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[Shennong Bencao Jing (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) lists it as a Superior Grade drug]
【Names】 Shuixie (Water Drainage, from *Benjing*), Huxie (Heron Drainage, from *Benjing*), Jixie (And Drainage, from *Bielu*), [Missing Character] (pronounced "Yu"), Mangyu (Mang Taro, from *Benjing*), Yusun (Grandson of Yu). Li Shizhen says: Removing water is called "xie" (drainage), like water draining from a marsh. Yu was skilled in controlling floods, hence the name "Yusun". The rest are unknown.
【Collection and Explanation】 *Bielu* states: Ze Xie grows in the ponds and marshes of Runan. Leaves are harvested in May, roots in August, and fruits in September; dried in the shade. Tao Hongjing says: Runan Commandery belongs to Yuzhou. It is also found in nearby regions now, but is not suitable for use. Only those from Hanzhong, Nanzheng, Qingzhou, and Daizhou are good. Those that are large and long, with two branches at the tail, are considered best. This drug rots and gets worm-eaten easily, so it must be stored tightly sealed. It grows in clusters in shallow water, with narrow and long leaves. Su Gong says: Runan is no longer harvested nowadays; only those from Jingzhou and Huazhou are excellent. Su Song says: It is also found in Shandong, along the Yellow River, Shaanxi, and Jianghuai regions, with those from Hanzhong being the best. Sprouts emerge in spring, mostly in shallow water. Leaves resemble ox tongues, single-stemmed and long. White flowers bloom in autumn, growing in clusters similar to *Sparganium stoloniferum* (Gu Jing Cao). Roots are harvested at the end of autumn and sun-dried.
【Processing】 [Name missing] says: Regardless of quantity, cut into fine shreds, soak in wine overnight, take out and sun-dry, then use as needed.
【Flavor and Properties】 Sweet, cold, non-toxic. *Bielu* says: Salty. Lei Xiao says: Bitter. Zhang Yuansu says: Sweet, neutral. Sinks and descends, belonging to Yin. Wang Gao says: Sweet, salty, cold, descending, belonging to Yin.
Li Haogu says: Slightly Yang within Yin. Enters the Foot-Taiyang Bladder and Foot-Shaoyin Kidney meridians.
Bian Que says: Long-term consumption causes eye problems in patients.
Xu Zhicai says: Incompatible with Hai Ge (Sea Shell) and Wen Ge (Textured Clam).
【Indications】 Wind-cold-damp Bi syndrome (pain and numbness caused by wind, cold, and damp pathogens), difficulty in lactation, nourishes the five Zang organs, boosts Qi and strength, promotes robustness, eliminates water retention. Long-term consumption makes ears and eyes clear, prevents hunger, extends life, lightens the body, brightens the complexion, and even enables walking on water. (*Benjing*) Tonifies deficiency and the five types of chronic fatigue, removes fullness and masses in the five Zang organs, stimulates Yin Qi, stops seminal emission, treats thirst and dysuria, and drives away stagnant water in the Bladder and Sanjiao. (*Bielu*) Mainly treats spontaneous seminal emission due to Kidney deficiency, treats the five types of dysuria, clears Bladder heat, unblocks water pathways. (Zhen Quan) Treats dizziness and tinnitus, muscle spasms, unblocks the Small Intestine, stops hematuria, treats difficult labor, tonifies the Blood Sea in women, and enables conception. (Da Ming) Enters the Kidney meridian, removes old water, nourishes new water, promotes urination, reduces swelling,渗湿 (percolates dampness) and stops thirst. (Zhang Yuansu) Removes residual dirt in the bladder, resolves epigastric fullness. (Li Gao) Percolates damp-heat, moves phlegm-fluids, stops vomiting, diarrhea, and dysentery, treats hernia and beriberi. (Li Shizhen)
【Elucidation】 Su Song says: *Suwen* treats "Jiu Feng" (alcohol-induced wind) with sweating and fever using Ze Xie and Bai Zhu; *Shenshi Fang* treats Zhi Yin (fluid retention in the chest/hypochondrium) also using Ze Xie and Bai Zhu, differing only slightly in decoction method. Zhang Zhongjing treats miscellaneous diseases where fluid retention in the heart region causes painful vertigo, using Ze Xie Tang; for typhoid, he uses Large and Small Ze Xie Tangs, Wuling San, etc., all employing Ze Xie as a crucial drug for promoting urination to remove stagnant water. Zhang Yuansu says: Ze Xie is a holy medicine for removing dampness, enters the Kidney meridian, treats dribbling urine, and removes sweating in the genital area. Without these ailments, taking it causes blurred vision.
Wang Zong says: The merit of Ze Xie lies in its ability to promote water metabolism. Zhang Zhongjing treats thirst and irritability due to water accumulation, with ineffective urination, or vomiting/diarrhea, using Wuling San as the main formula, which contains Ze Xie, thus proving its strength in moving water. The Materia Medica quotes Bian Que saying: Long-term use causes eye blurriness. This is indeed due to the removal of water. Anyone taking Ze Xie San will inevitably have increased urination. If urination increases, how can Kidney Qi recover? Nowadays, people dare not use it to stop seminal emission. Zhang Zhongjing uses it in Bajun Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) merely to guide Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) and Fu Zi (Aconite Root) into the Kidney meridian, with no other intent.
Li Haogu says: *Benjing* says long-term use brightens the eyes, while Bian Que says long-term use blurs them. Why? Yi Lao (Zhang Yuansu) says: It removes residual dirt in the bladder because its salty flavor drains hidden water. Draining hidden water and removing residue brightens the eyes; frequent urification weakens Kidney Qi, causing blurred vision.
