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(Category 12 of Wood Herbs)

(Grade Upper, *Shennong Bencao Jing*)
【Names】 Fuling (*Bencao Gangmu*), Futu (*Shenneng Bencao Jing*), Songyu, Busimian (*Jishi Zhu*). Those embracing the root are named Fushen (*Mingyi Bielu*).
Zong said: The odor of pine roots that have been chopped for many years is depressed but not yet extinct, and its essence has not perished. Where the vital energy is abundant, it exudes outward and condenses into Poria (Fuling), thus not embracing the root, having separated from its original body, possessing the meaning of "scattered." Where the fluid and qi are not abundant, it can only attach and condense to the original root. Since it does not leave the root, it is called Fushen.
Shizhen said: Poria (Fuling) is written as Fuling in *Records of the Grand Historian: Divination of the Tortoise*. It is likely formed by the spiritual qi of the pine lying dormant and condensing, hence called Fuling or Fushen. The *Immortal Classics* state: A piece of Fuling the size of a fist, when worn, causes all ghosts to vanish; thus, the existence of spiritual qi can be verified. The common character "Ling" is used because below there is Poria and above there is Cuscuta (Dodder), so it is also named Futu. Some say "it is named so because its shape resembles a rabbit," which is also acceptable.
【Collection & Explanation】 *Mingyi Bielu* states: Poria (Fuling) and Fushen grow in the valleys of Mount Tai under large pine trees. Harvested in the second and eighth lunar months.
Hongjing said: Currently produced in Yuzhou. Large pieces are the size of three or four sheng containers, with black, finely wrinkled outer skin, firm and white inside. Those shaped like birds, beasts, turtles, or softshell turtles are of good quality.
Those that are hollow and reddish are not good. Its nature does not rot or get worm-eaten; even if buried in the ground for thirty years, its color and texture remain unchanged.
Gong said: Currently, Mount Tai also produces Poria, but it is white and small, and no longer adopted. The first grade comes from Mount Hua, with extremely large shapes. Yongzhou's southern mountains also have it, but inferior to Mount Hua.
Baosheng said: It is found wherever there are large pines, but Mount Hua has the most. It grows under dead pine trees, with irregular block shapes; those resembling turtles or birds are best.
Yi said: *Fanzi Jiran* states: Poria comes from Mount Song and Sanfu. *Huainanzi* states: Under a thousand-year-old pine, there is Poria, and above it, Cuscuta. *Dianshu* states: Pine resin entering the ground for a thousand years becomes Poria; where pine trees appear reddish, Poria lies beneath. *Guangzhi* states: Fushen is made from pine sap and surpasses Poria.
Song said: Currently, it exists in Mount Tai, Mount Hua, and Mount Song. It grows out from under large pines, attached to the roots, without stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits. It forms blocks the size of fists underground, with large ones reaching several jin. There are red and white varieties. Some say it transforms from pine resin; others say it arises from borrowing pine qi. Currently, people in the East see ancient pines in mountains long since chopped by humans. These broken, withered branches where leaves and branches no longer grow upward are called "Fuling Bo" (Poria Pullers). Within a radius of about one zhang from these, one pierces the ground with an iron-tipped cone. If there is Poria, the cone becomes firmly stuck and cannot be pulled out, at which point it is dug up. The larger the "Bo," the larger the Poria. They all form blocks independently, not attaching to the root. Those wrapping the root and being light and hollow are Fushen. Thus, the theory that it arises from borrowing qi prevails. *Divination of the Tortoise* says: Poria lies beneath Cuscuta, shaped like a flying bird. After new rain stops, when the sky is still and windless, burn the Cuscuta with fire at night to remove it, then cover this spot with a bamboo basket lit by a candle. When the fire goes out, mark the spot. Dig at dawn; going down four or seven chi will yield it. This method is no longer heard of today. Zong said: The claim that Cuscuta grows above is overly credulous. Shizhen said: Below there is Poria, so above there is a spiritual qi resembling threads. Mountain dwellers sometimes see this; it is not the Cuscuta seed itself. Commentators on *Huainanzi* erred by interpreting it as Cuscuta seeds and *Dendrobium*. Poria can be as large as a dou or hard as stone, which is excellent. Those that are light and hollow are inferior, likely due to shallow age and lack of hardness. Wang Wei of Liu Song wrote in *Ode to Poria*: "White Poria resides below, red threads gather above. Middle resembles chicken and duck, appearance like turtle and Cai. Spirit equals Shaosiji, protects youth and health. Will never change, soft red can be worn." Observing these red threads proves the existence of Cuscuta. Kou did not understand this meaning.
