Library

[Qinpi (Cortex Fraxini)]
Bitter in taste, cold in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. Primarily disperses wind-cold-dampness bi-syndrome (painful obstruction caused by wind, cold, and dampness), removes long-standing heat from the Liver, treats redness and swelling of both eyes, greenish-white nebula (corneal opacity) and blurred vision, excessive tearing, as well as seminal depletion in men, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea in women, and pediatric wind-heat convulsive epilepsy. The root bark of Euphorbia lathyris (Dajixing) is used as a guiding herb. It is incompatible with Evodiae Fructus (Wuzhuyu) and Paezia Radix (Fang Kui).
Commentary: Qinpi has a blue-green color, suitable for entering the Jueyin meridian; it is a heavy-yin substance, suitable for entering the Shaoyin meridian. Those with Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold should not use it excessively.

[Chubai Pi (Cortex Ailanthi)]
Bitter and astringent in taste, cold in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Heart, Liver, and Spleen meridians. Primarily treats menorrhagia, leukorrhea with leakage, and metrorrhagia, nocturnal emission and spermatorrhea, intestinal wind hematochezia and hemorrhoidal fistula, chronic dysentery with rectal prolapse. It reduces urination, eliminates sores and scabies, expels ghostly zhu pathogen (chronic infectious disease), kills transmissive corpse (tuberculosis), resolves gu poison, drives out roundworms. Use after honey-frying. There is a type called Chunpi (Cortex Toosendan), which has similar functions but is slightly warm and astringent in nature.
Commentary: Chubai Pi is a herb acting within the blood. The Heart governs blood, the Liver stores blood, and the Spleen envelops blood; thus, it is suitable for entering all three meridians. Meng Shen stated: Excessive consumption causes mental confusion and weakens qi and blood.

[Mimeng Hua (Flos Buddlejae Officinalis)]
Sweet in taste, slightly cold in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Liver meridian. Primarily treats amaurosis (blindness), skin nebula, redness and dryness with sticky discharge, red vessels penetrating the eyeball, and also treats pediatric fudou (a type of rash/disease) and gan-eye (malnutrition-related eye disease). Soak in wine for one night, mix with honey, steam, and sun-dry before use.
Commentary: Mimeng Hua specifically enters the Liver meridian. Therefore, apart from treating external eye conditions, it has no other major strengths; it is an essential agent in ophthalmology.
Leigong said: When using it, first select it clean, soak in wine for one night, strain and let dry. Then moisten with honey and steam from Mao hour to You hour, then sun-dry. Repeat this honey-steaming process three times, then sun-dry again for use. For every liang (approx. 30g) processed, use eight liang of wine, soak until the color changes, then steam with half a liang of honey. This was originally named Mujin Hua.

[Xinyi (Flos Magnoliae Biondii)]
Acrid in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Lung and Stomach meridians. Primarily treats alternating chills and fever of the body, headache due to wind affecting the brain, facial swelling and toothache, dizziness and vertigo as if on a boat or carriage, warms middle qi, benefits the nine orifices, releases the muscle layer, unblocks nasal congestion, removes turbid nasal discharge, promotes growth of beard and hair, kills white worms, and removes facial spots. Remove the coarse skin and the central heart/fuzz before use. Ligusticum chuanxiong (Xiong) is used as a guiding herb. It is incompatible with Trogopteri Dung (Wulingzhi), and fears Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (Changpu), Polygoni Multiflori Caulis (Puhuang), Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian), Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao), and unknown "Huanghuan".
Commentary: Xinyi is acrid and warm, promoting dispersion, entering the Taiyin and Yangming meridians, which is indeed appropriate. However, those with deficiency-heat in the Lung and Stomach who cannot tolerate wind-pathogens should not use it indiscriminately.
Leigong said: When using it, remove the coarse skin, wipe off the red fuzz, soak in banana juice for one night, strain, boil in sour liquid (jiangshui) from Si hour to Wei hour, then bake dry for use. If treating eye diseases, remove the skin immediately, using the solid inner part.