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(Recorded in the Lower Category of *Shennong Bencao Jing*)

**[Names]** Shoutian (from *Mingyi Bielu*), Shuiyu (from *Shennong Bencao Jing*).
Li Shizhen stated: The *Book of Rites · Monthly Ordinances* records: "Banxia grows in May." It is named so because it grows in the middle of summer. "Shoutian" conveys meaning, while "Shuiyu" refers to its shape.

**[Collection and Explanation]** *Mingyi Bielu* states: Banxia grows in the river valleys of Huaili. The roots are harvested in May and August and dried in the sun.
Lei Xiao stated: It grows on low hills or in the wild, sprouting in February. The leaves grow in threes opposite each other. The flowers are white and round at the top.
Tao Hongjing stated: Huaili belongs to Fufeng Commandery. Currently, the best quality comes from Qingzhou, though it is also found in Wu. Those with white flesh are preferred and do not spoil with age.
Su Gong stated: It is found everywhere. Those growing in plains and marshes are called Yangyan Banxia (Sheep-Eye Pinellia), with round and white ones being superior. However, those from Jiangnan are large, up to one cun in diameter, and highly valued by southerners. Recently, they have been used interchangeably, but their efficacy and morphology differ significantly. Its shoots resemble Youba (a plant), leading to confusion with Banxia.
Su Song stated: It is ubiquitous, with those from Qizhou being the best. In February, a single stem emerges with three leaves at the tip, light green and resembling bamboo leaves, whereas those from Jiangnan resemble Peony leaves. The roots overlap below, larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, with yellow skin and white flesh. Roots are harvested in May and August, wrapped in ash for two days, washed with hot water, and dried. The *Shu Tu Jing* states: Roots harvested in May are hollow and small; those harvested in August are solid and large. Those growing in flat marshes are very small and called Yangyan Banxia. Youba closely resembles Banxia but has different shoots.
An unnamed author stated: Baibangzi looks very much like Banxia but tastes slightly sour when chewed and is not suitable for medicinal use.

**[Processing]** Tao Hongjing stated: When using Banxia, wash it with hot water more than ten times until the slippery sensation is completely removed. Otherwise, it is toxic and will pierce the throat. In prescriptions containing Banxia, Ginger must be used to neutralize its toxicity.
Lei Xiao stated: To process four liang of Banxia, use two liang of White Mustard Seed powder and six liang of strong vinegar. Stir until turbid, immerse the Banxia, wash three times, and then use. If the slime is not fully washed off, it causes qi rebellion and liver qi stagnation with fullness.
Li Shizhen stated: Currently processed Banxia is only washed to remove dirt, soaked in hot water for seven days with daily water changes, dried, sliced, mixed with Ginger juice, and roasted for use. Alternatively, it can be ground into powder, soaked in Ginger juice soup for three days to clarify, the slime water drained, and dried for use, known as Banxia Powder. Or, ground powder is mixed with Ginger juice to form cakes, dried for use, known as Banxia Cakes. Or, ground powder is mixed with Ginger juice and Alum solution to form cakes, wrapped in Broussonetia papyrifera leaves, placed in a basket until a yellow mold grows, then dried for use, known as Banxia Qu. Bai Feixia in *Yitong* stated: For diseases of the phlegm division, Banxia is the main herb; making it into Qu is especially good. For damp-phlegm, mix with Ginger juice and Alum solution; for wind-phlegm, mix with Ginger juice and Soap Pod decoction; for fire-phlegm, mix with Ginger juice, Bamboo Sap, or Jujube Sap; for cold-phlegm, mix with Ginger juice, Alum solution, and White Mustard Seed powder. These are all excellent methods for making Qu.

**Root**

**[Flavor and Nature]** Pungent, neutral, toxic.
Wash thoroughly with hot water to remove slipperiness before use.
Zhang Yuansu stated: Flavor pungent and bitter, nature warm. The flavor and nature are both thin; it sinks and descends, representing yang within yin.