【Processing】 Lei said: For use, remove the skin and heart, grind finely. Stir in a basin of water; filter off what floats. This is the red tendon of Poria. If mistakenly taken, it causes small black spots in the pupils and cornea, leading to blindness.
Hongjing said: For making pills and powders, boil for two or three boils before slicing, then dry in the sun for use.
【Flavor & Nature】 Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
Yuansu said: Warm in nature, sweet and bland in flavor, thin in both scent and taste, floating and ascending, belonging to Yang.
Zhicai said: Horse lily (*Ma Jian*) acts as its guide. Combined with Licorice Root (*Gancao*), Saposhnikovia Root (*Fangfeng*), Peony Root (*Shaoyao*), Purple Fluorspar (*Zishiyingshi*), and Ophiopogon Tuber (*Maimendong*), it treats the five viscera. Dislikes White Bletilla Rhizome (*Bailian*), fears Mumen, Groundsel Tree Root (*Diyu*), Realgar (*Xionghuang*), Gentian Root (*Qinjiao*), and Turtle Shell (*Guijia*). Avoids rice vinegar and sour foods.
Hongjing said: Medicinal formulas do not list *Ma Jian*; perhaps it refers to horse penis?
Gong said: Li's *Bencao* lists Horse Knife (*Madao*) as the guide for Poria. The cursive script for "Jian" resembles "Dao," a transmission error.
Zhi said: Both annotations are likely incorrect. It should be the character for Ma Lin (*Malin*).
【Indications】 Counterflow qi in the chest and hypochondrium, sorrow, anger, fright, evil influences, fear, and palpitations. Knotting pain in the epigastrium, alternating cold and heat, vexation, fullness, cough, and counterflow qi. Scorched mouth and dry tongue. Promotes urination. Long-term use calms the soul, nourishes the spirit, prevents hunger, and extends life (*Shennong Bencao Jing*). Stops thirst and excessive sleepiness, abdominal distension with dripping sensation, phlegm-fluid in the diaphragm, edema with urinary difficulty, opens the chest and fu-organs, regulates zang-qi, expels kidney pathogenic factors, promotes yin growth, benefits qi and strength, preserves spirit and maintains the center (*Mingyi Bielu*). Opens the stomach, stops vomiting, soothes the heart spirit, treats lung wasting with phlegm obstruction, epigastric and abdominal fullness, pediatric convulsions, and women's hot strangury (Zhen Quan). Tonifies the five labors and seven injuries, opens the mind and benefits intelligence, stops forgetfulness, warms the waist and knees, calms the fetus (Daming). Stops thirst, promotes urination, removes dampness and benefits dryness, harmonizes the middle and benefits qi, moves blood in the waist and umbilical region (Yuansu). Drains water and moderates the spleen, generates fluids and guides qi, calms fire and stops diarrhea, clears deficient heat, opens the interstices (Gaohou). Drains the bladder, benefits the spleen and stomach, treats kidney accumulation and running piglet (Haogu).
Red Poria (Chifuling)
【Indications】 Breaks stagnant qi (Zhen Quan). Drains Heart, Small Intestine, and Bladder.
Poria Peel (Fulingpi)
【Indications】 Edema and skin distension, opens water pathways, opens interstices (Shizhen).
