Library

[Ye Ming Jian Cao]
Pungent, cool, non-toxic.
Invention: Baiyaozi is pungent and cool, capable of resolving toxicity. Therefore, it can treat fever caused by excessive bleeding from traumatic wounds. Used to cool blood and clear heat, pain will naturally cease, and muscle tissue will naturally regenerate.
It also primarily treats heat obstruction in the throat causing blockage, frequent swelling and pain; decoct with vinegar and sip slowly. It treats various bone splinters lodged in the throat; if lodged above, they are vomited out; if lodged below, they are passed out. It resolves the toxicity of wild gecko (Yege), raw gold (Shengjin), and croton seed (Badou); it also treats heat diseases of the horse's spleen and lungs.

[Weilingxian]
Bitter, pungent, warm, slightly toxic.
Invention: Weilingxian has a nature that favors descending, penetrating the twelve meridians, thus able to disseminate and unblock the five zang organs. It is a key herb for treating epigastric accumulation pain, bi-syndrome with dampness in the lower legs, and gout. It reduces water retention and breaks down hard accumulations, showing effect from morning to evening. Pungency disperses pathogens, hence it treats various wind syndromes. Warmth drains water, hence it treats various dampness syndromes. When varicella-rubeola toxins are congested superiorly and cannot descend, causing swelling and sluggishness below the waist, calves, and knees, using it as a guiding agent yields immediate results. Its nature is draining and descending; for patients with robust constitution, it indeed has remarkable effects. For those with qi deficiency, taking it will inevitably cause deficiency diarrhea leading to chronic disease, as it consumes blood and moves qi. Do not take it for blood deficiency pain not caused by wind-dampness.

Known as "Ru" in *Suwen*, also named "Ru", commonly known as "Xue Jian Chou".
Bitter, pungent, slightly warm, non-toxic.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats cold-damp wind-bi, jaundice, and tonifies the middle jiao.
Invention: Qiancao root is red in color and warm in nature, bitter in taste with a hint of pungency. Red enters the Ying (Nutrient) level; warm nature moves stagnation; pungency enters the Liver channel. It is an herb for the Blood aspect of the Foot-Shaoyin and Hand-Jueyin channels. *Shennong Bencao Jing* further states it treats cold-damp wind-bi and jaundice; this implies that when damp-heat pathogens obstruct the Ying level, using it to clear pathogenic dampness strengthens Spleen and Stomach transportation, leaving no place for cold-damp wind-bi to linger, thus jaundice resolves spontaneously. It is very effective in treating amenorrhea in women. Refer to *Suwen* for Si Wuie Gu Yi Ru Wan, which treats uterine hemorrhage and blood exhaustion in women. *Qianjin Yifang* treats internal rupture with lower bleeding, all utilizing it to dissipate stasis within the collaterals. Patients presenting with blood disorders should not take it if accompanied by diarrhea and inability to eat.

[Fangji]
Pungent, bitter, cold, toxic.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats wind-cold warm-malaria, various heat-related diseases, expels pathogens, and promotes urination and defecation.
Invention: Fangji is pungent, cold, and purely yin, primarily treating diseases of the Blood aspect in the Lower Jiao. Its nature is inferior and impure, favoring downward movement, excelling at draining dampness because pungency allows for dispersion. Combined with its fierce qi, it treats wind-cold warm-malaria and various heat diseases, expelling pathogens and promoting urination and defecation, which is the indication in *Qianjin Fang*. *Bielu* treats edema and Bladder heat; opens interstices, promotes the orifices, all due to its damp-draining efficacy. Hongjing stated that Fangji is a key herb for treating Fengshui (Wind-Water edema). Hanfangji is the root, entering the Bladder meridian to remove damp-heat below half of the body. Mufangji is the sprout, moving through Yang aspects, treating stroke-induced spasms, wind-bi, and damp-heat. In *Jingui Yaolue*, Fangji Huangqi Tang, Fangji Dihuang Tang, Mufangji Tang, and Wuwu Fangji Tang are all key herbs for treating phlegm-fluids and damp-heat. Meanwhile, *Qianjin Fang* uses Sanwu Mufangji Tang for enuresis and dysuria. There is also Sanwu Mufangji Tang for edema, generally utilizing its power to unblock meridians. It can purge damp-heat from the blood and unblock stagnation in the meridians. If used improperly in robust individuals, it may cause irritability and reduced appetite upon ingestion. However, regarding removing damp-heat swelling and pain, specifically podagra (Hongjiaojiao) caused by downward pouring, and Bladder accumulated heat, it is indeed a miraculous herb for circulating the twelve meridians. Case 1 of contraindication: For cases of dietary/labor fatigue with yin deficiency and internal heat, using Fangji to induce bowel movements will severely deplete blood. Case 2 of contraindication: For excessive thirst with drinking, prolonged illness with failure of fluid circulation, or Upper Jiao damp-heat, Fangji is a Lower Jiao Blood herb and should not be used. Case 3 of contraindication: When external pathogens transmit to the Lung meridian, causing Qi-level damp-heat with yellow-red urine, this is a Qi-level disease of the Upper Jiao and should not be treated with Fangji. Generally, Upper Jiao damp-heat is unsuitable for use. Even for Lower Jiao damp-heat, one must examine whether urination and defecation are obstructed before using it.