Saposhnikovia Root is the dried root of the plant Saposhnikovia divaricata from the Apiaceae family. It can be cultivated or wild. It is mainly produced in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning. The plant thrives in plains, hills, and gravelly slopes. It prefers cool climates, is drought and cold-resistant, and grows best in sandy loam soil with ample sunlight, deep soil layers, good drainage, and loose fertility. It has a pungent and sweet taste, with a warm nature. It belongs to the bladder, liver, and spleen meridians. Its effects include dispelling wind, releasing the exterior, overcoming dampness, stopping spasms, and relieving diarrhea and bleeding. Clinical names include Saposhnikovia Root, stir-fried Saposhnikovia Root, and charred Saposhnikovia Root.
bubble_chart Compendium of Materia Medica
Shennong Bencao Jing: It has a sweet and warm taste. It is used to treat severe wind, dizziness, headache, aversion to wind, wind evil, blindness, wind moving throughout the body, joint pain, and irritability.
Mingyi Bielu: It has a pungent taste and is non-toxic. It is used to treat rib pain, wind moving around the head and face, spasms in the limbs, and internal spasms from incised wounds.
Yaoxing Lun: It is used for heart abdominal pain, stiffness in the limbs, difficulty walking, Jingmai deficiency, and joint pain. Rihuazi Bencao It treats thirty-six types of wind, all kinds of male fatigue, tonifies the middle, benefits the spirit, treats wind-induced red eyes, stops tears and paralysis, benefits the five organs, head meridians, five strains and seven injuries, emaciation, night sweating, heart irritability, and body weakness. It can tranquilize the spirit and calm the mind, and regulate qi and meridians.
Kaibao Bencao: It has a sweet and pungent taste, is warm, and non-toxic. It treats hypochondriac pain, wind moving around the head and face, spasms in the limbs, and internal spasms from incised wounds.
Bencao Yanyi: Saposhnikovia Root and Astragalus Root are often used together for mutual reinforcement. When Empress Dowager Wang suffered from wind and could not speak, with a deep pulse that was hard to treat, and the doctors were at a loss, Su Zong said: "Liquid medicine cannot be administered." He then boiled dozens of hu of Astragalus Root and Saposhnikovia Root to make a soup, placed it under the bed, and let the steam envelop her like mist. That evening, she could speak.
Yaolei Faxiang: It is purely yang, warm in nature, and has a sweet and pungent taste.It is commonly used to treat wind, effectively purges lung excess, disperses stagnant qi in the head and eyes, and is a miraculous herb for removing wind evil in the upper energizer. Misuse can deplete the upper energizer's original qi.
Yaoxing Fu: It has a sweet and pungent taste, warm qi, and is non-toxic. It ascends and is yang in nature. It has two uses: by its qi and taste, it can purge the lungs; by its body and function, it can treat various wind conditions.
Tangye Bencao: It is purely yang, warm in nature, has a sweet and pungent taste, and is non-toxic.
It belongs to the stomach and spleen meridians and is a meridian-moving herb for these two meridians. It is a taiyang meridian Benjing herb.
Zhenzhunang: The upper part of the body is used to remove wind evil above the waist; the lower part is used to remove wind evil below the waist.
Yongyao Xinfa: It is also a miraculous herb for removing dampness, as wind can overcome dampness.
Bencao: It treats severe wind, dizziness, headache, aversion to wind, wind evil, blindness, wind moving throughout the body, joint pain, irritability, hypochondriac pain, wind moving around the head and face, spasms in the limbs, and internal spasms from incised wounds.
Dongyuan said: Saposhnikovia Root can control Astragalus Root, and Astragalus Root becomes more effective when combined with Saposhnikovia Root. He also said: Saposhnikovia Root is like a low-ranking soldier, following wherever it is led, and is a moistening agent among wind herbs. Although it restrains Astragalus Root, they mutually assist each other.
Bencao also says: Combined with Alisma and Chinese Lovage, it treats wind; combined with Chinese Angelica, Peony Root, actinolite, and limonite, it treats uterine wind in women. It counteracts Aconite Lateral Root toxicity and is incompatible with Dried Ginger, false hellebore, Japanese Ampelopsis Root, and Lilac Daphne.