Li Gao stated: Pungent is strong, bitter is light; it represents yin within yang. It enters the Foot-Yangming, Foot-Taiyin, and Foot-Shaoyang meridians.
Xu Zhicai stated: Shegan is its guiding herb. It dislikes Soap Pods. It fears Realgar, Ginger, Dried Ginger, Qinpi, and Tortoise Shell. It is incompatible with Aconite.
Meng Shen stated: Chaihu is its guiding herb. It is contraindicated with Sheep Blood, Sargassum, and Malt Sugar.
Zhang Yuansu stated: For heat-phlegm, assist with Huangqin; for wind-phlegm, assist with Nanxing; for cold-phlegm, assist with Ganjiang; for phlegm obstruction, assist with Chenpi and Baizhu. Excessive use damages the Spleen and Stomach. It is contraindicated in all bleeding syndromes and cases of thirst because it dries body fluids. Pregnant women should avoid it; however, if used with Ginger, there is no harm.

**[Indications]** Treats chills and fever from Cold Damage, hardness under the heart, chest distension with cough and rebellious qi, vertigo, sore throat, borborygmus, directs qi downward, and stops sweating (*Shennong Bencao Jing*). Eliminates phlegm-heat accumulation in the heart, abdomen, and chest/phrenis; treats cough with rebellious qi, acute pain and hardness under the heart; treats epidemic vomiting and rebellious qi; eliminates carbuncles; treats wasting-thirst/yellowing; enhances facial luster; induces abortion (*Mingyi Bielu*). Eliminates phlegm, directs Lung qi downward, opens the stomach, strengthens the Spleen, stops vomiting, and removes fullness of phlegm in the chest.
Raw Banxia: Rub on carbuncles to eliminate tumors and goiter (Zhen Quan). Treats vomiting food and reverse flow, cholera with cramps, cold intestines/abdomen, and phlegm-malaria (Da Ming). Treats cold-phlegm, and cough due to lung injury from cold exposure and cold drinks; eliminates chest痞 (obstruction), upper diaphragm phlegm, removes chest cold, harmonizes Stomach qi, dries Spleen dampness, treats phlegm-jue headache, reduces swelling and dissipates nodules (Zhang Yuansu). Treats pain in the supraorbital ridge (Zhu Zhenheng). Supplements Liver wind-deficiency (Li Gao), eliminates abdominal distension, inability to close eyes, white turbidity, nocturnal emission, and leukorrhea (Li Shizhen).

**[Elucidation]** Zhen Quan stated: Banxia acts as an envoy. It is suitable for deficiency with phlegm-qi.
Su Song stated: It is the most important herb for cold-Stomach vomiting and hiccups.
Cheng Wuji stated: Pungent disperses and moistens. The pungency of Banxia disperses rebellious and knotted qi, eliminates vexation and vomiting, enables voice production, moves water qi, and moistens Kidney dryness.
Li Gao stated: The *Classic* says: The Kidney governs the five fluids, transforming them into five dampnesses. Entering itself becomes saliva, entering the Liver becomes tears, entering the Heart becomes sweat, entering the Spleen becomes phlegm, entering the Lung becomes nasal discharge. Cough with phlegm is called Sou; cough without phlegm is called Ke. Phlegm arises from the movement of Spleen dampness due to coughing.
Banxia can drain the branch of phlegm but not the root. Draining the root means draining the Kidney. Cough is formless; phlegm is formed. Formless implies moisture; formed implies dryness. Thus, it flows and moistens dryness. The common view that Banxia is a Lung meridian herb is incorrect. Directing vomiting belongs to the Foot-Yangming; eliminating phlegm belongs to the Foot-Taiyin. Chaihu is its envoy, hence it is used in Chaihu Decoctions. Although used to stop vomiting, it also assists Chaihu and Huangqin in treating alternating chills and fever, thus involving the Foot-Shaoyang and Yangming meridians.