【Elucidation】 Hongjing said: White Poria tonifies; Red Poria drains. Widely used in secular practice, it is also crucial in immortal dietary regimens. It is said to connect with the divine and achieve spirituality, harmonize the soul and refine the魄, benefit orifices and muscles, thicken intestines and open the heart, regulate Ying and dispose Wei. It is a Grade Upper immortal drug. It effectively enables grain avoidance without hunger.
Zong said: Poria has much merit in moving water and is indispensable for benefiting the Heart and Spleen. Yuansu said: "Red drains, white tonifies" is a concept absent in antiquity. With thin scent and taste, its nature is floating and ascending. Its uses are fivefold: promoting urination; opening interstices; generating fluids; clearing deficient heat; stopping diarrhea. If urination is already clear or frequent, excessive use damages the eyes. For those sweating profusely, it damages Yuan Qi and shortens lifespan due to its bland and leaching nature. It is also said: Bland represents Heaven's Yang, which should ascend. Why does it promote urination and drain downward? Qi that is thin belongs to Yin within Yang, hence Poria drains water downward. Staying close to the Yang body, it enters the Hand-Taiyang channel. Gaohou said: White enters Ren and Gui (Kidney); Red enters Bing and Ding (Heart). Sweet and bland, it descends; it is Yin within Yang. Its uses are sixfold: benefiting orifices and removing dampness; benefiting qi and harmonizing the middle; treating palpitations; generating fluids; stopping frequent urination; unblocking difficult urination. It is also said: When dampness overcomes, urination is difficult. Bland benefits orifices; Sweet assists Yang. Sweet and neutral can benefit the Spleen and drain water, making it a holy medicine for removing dampness. Haogu said: White enters the Qi aspect of Hand-Taiyin, Foot-Taiyang, and Shaoyang channels; Red enters the Qi aspect of Foot-Taiyin, Hand-Shaoyin, and Taiyang channels. Expels kidney pathogens. Stops frequent urination; unblocks difficult urination. Similar to Plantago Seed (*Cheqianzi*), it promotes urination without depleting Qi. Wine-soaked and combined with Luminous Cinnabar (*Zhusha*), it secures the True Yuan. Sweet and neutral, how is it described as promoting urination? Zhenheng said: Poria is formed from the residual qi of pine, belonging to Metal. Zhang Zhongjing used it frequently for promoting urination; it is a key drug for acute new diseases. For Yin deficiency, it may not be suitable. This herb has water-moving properties; long-term use harms the person. In Ba Wei Wan, it is used merely to guide other herbs to the Kidney channel, removing old accumulated filth from the Bao organ, serving a transport function. Shizhen said: The Bencao texts mention promoting urination and expelling kidney pathogens. Later, Li Dongyuan and Wang Haicang stated it stops frequent urination and unblocks difficult urination, and with Cinnabar, secures True Yuan. But Zhu Danxi said it is unsuitable for Yin deficiency. The meanings seem opposite; why? Poria has a bland and leaching flavor, its nature ascends, generates fluids, opens interstices, nourishes the source of water which then descends, promoting urination. Thus, Zhang Jiegu said it belongs to Yang, floating and ascending, describing its nature; Dongyuan said it is Yin within Yang, descending, describing its function. *Suwen* states: Food enters the Stomach, wandering qi and essence are transported upward to the Lung, which regulates water passages, transporting them downward to the Bladder. From this, we know that bland-leaching drugs ascend first and then descend; they do not go directly downward. Frequent urination has different sources. *Suwen* states: Excess Lung Qi causes frequent and scanty urination; Deficiency causes stretching and frequent leakage. Heart Deficiency causes shortness of breath and enuresis. Lower Jiao Deficiency causes enuresis. Heat transferring from the Bao to the Bladder causes enuresis. Bladder dysfunction leads to strangury; lack of restraint leads to enuresis. Jueyin disease leads to enuresis and strangury. "Excess Lung Qi" refers to Excess-Heat. The person must have strong Qi and forceful pulse; using Poria's sweet and bland nature to leach the heat is appropriate, hence "stops frequent urination." However, Lung Deficiency, Heart Deficiency, Bao Heat, and Jueyin disease are all Deficient-Heat. The person has upper heat and lower cold, with a deficient and weak pulse. The method requires ascending-Yang drugs to raise water and descend fire. Bladder lack of restraint and Lower Jiao Deficiency involve Fire throwing into Water, causing water springs to leak, a symptom of Yang collapse. The person has cold limbs and slow pulse. The method requires warm-hot drugs to strongly tonify the lower and harmonize Kan and Li. Neither condition can be treated by bland-leaching drugs like Poria, hence "unsuitable for Yin deficiency." Although immortals have dietary methods, they must be applied according to the individual.