Wang Lü says: Kou Zongshi's view was endorsed by Wang Haogu. I privately believe that in Bajun Wan, Di Huang (Rehmannia Root) is the sovereign drug, assisted by others, not just for blood tonification but also Qi tonification, meaning strong Yang generates Yin blood. Di Huang, Shan Zhu Yu, Fu Ling, and Mu Dan Pi are all Kidney meridian drugs; Fu Zi and Guan Gui (Cassia Bark) are Right Kidney Mingmen drugs; they do not need Ze Xie's guidance to reach their destination. Thus, the use of Ze Xie in this pill is likely to drain Kidney pathogens, nourish the five Zang organs, boost Qi, stimulate Yin, and tonify deficiency. Although it drains the Kidney, amidst many tonifying drugs, it cannot truly drain.
Li Shizhen says: Ze Xie has a neutral Qi, sweet and bland flavor. Blandness percolates and drains; since both Qi and flavor are thin, it promotes urination and downward drainage. Damp-heat in the Spleen and Stomach causes heavy head, blurred vision, and tinnitus. Ze Xie percolates dampness, heat follows, Earth Qi becomes functional, clear Qi ascends, and the sky becomes clear; thus Ze Xie nourishes the five Zang organs, boosts Qi, treats dizziness, and clarifies the senses. However, long-term use leads to excessive downward drainage, failure of clear Qi to ascend, and depletion of True Yin, inevitably causing blurred vision. Zhang Zhongjing uses Fu Ling and Ze Xie in Dihuang Wan to drain Bladder pathogens, not for guidance. Ancients used draining herbs alongside tonics; once pathogens are removed, tonics work better. This interplay of opening and closing is profound. Later generations ignored this, focusing solely on tonification, leading to imbalance from long-term use!
【Correction of Errors】 Tao Hongjing says: *Xianjing* (Immortal Classic) uses it for fasting (Bigu). It also says the body becomes light, enabling walking on water.
Su Song says: Immortal prescriptions also use Ze Xie alone, pounded into powder, mixed with water, taken in divided doses of six liang daily. After 100 days, the body becomes light and movement vigorous.
Li Shizhen says: Shennong's book lists Ze Xie as superior grade and claims long-term use lightens the body, brightens the face, and enables walking on water. *Dianshu* says: Long-term Ze Xie use allows one to walk 500 li a day and walk on water. Alias: Ze Zhi. Tao Hongjing and Su Song believed this. I doubt it. Ze Xie promotes water flow and drains the Kidney; long-term use is inadvisable, let alone such miraculous effects. The error is evident.
【Attached Prescriptions】 Three old, four new.
Alcohol-induced wind with sweating: See formula under Mi Xian.
Edema due to water-dampness: Bai Zhu and Ze Xie, each 1 liang, powdered or made into pills. Take 3 qian each time, washed down with Fu Ling decoction. (*Baoming Ji*)
Summerheat stroke with cholera-like symptoms, ineffective urination, dizziness, and thirst. Sanbai San (Three Whites Powder): Ze Xie, Bai Zhu, Bai Fu Ling, each 3 qian; 1 cup of water, 5 slices of ginger, 10 stems of Deng Xin Cao (Juncus Effusus), decoct to 8/10 volume, take warm. (*Ju Fang*)
Zhi Yin causing painful vertigo: Zhang Zhongjing's Ze Xie Tang: Ze Xie 5 liang, Bai Zhu 2 liang; 2 sheng of water, decoct to 1 sheng, divide into two doses. *Shenshi Fang*: Decoct the two herbs in 2 sheng of water to get 1 sheng; then decoct Ze Xie in 1 sheng of water to get 5 he; mix these two juices and take in two doses. Severe cases with dizziness will surely recover.
Kidney wind sores: Ze Xie, Zao Jia (Gleditsia Sinensis Fruit, boiled until soft), dried and powdered, honey-pilled to size of wu zi. Take 15-20 pills with warm wine on an empty stomach. (*Jingyan Fang*)
Strange post-malaria symptom: Gas exits mouth/nose, swirls without dissipating, condenses like a black cover, spreads to shoulders/chest over 10 days, adheres to flesh, harder than metal/stone.
Leaf
【Flavor and Properties】 Salty, neutral, non-toxic.
【Indications】 Leprosy (Da Feng), lack of lactation, difficult labor, strengthens Yin Qi. Long-term use lightens the body. (*Bielu*) Strengthens Water Zang (Kidney), unblocks blood vessels. (Da Ming)
Fruit
【Flavor and Properties】 Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
【Indications】 Wind-Bi and thirst, benefits Kidney Qi, strengthens Yin, tonifies insufficiency, dispels pathogenic dampness. Long-term use brightens complexion but causes infertility. (*Bielu*)
【Elucidation】 Li Shizhen says: *Bielu* states Ze Xie leaf and fruit strengthen Yin Qi and cause infertility with long-term use; whereas *Rihuazi* says Ze Xie induces labor and tonifies the Blood Sea, enabling conception. These seem contradictory. If it strengthens Yin, why cause infertility? If it induces labor, why enable conception? Likely, when combined with tonics, Ze Xie expels damp-heat and pathogens from the Lower Jiao; once pathogens are gone, Yin is strong and the Sea is clean, enabling conception. However, long-term use severely drains Kidney Qi, making the Blood Sea cold, thus causing infertility. One must not read rigidly.
【Appendix】 Suan E *Bielu* mentions a named but unused herb: Treats foul sores, removes white worms. Grows near water, resembles Ze Xie.