Wang Haogu stated: People today only know Banxia eliminates phlegm and do not mention it benefits the Spleen, likely because it can separate fluids. The Spleen detests dampness; dampness causes soaking and distress, preventing water metabolism. The *Classic* says: Excess dampness leads to diarrhea. A man suffered frequent nocturia. Someone advised him to boil one liang of Ginger, thirty pieces of Banxia, and thirty dates in one sheng of water in a porcelain jar over slow fire, drinking it occasionally, which cured him.
Zhao Jizong stated: Danxi said: Erchen Tang treats phlegm throughout the body. Physicians cling to this, using it for all phlegm cases. Since Erchen Tang contains Banxia, whose nature is drying and fierce, it is suitable for wind-phlegm, cold-phlegm, damp-phlegm, and food-phlegm. However, for labor-phlegm and various phlegms from blood loss, using it can dry blood and worsen the condition; this must be known.
Dai Yuanli stated: Common people replace Banxia with Beimu because they consider Banxia drying and toxic. Beimu is a Lung-Taiyin herb, while Banxia is a Spleen-Taiyin and Stomach-Yangming herb. How can they be substituted? For cough with sputum, consumptive hemoptysis, blood in phlegm, various stagnations, sore throat, bi-syndrome, lung abscess, lung萎 (withering), carbuncles, and difficult lactation in women, Beimu serves as a guide, while Banxia is contraindicated. Saliva is the fluid of the Spleen. Rich foods and fried items generate damp-heat in the Spleen and Stomach, turning saliva into phlegm. Over time, phlegm-fire attacks upward, causing coma, locked jaw, hemiplegia, stiffness, speech difficulty, and imminent death. Only Banxia and Nanxing can treat this. Using Beimu instead would be waiting for death.
Li Shizhen stated: The Spleen does not generate phlegm without retained dampness; thus, the Spleen is the source of phlegm generation, and the Lung is the vessel storing phlegm. Banxia treats phlegm-fluids and abdominal distension because its substance is slippery, flavor pungent, and nature warm. Slippery saliva moistens; pungent-warm disperses and moistens. Thus, it moves dampness to unblock bowels and opens orifices to promote urination. As stated, pungent moves qi and transforms fluids; pungent moistens. Jiegu Zhangshi said: Banxia and Nanxing treat phlegm, and cough heals spontaneously. Danxi Zhushi said: Erchen Tang moistens the bowels and increases urine output. Liaoshe Chengshi said: Banxia is pungent and dispersing, moving water qi and moistening Kidney dryness. Also, *Heji Jufang* uses Banshu Wan for elderly constipation due to deficiency, utilizing their slippery nature. The common belief that Nanxing and Banxia are drying is wrong. When dampness is removed, earth becomes dry, and phlegm-saliva ceases to generate; this is not due to the drying nature of these herbs. Ancient formulas often used them for sore throat, bi-syndrome, hematemesis, and hematochezia; they are not contraindicated. They can also dissipate blood, hence they treat traumatic injuries. Only in yin-deficiency and consumptive damage, where there is no damp-heat pathogen, using orifice-opening and damp-moving drugs re-exhausts fluids; this is the physician's fault, not the drug's. *Jiayi Jing* uses it for insomnia; is it truly drying? Qibo said: Wei-Qi travels in Yang. When Yang qi is full and cannot enter Yin, and Yin qi is deficient, the eyes cannot close. Treatment: Drink one dose of Banxia Tang. Once Yin and Yang connect, sleep follows immediately. The formula uses eight sheng of flowing water from a thousand li, stirred ten thousand times, taking five sheng of clear water, boiling with reed fire, adding one sheng of Sorghum and five he of Banxia, cooking to one and a half sheng. Drink one cup, three times a day, until effective. For new onset, sleep follows immediately after covering the cup; sweating cures it. For chronic cases, three doses suffice.

