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(Recorded in the Middle Category of *Shennong Bencao Jing*)

**[Names]** Longsha (from *Shennong Bencao Jing*), Beixiang (from *Mingyi Bielu*), Beiyán (from *Mingyi Bielu*).
Li Shizhen said: These names are difficult to explain. Some say it is because its taste is numbing and its color is yellow, but it is uncertain if this is true. Zhang Yi in *Guangya* stated: Longsha is Mahuang (*Ephedrae Herba*). Gougu is the root of Mahuang. It is unknown why they are distinguished in this manner.

**[Collection and Explanation]** *Mingyi Bielu* states: Mahuang grows in Jin region and Hedong. The stems should be harvested at Start of Autumn and dried in the shade until green.
Tao Hongjing said: Those produced in Qingzhou, Pengcheng, Xingyang, and Zhongmu are superior, being green and foamy. There is also some in Shu, but it is not good.
Su Gong said: There are the most in Lutai of Zhengzhou and the sandy islets along the river in Shayuan of Guanzhong. Since there is plenty in Tongzhou Shayuan, those from Qingzhou and Xuzhou are no longer used.
Yu Xi said: According to Duan Chengshi's *Youyang Zazu*: Mahuang flowers at the tips of its stems; the flowers are small and yellow, growing in clusters. The fruit resembles a raspberry and is edible.
Su Song said: It is now abundant near Bianjing, with those from Xingyang and Zhongmu being the best. Sprouts emerge in spring; by the fifth month of summer, they grow to about one chi in height. Yellow flowers appear at the tips, and the fruits resemble lily petals but are smaller, similar to soap bean pods. They taste sweet, have a slight Mahuang aroma, red outer skin, and black inner seeds. The roots are purple-red. Folklore says there are male and female varieties: females flower in the third and fourth months and bear fruit in the sixth month; males do not flower or bear fruit. Stems are harvested after Start of Autumn and dried in the shade.
Li Shizhen said: The root bark is yellowish-red, and long ones approach one chi in length.

**Stem**

**[Processing]** Tao Hongjing said: When using, break off the nodes and roots. Boil in water for more than ten boils, skim off the foam on the surface with a bamboo strip. The foam causes irritability because the nodes and roots stop sweating.

**[Flavor and Properties]** Bitter, warm, non-toxic. *Mingyi Bielu* states: Slightly warm. Pu said: Shennong and Leigong considered it bitter and non-toxic; Bian Que considered it sour; Li Dangzhi considered it neutral. Xu Zhicai said: Sweet, neutral. Zhang Yuansu said: Warm in nature, bitter yet sweet and pungent in flavor. The qi and flavor are both thin, light, clear, and floating; it belongs to Yang and ascends. It is a herb for the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, enters the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, and also travels through the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian and Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian.
Li Shizhen said: Mahuang is slightly bitter and pungent, hot in nature, and light and uplifting. Monk Jihong said: In Zhongmu, where Mahuang grows, snow does not accumulate in winter because it drains internal Yang. Therefore, excessive use drains true Qi. From this, its hot nature can be known. For those who experience continuous spontaneous sweating after taking Mahuang, soaking the hair in cold water and applying powder will stop it. When taking Mahuang preparations, one must avoid wind for one day; otherwise, the illness may recur. Whenever using Mahuang, it should be combined with Huangqin (*Scutellariae Radix*).
Xu Zhicai said: Houpo (*Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex*) and Baiwei (*Clematidis Radix*) act as its guiding herbs. It is incompatible with Xin yi (*Magnoliae Flos*) and Shi wei (*Pyrrosiae Folium*).

**[Indications]** Wind-stroke, Shanghan (Cold Damage) headache, Wenre (Warm Febrile Disease), releasing the exterior and inducing sweating, eliminating pathogenic heat, stopping cough and rebellious Qi, removing chills and fever, breaking up masses and accumulations, treating red-black spots and toxins. Do not take in large amounts as it causes deficiency (*Mingyi Bielu*). Treats toxic wind-damp bi-syndrome on the body, insensitivity of skin and flesh, main indications for high fever and epidemic diseases, mountain miasma (Zhen Quan). Opens the nine orifices, regulates blood vessels, opens pores and skin (Ma Zhi Ning). Removes cold pathogens from the Ying (Nutrient) level, disperses wind-heat from the Wei (Defensive) level (Zhang Yuansu). Disperses red eyes and swelling, edema and wind-swelling, postpartum blood stasis (Li Shizhen).

