Library

(Recording twenty-one types in total, with twelve supplementary types)

Meigeng (Plum Twig)
Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica) records no therapeutic formulas for Meihua (Plum Blossom), stating only that it is suitable for making soup or porridge to enhance elegance. Shiwu Yiji (Dietary Preferences and Taboos) states: Meihua has a sour and astringent taste, and is neutral in nature, having no specific therapeutic indications. This is likely due to ignorance of the uses of Meihua; in fact, its application in medicine is extensive, and its efficacy is significant. Baicao Jing (Mirror of Hundred Herbs) records: Meihua forms buds in winter and blooms in spring; its flowers do not fear frost and snow. Leaves emerge after flowering, obtaining the most abundant primordial Qi (vital energy), thus it can resolve congenital fetal toxins. There are distinctions among red, white, and green-calix varieties, as well as multi-petaled and single-petaled types. Among these, the single-petaled green-calix variety is particularly effective for medicinal use. It is better if harvested without human hand contact. Buds possess stronger efficacy. Its nature is cold, though some say it is neutral; its taste is sour, astringent, and fragrant. It benefits the stomach, disperses stagnation, and when boiled into porridge, aids the ascent of clear Yang Qi. Steamed dew used for tea quenches thirst, generates fluids, resolves summerheat, and clears vexation. Tan Zhuan records: Flowers and trees grow by sensing the Qi of spring, but only Meihua blooms in winter. This is because the East moves with Wind, Wind generates Wood, and Wood's nature is curving and straightening, producing sourness; thus, sourness is the nature of Wood. Only Meihua has the most sour taste, obtaining the correct Qi. The North Water acts as its mother; being generated by it makes it easily responsive, so Meihua blooms before other trees. Guixin Zashi (Miscellaneous Records from Guixin) notes that Meihua does not bloom upwards, likely avoiding wind and snow cleverly; verification confirms this. Yue Zhi (Records of Guangdong) states: Only Lingnan's Meihua blooms earliest. When thunder rumbles underground at Dongzhi (Winter Solstice), Meihua blooms above ground. At this time, Fire Qi is insufficient in the earth, stimulating the initial essence, causing Meihua to bloom. Water Qi is sufficient in the sky, applying initial nourishment, causing snowfall and melting. From desolation, it releases the essence of one Yang, serving as the source of life for the coming spring. Deep snow means sufficient Water Qi; early Meihua means sufficient Fire Qi. Sufficient Fire Qi marks the beginning of Heaven and Earth's Yang generation and the end of Yin destruction, allowing all things to return to their origin. The virtue of Meihua is great; the recovery of one Yang in Heaven and Earth is invisible, but visible through Meihua, which obtains Qi first. In Shaozhou, Meihua blooms at Dongzhi and blooms again in La Yue (the twelfth lunar month), especially vigorously. Some bloom anew on old calyxes there, belonging to Lingbei, so Meihua blooms in La Yue or Zhengyue; when Qi is abundant, it blooms repeatedly. Qiongzhou's Meihua has six petals. I believe Meihua originally has five petals; five is a Yang number. At Dongzhi, one Yang begins to recover; Meihua blooming obtains Yang first. Now having six petals indicates obtaining Yin numbers. This changes due to local Qi, suffering severe cold, so it uses six instead of five, similar to snowflakes. Taking Meihua as substance and snowflake as function, people see six but not five, hiding five within six, just as five is hidden within ten in Hetu (River Map). One in Hetu generates Water; Meihua obtains Water Qi first, hence blooming simultaneously with snow at Dongzhi. Snow is condensed Water Qi; Meihua is結ed Water form. Both hexagrams belong to Kan (Water). Water condenses as snow in heaven; Water sprouts as Meihua on earth. The number of Water is six. At extreme cold, both snowflakes and Meihua have six petals, corresponding to this number.

The flower is slightly sour and astringent, non-toxic. It clears the head and eyes, benefits Lung Qi, removes phlegm obstruction and upper heat (Bencao Yuanshi), calms the spirit and stabilizes the soul, and resolves congenital smallpox toxins.
Treating Scrofula (Tuberculous lymphadenitis): Make a hole in an egg, insert seven nearly open green-calix Meihua buds, seal it, steam over rice until cooked, remove the flowers, eat the egg. One egg daily, cured in seven days.