Bencao Yanyi Buyi: Saposhnikovia Root and Astragalus Root: the mouth connects to the earth, and the nose connects to the heavens. The mouth nourishes yin, and the nose nourishes yang. The heavens govern clarity, so the nose mostly receives the intangible. The earth governs turbidity, so the mouth receives the tangible and also the intangible. When Empress Dowager Wang suffered from wind and could not speak, with a deep pulse, the situation was urgent. If slow-acting tangible decoctions were used, it would delay the treatment. By using these two herbs, the steam from the decoction filled the room like mist, allowing both the mouth and nose to receive the treatment. Only a wise person with divine insight could achieve such a reversal.
Bencao Fahui: Jie Gu said: It is commonly used to treat wind, and it is miraculous in purging lung excess. It disperses stagnant qi in the head and eyes, and removes wind evil from the upper energizer. It also serves as a guide for dampness-removing medicines, as wind can overcome dampness. Misuse can purge the original qi of the upper energizer. The "Secret of Treatment" states: It tastes sweet, is purely yang, and is the fundamental medicine of the taiyang channels of the hands and feet. It also says: Saposhnikovia Root, sweet and pungent, warms and disperses dampness retained in the meridians.Bencao Jingshu: Saposhnikovia Root is born with the yang qi of heaven and earth, hence it tastes sweet and warm. Bielu It is also pungent and non-toxic. It has a strong qi and a mild taste, ascending in nature and yang in character. It enters the hand Yangming, foot Shaoyin, and Jueyin meridians. It is a wind-dispelling herb, commonly used to treat wind disorders. It can ascend and disperse, thus it is effective for major wind disorders, dizziness, headache, aversion to wind, joint pain and numbness throughout the body, hypochondriac pain, wandering pain in the head and face, spasms in the limbs, promoting lactation, and internal spasms due to wind injury. The claim that it treats blindness is due to apoplexy, hence the inability to see. The fullness and irritability are also caused by wind Xieke in the chest, hence the fullness. Wind, cold, and dampness combine to form bi syndrome, and by dispelling wind and drying dampness, it treats bi syndrome. How can a dispersing herb be taken for a long time? The claim of lightening the body is also due to the removal of dampness.
Bencao Mengquan: It tastes sweet and pungent, with a warm qi. It is ascending and yang in nature, and non-toxic. It counteracts the severe toxicity of Aconite Mother Root and is incompatible with Li Lian, Yuan Jiang, false hellebore, white, Lilac Daphne, and Dried Ginger. It is a taiyang Benjing herb and also circulates through the spleen and stomach meridians. It is like a low-ranking soldier, following orders and arriving wherever it is directed. It treats pain throughout the body and is a moistening agent among wind-dispelling herbs. It is commonly used to treat wind and is also suitable for dispersing dampness. It dispels wind evils from the upper half of the body and wind disorders from the lower half. It relieves stagnation in the cheeks and especially purges excess lung qi; it dispels vertigo in the head and opens blindness, hence it is called an essential herb for dispelling upper energizer wind evils. If mistakenly taken, it can purge the upper energizer original qi, causing significant harm!
《materia medica 乘雅》: It is most effective against the four major apoplexy forces, holding the world, penetrating every crevice. If the body's striae and interstices are loose, the vital qi is not well-protected, and wind enters. Therefore, to defend and block, one must rely on Tongtian vital qi. Saposhnikovia Root, with its yellow center and penetrating principle, stimulates the essence of water and grains to guard against Zefeng, hence its name. The body is composed of the four major elements, with movement as wind. If the parts of the body that should move do not, it is a deficiency of wind; if they move too much, it is an excess of wind. Saposhnikovia Root, with its sweet, warm, and pungent dispersing properties, is balanced and moistening, neither excessive nor deficient, which is its function. It protects and harmonizes, balancing qi with fragrance.Movement and swaying are the nature of wind and wood. If the earth loses its ability to restrain, wind and wood can cause harm, and vice versa. For example, wind in the head causes dizziness, in the eyes causes blindness, and in the joints causes pain. Pain, blindness, and dizziness are all manifestations of the movement and swaying of wind and wood. Wind moves throughout the body, also utilizing its ability to change rapidly. Its sweet and fragrant taste, with a yellow center and penetrating principle, strengthens the essence of the nine soils to guard against the insults of the eight winds. As wind enters, it is stopped by earth, transforming into growth in the soil, and in wood, it must transform into carrying the soil and emerging.
