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Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng): Its taste is bitter with a slight sweetness, and its nature is neutral (most authorities state it is warm, yet when taken alone in powder form by the qian, no one feels warmth). It excels at resolving blood stasis and also excels at stopping abnormal bleeding, making it a key herb for treating hematemesis (vomiting blood) and epistaxis (nosebleed). After recovery, it prevents blood stasis from lingering in the meridians, thereby avoiding transformation into consumptive disease (Xu Lao) (When drugs are used to forcibly stop bleeding, blood stasis often remains in the meridians, forming Blood Bi and Xu Lao). It also treats bleeding from both bowels and bladder, uterine bleeding (Xue Beng), and bright red blood in dysentery (should be used together with Ya Dan Zi) that persists for a long time without healing. The intestines rot and ulcerate; the discharged dysenteric stool is purple, fishy, and foul-smelling, mixed with fatty membranes. This indicates intestinal rotting about to perforate (Sanqi can resolve decay and generate new tissue, thus it is used to treat this condition). Because it excels at resolving blood stasis, it also effectively treats abdominal masses (Zhen Jia) and amenorrhea in women. It resolves blood stasis without damaging new blood, truly being a wonderful product for regulating blood. Externally, it excels at treating metal wounds; applying its powder to the wound stops bleeding and relieves pain immediately, promoting healing. For bruises and traumatic injuries where pain extends internally to the zang-fu organs and meridians, both external application and internal administration yield especially rapid results. For early-stage sores and ulcers presenting with swelling and pain, application can dissipate them (should be mixed in equal parts with Dahuang powder and applied with vinegar).

The "Bencao Bei Yao" mentions a recently introduced herb: leaves resemble Chrysanthemum mugwort but are stronger, denser, and have forked tips; stems have reddish ridges; flowers bloom in summer and autumn, with stamens like golden silk, coiled and lovely; however, it has no fragrance. The root is small like Arctii Fructus (Niu Bang Zi), tastes sweet, and propagates easily. It is claimed to be Sanqi and is very effective for treating metal wounds and fractures with bleeding. This is actually Liu Ji Nu (Artemisiae Annuae Herba), not Sanqi.

The nature of Sanqi, being able to both transform blood and stop bleeding, causes people to doubt it. However, there is solid evidence. For example, in cases of broken skin with bleeding, applying Sanqi powder stops the blood immediately; this demonstrates its ability to stop bleeding. The blood that has already flowed out of the wound turns into yellow fluid upon contact with Sanqi; this demonstrates its ability to transform blood.

[Attached Case 1] A boy surnamed Gao in this county, aged fourteen or fifteen, suffered severe hematemesis. Medical treatment for ten days was ineffective, and the condition became critical. In haste, someone was sent to ask for a prescription. He was instructed to take only Sanqi powder, one liang, divided into three doses. After finishing the dose on the same day, the bleeding stopped immediately.

A woman surnamed Huang in this village, over forty years old, suffered continuous bleeding during menstruation. At that time, I was just coming of age. Living nearby, I was invited to examine her. Prescriptions commonly used for treating uterine bleeding were ineffective, and the condition gradually approached a critical state. Later, an old doctor from the neighboring village, Gao XX, was invited. He prescribed a formula from Fu Qing Zhu's Nv Ke (Fu Qing Zhu's Gynecology) for treating uterine bleeding in elderly women. One dose resulted in a cure. The formula consisted of Huang Qi (Astragali Radix) and Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), each one liang, and fourteen leaves of Sang Ye (Mori Folium), decocted in water to administer three qian of fine Sanqi powder. Later, I used this formula to treat young women with uterine bleeding with good effect. However, if the patient feels heat in the heart or the pulse indicates heat, one should add Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) one liang.

