching to the pupil and reddened eye with white membrane. • Wulingzhi/faeces trogopteri/trogopterus dung: Effective for treating hyperemia. To treat floating nebula, grind the drug with Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone to powder. Mix the powder with Zhugan/ hepar si scrofae/pig liver, then take them. • Yemingsha/faeces vespertilionis/bat dung: Effective for treating blindness ophthalmopathy and nebula. • The following two drugs can be dripped into the eye to treat nebula: Huyanshi/faeces hirundo dauricae/feces of golden-rumpted swallow and Zhuzhi/adeps si scrofae/pig fat. • Zhudanpihui/ash of pig gall bladder: Effective for treating nebula. Only three to five doses are needed. • Zhuxue/haemae si scrofa/pig blood: The drug can be dripped into the eye to treat invasion of toxins of chicken pox. • Zhuyi/pancrenas si scrofae/pig pancreas: Blend the drug with Ruiren/ nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepia nut to treat nebula. • Zhubihui/ash of a pig’s nose: Effective for treating nebula caused by invasion of wind. Stew the drug to make a decoction. Drink it. • Zhuti/unquis si scrofae/pig trotters: Stir-fry the drug. Eat the powder of the drug and powder of Chantui/periostracum cicadae/cicada slough and Lingyangjiao/cornu saigae tataricae/antelope horn to treat nebula caused by invasion of toxins of skin eruption and chicken pox. Burn the drug to ash. Soak the ash in water and wash the eyes. • Yangdan/fel caprae seu ovis/sheep gall can be used to dripped into the eye to treat optic atrophy, reddened eye, ophthalmopathy, white nebula

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•

• •

• • • •

•

•

and sudden loss of vision after recovering from another disease caused by attack of wind. Yangjing/sheep’s eye can be used to drip into reddened eye and treat nebula and ophthalmopathy. Grind the white of the sheep’s eye with water to get juice. Drip the juice into the eye. Baiyangsui/marrow of sheep: Effective for treating red nebula. Xiongdan/fel ursi/bear gall: Effective for improving vision, eliminating nebula, clearing heart fire and pacifying the liver. Melt the drug in water and drip it into the eye. Xiangdan/elephant gall has a similar function. Xiangjing/elephant eye: blend it with Renru/lac hominis/human milk and drip it into the eye. Tadan/common otter gall: Effective for treating muscae volitantes and blurring of vision. It can be combined with drugs for dripping into the eye. Tushi/faeces cuniculi/rabbit dung: Effective for treating floating ophthalmopathy and nebula caused by chicken pox. Dry the drug in the sun. Take one qian of the drug with tea. Powder of Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed may be added. Lingyangjiao/cornu saigae tataricae/antelope horn and Xijiao/cnu rhinocerotis/rhinoceros horn: The drugs can clear liver heat and improve vision. The following two drugs are effective for treating nebula: Shexiang/moschus/musk; and Hugu/os tigris/tiger bone.

[The Category of Humans] • Rentuojin/human sputum: Effective for treating nebula • Renzhijia/ungis/prepared human nail: Scrape it to get powder. Drip its powder into the eye to treat nebula, including nebula caused by chicken pox. Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar can be put. To treat hyperemia of subconjunctival capillaries, burn the drug to ash. Blend the ash with ash of Beizi/concha cypraei/cypraea shell and powder of Longchi/dens draconis/dragon’s teeth. • Baoyi/placenta hominis/dried human placenta: Burn the drug and drip it into the reddened eye with nebula.

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7.2.1.4  Drugs for Expelling Invading Objects • The following five drugs can be used to drip into the eye to expel invading objects: Difuzhi (juice of Difuzi/fructus kochiae/belvedere fruit); Zhuzhi/adeps si scrofae/pig fat; NiuSu/lac obesus preparatum/butter; Baoyutou (head of Baoyu/haliotis/abalone): Stew the drug to get juice; and Jiganxue (blood of Jigan/hepar gigeriae galli/chicken liver). • Cansha/faeces bombycis/silkworm faeces: Effective for expelling objects invading the eye. Swallow ten pieces with water. • Zengdai/rice steamer: Effective for expelling invasion of sand into the eye. Eat one qian of the drug with water. • The following four drugs are effective for getting rid of invading sand and dust: Zhenzhu/margarita/pearl; Shanhu/callium/coral; Baoshi/precious stone; and Diaopi/sable fur. • Wujidan (gall of Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl): The drug can be used to drip into an eye invaded by dust and sand. • Shiyan/sal/salt: Wash the eye with salt water to expel foreign objects from the eye. • The following three drugs can be chewed and then applied to the eye to expel invading dust and sand: Yangjin/ligamentum caprae seu ovis/sheep tendon; Lujin/ligamentum cervi/deer tendon; and Xinsangbaipi/ctex mi radicis/white mulberry bark, recently  collected. • Lanxiangzi/semen ocimi pilosi/basilseed: Insert it into the eye to remove invading dust and objects. • Mozhi/juice of Chinese ink: The drug can be used to drip into the eye to expel invading dust, flying fibers. • The following four drugs are effective for making a decoction to expel invading fibers of wheat and rice:

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 anghegenzhi (juice of Ranghegen/radix zingiberis miogae/mioga R ginger root); Sumi/semen setariae/millet: Chew the drug to get juice; Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean: Soak the drug in water; and Damai/semen hdei/barley: Stew the drug to get juice. • The following seven drugs can be used to drip into the eye to expel invading flying fibres: Baisongzhi (juice of Baicai/plantula brassicae chinensis/seedling of parkchoi); Manjingzhi (juice of Wujing/radix brassicae rapae/turnip root); Machixianhui (ash of Machixian/herba portulacae/parslane herb); Ouzhi (juice of Ou/rhizoma nelumbinis/lotus rhizome); Zhejiang/sugarcane juice; Jikecaohui/ash of Jikecao: soak the drug in water, filter the water; and Renzhijia/ungis/human nail. • Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Stuff it into the nose to treat flying fibers in the eye. • Qumai/herba dianthi/liliac pink herb: Effective for treating nebula caused by invading objects. If the object does not come out, use it with powder of Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger daily.

7.2.2  Diseases of the Ear Tinnitus and deafness may be caused by kidney-insufficiency, qi insufficiency, stagnancy-fire or wind-heat. Pain in the ear is caused by windheat. Suppurative otitis media is caused by damp-heat.

7.2.2.1  Drugs for Tonifying Deficiency [The Category of Herbs and Cereals] • The following five drugs are effective for treating deafness caused by kidney-insufficiency. All the drugs that tonify yang can be used: Shudihuang/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root; Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica;

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Roucongrong/herba cistanche/desert-living cistanche; Tusizi/semen cuscutae/dodder seed; and Gouqizi/fructus lycii/barbary wolfberry fruit. • The following three drugs are effective for treating deafness caused by qi-dificiency. All the drugs that tonify the middle qi can be used: Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root; Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/largehead atractylodes rhizome; and Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng. • Gusuibu/rhizoma drynariae/fortunes’s drynaria rhizome: Effective for treating tinnitus. Grind the drug to powder. Roast it with Zhushen/pig’s kidney, and then take it. • Baihe/bulbus lilii/lily bulb: Grind the drug to powder. Take it daily. [The Category of Fruits and Woods] • Shizi/fructus kaki/persimmon: Make porridge with Sherijiu/sacrificial wine, jingmi/ultivarietas oryzae sativae/polished round-grained ­nonglutinous rice and Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean. Eat the porridge daily to treat deafness. • Zhebaipi/ctex cudraniae tricuspidatae/tricuspid cudrania bark: Make wine with the drug to treat deafness caused by wind-insufficiency. • Mujingzi/fructus viticis cannabifoliae/fruit of hempleaf negundo chastetree: Soak the drug in wine. Drink the wine to treat deafness. • Fuling/poria/Indian bread: Effective for treating sudden loss of h­ earing. Chew the drug with Huangla/cera flava/bee wax. • The following two drugs are effective for nourishing kidney qi and treating deafness: Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit; and Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/Chinese corktree bark. [The Category of Stones, Fowls and Animals] • Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite: Effective for nourishing kidney qi and treating deafness. To treat deafness of the elderly, stew the drug to get juice. Then stew Zhushen/pig’s kidney with it to make porridge and take it.

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• Jizi/ovum gigeriae galli/chicken egg: Make wine with it, which is effective for treating tinnitus. To treat deafness, stir-fry the drug with Huangla/cera flava/bee wax and take it. • Zhushen/pig’s kidney: Make porridge with the drug to treat deafness. • Yangshen/ren caprae seu ovis/sheep or goat kidney: Effective for tonifying the kidney and treating deafness. • Yangjigu/sheep spinal bone: Stew the drug with Cishi/magnetitum/ magnetite and Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/largehead atractylodes rhizome to make a decoction. Drink the decoction to treat deafness. • The following three drugs are effective for tonifying deficiency and treating deafness: Lushen/penis et testes cervi; Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deer-horn; and Lujiao/cornu cervi/deer-horn.

7.2.2.2  Drugs for Relieving Depression [The Category of Herbs] • Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root: Effective for dispersing accumulation of pathogenic fire from shao yang channel and treating tinnitus and deafness. • Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/weeping forsythia fruit: Effective for treating severe tinnitus with continuous sound and eliminating fire from shao yang and triple energizers channels. • Xiangfu/rhizome cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome: Effective for treating sudden loss of hearing. Stir-fry the drug, and then grind it into powder. Take the powder with decoction of Laifuzi/semen raphani/radish seed. • Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed: Effective for treating deafness caused by malnutrition qi. Roast it with Zhushen/pig’s kidney, and take it. • Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root: Stew it to get juice. Make wine with the juice, which can be used to treat deafness.

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• The following eleven drugs are effective for treating tinnitus caused by accumulation of fire, wind and heat: Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root; Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden root; Longdan/radix gentianae/Chinese gentian; Luhui/aloe/aloes; Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony; Mutong/caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis/manshurian dutchmanspipe stem; Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber; Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag  rhizome; Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint; and Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhornikovia root. All the drugs that facilitate the flow of qi, relieve depression, disperse wind and decrease fire can be used. [The Category of Metals and Stones] • Shengtie/ferrum/iron: Effective for treating deafness caused by attack of excessive heat. Burn the drug to red, and dip it into wine, then drink the wine. Also, insert a small piece of Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite into the ear. • The following two drugs are effective for treating deafness: Kongqing/azuritum/azurite; and Baiqing/white soil. [The Category of Insects and Fowls] • Yeweng/eumenes pomifomis/mud wasp: Effective for treating deafness. • Quanxie/scorpio/scorpion: Effective for treating deafness. Take one qian with wine. When the patient can hear a splashing sound, it means the treatment is working. • Wujishi (feces of Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl): Effective for treating sudden loss of hearing. Stir-fry it with Heidou/semen sojae nigra/seed of black soybean. Soak the drug in wine. Then drink the wine. When the patient has a sweat, it means the syndrome has gone.

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7.2.2.3  Drugs for External Use [The Category of Herbs and Woods] • Muxiang/radix auckl iae/costus root: Soak the drug in Mayou/oleum sesami seminis/sesame oil, and then stew it. Drip the liquid into the ear to treat deafness, four or five times a day. • Yuzhizi/fructus akebiae/fruit of fiveleaf akebia: Effective for treating sudden loss of hearing. Make wine with Shiliu/fructus granati/ pomegranate fruit. Drip the drug into the ear. Lingxiaoye/folium camnpsis gradiflae/Chinese trumpetcreeper leaf: Drip the juice of the drug into the ear. • Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root and Gusuibu/rhizoma ­drynariae/fortunes’s drynaria rhizome: Roast the two drugs. Insert the drug into the ear to treat deafness. • Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Insert the drug with Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed into the ear. • Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood: Effective for treating sudden loss of hearing. Soak the drug in vinegar, and then insert it into the ear. Burn the drug to ash, insert it with Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome into the ear to stop tinnitus. • Caowutou/radix aconite kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood can be inserted into the ear to stop tinnitus, itching and deafness. • Gansui/radix kansui/gansui root: Insert the drug into the ear. Keep Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root in the mouth at the same time. • Bimazi/semen ricini/cast bean: Make a roll with Dazao/fructus jujubae/ Chinese date and insert it into the ear. • Tuguagen/radix trichosanthis cucumeroidis/Japanese snakegourd root: Insert it into the ear and apply moxibustion at the same time to treat deafness. • Jingshuangqingruoye (Ruoye/folium indocalami tessellati/chequershaped indocalamus leaf exposed to frost): Burn it with Huajiao/ pericarpium zanthoxyli/prickly-ash peel to ash, then blow the ash into the ear. • Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root: Stew it with Zhuzhi/ adeps si scrofae/pig fat. Insert it into the ear to stop tinnitus.

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• Jisu/herba stachydis japonicae/herb of Japanese betony: Rub the raw drug. • The following six drugs are effective for treating deafness when inserted into the ear: Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed: Blend it with Huangla/cera  flava/bee wax; Xixin/herba asari/manchurian wild ginger; Langdu/radix euphorbiae ebractealatae/unbracteolated euphorbia  root; Longnao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol; Huaijiao/fructus sophae/pod of Japanese pagodatree; and Songzi/colophonium/colophony: Blend with Badou/semen crotonis/­ croton seed. • Jiaomu/semen zanthoxyli/seed of bunge prickly ash: Effective for treating kidney-insufficiency tinnitus with a sound similar to wind, splashing water, bells and drums. Insert the drug with Badou/ semen crotonis/croton seed, Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/ grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome and Songzhi/colophonium/colophony into the ear. Change the drug everyday, it is pretty effective. • Hutao/fructus jugl is/English walnut: Roast and grind it into powder. Insert the powder into the ear when it is hot. The tinnitus will be cured shortly. • Jiezi/semen brassicae/seed of Indian mustard: Blend it with Renru/lac hominis/human milk. Insert it into the ear to treat tinnitus and deafness. • Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk: Insert it into the ear to treat tinnitus. Soak the drug in Fengmi/mel/honey and water and drip it into the ear to treat deafness and tinnitus. • Xingren/semen armeniacae amarae/bitter apricot seed: Steam it to get oil. Drip the oil into the ear. • Shiliu/fructus granati/pomegranate fruit: Soak the drug in vinegar, and then roast it. Blend the drug with Heilizi (Li/fructus pruni salicinae/ Japanese plum, preserved) and Xianzaozi /zhongsizao/date). Drip it into the ear to treat sudden loss of hearing. • Mayou/oleum sesami seminis/sesame oil: Drip it into the ear daily to help clear cerumen.

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• Shaojiu/liquor: Effective for treating nucleus in the ear which is painful when people touch it. Drip the drug into the ear. After a while, the nucleus can be removed. [The Category of Stones and Insects] • Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite: Soak it with little Shexiang/moschus/ musk and rinse it. Then blend with Eyou/goose oil and insert it into the ear. Also, insert the drug with Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scale into the ear. Keep a piece of Shengtie/ferrum/iron in the mouth at the same time. • The following four drugs can be used to insert into the ear: Xiaoshi/sal nitri/niter; Wujing/lytta caraganae/blister beetle: Blend the drug with Badou/ semen crotonis/croton seed and Bima/semen ricini/castor bean; Banmao/mylabris/blister beetle: Blend it with Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed; and Zhenzhu/margarita/pearl. • Dilongshui (water of Dilong/lumbricus/earthworm): The drug can be used to drip into the ear to treat deafness. [The Category of Scales and Shells] • The following four drugs can be used to drip into the ear to treat deafness: Guiniao (urine of Gui/testudinis/tortoise); Xiegao/crab ovary; Diaozhi; and Gouyingao/fat of Gouyin. • The following three drugs are effective for treating deafness when inserted into the ear: Ranshegao (fat of Ranshe/Indian python); Huashegao (fat of Baihuashe/bungarus parvus/little silver-banded krait); and Fushegao (fat of Fushe/agkistrodon brevicaudi/bevicaude pit viper). • Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone: Blow the drug into the ear with Shexiang/moschus/musk.

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• Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scale: Blend with Xiewei/­ scorpio/tail of a scorpion, Shexiang/moschus/musk and Huangla/ cera flava/bee wax and insert it into the ear to treat deafness and tinnitus. • The following five drugs can be used to drip into the ear to treat deafness: Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall; Liyunao/encephalon cyprini/carp brain; Jiyudan/fel carassii/gall of crucian carp; Jiyunao/encephalon carassii/brain of crucian carp; and Wuzeiyuxue/blood of cuttlefish. [The Category of Fowls and Animals] • The following eleven drugs can be used to drip into the ear to treat deafness: Bai’egao/fat of goose; Bai’ecui/goose pancreas; Yanfang/adeps anseris albifrontis/white-fronted goose fat; Wujifang (fat of Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl); Tihuyou (oil of Tihu/pelecanus roseus/pelican); Pitigao/grebe fat; Shudan/rat gall; Ciweizhi/adeps fel/hedgehog fat; Lvzhi/adeps asini/donkey fat; Maoniao/cat urine; and Renniao/urina hominis/human urine. • The following four drugs can be used to insert into the ear to treat deafness: Quenao/myelencephalon passeris montani/brain of house sparrow; Tunao/encephalon cuniculi/rabbit brain; Xiongnao/encephalon ursi/bear brain; and Shunao/encephalon ratti/rat brain. • Qiuyin/lumbricus/earthworm: Blend the drug with Qingyan/halitum/ halite and Shuzhi/adeps ratti/rat fat, and then insert into the ear. • Cantui/periostachcum bombycis/silkworm slough: Roll the drug with Shexiang/moschus/musk and burn it to fume the ear to treat deafness.

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7.2.2.4  Drugs for Relieving the Ear Pain [The Category of Herbs and Woods] • The following nine drugs are effective for relieving the ear pain: Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/weeping forsythia fruit; Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thowax root; Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root; Longdan/radix gentianae/Chinese gentian; Shunianzi/fructus arctii/burdock fruit; Shanglu/radix phytolaccae/pokeberry root: Insert into the ear. Chuanlianzi/fructus toosendan/szechwan chinaberry fruit; and Niubanggen/radix arctii/burdock root: Stew the drug to get juice; apply with Bimazi/semen ricini/cast bean. • Mubiezi/semen momdicae/cochinchia momdica seed: Effective for treating sudden swelling and heat of the ear. Blend it with Xiaodou/ semen phaseoli/rice bean, Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/ rhubarb and Mayou/oleum sesami seminis/sesame oil. Apply it to the ear. • Muxiang/radix auckl iae/costus root: Grind the drug to powder. Dip Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk into the powder and Ezhi/goose fat, then insert it into the ear. • Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Grind the drug to powder. Stir-fry the powder, and apply it to the ear, which is quite effective. • Yujin/radix curcumae/turmeric root tuber: Soak the drug in water to get juice. Drip it into the ear. • Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit: Grind the drug with Dahuang/radix et rhizoma rhei/rhubarb and Wutou/radix aconite kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood to powder. Make the ­powder a paste, apply it to the soles of the feet to lead the heat flow downward. It is effective for treating tinnitus and ear pain. [The Category of Waters and Stones] • The following three drugs can be used to drip into the ear: Fanshi/alumen/alum: Dissolve it in water; Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/sodium sulfate: Dissolve it in water; and Modaoshui/water used when sharpening a knife.

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• Qiuyinfen/faeces lumbricus/feces of earthworm: Apply it to the ear. • Chaoyan/fried salt: Stuff it into the pillowcase. [The Category of Insects and Animals] • Shetui/periostracum serpentis/snake slough: Effective for treating sudden ear pain with the feeling as if worms are crawling, or with blood and fluid secretion. Blow the ash of the drug into the ear, which will immediately stop the pain. • Sangpiaoxiao/ootheca mantidis/egg capsule of mantid: Blend the ash of the drug with other drugs for treat ear diseases. • Shanxue (blood of Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel): Drip the drug into the ear. • Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scale: Grind the drug with Tugou (Lougu/grillotalpa/mole cricket) to powder. Blow it into the ear. • Jiushi (feces of Banjiu/streptopelia ientalis/rufous turtle dove): Grind the drug to powder. Blow it into the ear. • Shexiang/moschus/musk can unblock stuffy orifices.

7.2.2.5  Drugs for Treating Suppurative Otitis Media [The Category of Herbs and Woods] • Baifuzi/rhizoma typhonii/giant typhonium tuber: Roast the drug with Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root, Zhushen/pig’s kidney, Yangshen/ren caprae seu ovis/sheep or goat kidney and take them. • Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood; • Honglanhua/flos cathami/safflower: Blend it with powder of Baifan/ alumen/alum; • Qingdai/indigo naturalis/natural indigo: Blend it with powder of Xiangfu/rhizome cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome and Huangbo/ cortex phellodendri/Chinese corktree bark. • The following thirteen drugs can be used to blow into the ear: Baijiang/herba patriniae/patrinia; Langya/woof tooth; Puhuang/pollen typhae/cattail pollen;

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Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed: Stir-fry the drug; Xingren/semen armeniacae amarae/bitter apricot seed: Stir-fry the drug; Jupihui (ash of Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel): Blend it with Shexiang/moschus/musk; Qingpihui (ash of Qingpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel); Nancaihui (ash of Nanmu/lignum nanmu/nanmu); Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed; Gumianhui (ash of Gumian/used silk fiber); Majiehui (ash of Majie/caulis cannabis/hemp stalk); Kuhuhui (ash of Kuhu/fructus lagenariae vulgaris/bitter calabash); and Chezhi/grease used for lubricating carts. • The following ten drugs can be used to drip into the ear: Hutao/fructus jugl is/English walnut: Grind the drug with Goudan/ fel canitis/dog gall, and then insert it into the ear. Liugen/radix salicis babylonicae/willow root: Pound the drug and then stuff it in the ear. Bohezhi (juice of Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint); Qinghaozhi (juice of Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb); Chongweizhi (juice of Chongwei/herba leonuri/motherwort); Yanzhizhi (juice of Yanzhi/rouge); Hu’ercaozhi (juice of Hu’ercao /herba saxifragae/saxifrage) Mazizhi (juice of Maziren/semen cannabis/hemp seed) Jiucaizhi (juice of Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion); and Ganyezhi (juice of Ganye/folium citri chachiensis/leaf of mandarin ange). [The Category of Earth and Stones] • The following nine drugs can be used to blow into the ear: Fulonggan/terra flava usta/furnace soil; Qiuyinni/feces of earthworm; Huangfan/fibroferritum/fibroferrite;

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Baifan/alumen/alum: Blend it with Huangdan/minium/lead oxide. Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment: Blend it with Cihuang/orpimentum/orpiment and Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur. Luganshi/calamina/calamine: Blend it with Baifan/alumen/alum and Shexiang/moschus/musk. Fushi/pumex/pumice stone: Blend it with Moyao/myrrha/myrrh and Shexiang/moschus/musk; Mituoseng/lithargyrum/litharge; and Qingfen/calomelas/calomel. • Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur: Blend with Huangla/cera flava/bee wax to make a roll. Insert it into the ear. [The Category of Insects and Animals] • The following nine drugs can be blended with Shexiang/moschus/ musk and blown into the ear: Wubeizi/galla chinensis/Chinese nut-gall; Sangpiaoxiao/ootheca mantidis/egg capsule of mantid; Chantuihui (ash of Chantui/periostracum cicadae/cicada slough); Zhizhu/aranea/spider; Quanxie/scorpio/scorpion; Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone; Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scale; Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone; and Jiushi (feces of Banjiu/streptopelia ientalis/rufous turtle dove). • Yangshi/faeces caprae seu ovis/sheep’s dung: Grind the drug with Yanzhi/rouge to powder. Blow it into the ear. • The following five drugs can be inserted into the ear to treat suppurative otitis media and reduce parasites: Liyuchang/intestinum cyprini/carp intestine; Liyunao/encephalon cyprini/carp brain; Manliyugu (bone of Manli/anguilla japonicae/Japanese eel); Yuzha/preserved fish; and Shugan/hepar ratti/rat liver. • The following four drugs can be inserted into the ear: Shishouyuzhen (occipital bone of Shishouyu/sciaenops ocellatus/ drum fish); Yemingsha/faeces vespertilionis/bat dung.

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 uandan/fel canitis/dog gall: Blend the drug with Baifan/alumen/ Q alum; and Fahui (ash of human hair): Blend the drug with powder of Xingren/ semen armeniacae amarae/bitter apricot seed. • Renyahui (ash of human teeth): Blow into the ear to treat five kinds of suppurative otitis media.

7.2.2.6  Drugs for Expelling Invading Insects • The following sixteen drugs can be used to drip into the ear: Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber: Blend it with Mayou/ oleum sesami seminis/sesame oil; Baibu/radix stemonae/stemona root: Soak it in oil; Cang’erzhi (juice of Cang’er/herba xanthii/herb of siberian  cocklebur); Congzhi (juice of Cong/herba allii fistolosi/fistular onion); Jiuzhi (juice of Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion); Taoyezhi (juice of Taoye/folium persicae/peach leaf); Jiangzhi (juice of Shengjiang/succus zingiberis recens/fresh  ginger); Jiangzhi (juice of Jiang/miscellus amylum preparatum/paste); Shujiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli /Sichuan pepper; Shidan/chalanthitum/chalanthite; Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury; Guqian/ancient copper coin: Stew it with Zhuzhi/adeps si scrofae/pig fat; Renru/lac hominis/human milk; Renniao/urina hominis/human urine; Maoniao/cat urine; and Jiguanxue/blood from cockscomb. • The following treatment can be used to expel insects invading the ear: Shantouhui (ash of head of Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel): Stuff the drug in the ear; Shihu/herba dendrobii/dendrobium: Insert the stem of the drug into the ear, and burn it to fume the ear; and Sound of an iron blade. • The following five drugs can be used to blow into the ear:

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•

•

•

•

•

• • • •

 ayou/oleum sesami seminis/sesame oil: Stir-fry the flour with the M drug and make pies. Put pies in the pillowcase, then the patient can rest on it. Chezhi/grease used for lubricating carts: Apply it to the ear. Lvfan/melanteritum/melanterite and Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt: Blend the drugs with Shidan/chalanthitum/chalanthite; and Longnao/borneolum syntheticum/boreol. The following five drugs can be dripped into the ear to expel an invading scutiger: Yangru/lac caprae seu ovis/sheep milk; Niuru/lac bovis/cow milk; Niulao (Lao/lac preparatum/junket); Lvru/lac asini/donkey milk; and Maoniao/cat urine. The following two drugs are effective for expelling an invading centipede, insect and ant. Both of them can be used to fill a pillowcase. Jigan/hepar gigeriae galli/chicken liver; and Zhufang/fat of pig. The following two drugs are effective for expelling an invading ant: Chuanshanjiahui (ash of Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin  scale): Blow it into the ear; and Xingrenyou (oil of Xingren/semen armeniacae amarae/bitter apricot seed): Drip it into the ear. Dengxincao/medulla junci/rush: Soak the drug in Mayou/oleum sesami seminis/sesame oil. Use the stem to induce the invading insects or ants out of the ear. Shanxue (blood of Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel): Blend the drug with insects from Zaojia/fructus gleditsiae/Chinese honeylocust fruit. Drip it into ear to expel an invading fly. Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Stuff the ear with the drug to expel an invading flea or louse. Daoganhui (ash of Daocao/herba yzae sativae/rice straw): Stew the drug to get juice. Drip it into the ear to expel invading lice. Zaofan/melanteritum/melanterite: Blow the drug into the ear to expel an invading maggot. Tianni/field mud: Effective for expelling an invading leech. Ask the patient to rest his head on it.

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• Shengjin/gold: Ask the patient to rest his head on it to induce invading Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury to flow out. • Bohezhi (Juice of Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint): Drip it into the ear to drive out invading water.

7.3  Gynecological and Paediatric Diseases 7.3.1  Menstrual Irregularities Amenorrhea can be caused either by blood stasis or blood exhaustion. Menstrual irregularities include late periods due to blood deficiency or early periods due to blood heat, or dysmenorrhea due to qi and blood stagnation.

7.3.1.1  Drugs for Activating Blood and Moving Qi • Xiangfu/rhizome cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome: Effective for functioning on qi in the blood. If the raw drug is used, it moves upward. If it is prepared, it moves downward. If it is stir-fried to turn black, it can stop bleeding. When soaked in children’s urine and stirfried, it functions on blood and tonifies the deficiency. Soaked in salt water and stir-fried, it functions on blood and moistens the dryness. Stir-fried with salt, it tonifies the kidney qi. Soaked in wine and stirfried, it functions on meridians and collaterals. Soaked in vinegar and stir-fried, it disperses accumulation. Stir-fried with ginger juice, it disperses phlegm and fluid retention. Used with Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/largehead atractylodes rhizome, it tonifies qi. Used with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root, it tonifies the blood. Used with Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome and Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome, it is effective for relieving depression. Used with Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/cape-jasmine fruit and Huanglian/ rhizoma and coptidis/golden root, it is effective for directing down excessive fire.

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Used with Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark and Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber, it is effective for relieving distention. Used with Shengqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven and Zhishi/fructus aurantii immaturus/immature orange fruit, it is effective for promoting disgestion. Used with Zisu/herba perillae/perilla herb and Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk, it is effective for dispersing exterior syndrome. Used with Sanleng/rhizoma sparganii/common burreed tuber and Ezhu/rhizoma zedoariae/zedoray, it is effective for relieving accumulation and mass. Used with Huixiang/fructus foeniculi/fennel fruit and Poguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpea fruit, it is effective for conducting qi back to its origin. Used with Aiye/folium frtemisia argyi/arigyi wormwood leaf, it is effective for regulating qi and blood, and warming the uterus. In a word, it is the principal drug for treating qi diseases and an effective drug for treating gynecological diseases. • Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica: Effective for regulating all kinds of qi and treating all kinds of consumptive diseases. It can resolve stasis, nourish fresh blood and tonify all deficiencies. Different parts of the drug have different functions. Its head is effective for stopping bleeding; its body nourishing blood; and its root resolving stasis. To treat all kinds of gynecological diseases, make pills with Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root. To treat vicarious menstruation, stew it with Honghua/flos cathami/ safflower to make a decoction. Drink it. To treat distending pain during menstruation, make pills with Ganqi/ lacca sinica exsiccatae/dried lacquer. Swallow the pills. To treat amenorrhea of a virgin girl, grind it with Moyao/myrrha/ myrrh to powder. Swallow the powder with wine made from Honghua/ flos cathami/safflower. • Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root: Effective for removing stasis and helping produce fresh blood. It can prevent miscarriage and help a dead fetus descend. It stops menstrual flooding and treats

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leukorrhea. It helps stimulate menstrual discharge and ­regulate irregular periods like polymenorrhea or oligomenorrhea, menorrhagia or menopenia. It is also effective for treating consumptive diseases caused by cold and heat, pain and fidgetiness of spine, lumbar and bone. Dry the drug under the sun and grind it into powder. Swallow two qian of it with warm wine. • Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/szechwan lovage rhizome: Effective for treating all qi and blood diseases. It is effective for removing blood stasis and nourishing fresh blood. It disperses abnormal liver qi, tonifies liver blood and moistens liver dryness. It is effective for treating infertility due to amenorrhea. It is an effective drug for replenishing qi in the blood. • Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony: Effective for treating amenorrhea with distention caused by cold and lower abdominal pain. It can regulate menstrual irregularites caused by blood stasis. • Shengdihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root can cool the blood heat and help produce fresh blood. It tonifies genuine yin and stimulates menstrual discharge. • Lancao/herba eupatorii/fortune eupatorium herb can help produce fresh blood and harmonize qi, nourish nutrient and regulate menstruation. • Zelan/herba lycopi/bugleweed herb can nourish the nutrient qi and remove blood stasis. It treats consumptive diseases in emaciated women. It is indeed an essential herb for treating gynecological diseases. • Chongweizi/fructus leonuri/motherwort fruit: Effective for regulating menstruation to promote pregancy. It activates the blood and moves qi. It is effective for tonifying yin. • Anlvzi/semen artemisiae keiskeanae: Soak it with Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed in wine. It is effective for promoting menstruation. • Xuanhusuo/rhizoma corydalis/yanhusuo: Effective for treating menstrual irregularites with blood masses, gravid stranguria and lochia. It moves qi, relieves pain and removes stasis. Make pills with Danggui/ radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Juhong/exocarpium citri rubrum/tangerine peel. Swallow the pills.

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• Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thowax root: Effective for treating invasion of heat into blood chamber, cold and heat, and menstrual irregularities. • Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root: Effective for treating amenorrhea with excessive dripping of blood. • Baimaogen/rhizome imperatae/lalang grass rhizome: Effective for treating menstrual irregularities with excessive dripping of blood and resolving blood stasis. • Jundagen/radix betae ciclae/sixily common beet root: Effective for activating collaterals and unblock meridians, and therefore good for women. • Tihucai/Chinese cabbage: Pound the drug and take with wine, which is effective for stimulating menstrual discharge. • Chatang/tea water: Add a little Shatang/sacchari albicans/granulated sugar and expose it overnight. Drink the water to stimulate menstrual discharge. It is a recipe that uses the simplest thing but really works. Don’t despise it. • Qianshuang/lead acetate: Effective for treating amenorrhea in a virgin girl, with heat and vexation. Take it with juice of Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root. • The following five drugs are effective for treating diseases related to qi and blood: Muxiang/radix auckl iae/costus root; Ruxiang/oblibanum/frankincense; Wuyao/radix linderae/root of combined spicebush; Baizhi/radix angelicae dahuricae/dahurian angelica root; and Sang’er/auricularia in mori/jew’s ear on mulberry tree. • Lizhihe/semen litchi/lychee seed: Effective for treating abdominal pain caused by disorder of qi and blood. Grind it with Xiangfu/rhizome cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome to powder. Swallow the powder. • Biba/fructus piperis longi/long pepper: Effective for treating abdominal pain caused by disorder of qi and blood, and menstrual irregularities. Make pills with Puhuang/pollen typhae/cattail pollen. Swallow the pills. • Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood: Effective for stimulating menstrual discharge. Stew the drug with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica.

