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[Flavor and Nature]
Sour, neutral in nature, non-toxic.

[Indications]
Treats epigastric and abdominal cold-heat pathogenic stagnation and qi accumulation. Treats soreness, pain, and damp bi syndrome in the four limbs. Calms the five zang organs. Treats vexation and restlessness leading to insomnia. Tonifies the middle jiao and benefits liver qi. Treats spontaneous sweating due to deficiency, vexation, and thirst. The fruit flesh (jujube meat) is sour; consuming it causes sleeplessness. However, the kernel within the seed treats insomnia. This is analogous to how Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang, 麻黄) induces sweating, while its root nodes stop sweating. Generally, if used raw, the sour jujube fruit has a sour and astringent flavor, specifically treating liver diseases characterized by cold-heat stagnation, acid-bi, chronic diarrhea, and fullness/pain below the umbilicus. If stir-fried before use, the kernel becomes sweet and moistening, thus treating insomnia, vexation, thirst, and deficient sweating caused by gallbladder deficiency. Both forms are herbs of the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian and Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. Modern practitioners exclusively regard Suanzaoren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen, 酸枣仁) as a herb for the Heart, which demonstrates a misunderstanding of this principle. Since Wood is the mother of Fire (Heart), one may say "tonify the mother when there is deficiency."

[Flavor and Nature]
Bitter, warm in nature, non-toxic. (The core must be removed. It should still be soaked overnight in Licorice Decoction, then dried by baking before use. It is an herb for the Qi aspect of the Kidney Meridian.)

[Indications]
Treats cough with counterflow qi damaging the middle jiao. Tonifies insufficiency. Expels pathogenic factors. Benefits the nine orifices. Enhances wisdom. Strengthens willpower and increases strength. Treats women's blood spasm and aphonia. Treats pediatric "ke-wu" (fright from strangers). Treats kidney accumulation and ben-tun (running piglet). Treats all types of sores and carbuncles. However, Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix, 远志) enters the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, not the Heart Meridian. Its efficacy lies specifically in strengthening willpower and benefiting essence, preventing forgetfulness. Essence and will are both stored in the Kidney Meridian. When kidney essence is insufficient, willpower qi fails to ascend to the Heart, resulting in confusion and easy forgetfulness. *San Yin Fang* states that Yuanzhi wine has miraculous effects in treating sores and carbuncles, which is also attributed to its kidney-tonifying function.

[Flavor and Nature]
Bitter, neutral in nature, non-toxic.

[Indications]
Invigorates blood and stops pain. Treats traumatic injuries from weapons or sticks, various malignant sores, hemorrhoids, and fistulas. Sudden hematochezia. Breaks up masses (zheng-jia) and old blood stasis. Treats traumatic blood stasis. Reduces swelling, stops pain, and promotes tissue regeneration. Generally, Ruxiang (Olibanum, 乳香) invigorates blood, while Moyao (Myrrha, 没药) disperses old blood and generates new blood; both can stop pain and reduce swelling. Therefore, they are often used together in prescriptions.

[Flavor and Nature]
Sweet, neutral in nature, non-toxic.

[Indications]
Treats five labors and dry mouth. Stops palpitations and fright. Treats wind vertigo and wind deficiency. Opens the mind and enhances intelligence. Calms the hun and po spirits. Nourishes the spirit. Tonifies fatigue and exhaustion. Mainly treats acute pain and hardness/fullness below the heart. When a person is weak and experiences difficulty in urination due to small intestine dysfunction, adding this herb helps. Shenmu refers to the woody core inside Fushen (Poria Cum Radix et Mycelium, 茯神). Treats toxic wind causing tendon spasms. Treats frightful trembling of the heart spirit. Treats beriberi and bi pain.