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Qian Shi (Euryale Seed) has a sweet and astringent taste, and a neutral qi. It enters the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian and the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Its main indications include benefiting essence and qi, strengthening willpower, opening the stomach and assisting qi, strengthening the spleen and solidifying the intestines, and consolidating essence. It treats urinary incontinence, spermatorrhea, leukorrhea with turbid discharge, and vaginal discharge. It treats damp-bi syndrome causing pain in the lower back, spine, waist, and knees, stops diarrhea, and consolidates essence. It exerts its effect uniquely on the Spleen and Kidney meridians; the roots of both the Pre-heaven and Post-heaven are dependent upon it. (Shi Cai) Using Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma), Fu Ling (Poria), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Lian Rou (Nelumbinis Semen), Yi Yi Ren (Coicis Semen), and Bian Dou (Phaseoli Semen) as sovereign drugs constitutes an essential prescription for tonifying the Spleen and Stomach. Using only Qian Shi alone, pounded into a paste, sun-dried, then pounded into fine powder, mixed with Jin Ying Zi (Rosa Laevigatae Fructus) paste and formed into pills, taken orally, can tonify the Lower Yuan and benefit the person. Si Jing Wan (Four Essence Pills) treats excessive thinking and sexual desire that damage Heart Qi, leading to frequent urination and spermatorrhea. Use Qiu Shi (Lithii Carbonas), Bai Fu Ling (Poria), Qian Shi (Euryale Seed), and Lian Rou (Nelumbinis Semen), each two liang, pounded into powder. Mix with steamed dates and form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take thirty pills per dose, with salt water on an empty stomach. Li Qing Wan (Clarifying Turbidity Pills) treats turbid discharge. Use Qian Shi (Euryale Seed) powder and Fu Ling (Poria) powder, melt Huang La (Beeswax), mix with honey, and form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take one hundred pills per dose, with salt water.

[Discussion] Qian Shi grows in water. It flowers in the fifth and sixth lunar months with purple flowers. The flowers face the sun, and the capsules develop facing the sun. Plants produced in water generally receive Yin Qi. Raw consumption has an astringent taste and generates wind-cold qi; children should not eat it in large quantities. (Zhong Chun)

[Processing] Fresh Qian Shi is good when boiled and eaten. When used in astringent prescriptions for essence, using it with the shell is also acceptable.

For medicinal use, only Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen) is taken, specifically the variety with flat leaves growing on the side. It flowers in the third lunar month and bears fruit in the ninth lunar month. Harvest after frost.

Bai Zi Ren (Platycladi Semen) has a sweet and slightly pungent taste, and a moist nature. It is a drug entering the Qi aspect of the Liver Meridian, and also enters the Heart and Kidney meridians. It mainly treats palpitations due to fright, benefits Qi and nourishes Heart Qi, benefits blood, moistens the Liver, treats mental confusion, deficiency and wasting-thirst syndrome, and shortness of breath. It treats coldness in the lower back and kidneys, moistens Kidney dryness, and treats constipation due to deficiency in the elderly. Burning it yields oil (Baizi Ren Zhi), which moistens hair and treats scabies and tinea. Medical texts treat deficiency labor with spermatorrhea and turbid discharge, flaccidity-bi, spasms, epilepsy, fright, tremors, hypochondriac pain, Xiao Dao (wasting-thirst syndrome), night sweats, constipation, Guan Ge (dysphagia and vomiting), and eye diseases. It treats epilepsy and cases where the complexion is blue-white. This is because Liver Wood is constrained; anger causes it to overcome what it conquers, hence blue and white colors appear in the stool, and fright originates from the zang organs. For elderly constipation due to deficiency, use equal parts of Bai Zi Ren (Platycladi Semen), Song Ren (Armeniacae Semen Amarum), and Da Ma Ren (Cannabis Semen). Grind them together, melt honey and beeswax, and form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take two or three pills before meals, adjusted with a small amount of Huang Dan (Minii Oxidum Red) decoction. For women with deficient and scanty menstruation, use Ba Zhen Tang (Eight Treasure Decoction) with doubled Jiu Xi Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis Radix washed with wine), plus Bai Zi Ren (Platycladi Semen) and Hong Hua (Carthami Flos), which is miraculous.

