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(Song Dynasty *Tu Jing Ben Cao*)
Su Song stated: Bitter, pungent, cold in nature, toxic. Mainly treats gu poison (parasitic disease) and dispels wind. Leaves: Treat sores and scabies. Grows in Qinzhou. Leaves resemble mulberry leaves. Harvest leaves in the third lunar month; harvest roots in the fifth and sixth lunar months.

(Tang Dynasty *Xin Xiu Ben Cao Shi Yi*)
[Names] Huang Lilu (*Ben Cao Gang Mu*), Lu Li.
[Collection and Explanation] Chen Cangqi said: Tao Hongjing annotated Loulu as follows: Also known as Lu Li. People in the south use its shoots, while people in the north use its root. Note: Lu Li is actually Muli Lu (Wooden Veratrum), not Loulu. It grows as a tree, resembling a Cornus tree, two to three chi tall, and is toxic.
Li Shizhen said: Lu Li is colloquially called Huang Lilu; it is a small tree. The leaves resemble cherry leaves, narrow and long, with many wrinkles. Small yellow flowers bloom in the fourth lunar month. Small, elongated fruits form in the fifth lunar month, about the size of mung beans.
[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, pungent, warm in nature, toxic.
[Main Actions] Treats tinea and parasites (Chen Cangqi).

(Han Dynasty *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing*, Lower Grade)
[Names] Its mother plant is named Wutou (Aconitum carmichaelii lateral root prepared).
Li Shizhen said: When first planted, it is called Wutou, resembling the head of a crow. The lateral root attached to Wutou is called Fuzi (Prepared Aconite Root), like a child attached to its mother. Wutou resembles a taro tuber, while Fuzi resembles a taro sprout; they are essentially one substance. There are also Caowutou (Wild Aconite) and Baifuzi (Typhonium Rhizome), hence it is commonly called Hei Fuzi (Black Prepared Aconite) to distinguish it from Chuan Wutou (Sichuan Aconite). Previous authors did not distinguish between Chuan and Cao varieties of Wutou, mixing annotations; this is now corrected.
[Collection and Explanation] *Bie Lu* states: Fuzi grows in the valleys of Jianwei and Guanghan. Collected in winter for Fuzi; collected in spring for Wutou.
Hongjing said: Wutou and Fuzi share the same root. Fuzi is harvested in the eighth lunar month; those with eight angles are superior. Wutou is harvested in the fourth lunar month. In spring, when the stem first emerges, it has a "brain" or head resembling a crow's head, hence the name Wutou. Those with two diverging tips sharing a base, resembling ox horns, are named Wu Hui (Aconitum raddeanum). Juice extracted and boiled yields She Wang (Aconite Poison). Tianxiong resembles Fuzi but is thinner and longer, up to three or four chi. Cezi refers to the larger corner pieces of Fuzi. All share the same root, yet *Ben Jing* states Fuzi comes from Jianwei, Tianxiong from Shaoshi, and Wutou from Langling, implying different origins have specific suitability, though distinctions are lost today.
Gong said: Tianxiong, Fuzi, and Wutou are best sourced from Mianzhou and Longzhou along the Shu Road, all processed in the eighth lunar month. Those from other places have weaker potency and differ significantly. Those from Jiangnan are unusable. Dasheng said: Tianxiong is large and long, with few angle spines and hollow inside; Fuzi is large and short, with angles, stable, and solid. Wu Hui resembles Tianxiong; Wutou is inferior to Fuzi; Cezi is smaller than Wutou. Those growing clustered are named Hu Zhang (Typhonium rhizome); all are descendants of Tianxiong, belonging to parent-child categories, differing in potency due to being old roots versus young shoots.
Kong Zangsai said: Wutou rarely has stems/shoots; the body is long and blackish, rarely having side spikes. Wu Hui has bluish skin with pointed tips; large ones bear eight or nine buds, with a depressed surrounding base, black like iron. Tianxiong is shorter, without tips, surrounded by Fuzi on all sides, bearing eleven buds, with bluish skin. Cezi are merely small, date-seed-sized nodules beside Fuzi. Mugua Zi (Muscari seeds) are abnormal forms among Hui, Fu, Wu, Xiong, and Ce, and are not used medicinally.
Baosheng said: The regular shape is Wutou; the bifurcated shape is Wu Hui; the slender, three-to-four-chi shape is Tianxiong; the root spreading like taro is Fuzi; the laterally connected is Cezi. These five items come from one source but have different names. Shoots grow about two chi high; leaves resemble *Ranunculus ternatus* and mugwort.
Song said: These five are all one substance, named according to size and length.
