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Category of Mountain Herbs

Ginseng greatly tonifies Yuan Qi (primordial qi), generates Yin Blood, and also clears deficient fire.
It is sweet in taste, warm in nature, with a slight bitterness. It greatly tonifies the Yuan Qi in the Lungs. (Li Dongyuan stated in *Yong Yao Fa Xiang*: The Lung governs Qi; when Lung Qi is vigorous, the Qi of all Zang-Fu organs becomes vigorous, Essence naturally generates, and the physical form naturally flourishes. The Ten Categories theory states: Tonification can remove weakness; Ginseng and Mutton are examples. Ginseng tonifies Qi, Mutton tonifies Form.) Clears Fire. (Li Dongyuan said: Ginseng and Licorice Root are the holy medicines for retreating fire. Fatigue leads to deficiency generating heat; obtaining sweet-warm herbs to benefit Yuan Qi causes the deficient heat to recede naturally, thus it is also called "clearing fire".) Eliminates vexation, generates fluids, stops thirst, opens the mind, and benefits wisdom. (When Heart Qi is strong, one thinks well and possesses much wisdom.) Enhances hearing and vision. (Both washing and ingestion are excellent.) Calms the spirit. Stabilizes the Hun (ethereal soul). Stops palpitations and fright. Unblocks the blood vessels. (When Qi moves, Blood moves.) Breaks down hard accumulations. (When Qi circulates, accumulations dissolve.) Resolves phlegm and fluid retention. (When Qi is vigorous, phlegm moves and fluids dissipate.) When Qi is robust, Stomach Qi naturally opens. When Qi is harmonious, food naturally digests. Treats consumptive fatigue and internal injury. (Internal injury caused by seven emotions, six desires, diet, and labor should be treated by nourishing righteousness; external contraction caused by wind, cold, summerheat, dampness, dryness, and fire should be treated by expelling pathogens. For example, in fever: external contraction presents with continuous fever, while internal injury presents with intermittent fever; in aversion to cold: external contraction does not improve with warmth, while internal injury improves with warmth; in headache: external contraction presents with constant pain, while internal injury presents with intermittent pain; external contraction presents with heat on the back of the hands, while internal injury presents with heat in the palms; external contraction presents with nasal congestion, while internal injury presents with a bland taste in the mouth.) Fever with spontaneous sweating. (Spontaneous sweating belongs to Yang deficiency, suitable for Ginseng to tonify Qi. There are also cases due to Lung heat with excessive sweating; taking Ginseng will cause more sweating, so clear heat and nourish Blood simultaneously, and sweating will stop. External contraction of Wind pathogen often presents with fever and spontaneous sweating, pulse must be floating and moderate, and external symptoms can be distinguished.) Defective cough and panting. (Chen Jiamo in *Ben Cao Meng Quan* said: Cough involves "Lung heat injuring the Lung again," mentioning only cold and heat without distinguishing deficiency and excess. If there is excess heat in the Lung, it is contraindicated; if there is deficient heat, what harm is there in taking it?) Cold pain in the heart and abdomen. (Medical texts say pain has no tonification method because Qi is excess; if pain is due to deficiency-cold, it should be used urgently.) Cold damage. (Mediocre practitioners, failing to examine deficiency or excess, seeing only fever, immediately attack with purgatives, saying "Cold damage has no tonification method." Have they not observed Zhang Zhongjing's *Shang Han Lun*, which establishes 397 methods, over 100 treating deficiency-cold, listing 113 formulas, among which over 50 use Ginseng and Aconite?) Plague. (In plague disease, Yang pulses are soft and weak, indicating righteous Qi deficiency; Yin pulses are string-tight, indicating pathogenic excess. With righteous deficiency and pathogenic excess, a mass of toxic pathogens burns internally and cannot be dispersed. The illness burdens the body, and those who did not store Jing in winter are easily infected upon exposure. Therefore, in exterior-releasing formulas, a small amount of Ginseng (3-7 fen) should be used to lead out the pathogen. Yu Jiayan discussed this in detail in *Yu Yi Cao*). Vomiting, hiccups, and regurgitation. Malaria, diarrhea, and dysentery. (These are functions of regulating the Stomach and fortifying the Spleen. However, if Lung heat is transmitted to the Large Intestine causing diarrhea/dysentery, even if chronic, one should clear the source of the Lung. If wind enters the intestines/stomach causing chronic diarrhea/dysentery, one should expel wind from the muscle layer; both are contraindicated.) Dribbling urination. (When Lung Qi transforms, urine flows freely without frequency.) Distension and fullness. (Huangfu Song in *Ben Cao Fa Ming* said: Reverse fullness in the chest and diaphragm should be tonified, and distension will remove itself. This is the classic principle of "treating obstruction with obstruction." Vulgar physicians stick to the idea of feeling full and dare not use it, not knowing that small amounts cause stagnation, while large amounts promote circulation; tonification is precisely for guiding.) Numerous dreams. Li Hun (Soul Separation) abnormal disease. (Some feel that while sleeping, there is another body outside, identical. When