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Ginseng (Renshen)
Sweet in taste, slightly cold and slightly warm in nature, non-toxic. Its main functions are to tonify the five Zang organs, calm the spirit (Shen), stabilize the soul (Hun), stop palpitations, eliminate pathogenic factors, brighten the eyes, open the heart orifice, enhance wisdom, treat coldness in the intestines and stomach, relieve abdominal distension and pain, alleviate chest and hypochondriac fullness with rebellious Qi, treat cholera-like syndrome with vomiting, harmonize the middle Jiao, stop polydipsia (Xiao Ke), unblock the blood vessels, break up hard accumulations, and improve memory. Long-term use makes the body light and prolongs life. Also known as Renxian, Gaigai, Shencao, Renwei, Tujing, and Xueshen. Those shaped like a human possess spiritual efficacy. It grows in the valleys of Shangdang and Liaodong. The roots should be harvested in early February, April, and August, scraped with a bamboo knife, and dried in the sun, avoiding exposure to wind. (Poria cocos [Fuling] serves as its guiding herb; it is incompatible with Suoshu and contrary to Veratrum nigrum [Lilu].)

Tao Hongjing stated: Shangdang Commandery is located southwest of Jizhou. The ginseng currently offered by the Wei state is of this type, long and yellow in color, resembling Saposhnikovia divaricata [Fangfeng], moist and solid with a sweet taste. Commonly used in secular practice but not for internal administration is Baekje Ginseng, which is thin, hard, white, and has a weaker aroma than Shangdang Ginseng. Next is Goryeo Ginseng, from Liaodong, which is large but hollow and soft, inferior to Baekje Ginseng. Baekje is now subordinate to Goryeo; the ginseng offered by Goryeo includes both types, so one should select the superior quality. In reality, none surpass Shangdang Ginseng, which is crucial as a medicinal material, functioning similarly to Glycyrrhiza uralensis [Gancao] but prone to insect damage. If stored in sealed containers, it can remain unspoiled for over a year. Ginseng grows with a single upright stem, with four or five pairs of opposite leaves and purple flowers. A Goryeo poem praises ginseng: "Three branches, five leaves, facing away from the sun towards the shade. If you seek me, look near the Zelkova tree." The leaves of the Zelkova tree are large, resembling those of the Paulownia tree; places with wide shade often grow ginseng in shady areas, and harvesting requires specific methods. Although found in nearby mountains, the quality there is poor. The *Tang Bencao* notes that Tao Hongjing’s description of the ginseng seedling actually refers to *Adenophora tetraphylla* [Jiegeng] and *Cicerbita* [Qini], failing to understand the Goryeo praise. Currently, Luzhou, Pingzhou, Zezhou, Yizhou, Tanzhou, Jizhou, Youzhou, and Guizhou all produce it, likely due to connected mountain ranges. Current annotations favor Goryeo and Baekje ginseng. The variety from the Taihang Mountains in Luzhou is called Zituan Shen and is also used. Tao Hongjing’s claim that common usage excludes it from medicine is incorrect. Ministers such as Yu Xi reviewed the *Yaoxing Lun*: Ginseng is incompatible with salty brine. Produced in Shangdang Commandery, those shaped like humans are superior; next are those from Xinluo in Haiedong and Bohai. It treats insufficiency of Qi in the five Zang organs, deficiency and weakness caused by the five labors and seven injuries, vomiting and inability to eat, stops cholera-like syndrome with irritability and retching, tonifies the five Zang and six Fu organs, preserves central Qi and guards the spirit. It also states that *Iris ensata* [Malin] serves as a guiding herb, eliminating phlegm in the chest, treating pulmonary abscess with pus expectoration and epilepsy, rebellious cold Qi, and inability to eat due to cold damage. For patients who are weak and have chaotic dreams, it is added. Xiao Bing stated: Ginseng sealed with *Asarum* [Xixin] remains unspoiled for a year. Ri Huazi stated: It neutralizes the toxicity of metallic minerals, harmonizes the middle Jiao and treats Qi disorders, promotes digestion and opens the stomach, with no dietary restrictions upon consumption.

