(Thin qi and flavor belong to the yin within yang. Drugs with thin properties tend to disperse, mostly possessing acrid, sweet, or bland flavors, as well as neutral or cold/cool nature.)

Poria (Fuling): Qi is neutral, taste is sweet, non-toxic. [Li Dongyuan] Nature is warm, taste is sweet and bland, qi and flavor are both thin, belonging to floating and ascending yang drugs. [Zhang Yuansu] Stops thirst, promotes urination, removes dampness, benefits dryness, harmonizes the middle, tonifies qi. Its main indication is benefiting blood in the waist and umbilical region; it treats urinary obstruction, yellow or red urine with difficult voiding. If taken when urination is already clear or frequent, it severely damages true qi and shortens lifespan. Physicians say "red purges, white tonifies," but this concept did not exist in ancient times. Bland flavor can open orifices, sweet flavor can assist yang; it is a holy medicine for removing dampness. Taste is sweet and neutral, can tonify yang and benefit the spleen, expel excessive water-dampness, and treat difficulty in urination. The bland flavor has seeping and draining properties, belongs to yang, treats water retention, soothes the spleen, generates fluids, and guides qi. [Wang Haogu] Enters the Foot Shaoyin and Hand/Foot Taiyang meridians. White-colored enters Metal (Xin) and Water (Gui); red-colored enters Fire (Bing/Ding). It can suppress kidney pathogenic factors, stop excessive urination, and promote urination when obstructed. Its effect is similar to Plantaginis Semen (Cheqianzi), though it promotes urination without depleting qi. Soaked in wine and used together with Guangming Cinnabar (Zhusha), it can secure the true yuan. Taste is sweet and neutral. Usage: Peel, crush finely, sieve through gauze, and use.

Alisma Rhizome (Zexie): Qi is neutral, taste is sweet, non-toxic. [Li Dongyuan] Sinking and descending, belongs to yin. [Zhang Yuansu] Sweet, salty, and cold, descends yin. [Wang Haogu] Slight yang within yin, enters Foot Taiyang and Shaoyin meridians, is a holy medicine for removing dampness. Treats dribbling urination, removes sweat from the yin region; if taken without such ailments, it causes blindness. [Kou Zongshi] Alisma's merit lies in promoting water metabolism. Zhang Zhongjing treated water accumulation causing thirst, vexation, and dysuria, or vomiting/diarrhea, using Wuling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria), which contains Alisma, thus proving its strength in promoting water flow. *Bencao* cites Bian Que: "Long-term use causes eye dimness," indeed because its nature promotes water loss. Anyone taking Zexie San will experience increased urination. If urination increases, how can kidney qi recover? Nowadays, people only know it leaks essence and dare not use it. Zhang Zhongjing used it in Shenqi Wan merely to guide Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) and Aconite Root (Fuzi) to the kidney meridian, with no other intent. [Wang Haogu] *Shennong Bencao Jing* says long-term use brightens eyes; Bian Que says long-term use dims them. Why? Yilao (Li Gao) said: It removes old turbidity from the spleen; its salty flavor drains hidden water, thus brightening eyes. Frequent urination leads to kidney qi deficiency, hence dim vision. [Wang Kentang] Kou Zongshi's view was endorsed by Wang Haogu. I privately believe that in Shenqi Wan, Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (Dihuang) is the sovereign drug, assisted by others, not just tonifying blood but also qi. When yang is prosperous, it generates yin blood. Rehmannia, Cornus Officinalis Fructus (Shanzhuyu), Poria, and Moutan Cortex (Mudanpi) are all kidney meridian drugs; Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (Fuzi) and Cinnamomi Cortex (Rougui) are right kidney Mingmen drugs. They do not need Alisma's guidance to arrive. Thus, Alisma in Shenqi Wan is likely used to drain kidney pathogens, nourish the five zang organs, boost qi power, raise yin qi, and treat deficiency injuries of the five labors. Although it can drain the kidney, amidst a group of tonifying drugs, it cannot drain further. [Li Shizhen] Alisma has neutral qi and sweet/bland taste; blandness allows seepage and drainage. Thin qi/flavor promotes water and downward excretion. Damp-heat in spleen/stomach causes heavy head, dim vision, tinnitus; Alisma drains dampness, heat follows, earth qi becomes commanding, clear qi ascends, sky becomes bright. Thus, Alisma nourishes zang organs, boosts qi, treats vertigo, and improves hearing/vision. Long-term use causes excessive descending function, clear qi fails to ascend, true yin is consumed, leading to dim vision. Zhang Zhongjing used Poria and Alisma in Dihuang Wan to drain bladder pathogens, not for guidance. Ancients used purging drugs with tonics so that after pathogens are removed, tonics work better; one opens, one closes—this is profound. Later generations ignored this, focusing solely on tonification, causing imbalance from long-term use. Crush, sieve through gauze, and use.

