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[Youcai (Rapeseed)]
This is the current rapeseed. Sown in September and October to grow leaves. In winter and spring, the hearts of the flowering stems are harvested as vegetables. By March, they become tough and inedible. After flowering and seeding, all are stir-fried and pressed for oil. It burns very brightly in lamps.

Stems and Leaves
Pungent and cool in nature. Treats wind-induced wandering erysipelas swelling. (Human body suddenly turns red, resembling cinnabar, known as erysipelas or carbuncle. It may appear on hands and feet, or on the abdomen like the size of a hand, all caused by evil heat-toxin from wind.) Treats bi-syndrome (obstruction syndrome) of the waist and legs, breaks up masses and blood stasis, treats postpartum wind-blood syndrome and blood stasis, as well as breast abscess. Crush the leaves and blow them into the nipple. (From various Materia Medica texts). When erysipelas is about to erupt, initially feeling pain in the limbs and muscles/bones, gradually developing headache, with red patches like bean shots on the forehead corners that hurt. After more than three days, swelling resembles mung bean juice; it disappears today and fills tomorrow. Crush Youcai, place in a hot cloth bag, warm it in hot ashes, and apply alternating compresses. It will heal within two or three applications. If no fresh leaves are available, use dried ones.

Seeds
Nature and flavor are the same as stems and leaves. Mainly treats moving stagnant blood, disperses cold qi, reduces swelling and dissipates nodules. Treats difficult labor. (Grind fifteen seeds finely, take with wine.) Also treats postpartum heart/abdominal qi masses. Apply externally.

[Discussion]
The use of Youcai is generally considered merely to move stagnant blood and dissipate condensed qi. Who knows that it is sown in winter, endures frost and snow, and sends up shoots in spring. Its pungency enters the Zang organs. It first treats wandering wind and erysipelas swelling, as well as postpartum wind-blood syndrome, and cuts into various diseases of the heart and abdomen. The reason lies in the fact that the Wind Zang is originally the Blood Zang; stirring Yang to transform Yin relies on this. Therefore, when wind Qi moves, Blood can be transformed. If Blood does not transform, it leads to wind pathogenic factors overflowing. They function mutually and also cause pathology mutually. One must not ignore this herb's efficacy because it seems minor.

Meng Shen said: Those who already suffer from waist and leg conditions will find their symptoms worsen upon eating it. It also damages Yang Qi; excessive consumption causes sores and dental/oral diseases, and can generate various parasites in the abdomen.

[Xingren (Apricot Seed)]
Harvested in May. Seeds with two kernels are toxic and can kill humans; do not use.

Sweet, bitter, warm, cold, and draining in nature. (Moistening in property, promotes downward movement, but is not truly cold.) Has slight toxicity. Thin Qi and strong Flavor, turbid and sinking, possessing descending properties. Enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Can treat lung asthma/wheezing. Xingni (Apricot Seed) lowers wheezing, treating Qi disorders; Taoren (Peach Kernel) treats mania, treating Blood disorders. Both treat major illnesses, but one must not over-drain. Floating pulse indicates Qi disorder, use Xingren with Chenpi (Citrus Peel); deep pulse indicates Blood disorder, use Taoren with Chenpi. (Lung and Large Intestine are interior-exterior paired; Benmen governs incoming/outgoing, Pomen governs closure, serving as the channel for Qi, hence Chenpi is used to assist.) Decoct together with Tiandong (Asparagus Root) to moisten Heart and Lung. For Lung dryness with wheezing/heat and constipation of the Large Intestine, use Xingren peeled and ground finely. For every sheng (unit), add 1.5 sheng of water, pound into thick juice, add 4 liang of fresh ginger and 1 cun of licorice root, simmer slowly in a silver/ceramic vessel until a thin paste forms, add 2 liang of butter/ghee, and store. Each night, take one spoonful dissolved in boiling water. For chronic lung asthma and severe coughing, take 2 liang of Xingren peeled and tipped, soak in child's urine, changing once daily (3-4 times in summer). After half a month, remove, dry, and grind fine. Take an amount the size of a jujube pit each time, with one mint leaf, honey the size of a chicken egg, and one zhong of water. Decoct to 70%, take warm after meals. Within two doses, it will cure permanently. Avoid raw/fishy foods. For wind-deficiency headache feeling like bursting, use Xingren peeled and tipped... This method is miraculous... Mix with Qian Daidai (Lead Carbonate) one qian, make into cakes... Use three sheng of Xingren... Grind evenly and apply... Eyes... Head apply.

[Discussion]
The Classics state that Apricot is the Fruit of the Heart, but its seed treats Qi. It also states that Peach is the Fruit of the Lung, but its kernel treats Blood. Generally, Fire's... Yang. Qi is... Transformation... Heart leading to Qi... How can they be similar? Hu Youtong... Breaks coarse practitioners' scattering... Scattering Cold-Wind stagnation in Lung Meridian is particularly effective. However, if there is Yin deficiency with cough, or empty-heat/phlegm-heat in the Lung, it is contraindicated. (Zhong Chun)

[Processing]
Soak in boiling water, peel, remove tips, stir-fry with bran, then grind. Some do not peel or remove tips, utilizing their ability to disperse Cold-Wind Lung disease.