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Its root is purple in color and flexible, hence the name. In March, it sprouts along the ground. Its leaves grow in clusters of two to four. In May and June, it blooms with yellow, white, or purple flowers. It bears black seeds. The roots are harvested in February and March and used after being dried in the shade.

The taste is bitter and slightly pungent. The nature is warm. It enters the blood aspect of the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian (Hand-Taiyin Fei Jing) and also enters the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian (Foot-Yangming Wei Jing). *Tussilaginis Flos* (Kuantong, 款冬花) serves as its guiding herb (Shi Yao). It is incompatible with *Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata* (Tianxiong, 天雄), *Polygalae Radix* (Yuanzhi, 远志), *Sedum Acre* (Qumai, 瞿麦), and *Polyporus* (Leiwan, 雷丸). It fears *Artemisiae Scopariae Herba* (Yinchen, 茵陈). Bitterness directs downward; pungency benefits Metal (Lung). It primarily treats coughing and rebellious Qi, cold-heat knotted Qi in the chest, coughing up pus and blood. It treats *Xiben* (a type of abdominal mass syndrome characterized by a mass under the right hypochondrium and wheezing/coughing), stops palpitations, resolves phlegm and thirst, removes flaccidity syndromes, and calms the Five Zang Organs. It treats coughs caused by lung injury and deficiency heat due to consumptive Qi. (For hematemesis and consumptive diseases, it is classified as a top-grade herb.) Entering the highest organ (Lung), it facilitates Qi transformation reaching the "State Capital" (Bladder). It lubricates and promotes urination, and simultaneously connects the Heart and Lung to facilitate Qi transformation. Previously, because the Qi generated from Qi and Blood could not descend from the Yang center, *Asteris Radix* (Ziwan, 紫菀) was utilized to treat consumptive diseases, smoothing Qi transformation and promoting Blood transformation. "Wan" is an ancient character for "Yu" (stagnation/depression), referring to those that are purple in color and bitter in taste, used to treat lung diseases and function for the Lung. Its Qi is used to disperse lung stagnation; its Taste is used to harmonize with the nature of Fire, thereby assisting... If used without stagnant Qi, it may inadvertently deplete the fluids of the Lung house. (Not far...) Red Fire... (By sensing the Qi transformation of Spring and Summer, and simultaneously possessing the Metal nature of the Earth, its taste and nature are bitter, warm, and slightly pungent.) One qian of *Asteris Radix*, half a qian of *Stemonae Radix*, ground into powder. Take three qian per dose, with three slices of fresh ginger and one Chinese plum. For cough following hemoptysis, stir-fry *Asteris Radix* and *Schisandrae Fructus*, grind into powder, make honey pills the size of *Euryales Semen*. Contain one pill in the mouth at a time. Cleanse and insert into the throat; expelling foul saliva leads to cure, with miraculous effect. Further, swallow with *Natrii Sulfas Crystallizatus* (Mayingxiao, 马牙硝). Pathogenic factors flare up and rise directly to the throat; this herb is therefore specifically indicated.

[Discussion] When using *Asteris Radix*, one must deeply investigate the meaning of "Fire serving Metal." The mild fire in the human body is Yuan Qi (Original Qi); the Heart is the master of Fire, originally not clashing with Metal/Lung. ... then Blood ... and clash ... and there is ... then becomes ... Qi does not ... regarding Fire ... combine with ... Yin Qi ... Lung ... deduce ... Wei Qi does not disperse, hot Qi remains in the middle, thus Qi is consumed. Can this not prove that lung heat and scorched leaves are all due to the Heart? However, the Lung governs Qi and circulates Ying and Wei, Yin and Yang. Does it rely solely on eight lobes and twenty-four hollows, arranged in rows and columns, to circulate Qi among the Zang organs? Generally, it is said that the Heart governs the generation of Blood below via the Pericardium, preventing heat stagnation and steaming, allowing Yin within Yang to combine with the clear and empty Lung above, thus enabling the circulation of Ying and Wei to regulate Yin and Yang. Understanding this, the reason why *Asteris Radix* can calm the Five Zang Organs and treat flaccidity syndromes is indeed due to the Qi transformation of "Fire serving Metal." What did Haizang (Zhang Yuansu) mean when he said it treats *Xiben*? Probably, *Xiben* is caused by Lung Qi deficiency and phlegm-heat obstruction. This herb harmonizes Lung Yin Qi and smooths the Qi transformation of "Fire serving Metal"; thus, heat dissipates and phlegm disappears. With phlegm-heat dissipated and Qi descending, how can rebellious Qi fail to descend? Its treatment of chronic cough due to lung injury stems from the Lung's inability to combine with the True Yin of the Pericardium, leading to constraint and heat, causing accumulation of saliva and turbid sputum resulting in cough. Prolonged cough further depletes Lung Qi and intensifies constrained heat. (As mentioned by Zhen Quan: deficiency heat due to consumptive Qi.) At this time... and use... cases... here more... and the chest immediately... Ophiopogonis Radix and Anemarrhenae Rhizoma... none without weeping... can open throat bi, extract foul saliva, thus dispersing and purging effects are intense. If used without stagnant Qi, it inevitably depletes Lung fluids. Therefore, coughing and wheezing...

[Differentiation and Treatment] Nowadays, many people use *Plantaginis Herba* or *Inulae Radix* dyed with red earth as counterfeit substitutes. Misuse greatly depletes fluids and damages the Lung. Remove the rhizome nodes, soak in honey water overnight.