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• Jiezi/semen brassicae/seed of Iindian mustard: Grind it into powder. Swallow its powder with wine to stimulate menstrual discharge. • Jiuzhi (juice of jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion): Effective for treating irregular menstruation. Blend the drug with Tongniao/urina hominis/urine of boys. • Sigua/fructus luffae/luffa: Grind into powder. Swallow the powder with wine to stimulate menstrual discharge. • Tuguagen/radix trichosanthis cucumeroidis/Japanese snakegourd root: Effective for treating irregular menstrual discharge. Grind the drug with Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony, Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig and Zhechong/eupolyphaga seu opisthopatia/female ground beetle to powder. Swallow it with wine. • Yiyigen/radix coicis/job’s-tears root: Stew the drug to make a decoction. Drink the decoction to stimulate menstrual discharge. • Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root: Effective for regulating menstrual irregularites with blood stasis. Make pills with Ganqi/lacca sinica exsiccatae/dried lacquer and juice of Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root. Take the pills. • Niubanggen/radix arctii/burdock root: Effective for treating amenorrhea with hard mass that makes the patient feel extremely painful. Steam the drug three times, and then soak it in wine. Drink it everyday. • Mabiancao/herba verbenae/european verhena herb: Effective for treating amenorrhea with hard mass. Stew to make paste. Take it. • Huzhang/rhizoma polygoni cuspidati/giant knotweed rhizome: Effective for stimulating menstrual discharge. Grind with Moyao/myrrha/myrrh and Lingxiaohua/flos campsis gradiflorae/Chinese trumpetcreeper flower to powder. Swallow the powder. • Jili/fructus tribuli/puncture-vine caltrop fruit: Effective for stimulating menstrual discharge. Grind with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/ Chinese angelica to powder. Swallow it with wine. • Muma/casuarina equisetifolia/casuarina: Effective for treating amenorrhea with hard mass. If the patient takes it for long, she is likely to become pregnant. • Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt: Effective for treating amenorrhea with accumulation and and stabbing pain. It can resolve blood stasis and warm the uterus. Make pills with Zaojia/fructus gleditisiae/

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Chinese honeylocust fruit and Chenpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/ tangerine peel. Swallow the pills. • Bai’e/chalk/chalk: Effective for treating amenorrhea with cold and heat, infertility and cold uterus. • Tongjingbi/handle of a brass mirror: Effective for treating amenorrhea with hard mass and infertility. • Wujinshi/coal: Effective for stimulating menstrual discharge. Stew it to get a decoction. Take three pills of Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed with the decoction. • Cansha/faeces bombycis/silkworm faeces: Effective for treating prolonged amenorrhea. Stir-fry it and stew in wine. Take one cup and menstruation will discharge immediately. • Geshangtingzhang/epicauta gorhami/bean blister beetle: Effective for treating amenorrhea with masses. Stir-fry with rice, and then grind it into powder. Swallow the powder. • Wuya/caro corvi macrophynchi/crow: Effective for treating amenorrhea. Stir-bake, and take it with Shuizhi/hirudo/leech and other drugs. • Tadan/common otter gall: Effective for stimulating menstrual discharge. Make pills with Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt and other drugs. Swallow the pills. Otter claw can be used in the same way. • Baigoushi/faeces of a white dog: Effective for treating menstruation with hypermenorrhea and menorrhagia. Burn, and make it to powder. Swallow the powder with wine. • Shushi/faeces ratti/rat dung: Effective for stimulating menstrual discharge. Swallow one qian of the drug with wine. • Tongnantongnvfa/hair of virgin boy or girl: Effective for stimulating menstrual discharge. Grind the drug with Banmao/mylabris/blister beetle and Shexiang/moschus/musk to powder. Swallow it. • Renru/lac hominis/human milk: Swallow three ge (one tenth of one sheng18) of the milk daily to stimulate menstrual discharge. • The following forty ingredients are effective for activating blood and stimulating menstrual discharge: Shuizhi/hirudo/leech; Didan/meloe corvinus/round-necked blister beatle; 18

 1 sheng (volume) = 10 ge = 1.0737 litre

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Chuji/hucechys canguinea/hucechys sanguinea; Wulingzhi/fceces trogopterori/trogopterus dung; Biejia/carapax trionycis/turtle shell; Nabie/turtle; Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scale; Longtai; Gefen/pulveratum mactrae conchae/shell powder of clam; Pusashi/stone from e’mei mountain; Tongnuya/bronze crossbow; Poxiao/mirabiliti/mirabilite; Zijingpi/cortex cercis chinensis/bark of Chinese redbud; Muzhansi; Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cinnamon bark; Ganqi/lacca sinica exsiccatae/dried lacquer; Houpo/cortex magnoliae officinalis/medicinal magnolia bark: Stew in wine; Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegroud root; Zhihan; Tianguaman/muskmelon vine; Ezhu/rhizoma zedoariae/zedoary; Sanleng/rhizoma sparganii/common burreed tuber; Zaomu/wood of date tree; Ziwei/flos campsis grandiflorae/flower of Chinese trumpetcreeper; Anluoguo/fructus phyllanthi/fruit of emblic leafflower; Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed; Mudanpi/cortex moutan radicis/tree peony bark; Liujinu/herba artemisiae anomalae/herb of diverse wormwood; Zishen/herba salviae chinesnsis/Chinese sage herb; Jianghuang/rhizoma curcumae longae/turmeric; Yujin/radix curcumae/turmeric root tuber; Honglanhua/flos cathami/safflower; Qumai/herba dianthi/liliac pink herb; Fanhonghua/stigma croci/saffron; Xusuizi/herba euphorbiae lathyris/mole weed herb; Shemei/herba duchesneae indicae/herb of indian mockstrawberry;

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Wasong/herba orostachydis/herb of fimbriate orostachys; Shifan/skeleton gorgoniae flabelli/coral skeleton; Chisunshi (Cujiangcao/herba oxalidis corniculatae/herb of creeping woodsorrel); and Puhuang/pollen typhae/cattail pollen. • Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date: Effective for treating hysteria in a woman, with crying as if she were haunted. Stew the drug with Xiaomai/semen tritici/wheat and Gancao/radix glycyrrizae/liquorice root to make a decoction. Drink it. • Tinglizi/semen lepidi/seed of pepperweed: Insert it into the vagina to stimulate menstrual discharge.

7.3.1.2  Drugs for Replenishing Qi and Nourishing Blood • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng: It replenishes qi of a patient with blood-deficiency. It is because when yang is replenished, yin will be nourished at the same time. • Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/largehead atractylodes rhizome can facilitate the flow of blood in the waist and umbilicus. It is also effective for improving appetite and promoting digestion. • Shudihuang/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root: When a woman is diagnosed with damaged uterus, her menstruation becomes irregular, heat hidden in the chong and ren channels. If the syndromes last for a long time, it will lead to infertility. Make pills with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Huanglian/ rhizoma coptidis/golden root. Swallow them. • Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Effective for treating cold and depressed condition of sea of blood of a woman. • The following seven drugs are effective for treating coldness and deficiency of the uterus, irregular menstruation and infertility: Buguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpea fruit; Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/waterplantain rhizome; Yangqishi/actinophorum; Xuanshi/black stone;

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Baiyu/white jade; Qingyu/blue jade; and Zishiying/fluoritum/fluprite. • Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue: Effective for treating blood exhaustion, menstrual irregularities and infertility. Stir-fry the drug and then grind it into powder. Take the powder with wine. • The following three drugs are effective for treating blood exhaustion amenorrhea, damaged liver, hemoptysis and hematochezia: Queluan/ovum passeris montani/egg of a house sparrow; Wuzeigu/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone; and Baoyuzhi (juice of Baoyu/haliotis/abalone). • Lvbaoyi/donkey placenta can promote normal menstruation. Calcine the drug and then grind it into powder. Blend with Shexiang/moschus/ musk. Take it with newly fetched water. No more than three doses are needed.

7.3.2  Leukorrhea Leukorrhea is caused by humidity, heat and phlegm. The symptom could be deficient or excessive. • Cangzhu/rhizoma atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome: Dry up humidity and strengthen spleen. It can be taken orally after being processed four times and made into pills. • Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf: Effective for leukorrhea. Stew with Jizi/ovum gigeriae galli/chicken egg and eat them together. • Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Effective for leukorrhea with reddish discharge, relieve pus, leukorrhea with cold and pain as well as foul smell. Make it into pills together with Shukuigen/radix althaeae roseae/root of hollyhock, Baishao/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root and Kufan/alumen ustum/calcined alumen, and then take the pills orally. Or soak it into Shihui/lime/limestonum seu calx and then grind into powder. Take with wine orally. • Caoguo/fructus tsaoko/caoguo: Take orally after being ground with Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense into powder.

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• Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice: Effective for leukorrhagia. Burn it with Huajiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/prickly-ash peel and grind into powder, then put some vinegar into it to make it into pills and take orally. • Lianzi/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed can treat leukorrhea with reddish discharge. • Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice: Stew with Hujiao/ fructus piperis nigri/black pepper and Wuji/gallus domesticua/blackbone silky fowl for a while and then eat it. • Baibiandou/semen dolichoris album/white hyacinth bean: Stir fry and grind it into powder, then eat it with rice water everyday. The flower can be used in the same way. • Qiaomai/fagopyri esculenti moench/buck wheat: Stir fry till it turns brown and eat together with egg white. • Jiucaizi/semen allii tuberosi/seed of tuber onion: Effective for leukorrhea and turbid urine. Stew it in vinegar and then make it into pills for oral taking. • Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root: Grind with Xiangfu/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome into powder and make it into decoction. Take the decoction orally. Or grind with Ganjiang/rhizoma zingibris/dried ginger into powder and then take the powder orally. • Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia: Effective for curing internal injury due to emotional disorder, or feebleness or cold. Grind it into powder to take with rice water everyday. • Gouji/rhizoma cibotii/cibot rhizome: Effective for a virgin’s leukorrhea with deficient and damaged condition of chong and ren channels, and heaviness in joints. Make it into pills together with Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deer-horn and take it orally. It is also effective for married women. Gouqigen/radix lycii/root of barbary wolfberry can be used to treat leukorrhea with speedy pulse. Stew it together with Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root in wine and drink the decoction. • Chunbaipi/cortex toonae sinensis/root-bark of Chinese toona: Make pills with Huashi/talcum/talc for oral taking, or make Chunbaipi/cortex toonae sinensis/root-bark of Chinese toona together with Ganjiang/ rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger, Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root

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and Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/amur cork-tree into pills for oral taking. • Mujinpi/cortex hibisci/shrubalthea bark: Effective for leukorrhea after being stewed in wine, take it orally. What’s more, white drugs for leukorrhea with white discharge, and red drugs for leukorrhea with reddish discharge. • Yujiaren/fructus seu semen ulmi pumilae/fruit or seed of siberian elm: Stew with beef till it becomes gruel. It can be used for stopping leukorrhea. • Fuling/poria/Indian bread: Make it into pills for oral taking. • Songxiang/colophonium/colophony wine: Make it into pills for oral taking. • Huaihua/flos sophorae/pagodatree flower: Grind with Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell into powder and take with wine. • Dongguaren/semen benincasae/Chinese waxgourd seed: Stir-fry it and grind into powder. Then take it with rice-water. • Mujingzi/fructus viticis cannabifoliae/fruit of hempleaf negundo chastetree: Stir-fry till it becomes scorched, then take it with rice-water. • Yimucao/fructus leonuri/motherwort fruit: Grind into powder and take it with rice water. • Xiakucao/spica prunellae/common selfheal fruit-spike: Grind into powder and take with rice water. • Jiguanhua/flos celosiae cristatae/cockscomb flower: Soak in wine and then drink the wine, or grind into powder to take orally. • Machixian/herba portulacae/purslane herb: Wring out the juice and take juice with egg white. • Dajigen/radix cirsii japonici/Japanese thistle root: Soak in wine and drink the wine. • Cujiangcao /herba oxalidis corniculatae/herb of creeping woodsorrel: Dry in the shade and eat with wine. • Jiaomu/semen zanthoxyli/seed of bunge prickly ash: Stir-fry and grind into powder. Then take the powder orally with water. • Dangzi/fructus zanthoxyli ailanthoidis/fruit of ailanthus-like prickly ash: Grind into powder together with Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome for oral taking.

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• Jiuzhi (juice of Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion): Mix with Tongniao/urina hominis/urine of boys, then put it outside for a whole night. Warm it and drink the next day. • Kuiye/folium malvae/leaf of cluster mallow and Kuihua/flos malvae/ flower of cluster mallow: Effective for leukorrhea with a burning sensation in the eyes. They can also be used for harmonizing blood and moistening dryness. Grind into powder and take orally with wine. Use white medicine for leukorrhea with white discharge and red medicine for reddish discharge. • Shukuigen/radix althaeae roseae/root of hollyhock: Effective for dispersing bloody pus and virulent discharge and treat leukorrhea. It can be used together with Baizhi/radix angelicae dahuricae/root of dahuriae angelica, Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root and Kufan/alumen ustum/calcined alumen. Make into pills with beewax and take orally. • Baijiang/herba patriniae/patrinia can treat leukorrhea: Effective for dispersing perennial blood stasis and changing pus into water. • Loulu/radix rhapontici/root of uniflower swesscentarry: Effective for postpartum leukorrhea. Make pills with Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/ argyi wormwood leaf and take orally. • Zengdai/rice steamer: Effective for leukorrhea with discharge of different colors. • The following 41 drugs are good for treating leukorrhea with reddish discharge and infertility: Zelanzi/semen lycopi/seed of hirsute shiny bugleweed: Effective for thirty-six kinds of gynecological diseases. Maxianhao/herba pedicularis resupinatae/herb of resupinate  woodbetong; Lishi/semen iridis chinensis/seed of Chinese small iris; Ziwei/flos campsis grandiflorae/flower of Chinese trumpetcreeper; Qiangen/radix rubiae/root of Indian madder; Bailian/radix ampelopsis/root of Japanese ampelopsis; Tuguagen/radix trichosanthis cucumeroidis/Japanese snakegourd  root; Chidili; Guijianyu/ramulus euonymi/twig of winged euonymus; Shuiqin/herba oenanthes javanicae/herb of javan waterdropwort;

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Puhuang/pollen typhae/cattail pollen; Jingtian/herba hylotelephii erythrosticti/herb of common stonecrop; Zhuling/polyporus/chuling; Ligenbaipi/cortex pruni salicinae radicis/root-bark of Japanese  plum; Jinyinggen/radix rosae laevigatae/root of cherokee rose; Shiliupi/pericarpium granati/pomegranate rind; Taomao; Baiguo/semen ginkgo/ginkgo seed; Shilianzi/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed; Qianshi/semen euryales/seed of gordon euryale; Chengdongfumu; Xiangshi/fructus querci acutissmae/fruit of sawtooth oak; Qinpi/cortex fraxini/ash bark; Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root; Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root; Roucongrong/herba cistanche/desert-living cistanche; Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower; Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/fragrant solomonseal rhizome; Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica; Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage; Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifolious bugbane rhizoma:can lift yang qi or clear qi; Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root:can lift yang qi or clear qi; Yangqishi/actinophorum; Baishizhi/halloysitum/white halloysite; Wuseshizhi /halloysitum/halloysite of five colors; Yuquan/jade grains; Shidan/chalanthitum/chalanthite; Daizheshi/haematitum/hematite; Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur; Shiliuchi; and Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt • Shihui/lime/limestonum seu calx can treat leukorrhea and leukorrhagia: Good for treating leukorrhea with reddish discharge. Make it into pills with Fuling/poria/Indian bread and take the pills orally.

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• Yunmufen/muscovitum/muscovite powder: Take a spoonful orally with water and it works instantly. • Yuyuliang/limonitum/limonite: Effective for leukorrhea with reddish discharge. Make it into pills with Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger and then take the pills orally. • Shiyan/fossilia spiriferis/fossil shell of spirifer: Effective for continuous menstruation and leukorrhea with reddish discharge for a few years. Make it into decoction or grind into powder for oral taking every day. • Baifan/alumen/alum: Effective for leukorrhagia and metrostaxis, irregular menstruation with hard and distended uterus, accompanied with blood stasis. Burn and grind into powder, then make into pills with Xingren/semen armenicae amarae/bitter apricot seed. Put the pills into the vagina. • Baiciqi/white porcelain: Effective for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis with white discharge. • Fulonggan/terra flava usta/furnace soil: Stir-fry till there’s no smoke. Take it with Zonghui/petiolus trachycarpi carbonisatus/charred petiole of fortune windmillpalm and Liangshangchen orally. • Qiushi/depositum urinae praeparatum/urine deposit preparation: Make it into pills with Zaorou (pulp of Zao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date) for oral taking. • Niujiaosai/os in cornu bovis/ox horn pith: Burn into ashes and then take it with wine. • Goutougu (dog skull): Burn into ashes and take it with wine. • Tupihui (ash of rabbit skin): Burn into ashes and take it with wine. • Zhushen/pig’s kidney: Eat many times in large amount. • Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver: Stew with Mo (Chinese ink) and Baicaoshuang/pulvis fumi carbonistus/soot, then eat it. • Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton: Effective for puerperal leukorrhea with reddish discharge and infertility. Stew with Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean and Suan/bulbus alliii sativum/ garlic, and then add Su/lac obesus preparatum/butter into the prepared meat to eat together. • Shanyangrou/caro naemorhedi/goral meat: Effective for leukorrhea with reddish discharge.

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• Gouyinjing/testis et penis canitis/testes and penis of a dog: Effective for twelve kinds of leukorrhea. • Lujiao/cornu cervi/deer-horn: Effective for whitish and turbid urine of woman. Stir-fry them and grind into powder, then drink the mixture with wine. • Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deer-horn: Effective for leukorrhea with reddish discharge. Bake it and then grind it into powder and take with wine. • Gouji/rhizoma cibotii/cibot rhizome: Effective for virgin’s leukorrhea with deficient and cold prevalence of Chong and Ren channels. Make into pills together with Bailian/radix ampelopsis/root of Japanese ampelopsis. • Baimazuoti/unquis equi/left hooves of a white horse: Effective for leukorhea with discharge of different colors. Burn it into ashes and take it with wine. • The following 39 drugs are good for treating leukorrhea with reddish discharge: Tuomao (camel hair); Wulüpi (skin of a black donkey); Niugu (ox bone); Niutijia (ox trotternail); Niuyinjing (ox testes and penis); Mijiao/cornu elaphuri/horn of David’s deer; Luxue (deer blood); Ejiao/colla corri asini/ass-hide glue; Danxiongji (cock with red feather); Wuji/gallus domesticus/ black-bone silky fowl; Jineijin/endothelium corneum gigeriae galli/chicken’s gizzard-skin; Querou/passer montani/house sparrow meat; Queluan/ovum passeris montani/egg of a house sparrow; Queshi/faeces passeri montanus/house sparrow dung; Fuyi/vespertilio/bat; Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterorum/trogopterus dung; Manli/anguilla japonicae/Japanese eel; Liyulin (carp scales);

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Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone; Toujia/squama alligatoris sinensis/scales of Chinese alligator; Guijia/plastrum testudinis/tortoise plastron; Bierou/caro trionycis/turtle meat; Houyugu/tachypleus tridentatus/apus bone; Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone; Mulifen/concha ostreae/oyster shell powder; Madao/concha solen gonldii/shell of razor clam; Haige/concha cyclinae/clam shell; Gefen/pulveratum mactrae conchae/shell powder of calm; Bangfen/caro anodonate/meat powder of fresh water clam; Fengzi/larve apitis/bee larva; Tufengzi/larva scoliae sinensis/arva of scolia sinensis; Cantuizhi/concha bombycis ovi/egg shell of mulberry silkworm; Gumian (used silk fiber); Dancai/caro mytili/meat of mytilus crassitesta; Haizhe/rhopilemae/oral lobe of jellyfish; Quanxie/scorpio/scorpion; Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root; Sanqi/radix notoginseng/sanchi; and Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/garden burnet root. • Guanzhong/rhizoma dryopteris crassirhizomae/Chinese aspidium:Effective for leukorrhea with reddish discharge. Bake with vinegar and then grind it into powder. Take it orally. • Shechuangzi/fructus cnidii/common cnidium fruit: Blend with Kufan/ alumen ustum/calcined alumen and then insert into vagina. • Guzhuan: Burn the brick till it turns red. Put a steamed pancake on it and ask the patient to sit on the pancake.

7.3.3  Metrorrhagia and Metrostaxis Incessant vaginal bleeding during the menstrual period and menstruation continues at the age of 50.

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7.3.3.1  Drugs for Regulating Nutrient Qi and Clear Heat • Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica: Effective for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, infertility and various consumptive diseases. • Danshen/radix salviae miltiorrhizae/danshen root: Has the same function as Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica. • Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage: Stew in wine. • Shengdihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root: Effective for metrorrhagia and incessant menstrual bleeding. • Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root: Effective for metrorrhagia with severe pain while stew together with Baiye/cacumen platycladi/ Chinese arborvitae twig. While stew with Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf and drink the decoction can stop the incessant menstrual bleeding. • Roucongrong/herba cistanche/desert-living cistanche: Effective for metrorrhagia and infertility. • Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng root: Effective for strengthening yang for patient with metrorrhagia, once yang is strengthened, yin will ascend. • Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifolious bugbane rhizoma: Effective for promoting lucid yang and clear qi. • Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root: Effective for raising clear qi of lesser yang. • Fangfeng/radix ledebouriellae/divaricate saposhnikovia root: Bake and grind it into powder, then stew it with Maimian/semen tritici/wheat flour in wine. Take one qian orally, and it is proved to be effective. • Baizhi/radix angelicae dahuricae/root of dahuriae angelica: Effective for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis. It enters yang ming meridian. • Xiangfu/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome: Stir fry and then take it with wine. It can cure severe metrorrhagia with profuse bleeding or metrostaxis and leukorrhea with discharge of different colors. For these cases, the patient should take the medicine frequently.

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• Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root: It is mainly for stranguria and metrostaxis. It can nourish yin and hold back yang, disperse humidity and heat in spleen meridian. Metrorrhagia and metrostaxis occur when yang is too excessive to subjugate yin. Grind it into powder and take one qian with Pili Wine (Dip the red-hot iron weight of a steel-yard into water to make Pili Wine). For the woman whose menstruation continues at the age of 49, soak the herb in vinegar seven times, stir fry it and then grind it into powder. Make it into pills and take it every day. • Qingxiang (Humaye/folium sesami/sesame leaf): Take half a litre of the juice orally, and the patient will recover soon. • Jiguanhua/flos celosiae cristatae/cockscomb flower: Grind with Jiguanhuazi/semen celosiae cristatae/cockscomb seed into powder and take it with wine. • Daji/herba seu radix cirsii japonici/Japanese thistle and Xiaoji/herba cersii/field thistle: Take the juice of them and make it into decoction. Take the decoction orally or soak it in wine and then drink the wine. • Shichangpu/rhizoma acori tatarinowii/grass-leaved sweetflag rhizome: Effective for postpartum metrorrhagia. Stew it in wine and take the decoction. It can also remove blood stasis. Grind with Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterorum/trogopterus dung into powder, strew it in wine and take the decoction orally. • Lingxiaohua/flos camnpsis/Chinese trumpetcreeper flower: Grind it into powder and take with wine orally. • Qiangen/radix rubiae/root of Indian madder: Effective for metrorrhagia and incessant menstrual bleeding. For the woman who still have menstruation at the age of 50 should be considered to be caused by blood stasis. Stew the root together with Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue, Baiye/cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig, Huangqin/ radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root, Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/ rehmannia root and Fahui (ash of human hair) to make decoction. Then take the decoction. • Sanqi/radix notoginseng/sanchi root: Take two qian with wine. • Shiwei/folium pyrrosiae/leaf of Japanese felt fern: Grind into powder and take it with wine.

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• Shuisu/herba stachydis japonicae/herb of Japanese betony: Stew it and then take the decoction orally. • Baiye/cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig: Effective for incessant menstrual bleeding. Stew it with Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root to make a decoction and take the decoction orally. Stir-fry it with Muzei/herba equiseti hiemalis/common scouring rush herb, and grind into powder, then, take the powder orally. • Huaihua/flos sophorae/pagodatree flower: Effective for metrostaxis. Burn and grind it into powder, then take the powder with wine. • Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root: Take with Chengchui Wine can cure metrorrhagia. • Zhuru/caulis bambusae in taeniae/bamboo shavings: Effective for metrorrhagia and incessant menstrual bleeding. Stir-fry it slightly and stew in water, then take the decoction. • Huangmagen/radix cannabis sativa/hemp root: Stew in water and take the decoction. • Tianguazi/semen melo/muskmelon seed: Effective for metrorrhagia. Grind into powder and take the powder with water. • Heidadou/semen sojae nigra/black soybean: Sir-fry till it becomes scorched, and soak in wine. It’s effective for incessant menstrual bleeding. • Baibiandouhua/flos dolichoris album/flower of white hyacinth bean: Effective for metrorrhagia. Bake and grind into powder, then take it with water. • Zhengbing: Burn and grind into powder, then take the powder with water. • Xuanhusuo/rhizoma corydalis/yanhusuo: Effective for metrorrhagia caused by consumptive disease. Stew in wine and then take the wine. • Sharen/fructus amomi/spiny amomum fruit: Bake and grind it into powder. Take the powder with Mitang (water in which rice has been cooked). • Jiaomu/semen zanthoxyli/seed of bunge prickly ash: Bake and grind into powder and take the powder with wine. • Hujiao/fructus piperis nigri/black pepper: It can be used together with various herbs. Make into pills and take them orally.

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• Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf: Stew with Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger and Ejiao/colla corii asini/ ass-hide glue to make a decoction and then take it. It can cure incessant metrorrhagia and metrostaxis. • The following 22 drugs are good for treating metrorrhagia and metrostaxis: Mumeigenpi/cortex rubi corchorifolii radicis/root-bark of juteleaf raspberry: Stew in wine, then, take the wine will be good for stopping metrorrhagia. Xuduan/radix dipsaci/himalayan teasel root; Shilianzi/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed; Lishi/semen iridis chinensis/seed of Chinese small iris; Baimaogen/rhizoma imperatae/lalang grass rhizome; Taomao; Xiaobo/radix berberis/root of amur barberry; Dongguaren/semen benincasae/Chinese waxgourd seed; Songxiang/ colophonium/colophony wine; Chunbaipi/cortex toonae sinensis/root-bark of Chinese toona; Lujiao/cornu cervi/deer-horn; Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deer-horn; Zhushen/pig’s kidney; Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl; Danxiongji (cock with red feathers); Jineijin/endothelium corneum gigeriae galli/chicken’s gizzard-skin; Querou/passer montanus/house sparrow meat; Houwei/tachypleus tridentatus/apus tail; Banke (shell of freshwater clam); Wenge/concha meretricis seu cyclinae/clam shell; Haige/concha cyclinae/clam shell; and Baoyu/haliotis/abalone. • Maoxieke/concha eriocheiris sinensis/crab shell: Effective for metrorrhagia with abdominal pain. Burn it into ashes and grind into powder and take it with water. • Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell: Effective for metrorrhagia and incessant menstrual bleeding. Calcine and grind it into powder, then, stew

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with Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf in vinegar to make a paste. Make pills and then take them. • Biejia/carapax trionycis/turtle shell: Effective for metrostaxis with discharge of different colors. Bake with vinegar and grind into powder and take with wine. It can also be made into pills together with Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger and Hezi/fructus chebulae/ fruit of medicine terminalia. • Zikuang: Effective for incessant menstrual bleeding. Grind into powder and take the powder. • Biaojiao: Effective for metrorrhagia with white and red discharge. Bake and grind into powder. Then make pies with Jizi/ovum gigeriae galli/chicken egg. Take with wine. • Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue: Good for stopping incessant menstrual bleeding. Stir-fry till it turns scorched and take with wine. It can harmonize the blood and nourish yin. • Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton: Effective for metrorrhagia causes a dying condition. Stew together with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica, Shengdihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root and Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger to make a decoction. Then Take the decoction.

7.3.3.2  Drugs for Astringing • Zonghui/petiolus trachycarpi carbonisatus/charred petiole of fortune windmillpalm: Take with wine. • Lianfang/receptaculum nelumbinis/lotus seed pod: Good for incessant menstrual bleeding. Burn and grind it into powder, then take with wine. Burn it with Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb and then take the mixture can cure metrorrhagia. Burn it with Xiangfu/ rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome can cure postpartum metrorrhagia. Burn it with Baipiao/pefructusagenariae depressae usta/ used depressed bottle gourd and then take the mixture. • Sigua/fructus luffae/luffa and Zongban/petiolus trachycarpi/petiole of fortune windmillpalm: Burn them together and then take the mixture.

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• Mu’er/auricularia/jew’s ear: Stir-fry till it turns black and take with Fahui (ash of human hair) to induce perspiration. • Sang’er/auricularia in mori/jew’s ear in mulberry: Burn till it turns black, then take with water. • Huai’er/auricularia/jew’s ear on pagodatree: Burn and then take it orally. • Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum: Burn and then take it orally. • Meiye/folium mume/leaf of Japanese apricot: Take together with Zonghui/petiolus trachycarpi carbonisatus/charred petiole of fortune windmillpalm. • Heye/folium nelumbinis/lotus leaf: Burn and take it orally. • Hetao/fructus juglandis mandshuricae/manchurian walnut: Burn and take it orally. • Hutao/fructus juglandis/English walnut: Burn 15 and grind them into powder, then take with wine. The walnut shell can be used the same way. • Tianxingrenhuangpi (yellow peel of Tianxingren/semen pruni ameniacae/seed of common apricot): Burn and take it orally. • Biqi/cormus eleocharis dulcis/waternut corm: Burn and grind into powder, then take with wine. The number of the Biqi/cormus ­eleocharis dulcis/waternut corm should be the same of the patient’s age. • Qiqihui (ash of Qiqi): Take together with Zonghui/petiolus trachycarpi carbonisatus/charred petiole of fortune windmillpalm. • Gumian (used silk fiber): Burn with Renfa/crinis hominis/human hair into ashes and take the mixture. • Baipuxihui (ashes of a used cattail leaf mat): Take with wine. • Mufurong/flos hibisci mutabilis/flower of cottonrose hibiscus: Effective for incessant menstrual bleeding. Burn it with Lianfang/receptaculum nelumbinis/lotus seed pod into ashes and then take with water. • Huaizhihui (ashes of Huaizhi/ramulus sophorae/twig of Japanese pagodatree): Effective for metrorrhagia with white and red discharge. Take with wine. • Putouhui (ashes of Putou): Take with water. • Baizhihui (ashes of white pater): Take with wine. • Cantuizhihui (ashes of Cantuizhi/concha bombycis ovi/egg shell of mulberry silkworm): Take together with powder of Huaizi/semen sophorae/pagodatree pod.

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• Baicaoshuang/pulvis fumi carbonistus/soot on the bottom of a boiler: Take together with Goudanzhi (dog bile). • Songyanmo [Mo (Chinese ink)]: Effective for metrorrhagia with discharge of different colors. Take with water. • Wulongwei: Effective for incessant menstrual bleeding. Stir-fry and grind it with Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb into powder. Then, take the powder. • Guanzhong/rhizoma dryopteris crassirhzomae/Chinese aspidium: Stew in wine to make a decoction. • Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove: Stew in wine to make a decoction. • Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/garden burnet root: Effective for incessant menstral bleeding, metrorrhagia, metrostaxis with discharge of white and red colors. Stew in vinegar and take it. • Sanqi/radix notoginseng/sanchi root: Take with wine. • Dijin/radix seu herba heteropogonis contorti/root of contorted tanglehead: Take with wine. • Muzei/herba equiseti hiemalis/common scouring rush herb: Effective for metrorrhagia with discharge of white and red colors and incessant menstrual bleeding. Take together with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Xiongqiong/herba chuangxiong/herb of szechwan lovage. For incessant metrostaxis, stew five qian of the herb with water and take the decoction. For metrorrhagia with pain caused by disorder of qi, grind with Xiangfu/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome and Puxiao/mirabiliti/mirabilite into powder and then take the powder. • Shihua (Wujiu/cortex sapii radicis/root-bark of Chinese tallowtree and Yinnie): Grind with Cha/gemmaet folium camelliae/bud and leaf of tea and Qiqi into powder. Then take with wine. • Sanghua/flos mori/mulberry flower: Stew in water. • Fanbaicao/herba potentillae discoloris/herb of discolor cinquefoil: Grind with wine. • Tihucai: Pound to get juice and stew the juice with wine. • Xiakucao/spica prunellae/common selfheal fruit-spike: Grind into powder and take with water.

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• Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cinnamon bark: Calcine and grind into powder, then, take two qian of the powder with water. • Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower: Stew and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root with wine, then, take the wine. • The following 13 drugs are for treating metrorrhagia and incessant metrostaxis: Fuyangpi/cortex amelanchieris sinica/bark of Chinese serviceberry: Stew with Mudanpi/cortex moutan/tree peony bark, Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/largetrifolious bugbane rhizoma and Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell with wine. It can cure metrorrhagia with white discharge; Xiangdouqiao/cupula querci acutissimae/cupule of sawtooth oak; Jinyinggen/radix rosae laevigatae/root of cherokee rose; Shiliupi/pericarpium granati/pomegranate rind; Guijianyu/ramulus euonymi/twig of winged euonymus; Chengdongfumu; Shidan/chalanthitum/chalanthite; Daizheshi/haematitum/hematite; Bai’e/chalk/chalk; Xuanjingshi/selenitum/selenite; Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt; Wuseshizhi/halloysitum/halloysite of five colors; and Taiyiyuliang. • Chishizhi/halloysitum rubrum/red halloysite: Effective for menorrhagia. Grind with Buguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpea fruit into powder and swallow two qian of the powder with Mitang (water in which rice has been cooked). • Yuyuliang/limonitum/limonite: Good for treating metrorrhagia and metrostaxis with discharge of different colors. Grind with Chishizhi/ halloysitum rubrum/red halloysite, Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell, Wuzeigu/ossepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone, Fulonggan/terra flava usta/furnace soil and Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cinnamon bark into powder, then take the powder orally.

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• Fulonggan/terra flava usta/furnace soil: Effective for treating metrostaxis. Grind with Ejiao/colla corii asini/ass-hide glue and Cansha/ faeces bombycis/silkworm faeces into powder and then take the powder orally with wine. • Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterorum/trogopterus dung: Effective for incessant metrorrhagia and menorrhagia. Take the same amount of raw and stir-fried dung with wine can activate blood circulation and stop bleeding. Grind into powder and stew into paste, and then put Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven into the paste to make pills. Take the pills orally. Or burn into the state that the property hasn’t changed, then heat the iron weight of a steelyard and dip it into wine and take the pills with the wine. • Quechao (nest of a magpie): Good for chronic metrostaxis. Burn and then grind into powder and take the powder with wine. • Niujiaosai/os in cornu bovis/ox horn pith: Burn and grind into powder, then swallow the powder with wine. • Yangjinggu/os caprae seu ovis/sheep tibia bone: Effective for incessant menstrual bleeding. Mix with Zonghui/petiolus trachycarpi carbonisatus/charred petiole of fortune windmill palm after being calcined and take the mixture with wine. • Goutougu (dog skull): Effective for curing metrorrhagia. Burn and grind into powder, then make it into pills and take with wine. • Wulvshi (feces of black donkey): Effective for metrorrhagia and incessant menstrual bleeding. Burn and grind into powder and make pills then. Take the pills with wine. • The following 12 drugs are good for stopping metrorrhagia and metros taxis with discharge of different colors: Wulvpi (skin of a black donkey); Guyangjiao/cornu caprae seu ovis/goral horn: Burn; Mati/unquis equi/horse trotters: Calcine; Maqimao (hair from a horse’s neck): Burn; Mawei (horse tail): Burn; Niugu (ox bone): Calcine; Niutijia (ox trotternail): Calcine;

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Kongqueshi (feces of a peacock): Calcine; Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone: Calcine; Toujia/squama alligatoris sinensis/scales of a Chinese alligator:  Calcine; Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone; and Liyulin (carp scales).

7.3.4  Diseases of Neonatal Babies These diseases include bathing, detoxication, constipation, adermia, asphyxia neonatorum, neonatal refusal of milk, vomiting of milk, closed eyes, bloodshot eyes, shrinking of the scrotum, infantile metopism, sunken fontanel, swollen fontanel, soft neck, kyphosis (tortoise back), retarded speech, retarded walking, salivation, night crying, swollen ­umbilicus and neonatal tetanus.

