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[Mingyi Bie Lu (Compendium of Famous Physicians' Additional Records)] lists it as a superior grade drug.
[Correction] The "Jing Sheng (Cortex Viticis Negundo), named but unused" from [Mingyi Bie Lu] is merged into this entry.
[Names] Huang Jing (Yellow Vitex, from Bencao Tujing), Xiao Jing (Small Vitex, from Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing).
Tao Hongjing said: Since it is Mu Jing (Male Vitex), it should not lack fruit. What is called "Xiao Jing" should be Mu Jing. Mu Jing Zi (Vitex Negundo Fruit) is larger than Man Jing Zi (Vitex Trifolia Fruit), yet it is called "Small Jing," probably referring to the tree shape. They do not know that Man Jing trees are also tall and sturdy.
Su Gong said: Mu Jing grows as a tree, not climbing like a vine, hence called "Mu" (male/upright), not implying it bears no fruit. Man Jing Zi is large, Mu Jing Zi is small, hence called "Jing." Li Shizhen said: In ancient times, punishment sticks were made of Jing branches, so the character "Jing" derives from "Xing" (punishment). It grows in clumps with sparse and refreshing foliage, hence also called "Chu" (composed of "Lin" forest and "Pi" sparse; "Pi" means sparse). The meaning of "Ji Chu" (neat/orderly) is derived from this. The region of Jingchu is named so because this plant is abundant there.
[Collection of Explanations] Mingyi Bie Lu says: Mu Jing Shi (Vitex Negundo Fruit) grows in the valleys of Hejian, Nanyang, and Yuanju, or on high banks in Pingshou and Duxiang, as well as in fields. Collect the fruits in August and September, and dry them in the shade. Tao Hongjing said: Discussing Man Jing, it should be the Jing used today for making canes and whips. Its fruit is very fine, just like small sesame seeds, greenish-yellow. Mu Jing comes from the north, about the size of black beans, perfectly round and black. Immortal arts practitioners often use Mu Jing, but people nowadays do not recognize it. Li Dangzhi's Yaolu states: Susu is also known as Yanglu, or Mu Jing. Its wood is white and hollow in the center, and regenerates after breaking. Note: The therapeutic effects of current Susu are completely different from Mu Jing, and their morphological categories are distinct. However, immortal formulas use Mu Jing, claiming it can communicate with spirits and see ghosts; both its fruit and foliage are good. It is also said: Jing trees must have opposite leaves to be Mu Jing; those with alternate leaves are not Mu Jing. These statements are unclear regarding truth and falsehood, requiring further extensive inquiry. Su Gong said: Mu Jing is the kind used for making canes, found everywhere. The fruit is small and yellow, stems are tough and grow as trees. Han Shu Jiaosi Zhi records using Mu Jing stems as banner poles, clearly indicating it is not Man Jing. There are two varieties: green and red, with the green being superior. People nowadays mistakenly pass down the belief that Mu Jing is Man Jing, which is a great error. Su Song said: Mu Jing is found in Meizhou, Shuzhou, and near Bianjing today, commonly called Huang Jing. Branches and stems are hard and tough, growing in clusters rather than vines. Leaves resemble castor bean leaves, but are sparser and thinner. Flowers are red and spike-like. Fruits are small, yellow, and sesame-sized. Some say this is Xiao Jing. Note: Tao Hongjing's Dengzhen Yinjue states: Leaves and flowers of Jing wood can communicate with spirits and see ghost essences. The annotation says: There are three types of Jing. Jing wood refers to what is used for canes today; leaves are fragrant, has flowers and fruits, but fruits are not used in medicine. Arts and magic practitioners use Mu Jing, whose fruits are used in medicine; northerners do not recognize the tree. In the third year of Tianjian, the Emperor prepared to make immortal rice. An edict discussed Mu Jing: Jing has white flowers and many fruits; fruits are coarse and large. Sparsely distributed, usually only two or three stems, mostly not round, some flat or irregular, some resembling bamboo nodes. Leaves are indistinguishable from other Jings. Bees frequently gather from Mu Jing; Mu Jing juice is cold and sweet. Other Jings burn with bitter smoke. Mu Jing has slow texture and solid juice, smoke does not enter it, and it is the primary treatment for Xin Feng (Heart Wind). At that time, searches were conducted far and wide, but none were