Library

(From *Bencao Shiyi* / Supplement to Materia Medica)
[Correction] Transferred from the Fruit Section to this section.
[Etimology] Yan Gou Zi (Creeping Hook, from *Ribeng Bencao*), Mei (Berry, from *Rihua Zibencao*).
Chen Cangqi stated: The stem has thorns like a hanging hook, hence the name.
[Collection and Explanation] Chen Cangqi stated: It grows in forests and marshes between the Jianghuai regions. The stems have thorns. Its fruit is like a plum, sour and sweet, and people eat it frequently.
Su Song stated: The branches of the tree berry are soft and thorny, resembling *Rosa laevigata* (Jin Ying). In the fourth and fifth months, it bears fruit similar to *Rubus chingii* (Fu Pen Zi); when harvested, it retains the calyx and is solid inside, with a sour taste; whereas *Rubus chingii* loses its calyx and is hollow inside, with a sweet taste. This is the difference.
Li Shizhen stated: The Xuan Gou tree grows four or five chi high. Its stems are white with backward-pointing thorns. The leaves have fine serrations, are green and hairless on the upper surface, pale green on the back, resembling cherry leaves but narrower and longer, and also somewhat like the leaves of *Phyllanthus urinaria* (Di Tang Hua). It blooms small white flowers in the fourth month. The fruit is red, and nowadays people generally call it "Meizi". *Erya* states: "Mei is Shan Fu Pen," which is incorrect.
[Flavor and Toxicity] Sour, neutral, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Relieves drunkenness and thirst, resolves phlegm, eliminates alcohol toxicity (Chen Cangqi). Juice extracted by crushing and taken orally can antidote the poison of *Shi Gong* (arrow frog) and *Sha Shi* (sand mite) (Li Shizhen).
Stems
[Therapeutic Actions] Calcined into powder and taken with water, treats sensation of blockage in the throat (Chen Cangqi).
Roots and Bark
[Flavor and Toxicity] Bitter, neutral, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Fetus dead in the uterus not expelled, breaks blood stasis, leukorrhea (red discharge) in women, chronic dysentery with pus and blood (red and white), abdominal pain, expels insect toxins, sudden hematochezia. All should be consumed as a concentrated decoction (Chen Cangqi).
[Attached Prescriptions] Two new prescriptions.
Unceasing metrorrhagia: Mu Mei Gen (Root of *Rubus* species) 4 liang, wine 1 bowl, decocted until reduced to 0.7 bowl. Taken warm on an empty stomach. (From *Qiankun Shengyi*, author unknown)
Treating women's metrorrhagia and dysentery, occurring dozens of times day and night nearly causing death; using this prescription brings life upon entering the abdomen: Xuan Gou Gen (Root of *Rubus* species), Qiang Wei Gen (Root of *Rosa rugosa*), Shi Gen (Root of *Diospyros kaki*), Ba Xia (Rhizome of *Smilax glabra*) each 1 hu. Cut and placed in a cauldron, covered with water 4-5 cun above the herbs, boiled until reduced by one-third, strained to obtain juice, further decocted until suitable for pill formation, made into pills the size of *Cocculus trilobus* seeds. Each time, take 10 pills with warm wine, three times a day. (From *Qianjin Fang*... [Text cuts off here])