Its function is to strengthen the earth's virtue and use, as Saposhnikovia Root multiplies wood. If wind and wood have already multiplied earth, it will carry the soil and emerge. Thus, driving away the external insults of wind and wood is to exercise the virtue and use of earth, as the loss of earth's substance and function leads to the multiplication of wind and wood. Shengqi Tongtian Lun, refers to defense qi as vital qi, and also metaphorically as yang qi, like heaven and the sun. If they lose their place, life is shortened and not manifested, which is the root of longevity.
Saposhnikovia Root, with its yellow substance, embodies the color of the central earth. Its sweet and warm nature specializes in the taste of the central earth. The virtue of earth is fragrant, with a pervasive aroma that repels evil odors. Therefore, wind in the head, eyes, and body that has not yet entered the organs can be repelled from within. If Stephania Tetrandra can defend itself, it is also something that should be guarded against. It is like a capable minister in peaceful times and a treacherous hero in chaotic times.
Exegesis of Medicinal Properties: Saposhnikovia Root, with a pungent and sweet taste, warm nature, and non-toxic, enters the lung meridian. It purges lung metal, treats various wind disorders, opens stagnant qi, and relieves eye pain. It is incompatible with Dried Ginger, false hellebore, Japanese Ampelopsis Root, and Lilac Daphne, and counteracts the toxicity of Aconite Lateral Root.
Note: Saposhnikovia Root's pungent nature moves to the lungs and is an ascending yang agent, hence it treats various wind disorders. Stagnant qi is a lung disorder, and eye pain is a wind disorder, hence it should treat both. Dongyuan said: It is like a low-ranking soldier, following orders and arriving wherever it is directed, a moistening agent among wind-dispelling herbs. It can purge upper energizer original qi, so it should not be used indiscriminately by the deficient. Many people today make this mistake.
Yaojian: The temperature is sweet and pungent, non-toxic, with a thin smell, ascending, and yang. It is an essential medicine for joint pain throughout the body. It can purge qi with its smell and treat wind with its body use. Why? Because this agent is warm and floating, it can remove wind-heat on the surface and also treat joint pain. It is commonly used for treating wind and is also suitable for dispersing dampness. It can drive away vertigo and open blindness. It is used in Life-Prolonging Decoction to treat crooked mouth and eyes. It is used in Tong Sheng San to remove dampness-heat throughout the body. When used with Scutellaria, it can resolve wind-heat in the large intestine. When used with Bitter Apricot Seed, it can disperse wind-evil in the lung meridian. With Chrysanthemum, it is good at clearing wind-heat in the head and eyes. With Notopterygium, it is good at resolving wind-cold in the Taiyang meridian. In the past, Queen Mother had a wind disease and could not speak, and her pulse was deep. The situation was very urgent. If she was given tangible decoction, it would delay the matter. So Saposhnikovia Root and Astragalus Root were decocted and steamed like mist filling the room, then the mouth and nose received its intangible qi, and the disease was cured. Why? Because the mouth of a person is connected to the earth, and the nose is connected to the heaven. The mouth nourishes yin, and the nose nourishes yang. The heaven is clear, so the nose does not receive tangible things but mostly intangible things. The earth is turbid, so the mouth receives tangible things and also intangible things.
Jingyue Quanshu: Sweet and pungent in taste, warm in nature. Ascending, yang in nature. Used for its ability to disperse wind with a balanced qi. Although it is a medicinal for the bladder, spleen, and stomach meridians, it can reach all meridians when combined with other meridian-specific medicinals. Light in both qi and flavor, it disperses wind evils, treats pain throughout the body, cures wind-induced eye conditions, and stops cold tearing. Wind can overcome dampness, hence it also removes dampness and alleviates eczema all over the body. When combined with medicinals that tonify qi and strengthen the exterior, it can also stop sweating, uplift yang qi, and halt chest wind and menorrhagia fistula disease. However, as a moistening agent among wind-dispersing medicinals, it can also scatter the original qi of the upper energizer. Misuse or prolonged use can harm the body.
