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Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) [No. 78] The flavor is sweet and acrid, the nature is warm. Its qi is light and its taste is heavy; it can ascend and descend, containing yang within yin. Because its taste is sweet and heavy, it specializes in nourishing blood; because its qi is light and acrid, it can also move blood. It contains movement within tonification and tonification within movement; truly, it is the qi medicine of the blood, and also the sage medicine of the blood. The root head stops bleeding and directs blood upward; the body nourishes blood and keeps it central; the tail breaks blood stasis and directs blood downward; the whole root invigorates blood without causing it to scatter excessively. Generally, when combined with tonifying agents, it tonifies; thus, it can nourish Ying (nutritive) blood, generate essence through Qi tonification, calm the five Zang organs, strengthen the form, benefit the spirit and mind, and is suitable for all diseases involving tangible deficiency damage. When combined with attacking agents, it unblocks; thus, it can dispel pain and unblock bowels, benefit sinews and bones, and treat conditions such as spasms, paralysis, dryness, and obstruction. For those with Ying deficiency and unresolved exterior syndrome, combining it with Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Ge Gen (Puerariae Radix), Ma Huang (Ephedrae Herba), or Gui Zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus) greatly disperses the exterior. For those with Wei (defensive) heat and an inability to consolidate the exterior, combining it with the "Six Huang" group (such as Huang Bo, etc.) consolidates the exterior. However, because its nature is acrid and moving, those desiring stillness should avoid it; due to its slippery and moving nature, those with loose stools should avoid it. In cases where fire is abundant within Yin, Dang Gui moves blood and is not suitable; in cases where Yang is deficient within Yin, Dang Gui nourishes blood and is indispensable. If dysentery is caused by blood stasis, it is precisely indicated. The key lies in the characters "moving" and "slippery." For women with menstrual blood stasis, induction of labor at term, and postpartum pain from the placental lochia (Er Zhen), it should be used as the sovereign drug. For pediatric measles, rashes, convulsions, and epilepsy belonging to Ying deficiency, it is essential.

Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) [No. 79] The flavor is acrid and slightly sweet, the nature is warm, ascending, and Yang. Its nature is good at dispersing and enters the Liver meridian; it is the blood medicine within Qi. It is incompatible with Li Lu (Veratri Rhizoma). It fears Xiao Shi (Niter), Hua Shi (Talcum), and Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma) because their sinking and cold nature controls its ascending and dispersing properties. Both Chuan Xiong and Dang Gui are blood medicines, but Chuan Xiong's dispersing and moving nature is even more pronounced than Dang Gui's; thus, it can disperse wind-cold, treat headache, break blood stasis accumulation, unblock vessels, resolve knotted Qi, drive away pain, drain pus, reduce swelling, drive out blood, and unblock menstruation. Decocted with Xi Xin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma), it treats pain from traumatic injuries. Decocted with Chen Ai (Artemisiae Argyi Folium), it verifies the presence or absence of pregnancy. (After three to four months of pregnancy, slight movement after taking this indicates a fetus.) Because its Qi ascends, it also manages metrorrhagia and vertigo; because its sweet taste is scarce, it disperses too much and tonifies too little. It is extremely suitable for headaches caused by wind-cold; however, for headaches caused by Fire congestion in the Three Yang channels, using an ascending agent will worsen it. Modern people do not understand ascending and descending, knowing only that Chuan Xiong treats headaches, which is a great error. Long-term and heavy use causes true Qi to scatter and can lead to sudden death; users must be aware.

Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix) [No. 80, incompatible with Li Lu] The flavor is slightly bitter, slightly sweet, and somewhat sour; the nature is quite cold. The Qi is thinner than the taste, with more astringency and descent and less ascending and dispersing; it is Yin. It has slight toxicity. White Shao Yao tastes sweet and has more tonifying properties. Red Shao Yao tastes bitter and has more draining properties. Raw is cooler; wine-fried is slightly neutral. Its nature is sinking and Yin, so it enters the Blood level, tonifies Blood-heat deficiency, drains Liver Fire excess, secures the Cou Li (pores), stops heat-induced diarrhea, reduces carbuncles, promotes urination, relieves eye pain, reduces deficiency heat, and alleviates San Xiao (three consumptions). It is suitable for conditions caused by heat; contraindicated for Spleen Qi cold with fullness and difficult digestion. It stops abdominal pain from Blood deficiency and consolidates fever from Blood deficiency. White Shao Yao calms fetal heat restlessness; Red Shao Yao unblocks menstruation and breaks blood. This herb is slightly cold among tonics, unlike extreme bitter-cold herbs. Some argue that white belongs to Metal and may injure Liver Wood, and that cold damages vital energy, making it unsuitable postpartum; then what about herbs whiter or colder than Shao Yao? Are Zhong Jing's Hei Shen San and Shao Yao Tang not essential postpartum drugs? Users should examine carefully. If postpartum blood heat causes Yin Qi to scatter, it is exactly indicated; there is no need to doubt.

Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex) [No. 81] The flavor is acrid and bitter, the nature is slightly cool, with light aroma and taste, containing Yang within Yin. Red Dan Pi has more moving action; White Dan Pi has slower moving action. It enters the Foot Shaoyin and Hand Jueyin meridians. Avoid garlic and scallions.
It treats bone-steaming fever without sweat, dissipates hematemesis and epistaxis from blood, removes postpartum blood stasis and alternating chills and fever, expels stubborn blood stasis in the intestines and stomach, calms the spirit, unblocks menstruation, treats convulsions and wind-epilepsy, and heals carbuncles while stopping pain. In short, its nature and flavor are mild and gentle, originally having no tonifying property, but its slight coolness and acridity allow it to harmonize, cool, and generate blood, relieve vexation and heat, and excel at moving blood stasis. Once stasis is removed, constrained heat resolves naturally, thus reducing fever. Using this herb relies on its ability to move blood stasis without being harsh.

Bai Dou Kou (Amomi Fructus Rotundus) [No. 82] The flavor is acrid, the nature is warm, with thin taste and strong aroma, Yang. It enters the Spleen and Lung meridians, possessing a unique refreshing quality. It disperses cold stagnation in the chest, warms the stomach appetite and stops pain, eliminates vomiting and reverse flow of food, consumes retained food and distension, treats dysphagia, eliminates malaria, resolves alcohol toxicity, dispels foul odors, can remove corneal opacity, and also dissipates phlegm-Qi. For rapid effect, chewing is excellent, or preparing as a powder is also good.

Rou Dou Kou (Myristicae Semen) [No. 83] The flavor is bitter, acrid, and astringent; the nature is warm. It regulates Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold and indigestion; treats Large Intestine deficiency-cold with continuous slippery diarrhea. Because its aroma is fragrant and acrid, it can move stagnation and stop pain, harmonize abdominal distension, treat cholera, regulate middle and direct Qi downward, open the stomach and promote eating, resolve alcohol toxicity, transform phlegm-fluids, warm the stomach and expel parasites, ward off various evil airs, and treat pediatric vomiting and diarrhea due to Stomach cold damaging milk. Because it can solidify the Large Intestine, once the intestine is solid, Yuan Qi does not leak, and Spleen Qi becomes healthy. Thus, it is said to regulate Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold, but actually it does not tonify deficiency. It should be baked熟 in dough or stir-fried熟 with dry flour, removing the flour before use, which is best, aiming to remove oil and utilize its cooked nature.

Cao Guo (Tsao-ko Fructus) [No. 84] Also known as Cao Dou Kou. The flavor is acrid, the nature is hot and warm, Yang, floating. It enters the Foot Taiyin and Yangming meridians. It can break stagnant Qi, dispel cold, digest food, treat heart and abdominal pain, resolve alcohol toxicity, treat miasma-cold malaria, summerheat-induced vomiting, dysentery with fullness, reverse flow with acid regurgitation, open phlegm-fluid accumulation and dysphagia, kill fish and meat toxins, resolve depression and dry dampness, eliminate bad breath, and treat female morning sickness with Qi rebellion and turbid discharge. There are two types; those produced in Jianning with acrid fragrance and harmony are superior. It is suitable to wrap in dough and bake熟 over mild fire, or stir-fry熟 with dough. Those from Yunnan and Guangdong have acrid and foul odor, greatly damaging human Yuan Qi.

