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[Shennong Bencao Jing · Middle Grade]
[Flavor and Nature] Sweet, cold, non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats emaciation and weakness due to overexertion; tonifies the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner), benefits Qi, removes blood stasis and blood obstruction, eliminates alternating chills and fever, and promotes urination.
[Verification] It is stated: Bai Mao (Imperata Rhizome) grows in the valleys and fields of Chu region, and is also found elsewhere. Seedlings emerge in spring, spreading on the ground like needles, commonly called "Mao Zhen" (Cattail Needle). In the third and fourth lunar months, it flowers and forms spikes, white and fluffy like cotton wool, subsequently bearing fine seeds. With autumn, it withers; its root is named "Ru". The I Ching says "Pulling up the thatch grass brings up the roots together," because they belong to the same category and are connected; thus, the roots are long and intertwined, forming nodes every inch, soft and white like sinews, sweet as sugarcane, used to make maltose syrup, clear, smooth, and palatable. By autumn, the roots sometimes emit a blue-green light at midnight; if rotted, they transform into fireflies. Thatch grass can be used for roofing and for wrapping sacrificial offerings, known as "Mao Si" (Thatch Silk). The Book of Songs states: "Gather thatch by day, twist it by night." This refers to the days of grain harvest; when labor is insufficient, gathering thatch by day is not enough, so one continues at night. Thus, after the silk work ends, the hemp work begins; once fieldwork is completed, palace work follows. Vegetables are stored in autumn to aid the insufficient winter; twisting thatch at night compensates for the lack of daytime. Liezi says: "Flowing like waves, swaying like thatch grass." "Mao Mi" means swaying with the wind. "Ti" refers to the newly sprouted shoots of thatch grass. The Book of Songs says: "Hands soft as tender shoots." "Ti" refers to this. The Xiangjing (Classic of Physiognomy) states: "If sinews cannot bind the body, and blood does not luster the complexion, hands lack the softness of spring shoots, and hair has the desolation of winter wormwood, this is the lowest state of form." Therefore, those that are tough and short belong to other categories. There is another type growing only in deep mountains; in autumn, it flowers like reeds, with sharp black fruits about one fen long, sticking to clothes and pricking people, called "Jian" (Saccharum spontaneum). Another type has leaves at the stem tip, powder on the stem, and hairs at the root head, called "Huang Jian" (Yellow Saccharum). Another type grows in Hunan and between the Jianghuai regions, with three ridges on the leaf back, smelling like cattail, usable for wrapping items and filtering wine (Suo Jiu), called "Jing" (Acorus calamus or similar). Another type grows in clumps like reeds, with large leaves like cattails, six or seven chi high, called "Mang" (Miscanthus). Their roots are all tough and short, unsuitable for medicinal use.
[Elucidation] It is said: Although Thatch Grass is humble, its utility is significant. Its nature is soft but its character is straight, hence the ancient kings used it as a lining mat. The I Ching says: "Using white thatch as a lining, no blame." The Image Commentary says: "Because softness is below." Generally, Dui Metal is above, Xun Wood's softness is below, and softness adheres to the center. Practicing this method cautiously leads to no loss. (Bai Mao) is indeed Yin within Yang, entering the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, manifesting the treatment method of the Yangming Meridian in the middle, to circulate Ying-Wei (Nutritive and Defensive) Qi and Yin-Yang. The Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian originates from the Middle Jiao, shining brightly within, maintaining caution in the center, distributing Qi to move forward, thus avoiding error. Hence, it tonifies the Middle, increasing Qi, restoring fatigue, healing injuries, filling deficiency, and plumping emaciation. Consequently, it removes blood stasis and obstruction, eliminates chills and fever, and facilitates urination and defecation, all being proofs of the efficacy of distributing Qi forward. The Mingyi Bie Lu expands its benefits to promoting urination, treating the Five Stranguries, blood stasis, metrorrhagia, overexertion-induced weakness, strengthening sinews and bones, and thickening muscles and tightening pores. Yaoxing Lun expands its treatment of blood obstruction, irregular menstruation, and dribbling blood. The Zhouhou Beiji Fang states that chewing Bai Mao Gen (Rhizoma Imperatae) allows one to survive without grain, further expanding its ability to tonify the Middle and benefit Qi. Pang Anchang advocated using it for warm diseases with latent heat inside, causing chest fullness, vomiting, and hiccups, resulting from severe purgation with accompanying heat. Bai Mao establishes the Central Qi, while Gegen (Puerariae Radix) raises Yin Qi, further broadening Master Zhang Zhongjing's Gegen Tang (Kudzu Decoction) method, distributing Qi from the center and dispersing pathogens from the muscle layer. The Zhouhou Beiji Fang treats edema after deficiency, attributing it to decline of Mingmen Fire and kidney deficiency leading to water flooding. Xiaodou (Adzuki Bean) governs the heart valley of kidney water, relying on the bright clarity of Bai Mao Gen, akin to burning fuel under the pot, utilizing lung Qi respiration, so that Ying-Wei Qi can proceed and water pathways can flow. For jaundice, grain jaundice, labor jaundice, yellow sweat, and stone water, where color changes manifest in skin tone and signs appear on the skin, since pigs are water animals, using Bai Mao Gen as the sovereign herb also broadens the water-treatment methods of the Zhouhou Fang. However, the former formula leans towards descending (right), while this one also considers ascending (left). If Qianjin Fang resolves alcohol toxicity fearing organ damage, drinking Bai Mao Gen juice cleanses the Middle Jiao, supplemented by Gegua (Puerariae Flos), which would surely be miraculous. If suddenly afflicted by the Five Corpse parasites, damaging Yang-Sheng Qi, causing abdominal pain, distension, urgency, inability to breathe, rushing up to the chest and heart, attacking both flanks, feeling as if dragged by moving corpse ghosts causing harm, using hard metal herbs to drain, burning with thatch fire, pursuing relentlessly, allowing Yang-Sheng to overcome Si-Yin (Dead Yin), strengthening the hundred bones to rotate Central Qi, assisting Central Qi to revive the hundred bones, whether ingested or applied topically, all achieve merit. Using white thatch as a lining, what blame could there be? This represents utmost caution.