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[Mi Wu]
Taste: Pungent (Xin). Nature: Warm. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Mainly treats cough with counterflow qi (Ke Ni), calms fright and qi disturbance, expels evil pathogens, removes gu poison (蛊毒) and gui zhu (ghostly infestation/disease), eliminates three types of parasites (San Chong). Long-term use promotes spiritual clarity. Treats chronic wind in the body, long-standing wind in the head, and wind-induced vertigo. Also known as Wei Wu or Jiang Li; it is the sprout of Xiongqiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong). Grows in river marshes of Yongzhou and Yuanju. Leaves are harvested in April and May and sun-dried.

Tao Hongjing states: It is now produced in Liyang and is found everywhere; households often cultivate it. The leaves resemble those of Shechuangzi (Cnidium monnieri) but are fragrant. Poets use it as a metaphor, but it is rarely used in prescriptions. The *Tang Bencao* commentary notes: There are two varieties: one resembles celery leaves, the other resembles Shechuangzi. Their fragrance is similar, and their usage is not different. Minister Yuxi et al. note according to the *Tu Jing*: Mi Wu is already detailed under the entry for Xiongqiong in the *Shuo Wen*.

The *Guang Zhi* states: Mi Wu is a fragrant herb. Emperor Wu of Wei stored it in his clothes. The *Guanzi* states: Fertile soil produces Mi Wu. Guo Pu praises it: "Mi Wu is a fragrant herb; mixed among Shechuangzi, it does not lose its nobility. Since Lie Shi, it has been fragrant."

[Huang Lian / Coptidis Rhizoma]
Taste: Bitter (Ku). Nature: Cold, slightly cold. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Mainly treats heat qi, eye pain with tearing, brightens the eyes, abdominal pain in the intestines, dysentery, swelling and pain in the female genitalia, cold-heat imbalance in the five zang organs, and chronic diarrhea with pus and blood. Stops xiao ke (wasting-thirst syndrome), treats severe fright, promotes diuresis and strengthens bones, harmonizes the stomach and intestines, benefits the gallbladder, and treats mouth ulcers. Long-term use prevents forgetfulness. Also known as Wang Lian. Grows in river valleys of Wuyang, Shu Commandery, and Mount Tai. Harvested in February and August. (Huang Qin, Long Gu, and Li Shi serve as its assistants/enablers; it is incompatible with Ju Hua, Yuan Hua, Xuan Shen, and Bai Xian Pi; it fears Kuan Dong Hua; it overcomes Wu Tou and resolves Ba Dou toxicity.)

Tao Hongjing states: Wuyang is located in Jianping. Those from the west are pale and loose-textured, inferior to those from Dongyang and Xin'an counties. Those from Linhai counties are poor quality. When used, they should be wrapped in cloth and rubbed to remove the hairs until they resemble beads. Secular prescriptions often treat dysentery and thirst; Daoist prescriptions are used for longevity elixirs. The *Tang Bencao* commentary notes: Those from the Shu road are coarse, flat-jointed, and extremely bitter, best for treating thirst. Those from Jiangdong have bead-like joints and are excellent for treating dysentery. Those from Lizhou are even better. Current physicians consider those from Xuanzhou, which are nine-jointed, firm, heavy, and ring when struck, to be superior. Minister Yuxi et al. note according to the *Shu Ben Tu Jing*: The seedling resembles tea, with yellow flowers growing in clusters; each stem bears three leaves and grows about one chi high, remaining evergreen in winter. Those from Jiangzuo have high, bead-like joints. Those from Shudu do not have bead-like joints at the base. Those from Qin region, Hangzhou, and Liuzhou are good. The *Yao Xing Lun* states: Huang Lian is a minister herb. Also known as Zhi Lian; it is incompatible with Bai Jiang Can, avoids pork, and dislikes cold water. It kills pediatric gan worms, treats red and blurry eyes, settles the liver, and removes heat toxins. Xiao Bing states: Those from Xuanzhou are excellent; Dongyang also produces them; Shizhou and Chuzhou produce inferior ones. Chen Cangqi states: It mainly treats emaciation and rapid breathing. Ri Hua Zi states: It treats five labors and seven injuries, tonifies qi, stops heart and abdominal pain, calms fright and irritability, moistens the lungs and heart, promotes flesh growth and stops bleeding, and treats sores, scabies, night sweats, and epidemic febrile diseases. Steamed in pig stomach and made into pills to treat pediatric gan qi.