Mou Shi stated that those with oily constitutions, slippery intestines causing diarrhea, and phlegm in the chest diaphragm should not take it. Those with Heat in the Kidney and frequent erections should also avoid it.

[Processing] Lightly stir-fry to remove oil; do not use if already oiled.

Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen) should be harvested according to the monthly direction to obtain more of the Qi of the seasonal command. (Zhu Danxi) It has a bitter and astringent taste and a neutral nature, with a predominantly drying property. It is compatible with wine. (Quan) It mainly treats hematemesis, epistaxis, hematochezia, and metrorrhagia in women, benefiting Yin. (Originating from Wind-Wood transformation) It can dispel wind-dampness, treat severe wind diseases causing loss of eyebrows and beard, and treat cold-wind Li Jie pain. Long-term consumption greatly benefits Earth (Spleen) to nourish Metal (Lungs). (Danxi) The Immortals' ingestion method: Harvest Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen) from five directions on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, three jin; Yuan Zhi Rou (Polygalae Radix flesh), two jin; Bai Fu Ling (Poria), one jin. Pound into powder, refine honey, and form pills the size of wutong seeds. Taking this again has no taboos. To treat internal wind, prepare Ce Bai Ye decoction: Select branches near the top facing east without miscellaneous branches, place in a steamer, pour water over them several times, dry in shade, and decoct to drink; then all diseases will not arise. For stroke with unconsciousness and salivary flooding, administer this medicine immediately upon onset of disease, allowing wind to retreat and Qi to harmonize, preventing becoming disabled. Take one handful of Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen), remove branches. Add one sheng of wine, boil for ten to twenty boils, and take warm. For unceasing hematemesis, use one bunch of Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen), two liang of Gan Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma), one sheng of water. Remove dregs, separately squeeze out one sheng of Ma Tong Zhi (Fecalis Humani Succus), combine and decoct, obtain one sheng, filter through silk, take all at once. For pain, make Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen) into powder, mix with rice drink, take two fang cun bi. For unceasing epistaxis, grind Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen) and Liu Hua (Granati Pericarpium) after roasting, take three qian with wine. For bleeding from the large intestine, harvest Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen) according to the four seasons' directions, burn and grind. Each dose: Nine steamings and nine sun-dryings of tender Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen), two liang; Chen Huai Hua (Sophorae Flos fried black), one liang. Pound into powder, mix with honey, form pills the size of wutong seeds. [Text fragment] Ce Bai Ye (Platycladi Cacumen) and Zhi Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Alba stir-fried) in equal parts. Use three qian per dose, decoct with half water and half wine. This medicine has a bitter taste; consuming too much can reverse the Stomach's function. (Zhong Chun)

[Handling] Either raw or stir-fried, as appropriate.

[General Discussion] All things face the sun, but the Cypress points west. It obtains the upright Qi of Wood and smoothly accepts the control of Metal, hence the character contains 'Bai' (White). The Classics state that Metal's Qi is originally dry... Lung Metal generates Qi... Ascending Qi... Yin and Yang are distinct... Difficult to change... Qi does not follow... Generally conclude... Blood also returns to its mother... Due to Metal first exhausting flavors downward... (Note: Leaves cannot nourish Heart Qi because Wood transforms into Metal, lacking maternal Qi.) When Heart Qi is benefited, the Lung can then penetrate the Heart vessels to perform respiration. This is why the Classic mentions benefiting Qi. From the Liver harmonizing with the Lung, Heart Blood is generated. The Liver combines with the Yin of the Lung, relaxing blood to return to the Sea of Blood. The Lung harmonizes with the Heart, making Heart Qi smooth. The Lung combines with the Yang of the Heart, returning to the Gate of Vitality. Thus, this substance seems appropriate for the source of transformation of Post-heaven Blood and Qi. (Therefore it treats mental confusion, deficiency, and wasting-thirst). Summarizing and considering, the Liver combines with the Lung, the Lung combines with the Heart, to transform Blood, Qi, and Essence, from the Post-heaven using flavor and...