Library

[Song Dynasty "Kaibao Bencao"]

[Names] Mixiangzi (Mucangzi, 米囊子) [from Kaibao Bencao], Yumi (Yumi, 御米) [same source], Xianggu.
Li Shizhen said: Its fruit resembles a small jar (yingzi), its seeds resemble millet, and its form resembles grain; furthermore, it can be offered to the emperor, hence these names.

[Collected Explanations] Chen Cangqi said: Songyangzi stated that the poppy flower has four petals, red and white in color, with light red halos on them. Its capsule is shaped like an arrowhead, containing fine seeds inside.
Su Song said: It grows everywhere, and people often cultivate it for decoration. The flowers are of two kinds, red and white, with a slight fishy odor. Its fruit is bottle-shaped, containing extremely fine grains. Gardeners fertilize the land from the previous year, sow seeds in September, and after passing through Winter Solstice into spring, seedlings begin to sprout, growing very luxuriant. If not fertilized this way, they do not grow, or if they do, they are not lush. Harvest only when the capsules turn scorched yellow.
Kou Zongshi said: Its flowers also have double-petaled varieties. One capsule contains tens of millions of seeds, as large as Thlaspi seeds but white in color.
Li Shizhen said: Poppy is sown in autumn and grows in winter; the tender shoots are excellent as vegetables. The leaves resemble lettuce. In March and April, stems shoot up forming green buds, which fall off when the flowers bloom. The flowers generally have four petals, as large as an inverted cup, with the capsule nestled among the stamens and pistils. The flowers wither after three days, while the capsule remains at the stem tip, one to two cun long, as large as Aristolochia manshuriensis, with a lid on top and a calyx at the bottom, resembling a wine jar. Inside are extremely fine white grains, which can be used to cook porridge or mix with rice. Grinding with water and filtering the pulp, then making tofu with mung bean flour is particularly good. Oil can also be extracted. Its shell is used extensively in medicine, but is not recorded in the Bencao texts, indicating ancients did not use it. People in Jiangdong call the double-petaled variety Lichun Hua. Some say it is a different species of poppy, which is likely incorrect. Its floral variations are irregular. There are white, red, purple, pink, apricot-yellow, half-red-half-white, half-red-half-purple, and half-white-half-red varieties, beautiful and lovely, hence called Lichun, Sai Mudan (Surpassing Peony), and Jinbei Hua (Brocade Quilt Flower). See You Mozhai's "Hua Pu" for details.

[Seed]
[Flavor and Nature] Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
Su Song said: Cold in nature. Excessive consumption promotes urination and defecation, and disturbs Qi in the Bladder.
[Indications] For attacks caused by Danchi (cinnabar and stone medicines), where food cannot be taken down: boil with bamboo sap (Zhuli) to make porridge; it is very delicious (Kaibao Bencao). Kou Zongshi said: Those taking stone medicines should grind this seed, boil in water, add honey, and drink as a decoction; it is very suitable. Moves Wind-Qi, expels pathogenic heat, treats regurgitation and phlegm stagnation in the chest (Su Song). Treats diarrhea and dysentery, moistens dryness (Li Shizhen).
[Attached Prescriptions] One old prescription, one new prescription.
Regurgitation and vomiting: Ying Su Zhou (Poppy Seed Porridge): Use 3 he of white poppy seeds, 3 qian of powdered Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), and 5 cun of fresh Dioscorea opposita (Sheng Shanyu) (finely sliced and pounded). Boil these three ingredients in 1 sheng 2 he of water until reduced to 6 he. Add a little ginger juice and salt crystals, mix well, and take in divided doses. Time does not matter; other decoctions or pills can be taken simultaneously. (Kaibao Bencao)
Dysentery with red and white discharge: Equal parts of Ying Su Zi (Poppy Seed, stir-fried) and Ying Su Qiao (Poppy Shell, roasted) are ground into powder, mixed with refined honey, and formed into pills the size of Sophora japonica seeds. Take 30 pills per dose, washed down with rice water. Verified effective by some. (Bai Yi Xuan Fang)