Bencao Beiyao: Disperses and vents, expels wind and overcomes dampness.
Pungent, sweet, and slightly warm, ascending and floating, yang in nature. It searches the liver and drains the lung, disperses stagnant qi in the head and eyes, and dampness retained in the meridians and collaterals, primarily treats bleeding in the upper part. Used as a guiding medicinal, it can also treat flooding. Upper energizer wind evils, headache, dizziness, spine pain, stiff neck, and pain throughout the body, greater yang meridian pattern. Bladder. Xu Zhi-cai said: Combined with Fistular Onion Stalk, it can move throughout the body. It also travels through the spleen and stomach meridians, being an essential medicinal for expelling wind and overcoming dampness. All wind-dispersing medicinals can overcome dampness. Li Dong-yuan said: Like a low-ranking soldier, it ascends with whatever leads it, being a moistening agent among wind-dispersing medicinals. If tonifying the spleen and stomach, without this guiding medicinal, the effect cannot be achieved. Disperses red eyes, sores, and ulcers. If blood deficiency with spasms and cramps, headache not due to wind-cold; endogenous headache. Diarrhea not due to cold-dampness, fire rising with cough, yin deficiency night sweating, yang deficiency spontaneous sweating are contraindicated. Combined with Astragalus Root and Peony Root, it can strengthen the exterior and stop sweating; combined with Astragalus Root and White Atractylodes Rhizome, it is called Jade Screen Powder. A supreme medicinal for strengthening the exterior, Astragalus Root, when combined with Saposhnikovia Root, enhances its efficacy. It takes advantage of mutual restraint and mutual assistance. The upper part uses the body, the lower part uses the tip. It fears Dioscorea hypoglauca, dislikes Dried Ginger, Japanese Ampelopsis Root, and Lilac Daphne, and neutralizes Aconite Lateral Root's toxicity.
Benjing Fengyuan: Sweet, pungent, and warm, non-toxic. The forked head causes irritability and panting, the forked tail triggers chronic diseases.
Saposhnikovia Root, floating and ascending, yang in nature. Enters the hand taiyang, yangming, shaoyang, and jueyin, also connects with the foot taiyang, a miraculous medicinal for treating wind and removing dampness, as wind can overcome dampness. It treats severe wind-induced headache and dizziness, aversion to wind, and other wind evil diseases. Its nature is ascending, hence it treats upper excess wind evils, drains lung excess with panting and fullness, and treats pain throughout the body, spasms and cramps in the limbs, blindness, wind-induced eye conditions with cold tearing, all within the Benjing indications. Saposhnikovia Root treats pain throughout the body, like a low-ranking soldier, it reaches wherever led, a moistening agent among wind-dispersing medicinals. If tonifying the spleen and stomach, without this guiding medicinal, the effect cannot be achieved, as it drains wood from earth. For spine pain, stiff neck, inability to turn the head, back as if broken, neck as if pulled, which are signs of hand and foot taiyang pattern, it is appropriately used. For sores above the chest and diaphragm, even without hand and foot taiyang pattern, Saposhnikovia Root should still be used, as it can disperse nodules and remove wind-heat from the upper part. The "Experience Formula" treats women with wind entering the cervical orifice, menorrhagia not stopping, using Unique Saint Powder with a single ingredient Saposhnikovia Root, mixed with flour paste and wine to form pills. However, it is only suitable for clear and thin blood with floating and wiry pulse. If the blood is thick and red, with a rapid pulse, it belongs to the Zi Huang Wan syndrome, and should not be confused. Lung deficiency with sweating, panting, and fatigue, qi rising causing vomiting, fire rising with cough, yin deficiency night sweating, yang deficiency spontaneous sweating are contraindicated. Women postpartum with blood deficiency causing spasms, infants with diarrhea and spleen deficiency causing convulsions are strictly contraindicated.
Bencao Chongyuan: Saposhnikovia Root's stem, leaves, flowers, and fruits embody five colors, its taste is sweet, its substance is yellow, its odor is fragrant, embodying the essence of earth movement, treating wind pattern throughout the body. As earth qi is strong, wind can be shielded, hence named Saposhnikovia Root. Wind evil in the head causes severe wind-induced headache and dizziness. Clarifying severe wind, it is the wind evil with aversion to wind, dizziness and pain unceasing, leading to blindness, which Saposhnikovia Root can treat. Also, wind evil moving throughout the body, even causing joint pain, Saposhnikovia Root can also treat it, long-term use strengthens earth qi, hence lightens the body.
