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[Collection of Explanations] Su Gong (Tang Dynasty, *Xinxiu Bencao*) records: Huanglu grows in the deep valleys of Shangzhou and Luozhou, and is very abundant in the border areas of Sichuan. The leaves are round, and the wood is yellow, which can be used for...

[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, cold, non-toxic.

[Indications] Clears irritability and heat, resolves jaundice with yellow eyes caused by alcohol intoxication; decoct in water and take orally (Su Gong). Wash red eyes as well as burns and scalds...

[Prescriptions] One new prescription.

Leprosy (Hansen's disease): Take 5 liang of Huanglu wood (crushed, soaked in 1 dou of fresh well water for 14 days, dried and powdered), 5 liang of Sufang wood, 1 dou of black sesame seeds (steamed and sun-dried nine times), 2 liang of Tianma, 1 liang each of Dingxiang and Ruxiang, ground into fine powder. Wash 1 sheng of red millet thoroughly, cook the millet porridge using the water in which the Huanglu was soaked, mash and mix with the powder, and form pills the size of paulownia seeds. Take 20-30 pills after meals, washed down with fermented grain drink (jiangshui), twice daily and once at night. (From *Shengji Zonglu*)

(Listed in Middle Grade in *Shennong Bencao Jing*)

[Correction] Merged into the "Named but Unused" category; Zhuzhe is extracted separately.

[Names] Liepo (*Rihua Bencao*), Chipo (*Mingyi Bielu*), Nongpi (synonymous), Chongpi (*Guangya*). The tree is named Zhen (*Mingyi Bielu*), and the seed is named Zhuzhe (*Mingyi Bielu*).

Li Shizhen states: Its wood is plain and its bark is thick; its flavor is pungent and acrid, and its color is purple-red. Hence the names Nongpo, Lie, and Chi.

Su Song states: *Guangya* calls it Chongpi; medical texts sometimes write it as Nongpi.

[Collection of Explanations] *Mingyi Bielu* states: Nongpo grows in Jiaozhi and Yuanju. The bark is harvested in the third, ninth, and tenth months.

Tao Hongjing states: It is currently produced in Jianping and Yidu. Those that are extremely thick with purple flesh are superior; those with thin shells and white interiors are inferior. Common prescriptions use it frequently, but Daoist practitioners do not require it.

Su Song states: It is now found in the valleys of Luoyang, Shaanxi, Jianghuai, Hunan, and Shuchuan, but those from Zizhou and Longzhou are considered the best. The trees are three to four zhang high and one to two chi in diameter. Leaves emerge in spring resembling oak leaves and remain evergreen. They bear red flowers and green fruits. The bark is deeply wrinkled and thick; those that are purple and moist are good, while thin ones are...

Kou Zongshi states: It is also found in Yixian County and Shangzhou, but the bark is thin and pale, lacking the thickness and oily purple hue of Zizhou specimens.

Li Shizhen states: The Pu tree has white skin and purple flesh, with leaves resembling oak leaves. Small flowers bloom in the fifth and sixth months; the fruit resembles holly berries, turning from green to red when ripe, containing a core. Harvested in the seventh and eighth months, it has a sweet and pleasant taste.

[Processing] ...states: Select specimens that are purple and pungent in flavor for best quality; scrape off the rough outer bark. For pills and powders... If used in decoctions, process with 8 liang of natural ginger juice until fully roasted.

Meng Shen states: Remove the rough bark before medicinal use; process with ginger juice or stir-fry after soaking.

Kou Zongshi states: It is bitter. Without ginger processing, it will irritate the throat and tongue.

[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, warm, non-toxic.

*Mingyi Bielu* states: Greatly warm. Wu Pu states: Shennong, Qibo, and Leigong consider it bitter and non-toxic; Li Dangzhi considers it slightly warm.

Li Xun states: Bitter and pungent, greatly hot.

Zhang Yuansu states: Warm in nature, bitter and pungent in flavor. Both flavor and qi are strong; it is heavy, turbid, and slightly descending, belonging to yang within yin.

Zhang Gao states: It can ascend and descend.

Xu Zhicai states: Ganjiang is its guiding herb. It clashes with Zexie, Xiaoshi, and Hanshuishi. Beans are contraindicated, as consumption disturbs qi.

[Indications] Wind-stroke and cold damage, headache with alternating chills and fever, palpitations due to fright, bi-syndrome of qi and blood, necrotic tissue, expels the three parasites (*Shennong Bencao Jing*).

Warms the middle and benefits qi, resolves phlegm and directs qi downward, treats cholera-like syndrome with abdominal pain and distension, cold rebellion in the stomach, incessant vomiting in the chest, dysentery and strangury, eliminates fright, removes lingering heat, irritability, and fullness, and thickens the intestines and stomach (*Mingyi Bielu*). Strengthens the spleen, treats retrograde vomiting, cholera with muscle cramps, cold and hot qi disorders, bladder emptying, and all qi deficiencies affecting the five zang organs causing wheezing... (Zhen Quan).

[Elucidation] Kou Zongshi states: Nongpo is used in Pingwei San to regulate the middle jiao most effectively. This herb is popular today because it warms the spleen and stomach and dispels cold qi, meeting worldly needs.

Zhang Yuansu states: Nongpo has three uses: first, to level the stomach; second, to remove abdominal distension; third, it is contraindicated for pregnant women. Although it removes distension, if... mistakenly taken with Ginseng and Astragalus (tonifying herbs) leading to bloating or asthma, this herb should be used to drain it.

