Library

Jujube (Da Zao)
Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic. It primarily treats pathogenic factors in the heart and abdomen, calms the middle jiao (middle burner), nourishes the spleen, assists the twelve meridians, harmonizes stomach qi, unblocks the nine orifices, supplements deficient qi and fluids, improves physical weakness, treats palpitations caused by sudden fright, alleviates heaviness in the four limbs, harmonizes various medicinal herbs, tonifies the middle and benefits qi, strengthens the body, eliminates irritability, and treats subcardiac hanging pain and intestinal rumbling diarrhea. Long-term consumption makes the body light, extends life, reduces hunger, and may even lead to a state akin to immortality. Also known as dried jujube, beautiful jujube, or good jujube. Harvested in August and sun-dried.
The kernels inside the pits of three-year-old aged jujubes, when roasted until charred, have a bitter taste. They treat abdominal pain and pathogenic factors.

Fresh Jujube
Sweet and pungent in flavor. Excessive consumption causes chills and fever; it should not be eaten by those who are emaciated.

Leaves
Covering Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang, 麻黄) promotes sweating. Grows in the plains and marshes of Hedong. (It can detoxify Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (Wutou, 附子) toxicity.)

Tao Hongjing states: Old records claim that jujubes from Yishi County in Hedong are particularly superior. Currently, those from Qingzhou are large, have thin pits, are juicy, and very sweet. Those from Yuzhou obtained through inter-provincial trade are also good, though slightly inferior to Qingzhou ones. Jujubes from Jincheng, Linyi in Jiangdong, are large but hollow, with little oil; the good quality ones can still be used. Southern jujubes are large but extremely poor in taste, almost inedible. In Daoist prescriptions: Jujube is considered the best bait/food. The skin has draining properties, while the flesh tonifies deficiency; therefore, when preparing decoctions, they are always split open. Tang Ben Zhu notes: "Bie Lu" records that powdered fresh jujube leaves cause emaciation if taken orally, and long-term use leads to vomiting. Rubbing them on hot prickly heat rashes is effective. Chen Yuxi et al. respectfully cite Meng Shen: Dried jujube is warm. It mainly replenishes fluids and strengthens willpower. The kernels from three-year-old aged pits treat malignant qi and sudden onset of zhuyu (wandering pestilence) attacks. Additionally, for treating deafness, nasal congestion, inability to hear sounds, or smell odors, take fifteen large jujubes, remove skin and pits, take three hundred castor seeds (Ricini Semen, 蓖麻子), remove shells, crush both ingredients together, wrap in cotton, and insert into ears and nose. Change once daily; after more than thirty days, hearing and smell will return. Treat ears first, then nose; do not block both simultaneously. Another prescription: Ten kernels of Crotonis Fructus (Badou, 巴豆), shelled and used raw. Crush with Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum (Banxia, 半夏 - *Note: Text says Songzhi/Pine resin, correcting based on text context "Songzhi"* -> Pine resin). Crush together, wrap in cotton, and insert into ear. It is also said to wash away pathogenic factors in the heart and abdomen, harmonize toxins of hundred herbs, unblock nine orifices, and supplement deficient qi. Eating too many fresh jujubes causes abdominal distension. Steamed or boiled jujubes tonify the intestines and stomach, fatten the middle, and benefit qi. The first grade is Qingzhou jujube, followed by Puzhou jujube. Those from other places are unsuitable for medicinal use. For children suffering from autumnal dysentery, feeding them worm-infested jujubes is effective. Ri Huazi states: Dried jujube moistens the lungs and heart, stops cough, tonifies the five zang organs, treats consumptive disease damage, clears gastrointestinal stasis qi. When burned with Guangfen (likely a specific powder or mineral), it treats gan accumulation dysentery. Those with dental diseases must strictly avoid eating it. Jujubes should generally not be consumed with raw green onions. He also states: Jujube leaves are warm and non-toxic. They treat high fever in children; bathing in the decoction, especially mixed with Polygonati Rhizoma (Gefen, 葛粉), is excellent for prickly heat, and it also treats hot tumors.

