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Nüwei, see the entry under "Wenju Weirui".

Huangjing (Polygonati Rhizoma), ancient texts do not record the specific provinces where it originates, stating only that it grows in mountain valleys. It is now found in both northern and southern regions. The best quality comes from Mount Song and Mount Mao. Seedlings emerge in the third lunar month, growing to a height of one or two chi; the leaves resemble those of bamboo but are shorter, arranged oppositely in pairs; the stems are tender and brittle, resembling peach twigs, with yellow bases and reddish tips; in the fourth lunar month, it produces small greenish-white flowers, similar in shape to common bean flowers; the fruits are white like broomcorn millet, though some plants bear no fruit. The rhizomes resemble young ginger roots and are yellow in color. Traditionally, roots were harvested in the second lunar month, steamed, and sun-dried for use. Currently, harvesting is commonly done in the eighth lunar month. People in mountainous areas subject the roots to nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying, selling them as a snack food; they are very sweet and delicious, turning a yellow-black color. People in Jiangnan state that the seedlings and leaves of Huangjing slightly resemble those of Gouwen (Gelsemium elegans), but Gouwen has extremely pointed leaf tips and thinner roots. Su Gong noted: "Gouwen is a climbing vine, completely different from this category; it is likely due to differences in production between north and south." When the seedlings first emerge, people often harvest them as vegetables, calling them "Bicai" (Pen Vegetable); their taste is extremely delicious, so careful identification is required during collection. The method of Yang Gong from the Sui Dynasty for consuming Huangjing states: "Huangjing is the essence of the Zhi grass." It is also known as Weirui, Xianren Yuliang (Immortal's Leftover Grain), Gouge, Tuzhu, Chuizhu, Majian, and Baiji. Roots harvested in the second or third lunar months, dug to a depth of eight or nine cun, are considered superior. One dan of finely sliced rhizome is boiled in twenty-five dou of water to remove bitterness, then strained out, pressed in a cloth bag to extract the juice, clarified, and boiled again until it becomes a paste. This is mixed with fried black soybean powder, adjusted properly, and formed into cakes the size of coins. Initially, take two cakes, increasing the dose daily; efficacy will be perceived after one hundred days. Alternatively, it can be baked dry, ground into powder, and taken with water, achieving effects equivalent to the superior preparation. *Baopuzi* states: "Consuming the flowers of Huangjing is more effective than consuming its rhizomes." Ten hu of fresh flowers yield five or six dou when dried; consuming them for ten years yields significant benefits. Furthermore, *Bowuzhi* records: Tian Lao said to the Yellow Emperor, 'The Grass of the Sun is named Huangjing; ingesting it can grant longevity.' It is widely circulated that Hua Tuo's Qiyе Qingzhan San (Cicada Shell and Green Stick Powder) formula states: "Qingzhan refers to the true leaves of Huangjing," but this is not recorded in classical texts, and its accuracy remains uncertain.