Polyporus (Zhuling): Qi is neutral, taste is sweet and slightly bitter, non-toxic. [Li Dongyuan] Qi and flavor are thin, ascending with slight descending, same as Poria. [Zhang Yuansu] Bland, sweet, neutral, descending, yin within yang. [Wang Haogu] Sweetness outweighs bitterness, belongs to yang. Enters Foot Taiyang and Shaoyin meridians. Assists dryness, removes dampness; compared to other bland-draining drugs, it is more drying and consumes body fluids. Do not use if there is no dampness syndrome. [Su Song] Zhang Zhongjing treated polydipsia with floating pulse, dysuria, and slight fever using Polyporus to induce sweating; illness with desire to drink but vomiting afterward is called Water Reversal; winter cold cough resembling malaria also uses Polyporus. This is Wuling San. Polyporus, Poria, Atractylodes each 3 liang, Alisma 5 fen, Cinnamon Twig 2 fen, finely ground and sifted. Take 1 cun-bi with water, three times daily, drink warm water abundantly, sweat appears and illness resolves. Promoting water pathways, no decoction is more effective. Now everyone uses it. [Zhang Yuansu] To drain stagnation, sweet assists yang, bland opens orifices, thus removing dampness and promoting urination. Remove black skin, inner white part is best, crush, sieve, and use.

Tetrapanax Pith (Tongcao): Qi is neutral, taste is acrid, sweet, and bland, non-toxic, vapor is neutral, flavor is thin, descending, yin within yang. Treats genital orifice obstruction, promotes urination, reduces edema/obstruction, treats five stranguries, used raw. [Li Dongyuan] Drains lung, promotes urination, sweet/neutral slows yin blood. [Zhang Yuansu] In *Bencao*, Ten Categories, "Unblocking removes stagnation"; Tongcao and Stephania Tetrandra (Fangji) are examples. Fangji is very bitter/cold, drains damp-heat stagnation in blood, also unblocks bowels; Tongcao is sweet/bland, assists Western Autumn qi descending, promotes urination, specifically drains qi stagnation. Lung heated by pathogenic factors cuts off source of fluids/qi transformation, stopping cold water flow; Bladder affected by damp-heat causes retention/reduced urination, suitable for this treatment. Symptoms: chest vexation/heat, dry mouth/tongue/throat, extreme thirst, dribbling or blocked urination, sore calves/hot feet—all treated with Tongcao. Others with similar properties like Poria, Alisma, Juncus Effusus (Dengcao), Polyporus, Gleditsia Sinensis Spina (Zaojiao), Lygodium Spore (Qumai), Plantaginis Semen can all drain dampness, promote urination, and泄 (drain) stagnation qi. Also, Akebia Caulis (Mutong) drains small intestine fire, promotes urination, works like Amber (Hupo), unmatched by other drugs. Remove coarse bark, slice fine, sieve with bamboo, use evenly.

