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Heheli (Terminalia chebula)

Bitter in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. Primarily treats cold qi, abdominal distension and fullness, and promotes digestion and food intake. Grows in Jiaozhou and Aizhou.

The *Tang Bencao* annotation states: The tree resembles *Hibiscus tiliaceus* (Muhuan), with white flowers. The fruit resembles the gardenia, greenish-yellow, with the peel adhering closely to the flesh. It can be ground with water or taken as a powder.

(Attached from *Tang Bencao*) Minister Yuxi et al. respectfully cite Xiao Bing's statement: Heheli is bitter and sour. It expels retained matter, stops chronic diarrhea, and treats dysentery with red and white discharge. Those imported by ship from Persia are hexagonal, black, and those with thick flesh are of superior quality. *Yaoxing Lun* records: Heheli, when used as an envoy herb, can also be used alone; it is bitter and sweet. It can unblock and promote the flow of body fluids, treat stagnation of qi in the chest and diaphragm, stop disorders of the water passages, and darken beard and hair. Rihua Zi states: It resolves phlegm and directs qi downward, relieves irritability and regulates water metabolism, harmonizes the middle jiao, stops diarrhea and dysentery, treats cholera, rebellious qi of the kidney (Ben Teng), pulmonary asthma and急促 breathing, aids digestion and opens the appetite, treats intestinal wind with bloody stool, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, five types of diaphragmatic qi stagnation, uterine bleeding in pregnant women before term, and abdominal distension, stifling sensation, and asthma during threatened miscarriage. For patients with dysentery experiencing urgent pain in the anal region, and for postpartum vulvar pain, it can be smoked together with wax, or fumigated with hot decoction, followed by washing with hands.

*Tujing* records: Heheli grows in Jiaozhou and Aizhou, and is now found throughout Lingnan, with Guangzhou being the most abundant. The plant resembles *Hibiscus tiliaceus*, with white flowers. The fruit resembles the gardenia, greenish-yellow. There are forty to fifty trees; their fruits are extremely small and not astringent, all belonging to the "Liulu" variety. Each year, the prefecture pays tribute, selecting only those from this temple. The temple has an ancient well; the tree roots absorb the water, which is not salty. Whenever the fruit ripens and distinguished guests arrive, the monks brew tea to entertain them. The method uses five freshly picked Hezi (chebulic myrobalan), one cun of Licorice Root (Gancao), both broken into pieces, drawn from the well under the tree, and boiled together. The color resembles fresh tea. This temple is now called Ganming Temple, and there are still six or seven old trees. The ancient well remains. The customs of the South Sea highly value this tea, although the brewing method need not strictly follow the ancient way. Heheli treats dysentery, a fact not recorded in the *Shennong Benjing*. Zhang Zhongjing treated Qi dysentery using ten Heheli, wrapped in dough and baked in ash fire until the dough turned yellow and cooked. The core was removed, ground into fine powder, and taken at once mixed with rice gruel. Another formula for long-term use: Heheli, aged Tangerine Peel (Chenpi), and Magnolia Bark (Houpo), each three ta, crushed and sifted, made into honey pills the size of wutong seeds. Take 20 to 30 pills per dose. Liu Yuxi of the Tang Dynasty in *Chuanxin Fang* recorded: I once suffered from red and white dysentery. After taking various medicines for a long time without improvement, it turned into white pus. General Linghu transmitted this method: Use three high-quality Heheli. Take the peel from two roasted ones and the peel from one raw one, grind them together into powder, and take with one liang of boiling water; plain water is also acceptable. If it is purely watery dysentery, add one qianbi of Licorice Root powder; if there is slight pus and blood, add two qianbi; if there is more blood, add three qianbi. All are effective. Also, take the core, mix with white honey, grind, and apply to the eyes to treat wind-induced redness, dryness, and pain; the effect is miraculous. When the fruit is immature and blown down by the wind, it is called Suifengzi; dry it and store it. People value it greatly, considering smaller ones better. To treat phlegm cough and throat discomfort, holding three or four pieces in the mouth is particularly effective.