7.3.4.1  Drugs for Bathing the Newborn Baby • The following five substances are good for stewing to make bathing water for a new-born baby. They could be used for preventing skin diseases like skin ulcer, scabies and so on. Zhudan/fel si scrofae/pig gall; Huanglian/rhizome coptidis /golden thread; Meiye/folium mume/leaf of Japanese apricot: Use together with Taoye/folium persicae/peach leaf and Liye/folium pruni salicinae/ Japanese plum leaf; Yimucao/fructus leonuri/motherwort fruit; and Hugu/os tigris/tiger bone. • Qingfen/calomelas/calomel: After bathing the baby, rub a small amount of Qingfen/calomelas/calomel on the body of the baby so that the baby would not be attacked by wind easily, what’s more, it can neutralize various toxins.

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7.3.4.2  Drugs for Removing Toxicity • Gancao/radix glycyrrhiae/liquorice root: Extract the juice. • Jiuzhi (juice of Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion). After giving the neonatal baby a little bit of either of the above two juices, the baby will vomit noxious fluids or blood and recover. • Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean. Stew it to make a dense decoction. Give the baby three or five sips, fetal toxicity will be removed. • Huma/semen sesami/sesame seed: Chew the raw seeds and then wrap them in a piece of silk fabric. Make the baby suck the wrapped seeds, then the fetal toxicity will be removed. • Sumizhou (porridge made of Sumi/semen setariae/millet): Eat a little bit everyday will help to improve the stomach function. • The following three substances are good for neutralizing fetal toxicity and smallpox toxin: Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar with Fengmi/mel/honey: Blend a piece of this as big as a soybean with Fengmi/mel/honey; Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar: Mix with Fengmi/mel/honey and make it like a soybean; and Huanglian/rhizome coptidis/golden thread: Give the baby one spoon. • Burn the Qidai (umbilical cord): Burn it on the third day after his birth into ashes and feed it to the baby. This will protect the baby from the attack of smallpox.

7.3.4.3  Drugs for Constipation and Dysuria • Mayou/oleum sesame seminis/sesame oil: Good for new-born baby’s constipation and dysuria. Put a little bit of Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/ sodium sulfate into it and boil them together. After the baby take the mixture, its stool and urination will be normal. • Gancao/radix glycrrhizae/liquorice root: Stew with Zhiqiao/fructus aurantii/bitter orange and feed the decoction to the baby. • Congbai/bullbus allii fistulosi/fistualr onion stalk: Boil in milk and feed the baby.

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• Qingfen/calomelas/calomel: First suck the baby’s chest, back, hands, sole center, umbilicus. Melt three fens of the Qingfen/calomelas/calomel with Fengmi/mel/mel/hongy. Feed the baby with it and the baby’s urination will be normal.

7.3.4.4  Drugs for Adermia • The following three drugs can be applied if a new-born baby is suffering from adermia. Within three days, the skin will grow. Baimifen (rice powder); Cheniantu; and Mituoseng/lithargyrum/litharge.

7.3.4.5  Drugs for Asphyxia Neonatorum Feed the baby with a little bit of cold water and then whip the baby with Cong/herba allii fistolosi/green onionsi.

7.3.4.6  Drugs for Neonatal Refusal of Milk • Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury: Feed the baby with a very small amount of just as big as a rice grain. As soon as the baby swallow it, the baby will start to suck milk. The problem is caused by the stuck of Mazi/semen cannabis/hemp seed like something in its throat. • Lingxiaohua/flos camnpsis/Chinese trumptcreeper flower can be used for a baby suddenly stops sucking milk after one hundred days. • Lanzhi/success poligoni tinctorii/juice of indogoplant, mix with Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/sodium sulfate and Dahuang/radix et rhizome rhei/rhubarb and make pills. Then feed the baby.

7.3.4.7  Drugs for Vomiting of Milk • Ezhu/rhizome zedoariae/zedoray: Stew with Lvdou/semen phaseoli radiati/mung bean in milk, and blend Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cowbezoar into it for oral taking.

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• Juchu with Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar: Stew with small amount of Shiyan/sal/salt with Renru/lac hominis/human milk, then take it orally.

7.3.4.8  Drugs for Closed Eyes • Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root: When a baby couldn’t open its eyes within one month after birth, accompanied with swollen eyes or bleeding, it is called Manganfeng. Roast liquorice root with Zhudanzhi/success fel si scrofae/pig bile, and grind into powder. Then feed the baby. • Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome can also be used for the above syndrome. Blend two qian with Zhudanzhi/success fel si scrofae/pig bile and fumigate the eyes, or chew the drug for juice, then feed the baby with the juice. A baby who always close its eyes or its eyes are red and swollen, it might be caused by invasion of pathogenic heat in the brain. • Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage: Grind with Puxiao/mriabiliti/mriabilite and Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint into powder and blow the mixture into the baby’s nostrils. • Xiongdan/fel ursi/bear gall: Steam with water and drop the solution into the baby’s eyes. Or take the decoction orally, add Shaoyao/radix paeoniae/peony root, Shengdihaung/radix remanniae/rhizome of rehannia, Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica, Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage, Tianhuafen/radix trichosanthis/snake-groud root, and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root.

7.3.4.9  Drugs for Bloodshot Eye • Xingren/semen armenicae amarae/bitter apricot seed: Chew and blend with Renru/lac hominis/human milk. Then drop in the eye.

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7.3.4.10  Drugs for the Shrinking of the Scrotum • Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/evodia fruit: Blend together with Dasuan/ bulbusallii sativum/garlic and Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur together and rub it on the abdomen. Then burn Shechaungzi/fructus cnidii/common cnidium fruit to fumigate the affected part.

7.3.4.11  Drugs for Infantile Metopism • Fangfeng/radix ledebouriellae/divaricate saposhnikovia root: Grind with Baiji/rhizome bletillae/tuber of commom bletilla and Baiziren/ semen biotae/seed of Chinese arborvitae into powder and mix with Renru/lac hominis/human milk. • Tiannanxing/rhizome arisaematis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber: Mix with vinegar. • Qihua. • Xieaohui (ashesof crab pincers): Grind with Baiji/rhizome bletillae/ tuber of common bletilla into powder. • Shunao (rat’s brain). • Zhujiachesui(marrow of a pig’s cheek-bone). • Huanggoutou (head of a yellow dog): Roast and grind into powder, then blend with Jizibai/egg white. • Lvtouguhui (ashes of a donkey’s hooves): Blend with oil. All the above substances can be rubbed on the affected part daily. • Danxiongjiguanxue (Jiguanxue/blood from the comb of a cock with red feathers): Drop on the affected part of the head, then spray the powder of Chishaoyao/radix paeoniae rubra/red peony root for external application.

7.3.4.12  Drugs for Sunken Fontanel • Wujigu (bone of Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl): Grind together with Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root into powder, and take the powder orally. • Wutou/radix aconiti/sichuan aconite root: Grind with Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood

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and Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment into powder for external application. • Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber: Rub on the soles of the feet.

7.3.4.13  Drugs for Swollen Fontanel • Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/amur cork-tree: Blend the powder with water and apply to the soles of the feet.

7.3.4.14  Drugs for Soft Neck • Fuzi/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood: Blend with Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaematis/jackin-the-pulpit tuber for external application. • Bimazi/semen ricini/cast bean: Good for celestial pillar flaccidity after disease. It can be applied together with Mubiezi/semen momordicae/ cochinchia momordica seed for external application.

7.3.4.15  Drugs for Kyphosis (Tortoise Back) • Hongneixiao (Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower): Blend with Guiniao (urine of Gui/testudinis/tortoise) for external application. The patient will recover after a long time of the treatment.

7.3.4.16  Drugs for Retarded Speech • Baisheniao/caro turdi merulae/blackbird meat: Roast and take it orally. • Bolaotazhi: Whip the baby with the twig.

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7.3.4.17  Drugs for Retarded Walking • Wujiapi/cortex acanthopanacis/slenderstyle acanthopanax bark: Grind together with Mugua/fructus chaenomelis/fruit of common flowering quince into powder and take orally.

7.3.4.18  Drugs for Salivation • Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber: Use Zaojiazi/semen gleditsiae/seed of Chinese honeylocust and Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger to make pills and then take the pills. • Niujiaocao: Take orally. • Lujiao/cornu cervi/deer-horn: Grind into powder and feed the baby with Mitang (water in which rice has been cooked). • Baiyangshi/faeces caprae seu ovis/white sheep’s dung: Put in the baby’s mouth little by little. • Dongxingniuxian (saliva of an east-going ox): For external application. • Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaematis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber: Blend with water and apply to the soles of the feet.

7.3.4.19  Drugs for Night Crying For internal use: • Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica: Good for baby’s night cry day and night caused by pathogenic cold during fetus growth period. Bake it and grind into powder, then mix with Renru/lac hominis/human milk and feed the baby. • Qianhu/radix peucedani/hogfennel root: Mix with Fengmi/mel/honey and make pills for oral taking. • Liujinu/herba artemisiae anomalae/herb of diverse wormwood: Grind with Dilong/lumbricus/earthworm into powder for oral taking. • Fulonggan/terra flava usta/furnace soil: Make pills with Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar and Shexiang/moschus/musk into pills for oral taking. • Denghua: Apply on the mother’s teat for the baby to suck.

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• Hufen/lead carbonate: Dissolve as much as the size of three soybeans in water for oral taking. • Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur: Calcine with Huangdan/minium/lead oxide, and bury in the ground. Then make pills for oral taking. • Baihuashejing (eye of Baihuashe/bungarus parvus/little silver-banded krait): Grind into powder, then feed the powder to the baby with Zhuli/ succus bambusae/bamboo juice. • Hujing (tiger’s eye): Grind into powder, and feed the powder to the baby with Zhuli/succus bambusae/bamboo juice. • Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar: Melt a piece as big as a soybean in Renru/lac hominis/human milk for oral taking. • Langshizhonggu (bone from wolf dung): Burn into ashes, and feed the ashes to the baby with water. Or add Chaipihui (ashes of Chaipi/cutis cuonis apini/jackal skin). • Fuzhushenghui (ashes of Fuzhusheng): Take with water orally. Li Shizhen said that night cry is usually caused by abdominal pain due to delactation. • Badou/fructus crotonis/croton seed: Process with Huangla/cera flava/ bee wax to make pills. I usually use one or two pills for treating night cry, and it works effectively. For external use: • The following medicines can be processed and applied to the umbilicus: Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed; Wubeizi/galla chinensis/Chinese nut-gall; Niutijia/ox trotternail; Mati/unquis equi/horse trotters; and Magu/os equi/horse bone. • Goumao (dog hair): Put the hair in a bag, and fasten the bag to the arm of the baby. • Jishi/faeces gigeriae galli/chicken dung: Bath baby in the water, and feed a little bit to the baby. • The following five drugs should be put under the mattress secretly. Zhukecao; Jikecao;

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• • • • •

Jingkoubiancao; Baixiongjiling (feather of a white cock); and Niushi/faeces bovis/ox dung. Tuboshutougu (head bone of a marmot): Put beside the baby. Shaoshichangtu: Put in the house. Xianrenzhang: Put beside the baby. Shukongzhongcao: Put in the house. Guchenban: Burn as light for the baby.

7.3.4.20  Drugs for Swollen Umbilicus • Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb: Stew for decoction and wash the affected part with it. Roast Cong/herba allii fistolosi/green onionsi and apply to the umbilicus. Then the swelling will disappear. • The Following 15 drugs can be applied to a humid and swollen umbilicus: Guixin/cortex cinnamomi/cinnamon bark: Stir-fry and use it to  warm the umbilicus; Dongbitu; Fulonggan/terra flava usta/furnace soil; Baishizhi/halloysitum/white halloysite; Kufan/alumen ustum/calcined alumen; Chezhi; Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone; Haipiaoxiao/os sepiellae seu sepiae/cuttlefish bone; Zhujiachesui (marrow of pig’s cheekbone): Pound together with Xingren/semen armenicae amarae/bitter apricot seed; Qidaihui (ashes of an umbilical cord): Blend with Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Shexiang/moschus/musk; Youfahui (ashes of human hair); Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica; Zengdaihui (ashes of Zengdai/rice steamer); Feibohui (ashes of Feibo); and Mianhui (ashes of Mian).

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7.3.4.21  Drugs for Neonatal Tetanus • Suan/bulbus allii sativum/garlic: Put a one-clove garlic on the umbilicus. Apply moxibustion over the garlic on the baby’s umbilicus until the smell of garlic come out from the baby’s mouth, then drop some garlic juice to the baby’s nose. • Yanchi (salted Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean): Paste into umbilicus. • Zaomao: Blend with other drugs and paste to the affected part, then apply moxibustion. Practice moxibustion on acupoints renzhong (GV26) and chengjiang (CV24). First, Practice moxibustion with moxa sticks on acupoints renzhong (GV26) and chengjiang (CV24). • Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp: Burn and grind into powder. Take the powder with wine orally. • Quanxie/scorpio/scorpion: Stir-fry with wine and then grind into powder. Mix with Shexiang/moschus/musk to take orally. • Baijiangcan/bombyx batryticatus/larva of a silkworm with batrytis: Stir-fry two and then grind into powder. Take the powder with Fengmi/ mel/honey orally. • Shougong/gekko/house lizard: Smear with Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar till it becomes red. Grind into powder and then take the powder with Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint decoction. • Houshi (monkey faeces): Burn and grind into powder. Take the powder with Fengmi/mel/honey orally. • Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar: Dissolve in Zhuli/succus bambusae/bamboo juice and take it orally. • Bainiushi (faeces of white ox): Smear on the mouth. • Jishibai/faeces albidi galli/white-dung of chicken: Effective for lockjaw with reddish or whitish face. Reddish face indicates the pathogenic factor invading the heart, while whitish face indicates pathogenic factor invading the lung. Grind together with wine, and then make a decoction with the mixture. Take the decoction orally. • Zhuzhi/adeps si scrofae/pig fat: When the baby suffers from tetanus with lockjaw less than one hundred days old, or something like a snail or white worm is found in the baby’s mouth, rub the baby’s inner mouth with pig fat to remove it.

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• Feed the baby with the following six drugs: Lvmao (donkey hair): Blend with Shexiang/moschus/musk and  ­stir-fry till scorched; then mix with milk and take it orally; Wulvru (milk of a black donkey); Zhuru (milk of a pig); Niuxian (ox saliva); Niuchicaozhi (juice of grass ruminated by an ox); and Dadouhuangjuan/semen sojae germinatum/germinant soybean. • Gouteng/ramulus uncariae cum uncis/branch of gambirplant: Make a decoction by stewing with Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root, and take it orally. • Yehehuazhi (Hehuanpi/cortex albizziae/bark of silktree albizzia): Stew for decoction, and rub the baby’s lips with the decoction. • Geman/ramulus peurariae/branch of lobed kudzuvine to ashes: Burn and then dribble the ashes to the baby’s throat. • Tianjiangzi (Queweng/incunabulum cnidocampae flavescentis/­oriental moth cocoon: Mix with Jiangcan/bombyx batryticatus/larva of a silkworm with batrytis, and Qingfen/calomelas/calomel together and feed the baby. Or burn the mixture with Wugong/scolopendra/centipede for oral taking. • Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root: Stew till it become dense. • Shemeizhi (juice of Shemei/herba duchesneae indicae/herb of Indian mockstrawberry). Feed either of the above two drugs to help vomit out saliva and sputum.

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Chapter 8

Li Shizhen’s Medical Records and Medical Notes

8.1  Abstract of Li Shizhen’s Medical Records (1) A scholar has been repeatedly suffering from eye diseases, which is characterized by dim eyesight and tinnitus. Li Shizhen adopted the modified version of Li Dongyuan’s Qianghuo Shengfeng Decoction with the assistance of Cizhu Pill (Cinnabar Tranquilizing Pill) to treat the disease. Two months later, the patient’s eyesight recovered. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 10, Cishi) This disease is caused by fire stagnation and wind attack in the upper body. Thus, the stagnation of fire should be removed by the treatment of dispersion. Li Shizhen treated the patient with Dongyuan’s Qianghuo Shengfeng Decoction with reduced or added amount according to different situations, with Cizhu Pill as adjuvant, it turned out to be really effective. He believed that the unblocked nine orifices attribute to the nourishment of the clear yang-qi in stomach, from which the secret of nature can be seen. Therefore, in order to treat the old man’s eye disease, Dongyuan’s Qianghuo Shengfeng Decoction with reduced or added amount is applied to dredge heat and disperse wind so as to make yang qi ascend and yin qi descend accordingly, this is “to refer to the theory of Huangpo matchmaking baby and maid”. Then, Cizhu Pill can be applied

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to nourish kidney and tranquilize heart, thus, to guide dragon into the sea, and lead fire to yuan (life gate). (2) Here is a case: “An old woman who was over 60 years old had been suffering from watery diarrhea in the previous five years. Whenever she ate meat, oily or cold food, she would suffer from abdominal pain. Medicines which can regulate the spleen, and medicines with ascending or astringent function had been given to the patient. All the treatment worsened the diarrhea. When I examined the patient, I found her pulse was deep and slippery. This was due to the prolonged damage to the spleen and stomach as well as cold accumulation and abdominal mass. Wang Taipu (Taipu, an official title in feudal times), who had cold accumulated in her body, chronic watery diarrhea, suffered from the disease on and off in several years. The right way is to treat the cold with hot-natured medicine, then the cold will be eliminated and diarrhea will be stopped. I gave her 50 Badou pills for oral administration, and her diarrhea stopped in two days, then recovered. Since then, I use the same medication to treat patient with diarrhea or indigestion, and hundreds of patients were cured.” (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 35, Badou) This disease is a senile chronic loose stool disease. Mediocre doctors may mistakenly diagnose as deficiency in spleen and stomach, and treat the patient with the method of regulating spleen, ascending qi, restraining and astringing. However, Li Shizhen diagnosed the disease as being caused by long-time impairment to spleen and stomach and the accumulation of cold and stagnation according to her syndrome of “pain occurs after taking meat, greasy and cold food” and “sunk and slippery pulse”. The method of paradoxical treatment of treating diarrhea with purgative can be applied. Thus, Badou Pill is used to treat the disease. This kind of diarrhea was caused by accumulation of cold which could only be cured by Badou/ semen crotonis/croton seed. He thought that if Badou/semen crotonis/ croton seed was applied drastically, it can save patient from severe diseases, while if it is applied mildly, it can soothe and regulate the middle energizer. This embodies that Li Shizhen chose medicine with the differentiation of syndrome, and “the wonder of Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed is that if it is used appropriately, the disease can be easily cured.”

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Li Shizhen, with his superb medical skill, finally discovered the secret of Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed! Though Li Shizhen highly respected and followed the medical experiences in former dynasties, he didn’t just follow the herd. Instead, he always chose treatment flexibly according to clinical syndromes, and found out the slightest clues hiding behind the disease. He didn’t just hold one theory among those various medical theories, nor hold just one opinion. He pointed out that “Ancient prescriptions possess wisdom, but the most important thing is to apply them flexibly.” Therefore, he held unique opinions in applying prescriptions, and usually made necessary changes according to different situations. (3) An imperial guard once drank his wine in the evening until the next morning in summer. Then, he fell ill and suffered from watery diarrhea. It lasted several days with watery stool and undigested food. Prescriptions aiming at helping digestion, removing accumulation, and ascending yang qi were tried, but the disease worsened. When I examined the patient, I found the pulse was floating and moderate. There was a prolapsed rectum with hemorrhoids and bleeding. This was a syndrome caused by taking too many different foods: meat, cold food, tea and other things which had suppressed the yang qi at the lower energizer. It was a condition with rampant Wood and debilitated Earth. It was a case described by Huang Di Nei Jing: Su Wen (Huangdi’ s Internal Classic: Plain Questions) as “chronic invasion of pathogenic Wind evolving into diarrhea”. It should be treated by ascending method. Treatment was the adoption of Xiao Xuming Decoction (Small Emergency Decoction). After one dose of the decoction, the syndrome was gone. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 15, Mahuang) This disease is caused by improper diet resulting in the impairment of spleen and stomach which restrains yang qi in the lower body, then the internal stagnation of fluid-dampness leads to ceaseless diarrhea. This is the restriction of yang qi in the lower body, not the sunken and deficiency of yang qi. The application of medicines with the function of diaphoresis, promoting digestion to eliminate stagnation, invigorating qi for ascending would make the disease worse. Instead, the application of Xiao Xuming

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Decoction would make the restrained yang qi ascend and achieve marvelous effect. The Xiao Xuming Decoction, coming from Qian Jin Fang (Invaluable Prescriptions), is mainly used for the treatment of wind strike of six-channel disease, but here it is used for dispersing wind to ascend yang qi so as to treat diarrhea with undigested food. This is a showcase of Li Shizhen’s good command of the medical theories as well as the ­property of medicines. What’s more, it reflects his exertion on prescriptions and application of medicines. (4) There is a case recorded in Jing Zhou Ji (Record of Jing Zhou): Hu Guang had suffered from illness due to wind invasion and recovered after drinking chrysanthemum tea. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 15, Chrysanthemum) “The wind contributes to all kinds of diseases. The change of wind will lead to the change of the disease.” Lei, refers to emaciated, and similar to “lei” (tired), being eaten up with diseases. The disease in this case has the exterior syndrome with the wind pathogen attacks the exterior instead of the inner body, leading to the heat injuring the zang organs. The unhealing of disease depletes qi and blood with the syndrome of heat deficiency, emaciation, feebleness, and lack of energy, which shows “The change of wind will lead to the change of the disease”. Li Shizhen’s application of Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower instead of restoratives demonstrates that the prescription and medicine are appropriate to the disease. Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower can disperse windheat and nourish liver-yin, and can be applied to both exterior and interior diseases. The Ben Cao Gang Mu said: “It is beneficial to the lung and kidney because it restrains Fire to balance Wood”. It’s mild in property, sweet and slightly bitter in taste with no damage to stomach qi and restrains wood qi. Taken alone can relieve the pathogenic dryness in blood which shows originality in the application of Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/ chrysanthemum flower to the treatment of emaciation caused by wind pathogen. (5) Here is a case: A lady of a noble family, nearly 60, had been suffering from constipation for 30 years. She defecated every 10 days and each

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time she suffered terribly, comparing the process to be even worse than baby delivery. Medicines to nourish the blood and moisten the dryness had been adopted, but this hampered the appetite and did not seem to loosen the bowls. Drugs such as Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/ sodium sulfate and Dahuang/radix et rhizome rhei/rhubarb were given as purgatives, but did not work. She suffered thirty years. … Then I prescribed pill and ointment made of powder of Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed and Zaojia/fructus gleditisiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust, and the constipation was dredged through. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 18, Qianniuzi) Changjie disease is the Constipation disease, and the patient suffered the disease for 30 years. She defecated every ten days which was even more afflictive than labor. She had applied medicines which can moisturize dryness and drastic purgative medicine, but not effective. Even nowadays, the method of moisturizing dryness and drastic purgation are the common treatment for constipation. Li Shizhen prescribed Zaojia Paste (Honey Locust Paste) and Qianniuzi Powder (Semen Pharbitidis Powder) for the patient for oral taking, and they worked effectively. Thus, it provided a new path for the treatment of constipation and broadened the way of thinking. Honey Locust can remove dampness, dispel wind-phlegm, while Semen Pharbitidis dredges triple energizers, dispels phlegm, and can be used to cure constipation caused by wind pathogen or constipation caused by qi stagnation. The combination of these two medicines can dredge the qi stagnation in triple energizers, dispel phlegm and eliminate fluid, which provides a new method for the treatment of constipation. (6) Here’s another case: “When I was 20, I suffered from a cold with chronic coughing. As I did not treat the condition properly, the condition developed into a more serious phase, with hectic fever due to yin deficiency, and burning fever on body. … Medicines such as Chaihu/ radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root, Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf and Jingli/succus schizonepetae/juice of fineleaf schizonepeta were taken, but the situation got worse after one month. … Yiwei Huangqin Decoction (Decoction of only Huangqin/ radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root is a prescription designed to treat burning fever of the body due to pathogenic heat in the lung.

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Pianqin (also named Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root) should be stewed in two cupfuls of water until one cupful was left. After taking the decoction, my body fever subsided completely. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 13, Huangqin) Bone steaming fever (body fever) is a name of a kind of disease and also the symptom of this disorder, firstly came from Zhu Bing Yuan Hou Lun (General Treatise on the Cause and Symptoms of Diseases). This disease has symptoms of burning fever on body, with restlessness and irritation, and night sweating and impotence, mostly due to yin deficiency and interior heat. Li Shizhen cured two cases of bone-steaming, one is a woman, the other is himself. He carefully analyzed the causes of the disease, applied the method of clearing qi and dispersing heat, prescribed medicines with cool and cold quality. The prescription of Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root comes from Wai Tai Mi Yao (External Treatment of Medical Secretes of an Official), mainly cures bone-steaming fever and consumptive fever. Yiwei Huangqin Decoction (Decoction of only Huangqin/radix scutellariae/ baical skullcap root is the prescription from Li Dongyuan, mainly for purging the fire in Qifen (qi aspect). In view of the cases, “No one could cure the woman’s bone-steaming fever”, and “the disease become severe a month later after taking the medicines like Chaihu/radix bupleuri/ Chinese thorowax root, Maidong/radix ophiopogonis/dwarf lilyturf root, Jingli/succus schizonepetae/juice of fineleaf schizonepeta and so on”. Li Shizhen didn’t use Qinggu Powder and Qinwu Biejia Powder to cure bone-steaming fever. As none of the diseases were cured with the application of the medicines which can nourish yin and clear heat-deficiency, Li Shizhen grasped the specific situation and was not confined by former theories. What’s more, he challenged traditional concept and applied Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum and Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root boldly to cure bone-steaming fever. Therefore, clearing Qifen (qi aspect) with pungent and cold-natured medicines become a new method which enriches the theory of bone steaming fever. (7) It is effective to treat cough with mashed and ground Ganjiang/­ rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger, Zaojia/fructus gleditisiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust and Guixin/shaved cinnamon bark. Make them

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into pills with honey with the same amount respectively. Take pills three to five times a day, each time 3 pills. Patients with cough usually take medicines with cold property, so he usually won’t take the pills if he knew the medicine is warm in quality. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 26, Ganjiang) It can be easily found that people had reached a consensus to apply medicines which are cool and cold in property to cure cough since ancient times. The reality of “usually use medicine with cold property” comes from this case. Six pathogens could lead to cough, and there is cough caused by cold or heat which make them different. Nowadays, people attribute all kinds of cough to inflammation without regarding to the factors of time or age. What’s more, people usually think cough is caused by heat instead of cold, and the corresponding treatment becomes a treating tendency. If the disease couldn’t be cured, they would not know why. The medicine with clearing, moisturizing, diffusing and descending function might be effective when treating cough caused by heat, but ineffective when treating cough caused by cold. If the doctor could take cough caused by cold into consideration, differentiate syndromes carefully and treat it with more prudence, and use medicines like Jiang/ginger and Gui/cassia twig with pungent flavor, warm property and descending function, the disease can be cured. The disadvantage of “the patient wouldn’t take the medicine with hot and dry property” could be avoided then. (8) While I was in Gushu in recent years, I was suffering from waist and knee pain which was unbearable. I tried many treatments, but in vain. Once I read a prescription in Liu Yuxi’s Chuanxin Prescription which can cure the disease. I tried one dose, and the pain was alleviated half then. Here is the prescription: Two liang1 of Haitongpi/cortex erythrinae/ coral-bean bark, one liang of Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/ twoteethed achyranthes root, Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage, Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/­ notopterygium rhizome or root, Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry and Wujiapi/cotex acanthopanacis/slenderstyle

1

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acanthopanax bark, half qian2 of Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root, two liang of Yiyiren/semen coicis/coix seed, ten liang of Shengdihuang/radix remanniae/rhizome of rehannia, wash and bake them, then grind. Wrap them in cotten cloth, soak in two dou3 of wine without lime for two weeks in winter and one week in summer. Drink one glass every morning and night. Don’t drink more or less than prescribed, and no harmful food should be taken while having the medicine. Li Shizhen said: Haitongpi/cortex erythrinae/coral-bean bark can activate collateral and reach to the sick place, and it can enter the blood system to dispel wind and kill worms. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 35, Haitong) The patient suffers from a sharp pain in his waist and knees, and it belongs to impediment pain. The treatment consists of dispelling wind and dampness, strengthening sinew and bone, activating collateral to relieve pain. Haitongpi/cortex erythrinae/coral-bean bark, Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root, Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/ root-bark of Chinese wolfberry and Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/ szechwan lovage rhizomeare are effective in dispelling wind and ­activating collateral, Wujiapi/cotex acanthopanacis/slenderstyle acanthopanax bark, Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root and Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root are effective in strengthening sinew and bone, as well as waist and knees, Yiyiren/semen coicis/coix seed and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root are effective in dispelling dampness, and relieving spasm and pain. If the medicines were made into medicinal liquor, the function would be strengthened. (9) Wang Dingguo suffered from headache, and he went to Liang to get the brilliant doctor Yang Jie to cure his disease. His headache disappeared as soon as he took three pills successively. He asked for the prescription, and here it was: Wash the Xiangbaimzhi/ragrant angelica root, dry it under the sun, make it into powder, and then make into honeyed bolus. Take every pill with green tea or Jingjie Decoction (Fineleaf schizonepeta herb Decoction). Therefore, it was named 2

 1 qian = 10 fen = 3.125 grams  1 dou (volume) = 10 sheng = 100 ge = 107.37 litre

3

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  Liang Pill. Baizhi/radix angelicae/dahurian angelica root is pungent in taste and warm in property, it smells fragrant, and effective in dispelling wind and relieving pain. Green tea can refresh mind, or Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb can be used to dispel wind and refresh mind. (10) When father-in-law Moqiang was in Fengcheng, he was ill. No matter what he ate made him feel fullness in chest, and no prescription worked in treating his illness. Once, his family made Juhong Soup (Red Tangerine Soup), and he had some. He thought the soup was good and had it for several days. One day, he suddenly felt something in his chest fell down, he was astonished and sweat ran down like raindrops. Later he felt abdominal pain, and he defecated something as hard as iron balls which stank awfully. Afterwards, the ­fullness in his chest disappeared and he recovered. The disease was due to cold accumulation in spleen. Prescription: One jin4 Jupi/­ pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel, four liang Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root, Yanhua/pinch of salt, stew with five bowls of water together with slow fire until the water disappeared. Then bake and grind them into powder. Take it with water. Its name is Erxian Powder, and it is effective in treating phlegm qi. Common doctors just know Nanxing /rhizoma arisaewmatis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber and Banxia /rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber but hardly know this prescription. The stuffiness in chest, no appetite for food, cold and hard stool are caused by stagnation in the spleen due to cold in this case. The treatment is to warm and dredge. In the prescription, Chenpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel, which is bitter and pungent in taste, warm in property, can guide qi downward, regulate middle qi, regulate spleen, enhance digestion, and remove stagnation, and it mainly cures stuffiness in large intestine; Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root, which is sweet in taste, warm in property, can replenish qi to invigorate the spleen, remove cold pain in abdomen. If the above two medicines were applied together with a pinch of salt, they can warm middle qi to regulate qi, soften hard 4

 1 jin = 16 liang = 500 grams

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mass to relax bowels. Li Shizhen said: “Erxian Powder, also called Runxia Pill, is effective in curing phlegm qi. Only the people with sufficient qi can take it, and those with insufficient qi cannot take it.”

8.2  Abstract of Li Shizhen’s Medical Notes 8.2.1  Insomnia Cases Qian Pi, a Shaoqing (an official title in feudal times), always had nightmares in night and could hardly sleep at night, thus he thought it is really ominous. He met Hu Yongzhi from Dengzhou, and he said: “I used to be the same. Then a Taoist asked me to wear Chensha on my head, and it worked ten days later, and I didn’t have any nightmares in the following four and five years.” Then he took it off from his hair and gave it to Qian Pi, and then Qian Pi still didn’t have any dream and his mind was peaceful. Exuberant heart-fire, disturbance of fire to the mind would lead to nightmare and insomnia. Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar is sweet in taste and enters heart meridian, and it can relieve convulsion as well as fear. It can not only tranquilize mind, but clear heart and tranquilize mind. It is an important medicine in curing exuberant heart fire. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal) says that Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar can “nourish spirit, tranquilize mind, tonify qi, improve eysight, and keep away from evil and pathogens”.

8.2.2  Hysteria Cases Hysteria is a disease with the manifestation of depression in spirit and abnormal in emotions, always accompanied with dysphoria, weeping with grief for no reasons, abnormal laughing and weeping, moodiness, frequent yawning and other symptoms. What’s more, most of these symptoms couldn’t controlled by the patients. The word hysteria first appeared in Jin Gui Yao Lue: Fu Ren Za Bing Pian (Synopsis of Golden Chamber: Miscellaneous Diseases of Women). There was a detailed description on the syndrome and actions of the disease, “Woman suffered from hysteria, who always weeps with grief, and just like being manipulated by

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divinities, yawn frequently, can be treated with Gan Mai Dazao Decoction (Decoction of Liquorice, Wheat and Jujube).” The cases of hysteria presented in Ben Cao Gang Mu originated from Xu Shuwei’s Ben Shi Fang (Effective Prescriptions) and Chen Ziming’s Fu Ren Liang Fang (Effective Prescriptions for Women), and it could be classified into two types, one is common hysteria, the other is gestation hysteria. Common hysteria: A woman weeps with grief continuously because of hysteria. I recalled that the ancient prescription applied Gan Mai Dazao Decoction (Decoction of Liquorice, Wheat and Jujube) to treat the disease. I applied then, and the patient took all the medicine and was cured. How amazing the ancients identify disease and prescribe! Gestation hysteria: Cheng Huqin’s wife was pregnant four or five months, and she usually cried with grief in day time. Neither doctor nor ­sorcerer could cure her. Guan Bozhou said, “the ancients once said that Dazao decoction could cure the disease.” Cheng Huqin applied the prescription and his wife was cured as soon as she took the medicine. Dazao Decoction recorded in (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 29, Chinese date) refers to the Gan Mai Dazao Decoction in Jin Gui Yao Lue (Synopsis of the Golden Chamber): Decoct five pieces of Chinese dates, one liter of wheat, and two liang of liquorice with water, and take one liang each time. When Ben Cao Gang Mu quoted the hysteria cases, common hysteria and gestation hysteria were chosen as examples, which indicated Li Shizhen believed hysteria could happen in any period in woman’s life, but melancholy and grief usually occurs to women. The spleen corresponds to thought in emotions, women who are usually anxious or worried tend to have damage in spleen, the pathogen in spleen (earth) may pass to heart (fire) and lead to deficiency in qi and blood to both heart and spleen, then lead to lack of spirit preservation. In the gestation period, essence and blood cannot nourish heart because they are gathered in uterus, thus people tend to be restless. Hysteria may appear in both of these two cases, the methods of strengthening spleen and tonifying the middle, nourishing heart and tranquilizing mind, moisturizing and relaxing tension could be applied, and the Dazao Decoction could be the best choice. Jin Gui Yao Lue Lun Zhu (Synopsis of the Golden Chamber Annotation) records: “Xiaomai/semen tritici/wheat can relieve asthenia fever of liver yin and

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nourish heart. What’s more, it can relieve restlessness, promote urination and stop sweating. Therefore, it is regarded as monarch medicine. Gancao/ radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root can purge heart fire and harmonize stomach, thus it is regarded as ministerial medicine. Dazao/fructus jujubae/ Chinese date can regulate stomach, relieve dryness, and it is regarded as adjuvant. Heart is the owner of blood and son of liver, and when the fire is purged, the earth qi is harmonized, the stomach qi will be transmitted to lower levels. When the lung is moisturized, and liver qi is regulated, hysteria will be relieved and the disease will be cured. Fire is the mother of earth, when tonify the spleen qi, heart will be nourished, then fire can generate earth.