Fushen
【Flavor & Nature】 Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
【Indications】 Ward off misfortune, treat wind-dizziness and wind-deficiency, five labors with dry mouth, stop palpitations, excessive anger, and forgetfulness, open the mind and benefit intelligence, calm the Hun and Po, nourish the spirit (*Mingyi Bielu*).
Tonifies fatigue, treats urgent pain and hardness/fullness in the epigastrium. For deficient persons with Small Intestine dysfunction, add and use it (Zhen Quan).
Shenmu (The wood inside Fushen. Also named Huangsongjie)
【Indications】 Hemiplegic headache, contraction of various sinews (Shizhen).
【Elucidation】 Hongjing said: Immortal formulas only mention Poria, not Fushen. Since the treatment is the same, there is no objection to their use.
Shizhen said: *Shennong Bencao* only mentions Poria; *Mingyi Bielu* added Fushen, but indications are identical. Later practitioners must use Fushen for Heart diseases. Hence, Zhang Jiegu said: "Wind-dizziness and Heart Deficiency cannot be removed without Fushen." However, Poria also treats Heart diseases. Tao Hongjing was the first to say Red Poria drains and White Poria tonifies.
Li Gaohou further divided Red entering Bing-Ding and White entering Ren-Gui. This revealed secrets of predecessors. Shizhen argues that for Poria and Fushen, one should only say Red enters the Blood aspect. Then White Fushen could not treat Heart diseases, and Red Poria could not enter the Bladder. Zhang Yuansu's theory of not distinguishing between Red and White is logically flawed. *Shengji Zonglu*
Song Joint Powder: Use one liang of Shenmu (wood from the heart of Fushen), one qian of Frankincense (*Ruxiang*), stir-fried in a stone mortar, ground to powder. Take two qian each time, washed down with Quince wine. Treats Wind-Cold-Damp clashing with sinews and bones, causing foot spasm and pain, difficulty walking. It treats all sinus contractions and pain.
【Attached Formulas】 Six old, twenty new.
Method of taking Poria: Song said: *Jixian Fang* often uses single Poria. Method: Take five jin of White Poria, remove black skin, grind and sieve. Place in a cooked silk bag, steam over two dou of rice until rice is cooked, stop, dry, and steam again. Repeat three times. Then combine with two dou of cow's milk, place in a copper vessel, simmer gently over low fire until paste-like, and store. At each meal, cut with a bamboo knife and eat as much as desired to avoid grain and hunger.
