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Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix): The qi is cold, the flavor is bitter and neutral. The qi is dense while the flavor is thin; it is non-toxic, capable of ascending and descending, and belongs to Yin. It primarily treats excess heat in all meridians. Those that are withered and floating clear Lung fire, resolve phlegm, and promote the smooth flow of Qi; those that are fine, solid, and hard purge Large Intestine fire, nourish Yin, and subdue Yang. Furthermore, the withered variety dispels cold-dampness and clears heat from the muscle surface; the hard variety nourishes the source of transformation and digestion (Spleen and Stomach) and clears heat from the Bladder. When combined with Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), its cold nature is enhanced, making it an excellent formula for Shaoyang disorders. When used as the sovereign herb with Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), it harmonizes and serves as a sacred medicine for calming the fetus. If stir-fried with pig bile, it can purge Liver and Gallbladder fire; if soaked in Ophiopogonis Juice, it can moisten dryness in the Lungs. Wine-processing directs its action upward to clear the head and eyes; salt-processing facilitates the expulsion of pathogenic factors from the Kidney. Generally, treating heat requires cold herbs, and purging excess requires bitter herbs. Huangqin has cold and bitter properties; it should only be used when there is a genuine Huangqin syndrome. If administered recklessly, what was once a comfortable seat becomes a place of disaster.

Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus): The qi is cold, the flavor is bitter and acrid; it is non-toxic. Both its qi and flavor are thin; it ascends and belongs to Yang within Yang. It primarily treats Heart heat and breaks up goiters (thyroid swellings). The classics state: "All swelling, sores, and ulcers belong to Heart fire." Only Lianqiao possesses a cool and light-acrid nature, thus it can dissipate wandering heat from all meridians and eliminate carbuncles and swellings in all meridians. When used as the sovereign herb with Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), along with sesame oil and honey as ministering agents, it can treat back carbuncles and various toxic sores. Primarily paired with Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba), together with Shanjiā (Manis Squama) and Niuxi (Arctii Fructus), it effectively promotes the eruption of smallpox/rashes. Combined with Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), it enters the Heart to clear heat; combined with Pianqing (Scutellariae Radix), it enters the Lung to purge fire; following Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus), it guides heat downward internally; following Mahuang, it guides heat outward externally. It is also said to be a sacred medicine for external diseases, does this not refer to its ability to purge heat through bitterness and disperse fire through acridity?

Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus): The qi is cold, the flavor is bitter; it is non-toxic. Its qi is thin and its flavor is dense; its qi floats while its flavor descends, making it sinking, and belonging to Yin within Yang. It primarily treats mental restlessness, vexation, insomnia, and extreme mental agitation. It benefits five types of strangury (dysuria) and unblocks urination. It removes severe heat from the chest and stops hot pain in the epigastrium. Retaining the peel clears heat from the muscle surface; removing the peel aggressively clears heat from the chest and heart. Wine-processing directs the action upward; salt-soaking directs the action downward. It enters the Taiyin Lung organ alone. Because it is light and floating, it resembles the Lung; because it is red, it resembles Fire. Thus, it treats high-located Qi and purges fire in the Lungs. The *Shennong Benjing* does not describe it as emetic, but Zhang Zhongjing used it as an emetic because when pathogenic factors are located superiorly and reject food intake, inducing vomiting allows the pathogen to exit. The classics say: "For conditions located high, use the method of evacuation upwards," which refers to this principle. It does not directly benefit urination; however, later physicians like Li Dongyuan used it to benefit urination. In reality, it is not directly promoting diuresis but clearing the Lungs. When Lung Qi is clear and transforms properly, urine is excreted through Qi transformation. The classics say: "The Bladder is the residence of body fluids; only through Qi transformation can they be excreted," which refers to this mechanism. The *Benjing* also states it treats heat in the Large and Small Intestines and Stomach. This is because Acrid combines with Geng (Metal), and Bing (Fire); it can also drain Wu Earth, acting first on the Central Region (Spleen/Stomach). Adding Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens) and Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) treats persistent vomiting and hiccups. Adding Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) and Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus) eliminates abdominal fullness and vexation. Adding Yinchen (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba) treats damp-heat jaundice. Adding Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) treats fullness due to Heart Qi deficiency. To remove internal vexation and restlessness, adding Jiangchi (Fermented Soybean) achieves success. Vexation (Fan) relates to Qi; restlessness (Zao) relates to Blood. Qi governs the Lung, and Blood governs the Kidney. Therefore, Zhizi treats Lung-related vexation, and Jiangchi treats Kidney-related restlessness. Adding fresh ginger juice particularly treats chronic heart and abdominal pain. It effectively drives away wandering heat in the Upper Jiao and resolves various types of swelling and jaundice. It reduces redness and opacity in the eyes, stops cholera with muscle cramps, and eliminates red-white leprous sores, rhinophyma (wine nose), and pathogenic factors within the five viscera. It can also resolve heat stagnation and move constrained Qi. Its nature curves and descends, driving various fire pathogens out through urination. In Jiedu Tang (Detoxification Decoction), it is used to guide other herbs out through the Bladder. Ground into powder and insufflated into the nose, it stops epistaxis; charred and added to decoctions, it stops hematemesis.