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[Digupi (Root Bark of Lycii)]
Non-toxic. Grows in clusters from the ground.
Digupi resolves bone-steaming tidal fever and heat in the muscles and skin; it primarily treats wind-damp bi-syndrome (painful obstruction) and xiaoke (wasting-thirst syndrome); it strengthens bones and sinews. For medicinal use, remove the woody core and use only the root bark (as recorded by Famous Physicians).
[Name] Root of Gouqi (Lycium).
[Buds and Leaves] Respectfully note: Digupi is the root bark of Gouqi (Lycium barbarum). Details regarding its buds and leaves are fully described under the entry for "Gouqi," but the records of its functions are brief. Referring to Tangye Bencao where Wang Haicang established a separate section for Digupi, its general importance can be seen. Examining its name: "Di" (Earth) represents Yin; "Gu" (Bone) represents the interior; "Pi" (Bark) represents the exterior. Therefore, it is an essential herb for treating bone-steaming and muscle-heat. This is similar to Dishun (Hemionitis arifolia) and Zelan (Lycopus lucidus), where roots and shoots are listed separately to clarify their uses and avoid confusion.
[Origin] Tujing Bencao states: It grows in Changshan, flat marshes, as well as hillsides and banks. It is now found everywhere.
[Geographical Origin] Ganzhou and Maozhou in Shaanxi Province.
[Season]:
[Growth] Shoots emerge in spring.
[Harvest] Root bark is harvested in winter.
[Preservation] Dried in shade.
[Medicinal Part] Root bark.
[Texture] Similar to Wujia Pi (Acanthopanacis Cortex) but lighter and finer.
[Color] Brown.
[Taste] Bitter.
[Nature and Flavor] Greatly cold, with draining properties.
[Qi and Flavor Thickness] Qi is thin, flavor is strong; belongs to Yin.
[Odor] Rotten odor.
[Indications] Migratory wind-pathogens; bone-steaming with sweating.
[Meridian Tropism] Hand-Shaoyang Meridian; Foot-Shaoyin Meridian.
[Processing] Leigong Yun: When using Digupi, after digging up the roots, soak them in east-flowing water, scrub off the dirt with an object, then let dry. Split open, remove the heartwood, then soak in cooked Licorice Decoction overnight, and finally bake dry to use. If the root resembles human or animal shapes, it is of superior quality. In spring, eat the leaves; in summer, eat the fruits; in autumn and winter, eat the roots and fruits.
[Treatment]:
[Therapeutic Effects]:
Shiliao Bencao states: Removes bone-heat and treats xiaoke (wasting-thirst).
Mingyi Bielu states: Eliminishes deficiency-labor and guest-heat; treats carbuncles, sores, malignant ulcers, and uncontrolled bleeding. Method: Take any amount of Digupi, wash cleanly, first scrape off the rough outer bark and keep it, then scrape the fine white inner part. Boil both the rough and fine parts together to make a decoction for washing the sore until pus and blood are clean. Then apply the fine white part to the wound; scabs form the next day and it heals.
[Combined Treatment]: Finely cut and mixed with flour, boiled and eaten, it treats Shen Feng (Kidney Wind) syndrome. Take three jin of Digupi, add three sheng of water, boil to obtain two sheng, strain off the dregs, add one liang of salt, and boil to two sheng. Apply externally to the eyes. Alternatively, add two liang of Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger) to treat eye swelling, itching, and pain caused by epidemic pathogens.

[Baishi (Cypress Seeds / Baizi Ren)]
Non-toxic, includes leaves and bark. Plant-grown.
Baishi (from Shennong Benjing): Primarily treats jingji (palpitations and fright), calms the five zang organs, tonifies qi, removes wind-damp bi-syndrome. Long-term consumption makes the body lustrous, complexion beautiful, ears and eyes acute, prevents hunger and aging, lightens the body, and prolongs life. (The above in red characters, from Shennong Benjing).
Treats huanghu (trance/confusion), deficiency and wasting, shortness of breath, lijie feng (painful obstruction affecting joints), and heaviness/pain in the waist. Nourishes blood and stops sweating; Cypress leaves are especially effective.
○ Cypress leaves taste bitter, acrid, and are slightly warm.
Primarily treats hematemesis (vomiting blood), epistaxis (nosebleed), bloody dysentery, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea with red and white discharge. Lightens the body, tonifies qi, enables endurance of cold and heat, removes damp-bi, and alleviates hunger.
○ Cypress white bark primarily treats burns causing ulceration and promotes hair growth. (The above in black characters, from Mingyi Bielu).
[Buds and Leaves] Tujing Bencao states: There are several types of cypress trees; only the leaves are used medicinally. Those whose leaves grow sideways are called Cebai (Platycladus orientalis) and are considered best, surpassing other cypresses. They flower in March and bear fruit ripening in September; this is called Baishi. The heartwood is red and fragrant; people often collect and burn it, calling it Baixiang (Cypress Incense), which is a lower grade of incense. Mingyi Bielu states: Harvesting and eating Baishi and leaves is particularly beneficial to humans. In the Later Han Dynasty, a hunter saw a person flying across a ravine, caught him, and he said he had taken refuge in the mountains during the Qin Dynasty, surviving on cypress, thus becoming immune to hunger and cold. This confirms the "lightens the body and prolongs life" statement in Shennong Benjing. For medicinal use, ancient cypress is best. I have seen cypress trees in Zhuge Liang's temple, planted during the Shu Han period; their aroma is sweeter and more fragrant than ordinary ones, and their therapeutic efficacy is doubled. However, Tujing Bencao considers cypress from Qianzhou superior. Why? Because the leaves of Qianzhou cypress are lush, and the wood grain resembles landscapes and images, indicating it gathers spiritual energy, making its seeds optimal.