**[Elucidation]** Tao Hongjing said: Mahuang treats Shanghan; it is the primary herb for resolving the muscle layer.
Su Song said: Zhang Zhongjing treated Shanghan with Mahuang Tang, Gegen Tang, Da Qinglong Tang, and Xiao Qinglong Tang, all using Mahuang. For treating lung wasting with rebellious Qi, she used Shegan Mahuang Tang and Houpo Mahuang Tang, both major formulas.
Li Gao said: Light herbs can remove excess; Mahuang and Gegen belong to this category. Excess pathogens of the Six Evils lodge between the Yang level and skin/hair, closing the couli (pores), blocking Ying and Wei Qi and Blood circulation, thus termed "excess." These two herbs are light and clear in form, so they can remove this pathogen. Mahuang is slightly bitter and hollow in shape, representing Yang within Yin. It enters the Foot-Taiyang Water Meridian. This meridian runs down the back; since it is inherently cold and receives external cold, it is suitable for inducing sweating to expel cold pathogens from the skin and Qi level, thereby relieving exterior excess. If sweating is induced excessively, sweat loss leads to Yang collapse. Using it for conditions like dietary fatigue, chronic disease spontaneous sweating, or exterior deficiency would deplete original Qi, so caution is required.
Wang Haogu said: Mahuang treats Wei-level excess; Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) treats Wei-level deficiency. Although both are used for Taiyang syndrome, they actually regulate Ying and Wei. The Heart governs Ying as Blood; the Lung governs Wei as Qi. Thus, Mahuang is a formula for the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, while Guizhi is for the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. For Shanghan or wind-strike with cough, using Mahuang and Guizhi constitutes the source of decoctions.
Li Shizhen said: Mahuang is a specific herb for the Lung Meridian, hence widely used for lung diseases. Zhang Zhongjing used Mahuang for Shanghan without sweating and Guizhi for those with sweating. Past famous physicians explained this merely by following the text, without investigating its essence. Li Shizhen often pondered this and seems to have gained insight different from previous explanations. Body fluids transform into sweat; sweat is essentially blood. Within Ying, it is blood; within Wei, it is sweat. Cold injures Ying, causing stagnation of Ying blood internally, preventing connection to Wei. Wei Qi becomes closed and solid, body fluids fail to circulate, resulting in no sweating, fever, and aversion to cold. Wind injures Wei, causing leakage of Wei Qi externally, failing to protect Ying internally. Ying Qi becomes weak, body fluids are not secured, resulting in sweating, fever, and aversion to wind. However, wind-cold pathogens enter via the skin and hair. Skin and hair are the exterior correspondence of the Lung. The Lung governs Wei Qi, encompassing the whole body, resembling Heaven. Although this syndrome belongs to Taiyang, the Lung actually receives the pathogen. Symptoms often include red face, oppression, cough with phlegm, wheezing, and chest fullness—are these not lung diseases? Generally, when the exterior is closed, pathogenic heat attacks inward, causing Lung Qi stagnation. Therefore, Mahuang and Gancao (Licorice) are used to draw out Ying-level pathogens to the muscle surface, assisted by Xingren (Apricot Seed) to drain the Lung and benefit Qi. If wheezing persists without high fever after sweating, Shigao (Gypsum) is added. Zhu Gong's *Huo Ren Shu* advises adding Shigao and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) after Summer Solstice; these are herbs that drain Lung fire. Thus, although Mahuang Tang is a heavy sweating agent for Taiyang, it is实质上 (substantially) a herb to disperse Lung Fire stagnation. When couli are not tight, body fluids leak outward, and Lung Qi becomes deficient. Deficiency requires tonifying the mother (Earth generates Metal). Therefore, Guizhi combined with Gancao disperses wind pathogens externally to rescue the exterior and suppresses Liver Wood internally to protect the Spleen. Assisted by Shaoyao (Peony Root) to drain Wood and secure the Spleen, draining the East to supplement the West. Guided by Jiang (Ginger) and Zao (Jujube) to move Spleen fluids and harmonize Ying and Wei. After purgation, if mild wheezing occurs, add Houpo and Xingren to benefit Lung Qi. After sweating, if the pulse is deep and slow, add Renshen (Ginseng) to benefit Lung Qi. Zhu Gong added Huangqin to create Yangdan Tang to drain Lung heat. All these are herbs for the Spleen and Lung. Thus, although Guizhi is a light agent for resolving the muscle layer in Taiyang, it is substantially a herb for regulating the Spleen and rescuing the Lung. This is a secret principle unexplored for millennia, which I hereby reveal. Additionally, for Shaoyin syndrome with fever and deep pulse, there are Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Tang and Mahuang Fuzi Gancao Tang. Shaoyin and Taiyang are interior-exterior pairs. As Zhao Sizhen stated, prepared Fuzi combined with Mahuang represents tonification with release. A gentleman of the Imperial Guard drank alcohol until dawn in summer and suffered from watery diarrhea lasting several days, with food and water passing directly through. Taking diuretics, digestive aids, and lifting agents worsened the condition. Li Shizhen diagnosed a floating and slow pulse, straining of the large intestine, and recurrent hemorrhoids. This was due to excessive mixed consumption of meat, raw/cold foods, and tea, suppressing Yang Qi in the lower jiao, leading to Wood excess and Earth deficiency. As stated in *Suwen*, chronic wind becomes undigested stool diarrhea. The treatment method should be to lift and raise. He administered Xiao Xuming Tang, and he recovered after one dose. Previously, Zhang Zhongjing treated Shanghan after six or seven days and severe purgation, presenting with deep and slow pulse, cold limbs, throat discomfort, spitting pus and blood, and uncontrollable diarrhea, using Mahuang Tang to calm Liver and Lung and promote rising and dispersing. This illustrates the same principle. Divine understanding applies to such cases.

