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Hezi (Chebulae Fructus) originates from Persia. It is now also produced in Guangzhou, Lingnan region. The fruit resembles the shape of Gardenia or Olive. It matures in July and August. The fruit has only six ridges; those with more or fewer than six are not authentic. Thick flesh is preferred. It is sun-dried for storage. Smaller fruits are superior.

Pili Le (a synonym for Hezi) each has a calyx remnant. One variety is round with exposed texture, or has eight to twelve or thirteen ridges, known as "Langjing Le". Its taste is excessively astringent and unbearable, causing significant harm.

The taste is astringent and bitter, slightly sour with a hint of sweet. The nature is warm, and the qi/flavor is strong, with bitterness being predominant. It belongs to Yin and descends. It enters the Lung and Large Intestine meridians. It mainly treats cold qi causing abdominal distension and fullness, and eliminates phlegm. (When overseas merchant ships encounter fish slime that is slippery and blocks the ship for miles, boiling this herb to wash away the slime quickly turns it into water, indicating its efficacy in eliminating phlegm.) It directs Qi downward, treats upper jiao asthma and急促 breathing, breaks up stagnant Qi in the chest and diaphragm, astringes Lung Qi to stop chronic cough, benefits the throat, promotes fluid secretion, treats Kidney Qi Ben Tun (Qi rushing upward from the lower abdomen to the heart/chest), and constipation. It consolidates the Large Intestine, stops dysentery and chronic diarrhea, and relieves acute pain in the anus of patients with dysentery, as well as vaginal pain in postpartum women. (It can be smoked with wax or decocted for fumigation/washing.)

The *Neijing* states: When the Lung suffers from rebellious Qi, urgently consume bitter substances to drain it; use sour substances to tonify it. Hezi has heavy bitterness which drains Qi, and light sourness which cannot tonify the Lung. (Li Dongyuan)

Hezi is bitter and has an urgent/potent nature. When the Lung suffers from urgency, urgently consuming bitter substances drains it, meaning it descends and moves downward. Therefore, Hezi directs Qi downward and is suitable only for those with Qi excess; those with Qi deficiency should not easily take it. (Zhu Danxi) Those with Qi deficiency should slowly roast/char it and take small amounts. This substance is bitter and astringent; although it astringes the intestines, it also drains Lung Qi. (Zhang Zong)

When used together with Wumei (Mume Fructus) and Wubeizi (Galla Chinensis), it has an astringent effect. When used together with Jupi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) and Nongpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex), it directs Qi downward. When used together with Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), it tonifies the Lung and treats cough. However, it should not be used abruptly for coughs that have not lasted long.

When used together with Renshen and Roudoukou (Myristicae Semen), it consolidates the Large Intestine.
Combined with Renshen, it treats asthma and cough due to Lung deficiency and cold invasion.
Combined with Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) and Sharen (Amomi Fructus), it mainly treats cold qi entering the interior causing abdominal distension and fullness, and loss of appetite due to cold food.
Combined with Yizhi (Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus), it stops involuntary urination due to deficiency-cold.
Adjuvanted with Chugenbaipi (Bignoniae Radicis Cortex), it stops bloody dysentery.
Adjuvanted with Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) and Lianshi (Nelumbinis Semen), it stops chronic diarrhea due to deficiency-cold.
Used together with Shechuangzi (Cnidii Fructus), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus), Shanyuzhuyu (Corni Fructus), Duzhong (Eucommiae Cortex), and Xuduan (Dianthi Radix), it stops leukorrhea due to deficiency-cold.

Lao Sou (Laborious Cough, i.e., Fire-stagnation Cough). Lung Qi is extremely damaged by fire, leading to stagnation and fullness, preventing sleep on either side. Use Hezi, Haifushi (Pumex), Gualou (Trichosanthis Fructus), Xingren (Armeniacae Semen Amarum), Qingdai (Indigo Naturalis), Tongbian (Infantis Urine) soaked Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma Qu), etc. Mix with ginger and honey, hold in mouth to dissolve and swallow. This condition must primarily focus on nourishing Yin, taking advantage of Hezi's sour and bitter flavors to achieve astringency and descending fire.

For chronic dysentery with red and white discharge that does not heal and turns into white pus, use three Hezi fruits, half roasted and half raw, grind the peel into powder, and take with one he of boiling grain water. Effective. If it is only watery diarrhea, add one qianbi of Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) powder. If there is slight pus and blood, add three qianbi. If there is much blood, also add three qianbi.

