Library

[Classified as Lower Grade in *Shennong Bencao Jing*]
**Names:** Ruoliu (from *Guangya*), Danruo (from *Gujin Zhu*), Jinying.
Li Shizhen said: "Liu" (pomegranate) sounds like "liu" (tumor/swelling); the red fruits hang down like swollen tumors. *Bowuzhi* records: During the Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian traveled to the Western Regions and brought back pomegranate seeds from the state of Anshi in Tulín, hence the name Anshiliu (Anshi Pomegranate). Furthermore, *Qimin Yaoshu* states: When planting pomegranates, one must place Anjiang stones and dry bones under the roots for the flowers and fruits to flourish. Thus, the name "Anshi" might be derived from this practice. "Ruomu" is another name for Fusang tree; since pomegranate flowers are red like Fusang, it is also called Danruo. Fu Xuan's *Pomegranate Ode* says, "Bright as the sun resting on Fusang," referring to this. *Biheng* records: During the Five Dynasties period, King Qian Liu of Wuyue changed the name from Liu to Jinying. *Youyang Zazu* states: Sweet pomegranates are called Tianjiang (Heavenly Nectar). Daoist texts call pomegranate "Sanshi Jiu" (Wine against Three Corpses), meaning the Three Corpse worms become intoxicated by eating this fruit. Hence, Fan Chengda's poem says: "Swallowing clear richness in the jade pool, the traces of Sanpeng (Three Corpses) are swept away."

**Collection and Explanation:** Tao Hongjing said: Pomegranate flowers are red and lovely, so people plant them widely, especially valued by foreign nations. There are sweet and sour varieties; physicians only use the root and peel of the sour variety. Pomegranate seeds are taboo for those practicing alchemical ingestion.
Su Song said: Anshi pomegranate originally came from the Western Regions but is now found everywhere. The tree is not very tall or thick; branches grow close to the trunk, forming clumps from the ground. It is very easy to propagate; breaking a branch and coiling it in the soil allows it to take root. Flowers come in yellow and red colors. Fruits are either sweet or sour; sweet ones are edible, while sour ones are used in medicine. There is also a wild mountain pomegranate, similar in shape but much smaller, not forming pod-like structures, common in Qingzhou and Qizhou, not used in medicine, but delicious when preserved in honey.
Kou Zongshi said: Pomegranates have sour and bland varieties. They bloom with single leaves first, then bear fruit; the seeds inside are red, with many side shoots. After autumn frost, they naturally split open. There is a variety with white seeds, crystal clear like rock sugar, also sweet, called Crystal Pomegranate. Only sour pomegranates are used in medicine, preferably from old trees, stored for a long time.
Li Shizhen said: Pomegranates bloom in May, with red, yellow, and white flowers. Single-leaf varieties bear fruit; double-flowered varieties do not bear fruit, or if they do, lack seeds. Fruits are sweet, sour, or bitter. *Baopuzi* states: Bitter ones come from Jishi Mountain. Some say this is the mountain pomegranate. *Youyang Zazu* mentions: Pomegranates from Nanzhao have skins thin as paper. *Suolui* notes: Heyin pomegranates named "Thirty-Eight" contain exactly thirty-eight seeds. There are also four-season pomegranates in the south that bloom year-round and bear fruit in autumn, blooming again as soon as the fruit opens. Fire pomegranates are red as fire. Sea pomegranates bear fruit when only one or two feet high. These are all exotic varieties. According to *Shilei Hebi*: Pomegranates are cup-sized, red with black spots, internal structure like a honeycomb separated by yellow membranes, seeds shaped like human teeth, pale red, some pure white like snow. Pan Yue's ode says: Pomegranate is a wonder tree of the world, a famous fruit of the Nine Provinces. Thousand chambers share one membrane, thousand seeds like one. It satisfies hunger, quenches thirst, and cures hangovers.

