Library

Pteridophyta (Jue, 蕨): The leaves resemble those of old ferns, and the roots resemble *Baphicacanthus cusia* (Zicao, 紫草). According to research, Pteridophyta is sweet in taste, cold in nature, and slippery in texture. It removes sudden heat, promotes urination, induces sleep, and weakens Yang Qi. Children consuming it may suffer from weakness in the legs and inability to walk. It grows in mountainous areas and is eaten by people as a vegetable. The Four White Heads of Shangshan (Si Hao, 四皓) ate it and lived long lives, while Boyi and Shuqi ate it and died young; this certainly indicates it is not a beneficial food item. *Soushen Ji* records: When Xi Jian was stationed in Dantu, he went hunting in February. A soldier in armor broke off a branch and ate it raw. He felt uncomfortable in his heart and became ill. Later, he vomited a small snake that hung in front of the house and gradually dried up into the shape of Pteridophyta. This clarified that this plant should not be eaten raw. ○ *Shiliao Bencao* (Dietary Therapy Materia Medica) records: (It is) cold and tonifies deficiencies of Qi in the five Zang organs, but causes stagnation of toxic vapors in the meridians, collaterals, sinews, and bones, leading to leg weakness and inability to walk. It diminishes sexual function, causes dimness of vision, nasal congestion, and hair loss; it should not be consumed. Those with cold qi who eat it often experience abdominal distension. ○ *Shijing* (Classic of Poetry), "Zhobi Nanshan": "Climb that southern mountain, go gather its Jue." It also says: "Go gather its Wei." This indicates both Jue and Wei are edible. ○ Boyi and Shuqi gathered Wei to eat; perhaps Jue is not Wei. Nowadays, residents in Jiang, Yongkang Dao, mostly pickle it with vinegar before eating.

Non-toxic. Grows in clusters.
Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens (Shengjiang, 生姜): Mainly treats headache, nasal congestion, and rebellious Qi with coughing caused by Taiyang disease (Shanghan, 伤寒). It stops vomiting. Long-term consumption removes bad breath and clarifies the mind (recorded by famous physicians). [Name] Mother Ginger. [Sprout] (*Tujing Bencao* states): The sprouts are two or three chi tall. The leaves resemble arrow-shaped bamboo leaves and are long, growing opposite each other. The sprouts are green, and the roots are yellow. There are no flowers or fruits. Gardeners cultivate it by covering it with reed mats to avoid sunlight, harvesting in late autumn. It is the holy medicine for patients with vomiting. [Origin] (*Tujing Bencao* states): Grows in valleys of Qianwei, Jingzhou, and Yangzhou. Now it grows everywhere. (Authentic origin) Those from Hanzhou, Wenzhou, and Chizhou are of good quality. [Season] (Growth) Sprouts emerge in spring. (Harvest) Roots are taken in August and September. [Storage] Stored covered with moist soil. [Medicinal Part] Rhizome. [Color] Yellowish-white. [Taste] Acrid, Sweet. [Nature] Warm and dispersing. [Qi/Scent] Both scent and flavor are light, belonging to Yang. [Odor] Fragrant. [Main Actions] Stops rebellious vomiting, resolves phlegm, directs Qi downward. [Compatibility] *Zanthoxyli Fructus* (Qinjiao, 秦椒) acts as an assistant. [Antagonism] Dislikes *Scutellariae Radix* (Huangqin, 黄芩), *Coptidis Rhizoma* (Huanglian, 黄连), and *Rattus Muntjac Excrement* (Tianshufen, 天鼠粪). [Processing] Wash away dirt. Peeling makes it hot; leaving the skin makes it cold. For medicinal use, slice or crush to extract juice. [Therapeutic Effects] (Tao Hongjing says) Enters the five Zang organs, stops vomiting, dispels wind pathogenic factors and alternating cold and fever. (*Yaoxing Lun* says) Resolves phlegm and fluid retention, relieves fullness, stops coughing, treats epidemic febrile diseases with vomiting and inability to eat. (Chen Cangqi says) Breaks blood stasis, regulates the middle, removes cold, opens the stomach and promotes Qi flow. (Meng Shen says) Stops rebellion, dissipates irritability. ○ Juice made into a decoction can expel all solid accumulations and evil Qi rushing to the chest and diaphragm. (*Shiliao Bencao* says) Removes intense heat, muscle spasms, mental fullness, removes chest obstruction Qi, and clarifies the mind. (*Tangye Bencao* says) Benefits the Spleen and Stomach, disperses wind and cold. (*Bielu* says) Stops dry retching. If hands and feet are cold, fresh ginger should be eaten. Also, for postpartum lochia not fully discharged and abdominal fullness, boil two jin of fresh ginger in water, take the juice, and it will discharge. For Huoluan (Cholera-like disorder) with heart and abdominal distension and pain, irritability, fullness, and shortness of breath, where vomiting or purging has not occurred, cut one jin of fresh ginger, boil in seven sheng of water to obtain two sheng, divide into three doses. To treat fox odor, apply fresh ginger to the armpits to eradicate the root. For pediatric cough, boil four liang in water for bathing. For postpartum blood rushing to the heart, cut five liang, boil in eight bowls of water until reduced to three bowls, divide into three doses. [Combined Treatments] Combined with Pinelliae Rhizoma Preparatum (Banxia, 半夏) treats acute pain in the epigastrium. ○ Crush to extract juice, combine with honey, treat internal heat and inability to eat. ○ Combine juice with Apricot Kernels (Xingren, 杏仁) to make a decoction, treat all conditions of stuck Qi and excess causing chest obstruction with cold and heat. ○ Combine eight liang with four liang of Raw Aconiti Lateralis Radix (Sheng Fuzi, 生附子). Break the Aconite into four pieces. Boil both in five sheng of water to obtain two sheng, divide into two doses. Treats Phlegm and sudden Wind. Contraindicated with pork and cold water after taking this. ○ Cut fresh ginger into sizes similar to hemp seeds, combine with one bowl of good tea, sip at will, treat dysentery. For heat dysentery, keep the skin on the ginger; for cold dysentery, peel the skin. ○ Combine with Jujubae Fructus (Dazao, 大枣) to disperse wind and cold and benefit Yuan Qi. ○ Combine with Paeoniae Radix Alba (Shaoyao, 芍药) to warm meridians and disperse cold. ○ Half a chicken eggshell of Ginger Juice, combined with a little Rehmanniae Radix Recens (Sheng Dihuang, 生地黄) juice and one spoonful of honey, mixed with three he of water, taken in one dose, treats deficiency of Stomach Qi with wind-heat and inability to eat. ○ Ginger skin powdered and taken with wine treats hemiplegia (Pianfeng, 偏风). ○ Pound three liang, combine with one sheng of wine, boil for three or four boils, take in one dose, treat Huoluan with continuous diarrhea, muscle spasms entering the abdomen, and near-death state. ○ Half he of juice combined with one spoonful of honey, boiled until cooked and warmed, taken three times, treats chronic coughing and belching lasting forty to fifty years. ○ Finely chop eight liang, boil in three sheng of water to obtain one sheng. Wash five he of Pinelliae Rhizoma Preparatum (Banxia, 半夏) to remove slipperiness, boil in five sheng of water to obtain one sheng. Combine the two medicines, boil to obtain one and a half sheng, take slowly. Treats hardness below the heart, inability to eat, and retching in the chest. [Contraindications] Do not eat at night, as it causes Qi closure. [Detoxification] Kills toxicity of Banxia and Datura (Langdang, 莨菪); also moderates the toxicity of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex (Moupo, 厚朴).