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Bai Xian (Xanthium Strumarium) inherits the clear, dry, yin, and cold qi of heaven and earth. Its taste is bitter and salty, its nature is cold, and it is non-toxic. It enters the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian and Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, and also connects with the Hand-Taiyin Small Intestine Meridian. Bitterness can drain heat, coldness can eliminate heat, and saltiness can moisten and direct downward; therefore, it treats damp-heat and various disorders of the lower body.

Bai Xian, also known as Bai Yang Xian, primarily treats tendon spasms and necrotic muscle tissue, resolves damp-heat toxic sores, generalized jaundice, wet bi-syndrome (painful obstruction due to dampness), enabling flexion and extension of hands and feet, leprosy, toxic wind sores, loss of eyebrows and hair, female genital swelling, postpartum residual pain, pediatric convulsions and epilepsy, dribbling urination, cough with counterflow qi, intermittent fever and mania, and polydipsia. Decoction is especially suitable. For treating Shu Lou (scrofula/lymph node tuberculosis) with pus, boiling Bai Xian Pi (bark) into a plaster allows pus to be expelled for cure. For chronic lung deficiency cough, using Bai Xian Pi Tang (White Xanthium Peel Decoction) leads to recovery upon ingestion.

Gou Ji (Cibotium Barometz) inherits the rushing yang qi from the earth and is influenced by the yang qi of heaven. Thus, its taste is bitter and sweet, its nature is neutral and slightly warm, and it is non-toxic. Bitterness can dry heat, sweetness can nourish blood, and warmth can support qi; it is a tonifying yet moving herb. It enters the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Since the Kidney governs bones, it treats all bone and joint disorders. Gou Ji is named after its shape, while its alias Fu Jin (Supporting Tendon) is named after its efficacy.

Gou Ji is incompatible with Ku Gu Cao (Patrinia Scabiosifolia). It strengthens tendons and bones via Bi Xie (Dioscorea Hypoglauca), tonifies the kidney and dispels dampness, treating stiffness and pain in the waist and back, joint instability, weakness of the waist and knees, tendon and bone injuries, internal injury and imbalance in women, urinary incontinence in the elderly, and general bi-syndrome due to cold-dampness, all of which can be cured. It is contraindicated for those with kidney deficiency accompanied by heat, difficult urination, bitter taste in the mouth, and dry tongue.

Jing San Leng (Sparganii Rhizoma) inherits the qi of fire and earth. Its taste is bitter, sweet, and pungent, its nature is neutral, and it is non-toxic. It enters the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian and Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. When combined with blood-invigorating herbs, it treats blood disorders; when combined with qi-regulating herbs, it treats qi disorders. Bitterness drains, pungency disperses, and sweetness harmonizes, directing action to the Spleen. Blood belongs to yin and has form; thus, it treats all solid accumulations caused by stagnation and coagulation that have taken physical form. It should not be used by those with deficient true qi.

Jing San Leng eliminates Zheng Jia (abdominal masses) and stagnant pain, addressing all blood stasis clumps. It is an qi-regulating herb within the blood category. It specifically unblocks accumulated blood and stagnant qi in the Liver Meridian. It is best used after soaking in vinegar and stir-frying.

Note: In the past, a patient died of Pi Ji (abdominal mass). His dying wish was to open his abdomen, where a stone-like mass was found, displaying five colors in its texture, which was carved into a knife handle. Later, when San Leng grass was cut, it suddenly turned into water. This revealed its miraculous efficacy in treating Pi Ji masses. Peng Zhu (Curcuma Zedoaria) breaks blood within qi, while San Leng breaks qi within blood. Their main indications are similar, but their focus on qi versus blood differs slightly. Li Dongyuan used these two herbs together with Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) to support healthy qi, ensuring success without causing excessive depletion. If used alone as harsh draining agents, stomach qi would become further deficient and unable to circulate, causing the accumulation to increase instead.