Library

(Abridged from the Cong edition)

It is said that there are three compilers of Yunnan medicinal materials: one is Mu Cong who wrote *Zhu Lan Bencao* (Compendium of Plants), and the other two are Lan Mao and Yang Shen who both wrote *Dian Nan Bencao* (Compendium of Materia Medica of Southern Dian).
The versions transmitted by Mu and Yang are only manuscript copies, whereas Lan Mao has an old block-printed edition, which contains a few entries annotated by Liu Gan. The time and place of Liu Gan's life are unknown, so it is likely that these were not finalized by Lan Mao himself. As for the newer block-printed edition of Lan's work, it is too mixed and chaotic; moreover, the book frequently refers to "Mr. Zhian," which decisively indicates that it has been tampered with and confused by ignorant people with the writings of Mr. Zhian. Only during the Daoguang reign period did Sun Zhaohui, a scholar from Anhui province who was skilled in medicine and painting, obtain Yang Shen's manuscript copy and Lan Mao's old block-printed edition. He collated and compiled them into a single volume, recording 410 medicinal substances. He recorded the theories of Lan and Yang separately, occasionally adding his own comments, drew illustrations himself, and published it as *Yi Yu Bencao* (Compendium of One Corner). This book can still serve as a reference for medical practitioners.
Written by Zhao Fan of Jianchuan

Shi Lian Hua (Sempervivum tectorum), also known as Juan Bai (Selaginella tamariscina), also known as Hui Yang Cao. It tastes bitter and is cold in nature. It regulates menstruation, breaks up blood stasis, dissipates zheng jia (abdominal masses), eliminates blood clots, and is effective in inducing labor for difficult childbirth. Burnt wine is used as a guiding drug.
── From the Middle Volume of the Cong Edition

Shi Lian Hua, also known as Bu Si Cao. It grows on rocky cliffs, and its leaves resemble those of Ce Bai Ye (Platycladus orientalis). Its aroma is pungent and its nature is neutral. It mainly treats evil qi in the five zang organs, cold-heat pain in the female genitalia, zheng jia (abdominal masses), amenorrhea, and infertility. Long-term consumption makes the body light and complexion harmonious. Used raw, it breaks blood stasis; used after roasting, it stops bleeding.
── From Volume Four of the Template Edition

Shi Lian Sheng (referring to the same or a related plant), also known as Ce Bai Ye (Platycladus orientalis leaf), also known as Ming Lu Xian. It tastes pungent and bitter, and is slightly warm in nature. It mainly treats pain in muscles and bones caused by phlegm-fire, facial pain due to cold, abdominal pain, asthenic fever due to blood deficiency in women, and edema.
To treat pain in muscles and bones caused by phlegm-fire, soak in wine and take orally. To treat cold pain, decoct in water and mix with wine for oral administration.
To treat asthenic fever, decoct in water and mix with tong bian (urine of a young boy) for oral administration. To treat edema, decoct with kang piao (rice bran scoop) and Bing Lang (Areca Seed) for oral administration.
── From Volume Three of the Wu Ben Edition

Mu Zei (Equiseti Herba), also known as Jie Jie Cao, also known as Bi Guan Cao, also known as Dou Yan Cao, also known as Dou Gen Cao. It tastes pungent and slightly bitter, and is slightly warm in nature. It circulates through the twelve meridians. It disperses liver accumulation that forms yi (cataracts/opacities), treats sudden red fiery eyes with distending pain in the eyeballs, removes opacities, eliminates fleshy growths covering the pupil, and concurrently treats wu lin (five types of strangury), penile pain, and symptoms of turbid urine with red or white discharge. The root treats leukorrhea dripping continuously in women, breaks up blood accumulation, unblocks amenorrhea in women, and stops lower intestinal bleeding.
── From the Upper Volume of the Cong Edition