The *Tu Jing* states: Ginseng grows in the valleys of Shangdang and Liaodong; it is now produced in various prefectures of Hedong and Mount Tai. There is also New Korea Ginseng from the Hebei border markets and Fujian, yet none are as good as Shangdang Ginseng. The root resembles *Saposhnikovia divaricata* [Fangfeng], moist and solid. Sprouts emerge in spring, mostly growing in deep mountains in shady, moist areas near *Zelkova* trees. Young plants are about three to four inches tall with one branch and five leaves; after four to five years, two branches with five leaves appear, topped with flower stems; after ten years, three branches develop; older plants have four branches with five leaves each, and a central stem emerges, commonly called "Bai Chi Gan" (Hundred-Foot Pole). Flowers appear in March and April, small like millet seeds, with purple-white filaments. Fruits mature in autumn, seven or eight per cluster, soybean-sized, turning from green to red and falling naturally. Roots shaped like humans are considered potent. Roots are harvested in early February, April, and August, scraped clean with bamboo knives, and dried in the sun, avoiding wind. Those from Mount Tai have green stems and white roots, distinctively different. A local variety in the Jianghuai region, called Earth Ginseng, has spoon-shaped leaves smaller than *Adenophora*, with shoots one to two feet tall, opposite leaves, five to seven nodes, and tender roots similar to *Adenophora* but very sweet. It bears purple flowers with green hues in autumn. Roots are harvested in spring and autumn but are not used in medicine, though locals sometimes use them. Legend says to test the authenticity of Shangdang Ginseng, have two people run together; one holds ginseng in their mouth, the other does not. After running three to five li, the one without ginseng will pant heavily, while the one with ginseng breathes normally, indicating authenticity. Li Jiang's *Military Department Manual Formulas*: Treats recurrent vomiting where food is immediately expelled, leaving the patient weak and near death. Use two large liang of cracked Shangdang Ginseng, boiled in one sheng of water until reduced to four he, taken hot at once, twice daily. Also feed the patient congee cooked with ginseng juice. Li Zhifang: Director Xu suffered from recurrent vomiting in Hannan for over two months, unresponsive to various formulas. This formula stabilized him immediately. Upon recovering and entering the capital, Li Jiang frequently debated the efficacy of this herb with renowned physicians, finding it unparalleled. Another notable combination involves Zhang Zhongjing treating Chest Bi (obstruction) with epigastric hardness, trapped Qi causing chest oppression, chest fullness, hypochondriac distension, and rebellious Qi seizing the heart, using Zhizhong Tang as the primary formula: Ginseng, Atractodes macrocephala [Baizhu], Dried Ginger [Ganjiang], and Licorice [Gancao], each three liang. Boil these four ingredients in eight sheng of water to obtain three sheng. Take one sheng per dose, three times daily. If there is pulsation above the umbilicus indicating Kidney Qi movement, remove Baizhu and add Cinnamon Twig [Guizhi] four liang. For excessive vomiting, remove Baizhu and add Fresh Ginger [Shengjiang] three liang. For excessive diarrhea, restore the use of Baizhu. For palpitations, add Poria [Fuling] two liang. For thirst, increase Baizhu to four and a half liang. For abdominal pain, increase Ginseng to four and a half liang. For coldness, increase Dried Ginger to four and a half liang. For fullness, remove Baizhu and add Processed Aconite Root [Fuzi] one piece. After taking the medicine, drink about one sheng of hot porridge after a meal duration to induce mild warmth, and avoid uncovering clothes or blankets. From the Jin and Song dynasties through Tang, renowned physicians treating heart and abdominal diseases invariably used this formula, whether as decoctions, honey pills, or modified versions, all yielding miraculous effects. Hu Qia treated cholera-like syndrome with this, calling it Wenzhong Tang. Tao Hongjing's *Hundred-One Formulas* states: While other remedies for cholera may be hard to find, Zhizhong Wan, Sishun Tang, and Houpo Tang must not be lacking and should be prepared in advance, especially in autumn. Wang Fangqing of Tang stated: Zhizhong Wan and the following four formulas treat not only cholera but various diseases, requiring advance preparation. These three formulas are: Zhizhong Tang, Sishun Tang, and Houpo Tang. Sishun Tang uses Ginseng, Aconite [Fuzi], Processed Dried Ginger [Paoganjiang], and Licorice [Gancao], each two liang, chopped. Decoct in six sheng of water to obtain two and a half sheng, divided into four doses. If diarrhea persists, add Dragon Bone [Longgu] two liang; if pain occurs, add Angelica sinensis [Danggui] two liang. See the entry for Magnolia bark [Houpo] for Houpo Tang.

*Haiyao Bencao* states: Offered from Xinluo. Some roots resemble human hands and feet, over a chi long, clamped with fir wood and decorated with red threads. Sweet in taste, slightly warm. Treats abdominal and lumbar issues, promotes digestion, tonifies Zang-Fu organs, benefits Qi and calms the spirit, stops vomiting, regulates pulse, resolves phlegm, relieves irritability, and transforms acid regurgitation. There is also Shazhou Shen, which is short and small, unsuitable for use. When harvesting roots, remove the rhizome head; failure to do so induces vomiting. Lei Gong stated: Select plump, chicken-leg-sized roots resembling humans. Dry in the shade, remove peripheral rhizomes and blackened parts, chop for medicinal use. Use sparingly in summer to prevent heart pain. *Waitai Miyao*: To treat bee or scorpion stings, chew ginseng and apply to the wound. *Qianjin Fang*: Opens the heart and builds robustness. One part Ginseng, ten parts lard, mixed with wine, taken for 100 days. After 100 days, marrow fills, memory improves, skin becomes lustrous, and wind-heat phlegm is eliminated. *Zhouhou Fang*: Treats sudden upward rushing of Qi,急促喘息 (rapid breathing) nearing suffocation. Take one fangcun bi of Ginseng powder, five to six times daily. *Jingyan Houfang*: Treats adults and children refusing milk/food, harmonizes Qi and resolves phlegm. Four liang Ginseng, one liang Pinellia [Banxia], simmered overnight in ginger juice, dried and powdered, formed into pills the size of mung beans. Take ten pills after meals with ginger soup. Another formula for dog bite-induced tetanus: Burn unspecified amount of Ginseng over mulberry fire until smoke ceases, grind into powder, and apply to the wound for immediate effect. *Shengjin Fang*: Treats hematemesis. Powder one part Ginseng, mix with egg white and fresh well water, take one qian. *Lingyuan Fang*: Treats cough with upward Qi rush,急促喘息, hemoptysis. Powder high-quality Ginseng, take three qianbi mixed with egg white. Take at dawn, sleep immediately without pillow, supine position. One dose cures; chronic cases require a second dose. Avoid fish, salt, vinegar, sauce, and noodles; avoid intoxication and overeating; proper care ensures recovery.

*Yanyi* states: Current market Ginseng from Heguang border markets is predominantly Goryeo origin, generally soft and weak in flavor, inferior to Luzhou Shangdang Ginseng which is dense and potent. Locals preserve harvested roots on boards, wrapped in colored wool. Roots are slender, unlike market varieties, hanging down over a chi long or having ten branches. Their price equals silver, making them rare.