Library

(Recorded in the Kaibao era of Song Dynasty)
A wise person has knowledge in their heart; having knowledge, there must be speech. How could they not know the seasons?

[Flavor and Nature] Pungent, Warm, Non-toxic.

[Indications] Primarily treats seminal emission, deficiency-type leakage, and dribbling after urination; benefits Qi, calms the Spirit (Shen), tonifies insufficiency, promotes the free flow of the Triple Burner (San Jiao), and regulates various Qi mechanisms. For those with frequent nocturia, take twenty-four fruits, crush them, decoct with salt, and ingest; this yields remarkable results.

[Analysis] Says: It originates from Kunlun Kingdom and Jiaozhi (modern northern Vietnam). Currently, it is found everywhere in the prefectures and commanderies of Lingnan. Gu Wei stated in *Guangzhou Ji*: The leaves resemble lotus leaves, over a zhang long; small branches grow above the roots, seven or eight cun high; there are no sepals; separate leaves resembling bamboo arrows emerge, and the fruit sprouts from the center. Ten fruits cluster on one branch, as large as small dates. The skin is black, the flesh white; smaller seeds are superior. When held in the mouth, it can retain saliva. Alternatively, split into four parts, remove the seed, boil the outer skin with honey to make zongzi (sticky rice dumplings); the flavor is extremely pungent and delicious. In the Jin Dynasty, Lu Xun presented Liu Yu with "Yizhi Zongzi," which refers to this fruit. Ji Kang stated in *Caomu Zhuang*: Yizhi Zi flowers and bears fruit in the second lunar month, ripening in the fifth and sixth months. The fruit resembles a pen tip, pointed at both ends, seven or eight fen long. Mixed with Wuwei Zi (Schisandra Chinensis Fruit), it makes wine fragrant. It can also be dried with salt or eaten as zongzi. Gu Wei's claim that it has no flowers was incorrect.

Now [ ] says: Su Changgong (Su Shi) wrote an account regarding Yizhi Zi, stating that Hainan produces Yizhi, where both flowers and fruits are long spikes divided into three sections. By observing its upper, middle, and lower sections, one can predict the abundance or scarcity of early, mid, and late rice crops. In times of great abundance, all sections bear fruit; in times of great scarcity, none bear fruit; it is rare for all three sections to ripen simultaneously. As a medicinal substance, it only treats water-related disorders and does not benefit "Zhi" (Wisdom/Intellect). How did it get this name? Is it because it knows the seasons? Li Shizhen (Hao Binhu) recorded this account in detail, suspecting it to be overly forced and speculative. This is likely due to ignorance of the fact that the Five Viscera each house Seven Spirits. Spleen Earth houses two of them, named "Yi" (Thought/Intent) and "Zhi" (Wisdom/Intellect). Yi is the substance/form of Spleen Earth; Zhi is the function/activity of Spleen Earth. Yizhi Zi benefits the functional activity of Spleen Earth, hence the name Yizhi (Benefiting Wisdom). Observing that its stem emerges from the center and bears ten fruits, it embodies the positional growth of Earth's substance and the numerical completion of Earth's function, which is clearly verifiable. The *Book of Documents* states: "Earth is suited for sowing and harvesting." Because Earth uses the generation of living things as its function, it is suited for cultivating crops. It possesses the true essence of Earth's Qi. Even using it to test the fertility or barrenness, purity or coarseness, coldness or warmth of Earth's nature reveals its properties. Thus, we know that Yizhi, by benefiting the wisdom of Earth's function, corresponds to the fluctuation between abundance and scarcity of early, mid, and late rice for this very reason. Its use as a medicine to treat water disorders also has a cause. Water's nature is moistening and damp; Water's function is flowing. What prevents it from flooding is the holding power of Earth, acting as a dike. If the dike leaks, it becomes dribbling, leakage, emission, or slipping; severely, it becomes bursting, collapsing, overflowing, or inundating. The flavor is pungent and the nature warm, with efficacy akin to fire and heat, because Spleen utilizes Yang as its function. Consequently, the Upper, Middle, and Lower Burners also rely on it to verify abundance or scarcity. Is this not beneficial to Zhi? How else would it receive this name? It is not merely about knowing the seasons; do not dismiss it as forced speculation.