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Perilla Fructus (Zi Su)
Simple Perilla (Jian Zi Su)
Taste: Pungent. Nature: Slightly warm. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Cultivated in gardens everywhere; both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves are purple. Those with a fragrant, penetrating aroma are considered excellent. Harvested and dried on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (Dragon Boat Festival).
Releases the exterior and resolves the muscle layer; very effective in treating injuries from wind-cold.
Opens the stomach and promotes digestion; easily treats distension and fullness. Eliminates Hong Kong foot (podagra or swollen feet), also dispels bad breath. The stem slightly alleviates various qi stagnations; suitable for use by those with slightly deficient constitutions. The seed, when ground, expels phlegm, directs qi downward, and calms asthma. Moistens the lungs and heart, stops coughing and reverse flow of qi, eliminates five types of diaphragmatic obstruction, breaks up masses and hardness. Promotes urination and defecation, stops cholera-like vomiting and diarrhea.

Schizonepeta Spike (Jing Jie)
Also known as Jia Su. Harvested at the end of summer, dried in the shade for later use. Must select spikes where flowers and fruits have formed, as these clear the head and eyes and ascend upwards. Releasing the exterior, it resolves various pathogens; unifies blood vessels and transmits essence to the five zang organs. Descends stasis, removes damp-bi, breaks up accumulations, and dissipates sores. Crushed and mixed with vinegar, applied externally for wind-swelling and carbuncles; ground and mixed with wine, manages stiff rigidity caused by stroke. Also treats postpartum blood fainting; the powder is mixed into child's urine for administration.

Angelica Dahurica (Bai Zhi)
Taste: Pungent. Nature: Warm. Aroma and taste are both light; ascending and yang. Non-toxic. Grows everywhere, especially superior in the Wu region. The aroma is very fragrant and penetrating, also called "Fragrant." Roots harvested at Chushu (End of Heat) are free from insect damage (harvesting on this day prevents infestation). Select roots that are yellow and lustrous for rapid efficacy. Incompatible with Inula Flower (Xuan Fu Hua); uses Angelica Root (Dang Gui) as an assistant herb. Enters the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine meridian and Foot-Yangming Stomach meridian, and serves as a guiding herb for the Taiyin Spleen meridian. It is a key herb for relieving headaches, wind-cold, and fever in its own meridian, and also a miraculous pill for women with leukorrhea (red and white discharge), amenorrhea, and vulvar swelling. (Should be stir-fried until black before use.) Used in facial creams to remove facial scars, disperses eye itching, and stops tearing. Expels wind-cold from the Lung meridian, commonly used for wind disorders; treats blood pain in the heart and abdomen, highly suitable for pain relief. Externally disperses mastitis and back carbuncles; internally supports expulsion of intestinal wind and hemorrhoids. Drains pus, detoxifies, and promotes flesh regeneration. All kinds of sores and ulcers are treated with it. Mixed with Asarum (Xi Xin) and Magnolia Bud (Xin Yi) as ingredients, it treats chronic nasal congestion with divine effect. The leaf is named Hao Ma; Daoists often collect it to decoct and bathe in, which can kill corpse parasites.