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Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis): Bitter in taste, cool in nature. It is the stem of a vine, with a delicate and permeable structure throughout, thus capable of penetrating meridians and unblocking the nine orifices. It can drain heat from the Upper Jiao, guiding it downwards through winding paths to exit via the water passages, making it a key herb for promoting urination and clearing turbidity in strangury. Its power to penetrate meridians also enables it to treat generalized spasms, bi-syndrome pain in limbs, invigorate blood, reduce swelling, induce labor, promote lactation, and, when used in large doses, induce sweating.

I generally dislike using bitter herbs. Although various materia medica do not emphasize the bitterness of Mu Tong, its actual taste is extremely bitter. Worrying that people might find it too bitter to take, I have never used Mu Tong alone or in heavy doses for research purposes. Recently, I encountered a case of limb and joint swelling and pain. I prescribed herbs for clearing heat, draining dampness, and invigorating blood, assisted by the Western medicine Aspirin, which cured the patient. Coincidentally, my student Wan XX from Faku came to Fengtian (present-day Shenyang), so I recounted this case to him. Wan XX said: "The *Yizong Jinjian* contains a formula called Mu Tong Tang for treating the three types of Bi-syndrome (Wind-Bi, Painful-Bi, and Fixed-Bi). I used it to treat Painful-Bi with great efficacy; patients invariably sweat after taking it. I have used it several times, and one dose was sufficient for recovery." I replied: "I have also seen this formula but had not tried it, so I did not know of such miraculous effects. Since it is so effective, we should record it immediately to share with the medical community." Therefore, I list the formula below:

[Mu Tong Tang]: Use only Mu Tong, two liang, which has not been soaked in water (the whole pieces are unused by water, crushed before use). Decoct in two bowls of flowing long-distance water until one bowl remains. Take hot to induce slight sweating. If not cured, administer again until recovery. If the pain migrates up, down, left, or right, add Qiang Huo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix) and Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) to dispel Wind pathogen; if the pain is severe and cold, add Fu Zi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) if there is sweating, or Ma Huang (Ephedrae Herba) if there is no sweating, to expel Cold pathogen; if the pain is heavy and fixed, add Fang Ji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix) to overcome Dampness pathogen. The added herbs should not exceed three qian each; for weak patients, halve the dosage.

Pu Huang (Typhae Pollen): Pale taste, slightly sweet and pungent, cool in nature. It excels at treating heart and abdominal pain due to disharmony of Qi and Blood, wandering wind swelling and pain, and blood stagnation causing fainting after falls (use half liang of raw Pu Huang, decoct in water, and灌 [administer] orally to restore consciousness); hemorrhoids bleeding (take one qian with water, three times daily); amenorrhea with abdominal pain in women; and postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis. Because it possesses the power to invigorate blood and resolve stasis, it yields various therapeutic effects. If stir-fried (not charred black), it excellently treats hematemesis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, hematochezia and hematuria, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea in women. Externally, it treats swollen and painful tongue, even with bleeding, and all sores and ulcers with swelling and pain; mixed with honey and applied (raw material preferred), it produces rapid results. Because it grows in water and has a pale taste, it is also excellent for promoting urination.

Zou Run'an stated: "In *Jingui Yaolue*, Pu Hui San is used to promote urination to treat Pi Shui (Skin Water) accompanied by Jue (reversal/cold extremities). Interpreters have suggested either Xiang Pu (Typhae Stamen) or burnt Pu Xi (Typhae Mat). However, Xiang Pu only clears upper heat and is not noted for promoting water metabolism; Bai Pu Xi (Decayed Typhae Mat), as recorded in *Mingyi Bielu*, treats tendon overflow and foul sores, and is not a water-promoting substance. Pu Huang, according to *Shennong Bencao Jing*, primarily promotes urination. Moreover, *Benshi Fang* and *Zhiyin Fang* both describe its miraculous effect on treating tongue swelling. I have treated many patients with it without error. Does this not perfectly align with treating swelling from Skin Water? Skin Water is a disease of the skin and interstices, and should not present with Jue; Jue is a disease of the Lower Jiao. Bladder and Kidney are exterior-interior partners. When Bladder directs water qi to the skin, causing difficult urination, Qi obstruction leads to alternating cold and fever. Consequently, the Kidney suffers, leading to Yin congestion and Yang inability to reach, resulting in Jue. The root of the disease is external, so warming methods are inappropriate. Being Skin Water, dispersing methods are difficult to apply. The strategy lies in resolving the cold and heat in the Heart, Abdomen, and Bladder, allowing urination to flow freely. In this way, how could Jue occur? Thus, we know it must be Pu Huang. It is called 'Pu Hui' because the texture of Pu Huang naturally resembles ash."

Pu Huang is indeed a wonderful herb. Shi Xiao San uses equal parts of raw, ground Pu Huang and Wu Ling Zhi (Trogopterori Faeces). Each dose is five qian, decocted in half water and half wine, with a little vinegar added, boiled briefly, and taken with the dregs. It can cure postpartum abdominal pain within moments. Many people overlook Pu Huang because its texture is very soft and its flavor is pale, suspecting it lacks potency. This is because they have not read Mr. Zou's discussion and thus fail to study the indications in *Shennong Bencao Jing*.