Shennong Bencao Jing · The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica

Herbs · Lower Grade

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Yingshi Sour, warm. Listed for abscesses, deep ulcers and harmful sores, bound flesh and displaced sinews, deteriorating sores with heat qi, genital erosion that does not heal, and benefiting the joints. Also Qiangwei, Qiangma and Niuji. Grows in mountain valleys. Mudan Pungent, cold. Listed for cold and heat, wind-strike, clonic spasms and rigidity, fright seizures and pathogenic qi; removing hard masses and stagnant blood lodged in the intestines and Stomach, settling the five zang and treating abscess sores. Also Lujiu and Shugu. Grows in mountain valleys. Shiwei Bitter, neutral. Listed for exhaustion heat and pathogenic qi, the five long urinary obstructions with blocked passage, and promoting urine and the waterways. Also Shixun. Grows on stones in mountain valleys. Baihe Sweet, neutral. Listed for pathogenic qi, abdominal distention and heart pain, promoting both stool and urine, supplementing the center and benefiting qi. Grows in river valleys. Zishen Bitter, cold. Listed for accumulations in heart and abdomen, cold, heat and pathogenic qi, freeing the nine openings and promoting both stool and urine. Also Mumeng. Grows in mountain valleys. Wanggua Bitter, cold. Listed for wasting-thirst and internal impediment, stagnant blood and blocked menstruation, cold and heat with aching pain, benefiting qi and curing deafness. Also Tugua. Grows in level marshland. Dahuang Bitter, cold; classified toxic. Listed for draining stagnant and blocked blood, cold and heat, breaking zheng/jia masses and accumulations, retained fluids and old food, clearing the intestines and Stomach, expelling the old and bringing in the new, freeing the passage of water and grain, regulating the center, transforming food and harmonizing the five zang. Grows in mountain valleys. Gansui Bitter, cold; classified toxic. Listed for an enlarged abdomen with shan/jia masses, abdominal fullness, puffiness of face and eyes, retained fluids and old food, breaking hard masses and accumulations, and freeing the passages of water and grain. Also Zhutian. Grows in river valleys. Tingli Pungent, cold. Listed for zheng/jia masses, accumulations and bound qi, cold and heat associated with food and drink, breaking hardness, expelling pathogenic influences and opening the waterways. Also Dashi and Dashi, written with different final characters in the source. Grows in level marshland and fields. Yuanhua Bitter, warm; classified toxic. Listed for counterflow cough and upward qi, noisy throat with panting, swollen throat and shortness of qi, gu poison and ghost-nue fever, shan/jia masses and abscess swellings, and killing worms and fish. Also Qushui. Grows in river valleys. Zeqi Bitter, slightly cold. Listed for skin heat, abdominal enlargement with water qi, puffiness of limbs, face and eyes, and insufficiency of yin qi in men. Grows by waterways and marshes. Daji Bitter, cold. Listed for gu poison and the twelve water disorders, abdominal fullness with urgent pain, accumulations, wind-strike, painful skin and vomiting counterflow. Also Yangju. Raohua Bitter, cold. Listed for cold damage and warm-nue fever, draining the twelve water disorders, breaking accumulations and great hard zheng/jia masses, clearing retained pi and food and drink from the intestines and Stomach, cold, heat and pathogenic qi, and opening the waterways. Grows in river valleys. Gouwen Pungent, warm. Listed for metal wounds, the unclear ru item, invasion by malign wind, counterflow cough and upward qi, water swelling, and killing ghost infestation and gu poison. Also Zhige. Grows in mountain valleys. Note: The supplied text places an isolated ru after “metal wounds”; a missing disease word has not been invented. Lilu Pungent, cold; classified toxic. Listed for gu poison, counterflow cough, diarrhea and dysentery with intestinal pi, head ulcers, scabies, itching and harmful sores; killing the various worms and their poisons and removing deadened flesh. Also Huangran. Grows in mountain valleys. Wutou Pungent, warm; classified toxic. Listed for wind-strike, aversion to wind with shivering, bringing sweat, removing cold-damp impediment, counterflow cough and upward qi, and breaking accumulations with cold and heat. Its concentrated juice is called Shewang and is said to kill birds and beasts. Also Xidu, Jizi and Wuhui. Grows in mountain valleys. Tianxiong Pungent, warm. Listed for great wind, cold-damp impediment, pain passing through the joints, contraction, slackness and tension; breaking accumulations, pathogenic qi and metal wounds, strengthening sinews and bones, lightening the body and making walking vigorous. Also Baimu. Grows in mountain valleys. Fuzi Pungent, warm; classified toxic. Listed for wind-cold, counterflow cough and pathogenic qi, warming the center, metal wounds, breaking hard masses and accumulations, blood jia masses with cold and dampness, disabling weakness and contraction, and knee pain preventing walking. Grows in mountain valleys. Yangzhizhu Pungent, warm; classified