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

**Names:** Kulian (*Bencao Tujing*), officially known as Jinlingzi.
Li Shizhen states: According to Luo Yuan's *Erya Yi*, the leaves of the Chinaberry tree can be used for scouring silk, hence the name "Lian". Its fruit resembles a small bell and turns yellow when ripe.
The name "Jinling" (Golden Bell) is derived from its shape.

**Collection and Description:** *Bielu* records that the fruit of the Lian tree grows in the valleys of Mount Jing.
Tao Hongjing states: It grows everywhere. Folk custom dictates wearing its leaves on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month to ward off evil spirits.
Su Gong states: There are two types, male and female: The male produces no fruit; its root is red and highly toxic. Ingestion causes uncontrollable vomiting and sometimes death. The female bears fruit; its root is white and slightly toxic. For medicinal use, the female type should be employed.
Su Song states: The fruit of the Lian tree from Sichuan is superior. The tree grows over one zhang high, with dense leaves resembling those of the locust tree but longer. It flowers in the third and fourth months with fragrant reddish-purple blossoms. The fruit is pellet-sized, green when unripe and yellow when ripe, harvested in the twelfth month. Roots can be harvested at any time.
Li Shizhen states: The Chinaberry tree grows very fast and can be used as roof rafters within three to five years. Its fruit resembles a round date, with those from Sichuan being the best. Wang Zhen's *Nongshu* mentions eating its fruit. Ying Shao's *Fengsu Tong* mentions the mythical beast Xiezhi eating its leaves. Zong Lin's *Sui Shi Ji* states that flood dragons fear the Chinaberry tree, hence during the Dragon Boat Festival, leaves are used to wrap zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and thrown into the river to sacrifice to Qu Yuan.

**Processing:** Lei Xiao states: After harvesting, dry it. Mix thoroughly with wine, steam until the skin is soft, scrape off the skin, take the flesh, and remove the seed. When using the flesh, do not use the seed; when using the seed, do not use the flesh. If using the seed, crush it, boil in rice slurry for one shichen (two hours), then dry. Flowers that fall and form fruit are called Shizhuyu and are not used medicinally.

**Nature and Flavor:** Bitter, cold, slightly toxic.
Zhang Yuansu states: Sour, bitter, neutral. Yang within Yin.
Li Shizhen states: Boiling with wine utilizes heat to counteract its cold nature (using heat to treat cold). Fennel acts as an guiding herb.

**Indications:** Treats warm diseases and typhoid fever, high fever with restlessness and mania, kills parasites, treats scabies and ulcers, and promotes urination (*Shennong Bencao Jing*). Treats severe internal heat, mania, loss of heart spirit causing irritability and oppression; decoct for bathing, not for internal administration (Zhen Quan). Enters the Heart and Small Intestine meridians, stops abdominal pain in upper and lower regions (Li Gao). Drains damp-heat from the Bladder (Hao Gu). Treats various hernias, parasitic infections, and hemorrhoids (Li Shizhen).

**Elucidation:** Zhang Yuansu states: Sudden severe pain due to heat jue cannot be eliminated without this herb.
Li Shizhen states: Chinaberry fruit guides heat from the Small Intestine and Bladder downward, thereby drawing down the ministerial fire of the Pericardium. Thus, it is a key herb for heart and abdominal pain and hernias. Zhen Quan stated it should not be used in decoctions; then why does *Shennong Bencao Jing* mention treating heat mania and promoting urination? Recent prescriptions for hernias include methods like Si Zhi, Wu Zhi, and Qi Zhi, which are likely due to clever combinations.

