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(Added in the Jiyou year from *Bencao Yan Yi*)

Dong Kui Zi (Winter Okra Seed)
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Mainly treats cold-heat disorders of the five zang and six fu organs, emaciation, five types of strangury (disorders characterized by frequent, painful, and difficult urination), promotes diuresis, and treats breast engorgement with milk stasis and blockage in women. Long-term consumption strengthens bones, promotes muscle growth, lightens the body, and prolongs life. Habitat: Grows on Mount Shaoshi. Harvest time: December. (Huang Qin [Scutellariae Radix] acts as its guiding herb.)

Kui Gen (Okra Root)
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Treats malignant sores, strangury, promotes diuresis, and resolves toxicity of Shu Jiao (Zanthoxyli Pericarpium).

Ye (Leaves)
Considered the chief among hundred vegetables, but its heart is harmful to humans.

Tao Hongjing stated: Okra planted in autumn, covered and nurtured through winter, producing seeds in spring, is called Dong Kui (Winter Okra). It is mostly used in medicine; its nature is extremely slippery and lubricating, capable of expelling stones.

Chun Kui (Spring Okra)
Its seeds are also slippery but unsuitable for other medicinal uses. The root is simply common okra. The leaves are particularly cold and slippery; they should not be eaten in large quantities. Practitioners of Daoist arts take these okra seeds, stir-fry them lightly until they make a "bi" sound, scatter them on wet ground, and trample over them. Planted in the morning, they sprout by evening, taking no more than one night. Another method states: Take sheep horns and horse hooves, burn them to ash, scatter on wet ground, and trample; this will produce Basil (Ocimum basilicum), commonly known as the Vegetable of the Queen Mother of the West, which is beneficial when eaten. Among raw vegetables, there are also Hu Sui (Coriandri Fructus), Yun Tai (Brassicae Pekinensis Folium), Bai Ju (Lactuca Sativa Var. Alba), and Xie Hao, all of which should not be eaten in excess. Generally, raw vegetables are contraindicated during herbal medication. Buddhist vegetarian diets prohibit eating Xun Qu (a type of vegetable); it is unknown exactly what vegetable this is. Many say it refers to current Yun Cai (Rapeseed), due to its disliked odor. *Tang Ben Zhu* notes: Basil is called Lan Xiang (Pogostemonis Herba) in the north, to avoid the taboo of Shi Le's name. Also, Xun Qu is Polomonia officinalis; its root juice is sun-dried into a gum-like substance, or the root is cut and dried, both having a very foul odor. Tantric practitioners in the Western Regions forbid its consumption.
The Rong people value this highly, just as common people value Pepper (Piperis Fructus) or
Ba people value Fu Fan (likely a local spice), neither of which is Yun Cai. Minister Yu Xi et al. respectfully consulted *Yao Xing Lun*: Dong Kui Zi is a minister herb, slippery, neutral. It can treat five types of strangury, main swelling of the breasts, and promotes lactation. The root treats malignant sores; if a child swallows a coin that does not pass, drinking the decoction expels it miraculously. However, if consumed after an epidemic disease, it may cause sudden blindness. Additionally, burning the leaves to ash or grinding dry leaves into powder, and decocting alone, treats epidemic jaundice. Meng Shen said: Okra is cold. It treats malnutrition sores on the face and body with yellow discharge. One can take the root, burn it to ash, mix with lard, and apply. Its nature is cold; if eaten hot, it causes heat and oppression. It strongly moves wind-qi. Those long-term consuming mineral pills (Dan Shi) should eat it occasionally. Winter okra pickle juice. For those whose Dan Shi toxicity activates, causing dry tongue and cough, drinking a cup after meals and lying down briefly helps. Its seeds: those with sores swallow one seed, which forms a head. Women in labor can drink a decoction, which is beneficial. If experiencing difficulty in labor, use one heaping measure of seeds, two sheng of water, boil to half a sheng, strain, and drink at once; birth follows shortly. Ri Hua Zi said: Dong Kui, long-term consumption strengthens sinews and bones. Autumn okra is early-planted, commonly called Kui Cai.