**[Attached Formulas]** Five old formulas, seven new formulas.
For Tianxing (epidemic) febrile disease, in the first one or two days: Take 1 liang of Mahuang (remove nodes). Boil in 4 sheng of water, remove foam, reduce to 2 sheng, strain. Add 1 spoon of rice and Dou (soybeans) to make a thin porridge. Bathe with herbal soup first, then eat the porridge, cover thickly to induce sweating, and recover. (Meng Shen *Bixiao Fang*)
Take 10 jin of Mahuang (remove nodes), 4 sheng of Xingren (remove skin, stir-fry), 1 jin 13 liang of Dahuang (Rhubarb). Soak Mahuang in 5 dan 4 dou of snow water in an east-facing stove pot for three nights. Add Dahuang, stir evenly, boil with mulberry wood fuel until reduced to 2 dan, strain. Add Xingren, boil until reduced to 6-7 dou, strain, place in a copper vessel. Add 3 dou of snow water, boil together to obtain 2 dan 4 sheng. Make pills the size of bullet seeds. For patients, dissolve one pill in 5 he of boiling white water and take; sweating will occur immediately. If not cured, take another pill. Seal the medicine to prevent gas leakage. (*Qianjin Fang*)
Huang Chunjiu Tang: Take 1 bundle of Mahuang (remove nodes, wrap in cotton). Boil in 5 sheng of fine wine until reduced to half a sheng. Take in one dose to induce slight sweating. Use water for boiling in spring. (*Qianjin Fang*)
Internal Water Yellow Swelling: Zhang Zhongjing said: Whole body and face yellow swelling, deep pulse, difficulty urinating, treat with Gancao Mahuang Tang. Take 4 liang of Mahuang (boil in 5 sheng water, remove foam), add 2 liang of Gancao, boil to obtain 3 sheng. Take 1 sheng per dose, repeat until sweating occurs. If no sweat, take again. Avoid wind and cold. *Qianjin* says: For patients with chronic Qi deficiency turning into water disease, swelling above the waist, this formula induces sweating. Deep pulse in edema belongs to Shaoyin; floating pulse indicates wind; distension due to deficiency indicates Qi, neither of which is water.
Mahuang Fuzi Tang induces sweating: Take 3 liang of Mahuang (boil in 7 sheng water, remove foam), add 2 liang of Gancao, 1 Pao Fuzi (Prepared Aconite Root). Boil to obtain 2.5 sheng. Take 8 fen per dose, three times a day, to induce sweating. (Zhang Zhongjing *Jingui Yaolue*)
Wind-Bi Cold Pain: Take 5 liang of Mahuang (remove roots), 2 liang of Guixin (Cinnamon Bark), grind to powder. Boil in 2 sheng of wine slowly until like syrup. Take one spoon per dose, mixed with hot wine, until sweating occurs. Avoid wind. (*Shenghui Fang*) Pediatric Slow Spleen Wind, caused after vomiting/diarrhea: Take 10 Mahuang (5 cun long, remove nodes), 2 pieces of Baizhu (finger-nail size), 2 Quanxie (Whole Scorpion, wrapped in fresh Bohe leaves and roasted). Grind to powder. For children under two years, take 1 zi; over three years, take 0.5 qian, taken with Bohe soup. (*Shenghui Fang*)
Corpse Throat Pain and Bi, inability to speak: Wrap Mahuang in blue cloth, burn in a smoke tube to fumigate. (*Shenghui Fang*)
Postpartum abdominal pain and incomplete expulsion of blood: Remove nodes from Mahuang, grind to powder. Take 1 fangcunbi with wine, 2-3 times a day. Stop when blood is fully expelled. (*Zimu Milu*)
Palpitations below the heart: Banxia Mahuang Wan: Take equal parts Banxia (Pinellia Tuber) and Mahuang, grind to powder, mix with refined honey to make pills the size of soybeans. Take 3 pills per dose with water, three times a day. (*Jingui Yaolue*)
Smallpox Inversion: Kou Zongshi said: Take 0.5 liang of Zhengzhou Mahuang (remove nodes), stir-fry with 1 spoon of honey for a long time. Boil in 0.5 sheng of water for several boils, remove foam, boil again to reduce by one-third, strain and take hot. Avoid wind, and the sores will reappear. Another method: Boil in ash-free wine for faster effect. The son of Li Yong, a pen maker in Xianyuan County, suffered from smallpox inverted by wind-cold and was critical. One dose of this made them recover miraculously.
Various Wind-Stroke Diseases: Take 1 cheng of Mahuang (remove roots). On Wangxiang days or Yimao days, collect 3 dan 3 dou of flowing water from the east. Place 5-7 dou in a clean pot, boil five times, skim foam, gradually add water until total volume is 3-5 dou. Filter out Mahuang, let settle, filter dregs, take clear liquid, boil again to 1 dou, settle and filter again, take juice, boil until reduced to half a sheng. Seal tightly and store; usable for 1-2 years. Take 1-2 spoons per dose, dissolved in hot water to induce sweating. Stir frequently during boiling to prevent burning at the bottom. Avoid letting chickens, dogs, or women see it. This is Liu Shouzhen's secret formula. (*Xuanming Fanglun*)

