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[Shennong Bencao Jing, Middle Category]
【Flavor and Nature】Bitter, warm, non-toxic.
【Indications】Primarily treats cough with rebellious qi (Ke Ni Shang Qi), cold-heat knotted qi in the chest, removes gu poison (Gu Du), ataxia and weakness of the limbs (Wei Jue), and calms the five zang organs.
【Verification】It is stated: It grows in the valleys of Hanzhong and Fangling, as well as in Zhending and Handan; it is also found near the roads. In the third and fourth lunar months, seedlings spread on the ground; its leaves grow in pairs or quaternions; in the fifth and sixth months, it blooms yellow-white-purple flowers. The root is extremely soft and moist, purple in color with nodes, resembling the hanging tassels of Ru Ying. The white variety is called Nu Wan (Female Aster), also known as Bai Wan (White Aster). Nowadays, people often use the roots of Plantago asiatica (Che Qian) and Inula japonica (Xuan Fu), dyed red with soil, to counterfeit it; one must be cautious. Processing method: Remove the fibrous roots, root head, and soil; wash clean with flowing water from the east; soak in honey overnight; the next morning, dry by roasting over a stove fire. Kua Dong Hua (Flos Farfarae) serves as its assistant drug (Shi). It is incompatible with Tian Xiong (Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii Preparata), Qu Mai (Herba Dianthi), Gao Ben (Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong), Lei Wan (Sclerotium Polypori), and Yuan Zhi (Radix Polygalae); it fears Yin Chen (Herba Artemisiae Scopariae).
My late father said: The Book of Songs states, "Lush are the tender mulberries," indicating abundance/luxuriance; thus, it treats stagnation and knotting. One should select the variety that is purple in color and bitter in taste among the five colors, to treat the cold-heat knotted qi in the chest. The chest is the location of the Lung organ. If there is fire in the Lung, manifesting outwardly it causes Wei Jue (limb atrophy and weakness); manifesting inwardly it causes cough and asthma; and due to Lung heat scorching the leaves, it leads to the disturbance of the five zang organs. Use its color to facilitate Lung function, use its aroma to disperse Lung stagnation, and use its flavor to accord with the nature of fire. If used without existing knotted qi, it will excessively drain Lung qi.
[Commentary] It is said: "Wan" means stagnation. It is named so because it resolves the stagnation of Metal (Lung). The chest is the domain of the Lung; when cold and hot qi knot in the middle, it leads to gu poison and disturbance of the zang organs. Upward manifestation includes cough and rebellious qi; downward manifestation includes Wei Jue. Wan acts by resolving the knot from the heart/mind. "Jie" (resolve) means to scatter; the resolution of the exterior and free urination/defecation are external signs. The Classic states: "For Metal stagnation, vent it." This refers to resolving the exterior and promoting urination. Observing panting (Xi Ben) and sudden inability to urinate reveals the underlying principle. If the center is deficient, or if the Lung Metal constitution is weak, dosage should be carefully considered.
(Red Fire controls Metal; Purple represents the union of Water and Fire; thus, it transitions to regulate Metal function. Fire, Metal, and Water intersect, belonging to the same lineage. However, when Taiyin opens, if there is stagnation...)
(Resolution begins from untying the knot. Resolving the exterior disperses upward and downward; promoting urination/defecation disperses downward and inward; panting is an outward dispersion upward; sudden inability to urinate is an internal knotting downward. One should reduce excess pathogenic factors without further depleting deficiency.)