*Tu Jing* states: Dong Kui Zi grows on Mount Shaoshi and is now found everywhere. These are seeds from okra planted in autumn, nurtured through winter to produce seeds in spring, called Dong Kui Zi, most frequently used in ancient prescriptions. The seedlings and leaves are edible vegetables, even more delicious. Generally, its nature is slippery and lubricating, able to promote the discharge of accumulated stagnation, especially suitable for those consuming mineral pills. Pregnant women near delivery eating boiled leaves facilitates smooth delivery. Dried leaves and ash mixed into powder treat traumatic injuries. Drinking the juice expels foreign bodies immediately. There are several types of okra:
There is Shu Kui (Malvae Silvestris Folium), referred to in *Erya* as (pronounced Gu Tian Qie), also known as Rong Kui. Guo Pu said: Like okra, flowers resemble Hibiscus mutabilis; Rong and Shu likely derive their names from this origin, with flowers in five colors. White flowers treat malaria and pathogenic heat; dried and powdered, taken orally. Taking flowers on the noon day and rubbing hands also prevents malaria. Yellow flowers treat carbuncles and sores; dry powder mixed with water applied topically heals immediately. Small-flowered variety is named Jin Kui (Malvae Verticillatae Flos), with stronger efficacy. Huang Kui Zi (Abelmoschi Semen) treats strangury and facilitates childbirth in women. There is also Zhong Kui, with large stems and small leaves, purple-yellow, called Fan Lu by Wu people, which is Luo Kui (Rosae Laevigatae Fructus) listed in the lower grade. *Erya* refers to Zhong Kui and Fan Lu. Also named Cheng Lu, commonly called Hu Yan Zhi (Rose Hip Powder); seeds can be used by women for facial makeup and lipstick. There is also Tu Kui, resembling okra but with smaller leaves, shaped like Chenopodium, hairy, very slippery when chewed. *Erya* refers to Tu Kui. Also named Tian Kui. Leaves treat strangury and heat accumulation; all have efficacy, so they are recorded together.

*Tang Ben Zhu*: This is the root of commonly eaten okra. Referring to *Zuo Zhuan*, the one that protects the feet. Based on this, there are several types, mostly not used in medicine. Dietary therapy:
Treats swelling without a head after three days; take 100 okra seeds, swallow them, and the sore head opens on the same day. Also, for difficult labor where the fetus has not emerged,
boil to obtain less than one sheng, only half a sheng is sufficient, strain, and drink at once; urine and the baby will emerge. Must be careful, do not go to the toilet. Someone once did this, standing and pushing the baby into the toilet. Finely chopped, decocted in water, drinking one cup aids intestinal lubrication. Women in labor eating a cooked meal facilitates easy birth. Eating a meal after an epidemic disease causes blindness. Swallowed coins not passing: decoct juice, drink chilled, and it passes. Do not eat without garlic. Eating raw okra in any season causes indigestion and triggers old diseases. Also, eating raw frost-killed okra moves five types of retained fluid retention. Huang Kui is particularly contraindicated. *Sheng Hui Fang*: For infantile exanthema dispersing toxic vapors. Use fresh okra leaves, squeeze juice, and administer small amounts. *Wai Tai Mi Yao*: For epidemic erysipelas spreading rapidly over the body with white pus heads, this is toxic vapor. In the fourth year of Yonghui, this disease flowed east from the Western Regions. Boil okra leaves and eat with minced garlic.
For thirst and dysuria. Cut five jin of okra root, add five sheng of water, boil to three sheng. Fast overnight, take three sheng at dawn.
Another prescription: Treats angular cheilitis. Dig up okra roots aged for years, burn to ash, and apply. *Qian Jin Fang*: For dead fetus in utero. Okra seed powder, taken with wine using a square-inch spoon. If alive below the mouth, it revives. Same as *Zhou Hou Fang*. Another prescription: Treats sudden bleeding during pregnancy. One sheng of okra seeds, five sheng of water.
Another prescription: Pregnancy complicated by strangury. One sheng of okra seeds, three sheng of water, boil to two sheng, divide into two doses. If no okra seeds, use
three sheng, four sheng of water, boil to one sheng,
strain and drink. If not improved, prepare another
sheng, drink at once. Adding lard like
pills is better. *Jing Yan Hou Fang*: Treats all carbuncles without heads. Swallow one okra seed with fresh well water; it breaks open shortly. To ensure rupture, take two seeds. Add seeds gradually to the site of rupture; effective. Sun Simiao’s Dietary Taboos: Okra can fill spleen qi. Also, excessive consumption of frost-killed okra causes vomiting of water. Okra
treats various [conditions]. First wash with warm rice water, wipe dry with cotton, warm okra leaves slightly over fire, apply to sore to draw out pus; within two to three hundred leaves, pus drains and flesh regenerates. Contraindications include various fish, garlic, and sexual intercourse. *Zi Mi Mi Lu*: For infantile puerperal sores, apply burnt okra root powder. *Chan Bao*: Treats engorged breasts and abscesses. Powder okra stems and seeds, take with wine using a square-inch spoon, cures. *Chan Shu*: Treats breech presentation, cold extremities, and lockjaw. Stir-fry okra seeds until yellow, grind to powder, take two qian bi with wine, ensures normal presentation.

*Yan Yi* states: Dong Kui Zi is the seed of okra, found everywhere. The seedling nature is slippery and not beneficial. For carbuncles and furuncles with internal attacking toxic heat before suppuration, swallowing three to five seeds with water creates an opening, allowing pus to drain.