Yuan dynasty's Wang Hao-gu said: For headache, limb joint pain, pain throughout the body, only Notopterygium can remove, being the sovereign medicinal for restoring order from chaos. Li Dong-yuan said: Saposhnikovia Root treats pain throughout the body, reaching wherever led, like a low-ranking soldier.
Bencao Qiuzhen: [Comment] Disperses wind evils from the bladder upper energizer's sinews and bones, still a general wind-dispersing medicinal.
Saposhnikovia Root specifically enters the bladder and also enters the spleen and stomach. It has a sweet and slightly warm taste. Although it enters the foot taiyang bladder to treat wind evils of the upper energizer, headache, dizziness, spinal pain, neck stiffness, and generalized body pain. Zhi Cai said: when combined with Fistular Onion Stalk, it can circulate throughout the body. However, it can also enter the spleen and stomach meridians. Gao said: if you want to tonify the stomach, without this guiding herb, it cannot function. It is considered to dispel wind and remove dampness. All wind-dispelling herbs can overcome dampness. This herb is like a lowly soldier, obedient to commands, able to follow the meridians of other herbs as a follower. Therefore, when combined with toxin-removing herbs, it can eliminate dampness and clear sores; when combined with qi tonics, it can induce sweating and uplift. Sometimes it is combined with Astragalus Root and Peony Root to stop, or combined with Astragalus Root to consolidate the exterior as Jade Screen Powder. It is truly a moistening agent among wind-dispelling herbs, slightly lighter in quality and milder in nature compared to the two Huo herbs. It can be used interchangeably with all wind-dispelling herbs. However, it should be contraindicated in cases of blood deficiency with spasms, headache not caused by wind-cold, diarrhea not caused by cold-dampness, yin deficiency with night sweating, yang deficiency with spontaneous sweating, and fire rising with cough. Most exterior-releasing herbs can damage the qi and blood of the zang-fu organs.
Depei Bencao: Fears Hypoglaucous Yam. Dislikes Dried Ginger, false hellebore, Japanese Ampelopsis Root, Lilac Daphne, processed with Astragalus Root, neutralizes the toxicity of Aconite Lateral Root.
Pungent, sweet, warm in nature. The primary herb of the taiyang meridian. Also enters the hand and foot Taiyin and Yangming meridians, and follows the guidance of various meridian herbs to enter. Essential for treating wind and dispelling dampness, it serves as a moistening agent. Dispels wind, treats general body pain, red eyes with cold tearing, bloody defecation; removes dampness, relieves paralysis in the limbs, and widespread eczema. Can resolve various dermatitis medicamentosa.
Combined with White Atractylodes Rhizome and oyster shell, treats deficiency wind with spontaneous sweating. With Astragalus Root and Peony Root, stops spontaneous sweating. Paired with Dahurian Angelica and fine tea, treats partial or complete head wind; with light wheat, stops spontaneous sweating; with fried black Typha, treats menorrhagia; with Arisaema and child's urine, treats tetanus; with common bletilla tuber and Platycladi Seed, ground into powder and mixed with human milk, applied to children's ununited skull (hydrocephalus). Change once a day. Assisted by actinolite and limonite, treats cold placenta in women.
For upper body diseases, use the body; for lower body diseases, use the tip. Stops sweating. Fried with bran. The forked head can cause madness; the forked tail can trigger chronic diseases.
Contraindicated in cases of original qi deficiency and diseases not caused by wind-dampness.
Bencao Jing Jie : Saposhnikovia Root is warm in nature, inheriting the spring and harmonious wind-wood energy of heaven, entering the foot Jueyin liver meridian; sweet and non-toxic, acquiring the central and upright earth flavor, entering the foot Taiyin spleen meridian. Both qi and flavor are ascending, yang in nature.
The liver is associated with wind-wood, its meridian meets the Governor Vessel at the top of the head, the great wind evil entering the liver then moves to the yang position, hence dizziness and headache, which it treats by warming to disperse.
