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Ba Dou (Crotonis Fructus)

Pungent in taste, warm in nature. Raw is warm, cooked is cold; the property is fierce. It floats upward, being Yang within Yang. The qi is thin while the flavor is strong; it is heavy in substance and descends. It possesses great toxicity. It originates from Ba Commandery, also known as Ba Jiao (Ba Pepper). It is incompatible with Qian Niu Zi (Pharbitidis Semen), and its properties are opposed to "E Cao" (likely referring to a specific herb like Sparganii Rhizoma or generally antagonistic herbs, translated literally as 'avoids grass/herbs'). It is contraindicated with Lu Sun (Asparagus Fern Shoots), Jiang (Sauce), Chi Dou Chi (Prepared Soybean), and Leng Shui (Cold Water); it fears Da Huang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma), Li Lu (Veratri Radix), and Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma). Processing by fire is preferred, with Yuan Hua (Genkwa Flos) used as an guiding herb. Harvested in August, dried in the shade with the shell intact. It has the ability to purge and attack, truly acting as a general who breaches gates and seizes passes. When used for treating diseases, one must distinguish between urgent and gradual approaches. For urgent purgation to unblock water and grain, remove the skin, heart, membrane, and oil completely, and use raw. For gradual treatment to dissipate hard accumulations, stir-fry until smoke ceases and it turns yellow-black (cooked). (Another view states: Stir-frying until yellow-black may be excessive; it is better to remove the heart and membrane, boil five times, changing the water each time, boiling once per change.) Although it can unblock the intestines, it can also stop diarrhea, which is unknown to the world. Danxi said: It can remove cold accumulation in the stomach; those without cold accumulation should avoid it. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* further states: If a person swallows one seed, they will desire death. A rat eating it for three years reaches a weight of thirty jin. The mutual tolerance of substances is indeed so profound!

Su Fang Mu (Sappan Lignum)

Sweet and salty in taste, neutral in nature. It can ascend and descend, being Yin within Yang. Non-toxic. It grows mostly overseas and is suitable for dyeing red. In medicine, only the center wood is used; decocted with wine, it specifically moves stagnant blood. In gynecology, it facilitates menstruation and immediately eliminates postpartum retained blood. In surgery, it relies on dispersing swelling and carbuncles, and expelling dead blood from falls and blows. Combined with Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), it disperses wind-qi in the exterior and interior; blended with Ru Xiang (Olibanum), it treats lockjaw due to wind-pathogen.

He Li Le (Terminalia Chebulae Fructus)

Bitter and sour in taste, warm in nature. Bitterness is heavy, sourness is light; the property is rapid and prefers descending, belonging to Yin. Non-toxic. It grows throughout Lingnan, but the produce from Guangzhou is superior. Those with six ridges and black color are the best; after roasting over fire, the core is removed before decoction. It eliminates retained food, removes abdominal distension, and promotes fluid circulation; it breaks Qi stagnation, stops chronic dysentery, and treats intestinal wind. It opens the appetite and astringes the intestines, dispels phlegm, and stops coughing. Furthermore, due to its sour and bitter taste, it has the effect of astringing and descending fire. Therefore, it can treat extreme injury and depression of Lung Metal, characterized by distension, fullness, wheezing, urgency, and incessant coughing.