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Pipaye (Folium Eriobotryae)

Bitter, neutral, non-toxic. Primarily treats sudden persistent vomiting and directs Qi downward.

Tao Hongjing stated: The leaves are not worth boiling; chewing them directly can also cure the condition. When people use them to make drinks, they become slightly cold in nature. The *Tang Bencao* annotation notes: Leaves must be roasted over fire and brushed with cloth to remove the hairs; otherwise, the hairs will penetrate the lungs, causing incessant coughing. It also treats coughing against the flow of Qi (ke ni), loss of appetite. Current annotations state it is sweet, cold, and non-toxic. Excessive consumption induces phlegm-heat.

Min Yuxi and others, according to the *Shu Ben Tu Jing*, recorded: The tree grows over one zhang high, with leaves as large as a donkey's ear, covered with yellow hairs on the back. The young fruit resembles a small plum, yellow, with a sweet and sour taste. The pit is as large as a small chestnut, with thin skin and flesh. It flowers in winter and fruits in spring, ripening in April and May, remaining evergreen through winter. It grows in Jiangnan and Shannan regions and is now found everywhere. Meng Shen stated: Pipa (the fruit) is warm. It benefits the five Zang organs, but long-term consumption may cause heat-induced jaundice. The seeds moisten the lungs and clear heat from the upper Jiao. If consumed with hot roasted meat or hot wheat-based foods, it may cause heat-toxin jaundice. The *Yao Xing Lun* states: Pipaye acts as an envoy (shi), is sweet, and primarily treats cold stomach Qi and persistent vomiting. Ri Huazi stated: Pipa seeds are neutral and non-toxic. They treat lung Qi issues, moisten the five Zang organs, direct Qi downward, stop vomiting and reflux, and treat thirst. He further noted that the leaves treat dry mouth in women after childbirth.

The *Tu Jing* stated: Pipaye was not previously listed with specific provinces of origin; currently, it is found in Xiang, Han, Wu, Shu, and Minling regions. The tree is over one zhang high, with leaves shaped like donkey ears, all hairy. Its branches are dense and graceful, evergreen throughout the four seasons. It blooms white flowers in deep winter and bears fruit by March and April. Thus, Xie Zhan wrote in his "Ode to Pipa": "Endowed with green branches of late autumn, embracing the harmonious Qi of the east, initiating frost-bound cold blossoms, maturing into fiery fruits amidst fine dew." This refers to it. The fruit resembles a yellow plum, with very thin skin and flesh, sweet in taste, and a central pit like a small chestnut. Leaves are harvested in April and dried in the sun; they treat lung Qi and main thirst. When used, they must be roasted over fire and brushed with cloth to remove the yellow hairs. Since these are difficult to remove completely, one should use a brush made of millet stalks to scrub them clean. When used for drinks, they become slightly cold. The white bark of the tree stops vomiting and improves loss of appetite.

Lei Gong stated: In processing, weigh after harvesting. One wet leaf weighing one liang, or three dry leaves weighing one liang, indicates sufficient Qi for use. Brush off the hairs with coarse cloth until clean, wash once with Licorice Decoction (Gancao Tang), then wipe with cotton cloth until dry. For every one liang of material, roast with one fen of su (clarified butter/ghee) until the su is exhausted. Dietary therapy uses it for sudden persistent vomiting and lack of desire to eat. Additionally, boiling the juice and drinking it stops thirst. It is particularly effective for regulating the lungs, lung wind sores, and sores on the chest and face. Sun Simiao treated cough by decocting the de-haired leaves and taking the soup orally.

The *Yanyi* stated: Pipaye is found in Jiangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, and the Two Chuan regions. It is named after its shape resembling the pipa (loquat). It is effective in treating lung-heat cough. The flowers are white and among the earliest spring blooms. The fruit is as large as a pellet, ripening in April and May, colored like a yellow apricot, slightly hairy, with thin flesh, and a neutral nature, differing from the leaves. A woman suffered from lung-heat and chronic cough, her body feeling as if scorched by fire, muscles emaciated, approaching pulmonary tuberculosis (fei lao). She was prescribed Pipaye, Mutong (Akebiae Caulis), Kuandonghua (Flos Farfarae), Ziwan (Radix Asteris), Xingren (Semen Armeniacae Amarum), and Sangbaipi (Cortex Mori) in equal parts, with Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) halved. Each herb was processed conventionally. After processing, they were ground into fine powder and formed into pills with honey, sized like cherries. Taken by holding one pill in the mouth to dissolve slowly after meals and before sleep, she recovered before finishing one dose.