Library

Sha Shen (Adenophorae Radix): Flavor is faint and slightly sweet, nature is cool. Color is white, texture is loose, center is hollow, thus it can enter the Lung meridian, clear heat and nourish yin, tonify Lung qi, and simultaneously diffuse Lung stagnation. Therefore, *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) states it primarily treats blood accumulations (blood stasis masses), as when Lung qi becomes peaceful, upward-rebellious blood dissipates naturally. The Hun (Ethereal Soul) resides in the Liver, and the Po (Corporeal Soul) resides in the Lung. Sha Shen can clear and tonify the Lung to stabilize the Po, and further cause the Qi transformation of Metal (Lung) to descend clearly and severely, suppressing Wood (Liver) to calm the Hun. With Hun and Po stabilized, fright and anxiety transform naturally; thus, *Shennong Bencao Jing* also states it treats "Jing Qi" (Qi disorder due to fright).

Xu Lingtai said: "The Lung governs Qi, hence most drugs for the Lung are Qi-regulating. However, drugs that strongly move Qi tend to be drying, while those that moisten the Lung tend to be cloying and obstructive rather than clear and empty. Only Sha Shen serves as a blood-regulating drug within the Qi aspect of the Lung. Being white and light, it unblocks without being drying, and moistens without being stagnant. For blood obstruction in the Lung, nothing else can clear it like this."

Sha Shen is best when its constitution is light and its center is hollow, but it must grow on sandy terrain where the soil nature is loose and active to achieve this. Along the coast of Bohai Bay, sands stretch continuously, composed purely of fine shell fragments with no earth quality. The Sha Shen grown there is as thick as a thumb, with a hollow center larger than lotus root holes. Its taste is sweeter than Sha Shen from other places because sweet water emerges at depths of three or four chi; consequently, the Sha Shen produced there has a uniquely sweet flavor. Freshly chewed and taken, it greatly quenches thirst, making it especially effective for treating Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst syndrome/diabetes mellitus). Its leaves are glossy like a mirror, sending up stems and blooming white flowers in the seventh month, fully imbued with Metal Qi. For cough caused by Lung heat, it is very effective, truly a good medicine.

[Attached Case] A great-granddaughter of my close clan, ××, lost breast milk automatically [weaned early], her body was emaciated. From age six or seven, she frequently suffered from cough, which intensified by age eleven or twelve. General cough medicines were ineffective. I instructed her to use fine powder of raw Huai Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) boiled into porridge, adjusted with white sugar for palatability, and taken with two or three fen of fine powder of raw Ji Nei Jin (Gallus Gallus Domesticus Var. domestica Gizzard Lining), or two wa of the Western medicine "Bubusheng" [Pepsin], consumed as a snack, without interruption for over a year. Although the Lao Sou (consumptive cough) showed improvement, it could not be eradicated completely. Palpating her pulse, both Lung and Stomach seemed to have heat. Thus, I instructed her to use Bei Sha Shen (Adenophorae Radix) ground into fine powder, taking two qian each time, twice daily. After more than ten days, the cough was completely cured. However, fearing that long-term use of Sha Shen might be too cooling, I changed the prescription to three liang of Sha Shen and two liang of Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), ground together finely, also taking two qian each time, to conclude the treatment and restore health.