[Discussion]
Hezi is produced in hot lands, bearing fruit in July and August, inheriting Metal Qi to complete its formation, but Metal follows Fire to exert its function. Thus, its initial taste is astringent, followed by bitter, with bitterness prevailing, then sour, with a slight hint of sweet. Bitterness transforms from Fire; Sourness is the manifestation of Yang Qi not fully disseminated; Astringency is the manifestation of Yin Qi not fully unblocked. Ancient sages said blood gathers with Sourness and becomes astringent with Bitterness. This means Yin holds within Yang but cannot flow freely, resulting in astringency. Hezi is first astringent due to Metal, then bitter due to Fire. Inheriting Metal Qi, it反而 (instead) follows Fire for its function. Thus, its Metal descends with Fire, and Fire is gathered by Metal. Therefore, when combined with descending-draining herbs, it achieves descending-draining effects; when combined with astringent herbs, it achieves astringent effects. Generally, it possesses the complete nature of both descending and gathering, differing from other herbs that excel in only one aspect.

Medical texts vary on using only the peel or only the flesh of Hezi. The flesh is first astringent, then bitter, but astringency does not overcome bitterness, followed by sour and sweet, which are very faint. Thus, the flesh's function is mostly descending-draining, yet within draining, there is still gathering intent, making it more compatible with Central Earth Qi and not purely draining. The peel's astringency equals its bitterness, followed only by faint sweetness. Thus, the peel's astringency can counteract bitterness, so draining is not extreme, and it carries sweetness, implying moderation within draining. Both must be treated according to their flavor differences to be effective.

Furthermore, Hezi directs rebellious Qi downward, drains stagnant Qi, unblocks accumulations, and benefits the throat. Examining established formulas: Zhishi San for Xiben (accumulation in chest), Banxia San for Fuliang (abdominal mass), Muxiang Binglang San for Bentun, Qixuan Wan for constipation, Hezi Tang for aphonia, Qingyan Xie for Plum-pit Qi. Some align with descending-draining, treating based on pathogenic excess; some align with cold-descending-draining, treating based on excess pathogens with heat. Others like Chenxiang Shengjiang San for chest oppression and Qi stagnation with rib-side stabbing pain, Lige San for chest bi with panting, Banxia Tang for Xiben, Suxing San for wheezing. Some combine tonics, treating deficiency with excess; some combine warming-tonics, treating deficiency with cold. Thus, regarding its descending-draining merit, how can one fear Qi deficiency and avoid using it? As for using its sour/astringent properties, this does not contradict descending-draining. Human Lung Qi is like Heaven, its function is descending, and where there is descending, there is gathering. From Feimen (mouth/lips) to Pomen (anus), all are connected by one Qi. (If there is descending without gathering, or gathering without descending, ascending/descending ceases, and Qi stands isolated and in danger.) Hence, the Classics say Pomen serves the Five Zang organs. Waste from Zang-Fu is indeed excreted through it, but Zang-Qi ascending/descending is also regulated by it. Hezi enters Hand-Taiyin Lung and Hand-Yangming Large Intestine meridians. Its taste starts with astringent/bitter and ends with sour/sweet. Descending and gathering function according to combination. Thus, Danxi used it with Baiyaojian and Jingjiesui for chronic cough; Hejian used it with Jiegeng, Mutong, and Tongbian for aphonia; Dongyuan used it with Yumiqiao, Ganjiang, and Chenpi for chronic dysentery; Baojian combined it with Chunbaipi and Mudingxiang. For constipation, it was combined with Xingren, Renren, Zhike for Erren Wan; coordinated with Chaihu, Zhishi, Taoren, Dahuang, Muxiang for Qixuan Wan. Studying these, can we not recognize Hezi's specialties? It depends on our usage. In summary, for descending-draining, it suits Qi Excess (pathogenic excess); for astringing, it suits Qi Deficiency (healthy Qi deficiency). The priority and assistance depend on the specific situation. Miu's caution regarding Fire Cough and Damp-Heat Dysentery is correct. However, Danxi treated Fire Cough with Xingren, Qingdai, Haifen, Zhaojiao, Dansheng; and Damp-Heat Dysentery (Diyu Wan) with Diyu, Danggui, Muxiang, Huanglian, Ejiao, Wumei. These allow us to infer variations. Regarding slippery diarrhea, Hezi San treats Heat, while Hezi Wan treats Cold, suitable for both, a point worth pondering. Hejian's Heat-Slippery Hezi San uses Hezi, Muxiang, Huanglian, Gancao. He stated: if abdominal pain stops and diarrhea decreases, use this to stop it. If stopping fails, follow its meridian entry and send it out, adding Nongpo 1 liang to exhaust pathogenic Qi. Observing this, primary and secondary ingredients should be appropriately matched.

[Cough Contraindication]
Whenever cough is due to Lung Excess Heat, stagnation-downward, or flourishing Damp-Heat, it is contraindicated by method. (Zhongchun)

[Processing]
Soak in water, wrap in flour, roast until cooked, remove core. Or soak in wine, steam, remove core, dry by baking. Raw for clearing phlegm; roasted/charred for stopping diarrhea.