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(Tu Fuling) can unblock joints and dispel damp-heat.
Sweet, bland, and neutral in nature. It dispels damp-heat to benefit the sinews and bones, promotes urination to stop diarrhea. It treats spasm and contracture of the sinews and bones, and yaws (measles-like sores). (Yaws was not recorded in ancient formularies; it originated in Lingnan during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. The syndrome mostly involves the Yangming and Jueyin meridians, extending to others. This is because the ministerial fire resides in the Jueyin meridian, and muscles belong to the Yangming meridian. Physicians used Qinfen [Calomel], a drastic agent with dry and hot properties. Entering the Yangming meridian, it forces out phlegm-saliva from the mouth and teeth, causing the sores to dry and heal. However, the toxic fumes penetrate the collaterals, sinews, and bones, causing blood emaciation and loss of nourishment to the sinews, leading to spasms, carbuncles, and fistulas, eventually resulting in disability. Tu Fuling can counteract the toxicity of Qinfen and remove damp-heat from the Yangming meridian. Used as the chief herb at 1 liang, combined with Coicis Semen (Yiyi), Flos Lonicerae Japonicae (Jinyinhua), Radix Saposhnikoviae (Fangfeng), Akebiae Caulis (Mutong), Fructus Chaenomelis (Mugua), Cortex Dictamni (Baixianpi) each at 5 fen, Semen Gleditsiae Sinensis (Zaojiaozhi) at 4 fen. For Qi deficiency, add Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) at 7 fen; for Blood deficiency, add Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui) at 7 fen. This formula is named Sou Feng Jie Du Tang [Wind-Searching and Toxin-Resolving Decoction]). It treats scrofula and sores/abscesses. (When dampness stagnates and transforms into heat, and Ying and Wei qi are disharmonious, sores and abscesses arise. As stated in the *Huangdi Neijing*: "Dampness harms the skin, flesh, sinews, and vessels." Tu Fuling, being bland, can leach out dampness; being sweet, it can harmonize. For those suffering from pustular scabies with robust Qi and Blood, decocting it as tea is excellent.) However, bland and leaching herbs may damage Yin. Those with Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency should avoid taking it. The rhizome is as large as a duck's egg, growing in clusters, commonly known as Leng Fan Tuan (Cold Rice Ball). There are red and white varieties; the white one is superior. It can be boiled for food or eaten raw. Avoid tea.

(Bibo) can unblock and dispel wind-dampness.
Sweet, bitter, and neutral in nature. Enters the Foot-Yangming Stomach meridian and Foot-Jueyin Liver meridian. (Stomach, Liver.) It dispels wind and removes dampness. (The Yangming meridian governs the flesh and is associated with dampness; the Jueyin meridian governs the sinews and is associated with wind.) It thereby secures the Lower Jiao and strengthens the sinews and bones. It treats Bi syndrome caused by wind-cold-dampness, chronic cold pain in the lower back, old blood stasis in the joints, retained water in the bladder, impotence, urinary incontinence, penile pain, and seminal turbidity, as well as hemorrhoids and malignant sores. (These diseases are all caused by damp-heat from the Yangming meridian flowing into the Lower Jiao. Bibo can separate the clear from the turbid. Shi Guoxin said: "If you wish to stimulate yang, first nourish the sinews; if you wish for clear urination, first subdue Liver fire." Yang Zijian's *Wanquan Huming Fang* states: "Whenever there is frequent urination with unbearable pain during voiding, this illness must be due to constipation and heat obstruction in the Large Intestine, causing fluid to flow only to the Small Intestine, further depleting the Large Intestine. Severe cases present with body heat, mental restlessness, and thirst. This is a critical condition. The root cause is indulgence in alcohol and sex, or excessive consumption of spicy, hot, meaty, and greasy foods, accumulating toxic heat, rotting matter, and stagnant blood, which enter the Small Intestine through deficiency, causing pain during urination. This frequency and pain differ from the strangury syndrome characterized by difficulty and pain. Use 1 liang of Bibo, stir-fried with salt water and powdered. Take 2-3 qian per dose to redirect the water pathway to the Large Intestine. Continuously wash the anus with green onion soup to promote Qi movement, then the frequency and pain will naturally decrease. The Kidney has two orifices: strangury exits from the urinary orifice, while turbidity exits from the seminal orifice.") Contraindicated in Yin deficiency with blazing fire and dribbling urine after voiding, as well as in Kidney deficiency lumbar pain without dampness. There are yellow and white varieties. The yellow one is long and hard; the white one is hollow and soft (known as Fen Bibo). The white one is superior. (Li Shizhen said: "Tu Fuling, Bibo, and Bafu have different shapes but similar therapeutic effects. Are they one species with several varieties? Bibo roots are slender and pale white; Bafu roots are tuberous and yellow.") Coicis Semen (Yiyiren) serves as an envoy herb. It is incompatible with Rheum Palmatum Radix et Rhizoma (Dahuang), Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu), and Peucedani Radix (Qianhu). Avoid tea and vinegar.