Common cold leads to aversion to wind, aversion to wind, the wind evil in the exterior; the liver revives the eyes, blindness with no vision, the wind in the liver meridian; wind moving throughout the body, the wind in the meridians; joint pain, the wind in the joints combined with dampness, as dampness causes yang qi stagnation and pain. All are treated by it, as wind qi connects with the liver, Saposhnikovia Root enters the liver, sweet and warm to disperse wind.
Shennong Bencao Jingdu : Wind damages the yang position, causing headache and dizziness; wind injures the skin and hair, leading to aversion to wind evil; wind qi harms the orifices, causing blindness with no vision. Wind moving throughout the body is the wind in the meridians; joint pain is the wind in the joints; body heaviness is the inability to move swiftly due to wind disease. The sweet and warm dispersing nature of Saposhnikovia Root can govern all these.
However, warmth belongs to the harmonious energy of spring, entering the liver to treat wind, especially effective when sweet to enter the spleen, nurturing earth to harmonize wood wind, its use is uniquely divine. This principle is evidenced in the "Yi" imagery, through the Bo and Fu hexagrams, and can be comprehended, as the collapse of two earths leads to Bo, hence serious illness must consider the spleen and stomach, the non-conflict of wood and earth leads to Fu, hence disease transformation must harmonize the liver and spleen, Saposhnikovia Root in dispelling wind, possesses great life-restoring power. Li Dong-yuan's comment "lowly and humble" is truly an outsider's view.
Shennong Bencao Jing Hundred Records: Sweet in taste, warm. Treats great wind, dizziness and headache, aversion to wind evil, no wind disease it cannot treat. Blindness with no vision, wind in the upper orifices. Wind moving throughout the body, wind in the entire body. Joint pain, wind in the bones and muscles. Fullness and vexation, wind in the upper energizer. Long-term use lightens the body. Wind qi removal leads to this effect.
All herbs that are light in texture and strong in qi belong to wind herbs, as wind is the energy of heaven and earth. However, wind affects people through different meridians, and herbs receive energy from heaven and earth, each with specific abilities, hence their treatments differ. By carefully observing and detailing the form, texture, qi, and flavor, there must be a certain principle.
Saposhnikovia Root treats wind throughout the body, being the commander of wind herbs.
Benjing Shuzheng: The Book of Changes says: What is rooted in heaven is close to the above, and what is rooted in earth is close to the below. Suwen says, pungent and sweet with dispersing effect pertaining to yang, sour and bitter with emetic and purgative effects pertaining to yin. The ancient sages said, without pungency, one cannot reach heaven, and without bitterness, one cannot reach earth. Saposhnikovia Root and Pubescent Angelica have mild flavors and properties, with a tendency to rise. Saposhnikovia Root is first pungent and then sweet, with pungency dominating sweetness, thus its essence lies in using pungency to ascend, combining with sweetness to return to the middle earth, thereby facilitating its dispersing effect to expel pathogens from the exterior. Pubescent Angelica is first bitter and then pungent, with bitterness outweighing pungency, followed by sweetness. Thus, its essence lies in using bitterness to enter yin, transforming into pungency to ascend, and with the assistance of sweetness, the qi is harmonized. Therefore, Saposhnikovia Root reaches the entire body from above, while Pubescent Angelica reaches the entire body from below. For severe wind-induced dizziness and headache, aversion to wind, wind-induced blindness, and conditions requiring emetic therapy, the treatment should focus on descending, as ascending would lead to a one-way departure. For conditions like running-piglet epilepsy, female hernia, and conditions requiring purgation, the treatment should focus on ascending, as descending would lead to a downward flow. Saposhnikovia Root possesses the nature of ascending but achieves the function of descending, while Pubescent Angelica possesses the nature of descending but achieves the function of ascending. This is what is meant by ascending within descending and descending within ascending. Thus, Pubescent Angelica can guide qi within water and disperse yin stagnation, while Saposhnikovia Root can harmonize qi within fire and disperse yang stagnation. Ascending to the extreme leads to descending, and descending to the extreme leads to ascending, thereby achieving the interaction of yin and yang, ensuring no residual ailments after recovery. Although wind travels throughout the body, causing joint pain and wind-induced joint