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(Sound similar to "si yi qie") Er Shi (Xanthium fruit)

Bitter, sweet, warm in nature. The leaves are bitter, pungent, slightly cold, and slightly toxic. It primarily treats headache caused by wind-cold, bi-syndrome (painful obstruction syndrome) of the whole body due to wind-dampness, spasm and pain of the four limbs, necrotic flesh and dead muscle tissue, knee pain, and stream poison (toxicity from mountain water dampness). Long-term consumption benefits Qi, improves hearing and vision, strengthens willpower, and lightens the body. Also known as Hu Xi, Di Kui, Ji (pronounced Shi), and Chang Si. Grows in the valleys of Anlu and the fields of Lu'an. Harvest when the fruits are ripe.

Tao Hongjing states: This is Chang Si vegetable, which coarse people (Cang ren) all eat. When used to cover wheat to make Huang Yi (a fermented food), it is also known as Yang Fu Lai (Sheep Carries It). In the past, this plant did not exist in China; it was said to have come from foreign countries attached to sheep's wool, and its use in prescriptions was very rare. The annotation of *Tang Ben Cao* states: Cang Er (Xanthium), harvested after March and before July, dried in the sun and ground into powder. Taken with water in summer, with wine in winter. It treats severe wind epilepsy, wind-damp bi-syndrome of the head, and toxins deep in the bone marrow. Take twice daily: 20-30 pills or 1-2 bi (ancient measuring spoon) of powder. After taking for 100 days, the disease should manifest like scabies, or itch with discharge, or skin becomes mottled and scaly, followed by peeling skin, leaving the skin smooth like congealed fat. It reduces sleep, eliminates various venomous stings, and kills gan-dampness. Long-term consumption benefits Qi, improves hearing and vision, lightens the body, strengthens willpower, and is particularly effective for wind-toxin in the waist and knees. Avoid eating pork and rice wash water. It also treats dog venom.

Current examination of Chen Cangqi's *Ben Cao* states: Ji Er (Xanthium leaf), place the leaf under the tongue to induce salivation, treat yellow eyes, and improve lethargy. Roast the seeds until fragrant, crush to remove thorns, rupture the seed coat, soak in wine to dispel wind and tonify. Alternatively, burn to ash, mix with pig fat from the twelfth lunar month, and apply to carbuncles to extract the root. Burn seven seeds found in felt into ash, put into wine and drink without letting the patient know, to treat alcoholism. Boil and take the leaves to treat rabid dog bites.

Minister Yuxi et al., according to *Er Ya*, state: Cang Er is also called Ling Er. The annotation says: *Guang Ya* states: Ji Er, also called Hu Xi, called Chang Ji in Jiangdong. Some say Ling Er, shaped like a mouse ear, growing in clusters like a plate. Explanation: *Shi Jing · Zhou Nan* says: "Gathering gathering Juan Er." Lu Ji's commentary states: Leaves are greenish-white like coriander, white flowers on thin stems, climbing, can be boiled as vegetables, slippery and tasteless. Seeds form in mid-April, resembling women's earrings, called Jue Er in Youzhou. *Yao Xing Lun* states: Ji Er can be used alone. Sweet in taste, non-toxic. Treats liver heat, brightens the eyes. Meng Shen states: Cang Er is warm. Treats wind-stroke, headache from cold damage. Additionally, for severe carbuncles, crush fresh Cang Er roots and leaves with children's urine, squeeze out juice, take one sheng cold, three times a day, very effective. Ri Huazi states: Treats all wind conditions, fills marrow, warms waist and feet, treats scrofula, tinea, and itching. Stir-fry before use in medicine.

*Tu Jing* states: Ji Er grows in valleys of Anlu and fields of Lu'an, now found everywhere. According to records: Poets call it Juan Er, *Er Ya* calls it Ling Er, *Guang Ya* calls it Ji Er, all named after the fruit. Lu Ji's commentary states: Leaves greenish-white like coriander, white flowers on thin stems, climbing. Can be boiled as vegetables, slippery and tasteless. Seeds form in mid-April, just like women's earrings, now sometimes called Er Cao. Zheng Kangcheng considers it white coriander, called Jue Er in Youzhou. Guo Pu states: Shaped like mouse ears, growing in clusters like a plate, what exists now is similar, but does not climb. Some say this plant originally grew in Shu, its fruits are thorny, attached to sheep's wool as they passed through, thus coming to China, hence named Yang Fu Lai. Commonly called Dao Ren Tou. Harvest when fruits are ripe. Ancient and modern prescriptions often use it alone; for severe carbuncles, crush fresh roots and leaves with children's urine, squeeze juice, take one sheng, three times a day. Burn to ash, mix with twelfth-month pig fat, apply to the top, soon the root is extracted, cured.

