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Maiya (203) tastes sweet and slightly salty, with a warm temperature. It is good at transforming food and harmonizing the middle jiao, breaking up cold qi, eliminating all kinds of food stagnation caused by rice, flour, fruits, etc., removing fullness in the heart and abdomen, stopping cholera, dispelling irritability and heat, resolving phlegm-fluids, breaking up accumulations, widening the intestines and descending qi. For those who have been ill for a long time and cannot eat, this grain qi can be borrowed to open the appetite; for those with deficient yuan qi, it should not be used in large amounts to avoid damaging kidney qi. It is also good at inducing labor and aborting fetuses; taking two liang alone can eliminate breast swelling. Its ability to dissipate blood and qi is so significant, yet why is it often used in large quantities in formulas treating spleen and stomach weakness and indigestion? Therefore, pregnant women should not take it in large amounts.

Shenqu (204) tastes sweet, with a neutral temperature. It is processed by stir-frying until yellow before use. It is good at assisting the earth organ of the middle jiao, strengthening the spleen and warming the stomach, digesting food and descending qi, resolving stagnation and regulating the middle, driving out phlegm accumulation, breaking up masses, transforming and transporting water and grain, eliminating cholera, distension, fullness, and vomiting. Its fermented nature allows it to dampen and clear heat; its astringent nature allows it to stop diarrhea and dysentery. It treats fetal restlessness in women due to stagnation, and abdominal hardness in children due to accumulation. If a postpartum woman wishes to suppress lactation, two qian of stir-fried and ground Shenqu taken with wine twice a day is very effective. For lower back pain due to sprain or strain, taking it warm after steeping in wine is best.

Baibian Dou (205) tastes sweet, with a warm temperature. It is processed by stir-frying until fragrant. It tonifies spleen and stomach qi deficiency, harmonizes vomiting and cholera, resolves pufferfish and alcohol toxicity, stops diarrhea and dysentery, warms the middle, and can also clear summerheat and treat xiaoke (wasting-thirst syndrome). For those desiring a light, clear, and slow tonification, this is the most appropriate choice.

Yiren (206) tastes sweet and bland, with a slightly cool temperature. Its nature is slightly descending and permeating, thus it can remove dampness and promote urination. Because it removes dampness, it can benefit joints, eliminate foot qi, treat flaccidity, spasms, and damp-bi, reduce edema and pain, promote urination to treat hot strangury, and kill roundworms. Because it is slightly descending, it also treats cough with purulent sputum, benefits the diaphragm, and opens the stomach. Because its nature is cool, it can clear heat, stop irritability, thirst, and rebellious qi. However, its efficacy is very slow, so when used as an assistant drug, the dosage should be doubled.

Lvdou (207) tastes sweet, with a cool nature. It can clear fire, resolve phlegm, and descend qi, relieve irritability and heat, stop wasting-thirst, calm the spirit, tonify the yin qi of the five zang organs, remove stomach fire causing vomiting and reflux, as well as hematemesis, epistaxis, hematuria, and hematochezia, damp-heat diarrhea and dysentery with swelling, promote urination, treat erysipelas and wind-rash, dry and rough skin, constipation, eliminate carbuncles and acne toxins, burns and scalds, resolve alcohol and poison toxicity, various drug, food, cattle, horse, and mineral toxicities, and especially arsenic trioxide toxicity. Alternatively, using its husk as a pillow greatly brightens the eyes and ears, and treats head wind and headache.

Yangsuke (208) tastes slightly sweet, with a mostly astringent nature. It is soaked to remove fibrous membranes, mixed with vinegar, and stir-fried before use. It strongly secures the large intestine and must be used for chronic dysentery with sliding diarrhea, requiring decoction with sweet tonifying herbs. For chronic deficiency coughs where harsh drugs are needed, one must distinguish between deficiency and excess. It is indicated for rectal prolapse and seminal emission, but contraindicated for damp-heat dysentery.

Haren (209), also known as Huangma or Dama, tastes sweet and neutral, with a slippery and lubricating nature. It moistens the lungs and heart, nourishes the five zang organs, benefits the large intestine against wind-heat and dryness obstruction, moves water qi, unblocks damp-heat in urination, treats difficult urination (five stranguries), removes accumulated blood, descends qi, eliminates rheumatic stubborn bi, joint blood dryness and spasms, stops wasting-thirst, promotes lactation, treats dystocia and induces labor, and unblocks menstrual stasis. It is suitable for diseases characterized by dryness and obstruction. It is contraindicated for those with insecure lower origin, loose stools, impotence, spermatorrhea, and excessive leukorrhea.