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Xuan: Promotes blood circulation and regulates Qi.
Pungent, bitter, and warm in nature. Enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, and Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. It can move Qi stagnation within the Blood level and Blood stagnation within the Qi level. It promotes urination. It dispels Wind-Bi (painful obstruction syndrome). It treats various pains in the upper, lower, interior, and exterior regions. (The principle is that pain ceases when there is free flow.) It treats masses and accumulations, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, and irregular menstruation. (The cause is disharmony of Qi and Blood, leading to stagnation and failure of menses to arrive on time.) It treats postpartum syncope due to blood deficiency, sudden upward rushing of blood, and accumulated blood from traumatic injuries. It is a herb that invigorates blood and regulates Qi. However, its pungent and warm nature is moving and dispersing rather than stabilizing. (When used alone, its action is swift and forceful; it is advisable to combine it with herbs that tonify Qi and Blood.) It unblocks the menses and induces abortion; it is suitable for cases with excess stasis. Raw use breaks blood; stir-fried use regulates blood. (Stir-frying with wine enhances blood-moving properties; stir-frying with vinegar stops bleeding.) It is contraindicated in early menstruation due to deficiency, metrorrhagia due to deficiency, and postpartum syncope due to deficiency. (The root resembles Pinellia Rhizoma [Banxia], is yellow and hard.)

Xuan: Invigorates blood and stops bleeding.
Sweet and neutral in nature. Treats contusions and traumatic injuries, as well as bleeding from metal wounds. The root is decocted for use. It invigorates blood. (After stir-frying with wine) It also stops bleeding. (After stir-frying with vinegar, or applied externally as a paste, it prevents suppuration.) The plant grows about one chi tall. The leaves resemble Menthae Haplocalycis Herba [Bohe]. The root resembles Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma [Yuzhu] but lacks nodes. When crushed, it becomes sticky.

Xuan: Dispels Wind-Dampness.
Bitter and neutral in nature. Dispels Dampness and Wind-Dampness. Treats flaccidity of the limbs and pain in the sinews and bones. Used in combination with Atractylodis Rhizoma [Cangzhu] and Angelicae Sinensis Radix [Danggui], it is very effective. Produced in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. The plant grows three to four chi tall. The leaves resemble Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma [Bixie]. The root resembles Polygoni Multiflori Radix [Heshouwu] but lacks angles. The flesh is white without striations. It slightly resembles Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma [Baqia] but lacks thorns.

Tonifies Lung and Kidney.
Sweet and neutral in nature. Protects the Lung. Tonifies the Kidney and stops bleeding. Resolves phlegm and cures chronic cough due to consumption (Lao Sou). The variety produced in Jiading Prefecture, Sichuan, is the best. Those from Yunnan and Guizhou are secondary. In winter, while underground, the body is alive like an old silkworm, with movable hairs. In summer, the hairs emerge above ground, and the entire body transforms into grass. If not harvested, by winter it transforms back into an insect.

Xie: Detoxifies.
Slightly bitter and neutral in nature. Treats mountainous miasma toxins, carbuncle toxins, and various poisonings. The raw root is ground into powder and taken with wine, one qianbi dose, which immediately resolves the toxicity. Found in the rocky areas of Qingyuan Mountains, Guangxi. Also found in Zhen'an, Guishun, and Liuzhou. The root resembles Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma [Bixie] and Trichosanthis Radix [Gualougen]. Local people highly value it and offer it as a local tribute.