If wishing to eat grain, first brew and drink Malva juice. Another method, Poria Paste: Thirty jin of White Poria (sweet from the sunny side of the mountain, bitter from the shady side), remove skin, slice thinly, dry, and steam. Leach with hot water to remove bitterness; continue leaching until the juice becomes sweet. Dry, sieve to powder. Mix with three shi of wine and three sheng of honey. Place in a large urn, stir one hundred times, seal tightly to prevent gas escape. Fifty days in winter, twenty-five days in summer. The paste naturally floats on the wine. Skim off, very sweet and delicious. Form into palm-sized blocks, dry in shade in an empty room until red like dates. Eat one piece when hungry, washed down with wine. Do not eat all day; this is called the Immortal's method of crossing the world. Another dietary method: Combine Poria with White Chrysanthemum (or Cinnamon Twig, or Atractylodes) into powder or pills. Can be taken regularly for superior tonification. *Rumen Shqin* formula: Four liang Poria, two liang fine white flour. Mix with water to make cakes. Fry in three liang yellow beeswax until cooked. Eat one full meal, then fast. After three days, discomfort is felt, but strength gradually returns. *Jingyan Houfang* method: Use Huashan Tingzi Poria, carve into large square blocks like dates. Place in a new urn, soak in good wine. Seal with three layers of paper. Open after one hundred days; color should resemble malt syrup. Eat one piece daily. After one hundred days, skin becomes moist; after one year, can see at night. Eventually, intestines transform into sinews, extending life and delaying aging, face like a child's. *Songgao Ji*: Two jin each of Poria and Pine Resin. Soak in pure wine, mix with white honey. Take three times daily. Long-term use brings spiritual connection. Another method: Remove skin from White Poria, soak in wine for fifteen days, strain and powder. Take three qian each time, washed down with water, three times daily. Sun Simiao's *Zhenzhong Ji* says: Long-term Poria use eliminates disease in one hundred days, prevents sleep day and night in two hundred days, commands spirits and gods in two years, and Jade Maidens serve after four years. Ge Hong's *Baopuzi* says: Ren Ziji took Poria for eighteen years; Jade Maidens followed him. He could hide or reveal himself, did not eat grain, moxa scars vanished, face and body had jade luster. Huang Chuqi took Poria for fifty thousand days; he could sit and instantly vanish, cast no shadow in the sun. Jiaogan Wan: See Herb Section, below Suogen. Wuxian Dan: See Fruit Section, below Evodia. Chest and Hypochondriac Qi Reversal and Distension: One liang Poria, half liang Ginseng (*Renshen*). Take three qian each time, decoct in water, three times daily. (*Shengji Zonglu*)
Nourish Heart and Calm Spirit: Zhuque Wan: Treats unsettled Heart spirit,恍惚 (trance), forgetfulness, unhappiness, Fire not descending, Water not ascending, occasional trembling. Regular use dissipates Yin, nourishes Fire, and fully supports Heart Qi. Two liang Fushen (remove skin), half liang Agarwood (*Chenxiang*), ground to powder. Honey-pilled to size of adzuki beans. Take thirty pills each time, washed down with Ginseng soup after meals. (*Baiyi Xuanfang*)
Blood Deficiency with Heart Sweating: No sweat elsewhere, only sweat from the Heart aperture. More thinking leads to more sweat; should nourish Heart Blood. Mix Poria powder with Mugwort soup, take one qian daily. (*Zhengzhi Yaojue*)
Heart Deficiency with Dream Emission or White Turbidity: Two qian White Poria powder, washed down with rice soup, twice daily. Formula of Su Dongpo. (*Zhizhi Fang*)
Deficient Slippery Spermatorrhea: Two liang White Poria, one liang Cardamom Seed (*Suosharen*), ground to powder. Add two qian salt. Slice lean mutton, sprinkle medicine, roast and eat, washed down with wine. (*Puji Fang*)
Leaking Sperm and White Turbidity: See Vegetable Section, below Dioscorea. Turbid Urine, Leukorrhea: Weixi Wan: Treats male Yuan Yang deficiency and exhaustion, insecure Essence and Qi, turbid urine, constant dribbling, frequent dreams and fright.