toxic. Listed for harmful wind spreading painfully within the skin, warm-nue fever, harmful poisons and the various impediments. Grows in river valleys. Yinyu Bitter, warm. Listed for pathogenic qi of the five zang, cold and heat in heart and abdomen with emaciation, attacks at set times like nue fever, and wind-damp impediment pain in the various joints. Grows in river valleys. Shegan Bitter, neutral. Listed for counterflow cough and upward qi, throat impediment and throat pain without respite, dispersing bound qi, pathogenic counterflow in the abdomen, and great heat associated with food and drink. Also Wushan and Wupu. Grows in river valleys. Yuanwei Bitter, neutral. Listed for gu poison and pathogenic qi, ghost infestation and the various poisons, breaking zheng/jia masses and accumulations, removing water and expelling the Three Worms downward. Grows in mountain valleys. Guanzhong Bitter, slightly cold; classified toxic. Listed for pathogenic heat qi in the abdomen, the various poisons and killing the Three Worms. Also Guanjie, Guanqu, Baitou, Hujuan and Bianfu. Grows in mountain valleys. Feilian · Herb Entry Bitter, neutral. Listed for heat in bones and joints, and heaviness and aching pain in the lower legs. Prolonged use is claimed to lighten the body. Also Feiqing. Grows by waterways and marshes. Note: This herb is a separate source entry from the similarly romanized creature in the middle grade. Banxia Pungent, neutral. Listed for cold damage with cold and heat, hardness beneath the heart, bringing qi downward, swollen and painful throat, dizziness and chest distention, counterflow cough and intestinal rumbling, and stopping sweat. Also Diwen and Shuiyu. Grows in river valleys. Huzhang Bitter, warm; classified non-toxic. Listed for heart pain, cold and heat, bound qi, accumulations and the hidden-beam mass, injured sinews with weakness, contraction or slackness, and opening the waterways. Grows in mountain valleys. Langdangzi Bitter, cold. Listed for toothache, expelling worms, flesh impediment with contraction and tension, making walking vigorous and causing visions of ghosts. Eating much is said to make a person run about in frenzy. Prolonged use is claimed to lighten the body, enable running as fast as a galloping horse, strengthen resolve, increase strength and communicate with spirits. Also Hengtang. Grows in river valleys. Shuqi Pungent, neutral; classified toxic. Listed for nue fever, counterflow cough, cold and heat, hard abdominal masses and pi binding, pathogenic qi in bound accumulations, gu poison and ghost infestation. Grows in river valleys. Hengshan Bitter, cold. Listed for cold damage with cold and heat, heat attacks of warm-nue fever, ghost poison, bound phlegm in the chest and vomiting counterflow. Also Hucao. Grows in river valleys. Qingxiang Bitter, slightly cold. Listed for pathogenic qi, heat within the skin, wind itching and bodily itching, and killing the Three Worms. Its seeds, called Caojueming, are listed for blue-green discoloration of lips and mouth. Also Caohao and Louhao. Grows in level valleys. Langya Bitter, cold; classified toxic. Listed for pathogenic qi and heat qi, scabies, itching, harmful ulcers, sores and hemorrhoids, and expelling white worms. Also Yazi. Grows in river valleys. Bailian Bitter, neutral. Listed for abscess swellings and deep sores, dispersing bound qi, stopping pain and removing heat, redness in the eyes, children's fright seizures, warm-nue fever, and women's genital swelling and pain. Also Tuhe and Baicao. Grows in mountain valleys. Baiji Bitter, neutral. Listed for abscess swellings, harmful sores and deteriorating deep ulcers, injury to yin, deadened flesh, pathogenic qi in the Stomach, harmful wind and ghost blows, and fei weakness with slackness and failure to draw in. Also Gangen and Lianjicao. Grows in river valleys. Caohao Bitter, cold. Listed for scabies, itching, itchy scabs and harmful sores, killing lice, retained heat among bones and joints, and brightening eyes. Also Qinghao and Fangkui. Grows by waterways and marshes. Guanjun Salty, neutral. Listed for heart pain, warming the center, expelling long worms, the uncertain bai-xi term and pinworms, snakebite poison, zheng/jia masses and the various worms. Also Guanlu. Grows in pools and marshes. Note: The supplied bai-xi wording has not been silently changed into a more familiar worm name. Lianqiao Bitter, neutral. Listed for cold and heat with rat fistulas, scrofulous and abscess swellings, harmful sores, goiters and tumors, bound heat and gu poison. Also Yiqiao, Jianhua, Zhegen and Sanlian. Grows in mountain valleys. Baitougong Bitter, warm; classified non-toxic. Listed for warm-nue fever with frenzied changes, cold and heat, zheng/jia masses and accumulations, goiter qi, expelling blood and stopping pain, and treating metal wounds. Also Yezhangren and Huwang Shizhe. Grows in river valleys. Lüru Sour, salty; classified toxic. Listed for eroding harmful flesh, deteriorating sores and deadened flesh, killing scabies worms, discharging pus and harmful blood, removing great-wind heat qi, and forgetfulness and unhappiness. Grows in river