Library

It is the flower of *Campsis grandiflora* (Lour.) K. Schum. (Lingxiao Hua). It grows as a vine in flatlands, climbing up trees. From summer to autumn, each branch bears more than ten flowers, large like morning glory flowers, with ochre-yellow petals marked with fine dots; in late autumn, the color becomes redder.

Flower (Root has similar efficacy)
Taste: salty, bitter. Nature: slightly cold. It enters the Jueyin meridians of the hand and foot. It is incompatible with halogenated alkalis. It primarily treats heat-toxic wind and wind-epilepsy. It treats residual diseases in women after childbirth, irregular uterine bleeding, dripping discharge, and metrorrhagia. It also treats abdominal masses (Zhengjia), blood obstruction, alternating chills and fever, and emaciation. Furthermore, it treats diaphragmatic blood stasis and wandering wind. Lingxiao Hua supplements Yin very rapidly. It is believed to have the ability to act independently on its own, making it an essential herb for treating metrorrhagia. (Zhu Danxi) The flower and root are sweet, sour, and cold. The stems and leaves are bitter. They enter the Blood level, removing latent fire from the Blood and conditions where Blood-heat generates Wind. (Li Shizhen) It treats body itching due to heat-wind, wandering wind, and wind-rash. When used together with *Xanthii Folium* (Canger Ye), it treats chronic wind-epilepsy. Powder the Lingxiao Hua or its root. Take 3 qian per dose with warm wine. After taking it, loosen the hair and comb continuously while holding cold water in the mouth. Spit out the water when it warms up, then hold more and continue combing. Stop after spitting ten times. Continue this for 49 days to eradicate the root completely, with no dietary restrictions. Combined with *Danggui*, *Honghua*, *Chuanxiong*, *Niuxi*, *Dihuang*, *Hetaoren*, *Sumu*, and *Wulingzhi*, it treats blood obstruction and metrorrhagia in robust women. For the metrorrhagia formula: powder the Lingxiao Hua, take 2 qian with wine, followed by *Siywu Tang*. Note: Is it better to drink Lingxiao wine first and then take medicine, or to clear latent fire from the Blood first before regulating?

[Discussion] The nature of Ziwei is cold. Its salty taste acts first to overcome, and its bitter taste acts later to kill. It is undoubtedly that it enters the Blood level to dissipate heat and resolve stagnation. However, Zhu Danxi stated that it supplements Yin very rapidly. Thus, we know that treatment is not merely about clearing heat.

Stems and leaves
Taste: bitter, neutral. Nature: bitter, neutral. Primarily treats flaccidity syndromes. Benefits Qi. Treats body itching due to heat-wind, wandering wind, and wind-rash. (Same efficacy as flower and root) Treats sore throat with heat pain.

[Processing] Harvest after autumn. Dry in the shade.

Also known as Ruixue. The root is Tianhuafen. It is found everywhere, but those from Hongnong and Shanzhou are superior. Flowers bloom in June, bearing fruit beneath the flowers. In September, they ripen yellow like persimmons. Shapes vary between round and long-pointed. Efficacy is identical. Inside are flat seeds, green and rich in resin, emitting a bluish odor. The root grows straight downward; old roots can reach one chi in length. Roots harvested in autumn yield fruits with starch; those harvested at other times have more fibrous networks. (Li Shizhen's commentary on the seed) The efficacy of the root and fruit differs slightly. The fruit mainly addresses stagnation and inability to disperse.

Fruit
Taste: greatly sweet, slightly bitter. Nature: cold. Texture: moistening and slow-acting. Flavor is strong, aroma is light. Belongs to Yin. Primarily treats lung dryness, clears heat, resolves phlegm nodules, stops cough, relieves chest bi-syndrome, benefits the throat, treats dry thirst and constipation. Gualou belongs to Earth but contains Water. Sweet taste and moistening nature tonify the Lung and direct Qi downward. Whenever there is phlegm in the chest, it is because the Lung is forced by Fire, losing its descending function. Now, aided by sweet, slow, and moistening descent, the phlegm descends naturally. It is suitable as an essential herb for treating cough. It also washes away greasy, stagnant heat in the chest and diaphragm, making it a divine product for treating Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome). (Zhu Danxi) Resolving stagnant heat in the chest is its strength, hence it is used in Re Yu Tang. Being cold and greatly sweet...

Cough
(Li Shizhen). Gualou unblocks stagnant heat in the Lung. It is said to direct Qi downward; this is because sweetness combined with cold allows for harmonizing, directing downward, and moistening. Qi belongs to Yang.

Same
Downward
Xiebai
Cut and roasted
Pill.
Gualou
Use this
Long time no
Three times daily
Five qian
Make into powder
If cold
With dry
Agents'
Root (i.e., Tianhuafen)
Taste: slightly sweet, bitter. Nature: cold, purely Yin. Enters the Heart and Lung meridians. Primarily benefits fluids. Treats Xiao Ke. (To treat thirst, some strengthen Kidney Water to promote urination and achieve cure. To strengthen Kidney, use Tianhuafen type. To promote urination, use Er Ling type. Ancient sages) Body heat, vexation, and fullness. Withered heart. If this is not removed, it eliminates stubborn heat in the intestines and stomach, and acute febrile diseases with mania. Also treats deficiency-heat cough. Reduces jaundice causing yellow skin and face. Dry lips and mouth. Short urine. Unblocks the Small Intestine. Also stops excessive urination. Used with acrid and sour herbs, it guides swelling Qi. It can tonify deficiency, calm the Middle, and heal severed injuries. Endowed with the pure Qi of Heaven and Earth, thus it can relieve vexation and thirst, circulate Jin-Ye. Highly suitable for people with deficiency-heat. Combined with Beimu, Zhuli, Zhuru, Jingli, and Tandong, it resolves phlegm. Combined with Yinhua, Lianqiao, and Gancao, it resolves all kinds of swellings and toxins. For Xiao Ke drinking water: use 30 jin of Gualou Gen, add 1 shi of water, boil to obtain 1 dou and half. Remove dregs. Combine. Boil until water is exhausted. Take with warm wine on an empty stomach, size of a chicken egg. Three doses daily is best. For Shanghan with vexation, thirst, and desire to drink: use 3 sheng of Gualou Gen, boil to 1 sheng, divide into two doses. First, boil 1 dou of Danzhuli and 2 sheng of water with 2 liang of good silver. Drink the juice when half-cold. Then take the medicine. For critical illness: crush 1 jin of Gualou Gen, extract 6 liang of juice, take in one dose. Yellow fluid will follow urination. If not, take again. Deficiency-heat cough: Fen 1 liang, Renshen 3 qian. Make into powder. Take 1 qian per dose with rice soup. Another method: Soak Gualou Gen slices in water, mix with Zhuli three times. Then soak in milk, steam over rice, dry, and decoct for efficacy.

[General Discussion] Gualou fruit ripens yellow in September, harvested after Frost Descent. The root is white and clean, harvested after autumn to be solid. Thus, we know it endows the Qi of Metal and Water. There is injury. Therefore, generally. Downward. Dryness. Can. Downward. Then. Mutual. Pure. Sweet and cold. Not reaching. Miao Shi. Those with Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold causing diarrhea should not consume the root. According to analysis, Gualou Gen obtains dense Metal and Water Qi. For diseases caused by true Wood and Fire, if Qi does not ascend and does not reach...

[Processing] Ancient formulas use the whole herb. Cut finely with seeds and peel. Later generations separate the seed and pulp for different uses. (Li Shizhen) However, one cannot adhere rigidly. Some use the whole herb. Some... once