pain, it is not solely a wind disorder but also involves dampness. Can these two herbs also treat dampness? Wind cannot arise without dampness, and dampness cannot transform without wind. Just as the sultry heat of late summer gives rise to strong winds, the sultry heat is caused by wind, and the strong winds are caused by the sultry heat. Thus, Pubescent Angelica can treat wind, but the wind it treats is dampness-transformed wind, rooted in yin. Saposhnikovia Root can also treat dampness, but the dampness it treats is wind-resolved dampness, rooted in yang. Pubescent Angelica disperses dampness to transform wind, yet it often works in concert with Saposhnikovia Root to disperse wind. Saposhnikovia Root dispels wind to move dampness, yet it often works in concert with Pubescent Angelica to eliminate dampness. To simply say that wind overcomes dampness and wind dries dampness is a shallow understanding of the therapeutic effects of these two herbs. For incised wound pain, Jingmai is affected as blood is lost and becomes stagnant. For spasms in the limbs, Jingmai is affected as dampness accumulates and causes stiffness. The classics say, Jingmai is responsible for moving blood and qi, nourishing yin and yang, moistening tendons and bones, and facilitating joint movement. When the nutritive qi flows within the vessels, it is often troubled by dampness, leading to blood disorders. Blood disorders cause pathogenic qi and stagnant blood to accumulate, damaging the meridians and collaterals. Damaged meridians and collaterals cannot move blood and qi or nourish yin and yang, leading to various types of blockages. In severe cases, tendons and bones cannot be moistened, and joints cannot move freely, causing joint pain and stiffness, and even spasms. Pain in the spine and stiffness in the neck, making it difficult to turn, as if broken or pulled, are all caused by dampness transforming into wind. When true yang is not harmonized, water stagnation leads to dampness, and dampness stagnation can transform into wind. Pubescent Angelica harmonizes yang within water to prevent the root of dampness, while Saposhnikovia Root harmonizes yin within yang to eliminate dampness and cut off the source of wind. This is why, regardless of the duration or newness of wind-induced joint pain or joint pain and fullness caused by wind traveling throughout the body, they can all be treated effectively. Pubescent Angelica harmonizes yin to reach yang, while Saposhnikovia Powder harmonizes yang to store yin. Harmonizing yin to reach yang allows yang to emerge from yin and ascend, with the mechanism of ascent relying on the liver. Dispersing yang to store yin allows yang to rely on yin and descend, with the mechanism of descent relying on the lungs. Thus, it is said that metal and wood are the beginning and end of generation. Therefore, the function of Pubescent Angelica lies in the liver, and the function of Saposhnikovia Root lies in the lungs. Is this not evident?
In emetic therapy, the rising of qi governs it; in purgation, the descent of qi governs it. The defense qi alone emerges from the lower energizer and is particularly governed by the lungs. There is a reason for this, and the function of Pubescent Angelica Saposhnikovia Root can be understood in this context. The defense qi is nothing else but the essence of water and grains that enter the stomach, which has already refined its essence and nourishes the five zang-organs. The coarser part flows down to the small intestine, where it separates the fluids, which then enter the large intestine and bladder. There is also qi that emerges externally and ascends; this qi is the most fierce and swift, circulating throughout the body in an instant. Yingwei Shenghui chapter, using the analogy of wine entering after grains and exiting as liquid before grains, illustrates its nature. The sudden redness of the face, hands, feet, and entire body cannot but illustrate its fierce and swift nature. If this qi is retained, it can cause illness wherever it lodges. Weiqi Shichang chapter, Huangdi said, "When defense qi is retained in the abdomen, it accumulates and does not move, stagnating and not flowing, causing fullness in the ribs and stomach, and labored breathing." Bogao said, "When the qi accumulates in the chest, treat it from above; when it accumulates in the abdomen, treat it from below. Are not the running-piglet epilepsy and female hernia accumulations from below? Are not the great wind causing dizziness, headache, aversion to wind, and blindness from above? When wind and cold strike, causing incised wounds and leakage in one place, the defense in other places becomes lax. Dredge the source to make the coming qi strong, and the defense will become dense again. Therefore, its efficacy is attributed to Pubescent Angelica. Wind circulates