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Bai Zi Ren (Biota Seed), sweet and acrid in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic. It enters the Heart, Liver, Kidney, and Bladder meridians. It sharpens hearing and vision, expels wind-bi syndrome, relieves pain, tonifies Qi and Blood, eliminates mental confusion and deficiency damage, and stops sweating. It treats coldness of the Kidney, waist, and Bladder. It is especially effective in moistening dryness; conditions involving dryness and astringency in the waist, Kidneys, body, and face are all treated by it.
It enhances sexual function, kills parasites, calms fright and strange sensations, stabilizes the Five Viscera, and treats head wind with dizziness and pain. It can also be decocted and taken with liquid; long-term use prevents hunger, increases longevity, and delays aging. This herb is particularly excellent and is a wonderful product for prolonging life. However, it must be used after removing its oil content; otherwise, it will be too lubricating and cause loose stools. It is especially suitable to be used together with herbs that tonify the Heart and Kidney, thereby making its effects even more miraculous.

Bo Ye (Biota Leaf) is bitter and astringent; it can only astringe Lung Qi, arrest hematemesis (vomiting blood) and epistaxis (nosebleed), and promote the growth of hair and beard. However, it is not an essential herb for tonifying Yang and should not be grouped or praised alongside Bai Zi Ren.

Some doubt whether Bai Zi Ren tonifies the Heart but not the Kidney, arguing that since it must be used without oil, its nature becomes dry. Since the Heart prefers dryness and the Kidney dislikes dryness, is this not clear evidence? Alas! To discuss herbs in this manner is overly rigid. Bai Zi Ren contains abundant oil; the oil is removed out of fear that its excessive slipperiness might disturb bowel movements, not to make it dry for entering the Heart meridian. Moreover, even if the oil is removed, it cannot be completely eliminated, and the Kidney does not feel dry when receiving it. All herbs should be processed to achieve a balanced nature; why single out Bai Zi Ren for suspicion?

Some question why an herb that tonifies the Heart, such as Bai Zi Ren, is used in formulas treating Kidney Fire (Ministerial Fire). The Heart and Kidney are interconnected. When Heart Qi is deficient, the Ministerial Fire of the Gate of Life cannot remain closed for long, causing it to leap and move restlessly. Using Bai Zi Ren to calm the Heart Monarch (Shen) ensures that the Heart remains stable, and the Ministerial Fire will then obey orders cautiously, daring not leak lightly. This is the subtlety of tonifying the Heart, which surpasses direct tonification of the Kidney. People only know how to enhance Yang by tonifying the Kidney; who knows that enhancing Yang by tonifying the Heart is even more miraculous?

Huang Bo (Phellodendron Bark) is bitter and slightly acrid in flavor, cold in nature, belonging to Yin within Yin, with a descending action. It is non-toxic. It is a miraculous herb for the Foot Shaoyin (Kidney) meridian and also enters the Foot Taiyang (Bladder) meridian. It specializes in clearing fire and relieving heat, being most effective for treating Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst), expelling intestinal wind, stopping bloody dysentery, driving out stagnant heat from the Bladder, treating red leukorrhea, draining Ministerial Fire from the Kidney, and calming the Liver to brighten the eyes. Other efficacy records in Ben Cao materia medica should not be fully trusted. Huang Bo is a substance of extreme Yin with a cold nature; it can only be used temporarily to descend fire and should not be used long-term to reduce heat. Consider that no grass or trees grow in Yin-cold places; how could an Yin-cold herb generate essence and marrow? Huang Bo has draining properties but no tonifying properties; this is certain. For individuals with Yin deficiency and fire hyperactivity, using Huang Bo to drain fire is inferior to using Xuan Shen (Scrophularia Root) to descend fire. If Huang Bo must be used out of desperation, it should be combined with Rou Gui (Cinnamon Bark); one cold and one hot, creating a miraculous balance between Water and Fire, thus avoiding being forced by Yin-cold qi to damage Stomach Qi and Spleen Yang.

Some doubt that Master Zhu Danxi established his theory specifically on Yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity. He combined Huang Bo and Rou Gui for tonifying Yin and never taught people to use only Huang Bo and Zhi Mu. Yet you criticize him for being excessive; is this not too harsh? Alas! Humans are born from Fire; originally, Fire should be cultivated, not damaged. Excess Fire is actually due to insufficient Water. Because Water is insufficient, Fire appears excessive. When Fire is flourishing, tonifying Water causes Fire to subside naturally; there is no need to drain Fire. Since Danxi created the theory of Yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity, his theoretical stance is immortal, but his prescriptions have flaws. Using Huang Bo and Zhi Mu among Rou Gui, without making Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root) and Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus Fruit) the sovereign herbs, how can this serve as a model?

Someone asks: Zhi Mu and Huang Bo are both bitter-cold herbs. Using one to drain deficient fire may not be ineffective. Why add both to rival Zhang Zhongjing, potentially causing errors and ridicule from later generations? This is Danxi's fault. Alas! The boiling of deficient fire is due to the depletion of True Water. Using Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) to generate Water and control Fire is already worrying about insufficient water generation and inability to quickly control fire. How much more so when using bitter-cold Huang Bo and Zhi Mu, which prevent Water generation, leaving no way to control Fire? Danxi intended to generate Water by controlling Fire, but who knew that controlling Fire would result in even less Water generation? Using one of Zhi Mu or Huang Bo seems lighter than using both, yet Water ceases to generate upon encountering coldness; therefore, combining two is unnecessary.