Po Gu Zhi (Cibotii Rhizoma) [No. 85] The flavor is bitter and acrid, the Qi is greatly warm, the nature is drying and descending. It can secure the lower origin, warm the Water Organ (Kidney), treat lower Jiao lack of fire, seminal emission and turbid leukorrhea, various cold stubborn bi syndromes, and loose stools/dysentery due to Spleen-Kidney deficiency-cold. Because it warms the Kidney and secures essence, it treats soreness and pain of waist and knees, cold scrotum and dampness, reduces urination, warms the Ming Men and lower abdomen, and stops abdominal pain and Kidney-type diarrhea. Because its nature is descending, it can grasp Qi and stabilize panting. Because its Qi is acrid and descending, those with Qi deficiency and shortness of breath, or with vexation, thirst, and vertigo, should avoid it; if unavoidable, it can be used in pills. Avoid mutton and You Mai (Rapeseed).

Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix) [No. 86] The flavor is bitter and acrid, the nature is warm. The aroma and taste are both strong; it can ascend and descend, containing Yin within Yang. It moves Liver, Spleen, and Lung Qi stagnation like magic, quickly stopping heart, abdomen, and hypochondriac Qi pain. It harmonizes Stomach Qi, stops vomiting, diarrhea, and cholera; disperses cold Qi, removes distension, pain, and hiccups. For heat-dysentery, it can be assisted by Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix) and Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma); to solidify the Large Intestine, it must be fire-baked before use. Harmonizing Qi eliminates mass-like symptoms and evil rebellion; regulating Qi is also used for calming the fetus and menstruation. It also treats epidemic febrile diseases and warm malaria, and kills gu poison and ghost spirits. For various lower Jiao Qi rebellion diseases, it can also reduce urination, unblock constipation, stop Qi-rebellion-induced bleeding, and reduce Qi-rebellion-induced carbuncles.

Huo Xiang (Agastaches Herba) [No. 87] The flavor is acrid and slightly sweet, the nature is warm. The aroma and taste are both thin, Yang, capable of ascending and descending. This herb is sweet and fragrant without being harsh, good at benefiting the Spleen and smoothing Qi, opening the stomach appetite, widening the chest and diaphragm, promoting food intake, stopping cholera and vomiting, and regulating the Lung to transform stagnation. Added to Wu Yao (Linderae Radix) formulas, it benefits the Spleen; decocted with Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction), it eliminates bad breath. It also treats edema and resolves alcohol foulness.

Xiang Fu (Cyperi Rhizoma) [No. 88] The flavor is bitter, acrid, and slightly sweet, the nature is warm. The aroma and taste are both strong, containing Yin within Yang, it is the Qi medicine within Blood. It specifically enters the Liver and Gallbladder meridians and simultaneously moves Qi in all meridians. Using this herb relies on its ability to move Qi and Blood stagnation. Stir-fried with child's urine to direct it downward; stir-fried with vinegar to regulate Qi pain. It opens the Six Depressions, disperses cold pathogens, benefits the Three Jiao, moves knotting stagnation, consumes food retention and phlegm-saliva, fullness and abdominal distension, edema and podagra, stops pain in the heart, abdomen, limbs, head, eyes, teeth, and ears, treats cholera and vomiting/reverse flow. Qi-stagnation diarrhea, hematemesis, hematochezia, hematuria, female metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, irregular menstruation, and various Qi rebellion diseases during pregnancy and postpartum. Because it can resolve depression, it is called the essential medicine for women. However, its flavor is acrid and moving; for those with Yin deficiency, irritability, heat, sweating, and blood loss, calling it an essential medicine generally is a great error. Additionally, for all carbuncles, ulcers, and sores where Qi stagnation prevents movement, it is suitable as an essential medicine.