**Root Nodes**

**[Flavor and Properties]** Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.

**[Indications]** Stops sweating. In summer, mix with powder and apply topically (Tao Hongjing).

**[Elucidation]** Zhen Quan said: Mahuang root nodes stop sweating; mix with powder from old bamboo fans and apply. Also, equal parts Muli (Oyster Shell), Su Fen (Millet Powder), and Mahuang Gen (Mahuang Root) ground to powder, stored in raw silk bags. Apply to areas with night sweats and rub with hands.
Li Shizhen said: The qi of Mahuang for inducing sweating is rapid and uncontrollable, while the root nodes stop sweating effectively like an echo. The wonder of natural principles is immeasurable. Spontaneous sweating includes syndromes of wind-damp, wind-strike, wind-warmth, Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, Spleen deficiency, Yin deficiency, Stomach heat, phlegm-fluid retention, heatstroke, Yang collapse, and Rou Jing (flexible spasms); all can be treated by adding appropriate herbs. Danggui Liuhuang Tang added with Mahuang Gen treats night sweats particularly effectively. Because its nature can travel through the entire body surface, it guides other herbs to the Wei level to secure couli. Materia Medica only knows the topical application method, unaware that internal administration is even better.

**[Attached Formulas]** Newly added.
Night Sweats and Yin Sweats: Grind Mahuang Gen and Muli powder, apply topically.
Unstoppable Night Sweat: Equal parts Mahuang Gen and Jiaomu (Sesame Seed), grind to powder. Take 1 qian per dose with ash-free wine. Externally, apply powder made from Mahuang Gen and old cattail fan.
Pediatric Night Sweats: Take 3 fen Mahuang Gen, 1 fen ash from old cattail fan, grind to powder. Take 3 fen with milk, three times a day. Also, mix 3 fen Ganjiang (Dried Ginger) as powder and apply 3 fen topically. (*Gujin Luyan*)
Various Deficiencies with Spontaneous Sweating, worse at night, leading to emaciation: Take 1 liang each of Huangqi (Astragalus Root) and Mahuang Gen. Wash Muli in rice wash water, grind to powder. Take 5 qian per dose with 2 zhan of water and 100 Xiaomai (Wheat Kernels), decoct and take. (*Heji Ju Fang*)
Excessive Deficiency Sweating: Equal parts Mahuang Gen and Huangqi, grind to powder, make pills with flour paste the size of wutzi. Take 100 pills per dose with Fu Mai (Floating Wheat) soup, stop when sweating ceases. (*Tan Ye Weng Shiyian Fang*)
Postpartum Deficiency Sweating: Take 1 liang each of Huangqi and Danggui, 2 liang Mahuang Gen. Take 1 liang per dose, decoct in water.
Labor Fever: Take 1 liang each of Mahuang Gen and Shi Liuhuang (Native Sulfur), 1 he of rice flour. Grind to powder and apply. (*Qianjin Fang*)
Internal and External Cataracts: Take 1 liang Mahuang Gen, 1 qian Danggui Shen (Angelica Sinensis Root Body). Stir-fry together until black, add a little Shexiang (Musk), grind to powder. Snuff into nose, use frequently. This is a formula from Black Haier near Xiangguo Temple in Nanjing. (*Puji Fang*)

**[Appendix] Yunhua Cao**
Li Shizhen said: According to Ge Hong's *Zhouhou Beiji Fang* for treating horse mange, there is Yunhua Cao, described as resembling Mahuang, but with a solid center...