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Shuiyang (Poplar Willow), also known as Puliu. The leaves are round, broad, and pointed. The branches are short and hard. It is completely different from willow trees. (Willow leaves are narrow and long, and the branches are long and soft.)

Branches and Leaves
The flavor is bitter and neutral. It treats carbuncles and swellings. It expels poisons from smallpox. Using the roots of Shuiyang to treat carbuncles and swellings, hence modern practitioners use its branches and leaves to treat smallpox lesions. Several days after the appearance of smallpox lesions, if the tops of the pustules are depressed and the pus stagnates without flowing, this is due to qi stagnation and blood stasis, with tight interstices, or caused by external obstruction of wind-cold. Take five jin (approx. 2.5 kg) of Shuiyang branches and leaves (use branches if leaves are unavailable), and one large cauldron of running water. Decoct to make a soup for warm bathing. This allows the warm energy to penetrate thoroughly, harmonizing and unblocking the stagnant steaming qi, ensuring thorough circulation of qi and blood. After some time, upon looking in the mirror, if the pustules are seen to rise with surrounding halos, it indicates that the pus is flowing. If taken internally, combined with herbs that tonify qi and blood, borrowing its ascending property can accelerate efficacy, preventing wind-cold from obstructing. If symptoms persist, bathe again. For those with weak constitution, only wash the head, face, hands, and feet. If repeated bathing fails to produce improvement, it indicates exhaustion of qi and blood, and bathing should cease. Bathing is contraindicated for newly erupted lesions or those that are itchy and collapsed.

Sufangmu (Biancaea Sappan), this tree is native to China, now commonly abbreviated as Sumu (Sappanwood).
The flavor is sweet, salty, and slightly pungent. The nature is neutral. Its descending action exceeds its ascending action; it belongs to yin within yang. It enters the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian, and also the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian and Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. It mainly treats distension and oppression caused by敗血 (decaying blood) postpartum, or syncope with locked jaw due to lochia retention. (Contraindicated if caused by excessive blood loss leading to deficiency). It also treats abdominal pain caused by turbulent qi and blood, irregular menstruation, consumptive disease with blood masses, qi congestion and stagnation, and locked jaw with inability to speak due to stroke in both men and women. It treats frequent vomiting. (Suspect blood stasis in the stomach). It breaks down sores and ulcers, and disperses wind from the interior and exterior. (Should be used with Fangfeng/Saposhnikovia Root). It can also break down dead blood, making it suitable for postpartum blood swelling and fullness approaching death. (Jiegu). Born from the qi of earth and water, its therapeutic effects all stem from entering the blood level and promoting blood circulation. The pungent and salty flavors dissipate, possessing the additional functions of softening hardness and moistening downward movement. (Zhongchun). Combined with Zelan (Lycopus Herb), Chuanxiong (Ligusticum Rhizome), Maidong (Ophiopogon Tuber), Shengdi (Rehmannia Root), Puhuang (Typha Pollen), Renru (Human Milk), Tongbian (Child's Urine), Yimucao (Leonurus Herb), Niuxi (Achyranthes Root), Heidou (Black Soybean), and Jingjiesui (Schizonepeta Spike), it is effective for treating postpartum syncope. Combined with ShanZha (Hawthorn Fruit), Yanhusuo (Corydalis Rhizome), Danpi (Moutan Bark), Zelan, Danggui (Angelica Sinensis), Wulingzhi (Trogopterus Dung), Chishao (Red Peony Root), and Honghua (Carthamus Flower), it treats postpartum "child pillow" pain. Adding Ruxiang (Frankincense) and Moyao (Myrrh) treats persistent postpartum blood masses. For cases caused by cold, add a small amount of fried black Ganjiang (Dried Ginger) and Guizhi (Cinnamon Twig). Combined with Yanhusuo, Danpi, Danggui, Niuxi, Dihuang (Prepared Rehmannia Root), Shaoyao (Peony Root), and Xuduan (Dipsacus Root), decoct into a thick liquid, add powders of Ruxiang, Moyao, Xuexue (Sappanwood), Ziran Tong (Natural Copper), Chongmabu Hui (Ash of Silk Cloth with Worms), and Huangjingzi (Vitex Fruit), adjust dosage according to severity, taking 4-5 qian (approx. 12-15 g) mixed, it works miraculously for traumatic injuries. Postpartum asthma with blackened face approaching death indicates blood entering the lungs. Use two liang (approx. 60 g) of Sumu, two bowls of water, boil down to one bowl, add five qian (approx. 15 g) of Ginseng powder, adjust as needed. Named Shen Su Yin (Ginseng and Sappan Drink), it is highly effective.

[Discussion] The flavor of Sumu is predominantly sweet with salty notes, and slightly pungent. Salty flavors enter the blood, sweet flavors enter the spleen. However, its substance is wood, and its color is red, embodying the heart's generation of blood, liver's storage of blood, and spleen's control of blood. Furthermore, the pungent flavor utilizes the qi of Metal (Lung) to facilitate blood circulation, thus its application in the blood aspect is most specialized. Generally, for harmonizing blood, use a small dose; for breaking blood, use a large dose. Regarding its ability to disperse wind, this refers to dispersing wind within the blood, such as in cases of syncope and locked jaw. Observing the terms "interior and exterior," the meaning is certainly worth pondering.
It is not suitable for postpartum abdominal pain caused by blood deficiency after lochia has ceased. (Zhongchun)

[Processing] Remove the bark and nodes, finely chop, steam with plum branches for half a day, then dry in the shade for use.