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Also known as Jin Gong Hua (Forbidden Palace Flower), Jian Jin Hua (Sheared Gold Flower), and Jin Zhen Yin Tai (Golden Chalice Silver Pedestal). It is commonly found in wheat fields. The stems and leaves are all green, with seedlings growing one to two chi high. It bears small red and white flowers shaped like bells. The fruit resembles that of Physalis alkekengi (Chinese lantern plant), with a shell having five ridges, enclosing a single seed about the size of a bean. Inside the seed are fine particles black like radish seeds, perfectly round like tiny beads.

[Seedlings and Seeds]
The flavor is bitter and sweet, nature is neutral, belonging to Yin within Yang. It enters the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. It treats wind-toxicity, unblocks blood vessels, removes internal obstruction caused by wind-bi (wind-pain syndrome), relieves mental restlessness, promotes urination, and induces lactation. It treats irregular menstruation and difficult labor in women, and heals carbuncles, ulcers, and malignant sores. It also stops bleeding and relieves pain from metallic wounds. It can penetrate the blood level and is a herb that clarifies the Chong and Ren meridians. Folk saying goes: "Shan Jia (Pangolin scales) and Wang Bu Liu Xing (Vaccaria seeds), once taken by women, milk flows long." This reveals its nature. In the past, a woman suffered from Lin syndrome (a disease characterized by frequent, urgent, painful, and scanty urination), and various medicines were ineffective. She used more than ten leaves of Jian Jin Hua, decocted in water and taken orally; her condition improved by eight parts after the first dose, and was cured after the second dose. (Li Shizhen) Zhang Zhongjing used Wang Bu Liu Xing San (Vaccaria Powder) to treat metallic wounds. The Zhenyuan Guangli Fang used Wang Bu Liu Xing Tang (Vaccaria Decoction) to treat various wind-spasms (tetanus-like symptoms with neck stiffness, trismus, and opisthotonos), both being highly effective. Used together with Lu Lu (Euphorbia humifusa), Bei Mu (Fritillaria bulb), Ling Li Jia (Pangolin scales), Qing Yao, Shan Ci Gu (Fritillaria cirrhosa), Shan Dou Gen (Sophora tonkinensis), and Gua Lou Gen (Trichosanthes root), it treats Ru Yan (breast cancer/tuberculosis) and Ru Yong (acute mastitis). Used together with Shan Jia (Pangolin scales), Bai Zhi (Angelica dahurica), Tong Cao (Tetrapanax papyrifer stem), and pig's trotter juice, boiled and taken, it induces lactation. Yongquan (KI1, Kidney 1, located in the depression anterior to the heel pad) is treated for insufficient lactation due to Qi stagnation using Wang Bu Liu Xing (Vaccaria seeds), Shan Jia (Pangolin scales, processed), Long Gu (Fossilized bones), Qu Mai (Dianthus herb), and Mai Dong (Ophiopogon tuber), ground into powder in equal proportions. Take one qian per dose, mixed with hot wine, followed by pig's trotter soup, and comb the breasts with a wooden comb three times daily. For early-stage Ding zhong (furuncle/carbuncle), use Wang Bu Liu Xing Zi (Vaccaria seeds) ground into powder, combined with Chan Su (Toad venom) to make pills the size of millet grains. Take with wine; sweating indicates recovery.

[Discussion]
Wang Bu Liu Xing inherits the Qi of Earth, Metal, and Fire, hence its bitter and sweet flavor and neutral nature. Neutral implies a pungent characteristic. Its Qi should be warm; bitterness can drain/descend, pungency can disperse, and it further promotes urination.

Hu Zhang (Persicaria polymorpha): "Zhang" refers to its stick-like stem, "Hu" refers to its tiger-like spots. Also known as Ku Zhang (Bitter Stick) or Du Niu Xi (Du Cow's Knee). The stem resembles Polygonum orientale (Japanese knotweed), leaves are round like apricot leaves, branches are yellow like chrysanthemum, and color resembles peach blossoms. It grows everywhere. Seedlings emerge in March, flowers bloom in July, and fruiting continues until September.

[Root]
Flavor is sweet and slightly bitter, nature is slightly warm. It primarily treats blood stasis and mass formation, breaks up wind-toxicity and stagnant Qi, and addresses wind lodged between bone joints. Decocted in wine and taken, it treats severe heat and irritability, promotes urination, and suppresses all types of heat-toxicity. Roasted, ground into powder, and made into pills with refined honey, taken with aged rice wash, it treats intestinal hemorrhoids with bleeding. Ground into powder and taken with wine, it treats postpartum blood stasis pain and is effective for fainting due to falls/trauma.

Decocted with water, the liquid is amber-colored and very sweet. It treats abdominal distension with borborygmus (rumbling intestines), heavy limbs, and also male accumulations (abdominal masses). Taking the dregs, adding five sheng of strong wine, and boiling until thick like malt syrup, take one he per dose. Add five he of water, boil to one zhan, remove dregs... [Text fragmentary]. ...bearable, sand and stones pass into the urinal with a pebbling sound, curing hundred diseases.

[Discussion]
Hu Zhang moves blood, resembling Tian Ming Jing (Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum); treating wind, it resembles Wang Bu Liu Xing. Observing that it best resolves summer-heat toxicity, it clears clustered heat from the source of blood generation. Therefore, its treatment of the Hand Jueyin Pericardium (blood organ) and Foot Jueyin Liver (wind organ) is as immediate as striking a drum with a mallet. Additionally, Hu Zhang, also known as Ku Zhang, is used in formularies to treat various Lin syndromes. Also known as Du Niu Xi, Zhu Danxi used it as a key herb for Lin syndrome caused by Qi and Blood injury in the elderly, incorporating it into tonic formulas. Thus, while some claim it harms deficient persons, if used concurrently with tonics, it should be acceptable.