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This is Xanthium fruit (Cang'erzi, 苍耳). It absorbs the central and rushing Qi of the earth and simultaneously inherits the spring Qi of heaven; therefore, its taste is bitter and sweet, its nature is warm, and it is non-toxic. The leaves are bitter and pungent in taste, slightly cold in nature, and have slight toxicity.

Xanthium fruit (Ershi, 耳实) dissipates sores, tinea, and fine eruptions all over the body, producing immediate effects for generalized pruritus (soreness and itching); it expels wind-dampness causing general bi-syndrome (painful obstruction), demonstrating special merit in treating spasmodic stiffness of the four limbs; it stops headache, effectively unblocks the Baihui point (top of the head), pursues wind-toxin residing in the bone marrow, kills scabies mites and damp-toxins, and governs foul flesh and necrotic muscle; drinking the crushed juice treats swellings with miraculous efficacy; fumigating with decoction treats various hemorrhoids with immediate effect; it benefits Qi, opens orifices to improve hearing and vision, strengthens willpower, and warms the waist and knees. Its bitterness dries dampness, its sweetness harmonizes blood, and its warmth promotes circulation, making it a holy medicine for expelling wind and removing dampness. When paired with Liu Shen Qu (Six Divine Fermented Rice Pill), it addresses the fundamental image of wind.

Ba Qian (White Anterion Root) senses the Qi of Autumn Metal; thus, its taste is bitter and pungent, its nature is neutral and slightly warm, and it is non-toxic. It enters the Hand and Foot Yangming meridians. Bitterness can drain downward, pungency can disperse outward, and slight warmth can promote free flow; therefore, it governs cold-heat alternating pathogens, wind-bi syndrome with joint pain caused by alternating cold and warmth, diarrhea, and dysuria due to water metabolism disorders. Its properties can dispel wind and remove dampness; whether the condition is new or chronic, or involves generalized spasmodic stiffness, it can dry dampness. It is an essential herb for clearing heat, eliminating intestinal wind, draining blood, nourishing blood, and enriching tendons.

Qin Jiao (Gentiana Macrophylla Root) nourishes blood and relaxes tendons, removes wind-bi, and unifies limb joints; it promotes urination and bowel movements, disperses jaundice manifesting as whole-body yellowing like gold, removes head wind, resolves alcohol toxicity, stops intestinal wind bleeding, and eliminates bone-steaming consumption and infectious wasting diseases. Its nature nourishes blood and dispels wind, enters the Stomach meridian to remove damp-heat. Thus, spasmodic bi-syndromes are caused by wind; jaundice with urinary difficulty is caused by damp-heat. Qin Jiao is a moistening agent among wind-dispelling herbs; however, it should not be taken by those with lower jiao deficiency-cold and urinary incontinence.

Commentary: Qin Jiao is a moistening agent among wind-dispelling herbs and a tonifying agent among dispersing herbs; hence, it has merit in nourishing blood. It is frequently used in stroke treatment to exploit its ability to dispel wind, activate collaterals, nourish blood, and relax tendons. This is based on the principle that treating wind requires first treating blood; when blood flows, wind extinguishes itself.

Qing Xi Zi (Celosia Seed) tastes bitter and cold and enters the Liver meridian.

Qing Xi Zi is primarily used in ophthalmology to eliminate liver heat-toxin rushing upward, causing blindness (Qingmang, 青盲) and corneal opacity/swelling; it clears sudden outbreaks of heart fire pathogen, red barriers, and blurred vision.

Bai Qian (White Anterion Root) is white in color, shaped similarly to Bai Wei (Cynanchum Atratum Root) or Niu Xi (Achyranthes Root), but is brittle, white, and easily broken, unlike Bai Wei which can bend without breaking. It senses autumn Qi and receives the central-rushing flavor of the earth; its taste is sweet and pungent, its qi is slightly warm (some say slightly cold), non-toxic, belonging to yin within yang, and descending in action. It is an essential herb entering the Hand Taiyin Lung meridian. Sweetness can moderate tension, pungency can disperse, and warmth can direct downward; therefore, it excels at directing Qi downward, treating rebellious Qi cough, damp-phlegm retention, fluid retention causing shortness of breath, water-dampness retention causing heaviness and distension, inability to lie down day or night leaning against the wall, and throat sounds resembling a water chicken (rales/wheezing), showing divine efficacy.

Bai Qian resembles Niu Xi in shape, being thick, long, firm, brittle, and easily broken. It mainly treats cough and rebellious Qi, capable of descending Qi and driving away rebellious Qi in the chest and hypochondrium. It demonstrates special merit for Qi stagnation in the diaphragm causing inability to sleep supine; it produces immediate effects for Qi rushing to the throat causing labored breathing; and it treats throat discomfort due to cold-Qi with frequent "water chicken" sounds, leading to recovery upon administration.