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[Jiegeng (Platycodon Root)]
Taste: Pungent, Bitter, Sweet. Nature: Neutral, slightly warm. Non-toxic. Enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian, and also enters the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. The flavor is strong but the aroma is light; it belongs to Yang within Yin and has an ascending action.

Jiegeng enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. It primarily treats malignant qi invasion and insect poison, wind-heat causing panting and urgency, opens the chest and diaphragm, and benefits the Lung Meridian. It removes stagnation of Qi in the Upper Jiao, clears the head and eyes, resolves various wind pathogens, disperses cold evil from the muscle surface, drives away stabbing pain under the ribs, unblocks nasal obstruction, treats sore throat and swelling, with miraculous efficacy; expels Lung heat to treat cough and descends phlegm-saliva; treats Lung Abscess by draining pus and nourishing new blood; still eliminates anger, especially repels palpitations, resolves pediatric convulsions and epilepsy, and lifts the Qi and Blood of men. Furthermore, when used together with Gancao (Licorice Root, referred to as "Guolao"), it acts as a "boat and oar" agent, carrying other herbs so they do not sink downwards; it guides Dahuang (Rhubarb Root, referred to as "Jiangjun") upwards, just like iron or stone thrown into a river cannot float without a boat and oars.

Indications (Integrated with Smallpox/Rash Diseases): Treats smallpox heat toxin, sore throat and swelling, widens the chest and diaphragm to resolve stagnant Qi, regulates cough, nasal congestion, and phlegm-saliva, harmonizes Qi and promotes expulsion of toxins, treats abdominal fullness and borborygmi, abdominal pain due to Lung Qi stagnation in the Large Intestine, dry cough due to Phlegm-Fire stagnation in the Lung, lifts Qi and Blood, carries medicines upward, benefits the throat and promotes eruption of rashes, supports the interior and drains pus.

Commentary: Jiegeng can both guide various medicines upward and descend Qi because it enters the Lung. When Lung Metal is in command, turbid Qi naturally descends. Ancients used it in conditions involving lifting Qi and Blood, as well as in various stagnation syndromes such as Phlegm-Fire dysentery, based on this same principle. If the disease does not belong to the Lung system, using it is of no benefit. In cases where pathological Qi rebels and rises upward, one must not indiscriminately add it.

[Baishao (White Peony Root)]
It inherits the Yin energy of Heaven and Earth, obtains the Qi of Jia Wood. Taste: Bitter, Sour. Nature: Neutral, slightly cold. Non-toxic. The aroma is thin but the taste is strong; it is Yin and has a descending action. Sour and cold, obtaining the Qi of wood flowers, its color is white combining with Metal Qi. It serves as a guiding herb for the Hand and Foot Taiyin Meridians, entering the Liver and the Blood aspect of the Spleen. There are two types: White Baishao tonifies, while Red Shaoyao purges; White Baishao astringes, while Red Shaoyao disperses. For herbs entering the Spleen and Stomach, stir-fry with wine; for herbs nourishing Blood, stir-fry with honey water; for herbs calming the Liver, use raw.

Baishao specifically enters the Blood aspect of the Spleen Meridian. It can purge Fire-Evil of the Liver, tonify deficiency and reduce fever, eliminate vexation and benefit Qi, purge the Liver and calm the Spleen, brighten the eyes and stabilize the fetus, gather Stomach Qi, and astringe Yin Qi. It treats epigastric fullness and flank pain, gathers Lung Qi and stops sweating, suppresses Liver Evil and moderates internal tension, treats rhinorrhea or epistaxis caused by Taiyang channel involvement, dry eyes due to insufficient Liver Blood, disorders of the Yang Wei Vessel characterized by persistent alternating chills and fever, disorders of the Dai Vessel characterized by abdominal pain and fullness, and a sensation of sitting in water in the loins. It treats all blood-related disorders in women before and after childbirth, harmonizes the blood, treats abdominal pain and bloody dysentery due to Heat-Blood or Blood Deficiency, and consolidates the Cou Li (skin and pores). Baizhu tonifies Spleen Yang, while Baishao tonifies Spleen Yin. Used together with Renshen, it benefits Qi; used with Chuanxiong, it purges the Liver and treats dysentery. In spring, when abdominal pain occurs, the dosage should be doubled because it harmonizes Blood, extends Liver function, supports the Spleen, purges Wood within Earth, collects body fluids to benefit Ying Blood, gathers Yin Qi, and purges pathogenic Heat. For postpartum patients and those with Blood Deficiency and Cold, as well as for abdominal pain in winter, caution is advised to avoid damaging the vital generating Qi with its sour-cold nature. However, if assisted by Shengjiang (Fresh Ginger) and Rougui (Cinnamon Bark), and processed with wine stir-frying, applied appropriately, why adhere rigidly to fixed formulas? If abdominal pain is not due to Blood and Qi issues, it must not be misused, as most abdominal pains are suitable for pungent dispersion, whereas Baishao is sour and astringent. Red Shaoyao specifically moves bad blood and benefits the Small Intestine.

Indications (Integrated with Smallpox/Rash Diseases): Nourishes Yin and retreats Yang, strengthens the Spleen and supplements the exterior, stops abdominal surging and collects Yin, nourishes and harmonizes Blood, cools Blood and astringes Blood. For any rash where blood scatters and fails to consolidate, or ulcers that remain moist and fail to close, reliance is placed on its astringent properties. Use sparingly in the first seven days; only use wine-stir-fried after the seventh day. If hand and foot lesions fail to erupt, become itchy, or collapse, this indicates Spleen Deficiency; Gui Zhi Decoction should be soaked in wine and stir-fried for use. Contraindicated in cases of Spleen Cold and weak Liver pulse.

Commentary: Baishao is astringent and descending, following the command of Autumn Metal. Although it is not as cold as Huangqin (Scutellaria Root) and Lianhua (Lotus Seed Plumule/often refers to Coptis in context of cold herbs, here likely implying Coptis/Huanglian given the pairing), Kou Zongshi stated: Reduce Baishao in winter to avoid middle-jiao cold. Danxi stated: Do not use Baishao immediately after childbirth, fearing its sour-cold nature will damage the life-generating Qi. Generally, the cold nature of medicines carries a killing/purging energy, violating the mechanism of growth. Even for mildly cold herbs like Baishao, ancients earnestly warned against misuse. How much more so for greatly bitter and cold medicines, which should never be used recklessly without caution! Why do modern practitioners, when using Baishao, rigidly adhere to the words of predecessors, trembling with fear during postpartum periods and winter months, yet view Huangqin, Huanglian, and Zhizi (Gardenia Fruit) as ordinary essential medicines? Whenever fever occurs, regardless of excess or deficiency, they administer these drugs, often causing harm. Whenever encountering deficient Yang floating due to weak roots, they allow cold-cooling herbs to destroy vitality, truly unjust!