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Artemisia (Qinghao)
Bitter in taste, cold in nature, non-toxic. Primarily treats scabies, itching, crusting, and malignant sores; kills lice; clears residual heat in the bone joints; brightens the eyes. Also known as Qinghao (Green Wormwood), alternatively named Fangkui. Grows in river marshes of Huayin.

Tao Hongjing stated: It is found everywhere. It is the current Qinghao, which people also mix with vegetables for consumption. The *Tang Bencao* annotation notes: This mugwort can be applied to metal weapon wounds (*Jinchuang*), effectively stopping bleeding, generating flesh, and relieving pain. According to Chen Cangqi's *Bencao*: Mugwort treats ghostly qi, *Shizhu* (corpse-transmission disease), *Fulian* (lingering contagion), women's blood disorders, abdominal fullness, and chronic dysentery of cold or hot nature. In autumn and winter, use the seeds; in spring and summer, use the seedlings. Crush and squeeze out the juice for oral administration. Alternatively, dry and powder it, taking it with urine. If one feels too cold, decoct it with wine. Burn it to ash, filter the liquid through eight or nine layers of paper, and mix with *Duanshi* (calcined alum) to remove polyps and warts. Chen Yuxi et al., according to the *Shuben Tujing*, state: The leaves resemble those of *Yinchen Hao* but are not white on the back; the plant is about four chi high. Collect the seedlings in April and May, and dry them in the sun. People in Jiangdong call it Chouhao (Stinky Mugwort) because its odor resembles stinking grass; people in the North call it Qinghao. The *Erya* states: Mugwort is [Character]. The explanation says: Mugwort is also named [Character]. The *Classic of Poetry · Xiaoya* states: Eating wild mugwort. Lu Ji says: It is Qinghao. Between Jing and Yu, in Runan and Yuyin, they all call it [Character]. Sun Yan says: Between Jingchu, they call mugwort [Character]. Guo Pu says: What people now call Xianghao is that variety whose fragrance is suitable for roasting and eating; this is it. Ri Huaizi says: Qinghao tonifies the middle and benefits qi, lightens the body, supplements fatigue, preserves complexion, promotes hair growth, darkens hair, and prevents aging. It also treats garlic-induced skin lesions, heart pain, and heat jaundice. Freshly crushed juice taken orally and applied externally treats diarrhea and dysentery. Take five qianbi of the powder mixed with rice gruel or drink; decoct the ash with *Duanshi* to treat malignant toxic sores; the stem is also usable. It is further stated that the seeds are sweet in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. They brighten the eyes and open the stomach. Stir-fried, they treat consumptive fever, suitable for robust individuals. Soaked in child's urine, they treat malignant scabies, tinea, wind rash, and kill lice when decocted for washing. It is also stated that Chouhao seeds are cool in nature and non-toxic. They treat consumptive fever, direct qi downward, open the stomach, stop night sweats, and dispel evil qi and ghost toxins. Also named Caohao.

The *Tujing* states: Caohao is Qinghao. It grows in river marshes of Huayin and is now found everywhere. Seedlings emerge in spring, with extremely tender leaves, which people at that time also mixed with various aromatic vegetables for consumption. By summer, it grows three to five chi high. After autumn, it blooms with small pale yellow flowers, forming seeds like millet grains beneath the flowers. Seeds are collected in August and September and dried in the shade. Roots, stems, seeds, and leaves are all used medicinally; dried ones roasted for tea have superior fragrance. Qinghao is also named Fangkui. When using, do not use leaves if using seeds; do not use stems if using roots. If these four parts are mixed, it may instead cause illness. Soaking in child's urine yields good results. It is most effective for treating bone-steaming consumptive fever. Ancient formulas often used it alone. Ge Shi treated initial metal weapon wounds by applying fresh Qinghao paste and wrapping the wound with cloth; healing occurred once bleeding stopped. Cui Yuanliang's *Haishang Fang*: Treats bone-steaming ghostly qi. Take five dou of clarified child's urine and five dou of Qinghao. For August and September collection, seeds-bearing plants are best. Finely chop, mix the two substances, place in a large fine pot, and decoct with fierce fire until three dou remain. Remove dregs, clean the pot thoroughly until dry, return the liquid to the pot, and decoct with mild fire until two dou remain. Then add ten pig gallbladders, continue decocting until one and a half dou remain. Extinguish fire, let cool, and store in a new porcelain vessel. When ready to take, roast two to three liang of Gancao (Licorice Root) thoroughly, powder it, mix with the decoction, pound one thousand times to make pills. Take twenty pills on an empty stomach with rice gruel, gradually increasing to thirty pills.

Lei Gong said: When using, only the middle part is ideal; if reaching the knees, look up; if reaching the waist, bow down. Use seeds, not leaves; use roots, not stems. If all four are used together, it will turn into a stubborn disease. Collect leaves regardless of quantity, soak in the urine of seven seven-year-old children for seven days and nights, drain, dry, and use. *Shiliao Bencao* states: Qinghao is cold. Benefits qi, promotes hair growth, lightens the body, tonifies the middle, prevents aging, brightens eyes, and eliminates wind toxicity. Crush and apply to sores to stop bleeding and generate flesh. It sprouts earliest in spring; the white-colored ones are preferred. Pickled in natural fragrant vinegar as *Zu*, it benefits humans. To treat bone-steaming, soak in urine for one or two nights, dry, powder, and make pills; very effective for clearing heat and fatigue. For ghostly qi, take seeds, powder them, and administer one fangcunbi with wine. Cured. Burn to ash, leach with water, decoct with *Duanshi* to treat malignant sores and scars. *Baiyi Fang*: Treats bee stings. Chew Qinghao and apply to the wound; immediately cured. *Doumen Fang* treats consumptive emaciation in men and women. Finely chop Qinghao, decoct with three dou of water and five sheng of child's urine until two and a half dou remain. Remove dregs, boil in a vessel until it becomes a paste, make pills the size of paulownia seeds. Swallow twenty pills with warm wine on an empty stomach and before bed.

*Yanyi* states: Caohao is the current Qinghao. Found everywhere, it emerges earliest in spring; people trim it as a vegetable, with red roots and fragrant leaves. People now call it Qinghao, but there are distinctions. Within the same category, the green-colored ones are selected. In Shaanxi, Sui, and Yin regions, there is Qinghao. Among mugwort clusters, occasionally one or two plants stand out distinctly green; locals call it Xianghao. Its stems and leaves are identical to common mugwort, but while common mugwort is pale green, this variety is deep green, hence its fragrant aroma. It is feared that the ancients considered the deep-green variety superior; otherwise, how could all mugworts not be green?