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Astringent, stops bleeding.
Bitterness can drain heat, astringency can consolidate and prevent collapse, carbonization can stop bleeding. (Red turns to black to stop bleeding; can be used together with Cae Sidae Fibre Root (Ce Bai Ye) and Cae Japonicae Herba (Juan Bai), carbonized to retain efficacy, made into pills with rice flour, to treat chronic lower body bleeding; can also be decocted.) Treats hematemesis, epistaxis, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea. Wind in intestines causing bloody stool, dysentery. Only suitable when excessive blood loss leads to sliding and uncontrollable bleeding. If taken too early, it may cause blood stasis to accumulate and cause harm. Old, deteriorated palm fiber is effective; using it together with Ash of Human Hair (Fa Hui) is particularly good. When carbonizing, must retain the medicinal property, do not over-burn. Place in a cellar to remove fire toxicity.

Also known as Wu Shi Zi. Astringes essence, externally used to dye beard black.
Bitter and warm, enters Kidney meridian. Astringes essence and consolidates Qi, strengthens Yin and assists Yang, stops seminal emission and strangury, eliminates diarrhea and dysentery, collects damp sweat in genital area, darkens hair and beard. Nature leans towards astringency and stopping leakage, should not be used in large doses or exclusively. Originates from Dashi countries and various foreign regions. Small grains with fine texture are superior. Pick out those eaten by insects and hollowed out. Avoid copper and iron vessels. Grind in a mortar with fermented grain water, dry by baking, then grind again until it resembles the color of black rhinoceros horn. (For toothache, wrap one qian of Wu Shi Zi powder in cotton and bite on it, spit out saliva, effective.)

Also known as He Zi. Astringes intestines and consolidates lungs, drains Qi.
Bitter and warm to drain Qi and resolve phlegm. (Sea fish become slippery due to coagulated saliva, boats cannot move; throwing He Zi Tang into the water quickly dissolves them, demonstrating its ability to resolve phlegm.) Sour and astringent to consolidate lungs and prevent collapse, eliminate distension and fullness, descend food stagnation, benefit throat, promote fluid secretion, open voice and relieve thirst. Treats cold qi abdominal distension, diaphragmatic qi vomiting and reflux, phlegm cough and wheezing, diarrhea and dysentery with rectal prolapse, wind in intestines causing bloody stool and metrorrhagia. (Used together with Wumei and Beizi for astringency; used together with Chenpi and Houpo to direct Qi downward; combined with Renshen treats Lung deficiency cold cough; combined with Chenpi and Sharen treats cold qi abdominal distension; assisted by Baizhu and Lianzi treats chronic diarrhea due to deficiency-cold; assisted by Chupi treats intestinal bleeding; combined with Shechuangzi, Wuweizi, Shanzhuyu, Xuduan, and Duzhong treats leukorrhea due to deficiency-cold.) Do not take at the initial stage of cough and dysentery. Although sour and astringent, it also drains Qi, so those with Qi deficiency should avoid it. Nature is warm. If there is excess heat in the Lungs, dysentery due to damp-heat, or wheezing due to fire rushing upward, all methods strictly prohibit its use. (Danxi believed it descends fire, which is completely incorrect; Dongyuan believed it should not be used in cough medicines, which is also a biased view.) Comes from foreign ships, also found in Lingnan. Six-pronged, black, thick flesh is superior. Steamed with wine for one wu period (approx. 2 hours), remove core and bake. Raw use clears Metal and moves Qi, cooked use warms Stomach and consolidates intestines. Core: stops cough and dysentery.