Talcum (Huashi): Qi is cold, taste is sweet, non-toxic. [Li Dongyuan] Heavy nature, drains upper qi making it descend, hence "slippery opens orifices." Treats anterior orifice涩 (stiffness/obstruction). Orifice opening differs from bland-draining drugs. [Wang Haogu] Enters Foot Taiyang meridian. Slippery nature opens orifices, best for unblocking water pathways, extremely drying agent. Zhuling Tang uses Talcum and Coagulated Donkey-hide Gelatin (Ejiao) as slippery agents to promote water flow. Decoct with Scallion and Ginger, strain, clarify, to resolve exterior and promote urination via bland/seeping yang properties. Not suitable if urination is already free. [Li Shizhen] Talcum opens orifices, not just for urination. Upper opens hair/skin pores, lower opens seminal/urinary orifices. Sweet/bland taste enters stomach first, seeps into collaterals, circulates fluids/qi, uploads to Lung, descends to Bladder. Lung governs skin/hair, source of water; Bladder manages fluids, transforms qi to excrete. Thus, Talcum releases exterior above, promotes water below, eliminates heat/dries dampness. Releasing exterior clears upper/middle heat, promoting water clears middle/lower heat; releasing exterior dries upper/middle dampness, promoting water dries middle/lower damp-heat. When dampness scatters, Triple Burner calms, interior/exterior harmonize; when dampness leaves, Lanmen opens, yin/yang benefit. Liu Hejian's Yiyuan San treats various interior/exterior diseases based on this principle, though not explicitly stated. White is best, grind with water and fly (wash).

Peony Root (Shaoyao): Qi is slightly cold, taste is sour and bitter, thin qi/concentrated flavor, yin, descending, yang within yin, slightly toxic. Enters Hand/Foot Taiyin meridians. [Zhang Yuansu] Tonifies middle jiao drug; with roasted Licorice (Gancao) as assistant, treats abdominal pain. Summer abdominal pain add slight Huangqin; if aversion to cold/abdominal pain add 1 qian Cinnamon Twig (Rougui), 3 qian White Peony (Baishaoyao), 1.5 qian roasted Gancao—this is Zhongjing's divine formula. Winter severe cold abdominal pain add 2.5 qian Rougui, decoct 2 cups water to half, remove peel, use. Spleen meridian drug, collects yin qi, removes abdominal pain. Sour collects, supports yin to collect yin qi, drains pathogenic factors, supports yang. With Ginger, warms meridians, disperses dampness, unblocks/relieves abdominal pain. Stomach qi obstruction, Lung dryness/heat, sour collection/sweet slowing are essential for diarrhea. White tonifies, Red disperses, drains Liver, tonifies Spleen/Stomach. Wine-soaked moves collaterals, stops middle abdominal pain. Dongyuan said astringent is superior. Question: Ancient texts often use astringency for collection, why does *Bencao* mention promoting urination? Answer: Shaoyao retains dampness and benefits fluids, allowing natural urination; it is not a circulating drug. Question: What does "soothe middle" mean? Answer: Damage to Liver requires soothing the middle. Question: Next treatment? Answer: Siwu Tang, because it contains Shaoyao. Red promotes urination/descends qi, White stops pain/disperses qi-blood, enters Hand/Foot Taiyin. Generally, sour/astringent is superior, a collecting/damp-retaining agent, governing Hand/Foot Taiyin collection/descending nature, reaching Blood Sea, entering deep depths, then Jueyin meridian. Later generations used Red to purge, White to tonify because Red is South (Fire) and White is West (Metal). *Nanjing* says "Damage to Liver requires soothing the middle," i.e., regulating blood. *Bencao* says promotes urination, not by directly promoting, but because Kidney governs urination; by using this to tonify yin/nourish dampness, urination flows. Abdominal deficiency pain is Spleen meridian, removed only by Shaoyao, a fluid-nourishing/damp-retaining agent. [Processing] Slice. Internal heat: use raw. Internal cold: wine-fried.

