Library

(Compendium of Materia Medica)

[Names] Huojiu (Fire Wine, from *Bencao Gangmu*), Alajijiu (Arrack, from...)

[Collected Explanations]
Li Shizhen stated: Distilled liquor (Shaojiu) is not an ancient method. Its technique was first created during the Yuan Dynasty. Strong wine and lees are placed in a steamer (Zeng), distilled to allow vapor to rise, and collected using vessels. Any wine that has turned sour or spoiled can be distilled and burned. Recently, only glutinous rice, japonica rice, millet, broomcorn millet, or barley are steamed until cooked, mixed with yeast (Qu), fermented, and then distilled. The liquid is clear as water, and the taste is extremely strong and potent; it may be regarded as the dew or essence of wine.

Ying stated: Siamese wine is made by distilling distilled liquor twice, adding precious gems and exotic fragrances. Each jar is smoked with dozens of catties of sandalwood until the interior resembles lacquer, then filled with wine, sealed with wax, buried in the soil for two to three years to completely remove the harshness of the distilled spirit, and then taken out for use. Someone once brought it to overseas ships; drinking three or four cups would cause intoxication, and its value was several times higher than ordinary wine. For those with accumulation diseases, drinking one or two cups could cure them, and it could also kill gu poison (parasitic disease). I personally witnessed two people drink this and excrete live worms about two inches long, which they called "fish gu."

[Flavor and Toxicity] Acrid, sweet, very hot, highly toxic.

Li Shizhen stated: Overconsumption damages the stomach and gallbladder, harms the mind (Shen), reduces lifespan, and in severe cases leads to blackening of the intestines and rotting of the stomach, resulting in death. If consumed with ginger and garlic, its toxicity can be resolved with cold water or mung bean powder.

[Indications] Eliminates cold accumulation and pathogenic cold, dries damp-phlegm, opens stagnation, stops watery diarrhea, treats cholera, malaria, dysphagia (Yige), [text missing], kills parasites, wards off miasma, promotes urination, hardens stools, washes red and swollen eyes, and is effective (Li Shizhen).

[Elucidation]
Li Shizhen stated: Distilled liquor is a purely yang toxic substance. Those with fine flowers on the surface are genuine. Its nature is similar to fire; it ignites upon contact with flame, akin to Natrii Sulfas (Yanxiao, saltpeter). People in the North drink it throughout all four seasons, while people in the South drink it only during the summer months. Its flavor is acrid and sweet, possessing ascending, dispersing, and diffusing properties; its qi is dry and hot, overcoming dampness and dispelling cold. Therefore, it can open chest oppression and eliminate accumulated pathogens, unblock dysphagia and dissipate phlegm-fluids, treat diarrhea and malaria, and stop cold pain. Acrid flavors first enter the Lung channel; when mixed with water and drunk, it guides the action downward, regulates water passages, and increases urine output, making the urine white. Heat can dry Metal and consume blood, punishing the Large Intestine, thus causing dry and constipated stools. Drinking it with ginger and garlic induces hemorrhoids.
After drinking, sweating occurs, leading to a sense of relief in the chest and cooling of the body; washing red eyes with it causes tears to flow, swelling to subside, and redness to dissipate. This is a method of "following treatment" (Congzhi). However, excessive and unregulated consumption can kill within moments. Current market-bought liquors often have arsenic (Pishi), Aconitum carmichaelii (Caowu), spicy ash, and aromatic medicines added to enhance and guide their toxicity, effectively borrowing the power of bandits to kill. Those who practice proper health preservation should beware. Note: Liu Keyong in the *Bingji Fu* (Ode to Pathogenesis Mechanisms) stated: There was a person suffering from red eyes who drank distilled liquor mixed with salt, after which the pain stopped and swelling subsided. This is because distilled liquor has a wandering nature, guiding salt to circulate through the meridians, opening stagnation and dispersing pathogenic heat. This is also a type of counter-treatment and drastic remedy.

[Attached Prescriptions] Seven new prescriptions.
Cold Qi Heart Pain: Drink distilled liquor mixed with refined salt (Feiyan); pain stops immediately.
Yin Toxin Abdominal Pain: Warm distilled liquor; pain stops immediately after sweating.
Incessant Vomiting and Regurgitation: One cup of true Fire Wine mixed with one cup of freshly drawn well water; taken together, it is excellent (Binhu, i.e., Li Shizhen).
Cold-Damp Diarrhea with Clear Urine: Drink the first run of distilled liquor; it stops immediately.
Ear Nodule, Size of a Jujube Seed, Unbearable Pain: Drip Fire Wine into the ear, keep head tilted for half an hour, and it will [heal/relieve].
Wind-Worm Toothache: Soak Sichuan pepper (Huajiao) in distilled liquor and rinse frequently.
Cold-Phlegm Cough: Four taels of distilled liquor, four taels each of lard, honey, sesame oil, and tea leaves; soak together in the liquor, [prepare], and take with tea to achieve efficacy.