Song said: Currently, all five are produced in Shu, originating from the same species, with seeds from Longzhou. Before the Winter Solstice, dry fields are plowed five to seven times, fertilized with pig manure, then seeded. Weeding and hilling are done monthly until the following August. Shoots grow three to four chi high; stems are quadrangular; leaves resemble mugwort; flowers are purple-blue and spike-like; fruits are small, black, and mulberry-like. Originally only Fuzi was planted, but upon maturity, four products appear. Those two to three chi long are Tianxiong; side corners cut from Fuzi are Cezi; the smallest Fuzi are also called Cezi; the original seed is Wutou; others are Fuzi, with eight-angled ones being superior. Many are grown in Zhangming County, Mianzhou, with the best from Chishui. However, harvesting times differ from herbal texts. Note: Herbal texts say winter harvest yields Fuzi, spring harvest yields Wutou. *Bowu Zhi* states Fuzi, Wutou, and Tianxiong are one substance, harvested differently across seasons. *Guangya* says Xi Du is Fuzi. One year yields Cezi, two years Wu Hui, three years Fuzi, four years Wutou, five years Tianxiong. Now, planting for one year yields all five. Is this due to intensified cultivation methods?
Li Shizhen said: There are two types of Wutou: Those from Zhangming are the mother of Fuzi, known today as Chuan Wutou. They produce offspring in late spring, hence "spring harvest for Wutou." By winter, offspring are formed, hence "winter harvest for Fuzi." Tianxiong, Wu Hui, and Cezi are all from plants producing many offspring, named by shape; plants with few or single heads do not yield these. Those from Jiangzuo and Shannan are the Wutou listed in *Ben Jing*, known today as Caowutou (Wild Aconite). Hence, its juice is boiled into She Wang. Tao Hongjing did not know there were two types of Wutou, confusing the Wutou of Fuzi with that of She Wang, causing confusion among scholars; Lei Xiao's theory is particularly unreasonable. Yang Tianhui of the Song Dynasty wrote *Fu Zi Ji* in detail. Extracting key points clarifies matters: Mianzhou was ancient Guanghan, governing eight counties, only Zhangming produces Fuzi. Zhangming governs twenty townships, only Chishui, Lianshui, Changming, and Huichang produce Fuzi, with Chishui being the most productive. Seeds are taken from Long'an, Longzhou, Qigui, Mumen, Qingdui. Flowers have purple petals and yellow stamens, long capsules, round. Harvested in July, called "early water," shriveled and small, immature. Harvested in September is best. Seven varieties exist, same origin, different ends. The smallest initial plant is Wutou; lateral growth attached to Wutou is Fuzi; occasional lateral growth is Gezi; long attachment is Tianxiong; pointed attachment is Tian Zhui; upward projection is Cezi; scattered growth is Lou Lanzi. All are connected like children to mothers, but Fuzi is prized, hence the name. If one seed produces six or more, they are small; two or three are slightly larger; a single special production is largest. Fuzi shape: squatting, straight joints, few angles is superior; many joints/rat-milk-like is secondary; irregular, damaged, wrinkled is inferior. Text saying eight angles are good and angles are Cezi is erroneous. Color: Flower-white is superior; iron-colored is secondary; green-blue is inferior. Tianxiong, Wutou, Tian Zhui: full and firm is best. Lou Lan, Cezi: given to laborers, negligible. Note: Lou Lan in this record is Lei Xiao's Mugua Zi and Dasheng's Hu Zhang. Gezi is Wu Hui. Tian Zhui is similar to Tianxiong; no such name in medical formulas, function likely identical.
[Processing] Baosheng said: After harvesting Fuzi, Wutou, Tianxiong, Cezi, Wu Hui, soak in raw/boiled water for half a day to preserve qi. Remove and cover with white ash, changing frequently until dry. Another method: Use rice porridge and yeast dregs.
Song said: Process all five together. Method: Make large and small yeast cakes in June. Half a month before harvest, boil barley into porridge, make vinegar with yeast, remove dregs when ripe. Vinegar should not be too sour; dilute with water if necessary. Remove rootlets from Fuzi, soak in new urns for seven days, stirring daily. Remove, spread on sieves to grow a white layer. Dry in slow wind/sun for 100-110 days until thoroughly dry. Direct strong sun causes wrinkling and skin separation.
Li Shizhen said: According to *Fu Zi Ji*: This herb has many incompatibilities and cannot be easily cultivated. Good planting may yield poor shoots; lush shoots may yield empty roots; fermentation may cause rot; drying may cause contraction, as if haunted. Gardeners pray to gods, calling it "Medicine Demon." Fermentation method: Place vinegar lees in a sealed room, submerge for a month, then dry. Large ones at this stage are fist-sized but shrink to less than a handful, making one-liang specimens rare. Locals say anything over half a liang is good. Few in Shu consume it; preferred in Qin, Shan, Min, Zhe. Qin buyers get inferior grades; Min/Zhe get medium; superior grades go to nobles.
