Library

Yingsu Mi (Poppy Seed), its flowers have double-petaled varieties, with colors including red, white, purple, and black. One plant contains tens of millions of seeds; the seeds are fine like *Semen Lepidii* / *Semen Descurainiae* (Tingli Zi) and white in color. They taste sweet, are cold in nature, and moisten dryness. Their main functions are to detoxify, direct Qi downward, harmonize the middle jiao, move wind-qi, expel pathogenic heat, treat regurgitation (fanwei), remove phlegm stagnation in the chest, alleviate symptoms triggered by mineral drugs (danshi) that prevent eating, and when boiled with bamboo sap (zhuli) to make porridge, they are extremely delicious.

Su Qiao (Poppy Husk) tastes sour and astringent; it is slightly warm and non-toxic. Due to its sour and astringent properties which promote consolidation, it is frequently used to treat cough, diarrhea, dysentery, rectal prolapse, and seminal emission. However, if cough is caused by wind-cold or unresolved phlegm-fire, diarrhea/dysentery is due to retained food stagnation, or seminal emission results from damp-heat flowing downward, mistaken use will worsen the condition, potentially turning it into dysentery.

Afulou (Opium) is the juice/sap of the Yingsu flower. When the Yingsu forms green buds, prick the outer green skin with a large needle in the afternoon, making three to five punctures, being careful not to damage the inner hard skin. The next morning, the sap exudes; scrape it off with a bamboo knife and place it in a porcelain vessel to dry in the shade. Its odor and flavor are similar to Su Qiao but more sour and astringent, thus its antidiarrheal effect is even stronger. During the stage of pustule formation in smallpox (douchuang), if diarrhea persists uncontrollably, using 0.15g to 0.3g (five li to one fen) ensures recovery. In recent times, some use it as an ingredient in sexual enhancement formulas, exploiting its astringent and semen-consolidating properties.

Yingsu Mi (Poppy Seed), also known as Yu Mi, mainly treats thick phlegm stagnation in the chest and diaphragm, choking sensations, and regurgitation. It should not be used in excess, as it can disturb Qi and affect the bladder. Su Qiao must have its fibrous membranes removed completely; honey-fried or vinegar-processed, it possesses the ability to consolidate the intestines and astringe the lungs due to its astringent nature, serving as a key herb for chronic diarrhea and deficiency-type coughs. It is also applicable for seminal emission and rectal prolapse. However, in cases of damp-heat or damp dysentery, it must not be mistakenly added, otherwise it can be fatal ("kill like a sword").

Its efficacy is similar to Xiao Mai (Wheat Sprout/Flower), but its nature is more neutral, cool, slippery, and greasy. It benefits Qi, tonifies the middle, solidifies the five zang organs, enriches the stomach and intestines, and is no inferior to Jing Mi (Rice). Chen Shiliang stated: It tonifies deficiency and weakness, strengthens blood vessels, aids digestion of grains, stops diarrhea, and does not stir up wind qi. Long-term consumption makes the body plump and white, smooths the skin, and when made into flour, lacks dryness-heat, surpassing wheat. Su Tai stated: It harmonizes the stomach, stops thirst, aids digestion, and treats distension.

Mai Ya (Malt/Sprouted Barley) is produced by soaking barley in water until it sprouts. It tastes salty, is warm in nature, and non-toxic. Its functions are similar to rice, but its digestive power is stronger. Salty flavors can soften hardness, and warm nature promotes circulation. Its generating qi assists stomach qi in ascending, moves yang pathways, and supports healthy transformation. Therefore, it opens the appetite, tonifies the spleen, digests food and fluids, and treats all types of retained food and cold qi causing heart and abdominal fullness. It warms the middle, directs Qi downward, relieves irritability, stops cholera-like vomiting/diarrhea, resolves phlegm, and breaks nodules. Wang Haogu stated: Mai Ya and Shen Qu are suitable for people with deficient stomach qi. They replace the spleen/stomach (Wu-Ji) in rotting and ripening food; "using grain to digest grain" follows the principle of similarity, without the harsh purging action, making them suitable for those with weak stomachs and food retention. All these categories focus on strengthening the spleen and stomach and transforming food and fluids, suggesting long-term consumption is beneficial. However, one must understand that steaming and fermenting food requires strong true fire beneath the spleen/stomach; only then does moist qi generate, water essence spreads upward, and waste flows downward, with the finest essence returning to the kidney to warm it. If one merely retains the image of the grain husk, waste remains while essence is lost. Moreover, Mai Ya can break nodules, eliminate congestion/lactation issues, relieve abdominal distension, break cold qi, and induce abortion. While it may have slight merit for the stomach's yang aspect, it causes significant damage to the kidney's yin aspect. As a drug that softens hardness and reduces accumulation, how can it be taken regularly?

Da Mai (Barley) tastes salty, has a neutral qi, and is slightly cold, so it can be consumed for a long time. It benefits Qi, harmonizes the middle, stops thirst and eliminates heat, solidifies the stomach and intestines, and tonifies deficiency. Its sprouts are especially effective at resolving food stagnation and dissipating phlegm. Pregnant women should avoid it, fearing abortion. Those with primordial deficiency should use less decoction to prevent consuming kidney water. Lizhai used Mai Ya to treat women whose breasts swelled and threatened to become abscesses after losing a child; using 30-60g of fried Mai Ya, decocted and drunk, resolved the swelling immediately, demonstrating its ability to break Qi and blood. Thus, Danxi said: Mai Ya consumes the kidney; *Liang Fang* said: Shen Qu is good at inducing abortion. From this, the consuming power of these two herbs is evident.

Main Indications (Integrating Smallpox): Mai Ya is not primarily for digesting food and strengthening the spleen, but for treating weak stomach, indigestion, abdominal fullness, and failure of smallpox lesions to erupt. This is a gentle, royal-method formula. If applied correctly, it causes no harm.

Commentary: Wheat species tend to be sticky. Soaking in water to sprout clears the qi slightly, but the nature is not fully transformed. Stir-frying until scorched enhances its efficacy. It specifically resolves accumulations of the five grains, similar to how Shan Zha resolves meat accumulations. However, ancients spoke of "consuming the kidney" because it attacks the stomach. The *Classic* states: The stomach is the sea of food and fluid, transforming Ying and Wei to nourish the Zong Jin (tendons). It also says: Yin and Yang converge at the Zong Jin, with the Yangming channel as their leader; thus, stomach injury leads to impotence. Li Shizhen said: It resolves accumulation if present; if absent, it consumes Yuan Qi. Even regarding mild attacking herbs like Mai Ya, ancient sages gave earnest warnings. How much more so for harsh drugs like Xiao Huang (Mirabilite and Rhubarb)? Only take such medicine when the disease exists, so the medicine serves the disease. Do not delay or hesitate, lest minor issues develop into major crises.