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Wuyi (Torreya grandis Seed)
Taste: Pungent. Nature: Neutral. Non-toxic. Produced in Hedong and Hexi regions, with large and small varieties. The large Wuyi is much larger than elm seeds, with an odor as foul as "Xin" (a sound onomatopoeia for a bad smell), which is unbearable; the small Wuyi is slightly smaller than elm seeds (some say this is actually the elm seed itself). It has a pungent taste and can be used for fermenting sauces. For therapeutic purposes, aged material is preferred. However, those stored in the market are often salted, which severely diminishes their aroma and renders them ineffective when decocted for medicine. Therefore, when purchasing, one must select those with a fishy odor as superior; if processing for compounding, it must be passed through fire before use. It governs pathogenic qi within the five zang organs, kills Taenia saginata (pork tapeworm) and three types of intestinal parasites. It transforms food stagnation, eliminates wind-dampness in the intestines, expels cold, and relieves heart pain. It disperses wind-dampness in the skin and joints, and treats hemorrhoids, scabies, tinea, and skin ulcers.

Leiwan (Omphalia lapidescens)
Named for its pill-like shape. For medicinal use, it must be processed (soaking overnight in licorice decoction enhances its detoxifying effect). Red ones are poisonous (white ones are good). It is incompatible with Polygonum aviculare (Bianxu) and Pueraria lobata (Gegen), but compatible with Magnolia officinalis (Houpo), Daphne genkwa (Yuanhua), and Litchi chinensis seed (Lishi). It resolves stomach heat and驱 (expels) insect toxins. It kills three types of parasites and specifically white worms. It is beneficial for men but not for women (the term "beneficial" here refers to purgative/dredging action, not general benefit). It governs epilepsy with manic running, and treats sweating with aversion to wind. It can also be made into a paste for resolving accumulations, specifically to treat various diseases in children. Long-term use may cause impotence, so caution is advised.

Shancai (Cunninghamia lanceolata Wood)
Yizhou Shancai
Taste: Pungent. Nature: Slightly warm. Element: Metal. Contains Fire nature, Yang. Non-toxic. Planted extensively in the deep mountains of Jiangnan. The trunk resembles pine but is thicker and straighter; leaves grow attached to branches like needles. They do not shed in winter and can be harvested at any time. Decoction and oral administration are highly effective for epigastric and abdominal distension/pain and sudden severe heart pain. Washing with the decoction is immediately effective for urticaria, pruritic sores, and spreading knee ulcers. Boiling the nodes and soaking helps massage/treat swollen and painful feet (Hong Kong foot/jock itch context implies lower limb edema or fungal infection). Swallowing the decoction of the fungus (Shan'er) grown on old trees treats sudden pain in the heart and lungs.