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This is *Jisu* (Perilla frutescens var. japonica). Commonly known as Longnao Bohe (Brain Mint). The best quality comes from the area of Longnao Gang in Dongping. Seedlings emerge in March. The stem is square and hollow. The leaves resemble those of Zisu (Purple Perilla) but are slightly longer. The leaf surface is wrinkled and green, with fine serrated edges and a purple underside. The odor is very pungent and strong. Red flowers bloom in June and July. The inflorescence forms spikes, and the seeds resemble those of Jingjie (Schizonepeta). When grown in moist and fertile soil, the plant can reach four to five chi in height. Its seeds mature earlier than those of Zisu, which flower and set seed in August; this is because Shuisu has not fully inherited the Qi of Metal.

The stems and leaves taste pungent and have a slightly warm nature. They primarily regulate descending Qi, dispel evil Qi, treat hematemesis (vomiting blood), epistaxis (nosebleed), feiwei (lung atrophy/withering), benglou (uterine bleeding), leukorrhea, and bloody dysentery. Taken as juice boiled in wine, they treat toufeng (head wind) causing dizziness, as well as postpartum stroke with persistent lochia. Eaten as raw vegetables, they eliminate acid water in the stomach. Their main efficacy lies in regulating blood and descending Qi. (Generally, for upward-rebellious bleeding conditions, they yield remarkable effects.) They clear the lungs, dispel turbidity, and promote digestion. Therefore, in the *Ju Fang* (Formulas of the Bureau of People's Welfare and Medical Relief), formulas such as Longnao Bohe Wan are used to treat vomiting, epistaxis, coughing with sputum, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, bloody strangury, bad breath, bitter or sweet taste in the mouth, and fishy odor in the throat. For persistent epistaxis, equal parts of Jisu Ye (Shuisu Leaves) and Shengdi Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) are powdered and taken with cold water. For naoyuan (nasal sinusitis) due to brain heat, and excessive nasal discharge due to lung congestion, equal parts of Jisu Ye, Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Chuanxiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Sangbaipi (Mori Cortex), Zhi Gancao (Prepared Licorice Root), and Shengdi Huang are powdered, mixed with refined honey to form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take forty pills per dose, washed down with Ginseng Decoction. For fengre tou tong (wind-heat headache) (where heat binds in the upper jiao, generating wind qi), use the following prescription: for tanjue tou tong (phlegm-jue headache), take 5 liang of Shuisu Ye, 3 liang of Zaojia (Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus) roasted, peeled, and de-seeded, and 1 liang of Yuanhua (Genkwa Flos) stir-fried with vinegar until charred. Powder them, mix with refined honey to form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take twenty pills per dose after meals, washed down with Jingjie Decoction.

[Discussion] Both Zisu and Shuisu have a pungent taste and warm nature; both belong to "Metal within Fire." However, Shuisu is more pungent than Zisu, though less warm. Furthermore, Shuisu is harvested in the seventh month to capitalize on the incoming Qi of Metal. Metal is governed by Fire, and Fire utilizes Metal; the two indeed complement and require each other. Yet, the Five Elements have periods where one acts as the sovereign while others recede or advance. For instance, Zisu leaves are purple on both sides, having fully inherited the Qi of Fire. It is harvested in the fifth month to preserve its Qi during that season. Shuisu leaves are green on top and purple underneath, meaning they do not fully inherit the Qi of Fire. Harvested in the seventh month, it follows the decline of Fire and the rise of Metal. Things that fully inherit Fire's Qi utilize Metal as Fire's function, assisting Fire in transforming Water into Blood. Thus, the Heart governs the vessels, and the vessels house Blood. Although it transforms blood, it ultimately preserves the great Fire's Qi. Conversely, things that follow Metal's Qi allow Fire to utilize Metal, enabling the transformation of Water into Blood by Fire to retain its clarifying nature. This allows the Stomach to generate it, the Spleen to control it, and the Liver to store it, so that Fire resides within Water. (Since Metal is governed by Fire, Yin obtains Yang to transform into blood, and once transformed, Qi flows freely; thus, credit seems attributable to Qi, which applies to Zisu. Since Fire utilizes Metal, Yang obtains Yin to clarify Qi, and when Qi is clear, Blood becomes tranquil; thus, credit seems attributable to Blood, which applies to Shuisu.) The ascending and descending of Water and Fire relies entirely on Wood and Metal. Metal is governed by Fire, and Wood is governed by Metal. If the Metal within Fire fails to exercise its cooling and descending function, the Liver's ascent from Yin will lack the guidance of Yin within Yang. This will cause Wood and Fire to fan each other, exacerbating pathogenic heat. Shuisu, possessing the Qi of Metal exclusively derived from Fire, would surely be ineffective for treating hematemesis, epistaxis, coughing with sputum, fishy throat odor, bad breath, and bitter taste? Although Blood is governed by the Heart and generated by the Stomach, the organ that enables Blood to return to its storage and enter the Sea of Blood is the Liver. The reason the Liver can store Blood is that Lung Qi can return to the Stomach and then reach the Liver. The reason Lung Qi can return to the Stomach is entirely due to its cooling and descending Qi, which causes Fire to join with Metal, allowing Water to reside in the middle. Wood, relying on Water as its mother, descends with Metal. After ascending, it descends, preventing Wood and Fire from fanning each other. (*Neijing* states: Injury to the Lung causes the Spleen's Qi to fail to remain, the Stomach's Qi to become unclear, meridian Qi to cease functioning, true Zang pulses to rupture, meridians to cut off, and Zang organs to leak, resulting in either epistaxis or vomiting. Analyzing this, even if Metal within Fire functions properly, can it ensure Blood returns to its storage and prevents rebellious leakage?) This herb yields special effects in blood disorders because it does not use bitter-cold herbs to retreat fire in the blood, but rather harmonizes using the mild Qi of Metal within Fire, grasping the mechanism of generation and transformation to regulate ascending and descending. This is what is meant by Fire finding its home in Water. The *Benjing* first mentions descending Qi, the principle of which can be understood. Moreover, it can treat wind disorders, further proving its specialization in regulating blood to transform Qi.

Timely Harvesting: Zisu is harvested in May, while Shuisu is harvested in July. Zisu Zi (Seeds) are harvested in September when half-dry. If harvested after frost like many commercial stems and leaves, the aroma and flavor are lost, rendering them unusable.