Sha Ren (Amomi Fructus) [No. 89] The flavor is acrid and slightly bitter, the nature is warm. It harmonizes the Spleen and moves Qi, consumes food and drives out cold, eliminates cholera, stops nausea. Reduces fullness, calms Qi-stagnant fetus; relieves abdominal pain, treats visceral cold diarrhea. Stops urinary frequency and dysentery, refreshes the chest and diaphragm, opens phlegm. Calms Qi-rebellion cough, oral and dental floating heat; stops female metrorrhagia, Gui Qi Ben Tun. To enhance warmth, it must be stir-fried and ground. Enters the Lung, Kidney, and Bladder, following guiding herbs. It is also good at dissolving copper, iron, and bone splinters.

Zi Su (Perillae Fructus/Leaf/Stem) [No. 90] The flavor is acrid, the nature is warm. Fragrant and penetrating aroma is best. Using this herb relies on its warming and dispersing action. Releases the muscle layer and induces sweating, dispelling wind-cold very quickly; opens the stomach and promotes eating, treating distension well. Suitable for smoothing Qi, eliminating bad breath, relieving cholera and tendon twitching, dispelling podagra, unblocking the Large and Small Intestines, dissipating phlegm and benefiting the Lung, stopping pain and warming the middle, calming the fetus and stabilizing panting, resolving fish and crab toxins, and treating snake and dog bites. Can be made into soup or eaten raw.

Geng (Stem) Smooths Qi, its nature is mild, suitable for those with weak constitution.

Zi (Seed) Nature is moistening and descending, can moisten large bowel, dissipate phlegm-panting, remove Five Ge depressions, stabilize cholera, smooth Qi stagnation.

Bo He (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba) [No. 91] The flavor is acrid and slightly bitter, the nature is slightly cool. The aroma and taste are both light, ascending, Yang. Its nature is cool and dispersing, unblocks joints, benefits the Nine Orifices, it is a medicine of the Hand Jueyin and Taiyin meridians. Clears the meeting of the Six Yang heads, disperses all toxic winds, treats headache and alternating chills/fever from Shang Han, induces sweating for toxin release, treats cephalalgia and brain pain, clears wind-heat of the head, eyes, throat, mouth, and teeth, removes heart and abdominal evil Qi, fullness, and cholera, directs Qi downward, consumes food and phlegm, wards off evil air and foulness, guides other herbs into Ying and Wei, opens pediatric wind-phlegm, also treats lymphadenopathy, carbuncles, sores, scabies, wind-rash, and urticaria. Eating as vegetables removes bad breath; crushing juice for gargling removes tongue coating and speech stiffness; rubbing leaves into the nose stops epistaxis. Also treats bee stings and snake bites. Contraindicated for newly recovered patients, fearing it leaks sweat and damages Yang.

Jing Jie (Schizonepetae Spica) [No. 92] The flavor is acrid and bitter, the nature is warm. Aroma is strong, taste is thin, floating and ascending, Yang. Using this herb relies on its acrid dispersing and blood-regulating action. Can release the muscle layer and vent the exterior, reduce chills and fever, clear the head and eyes, benefit the throat, break knotted Qi, consume food, unblock vessels, move blood stasis, assist the Spleen and Stomach, ward off various evil vapors, awaken from drunkenness and drive out dampness, treat headache and dizziness, back pain, hand and foot tendon tightness, bi syndrome and podagra, bone and tendon painful irritation, wind-damp hernia, stop lower bleeding and bloody dysentery, metrorrhagia, strangury, and leukorrhea. For postpartum wind-stroke with rigidity, grinding into powder and taking with wine is excellent. Crushed and mixed with vinegar, applied to carbuncles and toxic swellings is best; it is also an essential medicine for rat-metastasis, lymphadenopathy, blood-wind, and sores/scabies.