8.2.3  Cough Cases 8.2.3.1  The Case of Exuberant Lung Fire When I was twenty, I coughed for a long time because of cold, and then had high fever with my skin felt like on fire. I spat a lot every day, and suffered from polydipsia in summer months. What’s worse, I couldn’t sleep and eat, and my pulse felt floating and full. I had taken Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root, Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf, Jingli/succus schizonepetae/juice of fineleaf schizonepeta and many other medicines, but the condition became even worse in half a month. Everyone thought I was dying. Li Shizhen chose one liang Pianqin (also named Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root), and boiled it with two glasses of water with half water gone, then asked me to take the decoction. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 13, Huangqin) Li Shizhen thought the cough in the case was due to the lung meridian governed by the fire of Qifen (qi aspect) because the exogenous pathogenic factors was passed to lung meridian, therefore, the most important thing is to purge the fire of Qifen (qi aspect) in lung meridian. Chaihu/ radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root can disperse wind heat, relieve pathogenic factor in liver and gall, Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf can nourish yin and moisten lung, relieve phlegm but cannot disperse heat. Thus, these three medicines are not appropriate for

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curing the case. One day, Li Shizhen reminded that Li Dongyuan once cured a case of “High fever, dysphoria in day time” with Yiwei Huangqin Decoction, then he applied one liang of Pianqin (also named Huangqin/ radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root). And the next day, the patient’s fever abated and cough was cured as well. The correspondence of medicine and syndrome is the foundation of clinical treatment, as Li Shizhen said: “Medicine should be applied at the appropriate time, just like drumstick meets the drum.”

8.2.3.2  Liver Fire Attacking Lung Case In Emperor Song Huizong’s period, Li Fangyu was the medical officer in the emperor’s palace. Once, the emperor’s favorite concubine was coughing with phlegm and couldn’t sleep in the night. What’s more, her face was bloated like a round plate. The emperor asked Li Fangyu to cure her, and forced him to make a promise that if he couldn’t cure the concubine he would be killed. Li Fangyu was frightened and then bid farewell to his wife with tears. Just at that time, he heard someone was peddling loudly outside: “Cough medicine, one wen (the unit of money in ancient China) for each medicine packet. One can sleep right away after taking the medicine.” Li Fangyu bought ten packets and examined them. He found that the color of the medicine was light blue, and he tried three packets in person in case the medicine was too poisonous. Luckily, it was not poisonous. Then, he stirred and fried the clam powder in new tile till it became red, added a little indigo naturalist and several drops of sesame oil, mixed them and took two qian orally by himself. Later, he gave the mixture to the concubine to take it. She stopped coughing in the day time and her face became smaller. The emperor was very happy when he knew it, and sent Li Fangyu a large amount of gold and silk. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 46, Clam) Su Wen: Ke Lun (Plain Questions: On Cough) said: “All the five zang organs and six fu organs can make people cough, not just the lung.” Most of cough cases are due to the disease in lung. However, the pathogen in other zang and fu organs can also be passed to lung and then cough occurs. Lung is a frail viscera which cannot stand cold, heat, phlegm and ­dampness. The cough in this case was due to wood (liver)-fire impairing

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metal (lung). Thus, phlegm heat accumulated in lung. Fire heat disturbed interior, and liver-hun could not be kept interior which led to insomnia. Therefore, the treatment should purify liver, purge lung, resolve phlegm and tranquilize mind. Clam powder can clear heat, dry dampness and resolve phlegm; indigo naturalist can purge liver fire; that’s why the medicine was effective.

8.2.3.3  Turbid Phlegm Obstructing Lung Cough for years. Grind Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel, Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven, Shengjiang/ rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger into powder and steam into pancake, then make into balls as big as phoenix tree seed. Take thirty or fifty pills after meal or before sleep. Then, not only cough but the old disease bladder qi was cured as well. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 30, Orange) When turbid phlegm blocks lung, and the lung couldn’t diffuse and purify, cough occurs. Spleen earth is the mother of lung metal, when earth couldn’t generate metal, the fragility of lung may lead to cough. But lung is only the container for phlegm, spleen is the source of generating phlegm. Thus, if spleen is ignored during the treatment, the treatment will be a failure. Li Shizhen used Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel to invigorate spleen and dry dampness, Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger to warm the middle and resolve phlegm, Shenqu/ massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven to invigorate spleen, resolve spleen and eliminate accumulation, then both symptoms and root causes were resolved, and the effect is obvious. The relationship of lung and bladder is exterior and interior, when the disease in lung is removed, lung can govern and regulate, and bladder can function well correspondingly.

8.2.4  Eye Disease Case The case of pain in eyeballs. A man suffered from pain in eyeballs in the late night, and the pain even reached to superciliary ridge and one half of the head. When Huanglian Paste was applied, the pain even became

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severe. No medicine worked. The pain stopped when acupuncture was applied on jue yin, shao yang, but the pain started half a day later, and it lasted over a month. Xiakucao/spica prunellae/common selfheal fruitspike two liang, Xiangfu/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome two liang, and Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root four qian, all ground into powder. Take one and half qian each time with green tea. The pain disappeared as soon as the medicine was taken, and the patient recovered after taking the medicine four or five times. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 15, Xiakucao) Eyes open to the liver. Therefore, eye disease originates from jue yin liver wood. Since the pain occurred in the night, the disease pertained to yin, and the pain in this case originated from jue yin liver wood. Xiakucao/ spica prunellae/common selfheal fruit-spike was applied to cure the pain in eye because it can relieve inner heat and liver heat. Xiangfu/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome can sooth liver and descend fire. Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root can clear heat and remove toxin. Li Shizhen believed Xiakucao/spica prunellae/common selfheal fruitspike is endowed with pure yang qi and can tonify jue yin blood vessel. Thus, the treatment was like magic because it cured yang with yin.

8.2.5  Stroke Case In Xu Yingzong period of the Tang Dynasty, when Chen Weixin was outside in the army, Emperor Dowager Liu was ill and couldn’t speak, her pulse was deep and with the symptom of trismus, and she was unable to open her mouth to speak. Emperor Yingzong said: Since she could not take medicine, the method of steam can be applied. When the vapor of the medical decoction went into the straie, she could recover in one day and night. Then, they put Huangfangfeng Decoction under the bed in several containers, the vapor came out like haze, and the patient could speak in the evening. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 12, Huangqi) I have a brother who have a stroke at the age of twenty-one and stayed in bed for five years, no doctor can cure him. A Taoist Zhongzhen knew his disease and said: When Xixian Pill is applied, he could recover. The grass grows in fertile soil, and the leaves grow in pairs and opposite to

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each other. The plant should be reaped in summer, cut from five cun5 above the land, wash with warm water to remove mud, and pick leaves and branches. Steam them nine times and expose to the sun nine times, do not make them too dry, then grind them into powder and mix them with honey and roll it into balls like phoenix tree seed, and take it with warm wine or rice for twenty or thirty pills each time. On the day of taking two thousand pills, the disease may get worse, do not worry, for it is caused by the attack of the medicine; when the number of pills comes to four thousand, the patient could recover; when come to five thousand ones, the patient would become strong. I did as what the Taoist told me and asked my brother to take the medicine, and he recovered just like the Taoist had said. The patient has to take three or five spoons of rice after taking the medicine. Monk Zhiyan was attacked by stroke suddenly at the age of seventy and suffered from facial paralysis and ptysis. He recovered after taking ten times of the medicine. So far, he had taken about one hundred doses. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 11, Xixian) Aphasia from stoke is mainly caused by the stagnation of qi and blood. Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root tonifies qi, when qi is strengthened, blood will move smoothly, extravasated blood can be expelled, brain meridians will be dredged, blood wind will disappear. Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root can control Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root, and it can strengthen the function of Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root because of “mutual restraint between two drugs become mutual assistant”. Since the patient was unable to open her mouth to take medicine, the doctor found a new path by steaming so that the medicine can enter striae to function well. The doctor set a precedent of treating stoke with the method of steaming, which illustrates “suit measures to different persons” exactly. Xixiancao/herba siegesbeckia/herb of glularstalk st.paulswort is bitter in taste and mild in property, it can dispel wind and resolve phlegm, harmonize blood vessels, tonify liver and kidney, thus it can be applied to facial paralysis, dysphasia, slow and weak in hands and feet and other cases which were caused by deficiency, excess, or intermingled deficiency and excess. However, it functions slowly and needs to be taken for a long 5

 1 cun (length) = 3.33 cm

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time. Most of stroke belong to deficient root and excessive superficial. The elderly people at an old age are liable to suffer from stoke. Xixiancao/ herba siegesbeckia/herb of glularstalk St Paul’s wort tonifies liver and kidney, harmonizes blood, and is beneficial to joints. What’s more, it can not only tonify deficiency but also dredge stagnation and purge excess, thus it is effective in treating stroke.

8.2.6  Mania Psychosis Gao’s wife suffered from delirium, and she said that her dead husband’s ghost did that. Her family member burned Cangzhu/rhizomae atractylodis/ atractylodes rhizome, and the smoke made her recovered. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 12, Cangzhu) Fan Chunyou’s daughter went crazy when her husband died and she was locked in the room then. One night she broke the window bar, climbed to the peach tree, and ate almost all the flowers. In the early morning, her family found her and helped her climbed down the tree, and she recovered. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 26, Laifu) Cangzhu/rhizomae atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome, bitter in taste and warm in property, strong in smell, can dry dampness and resolve phlegm, and govern the phlegm dampness in triple energizers. With its pungent taste, ascending quality, bitter taste and descending quality, it dredges qi and relieves depress. Delirium was caused by phlegm dampness, and Cangzhu/rhizomae atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome is the right choice. When it was burnt, the smoke came out and went into the body. Thus, it was effective. Madness occurred when phlegm heat interrupts mental activity, and when retained food transform to heat and interrupted mental activity, madness would occur as well. Luobo/raphanin/radish can descend qi and expel pathogenic factor. When it was applied together with the medicine which can clear heat and tranquilize mind, the effect would be the best. Li said since surprise and anger hurt the liver, and the phlegm mixed with blood lead to mania. The patient ate peach flower by chance, and peach flower can remove phlegm and retained fluid, and disperse stagnated blood. This is quite similar to Zhang Zhongjing’s Chengqi Decoction in curing mania due to accumulated heat, and Taoren Chengqi Decoction (Peach seed Purgative Decoction) in curing mania due to stagnated blood.

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8.2.7  Infertility Tian’er, Neng Si’s autonym, born with insufficient natural endowment, had no wife or any child at the age of fifty-eight. He admired Taoist technique, and went to the mountain to learn with masters. One day, lying on a mountain drunk, suddenly, he saw two vines, though three chi6 away to each other, the leaves and tendrils were intertwined. It took him a long time to unlock them, but soon they intertwined. Tian’er was astonished. Then, he dug out the root and took the root home. He asked many people, but nobody knew it. One day, an old man from mountainous areas came. Tian’er showed him the plant. He said: “You didn’t have any child, and this vine looked so weird that it might be a medicine of the immortal, why not take it as medicine?” Then, Tian’er ground it into powder, took one qian with wine before meal. Seven days later he had sexual desire. And several months later, he seemed much stronger. Then he had it every day and added the amount to two qian a time. Then, all his old diseases were cured. In addition, his hair turned black and his face looked younger. Afterwards, he had several sons in ten years, and he changed his name into Neng Si. At the beginning of Jiajing Period in the Ming Dynasty, Zhenren Shao Yingjie, paid tribute to the emperor with Qibao Meiran Pill. Shizong Su Emperor took it and found it effective, and he had several imperial heirs in succession. Then the remedy of Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower become popular with people. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 18, Heshouwu) Inadequate natural endowment leads to feebleness. Shouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower can tonify liver and kidney, nourish essence and blood, blacken the beard and hair, and strengthen yang with no greasy or stagnated effect. It is an effective medicine in nourishing and tonifying, thus it can prolong life and promote fertility. Qibao Meiran Pill can tonify liver and kidney, blacken hair and strengthen bone. In the prescription, Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower can tonify liver and kidney, tonify essence and blood. And as the main medicine, a large amount is used. Tusizi/semen cuscutae/ dodder seed and Gouqizi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry can 6

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nourish kidney and tonify essence and assist Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower to strengthen water. Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica can nourish blood and harmonize blood. Together with Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower, it can enhance the function of nourishing blood. Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root can tonify liver and kidney as well as strengthen sinews and bones. Buguzhi/fructus psoralae/ malaytea scurfpae fruit can help the ming men (life gate) fire to warm the public region, and serve as adjuvant. Fuling/poria/Indian bread is beneficial to heart qi and can harmonize heart and kidney, moreover, it can dredge dampness in spleen when it moves to the lower body, and serving as adjuvant.

8.2.8  Regurgitation A rich man in Changshu had regurgitation, and he went to Ganlu temple in Jingkou to have a Dharma assembly. On the first night, he dreamed that a monk gave him a glass of soup, he drank it and felt comfortable in his chest. When he went to the temple the next morning, he found that the monk who was offering the soup was just the one in his dream. Because the monk always treated guests with the soup, the soup was named Ganlu soup. I cured an official in Lintin with the soup, and he recovered soon. Thus, the function of the soup shouldn’t be neglected. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 25, Zao) There was a family, where the grandfather, father and son all died of regurgitation. Then, the grandson got a prescription: Eat dried persimmon and dried rice every day. Do not drink water. Eat this way and you will recover. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 30, Persimmon) When he was young, he had regurgitation. No matter what he ate he would vomit soon. During the period of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty, even Xu Fengyu and his brothers and some other famous doctors couldn’t cure him. He was exhausted then and may die soon. One day, a bodyguard said that the urinate of donkey is effective. When he had the urinate two times, he would just vomit half of what he ate; after he took another two times, he didn’t vomit any more. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 50, Donkey)

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Regurgitation refers to abdominal fullness and distension, or the patient usually vomit in the dusk while had meals in the daytime, or vomit in the following morning after had meals in the previous night. This disease is usually caused by deficiency cold in spleen and stomach and the decrease of fire of the ming men (life gate). Ganzao, sweet in taste, warm in property, can warm spleen and stomach, digest food and tonify qi; Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger is warm in property, can warm middle and stop vomiting; Zhigancao/radix glycyrrhizae preparata/prepared liquorice root can tonify qi and invigorate spleen; salt can induce medicine into kidney to warm life fire. Shibing/dried persimmon is sweet and astringent in taste, and cold in property. Jia You Ben Cao (Jia You’s Herbal) said: “It can thicken intestine, astringe middle, invigorate spleen and stomach, and remove stagnated blood”. Thus it can be used to cure regurgitation. Huang Di Nei Jing (Huangdi’ s Internal Classic) said: “All kinds of vomiting and acid regurgitation are caused by heat.” Lvniao/ ass urine, whose coldness can decrease fire, pungent taste can remove stagnation, promote the circulation of qi and remove blood stasis. In this case, regurgitation was cured because new method was applied instead of the regular ones.

8.2.9  Jaundice The patient’s face and body were yellow when he had the disease. He would vomit almost a basin of blood, but no medicine worked. Get ten spiral shell, wash off the mud, mash them and leave them for a whole night, then get some to take at the fifth watch of night. After taking two or three times, the patient recovered when the spiting of blood stopped. Since it worked for one patient, it may be applied for other patients. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 45, Woluo) In the period of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty, Yang Zheng, ealdorman of Yinchuan, suggested a prescription, and all the famous doctors said that it was effective in clinic. His prescription was as follows: For the patient whose body turns yellow because of being hurt by heat, having fever, dark urine, golden eyes, blue black face, cardiac pain, dizziness, mass in

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h­ ypochondrium, jaundice and so on, Lichuncao is effective in curing the disease. (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 15, Lichuncao) Patients with jaundice vomiting blood is mainly attributed to stagnated dampness and heat. Luoshi/spiral shell is sweet in taste and cold in property, and it can remove heat and toxin, promoting urination. Thus, it can be applied in blood vomiting and jaundice caused by damp-heat. Lichuncao, which is able to clear heat, cool blood, remove toxin, and drain bile, can be applied in the case.

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Health Preservation

9.1 Li Shizhen’s Thoughts on Medicine and Health Preservation As a medicinal encyclopedia, Ben Cao Gang Mu expounded systematically and comprehensively on pharmacology, drug properties, four natures and five flavors of drugs as well as meridian tropism, providing valuable reference for the future generations in terms of disease treatment, body building and health maintenance. Ben Cao Gang Mu also recorded Li Shizhen’s great attainments in anti-aging. He elaborated on the delicacy of TCM’s amazing effect on anti-aging and drew upon the secret of prolonging life from various sources. In the book, 390 prescriptions on prolonging life, retaining youth and anti-aging are recorded. There are altogether 13 volumes, 206 articles and 253 kinds of medicines concerning prolonging life, among which 2 volumes, 41 articles and 51 kinds of mineral medicine, 5 volumes, 138 articles and 175 kinds of herbal medicine, 6 volumes, 27 articles and 27 kinds of animal medicine. The profound thought it delivers on health maintenance makes it a book of high research and application value. To summarize, Li Shizhen’s thoughts on regimen fall into the following categories:

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9.1.1  Anti-aging and Prolonging Life Through Nourishing the Kidney and Liver In Ben Cao Gang Mu, it stated: “When we reach fifty, the liver-qi and bile start to diminish, resulting in poor eyesight.” Therefore, it is of great importance to nourish kidney and liver with our body aging. Among the 390 prescriptions on body building and prolonging life, 95 are about nourishing kidney and liver, accounting for 24.3% of the total. For example, prescriptions composed of Jinmaogouji/rhizoma cibotii/cibot rhizome, Yuanzhi/ radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort, Fushen/poria cum radice pino/ fu-shen and Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica to arrest emission and strengthen bones; prescription with Roucongrong/herba cistanches/desert-living cistanche as the dominant medicine to strengthen bones as well as prescriptions to treat lumbar pain induced by kidney insufficiency, such as Buguzhi Pill and Qinge Pill. It is also recorded in the book that Gouqi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry and Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry also have the effects of strengthening bones, nourishing the essence, blackening the hair, improving eyesight, anti-aging and prolonging life. Li Shizhen also cited an example: “Once, there was an unusual man called ‘barefeet Zhang’, who gave the Gouqizi Prescription to an old man in Qi Shi county. After following the prescription, the old man walked amazingly fast, his gray hair turned black, teeth grew, and he became robust in bed and lived to over a hundred years.” Besides, Ben Cao Gang Mu recorded prescriptions of anti-aging effect, such as Xianmao Pill (Xianmao/rhizoma curculiginis/rhizome of common curculigo), Banlong Pill (Banlong refers to the head, horns, body and legs of a deer) and prescriptions that tonify the kidney and supplement yang. Herbal medicines such as Tusizi/semen cuscutae/dodder seed, Shanyurou/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit, Roucongrong/ herba cistanches/desert-living cistanche, Buguzhi/fructus psoralae/­ malaytea scurfpae fruit, Xianmao/rhizoma curculiginis/rhizome of common curculigo, Yingyanghuo/herba epimedii/epimedium herb, Bajitian/ radix morindae officinalis/morinda root, Dongchongxiacao/cordyceps/ Chinese caterpillar fungus, Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deerhorn, etc. are effective in warming and tonifying kidney yang, which is

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born with us as the fundamental. It boosts other organs and plays a decisive role in our growth, strength and aging. Li Shizhen’s prescriptions lay a solid foundation for further study on warming the kidney to benefit the heart and spleen; warm the liver; induce diuresis; improve respiration and tonify the essence. Moreover, it provides a guidance for warming and tonifying liver and kidney yang to prolong life.

9.1.2  Tonifying the Spleen and Stomach; Strengthening Root and Culturing Original Qi Li Shizhen believed that “the spleen is the mother of the original qi” and “the earth is the mother of the original qi”. He firmly maintained the view that people will remain healthy if they are full of original qi and the spleen and stomach is functioning well as mentioned in Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/solomonseal rhizome (Compendium of Materia Medica, Volume 12, Huangjing) that: “The earth is the mother of all things. Nourished by their mother, the internal organs will all be in harmony, with balanced Water and Fire and interaction of Wood and Metal. When a person is in such a condition, he will be free from all diseases.” In Compendium of Materia Medica, Volumn 13, Lian’ou, it is said that: “The earth element is the mother of everything. When the ‘mother’ element is in a harmonious condition, jinye (body fluid) is produced and mental spirit is germinated. Then, the person will be able to resist senility and enjoy a long life.” The above statements fully embody Li Shizhen’s thought of keeping healthy and preventing diseases through regulating spleen and stomach. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, Li Shizhen listed over 70 prescriptions and herbal medicines that tonify the spleen and stomach; replenish qi and strengthen the essence, such as Renshen/radix gingseng/gingseng, Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root, Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes, Fuling/poria/Indian bread, Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/solomonseal rhizome, Cangzhu/rhizomae atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome, Lingzhi/ganoderma lucidum/lucid ganoderma, Ciwujia/radix acanthopanacis senticosi/thorny acathopanax root, Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root, ect. Take Renshen/radix gingseng/gingseng as an example. Li Shizhen said: “it tonifies five zang

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organs; calms the mind; arrests fright palpitation; expels evil qi; improves eyesight; reinforces intelligence as well as prolongs life for a long-term usage.” Li Shizhen developed “Renshen Paste”, “Shenzhu Paste”, “Cangzhu Powder”, “Yiyi Wine”, “Shu Wine” as well as many kinds of grain wine and herbal medicines that tonify the spleen and harmonize the stomach. On top of that, drawing from experiences of physicians of past generations, he also recorded over 80 prescriptions effective in nourishing the spleen and stomach. For instance, “Shenzhu Paste”, composed of Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng and Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes, arrests diarrhea; treats spleen and stomach deficiency of all sorts and tonify original qi. The “loss of appetite prescription”, composed of Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng, Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger, and honey treats spleen and stomach qi deficiency.

9.1.3  Tranquilizing Mind by Nourishing the Heart; Reinforcing Intelligence and Retaining Youthful Looks In Ben Cao Gang Mu, Li Shizhen recorded a number of prescriptions and herbal medicines that nourish the heart to calm the mind; reinforce intelligence and retain youthful looks, such as Fuling/poria/Indian bread, Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen, Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort, Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar, Hehuan/flos aibiziae/ albizia flower, Hupo/succinum/amber, Maidong/radix ophiopogonis/dwarf lilyturf root, Xuanshen/radix scrophularlae/figwort root, Baihe/bulbus lilii/ lily bulb, Suanzaoren/semen ziziphi spinosae/seed of spine date, Baiziren/ semen biotae/seed of Chinese arborvitae, Longyan/alillus longan/longan pulp, Shengdihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root, Changpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag, etc. Cases of nourishing the heart and reinforcing intelligence by taking Changpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag and Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort read: “After taking Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort for 20 years, a man named Zi Zhong from Lin Yang has 37 children and an eidetic memory”; “Han Zhong, who takes the root of

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Changpu/rhizoma acori graminei/­rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag knows no hunger and lives on forever.” Prescriptions are also attached to these medicines, such as the prescription for impaired nourishment of the heart; forgetfulness; reinforcing intelligence, and Suanzaoren Decoction. The following are a few typical prescriptions: Zhuque Pill, composed of Chenxiang/lignum aquilariae resinatum/wood of Chinese eaglewood and Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen, with the effect of calming the mind and balancing Water and Fire; “Qiongyu Paste”, composed of Shengdi/ radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root juice, Renshen powder, Fuling/poria/ Indian bread and sugar, with the effect of reinforcing intelligence, blackening the hair, strengthening teeth; “Buyin Pill (Buyin refers to yin tonic)”, composed of Guiban/plastrum testudinis/tortoise plastron, Shudi/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root, Zhujisui/swine spinal cord, with the effect of nourishing yin, hydrating and replenishing the mind. Both prescriptions are applicable to middle-aged and senior people who have the need to preserve health and cure diseases. “Nourishing the Blood and Supplementing Essence Pill”, composed of Poguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpea fruit, Baifulin/poria alba/white poria cocos and Moyao/myrrha/myrrh, is another example, listed under the catalogue of Buguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpae fruit. Li Shizhen stated: “Once, someone took this ­prescription and preserved youth forever.” He believed that Moyao/myrrha/myrrh is one of the best medicines to tonify deficiencies and the blood for it activates blood and resolves stasis. Using Moyao/myrrha/myrrh to tonify blood with the purpose of prolonging life is Li Shizhen’s special technique, applicable to blood stasis caused by yin deficiency, and patients plagued by chronic diseases. In particular, for senior people, it is most effective in treating blood stasis caused by ­deficiency and treating deficiency caused by blood stasis.

9.1.4  Cultivating Healthy Qi by Eating Cereal, Meat, Fruits and Vegetables Following the principle of “cultivating healthy qi by eating cereal, meat, fruits and vegetables in Su Wen (Plain Questions), Ben Cao Gang Mu is rich in the content of diet therapy. In total, it records 397 kinds of food,

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with each kind further categorized into edible parts such as fruits, pulp and roots. There are altogether 695 subcategories, scattered in the Category of Stone, Category of Herbs, Category of Vegetables, Category of Fruits, Category of Wood, Category of Insects, Category of Animals with Scales, Category of Shells, Category of Fowls, Category of Animals and the Category of Humans. Drawing on the strength of different schools, Li Shizhen developed his own thoughts and theoretical system of diet therapy, laying a solid foundation for future diet therapy studies. He also created medicated tea, medicated porridge and medicated wine. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, a number of grain crops and medicated porridge are recorded with the effect of nourishing the spleen and stomach, arresting emission and replenishing qi, such as polished glutinous rice, long-shaped rice, corn, Qianshi Porridge, Lvdou Porridge, Fuling Porridge, Huluobo Porridge, Bocai Porridge, etc. There are a variety of medicated wine that can strengthen our body, such as Ginseng Wine, Hugu Wine, Wujiapi Wine, Gouqi Wine, Lurong Wine, etc. They are effective in dredging blood vessel, allaying tiredness, anti-aging and prolonging life. It is also advisable to drink medicated tea, another specialty of Li Shizhen, to improve eyesight and stay clear-headed. In particular, he preferred to use ingredients that are both drug and food, such as Yirenmi/semen coicis/job’s-tears seed, Lianziren/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed, Qianshi/semen euryales/gordon Euryale seed, Guya/fructus setariae germinatus/millet sprout, mutton, beef, turtle meat, Xuanhua/flos calystegiae sepii/flower of hedge glorybind, Jicai/herba capsellae/shepherd’s purse, etc. Over the years, Li Shizhen’s application of medicated tea to cure diseases provides great reference to our practice of prolonging life through drinking tea in modern times.

9.2  Li Shizhen’s Recipe for Health Preservation 9.2.1  Health Preservation Through Flowers Ben Cao Gang Mu has the most elaborate and comprehensive illustration on flower medicines among all medical classics. Using flowers to

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preserve health is one of the prominent features of the book. It inherits fruits of past generations before the Ming Dynasty. In the book, over 100 kinds of flower drugs of different natures and flavors are included. In terms of effects, these medicines can help strengthen our body; prolong life; soothe our minds; maintain beauty and keep young; improve eyesight and relieve sore throat; clear nasal orifices; induce diuresis for removing edema; relieve summer-heat and help produce saliva; activate blood circulation to dissipate stasis; relieve cough and asthma; arrest vertigo and vomiting, expel wind-damp; relieve jaundice and abdominal distention; loosen bowels; cure skin diseases and ulcers. In terms of major indications, they involve departments of internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, paediatrics, dermatology, ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology. Moreover, flowers like Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower, Dihuanghua/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root, Jingtianhua/flos hylotelephium erythrostictum/stonecrop flower, Lianhua/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed, Xinyihua/flos magnoliae/biond magnolia flower, Longcaohua, Wupuhua, Xuanhua and Feilianhua have the health care effects of losing weight and keeping fit, anti-aging and prolonging life. The following is a list of commonly used flowers: Taohua/flos persicae/peach flower: It removes freckles. Grind it together with Dongguaren/semen benincasae/Chinese waxgourd seed and apply with honey. Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower: Long-term use facilitates the blood qi; makes one feel happy and able to enjoy a long life. It is good for dispersing invading pathogenic wind that may cause vertigo, swelling and pain, protruding eyeballs, and profusing tears. It improves dead skin, leprosy and arthralgia due to an attack of pathogenic humidity. It is good for treating lumbago with general debility, eliminating heat and restlessness in the chest, pacifying the stomach and intestine, facilitating blood circulation and movement of the extremities. It is also good for dispersing invading pathogenic wind and heat that may cause vertigo and falling off in a syncope, relieving pain in the skull, dispersing wandering edema all over the body, and promoting blood circulation. Moreover, it removes blood stasis in the eye and eliminates nebula and opacity. It is good for treating insufficient condition of the liver qi. Besides, fill a

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pillowcase with the flower as well as the leaf. It is good to improve eyesight if such a pillowcase is used over a long period of time. The fresh and cooked drug can be eaten. Dihuanghua/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root: It has the same functions as Dihuanghua/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root. It fills the marrow and helps muscle growth; tonifies the genuine yin in the kidney. Long-term use makes one feel happy and able to enjoy a long life. It is good for treating five overstrains and seven damages of man. It stops vaginal bleeding in a threatened abortion due to interior damage; removes blood stasis and stops hematuria. It facilitates the functions of the large and small intestines, hence dissolves indigestion in the stomach; tonifies the debilitated condition of the five viscera with interior damage to facilitate blood circulation; reinforces strength; brightens the eye and sharpens the ear. What’s more, it is good for treating heart disease; eliminates pain and hot feeling of the palm and sole. It treats a patient who loves to lie in bed due to general debility of the spleen. It reinforces the heart and gall bladder qi to strengthen the tendons and bones. It reinforces the willpower, pacifies the soul and consolidates boldness. Furthermore, it is good for treating convulsion and palpitation with general debility. It heals the damaged heart and lung; stops hematemesis and epistaxis; treats metrorrhagia and vertigo due to blood disorder of woman; relives puerperal abdominal pain. Moreover, it cools the blood and helps its production; moistens the skin; disperses the invading pathogenic humidity and heat. Besides, simmering the drug to make a decoction is able to disperse the invading pathogenic cold and heat; dissolve accumulation and assemblage; disperses an obstruction syndrome and treats physical damage with broken tendons. Modern research shows that Dihuanghua/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root has an anti-aging effect. It regulates immune systems; protects immune organs from declining, and has a great impact on the functioning of cardiovascular system, hematopoietic system, endocrine system, and the central nervous system. Jingtianhua/flos hylotelephium erythrostictum/stonecrop flower: It improves eyesight and reduces weight with long-term administration. It also helps relieve female leucorrhea. Modern research shows that Jingtian/ flos hylotelephium erythrostictum/stonecrop flower has anti-oxidation,

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anti-stress, anti-fatigue, anti-cancer and antidepressant effects. In the meantime, it strengthens immunity; protects the liver and kidney. It can be used as an antioxidant, scavenging free radicals to resist aging. Furthermore, it helps protect cardiac muscle cells and delay the aging of myocardium. Hongjingtian/Rhodiola polysaccharide also serves as a good immunomodulator as it participates in humoral immunity, cellular immunity and non-specific immunity. Lianhua/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed: It calms the mind and improves the complexion; makes one feel happy and helps retain youthful looks. Xinyihua/flos magnoliae/biond magnolia flower: It checks upward perversion of qi, makes one feel happy, improves eyesight, dredges blood vessel; prolongs life; treats headache, aversion to cold and body itching. Xuancaohua: It makes one feel happy; improves eyesight; treats hot urination; eliminates heat and restlessness; relieves alcoholic jaundice; promotes digestion and disperses humidity and heat. Shuixianhua/daffodil: It can be made into perfumed cream to relieve wind-stroke when applied to body and hair. Molihua/jasmine flower: Steam the flower to collect juice and use it to make facial cream and hair oil. It helps hair grow; moistens dryness and make one’s body smells nice. Miwuhua: It can be made into facial cream. Lihua/plum blossom: It makes people glow. Taohua/flos persicae/peach flower: It improves the complexion. Zhizihua/gardenia/cape jasmine flower: It improves the complexion. Youhua/pummelo flower: Steam it with sesame oil to make perfumed facial cream.

9.2.2  Health Preservation Through Wine In Su Wen (Plain Questions), it is said that it is safe to drink wine when evil qi arrives. Li Shizhen once said: “Spirit is a toxic thing with pure yang. If there are very fine ripples on the surface, it is genuine spirit. It has the same quality as fire, so it can burn, similar to Yanxiao/sal nitri/niter.

