（本经中品）
【气味】辛，微温，无毒。
【主治】主下气，杀谷，除饮食，辟口臭，去邪毒，辟恶气。久服通神明，轻身耐老。
【气味】辛温，无毒。
【主治】主咳逆下气，温中，补体。叶主调中，去臭气。（别录）
【气味】辛温，无毒。
【主治】主冷气泄痢。生食，除胸中酸水。 碎，傅蚁 。（藏器）
【核】曰∶水苏，即紫苏。一名卢苏，处处有之。喜生水旁，春二月皆以子种，或子着
地间，次年自发。茎方叶圆，叶端有尖，边作锯齿，肥地者，叶面背俱色紫，瘠地者，仅背
紫面青。七八月开花红紫色，成穗作房，结实如芥子，臭香色褐，碎之绞液作油，甚甘美也。
若叶面背色白者，即荏子，子不甚香，而叶转辛。若叶面背青白者，即荠 ，叶上有毛而气
臭，五月采叶，七月采茎，九月采实，各取得气之全。今市肆茎叶，多霜后采取，此已 之
本，气味俱失，不宜用也。别录另立苏，及白苏两条；苏即水苏，白苏即荏子，又有鱼苏、
鸡苏二种。鱼苏，即荏子同类，一名 苏，状似茵陈，叶大而香。吴人用煮鱼食，因名鱼苏。
鸡苏，一名回回苏，茎叶俱紫，叶边锯齿极细密，叶面交纽若剪绒状，宛似鸡冠，因名鸡苏
。王祯云∶即水苏之异形，故主疗诸疾亦相同也。
先人云∶诸苏同一种类，但有家莳野生，及色香气味之殊。故主治功力，似异而同也。
皆宜于水，质都柔润，虽色香气味，稍分浓薄，而辛温芳烈则一，当以本经水苏为正。顾苏
之有荏有荠，若术之有苍有白，何须另立门户。
【 】曰∶此以功用诠名，水取坎刚，以荡活泼之体。苏则震 ，以舒阳和之用。更详
色香气味，体性生成，致新推陈之宣剂轻剂也。故主气下者，可使之宣发，气上者，可使之
宣摄，并可开发上焦，宣五谷味，熏肤充身泽毛若雾露之溉，故谷亦杀，毒亦去，臭恶亦辟，
神明可通，轻身耐老矣。别录用治吐血，衄血，及血崩，此气不宣发宣摄，以气如橐龠，血
如
茎则偏于宣通，子则兼而有之，而性稍缓。别录又出荏子，藏器又出荠 。荏即水苏之色白
者，易于入肺，以肺之经气，起于中焦，上隔属肺，乃能布气四达故也。荠即水苏之色青者
，易于入肝，以肝之经气，终于中焦，中焦食气，乃能散精于肝故也。如泄痢酸水，正食气
不得散精于肝，致气冷痿厥，遂成五饮，变生种种形证耳。
（水苏独为中焦主，故可宣扬，复可宣摄；荏子独为上焦主，为经气之始；荠 独为下
焦主，为经气之终。而三苏之扬摄，又莫不繇中焦，次第以为分属者。然水苏枢之属，荏子
开之属，荠 阖之属矣。）
[Classified as Middle Grade in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica)]
【Flavor and Nature】Pungent, slightly warm, non-toxic.
【Indications】Primarily descends Qi, eliminates food stagnation, removes dietary accumulation, dispels bad breath, clears pathogenic toxins, and wards off foul odors. Long-term consumption can clarify the mind and spirit, lighten the body, and retard aging.
【Flavor and Nature】Pungent, warm, non-toxic.
【Indications】Primarily treats cough with rebellious Qi, descends Qi, warms the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner), and tonifies the physique. The leaves primarily regulate the Middle Jiao and remove foul odors. (From *Bielu* / *Additional Records by Famous Physicians*)
【Flavor and Nature】Pungent, warm, non-toxic.