found. Bao Sheng said: Tao Shi not only failed to distinguish Man Jing, but also did not recognize Mu Jing. Man Jing climbs, Mu Jing grows as a tree, the principle is clear. Li Shizhen said: Mu Jing is abundant in mountains and wilds everywhere, gathered by woodcutters as firewood. Trees left uncut for years grow as thick as a bowl. The pith is square, branches are opposite, with five or seven leaflets per branch. Leaves resemble elm leaves, long and pointed, with serrated edges. Flowers bloom in spikes at the end of May, reddish-purple. Fruits are as large as Coriandrum sativum seeds, wrapped in a white membranous skin. Su Song's claim that leaves resemble castor beans is incorrect. There are green and red varieties: green is Jing, red is [missing character, likely Chi Jing]. Tender shoots can all be woven into baskets. Ancient poor women made hairpins from Jing branches, referring to these two woods. Note: Pei Yuan's Guangzhou Ji states: There are three types of Jing: Jin Jing (Gold Jing) can make pillows, Zi Jing (Purple Jing) can make beds, Bai Jing (White Jing) can make shoes. Completely different from Mu Jing and Man Jing elsewhere. Ningpu has Mu Jing; pointing it at an illness causes self-healing. If solar terms are mismatched, carve a segment during a lunar halo, matching the patient's height, place it under the bed; even critical illness will not cause harm. Du Bao's Shiyi Lu states: Southern regions like Linyi are in the sea. Mountains are full of Jin Jing, some ten spans thick, twisted and knotted, grain like beautiful brocade, color like real gold. Artisans use it, valued as highly as Agarwood and Sandalwood. These are all distinct categories of Jing. Chunqiu Yundou Shu states: The star Yuheng scatters [into fruit]
[Taste and Properties] Bitter, warm, non-toxic. Li Shizhen said: Acrid, warm.
Xu Zhicai said: Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia Root) is its guiding herb; adverse reaction with Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum).
[Therapeutic Actions] Removes cold-heat in bones, promotes stomach qi flow, stops cough and counterflow qi, directs qi downward (Mingyi Bie Lu).
Combined with Baishi (Platycladi Semen), Qingxiang (Celosiae Semen), and Zhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), treats Feng (Wind) disorders (Xu Zhicai). Charred and powdered, taken with wine, treats heart pain and leukorrhea in women (Zhu Zhenheng).
Half a sheng roasted, added to one cup of wine, boiled once, taken hot, treats small intestine hernia with great efficacy. Infused in wine and drunk, treats deafness (Li Shizhen).
[Attached Formulas] One new formula.
Damp-phlegm and turbid urine: Roast Mu Jing Zi (Vitex Negundo Fruit) into powder. Take 2 qian with wine per dose (Jijian Fang).
Leaves
[Taste and Properties] Bitter, cold, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Chronic dysentery, cholera with muscle cramps, bloody strangury, lower body sores, damp bi with swollen feet, primarily treats Hongjiaojiao (Foot Qi / Beriberi) swelling and fullness (Mingyi Bie Lu).
[Invention] Cui Yuanliang's Haishang Jiyan Fang: Treats wind-damp pain in waist and legs, steaming method: Use any amount of Jing leaves, steam until hot, place in a large urn, heat underneath. Place the patient among the leaves; sweating should occur shortly. Eat while steaming, stop when slightly tired. Cover with quilt to avoid wind; consuming Congchi Jiu (Scallion and Fermented Soybean Wine) or Dou Jiu (Bean Wine) is also acceptable, continue until recovery. Li Shizhen said: Although the steaming method is excellent, it is suitable only for rural folk. Li Zhongnan's Yonglei Fang states: To treat various Foot Qi diseases, burn Jing stems in a jar to produce smoke, fumigate Yongquan (KI1) acupoint and painful areas until sweating occurs, then recover. This method is usable by both rich and poor. Tan Yeweng's Shiyian Fang: Treats snake bites and Wobanguo stings, causing massive swelling and blistering. Crush tender tips of Huang Jing (Yellow Vitex) to extract juice, apply to blisters; apply residue to bite site, swelling subsides immediately. This method originates from Ge Hong's Zhouhou Beiji Fang (treat all snakebites by crushing Jing leaves, placing in bag, applying thinly to swelling). Wulei Xianggan Zhi states: Jing leaves repel mosquitoes.
[Attached Formulas]
Bleeding from nine orifices: Crush Jing leaves, extract juice, mix with wine, take 2 he (Mille Folii Herba).