Tu Jing states: Large jujube refers to dried jujube. Fresh jujubes originally grew in Hedong; now they are found in northern prefectures, with those from Qing, Jin, and Jiang prefectures being particularly fine. Those from Jiangnan are hard, dry, and lack oil. Respectfully noting, there are many varieties of jujubes. Guo Pu's annotation of "Erya": Jujube, Hu jujube. Says: In Jiangdong today, large jujubes with sharp tops are called Hu, similar to a gourd. Bian, Waist jujube. Says: Thin-waisted fruits, now called Lulu jujube. Xi, White jujube. Says: This is the current jujube; white indicates ripeness. Suan, Sour jujube. Says: Small tree with sour fruit. Zun, Sheep jujube. Says: Small, round, purple-black fruit, commonly called Yangshi jujube. Xi, Large jujube. Says: Large jujubes from Yishi County, Hedong, are like chicken eggs. Juexie, Bitter jujube. Says: Fruits with bitter taste. Xi, Fruitless jujube. Says: Does not bear fruit. Huanwei, Ren jujube. Says: Huanwei means short-lasting flavor. Sour jujube is listed separately; other varieties are numerous. Now all are cultivated in gardens, but their names cannot be fully distinguished. The most exquisite include Water-Like Jujube and Imperial Jujube, which are unsuitable for medicine because their flesh is solid yet light/vacuous; sudden heavy consumption leads to decay. Only Qingzhou varieties are exceptionally good; although Jin and Jiang produce large fruits, their flesh is not as dense as Qingzhou's. All are harvested in August and sun-dried. People in Nanjun boil them before drying; the resulting dried skins are thin and wrinkled, tasting sweeter than others, called Tianzheng jujube, but unsuitable for medicine. There is also Zhongsi jujube, large and long (1-2 cun), purplish-red, with fine lines, small pits, and heavy sweet flavor. Obtained by Immortal Zhongsi during Northern Qi, hence the name. During Sui Dynasty's Daye era, Xindu Prefecture once presented several; rarely seen in recent times. Guangzhou has a Persian jujube variety; the tree has no side branches, growing straight up 3-4 zhang, with over ten branches at the top, leaves like palm. Locals call it Sea Palm Wood. Bears fruit every 3-5 years, resembling northern jujubes but smaller. Merchants bring fresh ones from their homeland to the South China Sea, where locals eat them, claiming extreme sweetness, similar to Tianzheng jujube, but the pits are completely different: blunt ends, double-curved and round, like small pieces of purple resin. Planting yields no growth, suspected to be steamed/cooked. Rarely brought recently.

Shiliao states: Jujube combined with Cinnamomi Ramulus (Guixin, 桂心), Benincasae Semen (Baigua Ren, 白瓜子仁), and Pinus Bark made into pills, long-term consumption makes the body fragrant, and clothes smell sweet. Soft jujube is warm. Excessive consumption agitates wind, triggering cold wind and cough. Shenghui Fang: Promotes hair growth. Take 3 chi of east-facing jujube root, place horizontally on a steamer, steam until sweat appears at both ends, collect the sweat, and apply to hair to promote growth. Another prescription: Treats injury to middle jiao causing tendon tension and upper qi cough. Use twenty jujubes, pitted. Heat four liang of butter (Su, 酥) over low fire. Place Mercury (Zhusha/Yinshui? Text says Yinshui/Mercury) in palm, grind with saliva until very fine, apply to jujube pulp, insert into lower orifice (anus/vagina) for cure. Zhou Hou Fang: Treats itching from parasites in the lower orifice. Steam large jujube to extract paste, mix with mercury, roll into a three-cun stick, wrap in cotton, insert into lower orifice overnight; parasites will exit the next day. Mei Shi: Treats sudden severe abdominal colic in pregnancy at 4-5 months. Use ten good jujubes... (Text fragment: Chills/Fever, Good Jujube, Beautify Spirit/Qi). Shenyi Jing states: In the northern wastelands, there is a jujube forest, five zhang high, spreading branches over one li, fruits 6-7 cun long, circumference exceeding length, ripe red like cinnabar, does not shrink when dried, sweet and moist aroma, distinct from common jujubes. Eating them stabilizes the body and boosts qi strength.

Yanyi states: Large jujubes, currently Qingzhou and Jinzhou grades are suitable for sun-drying for medicinal use, benefiting spleen and stomach, and are best. Others are only for food. Imperial jujube is sweet, delicious, light, and crisp, ripening later than others. Due to sweetness, it attracts insects; this is what people call Pulusu. Tooth-shaped jujube ripens earlier, also sweet but slightly sour, pointed and long. Only these two types are suitable for eating, not for drying/storage. Nowadays, people take dried jujubes, remove pits, slowly dry in a pan over low heat, grind to powder, add ginger powder according to amount, brew as tea to drink, harmonizing stomach qi. Boiled jujube flesh mixed with spleen/stomach tonifying pills is especially good. Qingzhou jujubes, peeled and pitted, baked dry into rings, transported to the capital, become rare delicacies.