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Those from Shu (Sichuan) are of superior quality. They do not wither throughout the winter. The roots resemble linked pearls. Those with thick flesh are preferred. Because physicians often select purple ones. (The original text lacks "purple".) Local people, when harvesting the roots, boil them together with black soybeans to turn them purple. This greatly loses the original flavor and aroma. There is a type of mountain root extremely similar to it, but white in color. Locals boil it with vinegar and mix it into Morinda officinalis. It is difficult for people to distinguish. However, if broken open, those that are purple and bright/clean are fake. Although purple inside, true ones have slight whiteness, powder like pinkish hue, and slightly dull texture.

Taste: bitter, pungent, slightly sweet. Nature: slightly warm. Indications: Mainly treats severe wind-pathogen evil qi. Impotence/erection failure. Strengthens sinews and bones. Calms the five zang organs. Tonifies the middle jiao and enhances willpower. Benefits qi and aids men. Treats nocturnal emission during dreams. Strengthens yin. Directs qi downward and nourishes the Sea of Blood. Benefits essence. Cures pain in the lower abdomen and genitalia that pulls/traction sensation. Removes wind-leprosy and wandering wind on the head and face. Treats gouty arthritis (Hong Kong foot/Jamaica itch). Formulas treat stroke due to overexertion. Deficiency consumption with kidney qi deficiency causing aversion to cold and vertigo. And deficiency-type rebellious cough and asthma. (For those with primordial yang deficiency) Lower back pain. Accumulations, bi-syndrome, flaccidity syndromes, inability to eat. Clears damp-heat diarrhea. Hematuria, stranguria with turbid urine. Urinary incontinence. Hernia. Also treats eye diseases and deafness. For patients with deficiency and damage, add this herb. Rubus chingii (Fupenzi) acts as its guide drug. Averse to Alisma rhizome processed by steaming (Leiwang) and Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen). Combined with Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai), Tangerine seed (Juhe), Lychee seed (Lizhihe), Achyranthes bidentata (Niuxi), Dioscorea hypoglauca (Chuanbixie), Chaenomelis Fructus (Mugua), Chelidonis Herba (Jinlingzi), Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (Shengdihuang), it treats hernia caused by kidney deficiency. Combined with Schisandrae Fructus (Wuweizi), Cynomorii Herba (Rongshou), Cervus Cornu Pantotrichum (Lurong), Corni Fructus (Shanzhuyu), Plataginis Semen (Bairen), Psoraleae Fructus (Guzhi), Lycii Fructus (Qizi), it treats impotence. Remove Lurong and Rongshou, add Huangbai, Niuxi, Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), Shengdi, Plantaginis Seed (Cheqian), it treats white turbid discharge due to yin deficiency that persists for a long time. Combined with Cervus Cornu (Lujiao), Bairen, Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi), Nelumbinis Pistil (Lianxu), Fupenzi, Asparagi Radix (Tiandong), Huangbai, it treats nocturnal emission and demonic intercourse during dreams. Combined with Chrysanthemi Flos (Ganju), Tribuli Fructus (Jili), Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (Shichangpu), Polygoni Multiflori Radix (Heshouwu), Black Soybean (Heidou), Shanzhuyu, Tiandong, it treats wind on the head and face.

Attached Formula: Post-drinking gouty arthritis (Hong Kong foot). Morinda officinalis root 5 qian, stir-fried together with glutinous rice until the rice changes color slightly, discard the rice. Rhubarb 1 liang, cut and stir-fried. Grind together into fine powder. Make pills with mature honey. Take 50-70 pills with warm water. Continue to abstain from alcohol; the disease will be cured. (Gouty arthritis caused by excessive drinking is due to damp-heat. Rhubarb removes damp-heat. Used with Morinda because Morinda enters the Liver and Kidney meridians and unblocks their qi, allowing the damp-heat removing properties to take effect. By analogy, treatments for hernia, white turbid discharge, and nocturnal emission cannot rely solely on this herb; one must prescribe based on the etiology, using this herb to reach the primary qi of the lower jiao.)