A young man surnamed Wang in Fengtian, who had a history of hematemesis, had not vomited blood for two months after medical regulation. However, he felt stifled in the chest, feverish, and experienced occasional pain, along with poor appetite. I knew this was due to doctors using drugs to forcibly stop bleeding during previous episodes, causing blood stasis to remain as a pathology. I prescribed a formula containing herbs to nourish yin, tonify blood, strengthen the stomach, and promote qi movement. The decoction was used to administer two qian of fine Sanqi powder. The second decoction also included two qian of Sanqi powder. After four doses, he vomited blood again, mostly dark purple. However, after vomiting, the stifling heat and pain decreased. Recognizing this as a favorable sign, I continued with the previous prescription. After several more doses, he vomited blood once more, and the illness was completely cured thereafter. This sufficiently proves the efficacy of Sanqi in resolving blood stasis.

In late May of the Yichou year, a square of gauze was pasted on my bedroom window to allow air circulation, covered by curtains at night. One night, feeling very hot, I did not lower the curtains. I slept directly facing the window. Upon waking, I felt a cool breeze blowing against my right cheek, as I had been sleeping on my left side. By afternoon, my right cheek swelled and hurt. Knowing it was caused by wind invasion, I urgently took aspirin to induce sweating. Although sweat came out thoroughly, the swelling and pain remained. By the next morning, the condition worsened. Pressing the area revealed significant swelling extending to the gum, accompanied by a sensation of heat in the heart. Consequently, I continuously took several doses of drugs to clear fire, disperse wind, invigorate blood, and reduce swelling. The heat in the heart subsided, but the swelling and pain did not decrease significantly. Touching the skin revealed intense heat. I then repeatedly applied fine Dahuang powder mixed with vinegar to the area. Initially, it seemed to provide slight relief. Half a day later, it was still ineffective, and the area began to feel cold-sensitive. I then used a towel soaked in hot water to apply heat (ironing/warming). This provided some relief. Repeated warming helped further, but eventually became ineffective. I reasoned that before the wind invasion, the head and face felt hot. Sudden exposure to cool wind caused the cool and hot energies to condense and not dissipate. Since both cool and hot elements were present, feeling cool when matched with heat brought relief, and feeling hot when matched with cool also brought relief. However, qi condensation leads to blood stagnation, swelling, and pain. If untreated for long, it will suppurate. I therefore treated it aggressively with Shan Jia (Manis Squama), Zao Ci (Gleditsiae Spina), Ru Xiang (Boswelliae Resina), Mo Yao (Myrrhae Resina), Fen Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparatum), and Lian Qiao (Forsythiae Fructus). Two doses yielded no effect. Gradually, the pain became bone-deep, preventing sleep. After much deliberation, I suddenly realized that external application of Sanqi excels at stopping pain from metal wounds because it resolves blood stasis. If taken internally, it should also rapidly resolve accumulated blood stasis to relieve pain. I urgently took two qian of fine Sanqi powder. Within minutes, the pain lessened. Over an hour later, the pain reduced by half. I took it twice more that day. By the next morning, the pain was gone, and the swelling had subsided. I continued taking it for two more days, three times daily, until the swelling disappeared completely without residue.

In late March of the Bingyin year, my cousin Liu XX developed a swelling at the Huantiao point (GB30) on his right leg, palm-sized, slightly hard to touch, with unchanged skin color. Subsequently, he gradually felt bone pain in the swollen area, worsening daily. When I examined him, three months had passed. I considered that this location corresponds to the bone fissure. The sensation of bone pain must be due to blood stasis in the bone fissure. I instructed him to take three qian of fine Sanqi powder daily, divided into two doses. By the third day, the bone pain ceased. After taking it for several more days, the outer skin turned red and began to rot. A few days later, the top of the sore spontaneously ruptured, discharging pus. I then switched to Sheng Huang Qi (Astragali Radix) and Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthis Radix), each six qian; Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) and Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), each three qian; Ru Xiang (Boswelliae Resina) and Mo Yao (Myrrhae Resina), each one qian. After taking more than ten doses, the sore generated flesh from within, expelled pus outward, formed a scab, and healed. Note: If this sore had not used Sanqi to expel the toxicity from the bone, the bone pain would not have ceased, the sore toxicity might have sunk inward, or it could have become Gu Gu Ju (osteomyelitis), an incurable condition. Thanks to the use of Sanqi, not only was the bone toxicity expelled, but the sore toxicity was also resolved, leading to rapid suppuration (if taken early, Sanqi could even prevent suppuration and cause spontaneous resolution). How miraculous is Sanqi in treating sores! I then realized that when my right cheek swelled and hurt, the swelling and pain were connected to the bone. Had I not taken Sanqi to expel the toxicity, it would undoubtedly have become Gu Cao Feng (periodontal abscess/osteoperiostitis). From this, I know that for any sore where the toxicity resides in the bone, Sanqi can be used to expel it outward.