Thickens the intestines and stomach, removes abdominal fullness, indeed... If the patient has excess condition, and mistakenly taking tonifying herbs causes bloating or wheezing, this herb is suitable to drain it.

Thickening the intestines and stomach and removing abdominal fullness is indeed... When combined with Chenpi and Cangzhu, it dampens distension, which is what is meant by warming the middle and benefiting qi. Combined with exterior-resolving herbs, it treats headache from cold damage; combined with dysentery-resolving herbs, it thickens the intestines and stomach. Generally, its nature and flavor are bitter and warm; bitterness drains, while warmth tonifies. Thus, Cheng Wuji stated: The bitterness of Nongpo drains abdominal fullness.

[Prescriptions] Nine old prescriptions, five new prescriptions.

Nongpo Decoction Pills: Sun Zhao states: Tonifying the kidney is不如 tonifying the spleen. When spleen and stomach qi are strong, digestion occurs. Once food is ingested, it nourishes Ying and Wei, nurtures essence and blood, and moisturizes bone marrow. Thus, *Suwen* states: Deficiency of essence is treated by flavor; deficiency of form is treated by qi. This formula greatly tonifies spleen and stomach deficiency, warms the middle, and directs qi downward.

(Slice Nongpo), boil together with 5 sheng of water until dry, remove ginger, and dry-roast Nongpo. Use 4 liang of Ganjiang, Gancao (remove stalks, dry-roast), and grind Jiang and Po into powder. Cook dates and ginger together until soft, remove ginger, mash dates, and mix with the powder to form pills the size of paulownia seeds. Take 50 pills washed down with rice drink. Another version adds Shu Fuzi. (Wang Qiu, *Baiyi Xuanfang*)

Roasted Huang (Nongpo) powdered. Take 2 qianbi mixed with rice drink as needed. (*Shenghui Fang*)

(Zhishi) 10 pieces, Dahuang 4 liang, boil 1 dou 2 sheng of water to obtain 5 sheng, add Dahuang 4 liang, boil again to 3 sheng. Take 1 sheng warm; if bowels move, take more; if not, do not take. (Zhang Zhongjing, *Jingui Yaolue*)

(Houpo) 10 pieces, large Zhishi 5 pieces, Guizhi 2 liang, Shengjiang 5 liang, boil 1 dou of water to obtain 4 sheng. Take 8 ge warm, three times daily. If vomiting, add Banxia 5 he. (*Jingui Yaolue*)

Black) powdered. Take 2 qianbi mixed with aged rice drink, three times daily. (*Doumen Fang*)

Po and Ganjiang in equal parts, powdered, honey-pilled to paulownia seed size. Take 50 pills washed down with rice drink. (Bao's Formula)

Phlegm-Fright: Zipo San: Use 1 liang of Zizhou Nongpo, Banxia (boiled seven times, soaked in ginger juice for half a day, dried) 1 qian, soak together in 3 sheng of rice wash water for 100 ke (approx. 4 hours) until water is exhausted. If not dry, apply slight heat to dry. Remove Nongpo, only powder the Banxia. Take half a qian or one zi character amount. Mix with mint tea. (Qian Yi, *Xiao'er Zhijue*)

Ginger 2 liang, water 6 sheng, boil to obtain 2 sheng, divide into three doses. This is Tao Hongjing's formula. Tang Dynasty Prince Shiquan Wang Fangqing's *Guangnan Fang* states: This formula not only treats cholera but all diseases. *Shenghui Fang*: Use Nongpo (processed with ginger juice), powder it. Take 2 qian with fresh well water, miraculous effect.

Dysentery with undigested food persisting: Nongpo 3 liang, Huanglian 3 liang, water 3 sheng, boil to 1 sheng. Take finely on an empty stomach. (*Meishi Fang*)

Freshly powdered Nongpo, pork intestine (boiled) mashed and mixed, formed into paulownia seed-sized pills. Take 30 pills washed down with ginger water. (*Shibian Liangfang*)

Spleen dysfunction and turbid kidney qi. Use Nongpo (ginger-processed) 1 liang, Baifuling 1 qian, boil one bowl each of water and wine to one bowl, take warm. (*Jingyan Liangfang*). Amenorrhea: Nongpo 3 liang (roasted and sliced). Water 3 sheng, boil to 1 sheng, divide into two doses, take on an empty stomach. Within three to four doses, miraculous effect. Add Taoren and Honghua. (*Zimu Milu*)

Zhuzhe

[Flavor and Nature] Sweet, warm, non-toxic.

[Indications] Treats scrofula, brightens eyes, benefits qi (*Mingyi Bielu*).

[Correction/Verification] *Mingyi Bielu* under "Named but Unused" states: Zhuzhe kills rats, benefits qi and brightens eyes. Also known as Baihe and Nongshi, growing among trees, with yellow stems. Bears fruit in the seventh month, black like soybeans. Tao Hongjing states: Du Zhong seeds are also called Zhuzhe. In the Nongpo section of *Mingyi Bielu*, the seed is already named Zhuzhe; yet it reappears in "Named but Unused" with identical indications, except for errors regarding "scrofula" and "rat-killing." It is unclear which is correct. The term Nongshi refers to the fruit of Nongpo, hence the bark is called Nongpi. Tao did not understand this and cited Du Zhong as a note, which is erroneous. This is now corrected.

[Appendix] Fuluan Luole Su Gong states: Grows in Kangguo. Bark resembles Nongpo, sour flavor, neutral, non-toxic. Treats all wind conditions, opens the stomach, tonifies the heart, removes cold bi-syndrome, regulates the zang-fu.