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[Danpi (Moutan Cortex)]
Taste: Pungent, Cold. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Mainly treats alternating chills and fever, convulsions caused by wind-stroke, evil qi causing palpitations and epilepsy, eliminates hard accumulations and blood stasis lodging in the intestines and stomach, calms the five zang organs, and treats carbuncles and sores.

Chen Xiuyuan states: Danpi has a cold nature, inheriting water qi to enter the Kidney meridian; its pungent taste and non-toxicity allow it to inherit metal flavor and enter the Lung meridian. Heart Fire possesses the nature of flaming upward; when Fire is constrained, it manifests as cold; when Fire erupts, it manifests as heat. Danshen (Salvia Miltiorrhiza) inherits water qi to control Fire, thus treating these conditions. The Liver is the organ of Wind; wind-stroke damaging its sinews leads to convulsions, while wind-stroke disturbing its Hun (Ethereal Soul) leads to palpitations and epilepsy. Danpi, possessing metal flavor, pacifies the Liver, thus treating these conditions. "Evil qi" refers to wind and fire pathogens. These pathogens disturb blood, lodging in the intestines and stomach, forming stasis and hard masses. The cold nature of Danpi clears heat, and its pungency disperses nodules, thereby eliminating them. The Lung is the leader of the five zang organs; if the Lung is peaceful, all five zang organs are peaceful. Carbuncles and sores belong to Heart Fire; when Heart Fire descends, carbuncles and sores can be treated.

[Fangji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Rhizoma)]
Taste: Pungent, Neutral. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Mainly treats wind-cold warm malaria, various epileptic seizures caused by hot qi, expels evil qi, and promotes urination and defecation.

[Commentary]
Fangji has a neutral nature, inheriting metal qi; its pungent taste and non-toxicity allow it to enter the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. "Wind-cold warm malaria" refers to malaria contracted from wind-cold, characterized by fever without chills. "Various epileptic seizures caused by hot qi" refers to various types of epilepsy caused by heart heat. Warm-heat belongs to yang pathogens, while epilepsy and malaria belong to wind-wood qi; Fangji can govern the treatment of these conditions. "Expelling evil qi" further clarifies that it can remove the aforementioned pathogens. However, the Lung is the upper source of water and forms an interior-exterior relationship with the Large Intestine. Fangji's pungent and neutral nature regulates Lung qi, thereby facilitating the smooth flow of both urine and stool.

Zhang Yin'an states: The *Neijing* says, "If the water pathways do not flow, the body emaciates and qi diminishes." This indicates that water circulates on the skin and surface following qi, and water and fire mutually assist each other above and below. If qi stagnates and water does not flow, water diseases and phlegm diseases arise. Fangji grown in Hanzhong has cross-section textures like wheel spokes and hollow stems, primarily functioning to promote qi movement and water circulation. By preventing the stagnation of earth/water, it earns the name Fangji. In the *Jingui Yaolue*, formulas for treating water diseases include Fangji Huangqi Tang (Astragalus and Stepheria Decoction) and Fangji Fuling Tang (Stepheria and Poria Decoction); for phlegm diseases, Mu Fangji Tang (Kadsura and Stepheria Decoction) and Fangji Jia Fuling Mangxiao Tang (Stepheria with Poria and Mirabilite Decoction); in the *Qianjin Fang*, Sanwu Mu Fangji Tang (Three-Ingredient Kadsura and Stepheria Decoction) is used for enuresis and dysuria. This is because qi moves upward, while water flows downward. Li Dongyuan stated: Fangji is a medicine for the blood level of the lower jiao; it is contraindicated for diseases in the qi level of the upper jiao. He also said: For those who are aggressive and enjoy disaster, becoming the cause of chaos, if used properly, this drug can also withstand danger. It is a drug that causes "mingxuan" (severe reaction leading to cure), so the sages retained it without abolishing it. Alas! From where did such discussions originate? Qi transformation must occur before water flows. Fangji is a product that moves qi and promotes diuresis; how can it be said that it cannot be used for upper jiao qi level diseases? How ignorant is this reasoning! Fangji operates to remove disease, implying a tonifying effect within its movement. Why was it listed at the front of the Middle Category in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* and retained? Because Li Dongyuan was wealthy but greedy for fame, lacking genuine empirical study (*gewu*), he often made subjective speculations. This led later generations to follow his words as maxims and fear them as poisonous drugs. Is this the fault of the ancients? Li Shizhen claimed that since ancient times, only Li Dongyuan was mistaken. Alas! How can we wish for Qibo to be reborn to re-explain the essence of the classics?