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Clearing the pathogenic factors of liver fire stagnation. Treating erysipelas (erysipeloid) and insect-bite sores. Qingdai (Indigo Naturalis) is salty and cold, entering the Blood level. Treating the stagnant heat in pediatric malnutrition (Gan syndrome). Treating macules, papules, and plague epidemics. Its nature is light and floating, taste cool and bitter, color green entering the Liver organ. (Qingdai is the sediment of indigo, mixed with calcined stone powder. Those without ash are extremely rare. Generally, its functions are similar to those of Indigo Leaf. Although its green color enters the Liver meridian, its light-floating and salty-cold nature allows one to infer its functions. Thus, clearing fire, detoxifying, killing parasites, and treating sores can summarize the efficacy of Qingdai. Qingdai specifically enters the Liver meridian to treat stagnant fire in the Blood level. Because it is light and floats upward, it can also enter the Lung and Stomach meridians, descending stasis-heat, treating macules and papules caused by warm plague, as well as diseases of the throat, mouth, and tongue. For cases of yin-deficiency fire, loose stools, or spleen-stomach deficiency, it should not be used.)

Forsythiae Fructus (Lianqiao): Bitter taste first enters the Heart; cold nature reaches the Lung. Various sores and all types of toxins arise from wandering pathogenic fire, with qi accumulation and blood coagulation. This herb is used to unblock and circulate the exterior and interior. (The kernel of Forsythia initially resembles the heart; if unopened, it looks like a lotus flower; when ripe, it splits into four parts resembling the lungs. Use the shell after removing the heart. It is a light, floating, and dispersing substance. With a bitter taste and cold nature, it enters the divisions of the Heart and Lung. Since the Lung governs the qi of the whole body and the Heart governs the blood of the whole body, it can disperse qi accumulation and blood coagulation in the twelve meridians, making it a sacred medicine for treating carbuncles, ulcers, and sores. However, it is contraindicated for external conditions belonging to cold.)

Verbenae Herba (Mabiancao): Suitable for both the Liver and Stomach. Breaks blood, promotes urination to relieve strangury, and reduces swelling. It inherits a bitter and cold, slightly inferior nature. Kills parasites, clears heat, and cures carbuncles and ulcers. (Verbenae Herba is bitter and cold, entering the Liver and Stomach. It excels at breaking blood and killing parasites. The statement about promoting dampness and relieving strangury is merely incidental. It is simply observed that the various conditions it treats are located in the lower part of the body, hence this description.)

Descurainiae Semen seu Lepidii Semen (Tinglizi): Its function specializes in bitter descent. Its qi belongs to acrid and cold. It drains Lung qi to move phlegm. Wheezing caused by water-fullness in the upper jiao can be cured. It benefits the large and small intestines to treat cough. Heat is guided downward, and distension can be eliminated. (Descurainiae/Lepidii Seed is bitter, acrid, and cold, entering the Qi level of the Lung. It strongly drains water pathogens from the Lung. All seeds/kernels have a descending property, thus they can descend qi and move phlegm. It is suitable for lung heat consolidation. If there are cold-fluid retention or yin-water syndromes, or in weak patients, it must not be used. There are two types: sweet and bitter. The bitter type has an urgent descending and purging action; the sweet type has a slow action. It is a powerful drug for draining Lung qi. When qi descends, all pathogens dissipate.)