**[Attached Prescriptions]** Fourteen old, fifty-four new.
Legal Process Banxia, clears phlegm and transforms fluids, strengthens Spleen and smooths qi: Use large Banxia, wash seven times with hot water, roast dry, wash again, repeating seven times. Soak in thick rice washing water for one day and night. For every one liang, add one and a half liang of Alum dissolved in warm water, soak for five days. Roast dry, add one qian of Lead White Frost dissolved in warm water, soak for seven days. Boil in grain water over slow fire, roast dry, and store. Chew one or two pills, swallow with Ginger tea. (*Yuyuan Fang*)
Red Banxia Method, disperses wind-heat, clears phlegm-saliva, directs qi downward and benefits throat: Large Banxia, soak in hot water, roast, and process as above. Add five fen of Borneol per one liang, coat with Cinnabar. Lay a layer of rush grass about one finger thick, place Banxia on top, cover with another finger-thick layer of rush grass. Roast with fried beans until dry. Chew one or two pills.
Transform phlegm, calm heart, dispel wind, benefit diaphragm: ChenSha Banxia Pills: Use one jin of Banxia (soaked in hot water seven times, ground, sifted, soaked in water for three days, filtered through raw silk, clarified, water drained, dried) one liang, add one qian of ChenSha, make pills with Ginger juice paste size of Wuzi. Take seventy pills with Ginger tea. This is a Zhou Prince's prescription. (*Xiu zhen Fang*)
Transform phlegm and benefit qi: Sanxian Pills, see under Huzhang.
Eliminate phlegm, open stomach, remove chest/phrenis congestion: *Doumen Fang*: Wash Banxia, roast dry, grind to powder, mix with natural Ginger juice to form cakes, wrap in wet paper and bake until fragrant. Take two qian of cake with two cups of cooked water, add five fen of salt, decoct to one cup, and take. Highly effective for suppressing severe phlegm toxins and treating alcohol/food injury. *Jingyan Houfang*: Use two liang each of Banxia and Nanxing. Grind to powder, soak in five sheng of water in a jar overnight, discard clear water, roast dry, and regrind. Take two qian with two cups of water and three slices of Ginger, decoct and take.
Middle jiao phlegm-saliva, benefit throat, clear head/eyes, promote appetite: Banxia (soaked seven times) four liang, Gufan one liang, grind to powder, make pills with Ginger juice paste or boiled date pulp size of Wuzi. Take fifteen pills with Ginger tea. For cold-phlegm add five qian of Dingxiang; for heat-phlegm add four liang of Hanshui Shi. Named Yuye Wan. (*Heji Jufang*)
Elderly wind-phlegm: Intestinal heat with confusion, Lung heat with solid phlegm, throat discomfort: Banxia (soaked seven times, roasted) and Xiaoshi each banliang, grind to powder, mix with one liang of white flour, form pills with water size of mung bean. Take fifty pills with Ginger tea. (*Pujifang*)
Diaphragm obstruction wind-phlegm: Banxia any amount, soak in sour bean water overnight, wash five to seven times with warm water to remove bad odor, dry in sun, grind to powder. Knead into cakes with strong grain water, dry in sun, regrind. For every five liang, add one qian of raw Borneol, knead into pills size of corn kernel with strong grain water residue. Store in gauze bag, dry in shade in ventilated area. Take one pill, chew with good tea or Mint tea. (*Yuyuan Fang*)
Search wind, transform phlegm, stabilize mind, calm spirit, benefit head/eyes: ChenSha Huatan Pills: Use three liang of Banxia Qu, one liang of Nanxing (roasted), half liang each of ChenSha and Gufan, grind to powder, make pills with Ginger juice paste size of Wuzi. Take thirty pills, swallow with Ginger tea after meals. (*Heji Jufang*)
Phlegm-jue stroke: Xifeng Tang: Use eight liang of Banxia (soaked in hot water), two liang of Licorice (roasted), four liang of Fangfeng. Take half liang with twenty slices of Ginger and two cups of water, decoct and take. (*Qixiao Fang*)