Sores on the lips: Chishui Xuanzhu (Mysterious Pearl of Red Waters) records: Apply white plum petals; miraculous effect. If cracked and bleeding, stop immediately.
Zijin Ding (Purple Gold Pellet): Suitable for preparation on Duanwu Festival (Dragon Boat Festival). Feicui Cinnabar, Hongya Daji (Red Sprout Euphorbia), Chuzhou Shancigu (Colchicum autumnale from Chuzhou), Qianjin Shuang, Chuan Wenha (Clam Shell from Sichuan), Jing Fencao (Licorice Root), six ingredients each two liang. Pearl, Amber, Ming Xionghuang (Realgar), Bingpian (Borneol), Chen Jinmo (Aged Ink Stick) each five qian. Meihua stamen, Xi Niuhuang (Indian Buffalo Gallstone) each one liang. Chuan Shexiang (Musk) four qian. All herbs ground into fine powder, sifted extremely finely with milk, pounded into pills with glutinous rice paste, and ground for use.
Shen Fang for Rare Smallpox: Bai Meihua stamen three qian, harvested fully bloomed, must be sun-dried in advance. Sheng Dihuang (Rehmannia Root) three qian, Danggui (Angelica Sinensis) three qian, Sheng Gancao (Raw Licorice) one qian. Umbilical cord (naturally fallen from infant, ash or alum removed, baked on new tile until preserved character, ground to fine powder). Decoct together into thick juice, filter, boil into paste, consume in one day. Infant will never develop smallpox. Wanbing Huichun (Ten Thousand Diseases Return to Spring) records Yin Pengtou Hunyuan Dan treating various deficiencies and damages in infants, using Meihua combined with Hunyuan Yi. Note: Meihua resolves congenital smallpox toxin.
Jiuxian Duoming Dan (Nine Immortals Snatching Life Pill) collected from Tingyun: Also known as Shisheng Dan. Treats seventy-two kinds of nameless swelling, toxic sores, flowing nodules, fire bi (painful obstruction syndrome), etc. Zhusha (Cinnabar) three qian. Xionghuang (Realgar), Ruxiang (Frankincense), Moyao (Myrrh), Bingpian (Borneol), Xuexie (Dragon's Blood) each two qian. Shidan Fan (Alum Stone), Tongqing (Verdigris), Shexiang (Musk), Kufan (Burnt Alum), Xiongdan (Bear Gallbladder), Feiguo Huangdan (Calcined Lead Tetroxide) each one qian five fen. Wugong (Centipede), Diqiu (Earthworm), Jiangcan (Silkworm) each two pieces (lightly stir-fried yellow, remove mouth). Meihua one sheng. Hanshui Shi (Calcite), Niuhuang (Calculus Bovis), Chansu (Toad Venom), Baiguanfen (White Lead Powder), Pengsha (Borax) each one qian. Quanxie (Scorpion) nine pieces. Woniu (Snail) seven pieces. Twenty-three ingredients ground to fine powder, coated with one qian five fen of Zhusha. Preparation method: First dissolve Chansu in milk, mix all into pills. If pills don't hold shape, add slight flour paste. Size like tung tree seeds. Take one pill per dose. Let patient chew one raw scallion and swallow, then chew another until very soft, spit into palm, wrap pill, swallow with boiling hot aged wine. Cover with blanket according to warmth/cold to induce sweating. If patient cannot chew, others may chew for them. If no sweat, take another pill to self-heal. Delayed treatment of toxins allows toxin to attack heart, which is incurable. If sweat comes late, promote with hot wine. Do not touch affected area with hands. If itching, comb with old wooden comb to stop.
Rare Smallpox Collected from Tingyun: Use seven green-calix Meihua flowers. Keep in vase. Pick half-open flowers on Chunfen (Spring Equinox). Use only clean petals, pound to paste. Three spoons of Baixtang (White Sugar). Take with boiling water. Toxin completely dissipates, preventing smallpox. Infants over one month old can take it.