A woman surnamed Hu in Tianjin had not menstruated for six months. She felt heat in the heart and distension/stuffiness. Treated with emmenagogue drugs, a small amount flowed after several doses. She stated that a hard mass in the lower abdomen remained uneliminated. Her family happened to have some Sanqi. She was instructed to grind it into powder and take approximately four to five qian daily, divided into several doses. After consuming about three liang, menstruation flowed heavily, and the hard mass disappeared. Examining this case, it shows that anyone with hard blood accumulation in the abdomen, or women with postpartum lochia remaining and forming Zhen Jia (abdominal masses), can use Sanqi to slowly dissipate it.

Liu XX from Tianjin occasionally suffered severe hematochezia (blood in stool). Western medicine injected a hemostatic needle injection, and the bleeding stopped immediately. However, after the bleeding stopped, he could not get out of bed for over a month, suffering from body soreness, weakness, and reduced appetite. His pulse was Kou (cun position empty/radial artery weak) and powerless, and deep pressure felt very choppy. I told the family: "What the Westerners injected was liquid ergot extract. Its power to constrict blood vessels is great, which is why bleeding stopped instantly after injection. However, after stopping, one must urgently take drugs to resolve blood stasis, otherwise, blood not returning to its vessels will condense in the meridians and cause pathology. Now, you only know how to stop bleeding but do not know how to resolve stasis. Accumulated over time, this will inevitably become Lao Zhai (consumption/tuberculosis), not just soreness and reduced appetite. However, it is not difficult to treat now; eliminating the blood stasis will result in a cure." I instructed him to take three qian of fine Sanqi powder daily, divided into two doses on an empty stomach. After the third dose, he passed some blood stasis from the bowel, dark purple in color. From then on, every bowel movement was accompanied by the discharge of blood stasis. By the fifth day, the amount discharged decreased. By the seventh day, no more blood stasis was seen. Medication was then stopped. Within ten days, his body recovered. From this observation, using Sanqi alone can replace Xia Yu Xue Tang (Decoction to Drain Blood Stasis) from Jin Gui Yao Lue, and is safer and more reliable than Xia Yu Xue Tang.

Appendix:
Letter from Liu XX of Yishui, Shandong:
In mid-summer, a seven-year-old girl surnamed Yang suffered from Gan Ji (childhood malnutrition/digestive disorder) accompanied by hematochezia. Her body was emaciated, she had no appetite, and the condition was very dangerous. Several Chinese and Western medicines for treating Gan Ji previously taken were ineffective. She came to my residence for treatment. Upon examining her abdomen, the mesenteric veins were visible, blue-purple in color. Her abdomen was distended and painful, malar flush was present, tidal fever with sweating, red streaks in the whites of the eyes, dry mouth without thirst, the six pulses were deep and rapid, skin was rough like fish scales (Jia Cuo), and hair was brittle and dry. Analyzing the symptoms and pulse, I determined the pathology was blood stasis. After much deliberation, I suddenly remembered reading Mr. Zhang's discussion on the special functions of Sanqi in Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu, listing many miraculous effects: not only does it excel at stopping bleeding, but it excels even more at resolving blood stasis. I therefore instructed her to take finely ground Sanqi powder, seven fen per dose, taken on an empty stomach morning and evening. After five days, the hematochezia was cured. After taking it for a few more days, the Gan Ji was also cured. Using only Sanqi to cure a major disease that Chinese and Western physicians could not treat, the subtle efficacy of this herb is truly inconceivable.