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Hu Su (Coriander), also known as Yuan Su.

Roots and Leaves: The flavor is pungent and warm, with slight toxicity. It enters the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian and Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian. Its nature is pungent and aromatic, moving and penetrating; internally it communicates with the Heart and Spleen, descends to the intestines and stomach, and externally reaches the four limbs. It treats all kinds of pathogenic qi (evil qi), and is indicated for mumps, chickenpox, and smallpox that fail to erupt properly. It aids digestion, opens the orifices of the Heart, promotes urination in both large and small intestines, and unblocks Qi mechanism in the Small Intestine. All sores and ulcers are related to the Ying Blood of the Heart; blood is controlled internally by the Spleen. The Qi of the Heart and Spleen flows smoothly when aided by aromatic substances, but becomes stagnant and obstructed by foul odors. Therefore, if smallpox fails to erupt well, Hu Su wine can be sprayed on the affected areas. It repels evil qi; bed curtains above, below, left, and right can be hung with it to ward off sweat odor, fox odor, abnormal Tian Gui (menstruation/sexual fluids), and other turbid airs. If the child is weak and the weather is rainy and damp, this method is most suitable. However, if the child is robust and the season is spring or summer with clear and warm weather, adding yeast may exacerbate heat, causing fire to gather and heat to accumulate, leading to blackened and sunken lesions (a critical condition). Caution is essential.

Hu Su receives more Metal Qi and less Fire Qi, hence its pungent aroma, warm nature, and slight toxicity. (Zhong Chun) For smallpox that fails to erupt well, take two liang of chopped Hu Su, pour two cups of boiling wine over it, cover tightly to prevent vapor loss, let it cool, strain, and gently gargle and spray the body. Spray from the neck and back down to the feet, ensuring coverage, but avoid spraying the head and face.

Hu Su Seeds: The flavor is pungent and sour, the nature is neutral, used after stir-frying. It promotes the eruption of smallpox and removes fishy odors. It is used for hemorrhoids, fistulas, and rectal prolapse. Take one sheng of Hu Su seeds and one sheng of millet bran, add water, and smoke the affected area using a narrow-necked bottle.

Mu Shi stated that people with Qi deficiency should not consume it. If smallpox fails to erupt due to causes other than external invasion of Wind-Cold or contact with foul qi, it should not be used.

Da Hui Xiang (Fennel) produced in Ningxia is as large as wheat grains, light in weight, and has fine ridges. Those produced elsewhere that are smaller are called Xiao Hui Xiang (Small Fennel). Imported via foreign ships, those as large as cypress seeds, splitting into eight segments, with seed cores like beans, brownish in color and sweet in taste, are called Ba Jiao Hui Xiang (Star Anise), also known as Bo Hui Xiang (Imported Fennel).

Seeds: The flavor is pungent and aromatic, very sweet and slightly bitter, the nature is warm, belonging to Yang, and floating. It enters the Stomach and Kidney meridians, and additionally the Heart, Small Intestine, and Bladder meridians. It opens the stomach, directs Qi downward, stops vomiting, warms the Dantian, and is a medicine for tonifying insufficiency of the Ming Men (Gate of Life). It primarily treats cold pain in the Bladder, Qi stagnation in the Small Intestine, Kidney exhaustion, hernia, Yin pain, and lower abdominal pain. Medical texts record its use for treating waist and abdominal pain, flank pain, diarrhea, accumulations, food stagnation, deficiency-wasting disorders, coughing and wheezing, belching, rebellious Qi rushing upward, aversion to cold, edema, cholera, Hong Kong foot (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or gouty arthritis, historically referring to severe foot swelling/pain), and dysentery (Zhi Xia), and difficulty in urination.

Treating conditions combined with the Bladder often involves pungent and warm agents. Ancient formulas for treating hernias mostly employ this herb. The Six Fu Organs are organs of transmission and transformation... (Text fragmentary)... Stir-fried fennel combined with Chuan... Cholera with abdominal pain and vomiting/diarrhea... ground together and decocted, taken with... Roasted glutinous rice cake dipped in... gradually reaching the epigastrium... Sleeplessness... Liver Hernia... Third month safety... One qian... Stir-fry until black... Take three qian, combined with sheep kidney stones... Unable to make sound, profuse urination... Inferring from the principle of Wu Ling San, the Kidney... Waist pain like stabbing, Ba Jiao Hui Xiang... Hui Xiang and Xiao Hui Xiang each three qian... Pain, Bo Hui Xiang and Xing Ren each... Pain, Hui Xiang and Can Sha (Silkworm Frass) etc... Xiao Hui Xiang powder each one liang... Like wu zi (pharmaceutical pill size), take five qian per dose, mixed with salt and wine, divine effect.

[Discussion] Hui Xiang is a perennial root plant, sprouting in deep winter. Lu Shi’s concept of "returning Yang during the time of Peeling" corresponds exactly to Dong Yuan’s statement about tonifying the insufficiency of the Ming Men. Its flavor... Yang... This... in the Fire Fu Organ... Thus reversing its origin... The meridian of the Small Intestine descends... Scrotal swelling, referred to as... Primarily governing Upper Jiao Yang... To penetrate Cold Water... Surpassing the combination of Stomach Yang... That is Taiyin and Yangming... Water indeed. It further enters... So-called communication of upper and lower meridians... When Qi flows smoothly, then... Hernias with Damp-Heat are not suitable for use. Not... Heat, which implies it should be used at the initial stage. Yang deficiency, discussing external licentiousness, certainly there was no... From Yin within, Yang turns depressed, thus becoming diseased... Meridian to seek efficacy. Furthermore, the conditions treated by this herb, such as waist pain, diarrhea, accumulations, deficiency-wasting, and abdominal pain, also rely on its ability to direct fire into water, thereby benefiting the Original Yang within the Kidney. However, combined with Fu Zi to tonify Yang and expel Dampness... For those with excessive Fire in the Stomach and Kidney, frequent erections, and vomiting upon receiving heat, do not take it. (Zhong Chun) For those with Heat in the Small Intestine and Bladder, administering it will worsen the disease. Xiao Hui Xiang is neutral.

[Processing] Dry by baking between papers, grind to an extremely fine powder. Ba Jiao Hui Xiang is processed similarly. It works best with wine. For ascending action, stir-fry with wine until yellow; for descending action, stir-fry with salt water.