Yanyi states: While serving as an official in Shaanxi, whenever I climbed high and looked out, although there were thousands of trees, they all pointed west. This tree is extremely hard, withstands frost and snow, possesses the upright qi of wood, which other trees lack. Thus, it is controlled by Metal qi, hence pointing west. Tao Hongjing said to avoid harvesting cypress from tombs, likely due to adherence to alchemical theories. Mingyi Bielu stated that dry cypress mostly comes from Qianling Mausoleum, implying dry cypress should not be used. However, things each have their suitability; how can cypress be discarded because of Qianling? Nor can we assert all dry cypress comes from Qianling. It is likely that Qianzhou has rich soil and water, producing herbs with complete qi, which is commendable. Geographic suitability need not be restricted.
[Origin] Tujing Bencao states: Grows in Tai Mountain valleys, Shanzhou, Yizhou, Yizhou, and Zhongnan Mountain.
[Geographical Origin] Qianzhou and Mizhou.
[Season]:
[Growth] Bears fruit in September.
[Harvest] Seeds are collected in winter; leaves can be harvested in all four seasons according to direction.
[Preservation]:
[Seeds] Sun-dried.
[Leaves] Shade-dried.
[Medicinal Parts] Seeds, leaves, white bark.
[Texture] Round like wheat grains.
[Color] Shell brown, kernel white.
[Taste] Sweet.
[Nature and Flavor] Mild and even.
[Qi and Flavor Thickness] Qi is stronger than flavor; Yang within Yin.
[Odor] Fragrant.
[Indications] Nourishes qi and blood, benefits complexion.
[Adjuvant Herbs] Oyster shell (Muli), Cassia twig (Guizhi), and melon seeds act as adjuvants.
[Incompatibilities] Averse to Chrysanthemum, Rumex, various stone flours, and yeast.
[Processing] Mingyi Bielu states: After harvesting, steam and sun-dry, pound to remove shells, and use the kernels.
[Treatment]:
[Therapeutic Effects]:
Tujing Bencao states: Fresh leaves pounded into a paste, mixed with cold water to form a plaster, applied to burns and scalds in adults and children. Secure with cloth; after three days, the wound heals and scars disappear.
Yaoxing Lun states: Baizi Ren (Cypress Kernels) removes cold in the waist, cold phlegm-fluid retention in the bladder, head-wind, and various evil spirits/demonic influences, as well as pediatric convulsions. ○ Leaves treat cold-wind lijie pain.
Rihua Zi Bencao states: Baizi Ren dispels wind and moistens the skin. ○ Leaves roasted and treated for frostbite; burning them to extract juice and applying it to the head darkens and moisturizes hair and eyebrows.
Tangben Zhu states: Boiling cypress branch nodes to brew wine removes wind-bi and lijie feng; burning to ash treats scabies and leprosy effectively.
Mingyi Bielu states: Baizi Ren powdered, taken with warm water, 2 qian, treats pediatric crying, convulsions, abdominal fullness, refusal to nurse, and green-white stool. ○ Southeast branches of cypress trees in village centers powdered, taken with water, 1 qianbi, 3-4 times daily, treats epidemic miasma/pestilence. ○ Finely chopped cypress wood boiled in water for washing treats Huoluan with calf cramps.
[Tonification]:
Yaoxing Lun states: Promotes sexual function and longevity.
[Combined Treatment]: Ce Bai Ye (Cypress Leaves) combined with wine stops hematuria. ○ One handful of Qingbai Ye (Green Cypress Leaves), three slices of Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), one piece of Ejiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin, roasted). Boil these three ingredients in two sheng of water to obtain one sheng, strain, mix with one sheng of Ma Tong Zhi (Horse manure juice), boil to one sheng, filter through silk, and take at once to treat persistent hematemesis. ○ Also, dried and powdered Cypress Leaves combined with Chuan Huanglian (Coptis) decocted together and taken treats men, women, and children with large abdomen passing black blood like tea grounds, or pus/blood like sediment, known as insect-dysentery; it has special efficacy and kills parasites in the five zang organs. ○ Baizi Ren combined with equal parts Dama Ren (Hemp Seed) and Songzi Ren (Pine Nut Kernel), ground together, melted with white beeswax to make pills the size of tung seeds. Take 20-30 pills before meals with a small amount of Huangdan (Yellow Cinnabar) decoction to treat elderly deficiency constipation. ○ Cypress leaves pounded to fine powder, taken at any time mixed with porridge drink, 2 qianbi, treats vomiting blood due to sorrow/anger, irritability, fullness, shortness of breath, and chest pain.