Meihua Dianshe Dan (Plum Blossom Pointing Tongue Pill) Collected from Jiyan: Treats all ding toxins, early-stage malignant sores, epidemic plague toxins, sore throat and swelling. Mild cases: two pills. Severe cases: four pills. First send down with Wugen Shui (Water without root/source). Then take one pill, hold under tongue to dissolve. Ruxiang (Frankincense) de-oiled two liang. Zhenzhu (Pearl) boiled in tofu, Shexiang (Musk) water-flown, Xiongdan (Bear Gall) each six fen. Moyao (Myrrh) de-oiled. Jing Niuhuang (Beijing Calculus Bovis), Ku Tingli (Bitter Lepidium Seed), Zhusha (Cinnabar), Pengsha (Borax), Chansu soaked in human milk, Xuexie (Dragon's Blood), Xionghuang water-flown each two qian. Pian Nao (Borneol) one qian. Chenxiang (Agarwood) separately ground one qian. Bai Meihua shade-dried one qian two fen. All ground to fine powder. Dissolve Chansu in human milk, make pills size of millet grain, coat with Jinbo (Gold Foil).
My recommendation for rare smallpox/rash non-medication good prescription: Every year in La Yue morning, pick one hundred dew-covered green-calix Meihua buds. Add white sugar, pound into small cakes. Let infant eat.
Sanhua Dan (Three Flowers Pill) Chishui Xuanzhu: At the time of impending smallpox, this can reduce severity. Meihua, Taohua (Peach Blossom), Lihua (Pear Blossom). Take opened, unopened, and fully bloomed. Shade-dry to powder. Equal parts. Rabbit brain to make pills. Coat with Xionghuang. Send down with Chi Xiaodou (Adzuki Bean), Lv Dou (Mung Bean), Hei Dadou (Black Soybean) decoction.
Meitao Dan (Plum-Peach Pill) Chishui Xuanzhu: Treats smallpox already out or not yet out, not rising or erupting, hidden in skin. Also treats measles and maculopapular rash. Meihua one liang. Tao Sigua (Peach Loofah) five qian. Grind to powder. Take five fen per dose. Send down with Rensu Tang (Ginseng and Perilla Decoction).
Regardless of timing of smallpox, if black depression, teeth grinding, chills: Meihua six qian. Chuanshanjia (Pangolin Scale) one liang. Xianlingpi (Epimedium) five fen. Shexiang (Musk) one qian. Grind to powder. Take three to five fen per dose. For teeth grinding and chills, add Renya (Human Tooth) two to three li. Send down with Neituo San (Internal Support Powder).
Qingmei San (Green Plum Powder) Xishan Yidetang Rare Smallpox Good Prescription: Seven raw Qingguo (Green Olive) pits. Crush, remove kernel, sun-dry. Grind to extremely fine powder. Do not roast over fire. Do not touch raw water. Twenty-one Yudie Meihua (Jade Butterfly Plum Blossoms). Remove calyx. Mix with two teaspoons of Baimi (White Honey). Pound to thick paste. Administer to infant exactly at Chunfen (Spring Equinox). Will never develop smallpox; if developed, no more than three spots. This prescription passed down from Wang Peide family in Jiangning for nine generations, with no children dying of smallpox. Truly a miraculous prescription.
Erqi Wan (Two Qi Pill) Passed down by Mr. Wang Weigong of Xin'an to relatives and friends. Any infant taking this pill will never develop smallpox. The formula is the previous Shen Fang for Rare Smallpox. Umbilical cord is called Kan Qi (Kan Energy). Meihua is Pre-Heaven Qi. Hence named Erqi Wan.
Qixian Dan (Seven Immortals Pill) Zhang Yan's Zhongdou Xinshu (New Book on Smallpox Vaccination): Treats smallpox with deficiency of Qi and Blood, gray-white blisters, itching, collapse, etc. Huangqi (Astragalus Root) two liang. Renshen (Ginseng Root) one liang. Gancao (Licorice Root) five qian. Ziheche (Placenta) one liang. Meihua one liang five qian. Lurong (Deer Antler) one liang. Tianlinggai (Skull Cap) one piece. Grind to powder. Take eight to nine fen per dose. Send down with Neituo Tang (Internal Support Decoction). For excess Qi, add Shan Zha (Hawthorn) and Chenpi (Tangerine Peel) five qian each. (Yingchang notes: Even if Tianlinggai has benefit, it should not be used. Moreover, the efficacy of these two prescriptions does not lie here.)
