Library

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

**Names:** Caohao (from *Shennong Bencao Jing*), Fangkui (from *Shennong Bencao Jing*), [Pronounced 'Qian' with falling tone], [Character missing], Xianghao (from *Yanyi* in *Zhenglei Bencao*).

Su Song stated: Caohao is called [Pronounced 'Qian'] hao in the Jiangdong region because its odor resembles that of [Pronounced 'Qian']. People in the North call it Qinghao (*Artemisia annua*). The *Erya* states: Hao is [Pronounced 'Qian']. Sun Yan's annotation says: In the Jingchu area, people refer to hao as [Pronounced 'Qian']. Guo Pu's annotation says: What people now call the green mugwort with a fragrance suitable for roasting and eating is [Pronounced 'Qian'], which refers to this plant.

Li Shizhen stated: The *Yanzi Chunqiu* says: Hao is a tall type of grass. Examining the various haos in the *Erya*, only [Pronounced 'Qian'] can be singly referred to as "Hao." Could it be because the undersides of the leaves of other haos are white, whereas this one is uniquely green, differing from other haos?

**Collection and Description:** The *Bielu* states: Qinghao grows in the river marshes of Huayin.

Tao Hongjing stated: It grows everywhere; it is the current Qinghao, which people also mix with vegetables for consumption.

Su Song stated: When tender, it can be pickled in vinegar to make zu (pickles), naturally fragrant. The leaves resemble Yinchenhao (*Artemisia capillaris*) but lack the white underside, growing about four chi high. Harvested in April and May, dried in the sun for medicinal use. The *Book of Songs* states: "The deer bleat youyou, feeding on wild hao." This refers to this specific hao.

Su Song stated: Qinghao sprouts in spring with very fine leaves that are edible. By summer, it reaches four or five chi in height. After autumn, it blooms with small pale yellow flowers, forming seeds underneath like millet grains. Seeds are harvested in August and September and dried in the shade. Roots, stems, seeds, and leaves are all used medicinally; when dried and roasted for tea, the aroma is particularly excellent.

Kou Zongshi stated: Qinghao receives the spring qi earliest; people trim it as a vegetable, with red roots and fragrant leaves. Shen Kuo's *Mengxi Bitan* notes: There are two types within the Qinghao category: one yellow, one green. The materia medica calls it Qinghao, distinguishing between them. Between Yinzhou and Suizhou in Shaanxi, among the haos, there are occasionally one or two clumps that are distinctly green, locally called Xianghao. Its stems and leaves are identical to common hao, but while common hao is pale green, this one is deep green, resembling pine or cypress. By late autumn, when other haos turn yellow, this one remains green, with a fragrant odor. Perhaps what ancients used favored the deep green variety. Otherwise, how could other haos not be green?

Li Shizhen stated: Qinghao sprouts in February; the stem is as thick as a finger, fat and soft, with deep green stems and leaves. The leaves slightly resemble Yinchenhao, but both sides are green. The root is white and hard. It blooms with small yellow flowers in July and August, quite fragrant. The fruit is as large as hemp seeds, containing fine inner seeds.

**Processing:** Lei Xiao stated: For usage, the middle part is best; at the knee level it angles upward, at the waist it bends downward. Use the seed, not the leaf; use the root, not the stem. If all four parts are used together, it may cause stubborn diseases. For collected leaves, soak them in the urine of seven seven-year-old boys for seven days and nights, then filter and dry.

Leaves, Stems, Roots, Seeds

**Flavor and Properties:** Bitter, cold, non-toxic.

Li Shizhen stated: It can stabilize sulfur.

**Indications:** Scabies, itching, crusts, malignant sores; kills lice; treats lingering heat in bone joints; brightens the eyes (from *Shennong Bencao Jing*). Treats ghostly qi, corpse infection, and lingering pathogens; women's blood and qi disorders; abdominal fullness; and chronic dysentery of cold or hot nature. Use seeds in autumn and winter, seedlings in spring and summer, crushed and taken as juice. Alternatively, dry and powder, mixed with urine and wine for ingestion (from *Xinxiu Bencao* by Zang Jing). Tonifies the center and supplements qi; lightens the body and relieves fatigue; preserves complexion; promotes hair growth, keeping it black and youthful; removes garlic-like hair; kills wind toxins. Heart pain with heat and jaundice: crush fresh and take juice, apply externally (from *Xinxiu Bencao* by Li Ding). Treats malaria chills and fever (Li Shizhen). Crush fresh and apply to metal wounds; effectively stops bleeding and pain (Su Gong). Burn to ash, drip liquid through paper, decoct with Duan Shi (calcined alum/mineral), treat malignant sores, polyps, and scars (Meng Shen).

**Elucidation:** Su Song stated: Qinghao is most effective for treating bone-steaming heat deficiency syndromes; ancient formulas use it alone.