The *Tu Jing* states: Huang Lian grows in river valleys of Wuyang, Shu Commandery, and Mount Tai. It is now also found in Jiang, Hu, Jing, and Kui prefectures, with those from Xuancheng being superior, followed by Shizhou and Qianzhou. The seedling is about one chi high, leaves resemble sweet chrysanthemum, flowers in April with yellow color. Fruits appear in June, resembling celery seeds, also yellow. Roots are harvested in February and August. Those grown in Jiangzuo have bead-like roots; the seedlings remain evergreen, leaves resemble small pheasant tail grass, flower in January forming fine spikes of pale white-yellow color, and roots are ready for harvest in June-July when tight. Ancient formulas regard Huang Lian as the best treatment for dysentery. Hu Qia's formula records the Nine-Cup Decoction, which treats dysentery regardless of cold-heat nature, red-white stool, food stagnation, lingering dysentery, or chronic diarrhea. Take thirty pieces of Huang Lian (three cun long, weighing 1.5 liang), four pieces of Long Gu (chess-piece size, weighing 4 fen), one large Fu Zi, 1.5 liang Gan Jiang, and 1.5 liang Jiao, all cut. First, add five he of water to a copper vessel, boil, then remove from fire for three cun distance, put back on fire, place on raw earth, let boil stop, then add five he of water again. Repeat this "nine up, nine down" process. Add all herbs, boil, remove to earth, let boil stop, repeat nine times. Estimate yield of one sheng, take once to stop symptoms. Xiang Lian Wan also treats dysentery and is popular in recent times. Method: Mix equal parts of Xuan Lian and Qing Mu Xiang, grind and sieve, make pills with white honey the size of wu zi (wu tree seeds). Take 20-30 pills on an empty stomach with warm water, twice daily, effect like a god. For those with chronic cold, use baked garlic pills. This formula originates from Li Jiang's *Bingbu Shouji Fang*, effective for infants. Many formulas treat eye diseases using Huang Lian; Yang Gan Wan is particularly miraculous. Take one da liang of Huang Lian powder and one white lamb liver, remove membrane, grind extremely fine in a mortar, form into wu zi-sized pills. Swallow 14 pills with warm grain water before meals. Complete five courses for cure. Treats all eye diseases, nebulae, and blindness. Avoid pork and cold water. Liu Yuxi says: Cui Chengyuan saved a death-row prisoner who later died of illness. Years later, Cui suffered from internal nebulae and lost sight for over a year. One night, hearing rustling sounds, he asked who was there. The voice replied it was the prisoner repaying kindness, gave him this formula, and then died. Cui took the medicine and regained sight within months, spreading the formula. Another modern eye-wash formula uses Dang Gui, Shao Yao, and Huang Lian in equal parts, finely cut, decocted in snow water or sweet water to a thick liquid. Wash eyes while hot, rewarm if cool. Beneficial for wind-toxin red eyes and huayi (flower-like nebulae). Theory: Eye diseases are caused by blood stasis; thus, blood-moving herbs combined with Huang Lian are used. Heat promotes blood flow, hence washing while hot yields divine results.

