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Bai Shi (Biota Seed)

Taste: Sweet, Pungent. Nature: Neutral. Non-toxic. Available in many regions, but those from Ganzhou (in Shaanxi Province) are particularly excellent. Those growing under eaves are most suitable; those on tombs must be strictly avoided.
Harvest the fruits after frost, remove the shells to obtain the kernels. First, soak them in fine wine and sun-dry them. Then, take the juice of Polygonatum sibiricum (Huangjing) and boil together. Stir vigorously until the liquid is completely absorbed, then stop. Grind into a fine powder resembling frost; only then is it effective when added to prescriptions.
It is incompatible with roots of Rumex crispus (Yangti), Chrysanthemum morifolium (Juhua), Medicated Leaven (Shenqu), white flour, and all kinds of stones. It is compatible with Ostrea shell (Lizhi), melon seeds, and Cinnamon twig (Guipi). It improves hearing and vision, dispels wind-cold-dampness bi-syndrome and stops pain; tonifies qi and blood, eliminates mental confusion and deficiency consumptive diseases, and arrests sweating. It treats coldness of the kidney, waist, and bladder, as well as pus and retained water. It moistens dryness of the kidney and body, increases longevity, and delays aging.
Ce Bai Ye (Biota Leaf) tastes bitter and astringent; the emerald-green, flat leaves are preferred for harvest. One must follow the seasonal regulations for harvesting (harvest from the east in spring, south in summer, and similarly in autumn and winter) to capture the vital energy of the seasons. It stops vomiting, epistaxis, metrorrhagia, and dysentery; promotes the regrowth of hair, eyebrows, and beard. It is an immortal pill for drying dampness and is an essential herb for nourishing yin. If decocted and taken with Coptis chinensis (Huanglian), pediatric intestinal parasitic dysentery will recover immediately. The white bark, when burned to ash, applied topically heals burns and scalds with ulceration and promotes hair growth; infusing the branches and joints in wine treats generalized joint wind-bi syndrome and cures scabies especially effectively. (For any cases of scabies, leprosy-like sores, or scabies in cattle and horses, burning the material to ash and applying it two or three times ensures recovery.)

Huang Qin (Scutellaria Root)

Shangzhou Huang Qin

Taste: Bitter, slightly pungent. Nature: Cold. Yang within Yin, descending in action. Non-toxic. The trees are mainly produced in Shu (Sichuan); the bark is best harvested in summer. Select the inner part that is yellow, tight, and dense as the premium grade; remove the outer brown, rough part before processing. First, soak in honey water and sun-dry at dusk. Then, coat with honey and roast near fire until dry.
It is incompatible with dried lacquer (Ganqi) and treats the San Jiao (Triple Burner). Two processing methods treat the Upper Jiao; single processing treats the Middle Jiao; unprocessed root treats the Lower Jiao. It is the principal herb of the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian and also a guiding herb for the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. Added to Astragalus Decoction (Huangqi Tang), it causes qi and strength to surge in the feet and knees, rapidly improving flaccidity syndromes (Wei Ju); combined with Atractylodes Powder (Cangzhu San, i.e., Er Miao San), it disperses and moves damp-heat in the Lower Jiao, making swelling easy to recede. Assisted by Alisma orientale (Zexie), it promotes urination for red and difficult urine; paired with Asarum (Xixin), it rubs red sores on the tongue and cheeks. (Another formula grinds it finely with Indigo naturalis (Qingdai) and adds a small amount of borneol (Bingpian); rubbing this is also effective.) It stabilizes deficiency retching and roundworms, drains latent dragon-fire. It resolves thirst (Xiao Ke), removes bone-steaming fever. Tonifies the kidney and strengthens yin, cleanses the liver and brightens the eyes. It is immediately effective for wind-intestinal bleeding with continuous hematochezia, and for heat-dysentery presenting first with heat accumulation in the bladder. It can also treat leukorrhea and dripping in women. The root is named Tan Huan, forming lumps like Poria cocos (Fuling). It treats various heart and abdominal diseases, governs longevity and immortality. When one is neither thirsty nor hungry, it calms the soul and stabilizes the spirit.
(Chen Jiamo) Commentary: The *Neijing* states: "The Kidney dislikes dryness, therefore dampness accumulates in the Kidney." Huoren Jiedu Tang uses Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin), Coptis chinensis (Huanglian), Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin - *note: text repeats Huangqin here, likely referring to specific parts or varieties, but standard interpretation involves Huangqin, Huanglian, Huangbai/Zhizi*), and Gardenia jasminoides (Zhizi). This is because Zhizi and Huangqin enter the Lung, Huanglian enters the Heart, and Huangqin enters the Kidney; the destination of drying dampness follows their respective categories. It can treat conditions above, below, inside, and outside. For heat accumulation in the middle jiao, it is indeed a crucial herb. To this day, physicians use Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) for qi deficiency, Si Wu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) for blood deficiency, Er Chen Tang (Two Aged Ingredients Decoction) for phlegm, and Jiedu Tang (Detoxification Decoction) for heat; thus, they often adhere to these formulas without change.