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Longdan Cao (Gentianae Radix)
Bitter and astringent, cold in nature. It sinks and is yin, with an inferior odor. It treats strangury (Lin syndrome) and eye diseases by clearing yang pathogens of the Liver and Gallbladder; it eliminates Gu distension (parasitic abdominal mass) and Dan heat (febrile disease due to damp-heat), generally retreating damp-fire of the Lower Jiao.
(Note: Longdan Cao tastes as bitter as bile and has a great cold nature, specifically clearing all excess fire pathogens of the Liver and Gallbladder. Gu arises from damp-heat, and Dan belongs to damp-heat etiology. If the disease is caused by deficiency, this herb should not be used. This drug directly purges the Lower Jiao; if taken mistakenly by those with Lower Jiao deficiency, it often leads to uncontrollable seminal emission or sliding. For those with Stomach deficiency, taking it causes vomiting and nausea. It damages Yang and ruins the Stomach, so caution is advised.)

Maogen (Imperatae Rhizoma)
Sweetness benefits blood; coldness cools blood stasis. It guides upper heat downward, eliminates Dan heat, promotes urination, removes internal heat while reaching outward, dissipates heat, dispels wind, relieves thirst, and unblocks strangury. It clears the Stomach and also clears the Lungs; it can ulcerate abscesses and treat epistaxis. The use of Maoshen (unearthed young shoot) differs from Maohua (flower). (From the *Shennong Bencao Jing* onwards, various materia medica texts did not state that Maogen can release the exterior. Nowadays, people all use it to release the exterior, but the reason is unknown. Examining its properties and flavors, it is cold in qi, sweet in taste, and moist in texture. Where lies its so-called "releasing the exterior" function? Its strengths lie merely in clearing and nourishing the Lungs and Stomach, cooling blood stasis, and washing away heat. The saying about "dispelling wind" implies the principle that "when blood flows, wind extinguishes itself." Observing ancients using Maoshen decocted for drinking to suppurate pus, and Maohua decocted for drinking to stop bleeding, both enter the Blood level. Frequently seeing ancients treating continuous hematemesis and epistaxis by administering juice extracted from crushed Maogen which stops immediately, the utility of Maogen can be generalized.)

Yanhusuo (Corydalis Rhizoma)
Moves Qi stagnation within Blood; its substance is warm and aromatic, making Qi smooth and Blood harmonious. Its flavor is both acrid and bitter; entering the Stomach, it searches out and removes pain from cold-stasis; reaching the Liver, it treats women's menstrual disorders. (Yanhusuo is acrid, bitter, and warm, yellow in color, fragrant in aroma, and solid in form; it is a drug entering the Blood level of the Liver channel. It can move and invigorate Blood, and also regulate Qi stagnation within Blood. Therefore, it can be used for all pains caused by Qi and Blood stagnation. If the disease is not due to Qi and Blood stagnation but involves deficiency, it is unsuitable. Although Yanhusuo is a drug entering the Blood level of the Liver channel, it can treat Stomach pain because Liver pathogenic factors causing stasis invade the Stomach leading to pain.)