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Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae), with a bitter taste and neutral qi, possesses a cold nature. Its action can ascend or descend, belonging to yin with slight yang characteristics, and is non-toxic. It enters the Lung Meridian and Large Intestine Meridian. It reduces fever, relieves irritability, drains fire from the Bladder, stops bloody dysentery, eliminates red eyes, excels at calming fetal movement, resolves the stagnant steaming heat of Shanghan (Cold Damage disease), moistens dryness, and benefits Lung qi. However, it can serve only as an assistant minister (Chen) or envoy (Shi) herb, not as a sovereign (Jun) herb. People in recent times favor its use greatly; yet, it is suitable only when there is fire in the Lungs, Large Intestine, or Bladder. Otherwise, it should not be used frequently. The ancients stated that Huangqin is the sacred medicine for calming the fetus, which is because there is fire within the fetus. Thus, when used among Baizhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Dangguishen (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Renshen (Ginseng Radix), Shudihuang (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata), and Duzhong (Eucommiae Cortex), it naturally calms the fetus. If there is no fire, but rather fetal movement due to cold deficiency, obtaining Huangqin might instead exacerbate the cold. Even with herbs like Renshen and Dangguishen to tonify qi, blood, and yin, securing the fetal qi may not be achieved. Furthermore, without using Renshen, Dangguishen, and other herbs, expecting them to calm the fetus is absolutely unreasonable.

One asked: "Huangqin is a substance that clears the Lungs. Heat in the Lung meridian requires its use. Yet, there are cases where lung heat worsens after using Huangqin. Why?" The response was: "Using Huangqin to clear lung heat is the direct treatment method (Zhengzhi). Direct treatment addresses excess pathogens (Shi xie) in the Lung meridian. If there are excess pathogens in the Lung meridian, Huangqin can resolve the heat. However, if there are deficient pathogens (Xu xie) in the Lung meridian, using Huangqin will merely increase the cold. Excess pathogens should be treated directly, while deficient pathogens should be treated indirectly (Congzhi)."

One asked: "Huangqin is used universally without doubt, similar to the use of Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) and Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex). Yet, you only blame the errors of using Zhimu and Huangbai, not Huangqin. Why?" The response was: "Huangqin is also not a herb for long-term use. However, its cold nature is not extreme, and it enters the Lungs but not the Kidneys. Most people have heat in the upper jiao, while very few have heat in the lower jiao. Clearing upper heat is precisely to rescue lower cold. Although frequent and long-term use may damage the Stomach, the Kidney meridian remains unharmed, and the root foundation is not shaken. Once warm-tonifying herbs are used, recovery is easy, and the harm does not reach the point of causing death. In contrast, Zhimu and Huangbai drain fire from the Kidneys. If Kidney fire is extinguished, the Spleen and Stomach will lose their vital energy. The lower becomes colder, and the upper becomes hotter. Intending to rescue yin deficiency with hyperactive fire, one inadvertently increases the fire further. With lower fire lacking a root, upper fire must extinguish; how could this avoid becoming a world of yin-cold? This is why the use of Huangbai and Zhimu must be rejected."

One asked: "Huangqin clears the Lungs. When Lung qi is hot, Kidney water cannot be generated. Does using Huangqin to clear Lung metal aim to generate Kidney water?" The response was: "Huangqin can only clear the heat of metal in the Lungs; how can it generate water in the Kidneys? Although the Lungs are the mother of the Kidney meridian, and the Lungs reside upstream, high up, moistening downward—which is the normal principle—why would clearing metal fail to generate water? This is because the fire in the Lungs is pathogenic fire, not true fire. Huangqin merely clears the pathogenic fire in the Lungs. Once pathogenic fire disperses, true water generates itself. How can it be said that it cannot generate Kidney water downward? One fails to realize that the generation of Kidney water requires the nourishment of true fire. Huangqin can drain pathogenic fire but cannot generate true fire; therefore, it cannot generate Kidney water. My selection of Huangqin is to take advantage of its temporary use to preserve Lung metal, not its long-term use to benefit water."

One suspected: "The cold-cooling property of Huangqin is inferior to that of Huangbai and Zhimu. Since Huangqin has a light taste and a nature good at dispersing, my attack on Huangbai and Zhimu is justified, but including Huangqin seems excessive." The response was: "The harm caused by the overuse of Huangqin is far less severe than that of Huangbai and Zhimu. I have never used words of reproach against it. My criticism of Zhimu and Huangbai, discussed under the banner of Huangqin, seems to include Huangqin as well. Who knows that I am using Huangqin to discuss Huangbai and Zhimu, with the emphasis on Huangbai and Zhimu? Seeing that Huangqin should not be used frequently, one realizes even more strongly that Huangbai and Zhimu should not be used heavily. The world values cold-cooling herbs; when diseases deepen into the Lungs and intestines, what else can be done to provide rescue besides this?"