Hematuria: Juice of Jing leaves, take 2 he with wine (Qianjin Fang).
Roots
[Taste and Properties] Sweet, bitter, neutral, non-toxic. Li Shizhen said: Bitter, slightly acrid.
[Therapeutic Actions] Decoct and drink to treat Xin Feng (Heart Wind) and Tou Feng (Head Wind), various limb wind disorders, release muscle layer and induce sweating (Mingyi Bie Lu).
[Invention] Li Shizhen said: Mu Jing's bitterness lowers and drains, acrid-warmness disperses; lowering resolves phlegm, dispersing expels wind, thus suitable for wind-phlegm diseases. Its ability to release muscle and induce sweating is unknown to the world. Note: Wang Shi's Qifang states: A person suffered from wind disease for years. I gave equal parts of Seven-leaf Huang Jing root bark, Wujiapi (Acanthopanacis Cortex), and Jiegucao (Euphorbiae Humifusae Herba), decocted and taken daily, resulting in cure. This aligns with this principle.
Jing Sheng (Cortex Viticis Negundo) - Mingyi Bie Lu "Named but Unused" section: Collect in August and October, dry in shade.
Chen Cangqi said: It is the current Jing cane. Decocted juice can be used for dyeing.
[Therapeutic Actions] Burns and ulcers (Mingyi Bie Lu). Washing burns and thermal blisters is effective. Treats wind toothache (Li Shizhen).
[Attached Formulas] One new formula.
Blindness and internal cataracts: In early spring, take half a jin of tender Huang Jing tips (steamed nine times, sun-dried nine times). Use one black chicken, feed with rice for five days, place on a clean board, feed with Cannabis seeds. After two to three days, collect feces, sun-dry, boil in bottle until yellow, mix with Jing tips into powder, refine honey to make pills the size of Sophora japonica seeds. Take 15-20 pills per dose, washed down with aged rice water, twice daily (Shengji Zonglu).
Jing Li (Vitex Juice)
[Processing] Li Shizhen said: Method of extraction: Use freshly harvested Jing stems, cut to 1 chi 5 cun length, place across two bricks, burn fire in the middle to roast, catch the dripping juice at both ends with vessels. Take hot, or add to medicines. Another method: Cut into 3-4 cun lengths, bundle into a bottle, cover with another bottle tightly, roast externally with chaff fire, juice drips into the lower bottle, also excellent.
[Taste and Properties] Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Drinking removes heart oppression, irritability, heat, Tou Feng (Head Wind), dizziness, vertigo, nausea, sudden loss of voice, pediatric heart-heat convulsions and epilepsy, stops thirst, eliminates phlegm saliva, induces sleeplessness (Chen Cangqi). Expels wind-heat, opens meridians, guides out phlegm-saliva, moves blood and qi, resolves heat [toxicity]
[Invention] Li Shizhen said: Jing Li has neutral qi and sweet taste, resolving phlegm and expelling wind makes it a wonderful medicine. Thus Sun Simiao's Qianjin Yi states: For patients with wind diseases often having heat, it is advisable to mix Zhu Li (Bamboo Sap), Jing Li, and Jiang Zhi (Ginger Juice) each 5 he, mix evenly, take hot, until recovered. Tao Hongjing also said: Mu Jing juice is the first choice for treating Xin Feng (Heart Wind). Yannan Milu states: For excess heat, use more Zhu Li; for cold, use more Jing Li. Zhu Zhenheng said: Both juices have similar functions, assisted by Ginger Juice to prevent stagnation. For those with qi deficiency unable to eat, use Zhu Li; for those with qi excess able to eat [use Jing Li]
[Attached Formulas] Six old, one new.
Stroke with locked jaw: Jing Li, take 1 sheng per dose (Fan Wang Fang).
Head Wind headache: Jing Li, take daily (Jiyan Fang).
Sore throat and swelling: Jing Li, swallow slowly. Or take one handful of Jing, decoct in water and drink (Qianjin Yi).
Sudden eye pain: Burn Jing wood, take yellow juice to instill in eyes.
For heart deficiency with palpitations and emaciation: Jing Li 2 sheng. Boil down to 1 sheng 6 he, divide into [doses]
Chronic red and white dysentery for 5-6 years: Jing Li, take 5 he daily (Waitai Miyao).
Damp [rash] eczema and tinea: Burn Jing wood, take juice, apply daily (Shenshi Fang)