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**Yi Zhi Zi (Alpinia Oxyphylla Fruit) from Leizhou**

Pungent in flavor, warm in nature. Non-toxic. Produced annually in the prefectures of Lingnan. For medicinal use, remove the shell, take the kernel, and grind it into powder. It primarily regulates Jun Huo and Xiang Huo (referring to Heart Fire and Kidney/Mingmen Fire), and enters the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney meridians. In Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction), it enters the Spleen; in Ji Xiang Wan (Gathering Fragrance Pill), it enters the Lung; in Feng Sui Gao (Phoenix Marrow Paste), it enters the Kidney. Its alternating use across these three meridians implies a relationship of mutual generation between mother and child organs. It harmonizes Middle Qi and dispels Cold Evil in the Spleen and Stomach, prevents seminal emission, and treats urinary incontinence. It stops vomiting and hiccup, controls saliva, regulates various Qi mechanisms to calm the Triple Burner. It is further used to treat frequent urination at night; when decocted with salt, it yields immediate results.

**Suo Sha Mi (Amomum Villosum Fruit, i.e., Sha Ren)**

Pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in nature. Non-toxic. Produced in Persia and in the mountains and marshes of Lingnan. The plant grows about three or four chi high, resembling the stems and leaves of Galangal. Leaves are eight or nine cun long and half a cun wide. Flowers bloom near the root, delicate and charming; fruits form clustered spikes. The skin is tight, thick, and heavily wrinkled, with a slightly reddish-yellow color. Eight seeds cluster together like millet grains, hence the name "Suo Sha Mi" (Shrinking Sand Honey). Harvested in autumn and dried in the shade, refined according to standard procedures. First stir-fried slowly with the skin until cooked, then the shell is removed, the kernel taken, ground, and decocted. When paired with Yi Zhi Zi and Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) as guiding herbs, it enters the Spleen; when paired with Bai Tan Xiang (White Sandalwood) and Dou Kou (Cardamom), it enters the Lung. When paired with Fu Ling (Poria) as a guiding herb, it enters the Bladder and Kidney; when paired with Chi Shi Zhi (Red Halloysite) and Bai Shi Zhi (White Halloysite), it enters the Large and Small Intestines. It expels Huo Luan (Cholera-like syndrome), stops nausea. It relieves abdominal pain and calms the fetus, warms the Spleen and Stomach, and directs Qi downward. It treats deficiency-type cold diarrhea and indigestion due to retained food, stops red and white dysentery as well as chronic intermittent dysentery. Generally, because it promotes the circulation of stagnant Qi, its effects are miraculous. It has a strong aroma that aids in sobering up and removing alcohol odors, and is excellent for seasoning dishes.

**Cao Gu (Tsaoko Cardamom Fruit)**

Pungent in flavor, warm in nature. Ascending and Yang in nature. Non-toxic. Grows only in Fujian and Guangdong regions, harvested in August. The internal seeds are large and clustered, while the outer shell is tight, thick, black, and wrinkled. For medicinal preparation, the seeds are taken and chopped. The aroma is often overpowering due to its extreme pungency and acridity. In summer, it is frequently used in preparing raw fish. Therefore, in major spice formulas for culinary use, it is invariably relied upon as the chief ingredient. It eliminates retained food, immediately relieving fullness and distension; it expels pathogenic factors and alleviates cold-induced pain. Paired with Suo Sha Mi, it warms the Middle Jiao; assisting Chang Shan (Dichroa Root), it intercepts epidemic malaria. It repels mountain miasma and damp-heat pathogens, and stops Huo Luan and nausea.
(Chen Jiamo) Commentary: Cao Gu was not originally listed in the *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica). Current examination of medical texts supplements this omission. However, its pungency and acridity are excessive; when decocted with other herbs, its aroma alone is overpowering, which is evident. Although it specializes in digestion and elimination, it severely depletes Yuan Yang (Primal Yang). Elderly, weak, emaciated, and deficient individuals must strictly avoid its use.