【Indications】Primarily treats dysentery and diarrhea caused by cold qi. Consumed raw, it removes sour fluid from the chest. Crushed and applied externally, it treats ant bites. (From Chen Cangqi's notes in *Xinxiu Bencao* / *Supplement to the New Revised Materia Medica*)
[Textual Research] It is said: Shuisu (Perilla frutescens var. frutescens) is Zisu (Purple Perilla). Also known as Lusu, it grows everywhere. It prefers growing near water. In the second lunar month, it is sown by seed, or seeds fall to the ground and sprout naturally the following year. The stem is square, leaves are round with pointed tips and serrated edges. Those grown in fertile soil have purple coloration on both leaf surfaces; those in poor soil are purple only on the underside and green on top. In the seventh and eighth months, they bloom with reddish-purple flowers arranged in spikes, producing fruits resembling mustard seeds. They have a fragrant odor, brown-black color, and when crushed, yield an oil that is very sweet and delicious. If the leaf surfaces are white, it is Renzi (White Perilla); its seeds are not very fragrant, but the leaves are more pungent. If the leaf surfaces are greenish-white, it is Qisū (Qisu); it has hairy leaves and a fishy odor. Leaves are harvested in the fifth month, stems in the seventh, and fruits in the ninth, thereby obtaining the plant at its most complete state of receiving Qi. Currently, the stems and leaves sold in markets are mostly harvested after frost; these have lost their fundamental essence, and their flavors and natures are depleted, making them unsuitable for use. *Bielu* separately lists "Su" and "White Su"; Su refers to Shuisu, and White Su refers to Renzi. There are also two other types: Yusu (Fish Perilla) and Jisu (Chicken Perilla). Yusu is of the same category as Renzi, also known as [missing character] Su, resembling Yinchen (Artemisia capillaris), with large leaves and a strong fragrance. People in Wu use it to boil fish for eating, hence the name Yusu. Jisu, also known as Huihuisu (Huihui Perilla), has purple stems and leaves, extremely fine and dense serrations on the leaf margins, and leaf surfaces that interlock like cut velvet, resembling a rooster's comb, hence the name Jisu. Wang Zhen stated: This is merely an异形 (variant form) of Shuisu, thus its therapeutic indications for various diseases are also the same.
My late father once said: All types of Su belong to the same species, differing only in whether they are cultivated or wild, and in their colors, fragrances, and flavors. Therefore, their therapeutic efficacies appear different but are essentially the same. They all thrive in moist environments, and their textures are soft and moist. Although their colors, fragrances, and flavors vary in intensity, their pungent, warm, aromatic, and potent nature is consistent. We should regard the Shuisu recorded in the *Benjing* (*Shennong Bencao Jing*) as the orthodox standard. However, since Su includes Renzi and Qisu, just as Baizhu (Atractylodes macrocephala) includes Cangzhu (Atractylodes lancea) and Baizhu, why establish separate categories?
[Commentary] It is said: This explains the name based on function. Water takes the rigid quality of Kan (☵) trigram to cleanse the lively physical constitution. Su takes the dynamic quality of Zhen (☳) trigram to unfold the usage of harmonizing Yang Qi. Further detailing its color, fragrance, flavor, nature, generation, and formation, it is a light agent that promotes freshness and eliminates stale matter. Thus, for descending Qi, it can promote dissemination; for ascending/rebellious Qi, it can promote regulation. It can also open the Upper Jiao (Upper Burner), disseminate the flavors of the five grains, fumigate the skin, fill the body, and moisten hair, akin to the irrigation of mist and dew. Hence, food stagnation is eliminated, toxins are removed, and foul odors are repelled; the mind and spirit can be clarified, the body lightened, and aging retarded. *Bielu* records its use for treating hematemesis (vomiting blood), epistaxis (nosebleed), and metrorrhagia (uterine bleeding). This is because Qi fails to disseminate and regulate properly; Qi acts like a bellows, and Blood follows Qi. The stems tend towards promoting circulation and unblocking, while the seeds possess both disseminating and regulating functions, with a milder nature. *Bielu* further lists Renzi, and *Supplement* lists Qisu. Renzi is the white-colored variant of Shuisu, which easily enters the Lung Meridian, because the Lung meridian Qi originates in the Middle Jiao, passes through the diaphragm to connect with the Lung, thereby distributing Qi to all four extremities. Qisu is the green-colored variant of Shuisu, which easily enters the Liver Meridian, because the Liver meridian Qi terminates in the Middle Jiao, where food Qi can scatter essence to the Liver. Conditions such as dysentery and sour fluid arise precisely because food Qi cannot scatter essence to the Liver, leading to cold Qi, flaccidity, and厥 (Jue/cold limbs), subsequently forming the Five Drinks (Wuyin) and manifesting as various pathological signs.
(Shuisu exclusively governs the Middle Jiao, thus capable of both disseminating and regulating; Renzi exclusively governs the Upper Jiao, being the beginning of meridian Qi; Qisu exclusively governs the Lower Jiao, being the end of meridian Qi. Yet the dispersing and regulating actions of the three Sus all originate from the Middle Jiao, sequentially assigned to their respective domains. However, Shuisu belongs to the Pivot (Shu) category, Renzi belongs to the Opening (Kai) category, and Qisu belongs to the Closing (He) category.)