[Discussion] The taste of Morinda starts bitter then becomes pungent, with bitterness within pungency, and slight sweetness at the end. Bitterness is the flavor of Fire. Yang fire originates from the earth, which is the True Fire of the Gate of Life (Mingmen). Hence it is said, "Without bitterness, one cannot reach the earth." Pungency is the flavor of Metal. Ascending upward, it becomes Heaven Qi, corresponding to the Lung in the human body. Hence it is said, "Without pungency, one cannot reach heaven." Pungency arises from bitterness, representing the substance of Yuan Qi (Primordial Qi); bitterness combined with pungency represents the function of Yuan Qi. Moreover, its warming nature originates from the initial qi of the earth. Observing its non-withering nature through winter, does it not embody the True Yang within Yin, thereby possessing the substance and function of Yuan Qi? The *Shennong Bencao Jing* first mentions treating severe wind-pathogen evil qi. (Yang sinking transforms into pathogen) Impotence/erection failure. (Yang function fails to reach) These describe its function. From function to substance, it is thus categorized under tonifying the middle, enhancing willpower, and benefiting qi. Zhen Quan first pointed to its substance, such as treating demonic intercourse and seminal emission. The Guanyuan point is three cun below the Zhongji point. Male essence and female blood are stored here, relying on the Mingmen above the kidney to lock and key the Yuan Qi below. This is what is meant by "Qi can control essence." Regarding the treatment of wind-leprosy, it involves both substance and function. Other various therapeutic effects all essentially revolve around benefiting Yuan Qi between substance and function. Yuan Qi is Yang within Yin and cannot exist as Yang apart from Yin. Therefore, pungent-hot drugs should not be used indiscriminately to consume yin. Although this herb is said to benefit yang, it perfects its substance from yin and exerts its function. It cannot be compared to pungent-hot herbs. For example, Prepared Rehmannia Root (Shudihuang) tonifies yin and generates yang, assisting in generating yang from within yin. Rubus chingii and Drynaria Rhizoma (Gusuibu) strengthen yin from yang, combining to strengthen yin within yang. In cases of yang deficiency generating cold, pungent-hot Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) and Aconite Root (Fuzi) are used. In cases of yang deficiency with constrained heat, bitter-cold Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian) and Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai) are used. None can dispense with this herb. It serves as the main agent for Yuan Qi. Once the main agent is established, pungent-hot herbs can remove cold, and bitter-cold herbs can clear heat. Human Yuan Qi reaches up to heaven and down to earth. Since Morinda possesses the substance and function of Yuan Qi, it can circulate like Yuan Qi, being suitable regardless of cold or heat. Thus, it treats many conditions. (Not just head wandering wind, lower abdominal pain, traction pain in genitalia, and gouty arthritis.) As the *Bencao Jing* first mentions severe wind-pathogen evil qi, other materia medica also discuss treating wind. This principle deserves careful study. The classics state: What emerges from the earth is Yang within Yin. Yang gives it correctness/righteousness, Yin serves as its master. Wind governs things emerging from the earth. This herb, though minor, embodies the meaning of Yang giving righteousness and Yin serving as master. "Generating Yang within Yin" is equivalent to "Strengthening Yin within Yang." Therefore, it not only tonifies Primordial Yang but also benefits the Sea of Blood and Essence, having multiple merits. (Human Water and Fire combine to form Qi, further relying on the interaction of Metal and Wood to achieve combination. Morinda reaching Yuan Qi upward is reaching Liver Qi transformation to the Lung; reaching Yuan Qi downward is reaching Lung Qi transformation to the Liver. The Liver is the Sea of Blood, connecting to the Mingmen of the Sanjiao, combining with Ministerial Fire to transform the Sea of Blood. Since the Lung interacts with the Liver, how can the Sea of Blood not be tonified?) In the Kidney Yuan, Essence transforming into Qi is congenital (Xiantian); Qi transforming into Essence is acquired (Houtian). The Lung is the master of Qi. Morinda, changing from bitter to pungent, reaches the function of Yuan Qi upward; returning from bitter-pungent to sweet, it reaches the function of Yuan Qi downward. The Lung directly interacts with the Liver, obtaining entry into the Sea of Blood to transform Essence. It is an agent that generates Yin from Yang. (This is called strengthening yin, directing qi downward, and benefiting essence, not merely solidifying essence.) It has its appropriate uses distinct from agents that generate Yang from Yin, and they should not be confused. Morinda treats male seminal emission primarily based on the principle that Yuan Qi can solidify essence. However, Qi and Essence mutually benefit and mutually harm. If Yuan Qi is deficient and Essence is not solid, it is Qi harming Essence, belonging to Yang deficiency. (Or fatigue damaging Middle Qi and Fatigue damaging Mingmen Yang). If Primordial Essence is deficient and Qi is not solid, it is Essence harming Qi, belonging to Yin deficiency. (Not limited to sexual excess; Six Evils and Seven Emotions can all damage Essence.) Yang deficiency means Qi insufficiency; Yin deficiency means Fire excess. Both are diseases of Yuan Qi, yet one cannot generally treat them by simply tonifying Qi. One must refer to: Before Taiji divides Yin and Yang, they merge into one Qi, called the struggle of two spirits. Once Taiji divides, Clear rises and Turbid descends. However, Clear cannot rise without Yin, and Turbid cannot descend without Yang, called the struggle of two essences. The classics attribute Spirit exclusively to the Heart, precisely stating that one Qi is merely Yin and Yang, and Yin and Yang merely divide into movement and stillness. Stillness closes, Movement opens. Closing is the guarding of Qi, Opening is the initiation of Qi. Therefore, Essence must return to Qi, and Qi especially returns to Spirit. One cannot seek responsibility solely in Yuan Qi.

Mr. Miao stated: Whenever Ministerial Fire is blazing, desires are unfulfilled, urine is red/bitter mouth, blurred vision/eye pain, irritability/thirst, dry constipation, these methods strictly contraindicate its use.

[Processing] Soak in Ligustrum lucidum fruit decoction overnight. Drain. Soak in wine for one shichen (2 hours). Mix with Chrysanthemum flowers. Cook until scorched yellow. Remove chrysanthemum. Wipe dry and use. This is the method of Lei Gong. Select those that are purple-black, heavy, large, and hollow-hearted. Do not use those that are yellow and thin. Pound out the heart. Soak in wine and bake.