*Haiyao Bencao*: According to Xu Biao's *Nanzhou Ji*, it grows in various countries of the South Sea. Sour and astringent in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. Treats stagnation of qi in the five diaphragms, deficiency-cold pain in the heart and abdomen, various types of red and white dysentery, vomiting, and coughing. The peel should be used primarily; it treats coughing, while the roasted flesh treats eye dryness and pain. Physicians use the land-transported Heheli, which is hexagonal. It is said that Persian generals carried Heheli and Difu on ships to prevent emergencies. If a large fish secretes slime in the water for several miles, blocking the boat... [text fragment] ...one might assess its efficacy in regulating qi? Difu and Hezi become charred near the pot bottom. Therefore, Chinese cultivation does not... [text fragment] ...thus the Sanskrit name Helihengji implies that in Tang language, heaven has nothing but this. Leigong states: When using Heheli, do not use Pili, Anli, Langjingli, or Zhalu. If Heheli has only six ridges, it is authentic. More or fewer ridges indicate Zhalu. Bilu are distinct; Zhalu are round and exposed, with eight to thirteen ridges, known as Langjing. More or fewer ridges indicate Zhalu; Bilu are distinct; Zhalu are round and exposed, with eight to thirteen ridges, known as Langjingle, which are very astringent and not suitable for medicinal use. For preparation, first soak in wine, then steam for one fushi (two hours). Scrape off the ridges of Heheli, cut finely, dry over heat, and use.

*Waitai Miyao*: Treats all wind-phlegm, wind-cholera, indigestion, and constipation. Three Heheli, crush to obtain the peel. Mix with wine and take at once; three to five doses are good. Another formula: Treats heat and oppression rushing to the neck. One large Heheli and Mirabilite (Mangxiao) are stirred in vinegar until dissolved, then rubbed and applied to the hot area.

*Jingyan Fang*: Treats coughing; also effective for chronic cough. Hold one raw Heheli in the mouth and swallow the juice. After recovery, if the mouth tastes bland and food has no flavor, drink a bowl of Areca Seed (Binglang) decoction, and the sense of taste will immediately return. This is a secret official prescription from Yin Keng, Zhizhou.

*Guangji Fang*: Treats vomiting and reversal... [text fragment] ...treats chronic qi disorders. Wrap three Heheli in wet paper and bake until the paper is dry. Remove the core, chew thoroughly. Swallow with one sheng of raw milk, taken three times a day. Another formula: Treats all qi disorders and retained food indigestion. Hold one Heheli overnight, chew and swallow it the next morning.

*Jiyi Fang*: Water dysentery transmitted by a Shaolin monk from Shu. Take three Heheli, wrap in dough, roast until red, remove the dough, take the peel of Heheli, grind into powder, and mix with rice to form pills. Take 30-70 pills on an empty stomach with rice water; effective in over a hundred cases.

*Zimu Milu*: Treats pediatric cholera. One Heheli, ground into powder. Mix half with boiling water and take at once; repeat if not cured.

*Shiyi Xinjing*: Directs qi downward and aids digestion. Appears like tea yeast dust; take with a little salt.

*Guang Yi Ji* records: Gao Xianzhi obtained Heheli from the Dashi country, five inches long. When he first placed it in his belly pouch, he felt abdominal pain and had severe diarrhea more than ten times. Initially, he thought Heheli was causing harm and wanted to discard it. Later, he asked an elder from Dashi, who said: This item, when carried by people, eliminates all diseases; diarrhea is simply expelling evil substances. Gao Xianzhi valued it greatly. At the end of the Tianbao era, he was executed, and it was lost.

*Jin Guang Ming Jing Liushui Zhangzhezi Chubing Pin* states: For heat diseases requiring purgatives, take Heheli.

*Yanyi* states: Heheli is also suitable for those with qi deficiency. Bake it slowly until cooked and take in small amounts. Although this herb astringes the intestines, it also dissipates qi, likely due to its bitter and astringent taste.