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Rattan Spine (Gouteng), sweet and bitter in flavor, slightly cold in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Liver Meridian. It treats alternating chills and fever, convulsions, epilepsy, twitching of the hands and feet, fetal wind and external malevolent influences, and twitching or deviation of the mouth and eyes.

This herb removes wind pathogens with great speed; it is essential for those with wind syndromes. However, it tends to consume Qi, so it should not be administered to patients with deficiency.

One might ask: Rattan Spine is a key herb for the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian and Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Shaoyin governs Fire, while Jueyin governs Wind. When Wind and Fire clash, symptoms such as alternating chills and fever, convulsions, and epilepsy arise. The generation of Wind and Fire is often due to insufficiency of Kidney Water, leading to dryness of Wood and blazing of Fire. If Rattan Spine is used sparingly among Yin-nourishing herbs, Wind and Fire can be easily dispersed. But if Yin is not nourished at all, and Rattan Spine is used purely to dispel Wind and scatter Fire, the Wind will not subside, and the Fire will become even more intense.

Betel Nut Peel (Dafupi), pungent and bitter in flavor, slightly warm in nature, descending in action, non-toxic. Enters the Lung, Spleen, and Stomach meridians. It primarily regulates various Qi disorders caused by cold and heat, unblocks the large and small intestines, stops cholera-like vomiting and diarrhea, phlegm obstruction, and acid regurgitation, attacks toxic accumulation in the heart, abdomen, and large intestine, and reduces edema. It also serves as an assistant or envoy herb. If one expects it to attack pathogens solely on its own, its single cold nature and weak power will lead to failure and collapse.

One might ask: Betel Nut Peel is the outer skin of the Areca Nut (Binglang). Miao Zhongchun stated that its flavor and properties are the same as those of Areca Nut. In reality, they differ. The efficacy of Betel Nut Peel only manifests when used together with Coix Seed (Yiyiren), Poria (Fuling), Plantago Seed (Cheqianzi), Mulberry Root Bark (Sangbaipi), and Ginseng (Renshen).

Areca Nut (Binglang), pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in nature, descending in action, Yang within Yin, non-toxic. Enters the Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, and Lung meridians. It digests food and grain, eliminates phlegm stagnation, relieves heart pain, kills three types of parasites, effectively treats tenesmus, drives down all stagnant Qi, and specifically breaks downward stagnation. If taken in excess, it may instead purge the highest Qi in the chest. It excels at dissipating miasma; people in Liangyue (Guangdong and Guangxi) still chew it today as they did in ancient times. Ancients suspected it depletes True Qi, advised regulating the Stomach, and warned against eating Areca Nut. This is insightful advice, but not a universal principle. In the smoggy and miasmatic regions of Lingnan, venomous gases from snakes and insects, driven by hot and humid vapors, rise from mountain peaks and stream beds. The mountain mist and water miasma combine to invade humans, causing immediate bloating, stifling, dizziness, and vertigo. Without chewing Areca Nut, how could these symptoms be rapidly resolved? The Way of Heaven and Earth dictates that for every poison, there is a substance to counteract it. Areca Nut, imbued with the most upright Qi of Heaven and Earth, grows between Liangyue, originally intended to save the people there. Moreover, this herb descends rather than ascends; although it disperses Qi, it does not ascend significantly. It disperses pathogenic factors without dispersing healthy Qi, which is why people in Liangyue can take it long-term without harm. However, once one leaves the Liangyue region, long-term use is inappropriate. With no pathogens to disperse, it will inevitably damage healthy Qi.

One might ask: Areca Nut is a substance for eliminating miasma, seemingly suitable only for treating miasma. Why is it necessary for treating dysentery? I say: Although Areca Nut can treat dysentery, it is only suitable for the initial stage and not for chronic dysentery. Dysentery has no method of simply stopping it; using Areca Nut is to purge accumulated filth. Therefore, it must be used in initial dysentery. In chronic dysentery, there is no accumulated filth left in the intestines. If treated as in initial dysentery, the deficient will become more deficient, and the dysentery will worsen. Thus, Areca Nut must absolutely not be used in chronic dysentery. However, I believe that even in initial dysentery, Areca Nut should not be used alone. Using Angelica Sinensis (Danggui) and White Peony Root (Baishao) as the sovereign herbs, assisted by Areca Nut, allows dysentery to heal easily while preserving healthy Qi. This truly serves as the standard for treating dysentery.

One might doubt: Since Areca Nut removes stagnation, it should be used alone. Why assist it with Angelica Sinensis? Although Angelica Sinensis is tonifying, it is also slippery, aiding the attacking action. Why use the astringent Sour property of White Peony Root, which seems contradictory, yet achieves success? One does not know that Areca Nut requires tonification to facilitate its attacking action. The reason stagnation does not move is due to the depletion of Qi and Blood. If one merely uses Areca Nut to attack stagnation, Qi and Blood will be further damaged, and turbid filth will become more obstructed and blocked. Therefore, Angelica Sinensis is necessary to generate Qi and Blood, making the Large Intestine naturally moist and providing an opportunity for unblocking. However, Liver Wood overacts on Spleen Earth. When Wood is excessive, Fire becomes excessive. Excessive Fire scorches and dries up Qi and Blood. The Qi and Blood generated by Angelica Sinensis are insufficient to support what it overcomes. Therefore, White Peony Root must be added to soothe the Liver. Then Liver Wood will not overact on Spleen Earth. Furthermore, the sour taste of White Peony Root generates Blood, assisting the moistening effect of Angelica Sinensis. Thus, working together, they complete the function of Areca Nut. Therefore, astringency is precisely what enables the attacking action.