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Celtis Sinensis Fruit (Chu Shi)
Sweet in flavor, cold in nature, non-toxic. Primarily treats impotence (Yin痿), edema (Shui Zhong), benefits Qi and fills the flesh, brightens the eyes. Long-term consumption prevents hunger and aging, lightening the body. Grows in Mount Shaoshi.
Also known as Gu Shi. Available everywhere. Fruits are harvested in August and September, sun-dried, and processed over forty days.

Leaves (Ye)
Sweet in flavor, non-toxic. Primarily treats fever in children (Xiao Er Shen Re), failure of muscles to grow after eating, and can be used as a bath decoction. Also treats malignant sores (E Chuang) and promotes tissue regeneration.

Bark (Shu Pi)
Primarily expels water (Zhu Shui) and promotes urination (Li Xiao Bian).

Stems (Jing)
Primarily treats pruritic urticarial papules and plaques (Yin Zhen) with itching. Boiled alone for bathing. The white juice between the bark treats tinea (Xuan).

Tao Hongjing states: This is the current Gou tree (Gou Shu). In immortal prescriptions, it is collected, pounded, and its juice taken with pills; it can also be taken dry, enabling one to communicate with spirits and see ghosts. Southerners call it Gu paper or Chu paper. People in Wuling make clothes from Gu bark, which are very durable. Ministers Yu Xi et al. note according to *Shu Ben Tu Jing*: There are two types of trees; those with fruits and leaves resembling grapes are superior. Fruits are harvested in August, recognizable everywhere. *Yao Xing Lun* records: Gu wood bark can be used alone. Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic. Treats edema and abdominal fullness. Leaves are dried, fried into powder, mixed with flour to make food, treating watery dysentery (Shui Li). Duan Chengshi's *Youyang Zazu* states: Gou trees must grow in abandoned grain fields. Leaves with lobes are called Chu; without lobes, they are called Gou. Ri Huazi states: Chu Shi strengthens sinews and bones, assists Yang Qi, tonifies deficiency and fatigue, benefits waist and knees, and enhances complexion. Bark with spots is Chu; white bark is Gu. He adds that Chu leaves are cool and non-toxic, treating wind-induced body itching, referring to the spotted Gu tree. He also notes that Gou tree juice applied to snake, insect, bee, or dog bites, combined with Cinnabar (Zhu Sha), forms a mass called Wu Jin Jiao Qi.

*TU JING* states: Chu Shi grows in Mount Shaoshi and is now available everywhere. There are two types: one has spotted patterns on the bark, called Ban Gu, currently used for making hats; the other has no patterns, with similar branches and leaves. The best type has leaves resembling grape leaves with lobes and fruits. The fruit appears in early summer, like a pellet, green, turning deep red by June-July when mature. Harvested in August-September, soaked in water to remove skin and pulp, taking only the central seed. Sun-dried. Immortal prescriptions use the fruit alone. Collect the central seeds when fully red, dry in shade. Sift into powder, take 2 qian bi with water; efficacy increases over time. Commonly called Gu. Another theory: Gou trees grow in abandoned fields; leaves with lobes are Chu, without are Gou. *Classic of Poetry · Xiao Ya* says: "There stands a tall elm, beneath it only Gu trees." Lu Ji's commentary states: Youzhou calls it Gu Sang or Chu Sang. Jing, Yang, Jiao, Guang regions call it Gu. Jiangnan people process its bark into cloth. It is also pounded to make paper, several zhang long, with excellent luster. Its tender buds are eaten as vegetables. Treats wind-bi in four limbs, bloody and white dysentery. Its leaves treat epistaxis (Bi Hong). *Duan Ju* states: For severe epistaxis flowing liters continuously, take Chu leaves, pound to extract juice, drink 3 sheng; if not stopped, drink repeatedly; highly effective. Chronic epistaxis also heals. Paper is also used in medicine. Seen in Liu Yuxi's *Chuan Xin Fang* treating women with menorrhagia (Yue Jing Bu Jue) occurring irregularly. Take 30 sheets of desk paper, burn to ash, mix with half sheng of clear wine, take at once to stabilize. In winter, take with warm wine. For postpartum blood dizziness (Ru Zhong Xue Yun), take this formula for immediate effect. For the deceased, remove incisors and灌 (irrigate); alive after one day. Currently, Chu paper is widely used; sometimes its ash stops bleeding from metal wounds (Jin Chuang), very effective. Chu cloth is rarely seen; medical formulas value Chu Shi most, others are rarely used. Folk remedies sometimes use the white juice from wooden branches to apply to tinea, very effective. Yang Yan's *Nan Xing Fang* treats malarial dysentery (Zhang Li) regardless of age, occurring over a hundred times day and night, taking dried...

Lei Gong states: When using, soak collected material in water for three days, stir and drop into water, discard floating parts, then sun-dry. Soak in wine for one fu shi (approx. 2 hours), then steam from Si hour to Hai hour, remove, and bake dry. *Sheng Hui Fang*: Treats tinea with dampness and itching. Use half jin of Chu leaves, finely cut and pounded, apply to tinea. *Wai Tai Mi Yao*: Recent effectiveness. After epidemic fevers, distension in hypochondrium, edema-like sensation below umbilicus, take Gou branch juice freely until cured. Another formula: For chronic emaciation turned obese, Qi rushing up like water disease, facial swelling but no leg swelling. Take eight liang of Gu/Chu leaves, boil in one dou of water to get six sheng, remove dregs, add rice to cook porridge and eat. Another formula: For eye nebula (Yan Yi). Take white bark of Chu, sun-dry, bundle into rope thickness like hairpin shaft, burn to ash, cool and grind fine like flour. Apply to nebula each time, 3-5 times daily, gradually dissipates. Another formula: Head wind with white scales like bran. Vertically cut Chu wood to make pillow, replace with new one every sixty days. *Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang*: Treats sudden wind stroke unable to speak. Chop Gou branches and leaves, cook in wine until foam emerges from bark, drink appropriate amount. Another formula treats pediatric epistaxis triggered by slight exertion. Take Chu leaf juice, drink 3 sheng; if not stopped, drink 4-5 times; good. This formula also cures chronic epistaxis. *Jing Yan Hou Fang*: Refining Gu Zi decoction method: Take five sheng of Gu Zi, harvested on June 6th, boil in one shi of water to get five sheng, remove dregs, simmer gently like maltose syrup, ready for use. *Guang Li Fang*: Treating pain from scorpion stings not stopping: Apply Gou tree white juice, heals immediately. *Zi Mu Mi Lu*: Pediatric bloody and white dysentery with thirst, drinking causes vomiting: Roast Gou leaves until fragrant and yellow, soak in half sheng of sour liquid to turn water green, remove leaves, cut one Quince (Mu Gua), put in leaf juice, boil 2-3 boils, remove Quince, take warm slowly, stop when thirst ceases. *Bao Pu Zi*: Red Chu Shi consumed makes the old young again, allowing night vision and seeing spirits. Daoist Liang Dun took it at seventy, felt younger and stronger, lived to 140, able to walk at night and ride horses. Yang Yaofu says: For patients addicted to sleep, pounded flower Chu leaves taken orally are verified effective. *Xiu Zhen Mi Zhi*: Those who consume Chu Shi often suffer from bone softening disease (Gu Ruan Ji). *Dan Fang Jing Yuan*: Gou juice searches medicinal cinnabar grains.