Li Shizhen stated: Qinghao receives the shaoyang qi of spring wood earliest; thus, the conditions it treats are all disorders of the shaoyang and jueyin blood levels. According to the *Yueling Tongzuan*, on geng days during the dog days, collecting Qinghao and hanging it at the door can ward off evil qi. Dried in shade, powdered, and taken as two qian on Winter Solstice and New Year's Day is also beneficial. Observing this, the treatment of ghostly infections by Qinghao seems to have some basis.

**Attached Prescriptions:** Four old, fourteen new.

Male and female consumptive emaciation: Finely chop Qinghao, add three sheng of water and five sheng of boy's urine, decoct to obtain two and a half sheng. Remove dregs, boil into a paste, form pills the size of wutong seeds. Swallow twenty pills with warm wine on an empty stomach and before bed (*Doumen Fang*).

Deficiency consumption with chills and fever, limb fatigue and pain, regardless of gender: Harvest when Qinghao fruits in August and September, remove branches, soak in boy's urine for three days, dry and powder. Take two qian per dose, decoct one dark plum in water, and take orally (*Lingyuan Fang*).

Bone-steaming ghostly qi: Five dou of clarified boy's urine, five dou of Qinghao (preferably with seeds harvested in Aug/Sep, finely chopped). Mix in a large cauldron, boil fiercely to reduce to three dou, remove dregs, clean the cauldron, simmer gently to two dou, add one pig gallbladder, decoct together to one and a half dou. Remove from fire, cool, store in porcelain. To take, roast two to three liang of licorice root, powder it, mix with the decoction, pound a thousand times to form pills. Take twenty pills with porridge drink on an empty stomach, gradually increasing to thirty pills (*Hai Shang Fang* by Cui Yuanliang).

Bone-steaming irritability and heat: One handful of Qinghao, one pig gallbladder, forty apricot kernels (skin and tip removed, stir-fried). Decoct in one large cup of boy's urine until reduced to one-fifth volume. Take warm on an empty stomach (*Shibian Liangfang*).

Deficiency consumption with night sweats, irritability and dry mouth: Use one jin of Qinghao (extract juice and boil into paste), add one liang each of ginseng powder and Ophiopogon powder, boil until pillable, form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take twenty pills after meals with rice water, named Qinghao Wan (*Shengfang Zonglu*).

Malaria chills and fever: *Zhouhou Fang*: Use one handful of Qinghao, two sheng of water, crush and take juice. *Rencun Fang*: Harvest Qinghao (shade-dried) on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month before dawn, four liang, plus one liang of Guixin (cinnamon twig). Powder. Take two qian with wine before onset. *Jingyan Fang*: Harvest Qinghao leaves on Dragon Boat Festival (shade-dried), equal amount of Guixin. Powder. Take one qian per dose; if chills precede, use hot wine; if heat precedes, use cold wine; take at 5-7 AM on the day of onset. Strictly avoid stimulating foods.

Warm malaria with severe phlegm, heat without chills: Two liang of Qinghao (soaked in boy's urine and baked), half liang of Huang Dan (red lead). Powder. Take two qian with plain water (*Rencun Fang*).

Red and white dysentery: Harvest Qinghao and Aiye (mugwort leaf) equally on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, mix with fermented soybean paste to make cakes, dry in sun, named Haoshi Dan. Decoct one cake in one and a half cups of water (*Shengji Zonglu*).

Nosebleed: Crush Qinghao, take juice, and stuff nose; highly effective (*Weisheng Yijian Fang*).

Alcohol hemorrhoids with bloody stool: Qinghao (use leaves only, not stems; or stems only, not leaves), powder. Take with cold water before defecation, with water and wine mixture after defecation (*Yonglei Qianfang*).

Metal wounds and trauma: *Zhouhou Fang*: Crush Qinghao and apply; heals when bleeding stops. Another formula: Equal parts Qinghao, hemp leaves, and calcined alum, pounded and dried on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Powder and apply as needed.

Tooth swelling and pain: Decoct one handful of Qinghao in water and rinse (*Jiji Fang*).

Poisonous bee sting: Chew Qinghao and apply; provides immediate relief (*Zhouhou Fang*).

Ear discharge with pus: Wrap Qinghao powder in cotton and insert into ear (*Shenghui Fang*).

Nasal polyps: Equal parts Qinghao ash and calcined alum, drip liquid, boil into paste, apply (*Shengji Zonglu*).

Seeds

**Flavor and Properties:** Sweet, cold, non-toxic.

**Indications:** Brightens eyes and opens appetite; use fried. Treats consumptive emaciation; soaked in urine by robust individuals. Treats malignant sores, scabies, tinea, and wind rash; decoct and wash (from *Xinxiu Bencao* by Li Ding). Treats ghostly qi; powder and take one fangcun bi with wine (Meng Shen). Efficacy same as leaves (Li Shizhen).

**Attached Prescription:** One new.

Accumulated heat causing eye dryness: Harvest Qinghao flowers or seeds on the third day of the third lunar month or fifth day of the fifth lunar month, shade-dry and powder. Take two qian with well-water on an empty stomach. Long-term use brightens eyes, allowing reading at night, named Qinghao San (*Shibian Liangfang*).

Worms in joints: See section on Worms.