Lei Gong states: Upon harvesting, remove the heart, take Huang Jing (Polygonatum rhizome), finely chop with a bamboo knife, mix, steam together from Si hour to Hai hour, remove Huang Jing. Take out, dry in shade for use. Dietary therapy extracts carbuncle roots. Additionally, to treat all wind conditions, take one dan of tender leaves, chop, crush, mix with five sheng of Mai Qu (wheat yeast), form into blocks. Ferment in mugwort and ai for twenty days, forming a cake-like structure. Take one dou of rice, steam into rice. Check temperature, add Cang Er Mai Qu cake, brew three da sheng, seal for fourteen days until ripe. Take this wine, warm and drink on an empty stomach, miraculous effect. Seal this wine with two layers of cloth, do not seal completely tight, or it will overflow. Do not consume with horse meat. *Sheng Hui Fang*: Treats women's wind-induced urticaria, persistent body itching. Use equal parts Cang Er flowers, leaves, and seeds, grind into powder, mix with Dou Lin Jiu (bean-dripping wine), take two qian bi. Another prescription: Treats postpartum dysentery, miraculous effect. Crush Cang Er leaves, squeeze juice. Warm drink half zhong zhan, three to four times a day. *Wai Tai Mi Yao*: For heat-toxin attacking hands and feet, swelling and pain threatening detachment: soak in Cang Er juice. Another prescription: Emergency treatment for wind-toothache. One handful of Cang Er, boil in sour water, add salt, hold in mouth. *Qian Jin Fang*: On May 5th at Wu hour, cut Cang Er leaves close to the ground, wash, dry in sun, crush and sieve. Take one fang cun bi with wine or sour water, three times day and night. If powder causes vomiting, mix with honey into pills, equivalent to one fang cun bi. For mild wind, take twice daily. If wind manifests on the body as millet-sized bumps or bean-sized grains, this is wind-toxin exiting. Puncture with needle to drain, stop when yellow fluid exits. Harvest much on May 5th, dry in shade, store in large urn, use as needed, all can ward off evil. To avoid illness and disease, take it, making one fearless. If seasonal qi is discordant, the whole family takes it. If suffering from stomach distension, chest stuffiness, and fever, take it. Kills three parasites, intestinal hemorrhoids, promotes appetite, best taken for one year. Can be collected on July 7th and September 9th. *Qian Jin Yi*: Treats sudden swelling of body and limbs, crush Cang Er and apply, immediate effect. Use heart in spring, seeds in winter. Another prescription: Treats toothache. Five sheng Cang Er seeds, ten dou water, boil to five sheng. Hold hot in mouth, spit if painful, repeat after spitting, cure within three doses. Stems and leaves also work. Another prescription: Treats all carbuncles. Burn Cang Er roots, stems, and leaves to ash, mix with vinegar and starch slurry into mud, apply, change when dry. Within ten applications, the root is extracted. Another prescription: Treats five types of hemorrhoids. Harvest Cang Er stems and leaves on May 5th, dry and powder, take one fang cun bi with water, immediate effect. *Bai Yi Fang*: Treats sudden onset of malignant sores. Make Cang Er and peach bark into shreds, insert into sore, good. Sun Simiao's dietary taboo: Eating Cang Er with pork harms people. *Shi Yi Xin Jing* removes all wind-damp bi-syndrome, limb spasms. Three liang Cang Er seeds, powder, boil in one and a half sheng water to get seven he, remove dregs and sip. *Dou Men Fang*: Treats women's blood-wind attacking brain, dizziness, fainting, sudden death, falling unconscious. Use He Qi Cao (grass that rises when drunk upon? Note: Text says 'He Qi Cao', likely a specific herb name or typo for another, context implies tender heart), take tender hearts, no limit. Dry in shade, powder. Take one da qian with regular wine, any time, highly effective for attacking. Consumption reaches the brain cover, effectively opens the crown point, this is Cang Er. *Sheng Jin Fang*: Treats snake bites, she gong (water spider), sha li (sand louse) injuries, black eyes, locked jaw, stiff limbs, toxin forming masses in abdomen, imminent death, use this prescription. One handful of Cang Er tender leaves, crush to juice, mix with warm wine and灌 (pour/feed), apply thick residue to injured area. Yang Shi Chan Ru treats accidental swallowing of coins. One bunch of Ji Er heads, one sheng water, soak in water more than ten times, drink water to cure.