Library

[Ze Qi]
Named "Qi Jing" in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica).
Bitter, cold, slightly toxic. The *Mingyi Bielu* (Record of Famous Physicians), *Rihuazhong Cao Mu Bencao* (Bencao of Rihua), and Tao Hongjing all state that it is the seedling of *Euphorbia pekinensis*. The *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) calls it "Cat's Eye Grass". Li Shizhen said: It grows abundantly in rivers and marshes; when the stem is pinched, a white juice exudes and sticks to people, hence the name.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* treats severe skin heat, abdominal water retention, edema of the four limbs and face, and insufficiency of yang qi in men.
[Invention/Commentary] Ze Qi has diuretic effects similar to *Daji* (Radix Euphorbiae Pekinensis), leading to the mistaken belief that it is the seedling of *Daji*. The statement in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* regarding benefiting male yang qi differs from *Daji*. Its treatment of severe skin heat, facial edema, and abdominal distension involves accompanying exterior heat, and its nature is also similar to *Daji*. In the *Jinkui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet), Ze Qi Tang uses Ze Qi, Banxia (Pinellia Rhizome), Zishen (Glechoma Herba or possibly another herb depending on textual variant, here kept as Zishen), Baiqian (Cynanchum Root), Gancao (Licorice Root), Renshen (Ginseng), Guixin (Cinnamon Twig Heart), and Shengjiang (Fresh Ginger) to treat lung cough with rebellious qi and deep pulse. The *Da Ming Bencao* states it stops malaria, resolves phlegm, and reduces fever. The *Zhouhou Beiji Fang* (Emergency Prescriptions Ke Up My Sleeve), *Taiping Shenghui Fang*, and *Yijian Fang* use it for Fu Jia (latent masses), edema, and Hongxiangjiao (podagra/gouty swelling of the ankle).

[Gan Sui]
Bitter, sweet, extremely cold, toxic. For external use, wrap and bake until cooked. Incompatible with Gancao (Licorice Root). Its root bark is red, flesh is white, shaped like linked pearls, as thick as a finger, heavy in texture, and those not infested by insects are superior; those with red bark have an especially potent nature.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* treats large abdominal Shan Jia (hernia/masses), abdominal fullness, facial and bodily edema, retained fluid and old food stagnation, breaking hard accumulations and growths, and promoting the flow of urine and feces.
[Invention/Commentary] Gan Sui is white in color and bitter in taste, acting first ascending then descending; it is a harsh drug for draining water. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* treats conditions such as large abdominal masses, facial edema, retained fluid, and old food stagnation by utilizing its bitter-cold rapidity and acuity to unblock the twelve meridians, attack hardness, break knots, and reach directly to where water qi is knotted. Zhang Zhongjing's Da Xianxiong Tang and the Gan Sui Banxia Tang in the *Jinkui Yaolue* use it, but it severely drains primordial qi and is toxic, so it must not be used lightly. The Kidney governs water; condensation forms phlegm-fluid, and overflow causes edema. Gan Sui can drain dampness from the Kidney meridian, addressing the root of phlegm. It must not be taken in excess; stop when the disease is cured. Zhang Zhongjing used it together with Gancao to treat retained fluid under the heart, taking advantage of their antagonistic relationship to achieve therapeutic effect. The *Zhouhou Fang* treats whole-body and facial edema using 2 qian of Gan Sui powder, mixed with one male pig kidney sliced into seven pieces, wrapped in wet paper and baked. Take one piece daily; after 4-5 doses, if bowel sounds occur and urination becomes smooth, it is effective. However, edema and drum-like distension are mostly due to deficiency of Spleen Yin, where Earth deficiency fails to control Water; the method should involve pungent-warm herbs to tonify the Spleen and strengthen Earth, combined with promoting urination. If Gan Sui, Daji, Phytolaccae Radix (Shanglu), and Pharbitidis Semen (Qianniu) are mistakenly used, disaster will follow immediately. For epilepsy, Xin Feng (wind affecting the heart), and blood pathogenic factors, use 2 qian of Gan Sui powder, mix with blood from the pig heart vessel, stuff into the pig heart, tie securely, wrap in wet paper and bake. Take the medicine, mix with 1 qian of Cinnabar powder, divide into four pills. Take one pill per dose, washed down with decoction of pig heart. Effect is indicated by the passage of foul matter via stool; if not passed, take another pill. For edema not fully resolved, apply Gan Sui powder around the navel covering the abdomen, and internally administer Gancao decoction; the edema will subside. These two substances, though antagonistic, interact in this manner. Applying to swellings and sores follows the same method for dispersion. Also, for sudden deafness in obese individuals, insert one piece of Gan Sui wrapped in cotton into the ear, while chewing Gancao orally; the ear will suddenly become clear.