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In spring, it spreads on the ground like needles. Commonly called Maozhen (Cattail Spike). In March and April, it flowers into spikes, white and fluffy like cotton. The root is named Ru. It has nodes approximately one cun apart, soft, white, and tendon-like in texture, sweet as sugarcane; its roots are suitable for harvesting in June. Those with tough and short roots belong to other categories. Some flower in autumn like reeds, with sharp black seeds about one fen long that stick to clothes and prick people; these are called Guan. Some have leaves at the stem tips, powdery stems, and hairy root heads; these are called Huangjian. Others grow in Hunan and the Jianghuai region, with three-ridged leaf spines and a smell like cattails; these are called Jing (used for wrapping wine in sacrifices). Another type grows in clusters like reeds, with large leaves like cattails, reaching six or seven chi in height; this is called Mang. Its roots are generally tough and short, unsuitable for medicinal use. (Note by Zhiyi)

The taste is sweet, and the nature is cold. It belongs to Yin within Yang. It enters the Heart Merit of Hand-Shaoyin, the Spleen Merit of Foot-Taiyin, and the Stomach Merit of Foot-Yangming. It can eliminate internal heat, primarily treating emaciation due to consumptive damage, tonifying the Middle Jiao and augmenting Qi, eliminating blood stasis, blood obstruction, and associated chills and fever. (Eliminating heat thus augments Qi; blood heat leads to stasis, stasis leads to obstruction, and obstruction causes chills and fever.) It treats lung heat causing wheezing and urgency, hiccups due to Cold Damage (Shanghan), and residual heat lingering in the intestines and stomach. It stops various bleeding symptoms such as hematemesis (vomiting blood) and epistaxis (nosebleed), uterine bleeding and spotting in women, irregular menstruation, and dysuria with dribbling. (All are caused by deficiency-heat in the Blood aspect.) It relieves thirst and promotes urination, treats five types of strangury, and also treats edema and jaundice. (Recorded in various Materia Medica texts) Combined with Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (Shengdi), and Lycii Fructus (Gouqi), it treats internal heat from consumptive damage. Combined with Shengdi, Maidong, Perillae Fructus (Suzi), Loquat Leaf (Pipaye), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Baishao), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao), Polygoni Multiflori Caulis (Puhuang), and infant urine (Tongbian), it treats various bleeding conditions. Combined with Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niuxi), Shengdi, and Tongbian, it treats amenorrhea due to blood-heat causing menstrual exhaustion. Combined with Bamboo Shavings (Zhuru), Maidong, Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao), and Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), it treats hiccups due to stomach heat from Cold Damage. Combined with Pipaye, Zhuru, and Maidong, it treats rising fire, internal heat, regurgitation, and rebellious Qi. Also combined with Phragmitis Rhizoma (Lugen) decocted in water and drunk, it treats regurgitation and rebellious Qi where food is vomited immediately after ingestion. Combined with Polyporus (Fuling), Alisma Rhizoma (Zexie), Adzuki Bean (Chixiaodou), Plantaginis Semen (Cheqianzi), Coicis Semen (Yiren), Papaveris Fructus (Mugua), Dendrobii Caulis (Shihu), Akebiae Caulis (Mutong), and Baishao, it treats edema. Combined with Shengdi, Asparagi Radix (Tianmai), Maidong, Cheqianzi, Niuxi, Fuling, Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai), Schisandrae Fructus (Wuweizi), Gouqi, and Tongbian, it treats hematuria. It treats hiccups caused by heat in warm diseases. (Residual heat in the stomach causes chest fullness and rebellious Qi; rebellion causes hiccups.) Combined with Kudzu Root (Gegen) decocted in juice and drunk, hiccups stop upon cessation of administration. It treats post-deficiency edema. (Caused by excessive water intake leading to difficult urination.) Use a large handful of Bai Maogen, three sheng of Chixiaodou, and three sheng of water; boil until dry, remove the Maogen, eat the beans and drink the liquid, allowing the fluid to pass out via urination.

[Discussion] Bai Maogen flowers during the transition between spring and summer and withers in autumn; hence, the roots are harvested in June. When Fire and Earth are in command, its qi does not inherit dryness and heat but instead retains its sweet and cold nature. Thus, within extreme Yang, it inherits clear and harmonious Yin, using clear Yin to facilitate the transformation of extreme Yang. (Just as during Yin-cold conditions, there are things that uniquely inherit Yang-harmonious qi, naturally allowing Yin qi to flow freely.) Zhiyi’s assertion that it is Yin within Yang is not baseless. Summarizing its efficacy, it lies in clearing residual heat from the stomach and nourishing Yin to harmonize Yang. The treatment of hematemesis, epistaxis, and various blood disorders is indeed not achieved through promoting drainage, nor is it focused on stopping and retaining blood. Rather, its ability to move and to stop arises because Yang attaches externally to Yin, and Yin rises internally to generate Yang, flowing and stopping in accordance with natural rhythms. (Mudanpi, Maogen, Platycladi Cacumen, and Nymphaeae Semenis Rubrum (Oujie) all clear fire in the Blood aspect; blood medicines rely on them.) Until heat dissipates, Yin harmonizes, and Yang becomes more unobstructed, thereby achieving efficacy in treating post-deficiency edema.

Master Miao stated: Hiccups caused by cold, vomiting due to middle-jiao cold, and fever due to damp-phlegm retention and fluid retention should not be treated with it.

[Processing] Dig it up from the soil. Do not use roots exposed to dew. Wash clean and pound into a paste.

Maohua (Cattail Flower)

The taste is sweet, and the nature is warm. Decocted and drunk, or used to stuff the nose, it stops hematemesis, epistaxis, and bleeding. It is also applied to non-healing moxibustion sores. (Ri Huazi) The Zhunsheng Formula uses Maohua combined with other ingredients to treat hematuria.