似木而类草。江左州郡多有之。叶类苦楝而小。凌冬不凋。临水生者尤茂。七月开小白
花。结实成簇。生青熟紫。秋中绛赤如丹。
枝叶
味苦。微涩酸。气平凉。入心脾肾三经。主治止泻除睡。强筋。益气力。久服轻身长年
。令人不饥。变白却老。凡血热则鬓发早白。而颜面枯槁。脾弱则困倦嗜卧。而气力不长。
肾虚则筋骨软弱。而行步不前。南烛入心凉血。入脾益气。入肾添精。故有轻身长年等效。
再变白之药多苦寒。有妨脾胃。惟南烛气味和平。兼能益脾。（仲淳）寒食采其叶。渍水染
饭
正黑如 珠。袋盛之可适远方。日进一合。不饥。益颜色。坚筋骨。能行。治一切风疾。久
服轻身明目。黑发驻颜。用南烛树春夏取枝叶。秋冬取根皮。细锉五斤。水五斗。慢火煎取
二斗。去渣净锅。慢火煎如稀饴。瓷瓶盛之。每温酒服一匙。日三服。一方。入童便同煎。
南烛子
味酸甘。气平。主治变白驻颜。轻身却老。功效尤胜枝叶。牧童食之。辄止饥渴。即其
验矣。
〔论〕 南天烛叶实。凌冬不凋。临水尤茂。是具足真阴之气者也。寒食日造青精饭。
能资阳气。是水达于木也。七月结青实。九月乃紫。是本阴中具足之真阳。由金以裕其用。
而火又达于金也。水达于木。则阴乘阳以升。火达于金。则阳御阴以降。（凡实至秋冬而紫
赤者甚多。惟合于叶之染饭色青。乃为阴升阳降耳。）宜其变白却老。为修真家所须。
南天烛外形像树木但性质类似草本植物。江东地区的各州郡多有生长。它的叶子形状类似苦楝树但较小。经历寒冬也不凋谢。靠近水边生长的尤其茂盛。七月开出白色的小花。果实结成簇状。初生时呈青色，成熟后变为紫色。到了秋季变成深红色如同丹砂一般。
枝叶
味道苦，带有微涩和酸味。气性平和偏凉。归入心、脾、肾三经。主要功效是止泻、消除嗜睡、强健筋骨、益气力。长期服用可以身体轻便、延年益寿。让人不感到饥饿，使白发变黑、延缓衰老。凡是血热就会导致鬓角头发早白，面容枯槁憔悴；脾气虚弱就会困倦嗜卧，气力不足；肾虚就会导致筋骨软弱，行走困难。南天烛进入心脏能凉血，进入脾脏能益气，进入肾脏能添精。所以具有身体轻便、延年益寿等效果。另外，能使头发变黑的药物多属苦寒之性，容易损伤脾胃。只有南天烛气味平和，兼能补益脾脏。（陈实功）在寒食节采集它的叶子，浸泡在水中染饭，米饭正黑如珠。用袋子装好可以带到远方。每天吃一合（容量单位），不会感到饥饿，还能改善面色，坚固筋骨，使人精力充沛。治疗各种风疾。长期服用可以身体轻便、明目、黑发驻颜。制作方法是：春夏季节采集南天烛树的枝叶，秋冬季节采集根皮，切碎五斤，加水五斗，用慢火煎煮取汁二斗。去掉药渣，倒入干净的锅中，再用慢火煎煮成稀糖膏状。装入瓷瓶中保存。每次温酒送服一匙，每天三次。另一种方法是用童便同煎。
南天烛子
味道酸甘。气性平和。主要功效是使白发变黑、驻颜、身体轻便、延缓衰老。功效比枝叶更强。牧童吃了它，就能止住饥渴，这就是它的验证。
〔论〕 南天烛的叶和果实，经历寒冬也不凋谢，靠近水边尤其茂盛，这是具备充足真阴之气的表现。在寒食节制作青精饭，能够资助阳气，这是水气通达于木的表现。七月结出青色果实，九月变为紫色，这是本阴中具备充足的真阳，由金气来发挥其作用，而火气又通达于金。水气通达于木，则阴随阳上升；火气通达于金，则阳随阴下降。（凡是果实到秋冬变成紫红色的很多，只有符合叶子染饭颜色为青色的，才是阴升阳降的道理。）难怪它能改变白发、延缓衰老，成为修真之人所必需的药材。
Nantianzhu (Vaccinium bracteatum) resembles a tree but is herbaceous in nature. It is abundant in various prefectures east of the Yangtze River. Its leaves resemble those of Toosendan Fructus (Meliae Toosendan Fructus, 苦楝) but are smaller. They do not wither in winter and grow particularly lush near water. In July, it blooms with small white flowers, bearing clustered fruits that are green when raw and purple when ripe. By autumn, they turn crimson like cinnabar.
Branches and Leaves
Taste: Bitter, slightly astringent and sour. Nature: Neutral and cool. Meridian Tropism: Heart, Spleen, Kidney. Indications: Stops diarrhea, eliminates drowsiness, strengthens sinews and bones, benefits Qi and strength. Long-term use lightens the body and prolongs life, prevents hunger, reverses graying hair, and delays aging. Generally, blood heat causes premature graying of temples and withered complexion; Spleen deficiency leads to fatigue, drowsiness, and lack of strength; Kidney deficiency results in weak sinews and bones and difficulty walking. Nantianzhu cools blood in the Heart, benefits Qi in the Spleen, and replenishes Essence in the Kidney. Hence, it produces effects such as lightening the body and prolonging life. Furthermore, most herbs that reverse graying are bitter and cold, which may impair the Spleen and Stomach. Only Nantianzhu has a mild nature and additionally tonifies the Spleen. (Chen Shigong) Collect its leaves on Cold Food Day, soak them in water to dye rice. The rice turns jet black like pearls. Stored in bags, it can be carried for long journeys. Consuming one ge (a unit of volume) daily prevents hunger, improves complexion, strengthens sinews and bones, and enhances mobility. It treats all wind disorders. Long-term use lightens the body, brightens eyes, darkens hair, and preserves youth. Preparation: In spring and summer, collect branches and leaves; in autumn and winter, collect root bark. Finely chop five jin (approx. 2.5 kg), add five dou (approx. 50 liters) of water, and decoct slowly until two dou remain. Strain the residue, return the liquid to a clean pot, and simmer slowly until it reaches the consistency of thin syrup. Store in porcelain jars. Take one spoonful with warm wine, three times daily. Another method involves decocting with child's urine.
Fruits of Nantianzhu
Taste: Sour and sweet. Nature: Neutral. Indications: Reverses graying, preserves youth, lightens the body, and delays aging. Its efficacy surpasses that of the branches and leaves. Shepherds who eat it find their hunger and thirst quenched, which verifies its properties.
[Discussion]
The leaves and fruits of Nantianzhu do not wither in winter and thrive near water, indicating they possess abundant True Yin. Preparing Qingjing Rice (Green Essence Rice, 青精饭) on Cold Food Day nourishes Yang Qi, representing Water communicating with Wood. It bears green fruits in July, turning purple in September, signifying True Yang fully present within Yin, utilized by Metal, with Fire communicating with Metal. When Water communicates with Wood, Yin ascends with Yang; when Fire communicates with Metal, Yang descends with Yin. (Although many fruits turn purple or red in autumn and winter, only those whose dyed rice remains green reflect the principle of Yin ascending and Yang descending.) No wonder it reverses graying and delays aging, making it essential for Daoist cultivators.