Hongjing said: For using Fuzi, Wutou, Tianxiong, roast lightly in hot ashes until cracked, not burnt. Only Jiang Fu Tang uses them raw. Common prescriptions pair Fuzi with Gancao, Renshen, Shengjiang to mitigate toxicity.
Kong Zangsai said: For Wutou, roast over mild-strong fire until wrinkled/cracked, break open. For Fuzi, choose flat-bottomed, nine-angled, iron-colored, one-liang specimens for full qi. Do not use mixed wood fire; use willow ash fire to roast until cracked. Scrape off upper buds, remove bottom tip, break open. Dig a pit under eaves, place overnight, then bake dry. For raw processing: Peel skin/tips/base, slice thinly, soak in east-flowing water and black soybeans for five days/nights, strain, sun-dry.
Zhenheng said: For Wu, Fu, Tianxiong, soak thoroughly in boy's urine, boil to reduce toxicity and aid downward movement; add salt. Alternatively, soak in urine for 2-7 days, discard bad ones, slice each into four with bamboo knife, wash with well water, change water daily, soak another 7 days, sun-dry.
Li Shizhen said: Raw Fuzi disperses; cooked Fuzi strongly tonifies. Raw use requires peeling skin/navel per raw processing method. Cooked use: Soak in water, roast until cracked, peel skin/navel, slice while hot, stir-fry until内外 yellow, remove fire toxicity before use. Another method: Boil one specimen with 2 qian Gancao, salt water, ginger juice, boy's urine each half cup, cook thoroughly, remove fire toxicity overnight.
[Flavor and Nature] Pungent, warm, highly toxic. *Bie Lu* says: Sweet, extremely hot. Pu says: Shen Nong: Pungent; Qibo, Lei Gong: Sweet, toxic; Li Dangzhi: Bitter, extremely warm, highly toxic.
Yuansu said: Extremely pungent and hot, dense qi, thin flavor, ascending and descending, Yin within Yang, floating/sinking, reaching all meridians, a guiding herb for various meridians.
Haoguo said: Enters Shaoyang Sanjiao and Mingmen; nature moves rather than stays, unlike Ginger which stops and does not move.
Zisizhen said: Cooked Fu paired with Mahuang provides tonification within dispersion (Zhongjing's Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Tang, Mahuang Fuzi Gancao Tang). Raw Fu paired with Ganjiang provides dispersion within tonification (Zhongjing's Ganjiang Fuzi Tang, Tongmai Sini Tang).
Yuanli said: Fu without Ganjiang is not hot; with Gancao, nature becomes mild; with Guizhi, tonifies Mingmen.
Lidao said: Fu with Shengjiang disperses; attacks heat with heat; guides deficient heat downward to cure cold diseases.
Zhicai said: Didan is the assistant. Dislikes Centipede. Feared by Fangfeng, Heidou, Gancao, Renshen, Huangqi.
Li Shizhen said: Feared by Ludou, Wujiu, Tongxiao, Xijiao. Taboo with Douzhi. With Shujiao, Yanshi, reaches Mingmen.
[Main Actions] Wind-cold coughing against Qi, evil Qi, warms the middle, cold-damp bi pain, spasmodic knee pain, inability to walk, breaks masses/stagnation/blood accumulations, metallic wounds (*Ben Jing*). Wind-cold of waist/spine, leg pain/cold weakness, heart/abdominal cold pain, cholera with cramps, dysentery with red/white discharge, strengthens Yin, firms muscle/bone, induces abortion, chief of hundred herbs (*Bie Lu*). Warms spleen/stomach, removes spleen dampness/kidney cold, tonifies lower jiao yang deficiency (Yuansu). Removes deep cold of zang/fu, jue ni of Three Yang, dampness-induced abdominal pain, stomach cold with ascariasis, treats amenorrhea, tonifies deficiency, dissipates stagnation (Haoguo). Du Mai disease, stiff spine with jue ni (Haoguo). Treats Three Yin Shanghan, yin du cold hernia, cold stroke/phlegm/jue qi, Rou Ji epilepsy, pediatric slow convulsion, wind-damp paralysis, swelling/Hong Kong foot (gout), head wind, kidney jue headache, sudden diarrhea with yang collapse, chronic dysentery/spleen leakage, cold malaria/miasma, chronic vomiting/regurgitation, fanwei/yige, non-healing carbuncles/ulcers, chronic leaking cold sores. Mix with onion juice, insert in ear to treat deafness (Li Shizhen).