Bai Zhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix) [No. 93] The flavor is acrid, the nature is warm. Aroma is strong, taste is light, ascending, Yang. Its nature is warm, dispersing, and detoxifying, driving out wind-cold and pathogenic heat from the Yangming channel, stopping headache, vertigo, eye pain, itching, and tearing, dispersing wind-cold of the Lung channel, skin macules/rashes and dryness/itching, treating rhinorrhea and sinusitis, toothache and supraorbital pain, Large Intestine wind-constipation, and intestinal wind hematuria. Its acrid and fragrant Qi reaches the exterior, thus treating carbuncles by draining pus, stopping itching and pain, supporting carbuncles, lung abscesses, lymphadenopathy, hemorrhoids, and fistulas, promoting flesh growth and regeneration. Charred for use, it addresses female metrorrhagia, leakage of red/white discharge, blood closure, and vulvar swelling. To remove spots, use raw; it can be made into facial cream. Also treats snake bites, arsenic poisoning, and traumatic injuries.

Xiang Ru (Moslae Herba) [No. 94] The flavor is bitter and acrid, the nature is cold. Qi is light, can ascend and descend. Disperses summerheat and cholera, midepigastric colic, difficult urination, clears Lung heat, descends Stomach fire, removes irritability, resolves depression/stagnation. Taken as powder with water, it can stop epistaxis. Decocted and drunk immediately, it can relieve wind-heat tendon twitching and remove bad breath. Can reduce damp-heat edema; must be avoided in cold-deficiency of the Yin organs.

Yi Zhi (Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus) [No. 95] Aroma and flavor are acrid and warm, can regulate various Qi, ward off cold Qi, treat exogenous cold invading the Stomach, warm the Stomach and harmonize the middle, remove heart and abdominal Qi stagnation pain, regulate lower Jiao deficiency-cold, warm Kidney Qi, treat spermatorrhea, dribbling, dream emission, red/white turbid leukorrhea, and frequent nocturia. Take twenty-plus fruits, grind, add a little salt, decoct together; it has miraculous effects. This is a medicine that moves Yang and retreats Yin. Suitable for those with Spleen cold unable to eat, and declining Yang Qi of the Three Jiao and Ming Men. However, its moving action is greater than its tonifying action; it must be used with tonics to be effective. If taken alone or in large doses, it tends to scatter Qi excessively.

Yu Jin (Curcumae Longae Radix) [No. 96] The flavor is bitter and acrid, the nature is warm. Excellent at directing Qi downward, breaking evil blood, removing blood accumulation, stopping hematemesis and epistaxis, bloody strangury and hematuria, and madness due to loss of heart spirit or gu poison. Used militarily to treat female cold-blood and blood accumulation, knotted Qi stagnation, heart and abdominal pain, and postpartum敗血 (decayed blood) rushing to the heart threatening death. Can be used as powder or pill, or adjusted with Leek juice, Ginger juice, child's urine, or well water as appropriate. For hemorrhoid fistula swelling/pain, mix with water and apply. For ear swelling/pain, mix with water and instill, tilt out after a moment for cure.

Jiang Huang (Curcumae Longae Rhizoma) [No. 97] The flavor is bitter and acrid, the nature is hot. Excellent at directing Qi downward and breaking blood, removing heart and abdominal Qi knotting and distension, cold Qi and food accumulation pain, also treating masses/blood clots, unblocking menstruation, postpartum敗血 attacking the heart, and traumatic blood stasis, expelling evil and warding off foulness, dispersing wind-heat, reducing carbuncles/swelling. Efficacy is similar to Yu Jin, but the aroma and flavor are more intense.

Ze Lan (Lycopersici Herba) [No. 98] The flavor is slightly bitter and slightly acrid. Excellent at clearing and harmonizing blood, treating hematemesis and epistaxis, healing various blood irregularities in females pre- and postpartum, breaking old blood, removing abdominal pain, generating fresh blood, benefiting joints, unblocking water passages, removing masses, consuming traumatic blood stasis, and treating traumatic wounds, carbuncles, and pus. Used for clearing and harmonizing, thus it is an essential medicine for women.