Lei Gong states: Before use, wipe off root hairs with cloth. Soak in jiang shui (fermented grain water) for two fu days (approx. 10 days), drain, and dry over willow wood fire. If consuming ten liang of this drug, avoid pork. If consumed for three years, avoid pork for life. *Waitai Miyao*: Treat sudden heart pain. Eight liang of Huang Lian, coarsely chopped, decocted in seven sheng of water to five sheng. Strain. Drink five he, three times daily. Another formula: Treat sudden eye itching and pain. Powder Huang Lian, soak in milk, apply to eyes. *Qianjin Fang*: Treat severe heat toxin pure bloody dysentery. Six liang of Xuan Lian, decocted in seven sheng of water to three and a half sheng. Dew-exposed overnight, taken once on an empty stomach at dawn, rest afterwards. *Zhouhou Fang*: Treat continuous tearing. Use thick juice to soak cotton, wipe eyes. Another formula: Chronic red dysentery with heat. Huang Lian powder, pill with egg white, swallow ten pills with water, thirty pills for cure. Another formula: Sudden xiao ke with polyuria. Crush Huang Lian, sieve through silk, mix with honey, take thirty pills, treats thirst and prolongs life. Another formula: Red-white dysentery causing lower body heaviness/pain (Chong Xia), discharging pus/blood like egg white, dozens of times day and night, umbilical colic. Treatment: One sheng of Huang Lian, five sheng of wine, decoct to one and a half sheng, divide into two doses, expect mild cramping. Jingyan Fang: Treat acute red-white dysentery resembling goose/duck liver, unbearable pain. One liang each of Huang Lian and Huang Qin, decocted in two sheng of water to one sheng, divide into three doses. Drink hot; cooling causes congealing. Mei Shi Fang: Typhoid fever with pea-like sores, pre-suppurative stage. Four liang of Huang Lian, three sheng of water, decoct to one sheng, strain and divide doses. Doumen Fang: Treat hemorrhoids with heads like chicken combs. Apply Huang Lian powder; add Chi Xiao Dou powder for better effect. Jianyao Jizhong Fang: Pediatric hematemesis uncontrolled. One liang, remove whiskers, powder. Take one qian, seven tenths sheng of water, twenty dou beans, decoct to five tenths sheng, strain, warm dose, adjust by age. Boji Fang: Chronic spleen diarrhea, Shensheng Xiang Huang San: One liang Xuan Lian, four liang fresh ginger. Slow-fire stir-fry until ginger is crisp and dark. Remove ginger, powder Lian. Take two qian bi on empty stomach with aged tea liquor. Severe cases resolve in two doses. Shengjin Fang: Eye Huang Lian Pills. Xuan Lian amount unspecified, crushed. Soak in one large bowl of fresh well water for 60 days. Filter through cotton. Return juice to original bowl. Simmer over double boiler, stirring constantly until dry. Dig a pit one chi deep, line with tile. Place four liang of prepared Ai Ye on tile. Ignite like moxibustion. Cover with medicine bowl, seal edges with mud, leave hole for smoke to exhaust. Scrape down condensed substance, make bean-sized pills. Take ten pills with sweet bamboo leaf decoction. Another formula: Chronic dysentery refractory to multiple doctors. One liang Huang Lian powder, mix with egg white to make cakes, roast to purple-liver color, powder. Decoct in three sheng jiang shui over slow fire to paste. For white dysentery, add half cup wine, decoct together. Take half he, adjusted with warm rice drink, before meals. Guangli Fang: Bone joint heat accumulation with gradual jaundice/emaciation. Four fen of Huang Lian, crushed/cut. Soak in five he of child's urine overnight. Lightly boil 3-4 times, strain. Divide into two doses after meals; re-dose after walking 4-5 li. Du Ren treats Qi dysentery with tenesmus. Shenmiao Fang: One liang Xuan Lian, half liang Gan Jiang, powdered separately. Mix two qian Lian with half qian Ginger, take on empty stomach with warm wine. Zimu Milu: Fetal movement bleeding due to fright/heavy lifting. Huang Lian powder, take one fang cun bi with wine, three times daily. Sun Shangyao agrees. Another formula: Pediatric red-white dysentery prolonged with weakness. Concentrated decoction of Xuan Lian mixed with honey. Take 6-7 times daily, adjust by size. Each decoction reduces water by two-thirds of three parts. Frequent dosing. Another formula: Pediatric ear post-auricular eczema (Yue Shi Chuang). Apply Huang Lian powder. Another formula: Two red lines below nose in children named Gan, also called Red Nose Gan. Wash nose with rice water, apply Huang Lian powder, 3-4 times daily, favorable. Yao Hezhong: Pediatric formula for geophagia. Take good soil, knead with concentrated Huang Lian decoction, dry in sun, administer. Baopuzi: Decoct in milk, treats hundred eye diseases. Song Wang Wei: Ode to Huang Lian. "Huang Lian tastes bitter, interacting with surroundings. Breaks chill, washes away summer heat, clarifies destiny, lightens body. Once guarded Jinyun, flying carriage ascended... I heard of this person." Liang Jiangyan: Ode to Huang Lian. "Herb above ground, second only to cinnabar. Guards against evil, dispels demons, prolongs spirit and vision. Drags dragons across sky, tames horses around earth. Wild geese fly in formation, benefiting from following the Dao."

*Yanyi* states: Huang Lian is currently widely used to treat dysentery, based on the principle that bitterness dries heat. Common people see slight blood in loose stools due to intestinal deficiency and use it without stopping. They ignore the degree of cold or heat, taking the full dose, leading to critical conditions. If qi is excess and disease is new, with heat and bloody diarrhea, it stops upon administration, and the full dose need not be finished. If deficiency and cold, it should not be taken. Rest follows the *Classic*.