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[Huai Shi (Sophora Fruit)]

The flavor is bitter and warm, non-toxic. It primarily eliminates cold and heat sensations between the bones, unblocks and benefits Stomach Qi, and directs rebellious Qi downward to stop coughing with upward rushing of Qi. (From *Bie Lu*, appended.)

The flavor is bitter and cold, non-toxic. It primarily treats internal heat caused by pathogenic factors in the Five Viscera, stops excessive saliva and sputum, tonifies severe injuries, treats fire sores, breast masses (Ru Jia) in women, and urgent pain in the uterus.
(Sophora trees originally grew in the plains and marshes of Henan, but are now found everywhere. There are several varieties: those with large, dark-black leaves are named "Huai"; those that close during the day and open at night are named "Shou Gong". Those with fine, greenish leaves are simply called "Huai". When growing, in the late spring, within five days the buds resemble rabbit eyes, within ten days they resemble mouse ears, after another ten days they begin to form circular shapes, and after twenty more days the leaves fully develop. In the fourth and fifth lunar months, yellow flowers bloom; in the sixth and seventh lunar months, fruits form into pods containing black seeds like beads. The variety with densely connected seeds is considered superior. The wood is hard and heavy, coming in green, yellow, white, and black colors. *Zhou Li* records using Huai and Tan wood for fire in winter. *Huainanzi* states: "Old Huai trees generate fire." *Tianyuan Zhu Wu Bo* states: "Old Huai trees generate cinnabar." Such is the miraculous nature of the Huai tree. Its flowers, when fried before blooming and decocted in water, produce a very bright yellow dye. Chen Cangqi said: Placing the fruit on the roof and harvesting it in the seventh month allows it to be used for dyeing black (saponin/black dye). In recent times, Sophora flowers are used to dye green.)

Sophora grows in the plains and marshes of the Central Plains. Its flowers are yellow, its seeds are black, its flavor is bitter and cold, and its wood has green, yellow, white, and black hues. Being old, it generates fire and cinnabar, possessing the complete essence of the Five Movements (Wu Yun). Therefore, it primarily treats internal heat caused by pathogenic factors in the Five Viscera. Since the Five Viscera are located internally, they are referred to as the "Five Internals" (Wu Nei). The "pathogenic heat" refers to heat disease caused by pathogenic factors. If Lung Qi fails to distribute fluid essences to the four directions, saliva and sputum will surge upward; Huai Shi can stop this. If Liver Blood fails to permeate and irrigate the meridians, the meridians will suffer severance and injury; Huai Shi can tonify this. If Heart Fire is excessively abundant internally, fire sores will form. If Spleen Earth is not harmonious, breast masses (Ru Jia) will form. if Kidney Qi rebels internally, urgent pain in the uterus will occur. Huai Shi inherits the Qi of the Five Movements; thus, it treats saliva and sputum from Lung diseases, severance and injury from Liver diseases, fire sores from Heart diseases, breast masses from Spleen diseases, and urgent pain from Kidney diseases. Thus, it addresses the internal heat of the Five Viscera caused by pathogenic factors as described above.