Wind-phlegm dizziness, vomiting/rebellious qi, vertigo, blue-yellow complexion, wiry pulse: Shuizhu Jinhua Pills: Use one liang each of Raw Banxia, Raw Nanxing, and Hanshui Shi, half liang of Tianma, two qian of Xionghuang, three liang of wheat flour. Grind to powder, form cakes with water, boil until floating, strain, pound into pills size of Wuzi. Take fifty pills with Ginger tea, extremely effective. Also treats wind-phlegm cough, urinary/fecal obstruction, wind-phlegm headache. (Jiegu *Huofa Jiyao*)
Wind-phlegm damp-phlegm: Qinghu Pills: One jin of Banxia, half liang of Nanxing, soak in hot water, dry, grind to powder. Mix with Ginger juice to form cakes, roast dry. Add half liang of Shenqu, four liang of Baizhu (powder), two liang of Zhishi (powder). Make pills with Ginger-flour paste size of Wuzi. Take fifty pills with Ginger tea. (Ye's Formula)
Wind-phlegm wheezing/rebellious qi, nausea, dizziness about to fall: One liang of Banxia, three qian of Xionghuang, grind to powder, soak in Ginger juice, make pills with steamed dough size of Wuzi. Take thirty pills with Ginger tea. Add Binglang if already vomited. (*Huofa Jiyao*)
Wind-phlegm acute wheezing: Qianmin Tang: Use seven Banxia (washed in hot water), one cun each of Licorice (roasted) and Soap Pod (stir-fried), two slices of Ginger. One cup of water, decoct to seven tenths, take warm. (*Sushen Liangfang*)
Upper jiao heat-phlegm cough: Processed Banxia one liang, Huangqin slices (powder) two qian, make pills with Ginger juice paste size of mung bean. Take seventy pills with weak Ginger tea after meals. This is a formula personally prepared by Prince Zhou Xian. (*Xiuzhen Fang*)
Lung heat phlegm-cough: Processed Banxia and Gualou Ren each one liang, grind to powder, make pills with Ginger juice paste size of Wuzi. Take twenty to thirty pills with plain water. Or cook Gualou pulp and make pills. (*Jisheng Fang*)
Heat-phlegm cough, vexing heat, red face, dry mouth, heart pain, surging-rapid pulse: Xiaohuang Pills: Use one liang each of Banxia and Nanxing, one and a half liang of Huangqin. Grind to powder, soak in Ginger juice, make pills with steamed dough size of Wuzi. Take fifty to seventy pills, swallow with Ginger tea after meals. (Jiegu *Huofa Jiyao*)
Pediatric phlegm-heat, cough with fright/palpitations: Equal parts Banxia and Nanxing. Grind to powder, mix with ox bile, place inside gallbladder, hang in windy place to dry, make pills with steamed dough size of mung bean. Take three to five pills with Ginger tea. (*Zhaixuan Fang*)
Damp-phlegm cough, yellow face, heavy body, lethargy/fright, indigestion, slow pulse: Baizhu Pills: Use one liang each of Banxia and Nanxing, one and a half liang of Baizhu. Grind to powder, make pills with thin paste size of Wuzi. Take fifty to seventy pills with Ginger tea. (*Huofa Jiyao*)
Qi-phlegm cough, pale face, shortness of breath, aversion to cold, sorrow/unhappiness, choppy pulse: Yufen Pills: Use one liang each of Banxia and Nanxing, Guan Gui...
Minor knot chest pain, located exactly under the heart, painful upon pressure, floating-slippery pulse, Xiaoxianxiong Tang is indicated: Half sheng of Banxia, one liang of Huanglian, one large Gualou fruit. Six sheng of water, first decoct Gualou to obtain three sheng, strain, add the other two ingredients, decoct to obtain two sheng, divide into three doses. (Zhongjing *Shanghan Lun*)
Damp-phlegm heart pain, acute wheezing: Stir-fry Banxia in oil, grind to powder, make pills with porridge paste size of mung bean. Take twenty pills with Ginger tea. (*Danxi Xinfa*)
Acute Cold Damage disease: Four qian of Banxia, seven slices of Ginger, one cup of wine, decoct and take. (Huqia Jushi *Baibing Fang*)
Knotted phlegm not expectorated, unclear voice, even for long-standing cases: Yufen Pills: Half liang of Banxia, one zi of Guixin, half zi of Caowutou. Grind to powder, mix with Ginger...