[Shell]
[Processing] Li Shizhen said: When using the shell, wash and moisten with water, remove the calyx and fibrous membranes, take the outer thin skin, dry in shade, cut finely, and stir-fry with rice vinegar before use. Honey-roasted or honey-processed varieties also exist.
[Flavor and Nature] Sour, astringent, slightly cold, non-toxic.
Li Shizhen said: Works well when combined with vinegar, Mume Fructus (Wumei), and Citrus reticulata Pericarpium (Jupi).
[Indications] Stops diarrhea and dysentery, secures prolapsed rectum, treats seminal emission and chronic cough, astringes Lung Qi and intestines, stops various pains in the heart, abdomen, bones, and sinews (Li Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Zhang Gao said: Astringes and consolidates Qi. Enters the Kidney channel, thus especially suitable for treating bone diseases.
Zhu Zhenheng said: Nowadays, for deficiency-consumption cough, many use Poppy Shell to forcibly stop secretion; and for damp-heat diarrhea/dysentery, it is used for astringency. Although its therapeutic effect is rapid, it kills as swiftly as a sword, and one must beware deeply. He further said: Using Poppy Shell for cough is common and acceptable, but the root cause of disease must first be eliminated; this is a post-treatment astringent. The same applies to dysentery. In all cases of dysentery, pathogenic factors must first be dispersed and stagnation moved; how can one immediately administer astringents like Poppy Shell or Fossilia Ossis Mastodi (Longgu) to close the intestines and stomach? Pathogenic Qi will become more severe due to tonification/astringency, leading to complications and prolonged illness.
Li Shizhen said: Sour flavors primarily astringe, so it should not be used in early-stage diseases. After prolonged diarrhea or dysentery, Qi scatters and fails to consolidate, leading to slippery intestines and rectal prolapse. After prolonged cough and pain, Qi scatters and fails to gather, leading to severe Lung distension and pain. Therefore, such astringent, consolidating, gathering, and condensing agents are appropriate. Note: Yang Shi's "Zhi Zhi Fang" states that people look down upon using Poppy Shell for dysentery, which is true. However, in cases of prolonged dysentery without abdominal accumulation or pain, where astringency is indicated, how can one refrain from astringing? Without this formula, what would treat it? Only auxiliary herbs are needed. Wang Shuo's "Yi Jian Fang" states that Poppy Shell treats dysentery miraculously. But its nature is tight and astringent, often causing nausea and vomiting, so people fear and dare not take it. If processed with vinegar and combined with Mume Fructus (Wumei), the method is correct. Or combined with Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction), it avoids closing the stomach and hindering appetite, achieving remarkable results.
[Attached Prescriptions] Eight new prescriptions.
Hot dysentery with blood in stool: Ying Su Qiao (vinegar-roasted) 1 liang, Chen Pi (Citrus reticulata Pericarpium) 0.5 liang, ground into powder. Take 3 qian per dose, washed down with Mume Fructus (Wumei) decoction. (Pu Ji Fang)
Chronic dysentery unceasing: Ying Su Qiao (vinegar-roasted) ground into powder, honey-processed into pills the size of quail eggs. Take one pill per dose with one盏 of water, three slices of ginger, decocted to 0.8 portion, taken warm. Another method: Ying Su Qiao 10 liang (membrane removed), divided into three parts: one part vinegar-roasted, one part honey-roasted, one part raw. All ground into powder, honey-processed into pills the size of Euryale ferox seeds. Take 30 pills per dose with rice gruel. Ji Yao Bai Zhong San: Ying Su Qiao (honey-roasted) and Hou Po (ginger-processed), each 4 liang, ground into fine powder.
Pediatric dysentery: Shen Xian Jiu Ku San: Treats pediatric red and white dysentery, occurring over a hundred times day and night. Use Ying Su Qiao 0.5 liang (vinegar-roasted to powder, then stir-fried in a copper vessel), Bin Lang 0.5 liang (stir-fried until red, ground to powder), stored separately. Take equal parts per dose; red dysentery with honey water, white dysentery with sugar water. Avoid strong flavors. (Quan You Xin Jian)
Watery diarrhea unceasing: One Ying Su Qiao (remove calyx and membrane), ten pieces of Mume Fructus flesh, ten pieces of Ziziphus jujuba flesh. Decoct in one盏 of water to 0.7 portion, take warm. (Jing Yan Fang)
Chronic cough unceasing, effective immediately for those with robust constitution: Remove veins from Ying Su Qiao, honey-roast and grind to powder. Take 0.5 fen per dose with honey water. (Wei Shi Fang)
Chronic cough with deficiency: Jia Tongzhi Bai Lao San: Treats years-long cough with spontaneous sweating. Use Ying Su Qiao 2.5 liang (remove calyx and membrane, vinegar-roast to obtain 1 liang), Wumei 0.5 liang, bake and grind to powder. Take 2 qian per dose with plain warm water before sleep. (Xuan Ming Fang)

[Tender Shoots]
[Flavor and Nature] Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
[Indications] Used as vegetables, clears heat and moistens dryness, opens appetite and thickens intestines (Li Shizhen).