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[Shuyu (Dioscorea Opposita)]
Also known as Shanyao. The dried rhizome is preferred. In the Tang Dynasty, to avoid the personal name taboo of Emperor Daizong (Li Yu), "Yu" was changed to "Shuyao". In the Song Dynasty, to avoid the personal name taboo of Emperor Yingzong (Zhao Shu), "Shu" was changed to "Shanyao". When cooked, it becomes moist and slippery. Only the dry and solid rhizomes are used for medicinal purposes, with those produced in Jizhou being considered superior.

The root has a sweet taste and neutral nature, entering the Hand and Foot Taiyin meridians (Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian and Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian). It tonifies the Qi of the Spleen and Lungs. It mainly treats internal injury and deficiency, supplements emaciation and weakness, clears irritability and heat, and supplements insufficiency of Heart Qi.

[Ku Hu (Bitter Calabash)]
Also known as Ku Bao, which is the bitter gourd/calabash. For medicinal use, one must select those with fine texture, crystal clear, clean, and without spots; otherwise, they may be toxic.

The pulp and seeds have a bitter and cold nature and are toxic. They treat severe edema of the whole body, face, eyes, and limbs, as well as swelling and distension caused by jaundice. They promote urination in lithiasis (urinary calculi) and treat urinary obstruction. To treat hemiplegic headache and nasal congestion, or jaundice with swelling and distension, take a piece of bitter calabash pulp the size of a large date, soak it in two he of child's urine for one shichen (two hours), remove it, form pills the size of two sour jujubes, insert them into the nose, and inhale deeply. When yellow fluid flows out, the effect is good. For severe generalized edema with massive head and face swelling, select clean white pulp of the bitter calabash, roll it into bean-sized pellets, wrap them in flour, boil them, and take seven pellets on an empty stomach. By noon, one should excrete one dou (approx. 10 liters) of water. On the second day, water will continue to excrete naturally until the body becomes thin and the disease heals. Avoid salty foods for two years. For Shishui (edema with abdominal swelling and emaciated limbs), stir-fry one liang of bitter calabash membrane, stir-fry half a liang of Apricot Kernel (Xingren) peeled and de-husked, grind into powder, make pills the size of small beans with paste, and take ten pills per dose with drinkable liquid, until water excretion stops. For urinary obstruction with urgent distension, stir-fry thirty seeds of bitter calabash, bake three earthworms (Lougu), grind into powder, and take one qian per dose with cold water. For wind-pain, extract juice from the bitter calabash membrane, instill it into the nose using a reed tube. The qi rushes up to the brain gate, and after a moment, foul saliva flows down, curing the disease immediately and eliminating the root cause. If dizziness leads to suspicion of wind syndrome, the infusion of the dried form is also effective. Grinding its seeds into powder and blowing them into the nose is also effective, curing chronic cephalalgia. For pterygium and bloody nebula (ocular lesions), in autumn, take a small medicinal gourd or bitter gourd with a handle, dry it in the shade, saw it off at the narrow part, excavate a small hole inside the size of an eye pupil, pull the eyelids open, align the gourd with the eye, and fix it. Although initially very painful, the stasis flesh and blood nebula will gradually fall off without damaging the eyeball.

[Discussion]
Calabashes come in two types: sweet and bitter. The sweet ones are larger, and the bitter ones are smaller. Their texture is white, and their flowers are also white. However, the sweet-neutral and bitter-cold natures differ significantly in taste. The *Shennong Ben Cao Jing* specifically treats water diseases; Zhang Zhongjing used it for Pi Shui (skin edema); Su Gong used it to promote urination in lithiasis and treat urinary obstruction. Later medical texts also used it to treat cephalalgia due to wind and nasal congestion. The text states that "only the bitter reaches the ground," so how can it ascend? The answer is: This is precisely the qi transformation of Metal (Lung), which possesses the mystery of harmonizing with the Foot-Taiyang bladder meridian. Although Yang qi ascends from below, the Heaven Qi descending from above is governed by the Heart and Lung. Just as inhaling through the nose treats jaundice and swelling, and instilling juice into the nose cures wind-phlegm cephalalgia, is this not an example of upper Qi transformation combining with lower Water transformation? Do its treatments for transforming blood and phlegm-fluids not all rely on Water Qi transformation, obtaining the combination of Fire and Metal without stagnation? The straight branch of the Foot-Taiyang meridian enters and connects to the brain; Lung Qi communicates with the nose; the Foot-Yangming Stomach meridian originates beside the nose, crosses the middle, and laterally receives the Taiyang meridian. This proves that the Hand-Taiyin Lung meridian and Foot-Taiyang Bladder meridian combine from above to transform downwards. The classic says: "When Lung Qi is harmonious, the nose can distinguish odors." It also says: "The five Qi enter the nose and are stored in the Heart and Lung." If the Heart and Lung are diseased, the nose becomes obstructed. The Heart governs the five odors, why is it attributed to the Lung? Why do the five Qi entering the nose not store exclusively in the Lung? This is because Metal cannot depart from Fire. Li Dongyuan stated that "Metal is born in Ji," which is the same meaning.

Additionally, it should not be eaten together with wheat products. (Chen Shigong/Zhongchun)

[Processing]
In Liuwei Dihuang Wan, Shuyu is taken to enter the Kidney via the Lung to facilitate the action of Poria (Fuling) and Alisma (Zexie). During processing, it should only be dried over a mild fire. If used to regulate the Spleen...