Ben (Ligustici Wallichii Rhizoma et Radix) [No. 99] The flavor is sweet and acrid, the nature is warm. Aroma is strong, taste is thin, ascending, Yang. Treats various evil winds and ghost attacks, removes Taiyang vertex headache, severe cold invading the brain, pain connecting to teeth and cheeks, and nasal/facial skin acne, wind-damp diarrhea, cold Qi lower back pain, and female vulvar wind-pathogen swelling/pain. This is an essential medicine for the Foot Taiyang channel for wind-epilepsy, fog/dew, and miasma epidemics.

Bi Ba (Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma) [No. 100] The flavor is acrid, greatly hot, Yang, floating. Enters the Hand and Foot Yangming, also Liver and Kidney. Excellent at warming the middle and directing Qi downward, removing Stomach cold, warding off Yin cold, treating cholera with heart/abdominal pain, cold phlegm/vomiting/regurgitation, and deficiency-cold diarrhea/dysentery with borborygmus. Its flavor is greatly acrid; must be used with Ginseng, Atractylodes, Dang Gui, Rehmannia, and other sweet-warm tonics for best effect. As powder insufflated into the nose, it can relieve hemiplegic headache; rubbing on teeth can kill toothache and tooth worms. Also, the Tang Taizong Qi Dysentery formula decocted with cow's milk is detailed in the Dysentery section.

Liang Jiang (Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma) [No. 101] Seed is named Hong Dou Kou. Flavor is acrid and hot, pure Yang, floating. Enters the Foot Taiyin and Yangming. Treats reverse cold in the Stomach, vomiting clear water, nausea/cholera, cold Qi abdominal pain, resolves alcohol toxicity, consumes retained food, strengthens Spleen/Stomach, widens dysphagia, removes reverse flow, breaks cold癖 (masses), resolves malarial fevers, treats tendon twitching and dysentery. Decocted with Cao Dou Kou, it also treats bad breath. The seed Hong Dou Kou has similar treatment uses.

San Leng (Sparganii Rhizoma) [No. 102] Aroma and flavor are bitter and neutral, can move Qi within Blood. Excellent at breaking accumulated Qi, driving out blood stasis, consuming food/distension, Qi-stagnation abdominal pain, removing癖 masses and accumulations, unblocking menstruation, also inducing abortion and treating postpartum evil blood, traumatic blood stasis, and hard carbuncles. Prepared by soaking in vinegar and stir-frying熟 before use. This is slightly similar to E Zhu, but E Zhu is harsher while this is milder.

E Zhu (Curcumae Rhizoma) [No. 103] Also named Peng E Zhu. Flavor is bitter and acrid, nature is warm, slight toxicity. Moves to the Liver meridian. Excellent at breaking Blood within Qi. Unblocks menstruation, consumes blood stasis, treats traumatic injury blood-stagnation pain. In the Middle Jiao, attacks food/Qi stagnation indigestion, Stomach cold with acid regurgitation and distension; in the Lower Jiao, attacks Ben Tun and癖 masses, cold Qi accumulation, Qi edema/water swelling. Prepared by wine or vinegar frying, or baking in ashes and grinding/cutting. But its nature is rigid and Qi is harsh; not suitable unless there are stubborn accumulations.

She Chuang Zi (Cnidii Fructus) [No. 104] Flavor is slightly bitter, Qi is acrid, nature is warm. It is a medicine of Shaoyang, San Jiao, and Ming Men. Acrid can dispel wind, warmth can warm the Kidney, thus it can warm the middle and direct Qi downward, harmonize joints, remove pain, open depression/stagnation, treat damp-evil sores/scabies/tinea, reduce urination, remove genital sweating, stop leukorrhea, drive out cold hernia, rinse toothache. Treats male impotence and lower back pain, greatly benefiting Yang affairs; female vulvar swelling/pain, good at warming the uterus. Male/female Yang deficiency with infertility, pediatric convulsions/trauma can all take it. Remove shell, stir-fry slightly before use. For all external itching, swelling, wind-sores, decoct for fumigation/washing, or make into powder for application; all should be used raw.