Schisandra Fruit (Wuweizi): Qi is warm, taste is sour, non-toxic, concentrated flavor/light qi, slight yang within yin. Enters Hand Taiyin blood aspect, Foot Shaoyin qi aspect. [Zhang Yuansu] Collects Lung qi, tonifies insufficiency, ascending. Sour collects rebellious qi; Lung cold/rebellion suits this. Used with Dry Ginger. Schisandra collects Lung qi, essential for fire-heat, so used as sovereign for cough. But if external pathogen exists, do not use abruptly to avoid trapping pathogen; must disperse first, then use. For phlegm, assist with Pinellia (Banxia); for wheezing, assist with Ejiao; dosages vary slightly. [Wang Haogu] Skin sweet, flesh sour, core acrid/bitter/salty, hence named Wuweizi. Zhang Zhongjing's Shenqi Wan uses it, describing form/image. Sun Simiao said take monthly in May to tonify five zang qi; during humid summer fatigue, mix with Ginseng, Astragalus, Ophiopogon, slight Phellodendron decoction, instantly boosts spirit/leg strength. June take to benefit Lung metal qi; above nourishes source, below tonifies Kidney, hence enters Hand Taiyin/Foot Shaoyin. Crush raw before use.

Ophiopogon Tuber (Maimendong): Qi is cold, taste is sweet/slightly bitter, slight yin within yang, descending, non-toxic. Enters Hand Taiyin qi aspect. [Zhang Yuansu] Treats latent fire in Lung, impending pulse collapse; add Schisandra and Ginseng, these three form Shengmai San, tonifies Lung yuan qi insufficiency. Cool yet tonifying, tonifying yet not sticky, none surpass Maimendong. For post-febrile recurrence, warm-heat diseases, or miscellaneous diseases where yin fails to control yang causing vexation/heat/dry-thirst, use to generate fluids, moisten dryness, retreat heat—most miraculous. Also combined with Rehmannia, Ejiao, Hemp Seed (Huren) to moisten collaterals, benefit blood, restore pulse, open heart; combined with Schisandra, Goji (Gouqi) as Shengmai San. Remove heart, do not use. Soak in soup.

Asparagus Tuber (Tianmendong): Qi is cold, taste is slightly bitter, thin qi/concentrated flavor, yin, slight yin within yang, non-toxic. Enters Hand Taiyin/Foot Shaoyin qi aspect drugs. [Zhang Yuansu] Protects Lung qi, treats blood-heat invading Lung causing panting/shortness of breath; add Ginseng, Astragalus as primary use, miraculous effect. Bitter drains stagnant blood, sweet assists yuan qi, treats reckless bleeding—these are Tianmendong's merits. Yingwei withered/dry, wet agents moisten them. Both Asparagus/Ophiopogon, Ginseng, North Schisandra, Goji form Shengmai San, reflecting the Upper Jiao method of inspecting Cun-kou pulse only. Remove heart, chop fine.

Immature Bitter Orange (Zhishi): Qi is slightly cold, taste is bitter/acrid, non-toxic. [Li Dongyuan] Concentrated qi/thin flavor, floating/ascending with slight descending, yang within yin. [Zhang Yuansu] Sinking, yin. Removes cold/heat, breaks accumulations, dissipates phlegm-stasis, treats epigastric fullness/oppression, rebellious qi, hypochondriac pain. [Wang Haogu] Zhiqiao governs high, Zhishi governs low. High governs qi, low governs blood. Thus Zhiqiao treats chest/diaphragm/skin-hair diseases, Zhishi treats heart/abdomen/spleen/stomach diseases, largely same with minor differences. Zhu Gong's *Huoren Shu* says treat fullness first with Jiegeng-Zhiqiao Decoction, not treating epigastric fullness with this. Knowing mis-purging causes qi sinking into fullness, use this first to prevent it. If fullness already formed, using this is too late, not only failing to dissolve fullness but damaging chest qi. The word "first" has meaning. [Li Shizhen] Zhishi/Zhiqiao have same qi/flavor/functions, no distinction in antiquity. Wei/Jin dynasties began distinguishing fruit vs rind. Jiegu/Dongyuan distinguished high/low treatments. Generally, both move qi; qi descends then phlegm/wheezing stops, qi moves then fullness/bloating消 (dissolves), qi unblocks then stabbing pain stops, qi benefits then tenesmus removes. Thus Zhishi benefits chest/diaphragm, Zhiqiao benefits intestines/stomach. However, Zhongjing used Zhishi as key drug for Chest Bi/fullness, while other formulas used Zhiqiao generally for bloody stool/hemorrhoids/constipation/tenesmus. Thus Zhishi not only treats low, Zhiqiao not only treats high. From Feimen to Po men, all governed by Lung, Triple Burner connected by one qi. Dividing them is acceptable, not dividing is also harmless. Wheat-bran fried, remove pith, crush, sieve, and use.