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People in the north drink spirit all the year around. But people in the south only drink it in the summer. It is pungent and sweet and has the tendency of ascending and dispersing. It is dry and hot in quality. It overcomes humidity and disperses cold. Therefore, it is good to open up a pent-up condition and disperse prolonged stagnation in depth; dredge through dysphagia and expel retained phlegm; stop diarrhea and malaria and relieve pain with cold. The pungent taste functions first on the lung. But if it is blended with water, it may lead everything to flow downward, thus smoothing urination. As a result, urine becomes ample and clear. Therefore, it dries the metal element and exhausts the blood. In this way, the large intestine is targeted and constipation follows. If ginger and garlic are eaten at the time of drinking, hemorrhoids develop. If one drinks on humid summer days, he will have perspiration and feel comfortable in the chest and cool off a little. Moreover, it can be used to wash an inflamed eye. After shedding of tears, swelling will disperse and the inflammation will be gone. This is called “treatment contrary to routine.” If one drinks without any control, he may end up dead. Nowadays, people add strong drugs, such as Pishi/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic mine, Caowu/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/wild aconite root, Lahui/ash of pepper or Xiangyao/ spices to reinforce its function. Nevertheless, those who wish to enjoy a long life should be aware of its harmful effect to the human body.” The book Bing Ji Fu (Book on Pathogenesis) by Liu Keyong recorded a case: “A patient was suffering from an eye inflammation. A doctor told him to drink spirit blended with salt. Soon, the pain was gone and inflammation subsided, too. This is because spirit is a drug characteristic of moving swiftly and salt is used to guide it to function along the channels and collaterals. In this way, pent-up condition is dredged through and pathogenic heat is dispersed.” This is also an example of “a treatment contrary to routine”. There are over 80 kinds of medicinal wine recorded in Ben Cao Gang Mu. Li Shizhen mentioned that there are prescriptions of medicinal wine in Ben Cao Gang Mu and other books. Here are some major prescriptions for reference. Yunue Wine: This is a prescription recorded in Jia Sixie’s Qi Min Yao Shu (Arts for the People). It treats all kinds of malaria. Warm it before

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drinking. On the eighth day of April, prepare 1 jin1 of yeast in powder, and put it in 1 dan2 of water. Tusu Wine: According to the book Xiao Pin Fang (Classical Prescriptions) by Chen Yanzhi, it is a prescription provided by Master Hua Tuo. Drink the wine on New Year’s Day. It prevents attacks from all kinds of vicious agents and epidemics. Preparation: 7.5 qian3 of Guixin/shaved cinnamon bark; 1 liang4 of Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root; 5 qian of Baqi/rhizoma smilacis chinensis/rhizome of chinaroot greenbrier; 5.7 qian of Shujiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/Sichuan pepper; 5.7 qian of Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root; 5.7 qian of Dahuang/radix et rhizome rhei/rhubarb; 2.5 qian of Wutou/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff, and 14 pieces of Chixiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean. Hold the medicines in a triangular silk bag and hang it over the bottom of a well on New Year’s Eve. Take the bag out on New Year’s Day. Soak it in wine and heat several times. Members of the family should all sit with their faces toward the east and drink the wine, starting from the youngest to the oldest. The dregs should be thrown into the drinking well. In this way, people will not get sick after drinking the water from this well. Li Shizhen said: Su Kui is the name of a ghost. This drug is good to kill the ghost. Hence the name Tusu (meaning “killing the Su”). Some others say that Tusu is a name of a thatched monastery. Qunxun Wine: It tonifies deficiency, replenishes qi and removes wind arthralgia and damp qi. It also prolongs life and improves one’s complexion with long-term administration. Preparation: Pick 3 liang and 3 qian of Taohua/flos persicae/peach flower on the third day of March, 5 liang and 5 qian of Malinhua/sweet iris flower on the fifth day of May, 6 liang and 6 qian of Zhimahua/sesamum indicum L/sesame flower on the sixth day of June, 9 liang and 9 qian of Huangganju/chamomile flower on the ninth day of September and dry them in the shade. Collect 2 dou5 of 1

 1 jin = 16 liang = 500 grams  1 dan (volume) = 10 dou = 100 sheng = 1000 ge = 1073.7 litre 3  1 qian = 10 fen = 3.125 grams 4  1 liang = 10 qian = 31.25 grams 5  1 dou (volume) = 10 sheng = 100 ge = 107.37 litre 2

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water on the eighth day of December. When the spring equinox arrives, pick 49 pieces of Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed; prepare 10 jin of wheat flour and wrap them with the abovementioned flowers in paper for 49 days. Take a bottle of water, a pill size of yeast, one chunk of flour and seal them for future application. If it is too light, then add another pill. Wujiapi Wine: Indications: Removing all wind-damp and atrophyflaccidity. It also strengthens bones and replenishes essence marrow. Preparation: Make decoction of Wujiapi/cotex acanthopanacis/slenderstyle acanthopanax bark and brew with yeast and rice, or hold its pieces in a bag and soak them in wine then boil and drink the wine. You may also add Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica, Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root and Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/garden burnet root. Baiyangpi Wine: Indications: It treats beriberi induced by wind toxin and phlegm turbidity in the abdomen. Preparation: Slice Baiyangpi/poplar bark and soak them in wine. Drink the wine. Nvzhenpi Wine: Indications: It treats wind deficiency; strengthens lumbus and knees. Preparation: Slice Nvzhenpi/fructus ligustri lucidi/ glossy privet and soak them in wine. Drink the wine. Xianlingpi Wine: Indications: It treats hemilateral wind paralysis; strengthens the muscles and bones. Preparations: Hold 1 jin of Xianlingpi/ herba epimedii/epimedium herb in a bag and soak it in 2 dou of wine. Seal it for three days and then drink the wine. Yiyiren Wine: Indications: It treats wind damp; strengthens the muscles and bones; invigorates the spleen and tonifies the stomach. Preparations: Use prime Yiyiren/semen coicis/job’s-tears seed powder, yeast and rice to make wine, or hold it in a bag and boil with wine, then drink the wine. Tianmendong Wine: Indications: It moistens five zang organs and blood vessels. Long-term use relieves five kinds of strain and seven kinds of injuries, as well as epilepsy. The drug can be brewed into wine, yet one should avoid over-drinking and keep off raw and cold food. Take the drug for ten days, rubella should be gone. Preparation: Take off the heart of Tianmendong/radix aspagi/root of cochin Chinese asparagus, and brew together with yeast and rice to make decoction. At first, it tastes a bit sour, but later it becomes rather palatable.

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Bailingteng Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind syndromes. Preparation: Use 10 jin of Bailingteng, 1 dan of water, to make 3 dou of decoction; then add 3 dou of Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice, 9 liang of yeast and brew together. After 3 to 5 days, it will be ready. Drink the wine daily. It will work best if you sweat. Baishiying Wine: Indications: It treats wind-damp and arthralgia, sore joints, and deafness induced by kidney deficiency. Preparation: 5 liang of Baishiying/quartz album/quartz and Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite (dipped in vinegar for 7 times) respectively. Hold them in a silk bag and soak it in wine for 5 or 6 days. Warm it before drinking. Dihuang Wine: Indications: It tonifies deficiencies; strengthens bones; dredges blood vessel; relieves abdominal pain and turns white hair black. Preparation: Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root (unprepared) of good quality, pound the drug and squeeze it to get juice; seal it in a container with yeast and rice. Open the container after 5 or 7 days. If there is green juice, it is recommended to drink it first then filter and store away. By adding Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root juice, it works more effective. Other medicines may also be added. Niuxi Wine: Indications: It strengthens bones; treats atrophy-­ flaccidity; tonifies deficiencies, and cures chronic malaria. Preparation: Make Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root decoction then brew together with yeast and rice. Or hold the chopped drug in a bag and soak it in wine. Boil and drink. Danggui Wine: Indications: It moistens blood vessels; strengthens bones; relives all pains; regulates menstrual discharge. Preparation: Make Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica decoction or brew wine, or soak it in wine. Changpu Wine: Indications: It treats 36 kinds of wind syndromes and 12 kinds of arthralgia; moistens blood vessels; treats bone atrophyflaccidity. Long term use improves one’s hearing and eyesight. Preparation: Make Changpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag decoction or brew wine, or soak it in wine. Gouqi Wine: Indications: It tonifies deficiencies; arrests emission and replenishes qi; disperses cold wind, invigorates yang; strengthens lumbar and feet. Preparation: Pick Gouqizi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary

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wolfberry produced in Ganzhou; stew and pound the drug to get juice; then brew together with yeast and rice to make wine. Or, hold the drug in a bag with Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root; soak it in wine; boil and drink. Renshen Wine: Indications: It tonifies the middle and replenishes qi; treats all kinds of deficiencies. Preparation: Brew Renshen/radix ginseng/ ginseng powder into wine with yeast and rice. Or, hold the drug in a bag; soak it in wine; boil and drink. Shuyu Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind-induced vertigo; replenishes essence marrow; invigorates the spleen and tonifies the stomach. Preparation: Brew Shuyu/rhizoma dioscoreae/rhizome of common yam powder into wine with yeast and rice. Or, soak the drug in wine with Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit, Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/Chinese magnoliavine fruit and Renshen/radix ginseng/ ginseng; boil and drink. Fulin Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind-induced vertigo; warms lumbar and knees; relieves five over-strains and seven impairments. Preparation: Brew Fuling/poria/Indian bread powder into wine with yeast and rice. Drink the wine. Juhua Wine: It treats all kinds of head wind; improves hearing and eyesight; cures atrophy-flaccidity; effective in treating nearly all kinds of diseases. Preparation: Make Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower decoction or brew wine with yeast and rice. It works better if Dihuang/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root, Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica and Gouqi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry are added. Hunagjing Wine: Indications: It strengthens bones; replenishes essence marrow; turns white hair black; cures nearly all kinds of diseases. Preparation: Stew 4 jin of Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/solomonseal rhizome, 4 jin of Cangzhu/rhizomae atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome, 5 jin of Gouqigen/radix lycii/root of barbary wolfberry, 5 jin of Baiye/ cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig and leaf and 3 jin of Tianmendong/radix aspagi/root of cochin Chinese asparagus to make 1 dan of decoction. Brew the decoction into wine together with 10 jin of yeast and 1 dan of polished glutinous rice. Drink the wine.

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Sangshen Wine: Indications: It tonifies the five viscera; improves hearing and eyesight. It treats edema, which causes death when it reaches the abdomen. Preparation: Pound the drug to get juice; stew the juice to make decoction; brew the decoction into wine with yeast and rice. Drink the wine. Shu Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind-damp and tendon related diseases; improves complexion, helps one endure cold and heat. Preparation: 30 jin of Shu, remove the peel; pound the drug. Soak it in 3 dan of Dongliushui/water running east for 30 days; collect the juice and left it overnight then brew wine with yeast and rice. Mi (honey) Wine: Indications: It treats rubella and tinea corporis. Preparation: Store 1 jin of Shami, l liter of polished glutinous rice, 5 liang of yeast and 5 liter of boiled water in a bottle and seal it for 7 days to brew wine. It also works to add honey into wine. Liao Wine: Indications: Long-term use improves hearing and eyesight; invigorates the spleen and tonifies the stomach. Preparation: Stew the drug to make decoction; brew the decoction into wine with yeast and rice. Drink the wine. Jiang Wine: Indications: It treats hemilateral wind paralysis, summer consumption, attack of noxious factor, cold pain in heart and abdomen. Preparation: Soak the ginger in wine; warm it and drink only one bowl. Or, use ginger juice and yeast to brew wine. Congchi Wine: Indications: It releases vexing fever; tonifies deficiencies; treats cold-induced headache, cold dysentery and enteralgia; releases muscles and induces diaphoresis. Preparation: Soak the root of scallion and fermented soya beans in wine; boil and drink. Huixiang Wine: Indications: It treats pain in the kidney, heart and abdomen. Preparation: Soak the drug in wine; boil and drink. Suosha Wine: Indications: It promotes digestion and harmonizes the middle; checks upward perversion of qi; relives pain in the heart and abdomen. Preparation: Fry the drug and grind it; hold it in a bag and soak it in wine; boil and drink. Shagen Wine: Indications: It treats irregular recurrent fever in the heart, qi stagnation in the bladder and chronic depression. Preparation: Chop 1 jin of Shagen; hold the drug in a bag and soak it in wine; boil and drink the wine in the morning and at night.

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Yinchen Wine: Indications: It treats wind-induced diseases; convulsion in tendons and bones. Preparation: 1 jin of Yinchen/herba artemisiae scopariae/virgate wormwood herb, 1 dan of husked sorghum, 3 jin of yeast; brew wine. Qinghao Wine: Indications: It treats consumptive disease and chronic malaria. Preparation: Pound the drug (Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/ sweet wormwood herb) to get juice, decoct the juice and brew wine. Baibu Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of acute and chronic cough. Preparation: Cut the root of Baibu/radix stemonae/sessile stemona root and fry; hold it in a bag and soak in wine; drink often. Haizao Wine: Indications: It treats goiter qi. Preparation: 1 jin of Haizao/sargassum/seaweed, wash clean and soak it in wine; sip it day and night. Huangyao Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of goiter qi. Preparation: Huangyao/rhizoma dioscoreae bulbiferae/airpotato yam produced in Wanzhou, slice the drug; hold it in a bag and soak in wine; brew and drink. Xianmao Wine: Indications: It treats deficiency-cold in essential qi, impotence, weak knees, arthralgia, lumbago pain as well as other deficiency-related diseases. Preparation: Stew the drug and dry in the sun for nine times; soak it in wine then drink. Tongcao Wine: Indications: It replenishes qi in five zang organs; unblocks 12 meridians; benefits three energizers. Preparation: Make Tongcao/medulla tetrapanacis/ricepaper-plant pith decoction; brew wine with yeast and rice. Nanteng wine: Indications: It treats wind-induced deficiencies; disperses cold; relieves arthralgia; strengthens lumbago and feet. Preparation: Make Nanteng/wallich pepper stem decoction; brew wine with yeast and rice. Songye Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind arthralgia and beriberi. Preparation: Dig a hole under the pine tree; collect its juice; use 1 jin of the juice and 5 dou of polished glutinous rice to brew wine. Songjie Wine: Indications: It treats cold wind-induced deficiencies, convulsion in tendons and bones, arthralgia and beriberi. Preparation:

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Make Songjie/lignum pini nodi/pine nodular branch decoction; brew wine with yeast and rice; or make Songye/folium pini/pine leaf decoction. Baiye Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind arthralgia. Preparation: Make Baiye/cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig and leaf decoction; brew wine with yeast and rice. Jiaobai Wine: Indication: Drink the wine on New Year’s Day. It prevents attacks of all kinds of vicious agents and epidemics. Preparation: Prepare 21 pieces of Huajiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/prickly-ash peel and 7 branches of Cebaiye/cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig on the New year’s eve; soak the drugs in wine. Zhuye Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind-heat diseases; soothes mind. Preparation: Make Zhuye/folium bambusae/bamboo leaf decoction to brew wine. Huaizhi Wine: Indications: It treats atrophy-flaccidity. Preparation: Make Huaizhi/ramulus sophorae/twig of Japanese pagodatree decoction to brew wine. Zhiru Wine: Indications: It treats wind-stroke; wry mouth and eye diseases. Preparation: Scrape Zhiru with its shell; soak the drug in wine. Niubang Wine: Indications: It treats wind toxin; strengthens lumbago and feet.Preparation: Soak Niubanggen/radix arctii/burdock root slices in wine. Jusheng Wine: Indications: It treats arthralgia induced by wind deficiency; relieves pain in lumbago and knees. Preparation: 2 liters of fried Jushengzi (Huma/semen sesami/sesame seed), 2 liters of Yiyiren/semen coicis/job’s-tears seed, 0.5 jin of Shengdihuang/radix rehmanniae/ rehmanniae root; hold the drugs in a bag and soak it in wine. Maren Wine: Indications: It treats bone marrow pain induced by wind toxin as well as people who are unable to move. Preparation: Hold fried Maren/semen cannabis/cannabis-seed in a bag and soak it in wine. Taopi Wine: Indications: It treats edema; induces diuresis. Preparation: Make Taopi/peach peel decoction to brew wine with husked sorghum. Hongqu Wine: Indications: It treats postpartum and abdominal blood stasis. Preparation: Soak the drug in wine and brew.

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Shenqu Wine: Indications: It treats lumbago pain. Preparation: Burn the drug (Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven) red; soak it in wine. Zhegen Wine: Indications: It treats deafness. Preparation: Check the prescriptions under the catalogue Zhegen/radix cudraniae/root of cochinchina cudrania. Cishi Wine: Indications: It treats deafness induced by kidney deficiency. Preparation: Hold equal amounts of Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite, Mutong/caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis/manshurian dutchmanspipe stem and Changpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag in a bag; soak it in wine and drink daily. Cansha Wine: Indications: It treats chronic arthralgia and chronic abdominal pain. Preparation: Hold the fried Cansha/faeces bombycis/ silkworm faeces in a bag and soak it in wine. Huashe Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind syndromes, chronic arthralgia, contracture and spasm pain, malignant sores and scabies. Preparation: Hold Baihuashe/bungarus parvus/little silver-banded krait meat in a bag; place it at the bottom of a cylinder with sticky rice covered on top. Collect and drink the wine in seven days. Or, brew wine with other drugs. Wushe Wine: Same as the above. Ranshe Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of wind syndromes and arthralgia, malignant sores and scabies; kills worms. Preparation: Hold 1 jin of Ranshe/pythonmolurus bivittatus/boa and 1 liang of Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root in a bag; place it at the bottom of a cylinder with sticky rice covered on top to brew wine. Or, soak the drug in wine. Fushe Wine: Indications: It treats all kinds of malignant sores and scabies, fistula, aversion to wind, chronic arthralgia and epilepsy. Preparation: Bury one Fushe/agkistrodon brevicaudi/bevicaude pit viper alive with 1 dou of mellow wine; dig it out after a year; the snake has already been dissolved; drink several cups daily then the body will gradually recover. Zi Wine: Indications: It treats cerebral apoplexy, deviation of the mouth, opisthotonos, vexation and abdominal distention. Preparation: Put

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1 liter of fried Jishibai/faeces albidi galli/white-dung of chicken in wine; remove the dregs when it turns purple and drink often. Doulin Wine: Indications: It breaks stagnant blood; treats windstroke; wry mouth; abdominal pain induced by yin pathogens, hematuria and all kinds of puerperal wind-stroke syndromes. Preparation: sprinkle fried black beans with wine; warm it before drinking. Pili Wine: Indications: It treats hernia, metrorrhagia and vertigo due to blood disorder of woman, retention of the afterbirth. Preparation: Burn the drug red with ironware and then soak it in wine. Guirou Wine: Indications: It treats chronic cough. Preparation: Refer to the catalogue of Gui/testudinis/tortoise for more details. Hugu Wine: Indications: It treats brachial tibial pain, arthritis, kidney-deficiency and bladder pain. Preparation: Use Hugu/os togris/tiger bone and Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root (prepared) to brew wine with yeast and rice. Or, soak the drug in wine. Refer to the catalogue of Hu for more details. Migu Wine: Indications: It treats kidney weakness induced by yin deficiency. Long term use enables one to grow stronger. Preparation: Make Migu decoction to brew wine with yeast and rice. Lutou Wine: Indications: It treats consumptive disease, wasting thirst, nightmares; replenishes essential qi. Preparation: Use smashed Lutou/deer head, with juice to brew wine with yeast and rice; add a small amount of scallion and pepper. Lurong Wine: Indications: It treats impotence, frequent micturition and all kinds of consumptive diseases. Preparation: Soak Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deer-horn and Shanyao/rhizoma dioscoreae/ common yam rhizome in wine. Refer to the catalogue of Lurong for more details. Wuxu Wine: Indications: It tonifies original yang. It has a very hot quality, therefore, patients with yin deficiency should avoid drinking it. Preparation: Stew yellow dog meat well to brew wine with yeast and rice. Yanggao Wine: Indications: It replenishes the original qi; strengthens the spleen and stomach; it is also good for the lumbago and kidneys. Preparation: 1 dan of rice (steam as usual), 7 jin of tender mutton, 14 liang

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of yeast, 1 jin of almond (stew well together), add 1 liang of Muxiang/ radix aucklandiae/common aucklandia root to brew wine. The wine will be ready in 10 days with a sweet and smooth taste. Or, prepare 5 jin of stewed mutton; soak it in wine overnight; then add 7 pears; pound them together to get the juice; brew wine with yeast and rice. Wanaqi Wine: Indications: It replenishes the original qi; replenishes essence marrow; it has great tonifying effects. Preparation: Soak the drug (Wanaqi/pensis) in wine and then pound it to brew wine with yeast and rice. Among which, medicinal wines that tonify deficiencies are Zhongru wine, Xianlingpi wine, Changsong wine, Tianmendong wine, Qunxun wine, Wujiapi wine, Nvzhenpi wine, Dihuang wine, Niuxi wine, Danggui wine, Gouqi wine, Renshen wine, Huangjing wine, Sangshen wine, Xianmao wine, Hugu wine, Migu wine, Lutou wine, Wuxu wine, Yanggao wine, Wanaqi wine, Digu wine, Lurong wine, Qinghao wine. The ones that treat wind-damp and arthralgia are Yiyiren wine, Baishiying wine, Changpu wine, Shu wine, Nanteng wine, Songye wine, Songjie wine, Boye wine, Jusheng wine, Maren wine, Cansha wine, Huaizhi wine, Huashe wine, Wushe wine, Ranshe wine, Fushe wine. The ones that dispel wind are Bailingteng wine, Shuding wine, Fulin wine, Mi wine, Baijuhua wine, Yinyu wine, Maren wine, Baiyangpi wine, Juhua wine, Yinchen wine, Zi wine, Doulin wine, Tianliao wine, Baihuashe wine, Zhiru wine. The ones that warm the middle and disperse cold are Liaozhi wine, Jiang wine, Huixiang wine, Suosha wine, Congchi wine, Shagen wine, Tongcao wine, Zhuye wine, Pili wine, Niubang wine, Zhuyi wine, Yunue wine, Tusu wine, Baibu wine, Haizao wine, Huangyao wine, Jiaobai wine, Taopi wine, Hongqu wine, Shenqu wine, Tuogen wine, Cishi wine, Guirou wine. Nevertheless, wine has its bias. Li Shizhen warned us: “Drinking too much damages our minds; consumes the blood; hurts the stomach; kills sperms; produces phlegm and gets one angry. ... If one drinks uncontrollably, and often gets drunk, he will suffer from diseases. Or worse, he will ruin a family or even a country and finally seek his own death. The harm it would cause is beyond words.” With all being said, medicinal wine is an important part of diet therapy. It is a kind of drink using wine as the solution, medicines as the solute. Through wine, the medicinal effects are delivered to every part of the body.

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9.2.3  Health Preservation Through Porridge Ben Cao Gang Mu has detailed descriptions and analysis on various kinds of medicinal porridge, laying a theoretical foundation for modern diet therapy system. 52 kinds of medicinal porridge are listed in the 25th ­volume of Ben Cao Gang Mu. The functions include: quenching vexing thirst, arresting diarrhea and vomiting, reliving edema, tonifying the ­kidney and liver, regulating the spleen and stomach, intestines and viscera, harmonizing the middle, clearing heat and releasing the exterior, keeping warm and tonifying deficiencies. Chixiaodou Porridge: Inducing diuresis, eliminating edema and beriberi, warding off evil spirits. Lvdou Porridge: Expelling toxic heat; quench thirst. Yumi Porridge: Treating nausea, benefiting large intestine. Yiyiren Porridge: Relieving damp-heat, benefiting the intestines and stomach. Lianzi Porridge: Invigorating the spleen and stomach, relieving diarrhea. Qianshi Porridge: Arresting emission, improving hearing and eyesight. Lingshi Porridge: Benefiting the intestines and stomach, relieving internal heat. Lizi Porridge: Nourishing the kidney; strengthening the waist and feet. Shuyu Porridge: Tonifying the kidney essence, strengthening the intestines and stomach. Yu Porridge: Soothing the intestines and stomach, inducing satiety. Baihe Porridge: Moistening the lung to harmonize the middle. Luobo Porridge: Promoting digestion and diaphragm. Huluobo Porridge: Soothing the middle and directing qi downward. Machixian Porridge: Treating arthralgia and relieving swelling. Youcai Porridge: Harmonizing the middle-energizer to check upward perversion of qi. Jundacai Porridge: Invigorating the stomach and spleen. Bolengcai Porridge: Moistening dryness.

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Jicai Porridge: Improving eyesight and benefiting the liver. Qincai Porridge: Relieving insidious heat, benefiting the small and large intestines. Jiecai Porridge: Dispelling phlegm. Kuicai Porridge: Moistening dryness and soothing intestines. Jiucai Porridge: Warming the middle. Congchi Porridge: Inducing sweating and releasing muscles. Fuling Porridge: Clearing the upper. Songziren Porridge: Moistening the heart and lungs and nourishing the large intestine. Suanzaoren Porridge: Relieving vexing fever, benefiting the gallbladder qi Gouqi Porridge: Nourishing the blood and tonifying the kidney qi. Xiebai Porridge: Treating senior people with cold syndrome. Shengjiang Porridge: Warming the middle and dispelling the evil qi. Huajiao Porridge: Keeping warm. Huixiang Porridge: Harmonizing the stomach to treat hernia. Hujiao Porridge, Zhuyu Porridge, Lami Porridge: Treating heart and abdomen pain. Maziren Porridge, Huma Porridge, Yuliren Porridge: Moistening intestines to treat arthralgia. Suzi Porridge: Checking upward perversion of qi. Zhuye Porridge: Quenching thirst and clearing the heart. Zhushen Porridge, Yangshen Porridge, Lushen Porridge: Treating kidney deficiency diseases. Yanggan Porridge, Jigan Porridge: Treating liver deficiency; clearing eyesight. Yangzhi Porridge, Jizhi Porridge: Relieving overstrain consumption. Yazhi Porridge, Liyuzhi Porridge: Taking together to relieve edema. Niuru Porridge: Supplementing deficiency. Sumi Porridge: Nourishing the heart and lung. Lujiaojiao Porridge: Supporting yang, tonifying all kinds of deficiencies. Porridge with fried noodles: Arresting white dysentery; adding salt to arrest dysentery with blood stool.

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Among them, Lianzi/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed porridge and Xiebai/bulbus allii macrostemi/bulb of longstamen onion porridge can arrest diarrhea and vomiting, applicable to senior people with diarrhea, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, stomach heaviness of various causes and patients with chronic diarrhea. Jicai Porridge, Yanggan Porridge, Jigan Porridge, Lizi Porridge, Zhushen Porridge, Yangshen Porridge, Lushen Porridge, Qianshi Porridge, Gouqi Porridge are effective in tonifying kidney and liver, beneficial to people suffering from excessive eye use, dry eye, eyestrain, visual vagueness, nyctalopia, soreness and weakness of waist and knees, chills, tidal fever and night sweating, vexation restlessness, and menopause. Yiyiren Porridge, Shuding Porridge, Lingjiao Porridge, Yu Porridge, Luobo Porridge, Huixiang Porridge, Yumi Porridge, Qincai Porridge, Songziren Porridge and Kuicai Porridge can be used to regulate the spleen, stomach, and viscera, suitable for people who suffer from dyspepsia, diarrhea or dry stool, edema, deficiency of the spleen and stomach, deficiency of qi and blood, or people with chronic diseases. Porridge eaten during cold-food festival, Huluobo Porridge, Youcai Porridge, Zisu Porridge, Jiucai Porridge, Shengjiang Porridge, Baihe Porridge can harmonize the middle, suitable for people suffering from stagnation of qi movement, such as hiccup, distention, irregular stool and urine, thoracic oppression and stuffiness or chest hypochonfrium discomfort. In addition, the book also records common porridge treatments, such as decocting porridge and medicines together, taking medicine with porridge, taking porridge after medication, decocting medicine with porridge as well as external use of porridge. Decocting porridge and medicines together: The most commonly used medicinal porridge therapy. The combined use of rice porridge and medicine has the dual effects of porridge nourishment and medicinal treatment, giving full play to the effect of diet and medicine. Moreover, it is convenient to take and easy to absorb. This kind of prescription is flexible and effective in treating external contraction, internal impairment, excess syndrome and deficiency syndrome, and suitable for long-term usage. Taking medicine with porridge: Roudoukou/semen myristicae/nutmeg Prescription: Dysentery with cold feeling, abdominal pain and anorexia. Peel one liang of Roudoukou/semen myristicae/nutmeg and wrap it with

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dough of wheat flour and vinegar. Roast and pound it into powder. Eat one qian with porridge. Taking porridge after medication: On one hand, taking porridge after medication can strengthen the effect of the medicine. Take Baizhi/radix angelicae/dahurian angelica root as an example. Prescription for treating sniveling of an infant due to attack of wind and cold: Pound powder of Baizhi/radix angelicae/dahurian angelica root with Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk to make pills the size of a rice bean. Wash down 20 pills per dose with tea... then, eat hot porridge of Cong/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk to induce perspiration. On the other hand, it tonifies the healthy qi. Take Weilingxian/radix clematidis/Chinese clematis root as an example. External use of porridge: Take Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterus/ trogopterus dung as an example. In the prescription for bone knitting, it is recorded: “Prepare 1 liang of Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterus/trogopterus dung, 1 qian of Huixiang/fructus foeniculi/fennel fruit and grind them into powder. First apply powder of Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense onto the affected part where there is terrible pain. Then apply millet porridge onto the locus. Scatter the powdered remedy onto the porridge. Wrap the affected part with silk fabric and hold it in place with a small wooden board. It works effectively within 3 to 5 days.”

9.2.4  Health Preservation Through Water 9.2.4.1  Water — the Source of Everything Water is the source of life. In the Category of Water, Li Shizhen elaborated on his findings on water and said: “Water pertains to the symbol kan in the eight Trigrams. The quality of water is pure yin whereas its application is pure yang. When water ascends, it becomes rain, dew, frost and snow; when it descends, it becomes seas, rivers, fountains and wells. When water flows and becomes a standstill, it is either cold or warm. Its quality changes accordingly. When different tastes are added, water becomes sweet, tasteless, salty or bitter. Hence, ancient people distinguish between the waters and earth of Jiuzhou (nine geographic areas of ancient China) to tell whether people are virtuous or evil, short-lived or long-lived.

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Because water is the source of life and earth the mother of all things. People drink water and eat food produced by earth. It is believed that food and drink are of paramount importance to human life. Therefore, it is said that ‘when water is in short supply, nutrient essence will be exhausted; when cereals are in short supply, the immune system will be undermined. That is why a doctor should study closely on the quality and taste of water.” The survey of WHO finds that 80% of human diseases are related to water. A healthy person needs 2000ml water intake daily. Water has the functions of digesting food, circulating blood, transporting nutrients, promoting biological chemical reaction in the body, regulating body temperature, excreting waste as well as lubrication between lacunae, etc. thus in direct link with aging, lifespan, immunity and metabolism. In other words, water is involved in the metabolism of the whole body. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, waters with health preservation effects are introduced, such as “Yujingshui/jade well water” and “Ruxueshui/water from a stalactite cave”. The former will make people become immortals with long-term consumption. In the meantime, people who drink it will have lustrous and tender skin; their hair will remain black. The latter gives people a stout and plump build, a good appetite, lustrous, tender skin and youthful looks.

9.2.4.2  The Influence of Water on People Li Shizhen elaborated on the importance of the quality of water. Take Jingshui/well water as an example: “Well water from the spring a long distance away is of the best quality, from a nearby river or lake is of secondary quality. Wells close to the city may easily be polluted by water from ditches and drains. When such water is used to stew drugs, it should be first boiled and then filtered to get rid of sediment. Otherwise, such water has a bad quality and taste, not suitable to prepare tea or food, making decoctions or brewing wine. After a rainfall, well water becomes muddy. To clear it, pound Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed or Xingren/ semen armenicae amarum/bitter apricot seed, and put it into the water. Stir the water, then it becomes clear.” Moreover, water used to stew drugs or

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diseases must be the newly fetched well water. Stale, dirty or warm water is not only unusable, but also harmful. In terms of the harm water may cause, Li Shizhen said that we should avoid drinking the following kinds of water that is detrimental to our health: First, stagnant water, for it slows down metabolism of the minors thus affect their body growth, and it may also accelerate the aging of the middle-aged and the elderly, and increase the incidence of esophagus and gastric cancer. Second, the repeatedly boiled water, for it contains in volatile substances and some heavy metal components, such as calcium and magnesium which will affect the gastrointestinal function, causing temporary diarrhea and abdominal distention. Third, unboiled water or tap water tends to cause acute gastroenteritis, viral hepatitis, typhoid, dysentery, parasitic infection and so on. This is why Li Shizhen said that a doctor should study closely on the quality and taste of water. Besides, Li Shizhen also illustrated the importance of choosing water appropriately. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, it is recorded: “Running water, whether it is from big rivers or small streams, has the characteristics of running in appearance, but its quality is quiet. It has a soft quality but it moves forcibly. Therefore, it is different from the water in lakes and ponds. Water flowing in a big river may become turbid, while that in small stream is lucid and clear. Fish living in turbid running water are different from fish living in lucid water in terms of quality and color. Using different kinds of water to cool a hot sword or dye a piece of cloth will result in different products. If different types of water are used for stewing porridge or brewing tea, the taste will vary. Therefore, when it is used to prepare decoctions, how can it not be differentiated? There is a case recorded in the book: “Once a patient suffering from dysuria had been treated by several doctors, but none could achieve a satisfactory result. Doctor Zhang Congzheng had an idea of using fast running water from a big river to stew drugs. The miracle happened as only one dose of the drug made the patient urinate.” In addition, Li Shizhen also recorded another two cases of using cold water to treat diseases. The first one concerns one of the most prestigious doctors in ancient China, Hua Tuo, who once used cold water to cure a woman’s consumptive disease which lasted for years. The other is performed by

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Doctor Xu Sibo, who used cold water to cure General Fang Boyu’s coldtype disease. Moreover, the quality of water will also create different medicinal effects. Li Shizhen specified on this point and gave great suggestions on choosing appropriate water to stew medicines. The following are a few examples: “Lushui/dew is good for stewing medicines aimed at moisturizing the lung and killing the noxious agents”; “Yushui/Rain water collected on the day known as the beginning of spring is good for simmering medicines aimed at tonifying the interior vital energy and enabling the lucid vital energy to ascend for it has the quality of germination and growth”; “Yeyushui/winter rain is good for simmering medicines aimed at killing all kinds of worms and parasites as well as medicines to clear accumulation and stagnation”; “Liaoshui/accumulated rain water is good for simmering medicines aimed at regulating the function of spleen and stomach, as well as medicines for dispersing pathogenic humidity and heat”; “Jinghuashui/first fetched well water is good for stewing medicines aimed at treating syndromes due to attack of phlegm, pathogenic heat and disorder of vital energy and blood”. Larishui/winter day water refers to water collected on the days of the solar terms Hanlu (cold dew), Dongzhi (beginning of winter), Xiaohan (slight cold) and Dahan (great cold). “This kind of water is good for making pills, powders, ointments and other medicines, as well as medicated wine that are directed at tonifying and nourishing the five viscera, treating accumulation of phlegm and fire, killing parasites and neutralizing toxins. It has similar functions to Xueshui/ snow water.” “Jinghuashui, first fetched water collected in the early morning of the day of beginning of autumn is good for the old and the young. A cup of such water is able to prevent attacks of malaria and diarrhea and a hundred diseases.”

9.2.4.3  Health Preservation Effects of Springs Li Shizhen classified springs into hot springs, cold springs, sour springs and bitter springs, the earliest in record. In Ben Cao Gang Mu, it is recorded: “Beneath the spring, there is Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur, which makes the spring hot. Often, a smell of Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur can be

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sensed. As it is a drug good for treating skin sores, the water produced by it also has the quality of curing skin sores.” Besides, hot springs have many other merits. In Yu Yin Cong Hua (Series of Poetic Notes Taken by the Recluse) by Hu Zi, it is said that hot springs all have a strong smell of Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur. When bathing in a hot spring, people can feel a strong action on the skin. At Mount Huang in Xin’an, a Zhusha/cinnabaris/ cinnabar spring can be found. In spring, the water is slightly red, suitable to brew tea. At Mount Li near Chang’an, there is a hot Yushi spring, with a light smell. If a Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar spring is slightly red but not very hot, it could be a Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment spring. Hot springs close to a Pishi/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic mine are generally poisonous so one should not bathe in them. In terms of health preservation and major indications, Li Shizhen mentioned: “It is good for treating contraction of tendons and bones due to invasion of pathogenic wind, numbness, arthralgia and paralysis of the extremities. Patients who suffer from falling off of eyebrows, scabies and tinea of the skin and joints should bathe in hot springs. Afterwards, the patient will feel very tired and weak, then tonics and good food should be given to nourish the patient. Those who have no such diseases is not recommended to bathe in hot springs.” The record also shows that there are hot springs on Mount Lu. Taoist practitioners used to direct those suffering from tinea, scabies and syphilis to bathe in the springs when they are full until they perspire. After ten days of such treatment, skin troubles will disappear. Appropriate temperature and chemical components are the preconditions of health preservation through hot springs. Hot springs of different temperatures have different effects on human body. For example, when the temperature is 37 to 40°C, it has a sedative effect, thus having effective therapeutic effects on patients with neurasthenia, insomnia, psychosis, hypertension, heart disease and cerebral hemorrhage. When the temperature is 40 to 43°C, it stimulates the human body, thus benefits our heart and blood vessels. It is also effective in relieving pain and treating nerve pain, rheumatism and stomach disease. At the same time, it can also improve physical fitness, build up resistance and prevent diseases.