sleeping, the Hun returns to the Liver. This is due to Liver deficiency and pathogen invasion, causing the Hun not to return home. The disease is named Li Hun. *Xia Zi Yi Qi Ji Fang* uses Dragon Tooth, Red Poria, and Cinnabar, each 1 qian, decocted and taken before sleep; three doses cure it.) Pregnancy vomiting of water. (Acidic heart/abdominal pain, inability to eat. *Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang* uses equal parts of Roasted Ginger powder, formed into pills the size of paulownia seeds with Rehmannia Juice, 50 pills per dose, taken with rice soup.) Various deficiencies in pregnancy and childbirth. Infant slow convulsion. Dangerous conditions in variolation. (If pockmarks are delicate red and not mature, or sunken, or thin skin with clear pus, or itchy/collapsed with diarrhea, all belong to Qi deficiency, suitable for use. If due to Lung heat, pus does not flow well, or scabs are difficult to shed after crusting, it is contraindicated. Diarrhea due to Lung heat is also contraindicated.) External medicine Yin toxicity. (After abscesses/ulcers discharge pus and close, its effect is miraculous; using it as a powder is also wonderful.) Loss of blood due to deficiency. (Ancients treated massive blood loss with Kubo/Hong pulses using Ginseng; when Qi is vigorous, it controls Blood. Also, for blood depletion, one must benefit Qi, for Blood does not generate itself; it requires herbs that generate Yang Qi to produce it, based on the principle that "when Yang grows, Yin grows." If only tonifying Blood is used, it cannot generate. If Fire Qi is rebellious and Blood Heat acts recklessly, it is contraindicated.) For severe Qi deficiency. Decoct concentrated Du Shen Tang (Single Ginseng Decoction) and administer. If accompanied by cold, add slightly of Aconite. Note: Ginseng's function surpasses other herbs. But it closes Qi. Contraindicated for Lung fire and obstructed Lung Qi. Solidifies the Exterior. Contraindicated for exterior pathogens. For all sand-pox, chickenpox, and macular toxins, if trying to erupt but not yet out, presenting only with stifling heat without spots, mistaken use blocks the path, causing especially severe disaster. Produced in Liaodong. Those from Ninggutai are shiny, red, and solid. Those from Chuan Chang are hollow, loose, and lead-filled. Both rough and cooked varieties exist. Should be baked between papers. Avoid iron. Not suitable for exposure to wind and sun. Poria is the guide herb. Incompatible with Trogopterus Dung. Hostile to Gleditsia Sinensis, Black Soybean, Purple Quartz, and Human Urine. Inverted against Veratrum. (Li Yanwen said: Li Dongyuan regulated Spleen/Stomach and cleared Yin Fire; in Jiao Tai Wan, Ginseng and Gleditsia are used together, showing hostility without actual antagonism. Ancient formula for amenorrhea adds Ginseng and Trogopterus Dung to Si Wu Tang, showing fear without actual incompatibility. Another formula for phlegm in chest/diaphragm uses Ginseng and Veratrum together to induce vomiting, stimulating their angry nature; only those who understand profound mysteries and adaptability know this. For unceasing blood loss, Ginseng mixed with child's urine stops it immediately; though hostile, the effect is miraculous.)
Ginseng Stem (Generates fluids, tonifies Qi.) These grow horizontally from the Rhizome head. Their power is very thin. Only suitable for regulating common diseases and generating fluids/stopping thirst. Their nature travels horizontally in arms/hands. Very effective for finger/arm weakness.
Ginseng Rootlets (Generates fluids, tonifies Qi.) Also grow horizontally from the Rhizome head, but finer. Their nature is same as Ginseng Stem, but power is even thinner. Know that Ginseng Stem and Rootlets merely obtain residual Qi of Ginseng. Dangerous conditions cannot rely on them.
Prince Ginseng (Greatly tonifies Yuan Qi.) Although very thin like Ginseng Stem, short, tight, solid, with rhizome rings. Its power is not inferior to major Ginseng.
Ginseng Rhizome (Disperses, induces vomiting, yet has some tonifying nature.) Bitter, warm, induces vomiting. Consumptive fatigue with phlegm-fluid retention. (Wu Shou said: For weak persons, use Ginseng Rhizome instead of Melon Seed. Zhu Danxi in *Ben Cao Bu Yi* said: Ginseng enters Hand-Taiyin, tonifies Yin within Yang; Rhizome drains Yang within Taiyin. Like Ephedra Herb induces sweat, root stops sweat. Phlegm in upper diaphragm/channels should be vomited; vomiting contains dispersal meaning. One woman had hiccup due to anger, body jumping, unconscious, due to phlegm from anger-stagnation, Qi unable to descend. Used half liang Ginseng Rhizome with reverse-flow water decoction, vomited several bowls of stubborn phlegm, profuse sweat, slept deeply, then recovered. One person exerted himself, got malaria, took malaria medicine turning into heat disease, short tongue, phlegm-cough, six pulses flooding-numb-slippery, phlegm accumulating in chest. Used Ginseng Rhizome Decoction plus Bamboo Sap, vomited three pieces of stubborn phlegm, then given Ginseng and Angelica to recover.) Now Eastern/Western regions commonly use it. (Also, a type of Ginseng with white, long, thin skin named Fenghuang Cheng; another with rough skin and loose body named Pao Tou, widely used in Eastern regions.)
Ginseng Leaf Greatly bitter, greatly cold. Damages Qi, ruins Blood. Its nature is opposite to Ginseng. And useless. So never recorded in ancient Materia Medica.