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Avoid copper and iron vessels.

Salty in flavor, warm in nature. Enters the Mingmen (Gate of Life) and concurrently enters the blood aspect of the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Strengthens yang and fortifies yin. Eliminates deficiency pain in the penis, cold pain in the waist and knees, infertility due to cold genitals. Mixed with eel powder and formed into pills with Polygonatum juice, its efficacy increases tenfold. Combined with Cornus officinalis fruit (Shanzhuyu) and Schisandra berry (Bei Wuweizi), it treats Zhongxiao (Polyphagia-type Diabetes Mellitus). Combined with Agarwood (Chenxiang), it treats deficiency constipation caused by excessive sweating. Combined with Cuscuta seed (Tusizi), it treats hematuria and seminal emission. Assisted by lean mutton, it treats blackened complexion due to essence deterioration. (Essence deteriorates due to lack of fire in the kidney.)
Soak in wine, brush off the floating shell, split open the center, and remove the fibrous membrane resembling bamboo silk. The presence of this substance can prevent the dispersion of qi in front of the heart, leading to upward rushing of qi. Rinse until extremely pale, steam for half a day, or use prepared with lard su. Not required to be processed for moistening the bowels. Contraindicated in cases of loose stools, unstable essence, constipation due to excess heat, easy erection of the penis, deficiency of the heart with qi distension.

Sweet, warm. Enters the blood aspect of the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Benefits essence, promotes yang, moistens the intestines, and strengthens tendons. Assisted by Tiger Bone Gelatin, it treats flaccidity and weakness.
Prepare with lard su. Contraindicated to be used together with Cistanche.

Also known as Chijian, alternatively named Dingfengcao (Wind-Calming Grass).
Pungent, warm. Enters the qi aspect of the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Stops dizziness and vertigo due to wind-deficiency, unblocks the nine orifices and blood vessels. Treats epilepsy and calms fright, disperses wind and resolves phlegm, possessing the function of directing from interior to exterior. Paired with Ligusticum chuanxiong rhizome (Chuanxiong), it treats headache due to liver deficiency. (Liver qi prefers smoothness.) Paired with Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome (Baizhu), it removes dampness.
Boil with Tribulus seeds, remove the seeds, wrap in wet paper and roast until cooked, take out, slice, soak in wine overnight, and dry by baking.
Liver deficiency leads to stiffness; if the Gallbladder is not nourished, wind moves within. This is wind arising from the nature and qi of the Liver and Gallbladder, not external pathogenic weather. Gastrodia elata tuber (Tianma) stabilizes internal wind of the Liver and Gallbladder.
However, those with blood deficiency fear it will aid fire; when fire blazes, wind becomes more vigorous. It is suitable to add this herb as an guiding agent in blood-nourishing formulas, but it should not be used for long; stop after three to four doses.

Alternatively named Qilijie.
Saposhnikovia divaricata root (Fangfeng) and Sanguisorba officinalis root (Diyu) act as guides. Avoid peaches, plums, sparrow meat, Chinese cabbage (Songcai), and green fish.
Sweet, bitter, warm in nature. Enters the qi aspect of the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian and Yangming Stomach Meridian. Tonifies the spleen and warms the stomach, harmonizes the middle and dries dampness, benefits qi and generates blood. Promotes appetite, treats fatigue, resolves masses, eliminates vomiting, dissipates phlegm-fluids, treats jaundice, drives out edema, stops diarrhea and dysentery, consolidates spontaneous sweating, promotes flesh growth. Regulates urgency and fullness in the epigastrium, promotes blood stasis in the waist. Expels wind-cold-damp bi syndrome, calms pain and secures the fetus. Paired with Angelica sinensis root (Danggui) and White Peony Root (Baishao), it tonifies blood. Paired with Pinellia ternata rhizome (Banxia), it stops vomiting. Paired with Ginger and Cinnamon twig (Gui), it treats the Five Fluid Retentions. (1. Liuyin: water retained below the heart. 2. Pixyin: water between the hypochondriac regions. 3. Tanyin: water in the stomach. 4. Siyinyin: water in the five zang organs. 5. Liuyin: water between the intestines.) Paired with Lotus seed (Lianrou), it stops diarrhea and dysentery. Paired with Poria cocos sclerotium (Fuling), it promotes urination. As the sovereign drug with Immature Bitter Orange (Zhishi), it resolves masses. Assisted by Ginseng radix (Renshen) and Astragalus membranaceus root (Huangqi), it benefits qi and stops sweating. Assisted by Coptis chinensis rhizome (Chuanlian), it clears damp-heat. Assisted by Scutellaria baicalensis root (Huangqin), it secures the fetus and clears heat. Combined with Plantago asiatica seed (Cheqian), it reduces swelling. Added with Tangerine peel (Guangpi), it generates fluids.
Those produced in Qian have clear qi and sweet taste, considered best. Now very difficult to obtain. Those wild-growing in Zhejiang mountains are called Tianshengzhu, also excellent. Winter Baizhu is sweet and soft; summer Baizhu is bitter and drying-acrid. Their functions differ greatly and must be distinguished. For wind-bi formulas, raw use is appropriate; some say raw use tonifies middle qi. To dry spleen and stomach, stir-fry with old wall soil. To harmonize the stomach, stir-fry after soaking in rice wash water. To benefit qi, stir-fry with honey water. To regulate qi, stir-fry with Aurantium index juice. To avoid its drying nature, steam熟 with milk. To remove stagnation, stir-fry with ginger juice. To reduce distension, stir-fry with bran. To remove water, stir-fry with Atractylodes lancea rhizome (Cangzhu). To treat diarrhea and dysentery, stir-fry until charred on the outside but retaining inner properties. Contraindicated in nine conditions: Epigastric discomfort (fear of aiding spleen-stomach fire), Liver-kidney moving qi (fear of damaging yin qi), Anger injuring the liver (the herb can draw liver pathogens into the spleen), Spleen yin insufficiency (the herb consumes fluids), Ulcers (qi closure leads to pus formation and pain), Running Piglet syndrome (ben tun) (the herb increases qi), Asthma (the herb tends to close qi), Thirst with irritability (the herb is drying), Acne/pox already suppurating (the herb is drying). These nine situations are contraindicated. The Spleen is inherently a yin organ; while it dislikes dampness, it also dislikes dryness. Too much moisture leads to mud-like consistency; too much dryness results in hard earth. If one does not assess dryness vs. dampness, and recklessly uses Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome (Baizhu) as a spleen-tonifying and appetite-opening agent, spleen yin insufficiency will worsen, fluids will further deplete, middle qi will become more stagnant, and the stomach gate will close tighter. Lung metal will lose its origin, Kidney water will increase its dryness, causing immense harm to yin. However, if there is spleen qi deficiency or inability to control dampness due to deficiency, using it is appropriate.