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In addition, different chemical components have different effects on human body and different therapeutic effects. In terms of minerals contained in the hot spring, it is generally divided into radioactive oxygen spring, carbonated spring, hydrogen sulfide spring, iron spring, iodine spring, arsenic spring, silicic acid spring, heavy carbonate spring, sulphate spring, chloride spring, light spring and so on. The oxygen hot spring has various functions, such as anti-inflammation, sedation, pain relief, desensitization and so on. In the meantime, it plays a significant role in diseases prevention and rehabilitation therapy. Hydrogen sulphide hot springs have functions of softening and exfoliating skin; improving sulfur metabolism and sulfur-based action, hence it could alleviate inflammation and enhance immune function. A hydrogen sulfide hot spring bath performs bidirectional regulation of blood pressure, and improves coronary artery insufficiency, thus proves effective in treating mild coronary heart disease. Carbonic acid spring promotes blood circulation; enhances metabolism of the lung and regulates acidbase balance in our body. The iron hot spring has astringent effect on skin and mucosa; it is anti-inflammatory and can relieve pain. The effect of ferric sulfate hot spring, in particular, is most remarkable. Sulfate hot springs expands capillaries and enhances metabolism, thus has certain therapeutic effects on some skin diseases. Light hot spring can improve the circulation function of the human body; reduce blood osmotic pressure; perform bidirectional regulation of blood pressure and enhance the function of adrenal gland, endocrine and immune systems. In a word, as one of the most important seven nutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat, food fiber, vitamin, mineral, water), water plays a vital role in the growth and development of human body. Based on the study of hydrotherapy by generations of doctors, Li Shizhen made further efforts to study and expound health preservation through water in Ben Cao Gang Mu. These contents have important theoretical and practical significance for our health-care activities today, deserving our further exploration.

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B1948

Governing Asia

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Appendix I: Quoted Medical Works

Chinese Phonetic Alphabet B

Chinese Characters

Pinyin

Translation

白花蛇传

Bai Hua She Zhuan

Biography of Baihuashe

百家书目

Bai Jia Shu Mu

Bibliographies of the Past and Present Confucian Classics, History and Other Schools

白茅堂集

Bai Mao Tang Ji

Collections of Baimaotang

抱朴子

Bao Pu Zi

Bao Pu Zi

本草别说

Ben Cao Bie Shuo

Ben Cao Bie Shuo

本草纲目

Ben Cao Gang Mu

Compendium of Materia Medica

本草经集注

Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu Commentary on Shen Nong’s Herbal

本草经疏

Ben Cao Jing Shu

Annotation on Materia Medica

本草品汇精要

Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao

A Compilation of Essential Items of the Materia Medica

本草拾遗

Ben Cao Shi Yi

A Supplement to the Herbal

本草图经

Ben Cao Tu Jing

Illustrations of Materia Medica

本草汇言

Ben Cao Hui Yan

Collected Works of Materia Medica (Continued)

409

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410  Appendix I (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet

Chinese Characters

Pinyin

Translation

本事方

Ben Shi Fang

濒湖集简方

Bin Hu Ji Jian Fang Bin Hu Collection of Simple Formulas

濒湖脉学

Bin Hu Mai Xue

Binhu’s Sphygmology

濒湖医案

Bin Hu Yi An

Bin Hu’s Medial Cases

病机赋

Bing Ji Fu

Book on Pathogenesis

博物志

Bo Wu Zhi

Natural History

补注神农本草

Bu Zhu Shen Nong Ben Cao

The Supplement to Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic

春秋左传

Chun Qiu Zuo Zhuan

Zuo’s Biography of the Spring and Autumn

辍耕录

Chuo Geng Lu

South Village Dropout

串雅内编

Chuan Ya Nei Bian

Treatise on Folk Medicine

丹铅卮言

Dan Qian Zhi Yan

Dan Qian Zhi Yan

丹药秘诀

Dan Yao Mi Jue

Secret of Pellets

痘疹证治

Dou Zhen Zheng Zhi

Treatment of Smallpox

E

尔雅

Er Ya

Er Ya

F

妇人良方

Fu Ren Liang Fang

Effective Prescriptions for Women

G

古今医案按

Gu Jin Yi An An

Comment on Medical Records: Ancient and Modern

古今医诗

Gu Jin Yi Shi

Ancient and Modern Medical Poems

光绪蕲州志

Guang Xu Qi Zhou Zhi

Annals of Qizhou During Reign of Emperor Guangxu

广雅

Guang Ya

Guang Ya

国语

Guo Yu

Anecdotes of the Spring and Autumn Annals

汉书

Han Shu

History of the Han Dynasty

河南经济植物 学

He Nan Jing Ji Zhi Wu Xue

Economic Flora of Henan

C

D

H

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Effective Prescriptions

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Quoted Medical Works  411 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet

Chinese Characters

Pinyin

Translation

后汉书

Hou Han Shu

Book of the Later Han

淮南子

Huai Nan Zi

Huai Nan Zi

黄帝内经

Huang Di Nei Jing

Huangdi’ s Internal Classic

黄帝内经·素 问

Huang Di Nei Jing: Su Wen

Huangdi’s Internal Classic: Plain Questions

嘉祐本草

Jia You Ben Cao

Jia You’s Herbal

嘉祐补注本草

Jia You Bu Zhu Ben Cao

Complete Annotated Materia Medica of the Jiayou Reign Period

金匮要略

Jin Gui Yao Lue

Synopsis of the Golden Chamber

金匮要略· 妇人杂病篇

Jin Gui Yao Lue: Fu Synopsis of Golden Chamber: Ren Za Bing Pian Miscellaneous Diseases of Women

金匮要略论注

Jin Gui Yao Lue Lun Synopsis of the Golden Chamber Zhu Annotation

进本草纲目疏

Jin Ben Cao Gang Mu Shu

Memorial to the Throne

经济植物学

Jing Ji Zhi Wu Xue

Economic Botany

经史证类备急 本草

Jing Shi Zheng Lei Bei Ji Ben Cao

Classic Classified Materia Medica for Emergencies

荆州记

Jing Zhou Ji

Record of Jing Zhou

九针论

Jiu Zhen Lun

Treatise on Nine Needles

K

开宝本草

Kai Bao Ben Cao

Materia Medica of Kaibao

L

雷公药对

Lei Gong Yao Dui

Lei’s Pharmacy and Compatibility

李时珍传

Li Shizhen Zhuan

Biography of Li Shizhen

李时珍医药选 读

Li Shi Zhen Yi Yao Xuan Du

Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

历代诸家本草

Li Dai Zhu Jia Ben Cao

Materia Medica of Previous School

灵枢

Ling Shu

Spiritual Pivot (Continued)

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N

Q

R

S

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Chinese Characters

Pinyin

Translation

脉诀考证

Mai Jue Kao Zheng

Research on Pulse

脉经

Mai Jing

The Pulse Classic

梦溪笔谈

Meng Xi Bi Tan

Dream Pool Essays

名医别录

Ming Yi Bie Lu

Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians

明史

Ming Shi

History of Ming Dynasty

命门考

Ming Men Kao

Textual Research into Life Gate

难经

Nan Jing

Classic of Medical Problems

内经

Nei Jing

Internal Classic

七言脉诀

Qi Yan Mai Jue

Seven-character Pulse Verses

齐民要术

Qi Min Yao Shu

Arts for the People

岐黄之术

Qi Huang Zhi Shu

Chinese Herbal Medicine Science

奇经八脉考

Qi Jing Ba Mai Kao Textual Research into Eight Extra Meridians

奇经八脉说· 总说

Qi Jing Ba Mai Shuo: Zong Shuo

千金(要)方

Qian Jin (Yao) Fang Invaluable Prescriptions

人参传

Ren Shen Zhuan

Legend of Ginseng

儒门事亲

Ru Men Shi Qin

Confucians’ Duties to Their Parents

三焦客难

San Jiao Ke Nan

Triple Energizer

山海经注

Shan Hai Jing Zhu

Notes on Book of Mountains and Seas

神农本草经

Shen Nong Ben Cao Shen Nong’s Herbal Jing

神农本草经· 序例

Shen Nong Ben Cao Shen Nong’s Herbal: Preface Jing: Xu Li

圣济总录

Sheng Ji Zong Lu

Complete Record of Holy Benevolence

史记

Shi Ji

The Historical Records

水经注

Shui Jing Zhu

Commentary on the Waterways Classic

Eight Extra Meridians: General

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T

W

X

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Chinese Characters

Pinyin

Translation

四书五经

Si Shu Wu Jing

Four Books and Five Classics

四言举要

Si Yan Ju Yao

The Essentials of Pulses in Fourcharacter Verses

四诊发明

Si Zhen Fa Ming

Invention of Four Diagnoses

宋元明清名医 类案

Song Yuan Ming Qing Ming Yi Lei An

Classified Medical Records of Distinguished Physicians of Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing Dynasties

素问

Su Wen

Plain Questions

素问· 咳论

Su Wen: Ke Lun

Plain Questions: On Cough

素问·脏气法 时论

Su Wen: Zang Qi Fa Plain Questions: Seasonal Organ Shi Lun Pathology

素问·至真要 大论

Su Wen: Zhi Zhen Yao Da Lun

Plain Questions: Treatise of Supreme Importance

太玄

Tai Xuan

Tai Xuan

汤液本草

Tang Ye Ben Cao

Materia Medica of Decoction

唐本草

Tang Ben Cao

The Tang Materia Medica

天癸论

Tian Gui Lun

On Tiangui

通鉴纲目

Tong Jian Gang Mu Comprehensive Mirror for Materia Medica

图经本草

Tu Jing Ben Cao

Illustrated Materia Medica

外台秘要

Wai Tai Mi Yao

External Treatment of Medical Secretes of an Official

王祯农书

Wang Zhen Nong Shu

Wang Zhen’s Agricultural Book

吴普本草

Wu Pu Ben Cao

Wu Pu’s Herbal

五脏图论

Wu Zang Tu Lun

Illustrated Five Zang-organs

小品方

Xiao Pin Fang

Classical Prescriptions

新修本草

Xin Xiu Ben Cao

Newly Compiled Materia Medica

续名医类案

Xu Ming Yi Lei An

Supplement to the Classical Medical Records of Distinguished Physicians (Continued)

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Z

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Chinese Characters

Pinyin

Translation

弇州卮言

Yan Zhou Zhi Yan

Yan Zhou Zhi Yan

医方类聚

Yi Fang Lei Ju

Prescription Collections

医说

Yi Shuo

Medical Theory

医学八脉注

Yi Xue Ba Mai Zhu

Notes of Eight Extraordinary Channels

艺文志

Yi Wen Zhi

Book of Art and Literature

引据古今经史 百家书目

Yin Ju Gu Jin Jing Shi Bai Jia Shu Mu

Bibliopraphies of the Past and Present Confucian Classics, History and Other Schools

引据古今医家 书目

Yin Ju Gu Jin Yi Jia Shu Mu

Number of Past and Present Medical Schools Cited as Evidence

饮膳正要

Yin Shan Zheng Yao

Principles of Correct Diet

渔隐丛话

Yu Yin Cong Hua

Series of Poetic Notes Taken by the Recluse

证类本草

Zheng Lei Ben Cao

Classified Materia Medica

中国百科全书

Zhong Guo Bai Ke Quan Shu

Ancient China’s Encyclopedia

中国科学技术 史

Zhong Guo Ke Xue Ji Shu Shi

A History of Chinese Science and Technology

周礼·天官

Zhou Li: Tian Guan

Zhou Li: Tian Guan

周易

Zhou Yi

The Book of Changes

诸病源候论

Zhu Bing Yuan Hou Lun

General Treatise on the Cause and Symptoms of Diseases

植物名实图考

Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu An Illustrated Book on Plants Kao

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

Appendix II: TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs

1.  TCM Drugs: Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name A

B

Translation

阿魏

Awei/resina ferulae/Chinese asafetida

艾实

Aishi/fructus artemisiae argyi/argy wormwood fruit

艾叶

Aiye/folium artemisiae argyi/argyi wormwood leaf

庵罗果

Anluoguo/fructus phyllanthi/fruit of emblic leafflower

鹌鹑

Anchun/coturnix/Japanese quail

巴豆

Badou/semen crotonis/croton seed

巴戟天

Bajitian/radix morindae officinalis/morinda root

芭蕉根汁

Bajiaogenzhi (juice of Baijiaogen/radix musae/root of Japanese banana)

芭蕉油

Bajiaoyou/succus musae/juice of Japanese banana

菝葜

Baqia/rhizoma smilacis chinensis/rhizome of chinaroot greenbrier

白扁豆

Baibiandou/semen dolichoris album/white hyacinth bean

白扁豆花

Baibiandouhua/flos dolichoris album/flower of white hyacinth bean (Continued)

415

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 415

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

416  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 416

Translation

白瓷器

Baiciqi/white porcelain

白丁香

Baidingxiang/faeces passeris/sparrow feces

白豆蔻

Baidoukou/fructus amomi rotundus/round cardamon fruit

白鹅膏

Bai’egao/fat of goose

白垩

Bai’e/chalk/chalk

白矾

Baifan/alumen/alum

白茯苓

Baifuling/poria alba/white poria cocos

白附子

Baifuzi/rhizoma typhonii/giant typhonium tuber

白鸽

Baige (Gerou/caro columbae/meat of a white pigeon)

白狗屎

Baigoushi (faeces of a white dog)

白果

Baiguo/semen ginkgo/ginkgo seed

白花菜

Baihuacai/herba cleomis/spiderflower herb

白花蛇

Baihuashe/bungarus parvus/little silver-banded krait

白花蛇睛

Baihuashejing (eye of Baihuashe/bungarus parvus/little silver-banded krait)

白及

Baiji/rhizome bletillae/tuber of commom bletilla

白棘钩

Baijigou/white spine

白僵蚕

Baijiangcan/bombyx batryticatus/larva of a silkworm with batrytis

白芥子

Baijiezi/semen sinapis albae/white mustard seed

白苣

Baiju/caulis et folium lactucae sativae/stem and leaf of garden lettuce

白莲肉

Bailianrou/white lotus flesh

白敛

Bailian/radix ampelopsis/root of Japanese ampelopsis

白龙骨

Bailonggu (white longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone)

白驴蹄

Bailvti (hooves of a white donkey)

白马左蹄

Baimazuoti/unquis equi/left hooves of a white horse

白茅根

Baimaogen/rhizome imperatae/lalang grass rhizome

白牛屎

Bainiushi (faeces of white ox)

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  417 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

白鸥肉

Baiourou (meat of Hongzuiou/larus ridibundus linnaeus/ black-headed gull)

白瓢

Baipiao/pefructusagenariae depressae usta/used depressed bottle gourd

白蒲席灰

Baipuxihui (ashes of a used cattail leaf mat)

白牵牛

Baiqianniu/semen pharbitidis/white pharbitis seed

白前

Baiqian/rhizoma cynachi stauntonii/rhizome of willowleaf swallowwort

白青

Baiqing/white soil

白犬乳

Baiquanru/milk of a white dog

白芍(药)

Baishao(yao)/radix paeoniae alba/white peony root

白石英

Baishiying/quartz album/quartz

白石脂

Baishizhi/halloysitum/white halloysite

白术

Baizhu/rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae/rhizome of largehead atractylodes

白菘汁

Baisongzhi (juice of Baicai/plantula brassicae chinensis/ seedling of parkchoi)

白糖

Baitang/sacchari albicans/white sugar

白头翁

Baitouweng/radix pulsatillae/root of Chinese pulsatilla

白薇

Baiwei/radix cynanchi atrati/root of blackened swallowwort

白鲜皮

Baixianpi/cortex dictamni/dittany root-bark

白雄鸡

Baixiongji (white cock)

白雄鸡翎

Baixiongjiling (feather of a white cock)

白鸭

Baiya (Yarou/caro anatis/duck meat)

白羊屎

Baiyangshi/faeces caprae seu ovis/white sheep’s dung

白羊髓

Baiyangsui/marrow of sheep

白杨皮

Baiyangpi/poplar bark

白药

Baiyao/radix platycodi/platycodon root (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 417

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

418  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 418

Translation

白药子

Baiyaozi/radix stephaniae cepharanthae/oriental stephania root

白英

Baiying/herba solani lyrati/herb of bittersweet

白玉

Baiyu/white jade

白芷

Baizhi/radix angelicae/dahurian angelica root

白纸灰

Baizhihui (ashes of white pater)

百部

Baibu/radix stemonae/sessile stemona root

百草霜

Baicaoshuang/pulvis fumi carbonistus/soot

百合

Baihe/bulbus lilii/lily bulb

百舌鸟

Baisheniao/caro turdi merulae/blackbird meat

百药煎

Baiyaojian/massa fermentata gallae et thei/leaven of Chinese nut-gall tea

柏叶

Baiye/cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig and leaf

柏叶上珠

Baiyeshangzhu (dew on Baiye/cacumen platycladi/ Chinese arborvitae twig and leaf)

柏子仁

Baiziren/semen biotae/seed of Chinese arborvitae

败酱（草）

Baijiang(cao)/herba patriniae/patrinia

斑鸠

Banjiu/streptopelia ientalis/rufous turtle dove

斑蝥

Banmao/mylabris/blister beetle

半边莲

Banbianlian/herba scutellariae barbatae/barbated skullcap herb

半夏

Banxia/rhizoma pinelliae/pinellia tuber

半夏曲

Banxiaqu (Banxia leaven)

蚌

Bang/caro odontae/fresh water clammeat

蚌粉

Bangfen/caro anodonate/meat powder of fresh water clam

蚌壳

Bangke (shell of freshwater clam)

胞衣

Baoyi/placenta hominis/dried human placenta

薄荷

Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  419 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

C

Translation

薄荷汁

Bohezhi (juice of Bohe/herba menthae/peppermint)

宝石

Baoshi/precious stones

抱出鸡卵壳

Baochujiluanke/egg shell after the chick is hatched

鲍鱼头

Baoyutou (head of Baoyu/haliotis/abalone)

鲍鱼汁

Baoyuzhi (juice of Baoyu/haliotis/abalone)

贝母

Beimu/bulbus ftitillaria thunbergii/bulb of thungerg

贝子

Beizi/concha cypraei/cypraea shell

荸荠

Biqi/cormus eleocharis dulcis/waternut corm

荜茇

Biba/fructus piperis longi/long pepper

荜澄茄

Bichengqie/fructus listeae/fruit of mountain spicy tree

萆薢

Bixie/rhizoma dioscoreae hypoglaucae/rhizome of hypoglaucous collett yam

蓖麻(子)

Bima(zi)/semen ricini/cast bean

鳖

Bie/trionycis/turtle

鳖甲

Biejia/carapax et plastrum testudinis/tortoise shell

鳖肉

Bierou/caro trionycis/turtle meat

槟榔

Binglang/semen arecae/areca seed

玻璃

Boli/glass

菠薐菜

Bolengcai/spinach

补骨脂

Buguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpae fruit

蚕蛾

Can’e/bombyx/male silkworm

蚕茧

Canjian/bombyx bomycis/silk cocoon

蚕沙

Cansha/faeces bombycis/silkworm faeces

蚕蜕纸灰

Cantuizhihui (ashes of Cantuizhi/concha bombycis ovi/ egg shell of mulberry silkworm)

蚕蜕

Cantui/periostachcum bombycis/silkworm slough

蚕蛹

Canyong/pupa bombycis/silkworm pupa

苍耳

Cang’er/herba xanthii/herb of siberian cocklebur (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 419

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

420  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 420

Translation

苍耳汁

Cang’erzhi (juice of Cang’er/herba xanthii/herb of siberian cocklebur)

苍耳子

Cang’erzi/fructus xanthii/siberian cocklebur fruit

苍术

Cangzhu/rhizome atractylodis/atractylodes rhizome

草豆蔻

Caodoukou/semen alpiniae katsumadai/seed of katsumade galangal

草果

Caoguo/fructus tsaoko/caoguo

草三棱

Caosanleng/rhizoma sparganii/rhizome of common burreed

草乌(头)

Caowu(tou)/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood

侧柏叶

Cebaiye/cacumen platycladi/Chinese arborvitae twig

酢浆草

Cujiangcao/herba oxalidis corniculatae/herb of creeping woodsorrel

茶

Cha/gemma et folium camelliae/tea bud or leaf

茶汤

Chatang/tea water

柴胡

Chaihu/radix bupleuri/Chinese thorowax root

朝生

Chaosheng/hibiscus syriacus/shrubalthea

豺皮灰

Chaipihui (ashes of Chaipi/cutis cuonis apini/jackal skin)

蝉花

Chanhua/cordyceps cicadae/fungus sclerotia on cicada

蝉蜕

Chantui/periostracum cicadae/cicada slough

蝉蜕灰

Chantuihui (ash of Chantui/periostracum cicadae/cicada slough)

菖蒲

Changpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag

常山

Changshan/radix dichroae/antifeverile dichroa root

炒盐

Chaoyan/stir-fried salt

车前

Cheqian/herba plantaginis/plantain herb

车前草汁

Cheqiancaozhi (juice of Cheqiancao/herba plantaginis/ plantain herb)

车前子

Cheqianzi/semen plantaginis/plantain seed

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  421 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

车脂

Chezhi/grease used for lubricating carts

辰砂

Chensha/cinnabaris/cinnabar

陈皮

Chenpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/tangerine peel

陈香

Chenxiang/lignum aquilariae resinatum/wood of Chinese eaglewood

橙皮

Chengpi/pericarpium citri junoris/peel of fragrant citrus

橙子

Chengzi/fructus citri junoris/fruit of fragrant

赤茯苓

Chifuling/poria rubra/red Indian bread

赤箭（天麻）

Chijian(Tianma)/rhizoma gastrodiae/tuber of tall gastrodia

赤芍药

Chishaoyao/paeoniae rubra/red peony

赤石脂

Chishizhi/halloysitum rubrum/red halloysite

赤孙施

Chisunshi (Cujiangcao/herba oxalidis corniculatae/herb of creeping woodsorrel)

赤铜屑

Chitongxie/cuprum scobis/copper scraps

赤小豆

Chixiaodou/semen phaseoli/rice bean

茺蔚汁

Chongweizhi (juice of Chongwei/herba leonuri/ motherwort)

茺蔚子

Chongweizi/fructus leonuri/motherwort fruit

出了籽萝卜

Chuleziluobo (Luobo/radix raphani/radish root that has ripe seeds)

樗鸡

Chuji/hucechys canguinea/hucechys sanguinea

楮实（子）

Chushi(zi)/fructus broussonetiae/papermulberry fruit

楮实灰

Chushihui (ash of Chushi/fructus broussonetiae/ papermulberry fruit)

楮叶

Chuye/folium broussonetiae/papermulberry leaf

川楝子

Chuanlianzi/fructus toosendan/szechwan chinaberry fruit

川木通

Chuanmutong/caulis clematis armandii/armand clematis stem

川穹

Chuanxiong/rhizome chuanxiong/rhizome of szechwan lovage (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 421

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

422  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

D

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 422

Translation

穿山甲

Chuanshanjia/squama manitis/pangolin scales

椿白皮

Chunbaipi/cortex toonae sinensis/root-bark of Chinese toona

椿荚灰

Chunjiahui (ash of Chunjia/fructus toonae sinensis/ Chinese toonafruit)

莼菜

Chuncai/herba braseniae/watershield

慈姑

Cigu/rhizoma sagittaria sagittifolia/rhizome of old world arrowhead

磁石

Cishi/magnetitum/magnetite

雌黄

Cihuang/orpimentum/orpiment

刺猬胆

Ciweidan/fel erinacei/hedgehog gall

刺猬皮

Ciweipi/corium erinacei/hedgehog skin

刺猬脂

Ciweizhi/adeps fel/hedgehog fat

刺五加

Ciwujia/radix acanthopanacis senticosi/thorny acathopanax root

苁蓉

Congrong/herba cistanches/desertliving cistanche

葱

Cong/herba allii fistolos/green onionsi

葱白

Congbai/bulbus allii fistulosi/fistular onion stalk

葱根

Conggen/radix allii fistolosi/fistular

葱实

Congshi/semen allii fistulosi/fistular onion seed

葱汁

Congzhi (juice of Cong/herba allii fistolosi/fistular onion)

葱子

Congzi/semen allii fistulosi/fistular onion seed

长石

Changshi/anthydritum/anthydrite

大豆

Dadou/semen sojae/soybean seed

大豆黄卷

Dadouhuangjuan/semen sojae germinatum/germinant soybean

大豆苗

Dadoumiao/gemma sojae/soybean seedling

大腹皮

Dafupi/pericarpium arecae/areca peel

大黄

Dahuang/radix et rhizome rhei/rhubarb

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  423 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

大戟

Daji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/root of peking euphorbia

大蓟

Daji/herba seu radix cirsii japonici/Japanese thistle

大蓟根

Dajigen/radix cirsii japonici/Japanese thistle root

大麻

Dama/cannabis sativa L./hemp

大麦

Damai/semen hdei/barley

大鼯鼠

Dawushu/petaurista/common giant flying squirrel

大枣

Dazao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date

代赭石

Daizheshi/haematitum/hematite

玳瑁

Daimao/carapax eretmochelydis/hawksbill shell

丹参

Danshen/radix salvia miltiorrhizae/danshen root

丹砂

Dansha/cinnabaris/cinnabar

丹雄鸡

Danxiongji (cock with red feather)

丹雄鸡冠血

Danxiongjiguanxue (Jiguanxue/blood from the comb of a cock with red feathers)

淡菜

Dancai/caro mytili/meat of mytilus crassitesta

淡豆豉

Dandouchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean

淡竹沥

Danzhuli/succus lophantheri/juice of common lophantherum

淡竹叶

Danzhuye/herba lophatheri/lophatherum herb

当根

Danggen/radix zanthoxyli ailanthoides/root of ailanthuslike prickly ash

当归

Danggui/radix angelicae sinensis/Chinese angelica

党参

Dangshen/radix codonopsis pilosulae/root of pilose asiabell

稻杆灰

Daoganhui (ash of Daocao/herba yzae sativae/rice straw)

稻穰新灰

Daorangxinhui (ash of rice stalk)

灯笼草

Denglongcao (Suanjiang/herba physalis/herb of franchet groundcherry)

灯芯草

Dengxincao/medulla junci/rush (Continued)

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

424  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 424

Translation

地胆

Didan/meloe corvinus/round-necked blister beatle

地肤汁

Difuzhi (juice of Difuzi/fructus kochiae/belvedere fruit)

地肤子

Difuzi/fructus kochiae/belvedere fruit

地骨皮

Digupi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry

地黄(花)

Dihuang(hua)/radix rehmanniae/rehmannia root

地姜

Dijiang/mudderwater

地筋

Dijin/radix seu herba heteropogonis contorti/root of contorted tanglehead

地精

Dijing

地龙水

Dilongshui (water of Dilong/lumbricus/earthworm)

地衣草

Diyicao/lichen grass

地榆

Diyu/radix sanguisorbae/garden burnet root

貂皮

Diaopi/sable fur

丁香

Dingxiang/flos caryophylli/clove

定粉

Dingfen/lead carbonate

东壁土

Dongbitu/earth from the eastern wall

东流水

Dongliushui/water running east

冬虫夏草

Dongchongxiacao/cordyceps/Chinese caterpillar fungus

冬瓜

Donggua/fructus benincasae/fruit of Chinese waxgourd

冬瓜皮

Dongguapi/exocarpium benincasae/peel of Chinese waxgourd

冬瓜仁

Dongguaren/semen benincasae/Chinese waxgourd seed

冬青

Dongqing/ilicis purpureae/holly

冬青叶

Dongqingye (leaf of Dongqing/ilicis purpureae/holly)

冬霜

Dongshuang (winter frost)

豆豉

Douchi/semen sojae preparatum/fermented soybean

豆腐

Doufu/bean

豆蔻

Doukou/fructus amomi rotundus/round cardamom fruit

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  425 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

E

F

Translation

独活

Duhuo/radix angelicae pubescentis/doubleteeth pubescent angelica root

杜衡

Duheng/herba asari forbesii/herb of forbes wild ginger

杜仲

Duzhong/cortex eucommiae/eucommia bark

阿胶

Ejiao/colla corri asini/ass-hide glue

莪术

Ezhu/rhizoma zedoariae/zedoray

鹅不食草

Ebushicao/herba centipedae/small centipedaherbis

鹅油

Eyou/goose oil

鹅脂

Ezhi/goose fat

发灰

Fahui (ash of human hair)

法半夏

Fabanxia/prepared pinellia tuber/rhizome pinelliae preparata

番红花

Fanhonghua/stigma croci/saffron

番木鳖

Fanmubie/semen strychni/nux vomica

翻白草

Fanbaicao/herba potentillae discoloris/herb of discolor cinquefoil

矾石

Fanshi/alumen/alum

防风

Fangfeng/radix saposhnikoviae/divaricate saposhnikovia root

防己

Fangji/radix stephaniae tetrandrae/fourstamen stephania root

蜚蠊

Feilian/blatta seu periplaneta/cockroach

榧子

Feizi/semen torreya/seed of torreya grandis

粉霜

Fenshuang/calomelas prerparata/prepared calomel

蜂蜜

Fengmi/mel/honey

蜂子

Fengzi/larve apitis/bee larva

佛耳草

Fo’ercao/herba gnaphalii affinis/herb of cudweed

伏龙肝

Fulonggan/terra flava usta/furnace soil

伏翼

Fuyi/vespertilio/bat

茯神

Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen (Continued)

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

426  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

G

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 426

Translation

凫茈

Fuci/cornus eleocharis dulcis/waternut corm

枎栘皮

Fuyipi/cortex amelanchieris sinica/bark of Chinese serviceberry

茯苓

Fuling/poria/Indian bread

茯神膏

Fushengao (fat of Fushen/poria cum radice pino/fu-shen)

浮萍

Fuping/herba spirodelae/common ducksmeat herb

浮石

Fushi/pumex/pucice stone

腐婢

Fubi/Japanese premna herb

附子

Fuzi/radix aconiti laterails preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood

蝮蛇

Fushe/agkistrodon brevicaudi/bevicaude pit viper

覆盆子

Fupenzi/fructus rubi immaturus/immature fruit of palmleaf raspberry

甘草

Gancao/radix glycyrrhizae/liquorice root

甘蓝

Ganlan/caulis et folium brassicae capitatae cabbage/stem and leaf

甘蓝子

Ganlanzi/semen brassicae capitatae/cabbage seed

甘露

Ganlu/sweet dew

甘遂

Gansui/radix kansui/gansui root

甘蔗

Ganzhe/caulis saccharum sinensis/sweet-cane stem

甘蔗汁

Ganzhezhi (juice of Ganzhe/caulis saccharum sinensis/ sweet-canestem)

柑叶汁

Ganyezhi (juice of Ganye/folium citri chachiensis/leaf of marin ange)

干姜

Ganjiang/rhizoma zingiberis/dried ginger

干漆

Ganqi/lacca sinica exsiccatae/dried lacquer

干笋

Gansun/gemma bambusae/bamboo shoot

干苔

Gantai/enteromorpha/enteromorpha

高良姜

Gaoliangjiang/rhizoma alpiniae officinarum/rhizome of lesser galangal

藁本

Gaoben/rhizoma ligustici/Chinese lovage

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  427 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

鸽

Ge/columbam/pigeon

葛根

Gegen/radix peurariae/root of lobed kudzuvine

葛蔓

Geman/ramulus peurariae/branch of lobed kudzuvine

葛上亭长

Geshangtingzhang/epicauta gorhami/bean blister beetle

狗脊(草)

Gouji(cao)/rhizoma cibotii/cibot rhizome

钩藤

Gouteng/ramulus uncariae cum uncis/branch of gambirplant

钩吻

Gouwen/herbalgelsemimi elegantis/herb of graceful jessamine

狗

Gou/canis familiars L./dog

狗胆

Goudan/fel canitis/dog gall

狗毛

Goumao (dog hair)

狗尾草

Gouweicao/herba setariae viridis/herb of green bristlegrass

狗阴茎

Gouyinjing/testis et penis canitis/testes or penis of a dog

枸杞白皮

Gouqibaipi/cortex lycii radicis/Chinese wolfberry root-bark

枸杞菜

Gouqicai/cortex lycii/Chinese wolfberry bark

枸杞根

Gouqigen/radix lycii/root of barbary wolfberry

枸杞皮

Gouqipi/cortex lycii radicis/root-bark of Chinese wolfberry

枸杞子

Gouqizi/fructus lycii/ripe fruit of barbary wolfberry

菰根

Gugen/radix zizaniae caduciflorae scapo/root of fewflower wildrice

菰米

Gumi/fructus zizaniae caduciflorae/fruit of fewflower wildrice

古绵

Gumian (used silk fiber)

古绵灰

Gumianhui (ash of Gumian/used silk fiber)

古钱

Guqian/ancient copper coin

古石灰

Gushihui (Shihui/calx/lime of ancient time) (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 427

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

428  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 428

Translation

古文钱

Guwenqian/ancient copper coin

古鞋底

Guxiedi (used shoe sole)

古砖

Guzhuan/ancient brick

谷精草

Gujingcao/flos eriocauli/pipewortflower

谷芽

Guya/fructus setariae germinatus/millet sprout

骨碎补

Gusuibu/rhizoma drynariae/fortunes’s drynaria rhizome

羖羊角

Guyangjiao/cornu naemorhedi/goral horn

瓜蒂

Guadi/pedicellus melo/muskmelon base

瓜蒌

Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/snakegourd fruit

瓜蒌根

Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root

贯众

Guanzhong/rhizoma dryopteris crassirhizomae/Chinese aspidium

关木通

Guanmutong/caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis/ manshurian dutchmanspipe stem

光明盐

Guangmingyan/salt

龟

Gui/testudinis/tortoise

龟板

Guiban/plastrum testudinis/tortoise plastron

龟甲

Guijia/plastrum testudinis/tortoise plastron

龟尿

Guiniao (urine of Gui/testudinis/tortoise)

龟肉

Guirou/turtle meat

硅钙

Guigai

鬼箭羽

Guijianyu/ramulus euonymi/twig of winged euonymus

桂

Gui/cinnamonmum cassia presl/cassiabarktree

桂心

Guixin/shaved cinnamon bark

桂枝

Guizhi/ramulus cinnamomi/cassia twig

蛤(蜊)粉

Ge(li)fen/pulveratum mactrae conchae/shell powder of clam

蛤蚧

Gejie/gecho/tokay

蛤蜊

Geli/caro mactrae/clam meat

栝楼根

Gualougen/radix trichosanthis/snakegourd root

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  429 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name H

