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It is also known as Songcai (Chinese cabbage). It resembles turnip but is slightly larger. Planting Songcai is not suitable in the North, just as turnip is not suitable in the South. Now it is grown in both regions. It prefers loose soil and can be planted anywhere. Seeds are sown at the end of summer, leaves are harvested at the end of autumn, roots are dug up at the end of winter, and stalks sprout at the end of spring. It opens purple and green flowers, and bears seeds in early summer. The seeds vary in roundness and length, size and shape, allowing for immediate sowing. The roots have red or white colors, and shapes varying in large, small, long, and short. (Textual research) There are two types; one type is sown in August and can be harvested between autumn and winter.

The flavor is pungent and sweet. The leaf flavor is pungent and bitter. The nature is warm and neutral. Eating raw or drinking the pressed juice stops thirst (Xiaoke), soothes the middle jiao, eliminates pathogenic heat, treats epistaxis, counters the toxicity from wheat flour foods, and resolves alcohol toxicity. Consumed with Rehmanniae Radix (Shu Di Huang), it causes stagnation of Ying and Wei, leading to premature graying of hair. It belongs to Earth but possesses the qualities of Metal and Water. Raw usage directs Qi downward; cooked usage reduces its pungent dispersing quality, while salty flavors assist its action.

Radish Seed (Laifuzi) has a pungent and sweet flavor and a neutral nature. Used raw, it primarily induces vomiting to expel Wind-Phlegm and triggers sores/rashes. Stir-fried, it directs Qi downward, calms asthma, treats cough, aids digestion, removes distension, promotes urination and defecation, stops Qi-type pain, and treats tenesmus in dysentery. In treating Phlegm, it has remarkable efficacy akin to "pushing down walls and toppling towers." (Zhu Danxi stated) Laifuzi can vent and expel Wind-Phlegm. Take half a sheng of Laifuzi, grind finely, add water, filter, and take the juice.

For asthma in the elderly, stir-fry Laifuzi, grind into powder, make pills the size of wutong seeds with honey. Take 50 pills each time, washed down with plain boiled water. For Wind-obstipation (Fengmi) and Qi-obstipation (Qimi), grind Laifuzi into a liquid mixture, combine with 2 qian of Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus (Zaojia) powder, and take immediately for unobstructed passage. For Qi-distension and Qi-gu (abdominal distension like a drum), grind Laifuzi, filter juice with water, soak Amomi Fructus (Suosha) for one liang, soak then stir-fry, repeating this process seven times. Finally, grind into powder. Take one qian with rice drink each time; the effect is miraculous. For severe distension syndromes, add one qian of stir-fried Laifuzi. This is especially suitable for injuries caused by consuming wheat-based foods.

[Discussion] Laifuzi is sown in summer and returns to the root in winter; shoots emerge in spring and bear fruit in summer. Its root inherits the Qi of Fire and Earth, passes through Metal, and resides in Water Qi, gathering essence during the Wood season. When used raw, it enhances the Fire aspect of Metal; therefore... if there is Phlegm, use the raw form. Those that are stir-fried are used to kill/reduce [pungency/toxicity]. Does Qi movement transform Phlegm? One might ask... Body fluids fail to transform into Blood and instead congeal into Phlegm. Mu Shi believed that its seed transforms Phlegm and directs Qi downward even faster. Therefore, those with deficiency should avoid it.