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(Xi Cao) Clears Heart Fire to Eliminate Water-Dampness
Dengcao (Junci Medulla, 灯心草) specifically enters the Heart meridian. It has a bland taste and cold nature. Its body is small and its aroma is faint. All books state that it can descend Heart Fire, utilizing the principle of "treating the Heart with the Heart." When Heart Fire is cleared, Lung Metal becomes肃降 (descends and purifies). (Therefore, ancient texts say it clears Lung heat.) Since the Heart and Small Intestine are exterior-interior paired organs, all heat will exit through urination. Moreover, when heat is removed, blood also calms down. Thus, it can stop bleeding and unblock Lin syndrome (dysuria). It is the holy medicine for clearing latent heat in the Upper Jiao and treating the Five Types of Lin Syndrome. (The Five Lin syndromes are divided into Qi, Blood, Gao, Lao, and Shi types.) Burned to ash, it can treat Hou Bi (sore throat/obstruction). (One prescription: two qian of Dengxincao ash mixed with one qian of Pengsha powder, blown into the throat; another prescription: Dengxincao and Ruoye leaves burned to ash and blown; a third prescription: Dengxincao and Honghua flowers burned to ash, taken with wine.) Applying the ash to the breasts prevents infants from crying at night while nursing. Binding the herb to rub tinea causes worms to emerge from the grass; it floats on water and can eradicate the root cause. Those with Qi deficiency leading to urinary incontinence should avoid taking it.

(Xi Cao) Eliminates Damp-Heat and Kills Parasites
Bianxu (Polygoni Avicularis Herba, 扁蓄) specifically enters the Spleen meridian. It has a bitter taste and neutral qi. Its efficacy lies specifically in promoting urination, clearing heat, eliminating damp-heat, and killing parasites. Therefore, for children's Gan accumulation disease, and women's conditions such as Yin erosion, oozing, itching, abscesses, and hemorrhoids, this herb is used as the primary treatment. (A folk song goes: "When urgent pain in the heart cannot be borne, I have the Immortal's Sea Prescription. Bianxu decocted in vinegar swallowed through the mouth guarantees health within moments.") Because its bitter taste allows heat to dissipate, and bitterness suppresses parasites, this merely addresses the branch symptoms and does not benefit the person. It should not be used frequently. The leaves are thin like bamboo, the stems are weak and creeping, nodes are compact with powder, and it blooms small red flowers in the third lunar month.

(Man Cao) Dispels Liver Wind and Removes Stomach Dampness
Bixie (Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma, 萆薢) specifically enters the Liver and Stomach meridians. It has a bitter taste and neutral qi. Its function specializes in dispelling wind, eliminating dampness, and consolidating the Kidney. Whenever a person suffers from dry stool constipation and frequent urination, with unbearable pain during urination, this is definitely due to Heat closure in the large intestine. Accumulated heat, putrefied matter, and stasis flow into the Small Intestine along with fluids due to deficiency, causing pain upon urination. (Yang Zijian's *Wanjin Huming Fang* states: "Whenever a person urinates frequently, regardless of frequency, with unbearable pain inside the penis during urination, this disease must first involve Large Intestine constipation and heat blockage. Fluids only flow to the Small Intestine, making the Large Intestine increasingly dry and thirsty, even causing whole-body heat and mental restlessness craving cold water; this is a severe condition. This disease originates from greed for alcohol and sex, accumulating residual toxins, putrefied matter, and blood stasis, which enter the Small Intestine with deficient fluids, causing pain during urination. This is frequent urination with pain, different from Lin syndrome which is涩 (astringent/stagnant) and painful. One should use one liang of Bixie, stir-fried with salt water and powdered. Take two qian per dose to redirect the water pathway to the Large Intestine. Still wash the anus frequently with Scallion soup to allow Qi to circulate freely, then the frequency and pain of urination will naturally decrease.") Furthermore, if the water pathway is not clear, damp-heat will not be eliminated, Liver Fire will become more blazing, and sinews and bones will become more flaccid. Bixie has a bitter and neutral flavor; it can enter the Liver to dispel wind. (Shizhen said: "Jueyin governs sinews and belongs to Wind; Yangming governs flesh and belongs to Dampness. Bixie excels at removing Wind-Dampness, thus treating conditions like flaccidity, atrophy, bi-syndrome, turbid discharge, and foul sores belonging to Wind-Dampness.") It can also guide water into the Large Intestine to unblock the anal passage, clarifying the fluid and avoiding pain. How could there be bi-pain, cold waist, retained water in the Bladder, impotence, urinary incontinence, hemorrhoidal fistulas, or foul sores? Ancients said: "It has the power to expel water and the strength to secure essence." (When damp-heat is removed, essence naturally does not leak.) This is indeed true! Babia (Smilax Glabra Rhizoma / Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma, 菝葜), also known as Tufuling, although not similar to Bixie, has close functions. White and soft ones are good. Yiyiren (Coicis Semen, 薏苡仁) serves as an assistant herb. It is incompatible with Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, 大黄), Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix, 柴胡), and Qianhu (Peucedani Radix, 前胡). Tea and vinegar are contraindicated. (Bixie roots are long, thin, and pale white; Babia roots are tuberous, reddish-yellow.)