Translation

蛤蟆

Hama/rana limnocharis/rice frog

海蛤

Haige/concha cyclinae/clam shell

海红豆

Haihongdou/semen adenantherae pavoninae/seed of sandal beadtree

海螺

Hailuo/caro rapanae/oyster meat

海螵蛸

Haipiaoxiao/os sepiae/cuttlebone

海桐皮

Haitongpi/cortex erythrinae/coral-bean bark

海芋

Haiyu

海月

Haiyue/caro placunae/window shell meat

海藻

Haizao/sargassum/seaweed

海蜇

Haizhe/rhopilemae/oral lobe of jellyfish

寒露

Hanlu/cold dew

寒水石

Hanshuishi/caleium/calcite

旱菜

Hancai/herba rorippae/herb of Indian rorippa

诃黎勒(诃子)

Helile(Hezi)/fructus chebulae/fruit of medicine terminalia

诃子叶

Heziye/folium chebulae/leaf of medicine terminalia

何首乌

Heshouwu/radix polygoni multiflori/root of tuber fleeceflower

荷叶

Heye/folium nelumbinis/lotus leaf

核桃

Hetao/fructus jugl is m shuricae/manchurian walnut

鹤脑

Henao/crane brain

黑大豆

Heidadou/semen sojae nigra/seed of black soybean

黑豆

Heidou/semen sojae nigra/seed of black soybean

黑豆皮

Heidoupi/pericarpium sojae nigra/black soybean skin

黑李子

Heilizi (Li/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum)

黑牛尾

Heiniuwei (tail of a black ox)

黑铅

Heiqian/plumbum/lead

荭草

Hongcao/herba polygoni orientalis/herb of prince’s-father

红豆

Hongdou (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 429

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

430  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 430

Translation

红豆蔻

Hongdoukou/fructus alpiniae galangae/fruit of galangal galangal

红谷

Honggu/red yeast rice

红(蓝)花

Hong(lan)hua/flos cathami/safflower

红曲

Hongqu/semen oryzea cum mnasci/medicated red rice

荭草实

Hongcaoshi/fructus polygoni orientalis/fruit of prince’s-feather

猴屎

Houshi (monkey faeces)

猴头骨

Houtougu (head bone of monkey)

琥珀

Hupo/succinum/amber

鲎尾

Houwei/tachypleus tridentatus/apus tail

鲎鱼骨

Houyugu/tachypleus tridentatus/apus bone

胡粉

Hufen/lead carbonate

胡黄连

Huhuanglian/rhizome picrorhizae/figwortflower picorhza rhizome

胡椒

Hujiao/fructus piperis nigri/black pepper

胡萝卜

Huluobo/daucus carota L. var. sativa DC./carrot

胡麻

Huma/semen sesami/sesame seed

胡荽

Husui/herba cori ri/coriander herb

胡桃

Hutao/fructus jugl is/English walnut

胡燕屎

Huyanshi/faeces hirundo dauricae/feces of goldenrumpted swallow

胡猪皮

Huzhuapi (pig paw fur)

葫芦

Hulu/pericarpium lagenariae/calabash gourd

葫芦巴

Huluba/semen trigonellae/common fenugreek seed

虎胆

Hudan/fel tigris/tiger gall

虎耳草

Hu’ercao/herba saxifragae/saxifrage

虎膏

Hugao/tiger fat

虎骨

Hugu/os togris/tiger bone

虎睛

Hujing (tiger’s eyes)

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  431 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

虎杖

Huzhang/rhizoma polygoni cuspidati/giant knotweed rhizome

花椒

Huajiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/prickly-ash peel

花蕊石

Huarushi/ophicalcitum/ophicalcite

花蛇膏

Huashegao (fat of Baihuashe/bungarus parvus/little silverbanded krait)

槐芽

Huaiya/folium sphae/bud of Japanese pagoda tree

滑石

Huashi/talcum/talc

槐耳

Huai’er/auricularia/jew’s ear on pagodatree

槐花

Huaihua/flos sophorae/pagodatree flower

槐角

Huaijiao/fructus sophae/pod of Japanese pagodatree

槐枝

Huaizhi/ramulus sophorae/twig of Japanese pagodatree

槐枝灰

Huaizhihui (ashes of Huaizhi/ramulus sophorae/twig of Japanese pagodatree)

槐子

Huaizi/flos sophae/pagodatree flower

黄柏

Huangbai/cortex phellodendri/Chinese corktree bark

黄檗

Huangbo/cortex phellodendri/bark of Chinese corktree

黄参

Huangshen

黄雌鸡

Huangciji (yellow hen)

黄丹

Huangdan/minium/lead oxide

黄矾

Huangfan/fibroferritum/fibroferrite

黄柑橘

Huangganju/chamomile flower

黄狗肉

Huanggourou/caro canitis/meat of a yellow dog

黄狗头

Huanggoutou (head of a yellow dog)

黄瓜蒌

Huanggualou (Gualou/fructus trichosanthis/yellow snakegourd fruit)

黄精

Huangjing/rhizoma polygonati/solomonseal rhizome

黄绢

Huangjuan (yellow tough silk)

黄蜡

Huangla/cera flava/bee wax

黄连

Huanglian/rhizoma coptidis/golden thread (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 431

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

432  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

J

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 432

Translation

黄栌

Huanglu/folium et ramulus cotini/smoketree twig

黄麻根

Huangmagen/radix cannabis sativa/hemp root

黄珀

Huangpo/phellodendron amurense rupr./amur corktree

黄芪

Huangqi/radix astragali/milkvetch root

黄芩

Huangqin/radix scutellariae/baical skullcap root

黄土

Huangtu/loess/loess

黄药

Huangyao/rhizoma dioscoreae bulbiferae/airpotato yam

鳇鱼

Huangyu/huso dauricus/huso sturgeon

茴香

Huixiang/fructus foeniculi/fennel fruit

鮰鱼

Huiyu/leiocassis longirostris gunther/leiocassis longirostris

火麻叶

Huomaye/folium cannabis/hemp leaf

火药

Huoyao/gunpowder

藿香

Huoxiang/herba agastaches/herb of wrinkled gianthyssop

及己

Jiji/radix chloranthi serriati/root of serrate chloranthus

莙荙菜

Jundacai/spinach beet

鸡

Ji/gallus gallus domesticus brisson/chicken

鸡肠

Jichang (chicken’s intestine)

鸡肠草

Jichangcao/semen vaccariae/centipeda minima extrac

鸡肝

Jigan/hepar gigeriae galli/chicken liver

鸡肝血

Jiganxue (blood of chicken liver)

鸡冠花

Jiguanhua/flos celosiae cristatae/cockscomb flower

鸡冠花籽

Jiguanhuazi/semen celosiae cristatae/cockscomb seed

鸡冠血

Jiguanxue/blood from cockscomb

鸡卵白皮

Jiluanbaipi/membrana follicularis ovi/inner shell membrane of fowl’s egg

鸡内金

Jineijin/endothelium corneum gogeriae galli/membrane of chicken gizzard

鸡肶胵黄皮

Jipizhihuangpi (Jineijin/endothelium corneum gigeriae galli/membrane of chicken gizzard)

鸡肉

Jirou/caro gigeriae galli/chicken meat

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  433 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

鸡屎

Jishi/faeces gigeriae galli/chicken dung

鸡屎白

Jishibai/faeces albidi galli/white-dung of chicken

鸡苏

Jisu/herba stachydis japonicae/herb of Japanese betony

鸡汁

Jizhi/chicken juice

鸡子

Jizi/ovum gigeriae galli/egg

鸡子白

Jizibai/egg white

积雪草汁

Jixuecaozhi (juice of Jixuecao/herba centellae/asiatic pennywort herb)

棘刺

Jici/spina ziziphi spinosae/spine of spine date

蒺藜

Jili/fructus tribuli/puncture-vine caltrop fruit

芰实

Jishi (Lingjiao/fructus trapae/water calptrop)

鲫鱼

Jiyu/carassius/crucian carp

鲫鱼胆

Jiyudan/fel carassii/gall of crucian carp

鲫鱼脑

Jiyunao/encephalon carassii/brain of crucian carp

甲鱼

Jiayu/carassius/crucian carp

姜黄

Jianghuang/rhizoma curcumae longae/turmeric

姜汁

Jiangzhi/succus zingiberis recens/juice of fresh ginger

豇豆

Jiangdou/semen vignae sinensis/cowpea

浆糊

Jianghu/miscellus amylum preparatum/paste

浆汁

Jiangzhi (juice of Jiang/miscellus amylum preparatum/ paste)

僵蚕

Jiangcan/bombyx batryticatus/larva of a silkworm with batrytis

胶饴

Jiaoyi/saccharum granorum/malt extract

椒

Jiao/pericarpium zanthoxyli/prickly-ash peel

椒红

Jiaohong/pericarpium zanthoxyli/Chinese prickly ash

椒目

Jiaomu/semen zanthoxyli/bungeseed

鲛鱼皮

Jiaoyupi/cutis musteli/shark skin

接骨木

Jiegumu/ramulus sambuci williamsii/twig of williams elder (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 433

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

434  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 434

Translation

解毒子

Jieduzi/radix stephaniae delavayi/root of delavay stephania

芥菜

Jiecai/caulis et folium brassicae/stem or leaf of India mustard

芥末

Jiemo/semen brassicae/powder of India mustard seed

芥子

Jiezi/semen brassicae/Indian mustard seed

芥子

Jiezi/semen brassicae/seed of Indian mustard

金

Jin/aurum/gold

金箔

Jinbo/aurum/gold foil

金环

Jinhuan/gold ring

金毛狗脊

Jinmaogouji (Gouji/rhizoma cibotii/cibot rhizome)

金屑

Jinxie/aurum/gold filings

金樱根

Jinyinggen/radix rosae laevigatae/root of cherokee rose

金樱子

Jinyingzi/fructus rosae laevigatae/fruit of cherokee rose

京大戟

Jingdaji/radix euphorbiae pekinensis/peking euphorbia root

经霜青箬叶

Jingshuangqingruoye (Ruoye/folium indocalami tessellati/ chequer-shaped indocalamus leaf exposed to frost)

荆芥

Jingjie/herba schizonepetae/fineleaf schizonepeta herb

荆沥

Jingli/succus schizonepetae/juice of fineleaf schizonepeta

粳米

Jingmi/ultivarietas oryzae sativae/polished round-grained nonglutinous rice

井化水

Jinghuashui/first fetched well water

井圈石

Jingquanshi/stone in the well

井水

Jingshui/well water

井索头灰

Jingsuotouhui (ash of noose used to fetch well water)

井中苔

Jingzhongtai/moss in the well

景天

Jingtian/herba hylotelephii erythrosticti/herb of common stonecrop

景天花

Jingtianhua/flos hylotelephium erythrostictum/stonecrop flower

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  435 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

鸠屎

Jiushi (feces of Banjiu/streptopelia ientalis/rufous turtle dove)

韭白

Jiubai/bulbus allii tuberosi/stalk of tuber onion

韭菜

Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion

韭菜子

Jiucaizi/semen allii tuberosi/seed of tuber onion

韭汁

Jiucaizhi (juice of Jiucai/folium allii tuberosi/leaf of tuber onion)

酒

Jiu/vinum/wine

酒曲

Jiuqu/distiller’s yeast

桔梗

Jiegeng/radix platycodi/platycodon root

桔梗芦

Jiegenglu/rhizome platycodi/platycodon rhizome

菊花

Juhua/flos chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum flower

菊叶

Juye/folium chrysanthemi/chrysanthemum

橘红

Juhong/exocarpium citri rubrum/tangerine peel

橘络

Juluo/vascular aurantii/tangerine pith

橘皮

Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/orange peel

橘皮灰

Jupihui (ash of Jupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae/ tangerine peel)

橘子

Juzi/fructus citri reticulatae/ripe tangerine

蒟酱

Jujiang/spica piperis betlis/fruit-spike of betel pepper

榉树皮

Jushupi/cortex zelkovae/bark of schneider zelkova

巨胜

Jusheng/semen sesami nigrum/black sesame

巨胜子

Jushengzi (Huma/semen sesami/sesame seed)

卷丹

Juandan/bulbus lilii dahurici/lily bulb

决明子

Juemingzi/semen cassiae/cassia seed

蕨菜

Juecai/rhizoma pteridii esculenti/rhizome of esculent bracken fern

君迁子

Junqianzi/fructus disphroris loti/fruit of dateplum persimmon

莙荙根

Jundagen/radix betae ciclae/sixily common beet root (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 435

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

436  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

K

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 436

Translation

荠

Ji/radix adenophorae trachelioidis/apricotleaf ladybell root

荠菜

Jicai/herba capsellae/shepherd’s purse

荠根

Jigen/radix capsellae/shepherds’pure root

荠实

Jishi/fructus capsellae/fruit of shepherds’ purse

珂

Ke/concha mactrae sulcatariae/mactra sulcataria shell

空青

Kongqing/azuritum/azurite

孔雀屎

Kongqueshi (feces of a peacock)

苦茶

Kucha/gemma et folium camelliae/bud or tea leaves

苦胆

Kudan

枯矾

Kufan/alumen preparatum/prepared alum

苦瓠（子）

Kuhu(zi)/semen lagenariae makinois/seed of makino bottle

苦瓠灰

Kuhuhui (ash of Kuhu/fructus lagenariae makinois/fruit of makino bottle)

苦瓠汁

Kuhuzhi (juice of Kuhu/fructus lagenariae makinois/fruit of makino bottle)

苦菊

Kuju/herba sonchi oleracei/herb of common sawthistle

苦苣

Kuju/herba sonchi oleracei/common sawthistle

苦楝皮

Kulianpi/cortex meliae/bark of szechwan chinaberry

苦荞皮

Kuqiaopi/pericarpium fagopyri tatarici/tartarian buckwheat skin

苦参

Kushen/radix sophorae flavescentis/root of lightyellow sophora

苦杖

Kuzhang (Huzhang/rhizoma polygoni cuspidati/rhizome of giant knotweed)

苦竹笋

Kuzhusun/herba pleiobasti/seedling of bitter bamboo

苦竹叶

Kuzhuye/foliumpleioblasti/leaf of bitter bamboo

款冬花

Kuandonghua/flos farfarae/common coltsfoot flower

葵菜

Kuicai/herba malvae/cluster mallow

葵根

Kuigen/radix malvae/root of cluster mallow

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  437 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

L

Translation

葵花

Kuihua/flos malvae/flower of cluster mallow

葵叶

Kuiye/folium malvae/leaf of cluster mallow

葵子

Kuizi/semen malvae/seed of cluster mallow

辣米

Lami/spicy rice

莱菔子

Laifuzi/semen raphani/radish seed

兰草

Lancao/herba eupatorii/fortune eupatorium herb

兰花

Lanhua/orchid

兰香子

Lanxiangzi/semen ocimi pilosi/basil seed

兰叶

Lanye/folium eupatorii/leaf of fortune eupatorium

蓝汁

Lanzhi/success poligoni tinctorii/juice of indogoplant

狼毒

Langdu/radix euphbiae et stellarae/root of fischer euphbia

狼牙

Langya/woof tooth

酪

Lao/lac preparatum/junket

雷丸

Leiwan/omphalia/stone-like omphalia

狸肝

Ligan/hepar felis/liver of leopard

狸屎灰

Lishihui (ash of feces of a leopard)

梨

Li/fructus pyri/pear

梨汁

Lizhi (juice of Li/fructus pyri/pear)

藜芦

Lilu/rhizoma et radix veratri/falsehellebore rhizome

蠡实

Lishi/semen iridis chinensis/seed of Chinese small iris

李

Li/fructus pruni salicinae/Japanese plum

李根白皮

Ligenbaipi/cortex pruni salicinae radicis/root-bark of Japanese plum

李核仁

Liheren/semen pruni salicinae/seed of Japanese plum

李花

Lihua/plum blossom

李胶

Lijiao/resina pruni salicinae/Japanese plum resin canremove nebula

李叶

Liye/folium pruni salicinae/Japanese plum leaf

理石

Lishi/gypsum fibrosum/mineral gypsum

鲤鱼

Liyu/cyprinus/carp (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 437

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

438  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 438

Translation

鲤鱼肠

Liyuchang/intestinum cyprini/carp intestine

鲤鱼胆

Liyudan/fel cyprini/carp gall

鲤鱼鳞

Liyulin (carp scales)

鲤鱼脑

Liyunao/encephalon cyprini/carp brain

鲤鱼汁

liyuzhi/carp juice

鳢肠

Lichang/herba ecliptae/herb of yerbadetajo

荔枝核

Lizhihe/semen litchi/lychee seed

栗壳

Like/pericarpium castaneae/chestnut capsule

栗子

Lizi/chestnut

连翘

Lianqiao/fructus forsythiae/capsule of weeping forsythia

莲房

Lianfang/receptaculum nelumbinis/lotus seedpot

莲花

Lianhua/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed

莲藕

Lian’ou/nelumbo nucifera gaertn/lotus

莲子(仁)

lianzi(ren)/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed

廉姜

Lianjiang/rhizoma alpiniae Chinese/rhizome of Chinese galangal

粱米

Liangmi/semen setariae/millet

两头蛇

Liangtoushe (snake with two heads)

潦水

Liaoshui/accumulated rain water

蓼子

Liaozi/semen polygoni hydropiperis/red-knees seed

林檎

Linqin/fructus mail asiaticae/fruit of Chinese pearleaf crabapple

灵猫阴

Lingmaoyin/testis et penis viverrae zibethae/testes and penis of zibet

灵芝

Lingzhi/ganoderma lucidum/lucid ganoderma

凌霄花

Lingxiaohua/flos camnpsis gradiflorae/flower of Chinese trumpetcreeper

凌霄叶

Lingxiaoye/folium camnpsis gradiflae/Chinese trumpetcreeper leaf

菱纱

Lingsha/vermilion

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  439 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

菱实

Lingshi/amylum trapae bispinosae/singharanut starch powder

羚羊角

Lingyangjiao/cornu saigae tatariae/antelope’s horn

鲮鲤甲

Linglijia/squama manitis/pangolin scales

刘寄奴

Liujinu/herba artemisiae anomalae/herb of diverse wormwood

琉璃

Liuli/azure stone

硫磺

Liuhuang/sulfur/sulphur

柳根

Liugen/radix salicis babylonicae/willow root

柳枝

Liuzhi/ramulus salicis babylonicae/twig of babylon weeping willow

龙齿

Longchi/dens draconis/dragon’s teeth

龙胆（草）

Longdan(cao)/radix gentianae/Chinese gentian

龙骨

Longgu/os draconis/dragon’s bone

龙葵

Longkui/herba solani nigri/herb of black nightshade

龙脑(香)

Longnao(xiang)/bneolum syntheticum/borneol

龙眼(肉)

Longyan(rou)/alillus longan/longan pulp

蝼蛄

Lougu/grillotalpa/mole cricket

漏芦

Loulu/radix rhapontici/root of uniflower swesscentarry

芦根

Lugen/rhizome phragmitis/reed rhizome

芦荟

Luhui/aloe/aloes

芦苇

Luwei/caulis phragmitis/reed stem

鲈鱼

Luyu/lateolabrax japonicus/perch

卤碱(咸)

Lujian(xian)/crystallus bittern/bitten crystal

鹿

Lu/deer

鹿根

Lugen/rhizome phragmitis/reed rhizome

鹿角

Lujiao/cornu cervi/deer horn

鹿筋

Lujin/ligamentum cervi/deer tendon

鹿茸

Lurong/cornu cervi pantotrichum/hairy deer-horn

鹿肉

Lurou/caro cervi/deer meat (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 439

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

440  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

M

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 440

Translation

鹿肾

Lushen/penis et testes cervi/penis and testes of deer

鹿髓

Lusui/medulla cervi/deer marrow

鹿头

Lutou (deer’s head)

鹿衔草

Luxiancao/herba pyrolae/pyrola herb

鹿血

Luxue (deer blood)

路草

Lucao/herba humuli sc entis/herb of Japanese hop

露水

Lushui/dew

栾华

Luanhua/flos koelreuteriae paniculatae/flower of apniculate goldraintree

栾精子

Luanjingzi/goldenrain tree seed

罗勒籽

Luolezi/basil/ocimum basilicum L.

萝卜

Luobo/raphanin/radish

萝卜子

Luobozi/semen raphani/radish seed

螺蛳

Luosi/bellamya/spiral shell

驴包衣

Lvbaoyi/donkey placenta

驴尿

Lvniao/ass urine

驴皮骨

Lvpigu (donkey’s skin and bone)

驴肉

Lvrou/caro asini/donkey meat

驴乳

Lvru/lac asini/donkey milk

驴头骨灰

Lutouguhui (ashes of a donkey’s hooves)

绿豆

Lvdou/phaseoli radiates L./green gram

绿豆皮

Lvdoupi/pericarpium phaseoli radiati/green gram skin

绿矾

Lvfan/melanterite/melanteritum

绿盐

Lvyan/atacamitum/atacamite

葎草

Lvcao/herba humulis scandentis/climbing hop herb

麻黄

Mahuang/herba ephedrae/ephedra

麻黄根

Mahuanggen/radix ephedrae/ephedra root

麻秸灰

Majiehui (ash of Majie/caulis cannabis/hemp stalk)

麻雀

Maque/passer montanus/house sparrow

麻仁

Maren/semen cannabis/cannabis-seed

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  441 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

麻油

Mayou/oleum sesami seminis/sesame oil

麻子汁

Mazizhi (juice of Maziren/semen cannabis/hemp seed)

马

Ma/horse

马鞭草

Mabiancao/herba verbenae/european verhena herb

马勃

Mabo/lasiosphaera seu calvataia/puffball

马齿苋

Machixian/herba portulacae/herb of purslane

马齿苋灰

Machixianhui (ash of Machixian/herba ptulacae/parslane herb)

马刀

Madao/concha solen gondii/shell of razor calm

马兜铃

Madouling/fructus aristolochiae/dutchmanpipe fruit

马骨

Magu/os equi/horse bone

马兰

Malan/herba kalimeridis/herb of Indian kalimeris

马蔺花

Malinhua/sweet iris flower

马蔺子

Malinzi/semen iridis

马鹿

Malu/cervus elaphus/wapiti

马肉

Marou/caro equi/horse meat

马乳

Maru/lac equi/horse milk

马蹄

Mati/unquis equi/horse trotters

马头骨灰

Matouguhui (ash of horse skull)

马尾

Mawei (horse tail)

马先蒿

Maxianhao/herba pedicularis resupinatae/herb of resupinate woodbetong

麦白

Maibai/semen hordei germinatus/malt

麦冬(门)

Maidong(men)/radix ophiopogonis/dwarf lilyturf root

麦酱

Maijiang/miscellus amylum preparatum/wheat paste

麦门冬

Maimendong/radix ophiopogonis/tuber of dwarf lilyturf

麦面

Maimian/semen tritici/wheat flour

麦苗汁

Maimiaozhi (juice of Maimiao/folium tritici/wheat seedling) (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 441

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

442  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 442

Translation

麦蘖(芽)

Mainie(ya)/semen hordei germinatus/malt

麦子仁

Maziren/semen cannabis/hemp seed

鳗鲡血

Manlixue (blood of Manli/anguilla japonicae/Japanese eel)

鳗鲡鱼骨

Manliyugu (bone of Manli/anguilla japonicae/Japanese eel)

曼陀罗花

Mantuoluohua/flos daturae/flower of stramonium

蔓荆花

Manjinghua/viticis/shrub chaste-tree flower

蔓荆子

Manjingzi/fructus viticis/shrub chaste-tree fruit

蔓菁根

Manjinggen/radix brassicae rapae/turnip root

蔓菁汁

Manjingzhi (juice of Wujing/radix brassicae rapae/turnip root)

芒硝

Mangxiao/natrii sulfas/sodium sulfate

猫尿

Maoniao/cat urine

毛蟹壳

Maoxieke/concha eriocheiris sinensis/crab shell

茅根

Maogen/herba ranunculi japonici/herb of Japanese buttercup

茅香

Maoxiang/infloresoentia hierochloes odoratae/vanillagrass infloresoence

茅针

Maozhen/gemma ranunculi japonici/seedling of Japanese buttercup

没药

Moyao/myrrha/myrrh

梅核仁

Meiheren/semen mume/seed of Japanese apricot

梅实

Meishi/fructus mume/fruit of Japanese apricot

梅子

Meizi/semen mume/seed of Japanese apricot

虻虫

Mengchong/tabanus/gadfly

麋角

Mijiao/cornu elaphuri/horn of David’s deer

麋鹿

Milu/elaphurus davidianus milne-edward/David’s deer

麋骨

Migu/bones of David’s deer

米醋

Micu/rice vinegar

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  443 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

米泔

Migan/rice water

密蒙花

Mimenghua/flos buddlejae/pale butterfly-bushflower

密陀僧

Mituoseng/lithargyrum/litharge

明水

Mingshui/open water

磨刀水

Modaoshui/water used when sharpening a knife

蘑菇

Mogu/agaricus campestris/mushroom

茉莉花

Molihua/jasmine flower

墨旱莲

Mohanlian/herba ecliptae/herb of yerbadetajo

墨汁

Mozhi/juice of Chinese ink

牡丹皮

Mudanpi/cortex moutan/tree peony bark

牡荆茎

Mujingjing/rhizoma viticis cannabifoliae/hemp-leaved vitex stem

牡荆子

Mujingzi/fructus viticis cannabifoliae/fruit of hempleaf negundo chastetree

牡蛎

Muli/concha ostreae/oyster shell

牡蛎粉

Mulifen/concha ostreae/oyster shell powder

木鳖子

Mubiezi/semen momordicae/cochinchia momordica seed

木耳

Mu’er/auricularia/jew’s ear

木芙蓉叶

Mufurongye (leaf of Mufurong/hibiscus mutabilis/cotton rose hibiscus)

木瓜

Mugua/fructus chaenomelis/fruit of common flowering quince

木槿

Mujin

木槿皮

Mujinpi/cortex hibisci/shrubalthea bark

木槿叶

Mujinye/folium hibisci/leaf of shrubalthea

木麻

Muma/casuarina equisetifolia/casuarina

木莓根皮

Mumeigenpi/cortex rubi corchorifolii radicis/root-bark of juteleaf raspberry

木桐

Mutong/caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis/manshurian dutchmanspipe stem (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 443

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

444  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

N

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 444

Translation

木香

Muxiang/radix aucklandia/common aucklandia root

木贼

Muzei/herba equiseti hiemalis/herb of common scouring rush

磠砂

Naosha/sal purpureum/purple rocksalt

纳鳖

Nabie/turtle

南藤

Nanteng/wallich pepper stem

南烛

Nanzhu/vaccinium bracteatum/oriental blueberry

楠材灰

Nancaihui (ash of Nanmu/lignum nanmu/nanmu)

泥鳅

Niqiu/misgurnus/loach

泥中蛆

Nizhongqu/maggot

腻粉

Nifen/calomelas/calomel

鲶鱼

Nianyu/parasilurus asotus/mudfish

凝水石

Ningshuishi/caleitum/calcite

牛

Niu/bos taurus domesticus gmelin/ox

牛板根

Niubangen/radix arctii/root of great burdock

牛蒡根

Niubanggen/radix arctii/burdock root

牛蒡子

Niubangzi/fructus arctii/burdock fruit

牛鼻

Niubi (ox’s nose)

牛鼻圈

Niubiquan (nose ring of an ox)

牛吃草汁

Niuchicaozhi (juice of grass ruminated by an ox)

牛胆

Niudan/fel bovis/ox gall

牛肚

Niudu/ventricullus bovis/ox stomach

牛肝

Niugan/hepar bovis/ox liver

牛骨

Niugu (ox’s bone)

牛黄

Niuhuang/calculus bovis/cow-bezoar

牛酪

Niulao (Lao/lac preparatum/junket)

牛脑

Niunao/myelencephalon bovis/ox brain

牛肉

Niurou/coro bovis/beef

牛乳

Niuru/lac bovis/cow milk

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  445 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

O P

Translation

牛屎

Niushi/faeces bovis/ox dung

牛髓

Niusui/medulla bovis/ox marrow

牛蹄甲

Niutijia (ox trotternail)

牛膝

Niuxi/radix achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes root

牛膝叶

Niuxiye/folium achyranthis bidentatae/twoteethed achyranthes leaf

牛涎

Niuxian/ox saliva

牛阴茎

Niuyinjing (ox testes or penis)

牛脂

Niuzhi/sebum tourinum/ox fat

糯米

Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice

糯米粉

Nuomifen (powder of Nuomi/oryza glutinosae/polished glutinous rice)

女萎

Nvwei

女贞皮

Nvzhenpi/fructus ligustri lucidi/glossy privet

藕

Ou/rhizoma nelumbinis/lotus rhizome

藕汁

Ouzhi (juice of Ou/rhizoma nelumbinis/lotus rhizome)

鸊鷉膏

Pitigao/grebe fat

螃蟹

Pangxie/eriocheiris sinensis/crab

硼砂

Pengsha/borax/sodium bate

砒砷

Pishen/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic

砒石

Pishi/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic mine

砒霜

Pishuang/arsenicum sublimatum/arsenic

枇杷

Pipa/fructus eriobotryae/loquat fruit

片脑

Piannao/bneolum syntheticum/bneol

破故纸

Poguzhi/fructus psoralae/malaytea scurfpea fruit

菩萨石

Pusashi/stone from e’mei mountain

蒲草

Pucao/typha angustifolia/the stem or leaf of cattail

蒲黄

Puhuang/pollen typhae/cattail pollen

朴硝

Poxiao/mirabiliti/mirabilite (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 445

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

446  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name Q

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 446

Translation

荠苨

Qini/radix adenophorae trachelioidis/root of apricotleaf ladybell

脐带灰

Qidaihui (ashes of an umbilical cord)

蓍草

Qicao/holotrichia diomphalia/northeast giant black chafer

千里及汁

Qianlijizhi (juice of Qianliji/herba senecionis sc entis/ herb of climbing groundsel)

千里及

Qianliji/herba senecionis sc entis/climbing groundsel herb

牵牛子

Qianniuzi/semen pharbitidis/pharbitis seed

铅

Qian/plumbum/lead

铅白霜

Qianbaishuang/lead acetate

铅丹

Qiandan/minium/lead pellet

铅灰

Qianhui/plumbum/ash of lead

铅霜

Qianshuang/lead acetate

前胡

Qianhu/radix peucedani/hogfennel root

芡实

Qianshi/semen euryales/seed of gordon euryale

茜根

Qiangen/radix rubiae/root of Indian madder

茜仁

Qianren/radix rubiae/root of Indian madder

羌活

Qianghuo/rhizoma seu radix notopterygii/notopterygium rhizome or root

蔷薇根

Qiangweigen/radix rosae multiflorae/root of Japanese rose

荞麦

Qiaomai/fagopyri esculenti moench/buck wheat

翘摇

Qiaoyao/herba viciae hirsutae/pigeon vetch

芹菜

Qincai/celery

秦艽

Qinjiao/radix gentianae/root of gentian

岑皮

Qinpi/cortex fraxini/ash bark

青布

Qingbu/black cloth

青黛

Qingdai/indigo naturalis/natural indigo

青矾

Qingfan/blue alum

青蒿

Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwood herb

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  447 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

青蒿汁

Qinghaozhi (juice of Qinghao/herba artemisiae annuae/ sweet wormwood herb)

青蒿子

Qinghaozi/semen artemisiae annuae/sweet wormwoodseed

青椒

Qinjiao/shanxi pepper

青桔皮

Qingjupi/pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel

青梅

Qingmei/vatica astrotricha/green plum

青礞石

Qingmengshi/lapis chloriti/chlorite-schist

青木香

Qingmuxiang/radix aristolochiae dutchmanspipe root

青皮

Qingpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel

青皮灰

Qingpihui (ash of Qingpi/pericarpium citri reticulatae viride/green tangerine peel)

青石脂

Qingshizhi/halloysitum/blue halloysite

青实

Qingshi/fructus abutili/fruit of chingma abutilon

青葙子

Qingxiangzi/semen celosiae/feather cockscomb seed

青蘘（胡麻 叶）

Qingxiang (Humaye/folium sesami/sesame leaf)

青盐

Qingyan/halitum/halite

青鱼

Qingyu/mylopharyngodoni/black carp

青鱼胆

Qingyudan/fel mylopharyngodontis picei/black carp gall

青鱼睛汁

Qingyujingzhi (juice of eye of Qingyu/mylopharyngodon piceus/black carp)

青玉

Qingyu/blue jade

轻粉

Qingfen/calomelas/calomel

秋石

Qiushi/depositum urinae praeparatum/urine deposit preparation

蚯蚓

Qiuyin/lumbricus/earth worm

蚯蚓粉

Qiuyinfen/faeces lumbricus/feces of earthworm

蚯蚓泥

Qiuyinni/feces of earthworm (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 447

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

448  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

R

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 448

Translation

楸白皮

Qiubaipi/cortex catalpae bungei/bark of manchurian catalpa

楸叶

Qiuye/folium catalpae bungei/manchurian catalpaleaf

鸲鹆睛汁

Quyujingzhi (juice of eye of crested myna)

瞿麦

Qumai/herba dianthi/ilac pink herb

瞿麦汁

Qumaizhi (juice of Qumai/herba dianthi/ilac pink herb)

全蝎

Quanxie/scorpio/scorpion

犬胆

Quandan/fel canitis/dog gall

犬毛

Quanmao (dog hair)

犬肉

Quanrou/caro canitis/dog meat

雀卵

Queluan/ovum passeris montani/egg of a house sparrow

雀脑

Quenao/myelencephalon passeris montani/brain of house sparrow

雀屎

Queshi/faeces passeri montanus/house sparrow dung

蚺蛇

Ranshe/pythonmolurus bivittatus/boa

蚺蛇胆

Ranshedan/fel pythonmoluri/boa gall

蚺蛇膏

Ranshegao (fat of Ranshe/pythonmolurus bivittatus/boa)

荛花

Raohua/flos wikstroemiae dolichanthae/flower of longflower stringbush

热汤

Retang/hot water

人参

Renshen/radix ginseng/ginseng

人参芦

Renshenlu/rhizoma ginseng/ginseng rhizome

人尿

Renniao/urina hominis/human urine

人乳

Renru/lac hominis/human milk

人唾津

Rentuojin/human sputum

人香

Renxian

人牙灰

Renyahui (ash of human teeth)

人指甲

Renzhijia/ungis/prepared human nail

忍冬

Rendong/caulis lonicerae/honeysuckle stem

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  449 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

S

Translation

熔盐

Rongyan/halite/halite

肉苁蓉

Roucongrong/herba cistanches/desert-living cistanche

肉豆蔻

Roudoukou/semen myristicae/nutmeg

肉桂

Rougui/cortex cinnamomi/cassia bark

乳酪

Rulao/lac preparatum/junket

乳香

Ruxiang/olibanum/frankincense

乳穴水

Ruxueshui/water from a stalactite cave

蕤核(仁)