Retained phlegm from frozen/cold drinks causing vomiting/rebellious qi: Jupi Banxia Tang: Use one liang each of Banxia (boiled in water until cooked) and aged Tangerine Peel. Take four qian with seven slices of Ginger and two [cups] of water...
Retained phlegm and lingering fluids, chest/diaphragm fullness/stuffiness, shortness of breath, nausea, inability to eat, or vomiting phlegm-water: Fuling Banxia Tang: Use five liang of Banxia (soaked) and three liang of Fuling. Take four qian with seven slices of Ginger and one and a half zhong of water, decoct to seven tenths, strain, take on empty stomach, very convenient. (*Heji Jufang*)
Branch-fluid causing vomiting: Vomiting patients usually feel thirsty; if not thirsty, there is branch-fluid under the heart. Or seeming to pant but not panting, seeming to vomit but not vomiting, seeming to hiccup but not hiccuping, mental confusion under the heart. All should use Xiaobanxia Tang: Use one sheng of Banxia (soaked seven times) and half jin of Ginger. Seven sheng of water, decoct to one sheng and five he, divide and take. (Zhang Zhongjing *Jingui Yaolue*)
Severe hiccups: Xiaobanxia Shengjiang Tang is indicated, which is the above formula.
Chickenpox hiccups: Same formula as above.
Vomiting/hiccups with vertigo/palpitations, inability to swallow grain: Xiaobanxia Jia Fuling Tang: One sheng of Banxia, half jin of Ginger, three liang of Fuling, cut. Seven sheng of water, decoct to one and a half sheng, divide and take warm. (*Jingui Yaolue*)
Inability to sleep: See Elucidation below.
Palpitations under the heart: Banxia Mahuang Pills: Equal parts Banxia and Mahuang, grind to powder, make pills with honey size of adzuki bean. Take thirty pills, three times a day. (*Jingui Yaolue*)
Cold Damage dry vomiting: Cook Banxia thoroughly, wash, grind to powder. Take one qianbi with Ginger tea. (*Shenshi Fang*) Vomiting/rebellious qi with cold limbs, internal cold-phlegm: One sheng of Banxia (washed, smoothed, roasted, ground), one sheng of wheat flour. Mix with water to form pellet-sized pills, boil in water. Swallow four or five initially, three times a day. Gradually increase to fifteen pills, cook and swallow as needed. If symptoms decrease, prepare again. Avoid mutton and malt sugar. This is Xu Renze's formula. (*Waitai Miyao*)
Vomiting and reverse flow: Dabanxia Tang: Three sheng of Banxia, three liang of Renshen, one sheng of white honey. Mix with twelve sheng of water, stir one hundred twenty times. Decoct to obtain three and a half sheng. Take one sheng warm, twice a day. Also treats branch-fluid between diaphragm. (*Jingui Yaolue*)
Stomach cold hiccups/rebellious qi, retained phlegm and lingering fluids: Huoxiang Banxia Tang: Use two liang of Banxia (soaked in hot water, stir-fried yellow), one liang of Huoxiang leaves, half liang of Dingxiang peel. Take four qian with one cup of water and seven slices of Ginger, decoct and take. (*Heji Jufang*)
Pediatric vomiting/diarrhea, Spleen/Stomach deficiency-cold: Qizhou Banxia (soaked seven times) and aged millet each one and a half qian, ten slices of Ginger. One and a half cups of water, decoct to eight tenths, take warm. (Qian Yi *Xiao'er Yaozheng Zhijue*)
Pediatric phlegm-vomiting, caused by wind obstruction, or cough with fever, vomiting after eating: Half liang of Banxia (soaked seven times), one qian of Dingxiang. With...