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Tao Ren (Persicae Semen), with bitter and sweet tastes, and a neutral nature, where the bitterness outweighs the sweetness, belongs to the category of Yin containing Yang. It is non-toxic. It enters the Jueyin meridians of the hand and foot. It primarily treats blood stasis, amenorrhea due to blood obstruction, blood coagulation and dryness, masses and growths (Zhengjia), and pathogenic factors; it kills small parasites, eliminates sudden acute conditions, moistens and unblocks the intestines to facilitate bowel movements, invigorates blood, unblocks the meridians, and alleviates pain. The bitter taste breaks stagnant blood, while the sweet taste generates new blood.

The flower of the peach tree has a bitter taste. It should be harvested on the third day of the third lunar month; shade-dried flowers are best, though one need not be overly rigid about this. In general, flowers caught in cloth sheets that have fallen naturally can all be used. Flowers picked by hand lose their efficacy. The flower can expel "Guizhu" (a chronic wasting disease attributed to ghostly or epidemic pathogens), improve complexion, eliminate edema and stone strangury (Shilin), promote urination and defecation, and expel three types of intestinal parasites. Soaked in wine and taken orally, it can cure myriad diseases.

Tao Ren is the fruit produced by the peach blossom, yet its actions of attacking and tonifying are significantly different. Why is this? Peach blossoms are considered immortal substances. Immortals represent the extreme of Yang, while ghosts represent Yin. Yang can repel Yin, thus peach blossoms can drive away ghosts. Peach blossoms grow by receiving the Qi of immortals; they drift and fall with the wind, their Qi spreading forth, so their beneficial effects are numerous. Tao Ren is different. Once the petals have withered, its Qi is exhausted. The fluids from the tree are fully concentrated into the peach flesh. The remaining kernel consists essentially of Yin Qi. There is only a trace of weak Yang, sufficient merely for self-preservation to propagate seeds, let alone transforming attack into tonification. Thus, although from the same tree, the flower and the kernel differ in nature. Previous Materia Medica texts did not mention this, but I alone raised objections, truly guided by the teachings of Tianshi Qibo (the Heavenly Master Qibo).

Peach petals that fall naturally are best, but if processed improperly, the effort is futile. They should be stored in cloth sheets and sun-dried. However, they cannot be dried in just one day; it is best to fan them dry at night. This is because petals retain their fragrance when exposed to wind but lose it when exposed to fire, so they must not be roasted over fire. If there is natural wind at night, fanning is unnecessary; drying them again on the second day ensures they are completely dry. Once dry, store them in a clay jar. They are best added when preparing medicinal wine.

Someone asks: When Tao Ren is used in Chengqi Tang (Cathartic Decoction), does it purge blood from the intestines, or does it purge pathogenic factors from the spleen? Regarding Tao Ren purging blood, why ask? But to say it purges blood without purging pathogenic factors is incorrect. The reason blood becomes stagnant is because pathogenic factors cause stasis. The reason blood coagulates is because pathogenic factors cause knotting. Purging blood is purging pathogenic factors; purging pathogenic factors is purging blood. They originally cannot be viewed separately. Moreover, when used in Chengqi Tang, which consists entirely of herbs that scatter pathogenic factors, how could one claim it scatters blood but not pathogenic factors? However, Tao Ren excels at scattering blood but is short in scattering pathogenic factors. When used in Chengqi Tang, its specific merit lies in dissipating blood stasis and knots.

Some doubt that since Tao Ren scatters blood but not pathogenic factors, why does it yield rapid results when used for conditions of pathogenic knotting? One does not realize that in cases of blood stasis, it is the pathogenic factor that causes the knotting. Tao Ren breaks hardness and scatters blood; once the blood is scattered, the pathogenic factor has no nest or abode, so how can it gather? Therefore, when blood scatters, the pathogenic factor also scatters. In reality, Tao Ren scatters blood but cannot directly scatter pathogenic factors.