throughout the body, causing joint pain and fullness; the obstruction is not in one place. If the source is further dredged, making the coming qi even stronger, should we not worry that the obstruction will also become stronger? Therefore, it is necessary to guide its flow to make it run smoothly without obstruction, and this efficacy must belong to Saposhnikovia Root. Further examination of Jingui Yaolue Hou's Black Powder, Cinnamon Twig, Peony and Anemarrhena Decoction, Chinese Yam Pill, and Bamboo Leaf Decoction's use of Saposhnikovia Root, and the use of Pubescent Angelica in Qianjin Sanhuang Decoction, makes the meaning even clearer. It is said that great wind causes heaviness in the limbs, cold and insufficiency in the heart, pain in the joints, emaciation, swollen feet, dizziness, shortness of breath, and a desire to vomit. It is said that deficiency fatigue and various insufficiencies, wind qi and hundreds of diseases, postpartum apoplexy, fever with a red face, labored breathing, and headache, all these diseases are relaxed, and their root is deficiency. Deficiency should be supplemented, and relaxation should be tightened. Supplementing and tightening are in line with the acrid and sweet yang of Saposhnikovia Root. It is said that apoplexy causes spasms in the hands and feet, pain in the joints, vexing heat, a troubled heart, aversion to cold, and a lack of desire to eat. The disease is quite urgent, and its root is not deficient. What is not deficient but urgent should be chased and dispersed, which is in line with the bitter and acrid nature of Pubescent Angelica, moving from yin to yang. Generally, Pubescent Angelica has a strong qi, while Saposhnikovia Root has a gentle qi. The gentle is compared to supplementation, while the strong is compared to attack. Tonic formulas mostly move from below to above, while Saposhnikovia Root moves from above to below, thus it is suitable for tonic formulas. Pubescent Angelica moves from below to above, thus it is specifically used as an adjunct in attack formulas. Their forms are similar but their uses are different, and this is the reason.
Bencao Xinbian: Saposhnikovia Root, sweet and acrid in taste, warm in qi, ascending, yang, non-toxic. It is a taiyang Benjing medicine, also passing through the spleen and stomach meridians. The ancients divided it into upper, middle, and lower to treat diseases, but in fact, treating wind is the same. It follows the command of its use and follows the guiding meridians, reaching everywhere, treating pain throughout the body, half-body wind, dispersing upper purgation dampness, and expelling yin-yang fire, all can be effective. But it disperses without gathering, attacks without supplementing, and can be used temporarily in small amounts to achieve success, but should not be used frequently over the years to assist deficiency.
Some ask if Tong Sheng Powder, which relies on Saposhnikovia Root to disperse wind evil, can be used frequently. It is said that this formula should not be taken temporarily, let alone frequently. Saposhnikovia Powder disperses vital qi, and even if it disperses wind evil, it cannot be relied upon exclusively.
Some ask if Saposhnikovia Root combined with Astragalus Root does not disperse evil but assists the right, making Saposhnikovia Root a supplementing substance. Why does the master say it attacks without supplementing? Astragalus Root combined with Saposhnikovia Root enhances its efficacy, but it is not heard that Saposhnikovia Root combined with Astragalus Root makes its efficacy more divine. Therefore, Saposhnikovia Root is still an attacking and not supplementing substance, not an attacking and also supplementing substance. Recently, people have regarded Saposhnikovia Root as a divine medicine for dispersing wind, using it regardless of external contraction or not, but taking it without effect.
Some suspect that the amount used is insufficient and increase the dosage, leading to the dispersion of vital qi. Is this not laughable? They do not realize that Saposhnikovia Root is suitable for use in times without wind, combined with Astragalus Root, to prevent evil wind from entering the skin and hair. It is not a substance to be used when wind evil has already entered. The ancients named a substance with deep meaning, and by considering the name, one can understand.
Bencao Fenjing: Acrid and sweet, slightly warm. It searches the liver and drains the lungs, disperses stagnant qi in the head and eyes, and dampness retained in the meridians. It governs upper energizer wind evil and bladder meridian symptoms. It is also a guiding meridian medicine for the spleen and stomach, dispelling wind and overcoming dampness. Combined with Fistular Onion Stalk, it can circulate throughout the body.
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