Inula Flower (Xuanfuhua): Qi is warm, taste is salty/sweet, slightly toxic. Governs knotted qi, hypochondriac fullness, removes water, eliminates cold/heat between five zang organs, dissolves chest phlegm knots, saliva like glue, softens hard masses, treats belching, unblocks blood vessels. [Su Song] Zhang Zhongjing treated post-sweat/purge epigastric hardness/belching with Qiwu Xuanfu Daizhe Tang; miscellaneous women's diseases with Sanwu Xuanfu Tang; Hu Qia Jushi treated phlegm-fluid in hypochondrium with Xuanfuhua Wan, used frequently. [Cheng Wuji] Hardness means qi is firm; Xuanfuhua's saltiness softens hard masses.

Fritillaria Bulb (Beimu): Qi is neutral, taste is acrid/bitter, non-toxic. Governs cold-heat vexation, strangury/pathogenic factors, wind-spasm, treats abdominal solidity, epigastric fullness, shivering/chills, dizzy vision/stiff neck, cough/upward qi, stops thirst, calms five zang organs, benefits marrow. [Wang Haogu] Beimu is Lung meridian qi aspect drug. Zhang Zhongjing treated cold-solid chest binding without external heat with Sanwu Xiaoxiongtang; Baisan also contains Beimu. Cheng Wuji said acrid disperses, bitter drains. Jiegeng/Beimu's acrid/bitter used to descend qi. Remove the rice-grain-sized heart inside, crush fine, and use.

Dark Plum (Wumei): Qi is warm/neutral, taste is sour/astringent, non-toxic. [Wang Haogu] Wumei is Spleen/Lung blood aspect drug, can collect Lung qi, treat dry cough. Lung desires collection, urgently eat sour to collect. [Li Shizhen] Dark/White Plum treat various diseases based on sour collection meaning. Only Zhang Zhongjing's Wumei Wan for蛔厥 (ascaris厥) and worm treatments differ slightly, taking advantage of worms stopping when encountering sour. Plum blooms in winter, fruits in spring, obtains complete Wood qi, hence most sour, "curved/straight makes sour." Liver is Yi Wood, Gallbladder is Jia Wood. Four orifices under tongue, two connect to gallbladder juice, hence eating plum generates saliva—similar things resonate. *Suwen* says "Excessive sour makes Liver qi overflow"; "Sour enters sinews, sinew diseases should not eat much sour." Otherwise, many sour-tasting things exist, why only Plum generate saliva? [Processing] Remove pit, slight stir-fry, avoid pork.

Adzuki Bean (Chixiaodou): Qi is neutral, taste is sweet/sour/acrid, yang within yin, non-toxic. [Tao Hongjing] Small beans drive fluids, promote urination, long-term use makes skin dry. [Wang Haogu] Water-drainers only know water-draining, ignoring stomach-tonification leads to stagnation. Adzuki bean drains water, moves qi, strengthens Spleen/Stomach, is its drug. [Li Shizhen] Adzuki bean is small/red, grain of Heart. Nature descends, connects to Small Intestine, enters Yin aspect, treats tangible diseases, thus moves fluids, promotes urination, reduces distension, removes swelling, stops vomiting, treats dysentery/intestinal issues, resolves alcohol sickness, removes cold/heat/carbuncles, drains pus, disperses blood, promotes lactation, delivers placenta/dystocia—all tangible diseases. Long-term use causes excessive descending, fluid/blood leakage, leading to emaciation.

Vinegar (Ku Jiu): Qi is warm, taste is sour, non-toxic. Zhang Zhongjing treated Yellow Sweat with Huangqi Shaoyao Guizhi Kujiu Tang, treated Jaundice with Mahuang Chunjiu Tang using Kujiu/Qingjiu, formulas seen in *Jingui Yaolue*. Likely takes sour collection meaning, plus blood-stasis-resolving/antidotal functions.