**Sweet Pomegranate**
**Flavor and Nature:** Sweet, sour, warm, astringent, non-toxic. Excessive consumption damages the lungs (*Shennong Bencao Jing*).
Meng Shen said: Excessive consumption damages teeth, turning them black. Those taking medicinal herbs should avoid it.
Zhu Zhenheng said: "Liu" implies retention. Its juice is acidic and stagnant, adhering to the diaphragm and generating phlegm.

**Indications:** Dryness and thirst in the throat (*Shennong Bencao Jing*). Can resolve Rudan toxicity (Duan Chengshi). Suppresses the Three Corpse worms (Li Shizhen).

**Sour Pomegranate**
**Flavor and Nature:** Sour, warm, astringent, non-toxic.
**Indications:** Abdominal pain due to dysentery with blood and pus (Meng Shen). Stop diarrhea, dysentery, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea (Li Shizhen).

**Elucidation:** Li Shizhen said: Pomegranate receives the Qi of Shaoyang, flourishing in April, blooming in May, bearing fruit in midsummer, and ripening in late autumn. Red flowers and red fruits, sweet and sour flavor, warm and astringent nature, embody the image of Wood and Fire. Thus, excessive consumption damages the lungs and teeth and generates phlegm. The sour variety possesses astringent properties, making it suitable for formulas treating dysentery and metrorrhagia. Some say: White pomegranate peel treats white dysentery, red pomegranate peel treats bloody dysentery, which is also plausible.

**Attached Prescriptions:** Five new prescriptions.
**Intestinal Slippage and Chronic Dysentery:** Black Divine Powder: Use one sour pomegranate. Burn until smoke ceases, remove fire toxicity overnight, grind into powder. Still, decoct a piece of sour pomegranate peel in water and take with the powder.
**Chronic Diarrhea Unstopping:** Same prescription as above. (Both from *Puji Fang*)
**Dysentery with Blood of Five Colors, Pus or Water, Cold and Heat Imbalance:** Five sour pomegranates (with seeds). Crush and extract juice, two sheng. Take five he per dose. Miraculous effect. (*Shengji Zonglu*)
**Urinary Incontinence:** Burn sour pomegranate to retain its essence (if unavailable, burn branches to ash). Take two qian per dose, decoct four qian of Cinnamomi Cortex (cut and dried) in water and take with the ash.
**Blackening Beard Hair:** When sour pomegranates form, select a large one from a southeast-facing branch. Make a hole at the top, insert half liang of Mercury, cover with original skin. (*Puji Fang*)

**Sour Pomegranate Peel**
**Processing:** Lei Xiao said: When using pomegranate peel, leaves, or roots, do not let them touch iron. Regardless of wet or dry state, soak in fermented grain water overnight before use. The water turns black like ink.
**Flavor and Nature:** Same as the fruit.
**Indications:** Stop dysentery and seminal emission (*Shennong Bencao Jing*). Treat wind in sinews and bones, inability to move waist and legs, cramping pain during walking, astringe intestines. Extract juice for eye drops to stop tearing (Quan). Decoct and take to expel roundworms (*Bencao Shiyi*). Stop diarrhea, dysentery, hematochezia, rectal prolapse, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea (Li Shizhen).

