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(Ruohua) Various bamboo shoots can clear heat and toxins in the intestines and stomach, and resolve phlegm located subcutaneously and within the membranes.

Various bamboo shoots (specifically enter the Intestine and Stomach meridians). The taste is sweet, nature is slightly cold, and it is non-toxic. According to records, there are many varieties of bamboo shoots. For example, Zhusun (i.e., Zhongmu shoot) can treat conditions such as Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst) and Feng Re (Wind-Heat). Danzhusun (Bambusa emeiensis shoot) has a sweet and cold flavor, capable of eliminating Phlegm-Heat-induced mania/restlessness, headache, Toufeng (Head Wind), and symptoms like falling, palpitations, and fright. Taozhusun (Bambusa tulda shoot) carries slight toxicity (produced in Guangdong; skin smooth and yellow; bones twisted like rhinoceros horn, four-cun joints can be made into mats); it can treat conditions such as maggots in sores of livestock. Cizhusun (Bambusa spinosa shoot) (Li Shizhen stated: Grows in Jiaozhou and Guangzhou regions, grows in clumps, large ones have a circumference of two chi, branches and nodes all have thorns, locals plant them as city walls, cut bamboo for bows, roots as thick as chariot spokes, also known as Bazhu). Its flavor is sweet and bitter, slightly toxic; consumption causes hair loss. Suansun (Sour bamboo shoot) (Produced in southern Guangdong; shoots as thick as an arm; after picking, soaked in boiling water to remove bitter juice, then immersed in cold well water for two to three days, taken out and sliced like silk ropes, boiled with vinegar for consumption; enthusiasts brought them to Central Plains, regarded as rare delicacies). Its flavor is bitter and cool, non-toxic; consumption quenches thirst, resolves alcohol intoxication, and benefits the diaphragm. Lususun (Reed shoot) has a sweet and warm flavor, capable of treating Ye Ge (Dysphagia), irritability, and anorexia. However, generally speaking, excessive consumption promotes coldness and disturbs Qi movement; because sweetness leads to Qi stagnation, and coldness induces cold syndromes. Only those who originally suffer from Phlegm disorders located subcutaneously and within the membranes will recover upon consuming this, similar to the principle that Zhu Li (Bamboo Sap) combined with Shengjiang (Fresh Ginger) treats human Phlegm disorders. Other bamboo shoots mostly taste sweet; only Kuzhusun (Bitter bamboo shoot) is bitter. Consumption can treat Qi rebellion without causing stagnation, because bitterness primarily directs Qi downward. Moreover, bamboo shoots are difficult to digest when first eaten, especially for those with Pi Xu (Spleen Deficiency). (A child ate about three cun of dried bamboo shoot, which got stuck in the throat, resulting in high fever and coarse breathing resembling convulsions; taking anti-convulsant medicines was ineffective; later, after vomiting out the shoot, all symptoms settled. Thus, its difficulty in digestion is evident.) Long-term consumption scrapes the intestines. (Li Shizhen stated: Bamboo shoots from Qizhou area have bitter and tough flavors, making them particularly unpalatable to eat. (Such as Congzhu from Qizhou, Bianzhu from Kuanglu, Fangzhu from Lizhou, and Zhuyuezhu from Lingnan.). Yet, the world widely uses bamboo shoots to induce smallpox eruptions, which poses significant harm. Bamboo shoots often possess astringent properties, most irritating to the throat. Before use, they must be boiled in ash water, then boiled again for optimal effect. Alternatively, boiling with a few leaves of Bohe (Mint) can also remove the astringency. Only Dongsun (Winter bamboo shoot), which grows in winter but does not break through the soil, retains its Yang Qi without leakage; thus, consumption can unblock vessels and benefit orifices. It can be administered for conditions such as Tu Xue (Hematemesis), Bi Xue (Epistaxis), and Blood Stasis with obstruction. For smallpox that fails to erupt, taking the tips boiled with rice porridge is beneficial. Patients with Xie Xie (Diarrhea) should avoid it. Jiansun (Arrow bamboo shoot) shares similar nature and flavor. Dried bamboo shoot slices have effects of promoting urination, resolving phlegm, and reducing swelling.