Ruihe(ren)/nux prinsepiae/hedge prinsepianut

箬叶灰

Ruoyehui (Ash of Ruoye/folium indocalami tessellati/ chequer-shaped indocalamus leaf)

三白草

Sanbaicao/rhizoma seu herba saururi/rhizome or herb of Chinese lizartail

三棱

Sanleng/rhizoma sparganii/common burred tuber

三七

Sanqi/radix notoginseng/sanchi

桑白皮

Sangbaipi/white mulberry root-bark/cortex mori

桑柴灰

Sangchaihui/carbo mi lignum/ash of white mulberry wood

桑耳

Sang’er/auricularia in mori/jews ear in mulberry

桑花

Sanghua/flos mori/mulberry flower

桑寄生

Sangjisheng/ramulus taxilli/mulberry mistletoe

桑螵蛸

Sangpiaoxiao/ootheca mantidis/egg capsule of mantis

桑葚

Sangshen/fructus mori/mulberry

桑叶

Sangye/folium mori/mulberry leaf

桑枝

Sangzhi/ramulus mori/mulberry twig

沙参

Shashen/radix glehniae/root of coastal glehnia

砂仁

Sharen/fructus amomi/spiny amomum fruit

砂糖

Shatang/sacchari albicans/granulated sugar

莎草

Shacao/herba cyperi/herb of nutgrass galingale

山(芋)头

Shan(yu)tou (head of Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel) (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 449

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

450  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 450

Translation

山矾叶

Shanfanye/folium symplocoris caduatae/leaf of caudate sweetleaf

山木通

Shanmutong/charcoal of wood of Chinese fir

山羊肉

Shanyangrou/caro naemorhedi/goral meat

山药

Shanyao/rhizoma dioscoreae/common yam rhizome

山楂

Shanzha/fructus crataegi/hawthorn fruit

山茱萸

Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit

杉菜

Shancai/lignum seu ramulus cunninghamiae lanceolatae/ heart-wood or twig of Chinese fir

珊瑚

Shanhu/callium/coral

鳝头灰

Shantouhui (ash of head of Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel)

鳝血

Shanxue (blood of Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel)

鳝鱼

Shanyu/monopterus/mud eel

商陆

Shanglu/radix phytolaccae/pokeberry root

商路花

Shangluhua/flos phytolaccae/pokeberry flower

烧酒

Shaojiu/liquor

烧人场上黑土

Shaorenchangshangheitu (black soil from a crematorium)

芍药

Shaoyao/paeonia/poeny

蛇床子

Shechuangzi/frutus cnidii/common cnidium fruit

蛇莓

Shemei/herba duchesneae indicae/herb of Indian mock strawberry

蛇莓汁

Shemeizhi (juice of Shemei/herba duchesneae indicae/ herb of Indian mock strawberry)

蛇皮

Shepi/periostracum serpentis/snake skin

蛇蜕

Shetui/periostracum serpentis/snake slough

社日酒

Sherijiu/sacrificial wine

射干

Shegan/rhizoma belamc ae/rhizome of blackberry lily

麝香

Shexiang/moschus/musk

神草

Shencao

神曲

Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  451 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

升麻

Shengma/rhizoma Cimicifugae/largetrifoliolious bugbane rhizome

生菜

Shengcai/caulis et folium lactucae sativae/stem and leaf of garden lettuce

生葱

Shengcong/herba allii fistolosi recens/fresh fistular onion

生地(黄)

Shengdi(haung)/radix rehmanniae/rehmanniae root

生附子

Shengfuzi/radix aconiti lateralis/daughter root of common monkshood

生姜

Shengjiang/rhizoma zingberis recens/fresh ginger

生金

Shengjin/gold

生麻

Shengma/rhizoma cimicifugae/rhizome of largetrifolious bugbane

生曲

Shenqu/massa medicata fermentata/medicated leaven/ yeast

生铁

Shengtie/ferrum/iron

生银

Shengyin/argentum/natural silver

师实

Shishi/fructus carecis kobomugi/kobomug sedge fruit

虱子

Shizi/adult louse

石蚕

Shican/larva phryganeae japonicae/phrygana larva

石菖蒲

Shichangpu/rhizoma acori graminei/rhizome of grassleaf sweet flag

石胆

Shidan/chalanthitum/chalanthite

石帆

Shifan/skeleton gorgoniae flabelli/coral skeleton

石膏

Shigao/gypsum fibrosum/gypsum

石胡荽

Shihusui/herba centipedae/herb of small centipeda

石斛

Shihu/herba dendrobii/dendrobium

石灰

Shihui/calx/lime

石决明

Shijueming/concha haliotidis/sea-ear shell

石莲子

Shilianzi/semen nelumbinis/lotus seed

石榴皮

Shiliupi/pericarpium granati/pomegranate fruit (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 451

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

452  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 452

Translation

石龙芮

Shilongrui/herba ranunculi scelerati/herb of poisonous buttercup

石绿

Shilv/malachitum/malachite

石蜜

Shimi/sacchari albicans/white sugar

石楠

Shinan/photinia serrulata Lindl./photinia

石青

Shiqing/azuritum/azurite

石首鱼枕

Shishouyuzhen (occipital bone of Shishouyu/sciaenops ocellatus/drum fish)

石韦

Shiwei/folium pyrrosiae/leaf of Japanese felt fern

石蟹

Shixie/fossilia brachyurae/fossil crab

石燕(子)

Shiyan(zi)/fossilia spiriferis/fossil shell of spirifer

(石)钟乳

(Shi)zhongru/stalactium/stalactite

(食)盐

(Shi)yan/sal/salt

食茱萸

Shizhuyu/fructus zanthoxyli aianthoidis/fruit of ailanthuslike prickly ash

柿饼

Shibing/dried persimmon

柿子

Shizi/fructus kaki/fruit of persimmon

守宫

Shougong/gekko/house lizard

守宫粉

Shougongfen (feces of Shougong/gecko/house lizard)

熟地(黄)

Shudi(huang)/radix rehmanniae praeparata/prepared rehmannia root

黍米

Shumi/husked sorghum

蜀椒

Shujiao/pericarpium zanthoxy li/Sichuan pepper

蜀葵根

Shukuigen/radix althaeae roseae/root of hollyhock

蜀漆

Shuqi/caulis et folium dichroae febrifugae/stem or leaf of antifebrile dichroa

鼠胆

Shudan/rat gall

鼠妇

Shufu/armadillidium vulgare/pill bug

鼠肝

Shugan/hepar ratti/rat liver

鼠脑

Shunao/encephalon ratti/rat brain

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  453 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

鼠屎

Shushi/faeces ratti/rat dung

鼠粘子

Shunianzi/fructus arctii/burdock fruit

鼠脂

Shuzhi/adeps ratti/rat fat

薯蓣

Shuyu/rhizoma dioscoreae/rhizome of common yam

水龟

Shuigui/chinemys reevesii/tortoise

水镜

Shuijing/crystal boli/glass

水牛肉

Shuiniurou/caro bulbali/water buffalo meat

水萍

Shuiping/herba spirodelae/duckweed

水芹

Shuiqin/herba oenanthes javanicae/herb of javan waterdropwort

水苏

Shuisu/herba stachydis japonicae/herb of Japanese betony

水仙花

Shuixianhua/daffodil

水银

Shuiyin/hydrargyrum/mercury

水蛭

Shuizhi/hirudo/leech

水竹叶

Shuizhuye/murdannia triguetra(wall.) brucken/herb of triquetrous murdannia

睡菜

Shuicai/herba menyanthis/herb of bogbean

丝瓜

Sigua/fructus luffae/luffa

松

Song/pinus massoniana lamb./pine

松节

Songjie/lignum pini nodi/pine nodular branch

松萝

Songluo/usnea/long usnea filament

松仁

Songren/semen pini/pine seed

松香

Songxiang/colophonium/colophony wine

松叶

Songye/folium pini/pine leaf

松子

Songzi/colophonium/colophony

松子仁

Songziren/semen pini koraiensis/pine nut kernel

菘菜

Songcai/plantula brassicae chinensis/seedling of pakchoi

溲疏

Soushu/fructus deutzia sabre/fruit of scabrous deutzia

苏(方)木

Su(fang)mu/lignum sappan/sappan wood (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 453

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

454  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

T

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 454

Translation

苏子

Suzi/fructus perrillae/perilla fruit

酥

Su/lac obesus preparatum/butter

粟米

Sumi/semen setariae/millet

粟米泔

Sumigan/aqua semen setariae preparatum/millet water

粟米杆

Sumigan/aqua semen setariae preparatum/water in which millet has been washed

酸浆

Suanjiang/calyx seu fructus physalis/franchet groundcherry

酸浆子

Suanjiangzi/semen physalis/franchet groundcherry seed

酸枣

Suanzao/fructus ziziphi spinosae/fruit of spine date

酸枣仁

Suanzaoren/semen ziziphi spinosae/seed of spine date

酸枣叶

Suanzaoye/folium ziziphi spinosae/leaf of spine date

碎骨子

Suiguzi/rhizome of common lophantherum

缩砂(密)

Suosha(mi)/fructus amomi xanthioidis/fruit of cockleburlike amomum

锁阳

Suoyang/herba cynomorii/songaria cynomorium herb

獭胆

Tadan/fel lutrae/common otter gall

獭肉

Tarou/caro lutrae/common otter meat

檀香

Tanxiang/lignum santali albi/sandalwood

桃

Tao/fructus persicae/peach fruit

桃肚虫

Taoduchong/peach moth

桃花

Taohua/flos persicae/peach flower

桃枝

Taozhi/caulis persicae/tender twig of peach

桃皮

Taopi/peach peel

桃仁

Taoren/semen persicae/peach seed

桃叶

Taoye/folium persicae/peach leaf

桃叶汁

Taoyezhi (juice of Taoye/folium persicae/peach leaf)

鹈鹕油

Tihuyou (oil of Tihu/pelecanus roseus/pelican)

醍醐

Tihu/finest cream

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  455 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

醍醐菜

Tihucai/Chinese cabbage

天冬

Tiandong/radix asparagi/asparagus root

天花粉

Tianhuafen/radix trichosanthis/snake-gourd root

天浆子

Tianjiangzi (Queweng/incunabulum cnidocampae flavescentis/oriental moth cocoon)

天麻

Tianma/rhizoma gastrodiae/gastrodia tuber

天门冬

Tianmendong/radix aspagi/root of cochin Chinese asparagus

天名精

Tianmingjing/radix carpesii/root of common carpesium

天南星

Tiannanxing/rhizoma arisaewmatis/jack-in-the-pulpit tuber

天牛

Tianniu/anoplophora seu apriona/citrus trunk borer or brown mullberry borer

天雄

Tianxiong/radix aconiti/common monkshood

天竺黄

Tianzhuhuang/concretio silicea bambusae/tabasheer

田螺

Tianluo/cipangopalundina/river snail

田泥

Tianni/field mud

甜瓜蔓

Tianguaman/muskmelon vine

甜瓜子

Tianguazi/semen melo/muskmelon seed

甜杏仁黄皮

Tianxingrenhuangpi (yellow peel of Tianxingren/semen pruni ameniacae/seed of common apricot)

铁粉

Tiefen/ferrum/iron powder

铁华粉

Tiehuafen/ferrous acetate

铁屑

Tiejing/ferrum/iron powder

葶苈(子)

Tingli(zi)/semen lepidii seu descurainiae/pepperweed seed

通草

Tongcao/medulla tetrapanacis/ricepaper-plant pith

桐花

Tonghua/flos paulowniae/furtune paulowniaflower

桐油

Tongyou/oleum verniciae fordii seminis/seed-oil of tungoil tree (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 455

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

456  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

W

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 456

Translation

铜镜鼻

Tongjingbi/handle of a brass mirror

铜绿

Tonglv/verdigris

铜弩牙

Tongnuya/bronze crossbow

铜青

Tongqing/verdigris

铜匙

Tongshi/copper spoon

童尿

Tongniao/urina hominis/urine of boys

头垢

Tougou/human druff

头骨(天灵盖)

Tougu(Tianlinggai)/top of the skull

头甲

Toujia/squama alligatoris sinensis/scales of Chinese alligator

土拨鼠头骨

Tuboshutougu (head bone of a marmot)

土蜂子

Tufengzi/larva scoliae sinensis/arva of scolia sinensis

土茯苓

Tufuling/rhizoma smilacis glabrae/glabrous greenbrier rhizome

土狗

Tugou (Lougu/grillotalpa/mole cricket)

土瓜根

Tuguagen/radix trichosanthis cucumeroidis/Japanese snakegourd root

土朱

Tuzhu/haematitum/hematite

兔肝

Tugan/jecur cuniculi/rabbit liver

兔脑

Tunao/encephalon cuniculi/rabbit brain

兔肉

Turou/caro cuniculi/rabbit meat

兔屎

Tushi/faeces cuniculi/rabbit dung

兔头骨

Tutougu (head bone of rabbit)

菟丝子

Tusizi/semen cuscutae/dodder seed

驼毛

Tuomao (camel hair)

瓦松

Wasong/herba orostachydis/herb of fimbriate orostachys

腽肭脐

Wanaqi/pensis

王瓜

Wanggua/fructus trichosanthis cucumeroidis/Japanese snakegourd

王瓜根

Wangguagen/radix trichosanthis cucumeroidis/root of japanese snakegourd

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  457 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

王瓜子

Wangguazi/semen trichosanthis cucumeroidis/seed of Japanese snakegourd

威灵仙

Weilingxian/radix clematidis/Chinese clematis root

葳蕤

Weirui/rhizoma polygonati odorati/rhizome of fragrant solomoseal

鮠鱼

Weiyu/leiocassis longirostris gunther/leiocassis longirostris

苇茎

Weijing/phragmitis/reed stem

文蛤

Wenge/concha meretricis seu cyclinae/clam shell

莴苣

Woju/caulis et folium lactucae sativae/stem and leaf of garden lettuce

蜗蠃

Woluo/bellamya/spiral shell

蜗牛

Woniu/eulota/snail

乌骨鸡

Wuguji/gallus domesticus/black-bone chicken

乌喙（附子）

Wuhui (Fuzi)/radix aconiti lateralis preparata/prepared daughter root of common monkshood

乌鸡

Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl

乌鸡胆

Wujidan/gall of black-bone silky fowl

乌鸡肪

Wujifang (fat of Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl)

乌鸡屎

Wujishi (feces of Wuji/gallus domesticus/black-bone silky fowl)

乌金石

Wujinshi/coal

乌桕

Wujiu/folium sapii radices/Chinese tallow tree

乌桕叶

Wujiuye/folium sapii radices/leaf of Chinese tallow tree

乌驴皮

Wulvpi (skin of a black donkey)

乌驴乳

Wulvru (milk of a black donkey)

乌猫屎

Wumaoshi (faeces of a black cat)

乌梅

Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum

乌梅

Wumei/fructus mume/smoked plum (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 457

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

458  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

X

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 458

Translation

乌目汁

Wumuzhi (juice of eye of a thick-billed crow)

乌蛇

Wushe/zaocys/garter snake

乌蛇胆

Wushedan/fel zaocys/black-snake gall

乌头

Wutou/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood

乌头（川乌）

Wutou(Chuanwu)/radix aconite/Sichuan aconite root

乌头末

Wutoumo/radix aconiti kusnezoffii/root of kusnezoff monkshood

乌鸦

Wuya/caro corvi macrophynchi/crow

乌药

Wuyao/radix linderae/root of combined spicebush

乌芋

Wuyu/cornus eleocharis dulcis/waternut corm

乌贼骨

Wuzeigu/os sepiae/cuttlebone

乌贼鱼血

Wuzeiyuxue/blood of cuttlefish

无名异

Wumingyi/pyrolusitum/pyrolusite

芜菁

Wujing/lytta caraganae/blister beetle

吴葵花

Wukuihua/althaea rosea/hollyhock

吴茱萸

Wuzhuyu/fructus evodiae/evodia fruit

蜈蚣

Wugong/scolopendra/centipede

五倍子

Wubeizi/galla chinesis/Chinese nut-gall

五加皮

Wujiapi/cotex acanthopanacis/slenderstyle acanthopanax bark

五灵脂

Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterori/trogopterus dung

五色石脂

Wuseshizhi/halloysitum/halloysite of five colors

五味子

Wuweizi/fructus schisandrae/Chinese magnoliavine fruit

西瓜

Xigua/citrullus vulgaris/watermelon

菥蓂子

Ximizi/semen thlaspis/boor’s mustardseed

犀角

Xijiao/cornu rhinocerotis/rhinoceros horn

锡粉

Xifen/stannum/tin powder

豨莶(草)

Xixian(cao)/herba siegesbeckiae/siegesbeckia herb

蜥蜴

Xiyi/eremias argus/lizard

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  459 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

细辛

Xixin/herba asari/herb of manchurian wild ginger

虾

Xia/macrobrachium/freshwater shrimp

虾汁

Xiazhi/macrobrachium/freshwater shrimp

夏冰

Xiabing/ice preserved to summer

夏枯草

Xiakucao/spica prunellae/common selfheal fruit-spike

仙灵脾

Xianlingpi/herba epimedii/epimedium herb

仙茅

Xianmao/rhizoma curculiginis/rhizome of common curculigo

仙人草汁

Xianrencaozhi/mesona chinensis/Chinese mesona

仙枣子

Xianzaozi/zhongsizao/date

蚬壳

Xianke/concha corbicula/corbicula shell

蚬肉

Xianrou/caro corbiculae/corbicula meat

苋菜

Xiancai/caulis et folium amaranth tricolors/stem and leaf of three-colored amaranth

苋实

Xianshi/semen amaranthi tricoloris/three-coloured amaranth seed

蘘荷根汁

Xianghegenzhi (juice of Xianghegen/radix zingiberis miogae/mioga ginger root)

相思子

Xiangsizi/semen abri precatorii/seed of redbean vine

香附(子)

Xiangfu(zi)/rhizoma cyperi/nutgrass galingale rhizome

香薷

Xiangru/herba elsholtziae/elsholtzia herb

象胆

Xiangdan/elephant gall

象睛

Xiangjing/elephant eye

象牙

Xiangya/dens elephatis/ivory

橡斗壳

Xiangdouke/cupula querci acutissimae/cupule of sawtooth oak

橡实

Xiangshi/fructus querci acutissmae/fruit of sawtooth oak

小檗

Xiaobo/radix berberis/root of amur barberry

小草（细草）

Xiaocao(Xicao)/aulis et folium polygalae/stem or leaf of thinleaf milkwort (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 459

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

460  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 460

Translation

小儿脐带

Xiao’erqidai (umbilical cord of newborn baby)

小茴

Xiaohui/fructus foeniculi/fennel fruit

小蓟

Xiaoji/herba cersii/field thistle

小麦

Xiaomai/semen tritici/wheat

小蒜

Xiaosuan/bulbus allii scorodoprasii/garlic

蝎尾

Xiewei/scorpio/tail of a scorpion

薤白

Xiebai/bulbus allii macrostemi/bulb of longstamen onion

蟹

Xie/eriocheiris sinensis/crab

蟹膏

Xiegao/crab ovary

蟹壳

Xieke/concha eriocheiris sinensis/crab shell

蟹爪

Xiezhao/unquicula eriocheiris sinensis/crab claw

辛夷(花)

Xinyi(hua)/flos magnoliae/biond magnolia flower

新积水

Xinjishui/water just fetched

新桑白皮

Xinsangbaipi/cortex mori/white mulberry root-bark

杏仁

Xingren/semen armenicae amarum/bitter apricot seed

杏仁油

Xingrenyou/semen armeniacae/bitter apricot seed

荇根

Xinggen/radix nymphoides peltatum/edible amaranth

芎藭

Xiongqiong/herba chuanxiong/herb of szechwan lovage

雄黄

Xionghuang/realgar/red orpiment

雄鸡胆

Xiongjidan/cockgall

雄鸡屎

Xiongjishi/faeces gigeriae galli/chicken dung

雄鹊肉

Xiongquerou/caro picae/male magpie meat

雄猪胆

Xiongzhudan/fel si scrofae/gall of a male pig

雄猪肚

Xiongzhudu/ventricullus si scrofae/male pig stomach

熊胆

Xiongdan/fel ursi/bear gall

熊脑

Xiongnao/encephalon ursi/bear brain

续断

Xuduan/radix dipsaci/himalayan teasel root

续随子

Xusuizi/herba euphorbiae lathyris/mole weed herb

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  461 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

萱草

Xuancao/herba hemerocallis/daylily

萱花

Xuanhua/flos calystegiae sepii/flower of hedge glorybind

玄参

Xuanshen/radix scrophulariae/figwort wood

玄胡索(延胡索) Xuanhusuo(Yanhusuo)/rhizoma corydalis/yanhusuo

Y

玄精石

Xuanjingshi/selenitum/selenite

玄石

Xuanshi/black stone

玄芝

Xuanzhi/radix scrophulariae/figwort root

悬钩子

Xuangouzi/fructus rubi corchorifolii/fruit of juteleaf raspberry

旋覆花

Xuanfuhua/flos inulae/inula flower

玄明粉

Xuanmingfen/natrii sulfas exsiccatus/exsiccated sodium sulfate

雪水

Xueshui/snow water

血参

Xueshen

血竭

Xuejie/resina draconis/dragon’s blood

鲟鱼

Xunyu/acipenser sinensis/Chinese sturgeon

庵䕡子

Anlvzi/semen artemisiae keiskeanae

鸭胆

Yadan/fel anatis/duck gall

鸭肉

Yarou/caro anatis/duck meat

鸭跖草

Yazhicao/herba commelinae/common dayflower herb

鸭子

Yazi/ovum anatis/duck egg

延胡索

Yanhusuo/rhizome corydalis/yanhusuo

盐

Yan/sal/salt

盐麸子

Yanfuzi/fructus rhois chinensis/fruit of Chinese sumac

盐卤水

Yanlushui/solutia salis/bittern

盐杨梅

Yanyangmei/fructus myica rubrae/fruit of Chinese waxmyrtle

盐药

Yanyao/medicinal salt (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 461

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

462  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

雁肪

Yanfang/adeps anseris albifrontis/white-fronted goose fat

雁汁

Yazhi/duck juice

焰硝

Yanxiao/sal nitri/niter

燕屎

Yanshi/faeces hirundo dauricae/feces of swallow

燕脂

Yanzhi/rouge

燕脂汁

Yanzhizhi (juice of Yanzhi/rouge)

羊

Yang/capra hircus L./sheep

羊胆

Yangdan/fel caprae seu ovis/sheep gall

羊肚

Yangdu/ventricullus caprae sue ovis/goat or sheep stomach

羊肺

Yangfei/pulmo caprae seu ovis/sheep or goral lung

羊肝

Yanggan/hepar carpae seu ovis/lamb or sheep liver

羊羔

Yanggao/lamb

羊脊骨

Yangjigu/sheep spinal bone

羊筋

Yangjin/ligamentum caprae seu ovis/sheep tendon

羊睛

Yangjing/sheep’s eye

羊胫骨

Yangjinggu/os caprae seu ovis/sheep tibia bone

羊肉

Yangrou/caro caprae seu ovis/mutton

羊乳

Yangru/lac caprae sue ovis/sheep or goral milk

羊肾

Yangshen/ren caprae seu ovis/sheep or goat kidney

羊肾脂

Yangshenzhi/sheep’s kidney oil

羊屎

Yangshi/faeces caprae seu ovis/sheep’s dung

羊蹄

Yangti/radix mumicis japonici/root of Japanese dock

羊心

Yangxin/cor caprae seu ovis/goat or sheep heart

羊汁

Yangzhi/sheep juice

羊踯躅

Yangzhizhu/rhododendron molle/Chinese azalea

阳起石

Yangqishi/actinophorum

杨梅

Yangmei/fructus mica rubrae/fruit of Chinese waxmyrtle

椰子浆

Yezijiang/succus cocois endospermio/endosperm-juice of coconut

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 462

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  463 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

蠮螉

Yeweng/eumenes pomifomis/mud wasp

野狐粪

Yehufen (fox feces)

野狐肝

Yehugan (fox liver)

野狐浆草汁

Yehujiangcaozhi (juice of Yehujiangcao/Tusizi/Heba cuscutae/dodder herb)

野鸭

Yeya/anas platyrhynchos linnaeus/mallard

野猪肉

Yezhurou/caro si scrofae/meat of wild boar

野猪头骨

Yezhutougu (head bone of boar)

夜合花枝

Yehehuazhi (Hehuanpi/cortex albizziae/bark of silktree albizzia)

夜明砂

Yemingsha/faeces vespertilio/bat dung

液雨水

Yeyushui/winter rain

衣鱼

Yiyu/lepisma saccharina/silverfish

饴糖

Yitang/saccharum granorum/malt extract

益母草

Yimucao/fructus leonuri/motherwort fruit

益智(子)

Yizhi(zi)/fructus alpiniae oxyphyllae/fruit of sharpleaf galangal

薏(苡)仁

Yi(yi)ren/semen coicis/job’s-tears seed

薏苡根

Yiyigen/radix coicis/job’s-tears root

茵陈

Yinchen/herba artemisiae scopariae/virgate wormwood herb

银

Yin/srgentum/silver

银箔

Yinbo/frustillatim silveris/silver foil

银膏

Yingao/argentums/silver paste

银屑

Yinxie/argentum/silver filings

银杏

Yinxing/ginkgo/ginkgo biloba L.

银朱

Yinzhu/vermilion

淫羊藿

Yinyanghuo/herba epimedii/epimedium herb

罂粟壳

Yingsuke/pericarpium papaveris/poppy capsule (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 463

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

464  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 464

Translation

鹰睛汁

Yingjingzhi (juice of eye of Cangying/accipiter gentilis/ goshawk)

蘡薁

Yingyu/vitis bryoniifolia bunge/thonberggrape

萤火

Yinghuo/cicindela/firefly

营实

Yingshi/semen rosae multiflorae/seed of Japanese rose

蝇

Ying/fly

油菜

Youcai/rape

莸草

Youcao/herba digitariae/herb of common crabgrass

柚花

Youhua/pummelo flower

柚皮

Youpi/exocarpium citri gr is/pummelo peel

鱼膏

Yugao/fish fat

鱼块

Yukuai/seasoned fresh fish slice

鱼腥草

Yuxingcao/herba houttuyniae/herb of heartleaf houttuynia

鱼鲊

Yuzha/preserved fish

鱼汁

Yuzhi/fish juice

鱼子

Yuzi/fish spawn/fish roe

榆荚仁

Yujiaren/fructus seu semen ulmi pumilae/fruit or seed of siberian elm

禹余粮

Yuyuliang/limonitum/limonite

玉井水

Yujingshui/jade well water

玉泉

Yuquan/jade grains

玉屑

Yuxie/nepherifum/nepherite grains

芋

Yu/taro

郁金

Yujin/radix curcumae/turmeric root tuber

郁李仁

Yuliren/semen pruni/seed of Chinese dwarf cherry

预知子

Yuzhizi/fructus akebiae/akebia fruit

御米

Yumi/poppy seeds

芫花

Yuanhua/flos genkwae/flower bud of lilac daphne

远志

Yuanzhi/radix polygalae/root of thinleaf milkwort

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  465 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Z

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 465

Translation

越砥

Yuedi/grindstone in south China

云母

Yunmu/muscovitum/muscovite

云母粉

Yunmufen/muscovitum/muscovite powder

猪肉

Zhurou/caro si scrofa/pig meat

枣木

Zaomu/wood of date tree

枣皮灰

Zaopihui (Ash of Shanzhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit)

枣肉

Zaorou (pulp of Zao/fructus jujubae/Chinese date)

皂矾

Zaofan/melanteritum/melanterite

皂荚

Zaojia/fructus gleditisiae/fruit of Chinese honeylocust

皂荚木皮

Zaojiamupi/cortex gleditsiae/bark of Chinese honeylocust

皂角

Zaojiao/Chinese honeylocust fruit

皂子

Zaozi/semen gleditsiae/seed of Chinese honeylocust

泽兰

Zelan/herba lycopi/bugleweed herb

泽兰子

Zelanzi/semen lycopi/seed of hirsute shiny bugleweed

泽漆

Zeqi/herba euphorbiae helioscopiae/herb of sun euphorbia

泽泻

Zexie/rhizoma alismatis/rhizome of oriental waterplantain

甑带

Zengdai/rice steamer

蚱蝉

Zhachan/cryptotympana atrata/cicada

獐肉

Zhangrou/caro hydropotis inermis/Chinese river deer meat

柘白皮

Zhebaipi/ctex cudraniae tricuspidatae/tricuspid cudrania bark

柘根

Zhegen/radix cudraniae/root of cochinchina cudrania

柘木灰

Zhemuhui (ash of Zhemu/lignum cudraniae tricuspidatae/ wood of tricuspid cudrania)

蔗汁

Zhezhi/sugarcane juice

鹧鸪

Zhegu/francolinus pintadeanus/Chinese francolin

蟅虫

Zhechong/eupolyphaga seu opisthopatia/female ground beetle (Continued)

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466  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 466

Translation

珍珠

Zhenzhu/margarita/pearl

芝麻花

Zhimahua/sesamum indicum L/sesame flower

芝麻叶

Zhimaye/folium sesami/sesame leaf

知母

Zhimu/rhizoma anemarrhenae/common anemarrhena rhizome

栀子

Zhizi/fructus gardeniae/fruit of cape jasmine

栀子花

Zhizihua/gardenia/cape jasmine flower

蜘蛛

Zhizhu/aranea/spider

枳椇子

Zhijuzi/fructus hoveniae/fruit of japanese raisin tree

枳壳

Zhike/fructus aurantii/bitter orange

枳实

Zhishi/fructus aurantii immaturus/immature orange fruit

炙甘草

Zhigangcao/radix glycyrrhizae preparata/prepared liquorice root

雉

Zhi/phasianus/ring-necked pheasant

雉肉

Zhirou/caro phasiani/ring-necked pheasant meat

钟乳(石)

Zhongru(shi)/stalactitum/stalactite

朱砂

Zhusha/cinnabaris/cinnabar

茱萸

Zhuyu/fructus corni/asiatic cornelian cherry fruit

猪

Zhu/sus scrofa domestica brisson/pig

猪鼻灰

Zhubihui/ash of a pig’s nose

猪胆

Zhudan/fel si scrofae/pig gall

猪胆皮灰

Zhudanpihui/ash of pig gall bladder

猪胆汁

Zhudanzhi/succus fel si scrofae/pig bile

猪肚

Zhudu/ventricullus si scrofae/pig stomach

猪肺

Zhufei/pulmo si scrofa/pig lung

猪肤

Zhufu/cutis si scrofae/pigskin

猪腑

Zhufu/urocystis si scrofae/pig bladder

猪肝

Zhugan/hepar si scrofae/pig liver

猪脊骨

Zhujigu (pig’s spinal bone)

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  467 (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

猪脊髓

Zhujisui/swine spinal cord

猪苓

Zhuling/polyporus/chuling

猪皮

Zhupi/pig spleen

猪乳

Zhuru (milk of a pig)

猪肾

Zhushen/pig’s kidneys

猪心

Zhuxin/cor si sorfae/pig heart

猪心血

Zhuxinxue/haemae si scrofae/pig heart blood

猪悬蹄

Zhuti/unquis si scrofae/pig trotters

猪血

Zhuxue/haemae si scrofae/pig blood

猪胰

Zhuyi/pancrenas si scrofae/pig pancreas

猪脂

Zhuzhi/adeps si scrofae/pig fat

竹

Zhu/lophatherum gracile brongn/bamboo

竹沥

Zhuli/succus bambusae/bamboo juice

竹茹

Zhuru/caulis bambusae in taeniae/bamboo shavings

竹笋

Zhusun/bamboo shoot

竹叶

Zhuye/folium bambusae/bamboo leaf

逐折

Zhuzhe (Houpozi/fructus seu semen magnolia officinalis/ officinal magnolia fruit seed)

苎麻根

Zhumagen/radix boehmeriae/root of ramie

梓白皮

Zibaipi/cortex catalpae ovatae radicis/ovate catalpa root-bark

紫贝

Zibei/concha erosariae/erosaria caputerpentis shell

紫参

Zishen/herba salviae chinesnsis/Chinese sage herb

紫河车

Ziheche/placenta hominis/dried human placenta

紫花地丁

Zihuadiding/herba violae/tokyo violet herb

紫金牛

Zijinniu/caulis et folium ardisiae japonicae/stem or leaf of Japanese ardisia

紫荆皮

Zijingpi/cortex cercis chinensis/bark of Chinese redbud

紫石英

Zishiying/fluoritum/fluorite

紫苏

Zisu/herba perillae/perilla herb (Continued)

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 467

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b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works 9”x6”

468  Appendix II (Continued) Chinese Phonetic Alphabet Chinese Name

Translation

紫苏梗

Zisugeng/caulis perillae/perilla stem

紫苏子

Zisuzi/fructus perillae/perilla fruit

紫菀

Ziwan/radix asteris/tatarian aster root

紫葳

Ziwei/flos campsis gr iflorae/flower of Chinese trumpetcreeper

自然铜

Zirantong/pyritum/pyrite

棕板

Zongban/petiolus trachycarpi/petiole of fortune windmillpalm

棕灰

Zonghui/petiolus trachycarpi carbonisatus/charred petiole of fortune windmillpalm

醉鱼花

Zuiyuhua/flos buddlejae lindleyanae/flower of lindley butterflybush

左缠根

Zuochangen/radix lonicerae/honeysuckle root

2.  Chinese Patent Drugs: Chinese Phonetic Alphabet B

D

Chinese Name

Translation

半夏汤

Banxia Decotion

白果定喘汤

Baiguo Dingchuan Tang (Decoction of Baiguo to treat asthma)

地黄丸

Dihuang Pills

大承气汤

Dacheng Qi Decoction Diaotan Pill

F G

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 468

人参汤

Decoction of Renshen

附子汤

Fuzi Decoction

糯米汤

glutinous rice soup

桂枝汤

Guizhi Decoction (Cassia-twig Decotion)

干姜附子汤

Decoction of dried ginger and Fuzi

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9”x6”

b4305   Selected Reading of Li Shizhen’s Medical Works

TCM Drugs and Chinese Patent Drugs  469 Chinese Phonetic Alphabet

Chinese Name

Translation

H

红参丹

Hongsheng Dan (Red Powder)

L

蜡贵巴豆丸

Lagui Badou Pill

硫磺津液丹

Liuhiang Jinye Dan (Pills of Sulfur)

麻黄汤

Mahuang Decoction (Ephedra Decotion)

M

Muntangli Decotion P

脾胃散

Pingwei San (Powder for regulating the function of stomach)

Q

铅粉

Qianfen/lead powder

R

清暑益气汤

Qingshu Yiqi Decoction (Decoction of Eliminating Summer-heat and Replenishing qi)

人参白虎汤

Rensheng Baihu Decoctiom

T

葶苈散

Tingli powder

X

小续命汤

Xiaoxuming Decoction

香肉汤

Xiangrou Decoction

云南白药

Yunnan Baiyao

鸭掌散

Yazhang San (powder of duck web)

Y

b4305_Appendix-II.indd 469

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