valleys. Yangtao Bitter, cold. Listed for blazing heat with the body suddenly turning red, wind-water accumulations, harmful ulcers and removing children's heat. Also Guitao and Yangchang. Grows in river valleys. Yangti Bitter, cold. Listed for scalp baldness, scabies and itching, removing heat, and women's genital erosion. Also Dongfangsu, Lianchonglu and Guimu. Grows by waterways and marshes. Luhuo Bitter, neutral. Listed for gu poison, women's lumbar and abdominal pain with unhappiness, intestinal abscesses, scrofulous swellings and ulcer qi. Grows in mountain valleys. Niubian Bitter, slightly cold. Listed for sores of the body's skin and heat qi; described as suitable for a bathing decoction, killing cattle lice and small worms, and also treating cattle disorders. Grows in river valleys. Luying Bitter, cold. Listed for the various impediments between bones, contraction and aching pain of the four limbs, cold and painful knees, genital impotence, insufficient short qi and swollen feet. Grows in river valleys. Jincao Bitter, neutral. Listed for persistent cough and upward qi, panting counterflow with longstanding cold, fright palpitations, scabs and scabies, white bald patches and ulcer qi, and killing small worms of the skin. Grows in river valleys. Xiakucao Bitter, pungent, cold. Listed for cold and heat with scrofulous swellings, rat fistulas and head sores, breaking masses, dispersing goiter and bound qi, swollen feet and damp impediment. It is claimed to lighten the body. Also Xiju and Naidong. Grows in river valleys. Wujiu Sweet, cold. Listed for alternating cold and heat of the skin and benefiting the qi of Small Intestine and Bladder. Grows in mountain valleys. Zaoxiu Bitter, slightly cold. Listed for fright seizures with head shaking and tongue movements, heat qi in the abdomen, dian disorders, abscess sores and genital erosion, expelling the Three Worms downward and removing snake poison. Also Shixiu. Grows in river valleys. Shichangsheng Salty, slightly cold. Listed for cold and heat, harmful sores and great heat, and warding off ghost qi and ill omens. Also Dancao. Grows in mountain valleys. Langdu Pungent, neutral. Listed for counterflow cough and upward qi, breaking accumulations of food and drink, cold and heat with water qi, harmful sores, rat fistulas and eroding deep ulcers, ghost essences and gu poison, and killing flying birds and running beasts. Also Xudu. Grows in mountain valleys. Guijiu Pungent, warm. Listed for killing gu poison, ghost infestation and uncanny beings, warding off malign qi and ill omens, expelling pathogenic influences and countering the hundred poisons. Also Juexi, Mamudugong and Jiujiu. Grows in mountain valleys. Bianxu Bitter, neutral. Listed for spreading erosions, scabies and itching, deep ulcers and hemorrhoids, and killing the Three Worms. Grows in mountain valleys. Shanglu Pungent, neutral. Listed for water distention and shan/jia impediment. A heated application is described for removing abscess swellings. It is said to kill ghosts and uncanny beings. Also Yehu and a root-name alias written 䓪根. Grows in river valleys. Note: The rare first graph in the root-name alias is retained as supplied rather than replaced with a more familiar plant name. Nüqing Pungent, neutral. Listed for gu poison, expelling pathogenic and malign qi, killing ghosts and warm-nue fever, and warding off ill omens. Also Quepiao. Grows in mountain valleys. Baifuzi Listed for heart pain and blood impediment, the hundred disorders of the face, and carrying forward the action of medicines. Grows in Shujun. Note: This entry supplies no flavor or thermal nature; neither is filled in from another version. Guhuo Sweet, warm. Listed for great wind and pathogenic qi, damp impediment and cold pain. Nine takings are claimed to lighten the body, benefit longevity and resist aging. Also Dongkuizi. Grows by waterways and marshes. Note: The supplied wording says “nine takings,” not the usual phrase “prolonged use.” Bieji Bitter, slightly warm. Listed for wind-cold-damp impediment, bodily heaviness, aching limbs, cold pathogens and pain passing through the joints. Grows in river valleys. Shixia Changqing Salty, neutral. Listed for ghost infestation and uncanny beings, pathogenic and malign qi, killing the hundred spirit beings and gu poison, the obscure infestation-and-change phrase involving old apparitions, running away, crying, grief and bewilderment. Also Xuchangqing. Grows in pools and marshes. Note: The old-apparition phrase is compressed and unclear in this source. It is retained as such rather than given an unsupported specific diagnosis. Qiaogen Bitter, cold. Listed for bringing heat qi downward, benefiting yin essence, making the face pleasing and attractive, and brightening eyes. Prolonged use is claimed to lighten the body and resist aging. Grows in level marshland. Qucao Bitter. Listed for pain below the chest and ribs, pathogenic qi, cold and heat among the intestines, and yin impediment. Prolonged use is claimed to lighten the body, benefit qi and resist aging. Grows by waterways and marshes.

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