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Paeoniae Radix (Shaoyao, 芍药): Bitter and sour in flavor, neutral in nature, slightly cold, with slight toxicity. It primarily treats abdominal pain caused by pathogenic factors, eliminates blood stasis obstruction (Xuebi), breaks down hard accumulations, treats hernia and mass formations accompanied by alternating chills and fever, relieves pain, promotes urination and benefits Qi, unblocks and smooths the blood vessels, moderates the middle jiao (Spleen and Stomach), disperses foul blood, expels thief blood, removes water retention, benefits the bladder, large intestine, and small intestine, resolves carbuncles and swellings, and treats alternating chills and fever during epidemic diseases, malignant abdominal pain, and lower back pain. The *Yaoxing Lun* states: It serves as a minister herb. It strengthens the five zang organs, tonifies Kidney Qi, treats hardness and distension of the heart and abdomen, uterine blood closure and obstruction, and dissipates pus. Ri Huazi states: It treats wind disorders and tonifies deficiency-wasting conditions; it is the primary treatment for all women's diseases and various ailments before and after childbirth. Red Paeoniae Radix tends to benefit Qi, while white Paeoniae Radix treats blood disorders. Incompatibilities: Averse to Dendrobii Caulis (Shihu) and Mirabilite (Mangxiao). Feared by Natrii Sulfas (Xiaoshi), Trionycis Carapax (Biejia), and Herba Cirsii Japonici (Xiaoji). Counteractive against Veratris Rhizoma (Lilu).

Moutan Cortex (Mudanpi, 牡丹皮): Bitter in flavor, warm in nature, slightly warm, non-toxic. It primarily treats headache due to wind-stroke or cold-heat damage, warm malaria, releases the exterior and induces sweating, clears pathogenic heat, stops cough with rebellious Qi, eliminates chills and fever, breaks down fixed masses and accumulations, addresses urgency caused by pathogenic factors in the five zang organs, treats wind-related hypochondriac pain, residual postpartum disorders, stops excessive salivation, unblocks the interstices (Couli), resolves headache due to cold damage, releases the muscle layer, drains evil qi, and eliminates red-black macular toxins. The *Yaoxing Lun* states: It serves as a sovereign herb. It treats toxic wind on the body, bi-syndrome, high fever, releases the muscle layer and induces sweating to treat warm malaria. The root nodes can stop sweating. Ri Huazi states: It unblocks the nine orifices, harmonizes the blood vessels, opens the pores, and guards against mountainous miasma. Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex (Houpo) acts as its guiding herb. Incompatibilities: Averse to Magnoliae Flos (Xinyi) and Pyri Folium (Shiwei).

Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi, 远志): Pungent and sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic. It primarily expels harmful insects, eliminates cold-heat in the Spleen and Stomach, unblocks the nine orifices, blood vessels, and joints, prevents forgetfulness, treats jaundice and deafness, and dissipates carbuncles and swellings. The *Yaoxing Lun* states: It serves as a minister herb. It treats the five types of strangury, promotes urination, and opens guan-ge obstructions. Ri Huazi states: It calms the mind and relieves irritability, stops thirst, reduces fever, brightens the eyes, unblocks the Small Intestine, expels pus, relieves pain, facilitates labor and delivery, treats uterine blood closure, irregular menstruation, epidemic diseases, headache and vertigo, emaciation, milk stasis, and lactation difficulties. Its seed is named Fuzi.

Dianthus Herba (Qumai, 瞿麦): Bitter and pungent in flavor, cold in nature, non-toxic. It primarily treats guan-ge syndromes with strangury and obstruction, urinary retention, expels foreign bodies, ruptures carbuncles and swellings, brightens the eyes and removes nebula, induces abortion, expels closed blood, nourishes Kidney Qi, drives out rebellious pathogens from the bladder, and stops cholera-like vomiting and diarrhea. The *Yaoxing Lun* states: It serves as a minister herb. It primarily treats the five types of strangury. Ri Huazi states: It facilitates labor, treats hemorrhoids with bleeding. Its seeds: Treat amenorrhea, break up blood clots, and expel pus. Its leaves: Treat pediatric ascariasis and hemorrhoids; decocted soup treats Dan-shi drug eruptions. Carex rhizome and Moutan Cortex act as its guiding herbs. Incompatibilities: Feared by Sepiae Endoconcha (Piaoxiao).