Erhua San (Two Flowers Powder) Zhongdou Xinshu says: Can raise five depressions. Huang Lameihua (Yellow Wax Plum Blossom), especially Su Xin (Pure Heart) variety. Shade-dry. Amount不限. Remove hairy shell, store in jar. Taohua shade-dry. Shan Zha remove core, stir-fry to powder. Xiao Sigua (Small Loofah) shade-dry to powder. Chenpi remove white pith. Renshen, Huangqi roasted, Gancao roasted, Zhusha, Ziheche washed with wine, remove veins, steam-bake dry, Lurong roasted with wine and butter, Chuanshanjia take head, tail, and four feet, stir-fry, Xianlingpi remove four-string thorns, roast with wine, Renya fire-calcined, soak in Leizhi (Leek Juice) seven times, Tianlinggai wash clean remove butter. Each ground to powder for use. Note: Under Meihua section in Gangmu, there is no therapeutic indication. Under Lameihua (Wax Plum) section, it only mentions resolving summerheat and generating fluids. Unknown that Lameihua is not a true Plum species. Its indications are also broad, not just treating smallpox.
Longnaogu (Dragon Brain Bone) Zhongdou Xinshu says: Treats smallpox not fully erupted, mania seeing ghosts, depression/falling in, etc. Meihua amount不限. Sun-dry to powder. Add small amount of Bingpian (Borneol). Grind together. Mix with Zhu Xinxue (Pig Heart Blood) to make pills. For mania/delirium, guide with Dengxin Tang (Juncus Decoction). For purple depression, tune with Zicao (Arnebia/Lithospermum) decoction. Add several teaspoons of wine to dissolve.
Juedou (Absolute Smallpox Prevention) Yang Chunya Verified Prescription: Use Southern green-calix Meihua buds not yet opened. Harvest and store in wind-dry place. On Four Seasons and Eight Festivals, one day before festival, use one egg. Poke hole, insert buds. Seal with paper. Steam over rice. Eat several times. Never develop smallpox; if developed, no more than a few spots.
Jie Doudou (Resolving Smallpox Toxin) Liu's De Xiao Fang: Three days before and after Lichun (Start of Spring), harvest one cup of red Meihua buds half-open. Remove calyx, put back in cup. Cover with porcelain plate. After one week, Qi and juice rise. Use new mortar not exposed to Five Pungents. Pound to mud. Shape into cake. Add Ming Zhusha (Refined Cinnabar) water-flown one qian. Mix evenly. Add small amount of Baimi (White Honey). Make pills size of bullet. Sun-dry half-dry. Coat with Jinbo (Gold Foil). On Four Absolute Days, take one pill. Send down with Gancao Tang (Licorice Decoction). Avoid iron utensils and meat/fish. After taking one pill, slight fever occurs in evening. Next day, fine scrofula-like eruptions appear all over body. This is the verification. Zhongfutang Prescription: Meihua Wan (Plum Blossom Pill). Treats smallpox/rash with power to revive the dead. Also in Huan Dou Dan (Changing Smallpox Pill), Meihua stamen, Xijiao (Rhinoceros Horn), Mahuang Gao (Ephedra Ointment) are used together.
Zhu Yugong Immortal Transmission Rare Smallpox Prescription: Chidou (Red Bean), Heidou (Black Bean), Lv Dou (Mung Bean) each one liang. Grind to powder. Put into new bamboo tube. Peel skin, leave nodes. Drill hole, insert medicine. Plug tightly with Fir wood. Seal with wax. Soak in latrine during La Yue for one month. Take out, air-dry. Each dose matches Meihua Pian (Plum Blossom Slice) three qian. Take one qian per dose. Send down with Jingshuang Sigua Tengjin (Frost-exposed Loofah Vine Fiber) decoction. Divine effect.
Qianli Meihua Wan (Thousand-Mile Plum Blossom Pill) for Travel Preparedness Medical Guide: Pipaye (Loquat Leaf), Ganye Mo (Dried Kudzu Powder), Baiyaojian (Fermented Tea Cake), Wumei Rou (Smoked Plum Flesh), Lameihua (Wax Plum Blossom), Gancao (Licorice) equal parts. Grind to powder. Melt Wax. Add Honey. For every one liang of Wax, add two qian of White Honey. Mix with powder. Pound two to three hundred times. Make pills size of Chestnut. In summer long journeys, melt one pill in mouth. Saliva suddenly generated. Cold fragrance fills abdomen. Wonderful beyond words.