**Attached Prescriptions:** Six old, four new.
**Bloody/Purulent Dysentery with Abdominal Pain and Indigestion:** *Shiliao Bencao*: Use vinegar-soaked pomegranate peel, roast until yellow, grind to powder. Mix with jujube flesh or millet rice paste to make pills the size of paulownia seeds. Take 30 pills on an empty stomach with rice drink, three times daily, until effective. If cold and slippery, add equal parts Aconitum Lateralis Preparata and Halloysit Rubrum. *Zhouhou Beiji Fang*: Burn peel to retain essence, grind to powder. Take one fangcun bi with rice drink, three times daily, stop when effective.
**Blood Before Stool, Leading to Sallow Complexion:** Use vinegar pomegranate peel (roasted), grind to powder. Take two qian per dose, decoct eggplant branches in water and take. (Sun Simiao's Formula)
**Intestinal Slippage and Chronic Dysentery, Miraculous Formula:** Split one pomegranate, roast over charcoal to retain essence, remove fire toxicity, grind to powder. Take one qian per dose, separately decoct one segment of sour pomegranate in one zhan of water, mix and take. (*Jingyan Fang*)
**Chronic Dysentery and Diarrhea:** Old sour pomegranate peel, dry-roast and grind finely. Take two qian per dose with rice drink. For cases lasting two to three years or months, where other methods failed.
**Pediatric Wind Epilepsy:** One large fresh pomegranate, cut off top, hollow out, insert five whole Scorpion, seal with yellow mud, calcine to retain essence, grind to powder. Take per dose... (text missing here).
**Sudden Deafness:** In August or September, take one pomegranate, make a ball-sized hole on top, fill with rice vinegar, cover with original skin, wrap in dough mixed with water, bake until cooked. Remove cover, add small amount of Black Plum and Xianzhaozi powder, drip water into ear, remain still. If head hurts, do not panic. Do this for three nights, repeat once more for sure results. Note: Tang Shenwei's *Bencao* cites this from Sun Simiao. Black Plum is unknown; Xianzhaozi is Yuzhizi.
**Teeth Damaged by Eating Pomegranate:** Pomegranate black peel, roast yellow, grind to powder, mix with jujube flesh to make paulownia-seed-sized pills. Take three pills on empty stomach daily with plain water, twice daily.
**Carbuncles and Malignant Sores:** Prick around the lesion with needle, apply pomegranate peel, surround with flour paste, moxa until painful. Then apply pomegranate powder. Urgent... (text missing).
**Leg Ulcers Starting Small:** Leg ulcers starting like millet grains, spreading upon scratching, oozing yellow fluid, itching, pain, ulcerating, becoming chronic around the shin: Decoct sour pomegranate peel, cool, apply daily until healed. (*Yixue Zhengzong*)

**East-Growing Root of Sour Pomegranate**
**Flavor and Nature:** Same as peel.
**Indications:** Roundworms, tapeworms (*Shennong Bencao Jing*). Green roots used for dyeing hair (Quan). Treat oral and dental diseases (Su Song). Astringe diarrhea and dysentery, treat leukorrhea... (text truncated).

**Attached Prescriptions:** Three old, two new.
**Golden Silkworm Gu Poison:** If sucking white alum tastes sweet and chewing black beans is not fishy, it is Gu poisoning: Decoct pomegranate root bark in strong liquid and take, immediately vomits live Gu.
**Tapeworms and Roundworms:** One handful of east-growing root of vinegar pomegranate. Wash and chop, decoct in three sheng of water until half bowl remains. Take warm at fifth watch, expel worms by morning... (text truncated).
**Amenorrhea in Women:** One handful of vinegar pomegranate root (east-growing) (roasted dry). Two large zhan of water, decoct strongly to one zhan. Take on empty stomach. If flow does not start... (text truncated) take again. (*Doumen Fang*)
**Bloody/Purulent Dysentery:** Same prescription as above.

**Pomegranate Flower**
**Indications:** Dry in shade, grind to powder, take with Tiedan (Iron Pill). Turns white hair black as lacquer in one year (*Bencao Shiyi*. Tiedan is made from flying iron, related to iron powder). Double-flowered varieties treat heart-heat causing hematemesis. Grind to powder and insufflate into nose to stop epistaxis, immediate effect. Also applied to traumatic bleeding (Su Song).

**Attached Prescriptions:** One old, two new.
**Traumatic Bleeding:** Half jin of pomegranate flower, one sheng of Duan Shi (calcined alum). Crush and mix, dry in shade. Apply small amount to wound, stops bleeding immediately. (Cui Yuanliang's Formula)
**Epistaxis:** Two and a half qian of vinegar pomegranate flower, one qian of Yellow Hibiscus Flower. Grind to powder. Take one qian per dose, decoct in one zhan of water, stop when effective.
**Bleeding from Nine Orifices:** Stuff crushed pomegranate flower (or leaves) to achieve effect.