Four and a half qian Polyporus (*Zhuling*), boil together for twenty
more boils, take out, dry, remove Polyporus, grind to powder. Melt yellow beeswax and knead into pills the size of bullets. Chew one pill each time, swallow with saliva on an empty stomach. Stop when urine is clear. Avoid rice vinegar. Shizhen said: *Baopuzi* states: Poria of thousands of years produces small trees on top, resembling lotus flowers, named Muweizhi. Glows at night, does not burn when fired, wearing it wards off weapons, taking it grants longevity. *Heji Jufang*
The name Weixi Wan is derived from this. Frequent Urination: Equal parts White Poria (remove skin) and Dried Yam (*Ganshanyao* - remove skin, blanch in Alum water, dry). Grind to powder. Take two qian each time with rice drink. (*Rumen Shqin* formula)
Urinary Incontinence: Fuling Wan: Treats dual deficiency of Heart and Kidney, loss of spirit and consciousness, urinary incontinence. Equal parts White Poria and Red Poria. Grind to powder. Wash away tendons with fresh well water, drain dry. Boil Rehmannia juice in wine, pound into paste, knead into bullet-sized pills. Chew one pill each time, wash down with salt wine on an empty stomach. (*Sanyin Fang*)
Strangury and Turbid Urine: Due to Heart-Kidney Qi deficiency, loss of spirit and consciousness, dribbling urine or dream emission with white turbidity. Equal parts Red and White Poria. Grind to powder. Fresh well water to remove foam, drain dry. Pound together with Rehmannia juice, boil in wine to make paste, knead into bullet-sized pills. Chew one pill with salt soup on an empty stomach. (*Sanyin Fang*)
Lower Deficiency with Thirst: Upper excess and lower deficiency, Heart Fire blazing, Kidney Water dried up, failing to interact, resulting in thirst syndrome. One jin White Poria, one jin Coptis Rhizome (*Huanglian*). Grind to powder. Cook Polygonatum Rhizome (*Tianhuafen*) to make paste, pill to size of paulownia seeds. Take fifty pills each time with warm water. (*Desengtang Jingyan Fang*)
Various Lower Body Diseases: Longye Gao: Use solid White Poria, remove skin, bake and grind. Soak in clear stream water to remove fascia, bake again. Place in porcelain jar, mix well with good honey. Place in copper cauldron, boil over mulberry wood ash in a double boiler for one day. Take out and store. Take two or three spoons with plain water on an empty stomach. Relieves vexation, depression, dryness, and thirst. Eliminates all lower body diseases. (*Jishantang Fang*)
Undigested Diarrhea and Slippery Dysentery Unstoppable: One liang White Poria, half liang Aucklandia Root (*Muxiang*, roasted). Grind to powder. Take two qian washed down with Perilla and Quince Soup. (*Baiyi Xuanfang*)
Pregnancy Edema, Difficult Urination, Aversion to Cold: Half liang each of Red Poria (remove skin) and Okra Seeds (*Kuizi*). Grind to powder. Take two qian each time, washed down with fresh well water. (*Yushi Jiang Fang*)
Facial Freckles: White Poria powder mixed with honey. Apply nightly. Heal in fourteen days. (Yaoengtang *Jiyian Fang*)
Pig or Chicken Bone Impaction: On the fifth day of the fifth month, take equal parts Broussonetia Fruit (*Chuzi*, dried) and White Poria. Grind to powder. Take two qian each time, washed down with Frankincense soup. Another formula omits Broussonetia; wash down with decoction of the impacted bone. (*Jingyan Liangfang*)
Miracle Formula for Hemorrhoids and Fistula: Two liang each of Red and White Poria (remove skin) and Myrrh (*Moyao*), four liang Psoralea Fruit (*Po Gu Zhi*). Pound in a stone mortar into one mass. Soak in wine for three days in Spring/Autumn, two days in Summer, five days in Winter. Take out, steam in a wooden steamer until cooked, dry, and grind to powder. Make pills with wine paste to size of paulownia seeds. Take twenty pills with wine each time, gradually increase to fifty pills. (Dongbing *Jiyian Fang*)
Strange Disease of Hair Ash: Ten fingers' joints broken, only connected by sinews, no joint flesh. Worms emerge like rush pith, several chi long, covered in green curly hair, named