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Cistanche (Rou Cong Rong)

The flavor is sweet, sour, and salty; the nature is slightly warm; it is non-toxic. It primarily treats five labors and seven injuries (a general term for various deficiency and fatigue syndromes), tonifies the middle jiao. It eliminates cold-heat pain in the urethra, nourishes the five zang organs, strengthens yin essence, benefits qi and essence, promotes fertility, treats abdominal masses (Zheng Jia) in women, removes pathogenic qi from the bladder, relieves lower back pain, and stops dysentery. Long-term use makes the body feel light. It grows in the valleys of Hexi and Yanmen Commandery of Dai County. It is harvested on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and dried in the shade.

Tao Hongjing stated: Yanmen Commandery of Dai County belongs to Bingzhou, where there are many horses, and it grows in places with many horses, said to be generated from wild horse semen falling to the ground. When first emerging, it resembles meat; making mutton soup with it is excellent for tonifying deficiency and exhaustion, and it can also be eaten raw. There is a great abundance between the rivers of Rouran. Currently, the best quality comes from Longxi, which is flat and broad, soft and moist, has many flowers, and tastes sweet. The next best comes from the Northern States, which is short and has few flowers. There is also some in Badong Jianping, but it is inferior. The *Tang Bencao* annotation states: This annotation discusses Cistanche herb (Caocongrong); Tao did not see the true Cistanche meat (Roucongrou). What people use now is also Cistanche herb, scraping off the flowers to substitute for Cistanche meat. *Shennong Bencao Jing* contains Cistanche meat, which has significantly superior efficacy. Physicians recently sometimes use it. Minister Yuxi et al. respectfully note according to the Shu Ben Tujing: It grows in the sands of Lufu County, Suzhou. In March and April, dig up the roots, cut the central good parts three or four cun long, thread them with rope, and dry in the shade. It is suitable for use starting in August; the skin resembles pine nut scales, and the root is over one chi long. That Cistanche herb is harvested in mid-April, five to six cun to one chi long, with a round purple stem; after harvesting, it is pressed flat and sun-dried. It is present in Yuanzhou, Qinzhou, and Lingzhou. Wu Shi stated: Cistanche meat, also known as Rou Songrong. Shennong and Huangdi considered its flavor salty. Leigong considered it sour. Ji Shi considered its nature slightly warm. It grows in the shady areas of mountains in Hexi, three to four cun long, growing in clusters. Or in Dai County, harvested from February to August. *Yaoxing Lun* states: Cistanche meat is a minister herb. It benefits marrow, beautifies complexion, prolongs life, treats uterine bleeding in women, strengthens yang, doubles sexual capacity daily, and provides great tonification. It treats red and white dysentery, replenishes depleted essence, darkened complexion, and labor injury. Use four liang of Congrong, boil in water until soft. Slice thinly, grind finely, divide fine mutton into four portions, season with five flavors, cook with rice into porridge, and take on an empty stomach. Ri Huazi stated: It treats male impotence, female infertility due to absolute yin deficiency, moistens the five zang organs, builds muscle, warms the waist and knees, treats seminal emission, hematuria, dribbling urine, leukorrhea, and genital pain in men. According to Bencao records: It is formed from the residual discharge of wild horse semen. Collectors know it falls under trees and on earth banks; this is not where horses mate, so Tao's statement is erroneous. There is also Flower Cistanche, which sprouts in spring, but its efficacy is weaker.

*Tujing* states: Cistanche meat grows in the valleys of Hexi and Yanmen Commandery of Dai County. Now it is abundant in various prefectures of Shaanxi, yet it does not compare to those from the Western Qiang borders, which have thick flesh and strong potency. The old theory says it is generated from wild horse residual semen falling to the ground. Now people in the west say it grows abundantly among large trees and in earth banks/ruins; since it appears where there is no mating activity, we know it has its own species. Perhaps it initially condensed from horse semen and later proliferated, similar to Qian Gen growing from human blood. The skin resembles pine nuts with scales. Below the shoot is a thin, flat root, over one chi long. Harvest the roots in March; when collecting, dig out the central good parts, thread with rope, and dry in the shade. It is ready for use by August. *Shennong Bencao Jing* states: Harvest on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. By May, it may be too old and unsuitable, so it is mostly harvested in March. People in the west often use it as food, scraping off the scales, washing thoroughly with wine, removing black juice, slicing thinly, and making soup with Dioscorea (Shanyu) and mutton; it is extremely delicious and beneficial, eating it surpasses taking tonic medicines. There is another type of Cistanche herb that is very similar, but with shorter roots and round purple stems. Recently, people often take it, scrape off the flowers, press it flat, and use it to substitute for Cistanche meat, but its efficacy is significantly inferior. Also, in the Lower Grade section, there is an entry for Orobanchaceae (Liedang): It grows on rocky cliffs in southern mountains, resembling lotus root rhizomes; dug up when young, dried in the shade, also called Cistanche herb. Its nature is warm, benefiting men. I suspect it is this substance. Few people use it now, so few distinguish it; therefore, I attach this note here.

Chen Cangqi's preface states: To strengthen sinews and benefit marrow, powder Cistanche and eel, make pills with Polygonatum wine, and take them; the potency can be ten times greater. This theory comes from *Ganning Ji*. Leigong stated: Whenever used, first soak in clear wine overnight. At dawn, brush away sand, soil, and floating scales completely with a palm fiber brush. Split the center, remove one layer of white membrane, which looks like bamboo silk grass. If not removed, this drug blocks the qi in front of the heart, preventing upper qi from descending. Whenever used, first soak in wine, brush clean, then steam from noon to sunset. Take out, then roast with butter appropriately.

*Yanyi* states: Regarding Cistanche meat, *Tujing* says the skin resembles pine nuts and has scales. The character "zi" should be "ke" (shell). This interpretation is appropriate. It also states: Wash thoroughly with wine, remove black juice to make soup. Since the black juice is removed, the aroma and flavor are exhausted. However, only tender ones can be made into soup; old ones are bitter. For medicinal use, if the dosage is small, it is ineffective.