**Prescriptions:** Three old, eight new.
For heat jue heart pain, intermittent, with body heat and cold feet, chronic cases: First moxa Taixi (KI3) and Kunlun (BL60) to guide heat downward. Internally administer Jinling San: Use Jinlingzi and Yanhusuo each 1 liang, powder. Take 3 qian per dose, mixed with warm wine. (Jiegu *Huofa Jiyao*). For pediatric cold hernia pain with scrotal edema: Jinlingzi (seed removed) 5 qian, Evodia 2.5 qian, powder. Make pills the size of millet seeds with wine paste. Take 20-30 pills with salt water. (*Quanyou Xinjian*).
[Text fragment]: Bark, 200 Croton seeds (slightly broken), stir-fry with 2 sheng flour in a copper pot until Jinlingzi turns red. Remove Croton and flour, powder the remaining material. Take 3 qian with hot wine or vinegar water. Alternative: Add 0.5 liang of salt-stir-fried fennel. (*Jingyan Fang*).
Hernia swelling and pain: *Danliao Fang* Lianshi Wan: Treats unilateral testicular swelling and unbearable pain. Use 5 liang of Chuanlianzi flesh, divided into five parts: One part stir-fried with 2 qian Psoralea; one part with 3 qian small fennel and 0.5 qian salt; one part with 1 qian radish seed; one part with 3 qian Pharbitis seed; one part with 7 Mylabris (head and feet removed). Discard salt, radish seed, Pharbitis, and Mylabris. Keep Psoralea and fennel, powder them. Make pills the size of paulownia seeds with wine and wheat paste. Take 50 pills on an empty stomach with wine. *Defang Fang* Lianshi Wan: Treats all hernia swelling and pain with great efficacy. Use 1 jin of Chuanlianzi (wine-moistened, flesh taken), divided into four parts: Four liang stir-fried with 1 he of wheat and 49 Mylabris, discard Mylabris; four liang stir-fried with 1 he of wheat and 49 Croton seeds, discard Croton; four liang stir-fried with 1 he of wheat and 1 liang Morinda officinalis flesh, discard Morinda; four liang stir-fried with 1 he of small fennel and 1 liang salt, discard salt. Add 1 liang wine-stir-fried Psoralea and 1 liang Guangmuxiang (not roasted). Powder. Make pills the size of paulownia seeds with wine-wheat paste. Take 50 pills on an empty stomach with salt water, three times daily. *Zhizhi Fang* Lianshi Wan: Treats external genital swelling, numbness, painful rupture, and ben tun hernia. Use 49 Chuanlianzi, cut flesh from seven sections: Seven stir-fried with 5 qian small fennel; seven with 2.5 qian Psoralea; seven with 2.5 qian black Pharbitis; seven with 2 qian salt; seven with 2.5 qian radish seed; seven with 14 Croton seeds; seven with 14 Mylabris (head and feet removed). Discard radish seed, Croton, and Mylabris. Add 5 qian Qingmuxiang, 2.5 qian Nanmuxiang, and 2.5 qian Guigui. Powder. Make pills the size of paulownia seeds with wine-wheat paste. Take 30 pills before meals with salt water, three times daily. Visceral toxin with bloody stool: Stir-fry Kulianzi until yellow, powder. Make honey pills the size of paulownia seeds. Swallow 10-20 pills with rice drink. (*Jingyan Fang*). Long worms in abdomen: Soak Lianshi in strong vinegar overnight, wrap in cotton, insert into anus about 3 cun, change twice daily. (*Waitai Miyao*).
[Fragment]: Combine, pound to powder. Take 1 qian with warm wine. (*Shenghui Fang*).
With rice drink. (*Zhaixuan Fang*).

**Root and Bark**
**Nature and Flavor:** Bitter, slightly cold, slightly toxic.
Meng Shen states: Male roots are red and toxic, causing vomiting and diarrhea leading to death; do not ingest mistakenly. Female roots can be used in food therapy; 1 liang can be decocted with 50 glutinous rice grains to detoxify. If diarrhea occurs, stop it with cold congee. If no diarrhea, induce sweating with hot scallion congee.

**Indications:** Ascaris lumbricoides, promotes large intestine function (*Bielu*). Mixed with vinegar, applied topically for scabies and tinea (Tao Hongjing). Treats wandering wind-heat toxicity, wind rash, malignant sores, scabies, leprosy, and pediatric high fever; decoct for washing (Meng Shen).

**Prescriptions:** Four old, six new.
Xiaoke (wasting-thirst) with worms: A handful of white bark of Kulian root, chopped and dried, add a little musk, decoct in two bowls of water to one bowl. Drink on an empty stomach; fatigue is acceptable. Worms expelled resemble Ascaris and are red; thirst stops naturally. Xiaoke with worms is unknown to many people. (Hong Mai *Yijian Zhi*).
Pediatric Ascaris: Peel off the outer bark of Chinaberry wood, decoct in water, drink according to age.
*Doumen Fang*: Powder, take 2 qian with rice drink. *Jijian Fang*: Use root bark, cook with chicken egg, eat on an empty stomach. Worms expelled the next day. *Jianbian Fang*: Use 2 jin of white root bark (remove coarse skin), chop, decoct in one dou of water to obtain three sheng of juice, simmer in clay pot to make paste. At dawn, take one spoonful with warm wine, until worms are expelled.
Pediatric sores: Malignant sores, bald sores, earwig sores, impetigo, etc., apply ash of Chinaberry bark or branches. Dry form mix with lard. (*Qianjin Fang*).
Mouth [ulcers]: Fine-cut east-growing Chinaberry root, decoct strong juice, gargle daily, spit out do not swallow. (*Zhouhou Fang*).
Centipede and bee stings: Juice of Chinaberry branches and leaves, apply topically. (Yang Qi *Jianbian Fang*).
Scabies and wind-worms: Equal parts Chinaberry root bark and Gleditsia sinensis (de-seeded and de-skinned). Powder. Mix with lard and apply. (*Qixiao Fang*).

**Flower**
**Indications:** Heat prickly heat, roast, powder, and sprinkle. Place under mats to kill fleas and lice (Li Shizhen).

**Leaf**
**Indications:** Hernia pain entering the scrotum, decoct in wine and drink upon onset (Li Shizhen).