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Earth of Water: Baizhu 白術

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味苦皆屬水，地黃為之主，黃芩為木，黃連為火，白術為土，竹葉為金。 All bitter belongs to water; it is governed by Dihuang, Huangqin is wood, Huanglian is fire, Baizhu is earth, and Zhuye is metal. The Tang Ye Jing lists Baizhu (白術) or Atractylodes Root as the Earth of Water. We know from basic Five Phase thinking that Earth controls or restrains (ke 克) Water, and it is this relationship between Earth and Water that is exemplified by Baizhu. This means Baizhu is an indispensable herb in treating disorders involving dampness and fluid metabolism. The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing emphasizes these qualities in its entry on (Bai)Zhu: 術　味苦溫。主治濕痺、死肌、痙疸，止汗除熱，消食 … 久服輕身、延年不饑。一名山薊。生鄭山山谷。 Zhu tastes bitter [and its flavor is] warm. It governs damp obstruction, dead muscles [i.e. atrophied or weakened muscles], tetany, jaundice, stopping sweating, eliminating heat, and dissolving food [i.e. supporting digestion]….protracted taking lightens the body, prolongs life, and eliminates hunger. Its other name is Shan Ji (“Mountain T
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Fire of Water: Huang Lian 黃連

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味苦皆屬水，地黃為之主，黃芩為木，黃連為火，白術為土，竹葉為金。 All bitter belongs to water; it is governed by Dihuang, Huangqin is wood, Huanglian is fire, Baizhu is earth, and Zhuye is metal. Huanglian 黃連 (Coptis root) is the Fire of Water. Among the most bitter substances in the materia medica, Huanglian has famously been described as being “more bitter than widow’s tears.” Its pronounced bitter flavor is so great that when it is added to decoctions with other herbs, even just a few grams of Huanglian can be enough to dominate the flavor of an entire formula. Along with its yellow siblings, Huangqin and Huangbai, Huanglian clears heat, drains toxicity, and drains dampness. Huangqin’s action is ascribed to the upper burner, Huanglian to the middle burner, and Huangbai to the lower burner. In particular, Huanglian is often said to have an affinity to both the Stomach and the Large Intestines, making it in some sense a Yangming herb. However, the fact that Huanglian is classified in the Tang Ye Jing as
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Wood of Water: Huang Qin 黃芩

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味苦皆屬水，地黃為之主，黃芩為木，黃連為火，白術為土，竹葉為金。 All bitter belongs to water; it is governed by Dihuang, Huangqin is wood , Huanglian is fire, Baizhu is earth, and Zhuye is metal. Huangqin 黄芩 , also known as Scutellaria baicalensis or skullcap root, is classified by the Tang Ye Jing as the Wood of Water. The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing's entry for Huang Qin states: 味苦平。主治諸熱黃疸，腸澼洩利，逐水，下血閉，惡瘡疽蝕，火瘍。一名腐腸。生川谷。 Huangqin tastes bitter and neutral. It governs all hot yellowing disorders, intestinal afflux, diarrhea and dysentery, expelling water, descending blood obstruction, [treating] malign sores, subcutaneous ulcers, erosions [of the flesh], and firey sores. Another name for it is Fu Chang (腐腸 Putrid Intestines). It grows in rivers and valleys. Based on this passage, we can deduce that Huangqin is an herb that powerfully clears heat by virtue of its bitter flavor. It’s a very commonly encountered herb in the Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui Yao Lue, where it is often paired with Chai Hu to har
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Water of Metal: Shan Yao 山藥

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味酸皆屬金，五味[子]為之主，枳實為木，豉為火，芍藥為土，薯蕷為水。 All sour belongs to metal, for it is governed by Wuweizi, and Zhishi is wood, [Dan Dou] Chi is fire, Shaoyao is earth, and Shuyu [Shan Yao] is water . Shuyu (薯蕷) - better known perhaps by its contemporary name, Shanyao (山藥) - is Dioscorea, the Wild Chinese Yam. The Shennong Bencao Jing describes its properties this way: 署豫　味甘小溫。主治傷中，補虛羸，除寒熱邪氣，補中益氣力，長肌肉。久服耳目聰明，輕身不饑延年。一名山芋。生山谷 Shuyu tastes sweet and slightly warm. It governs damage to the center, supplementing deficiency emaciation, eliminating cold and hot pernicious qi, supplementing the middle, increasing qi and strength, and growing the tendons and flesh. Prolonged taking sharpens and brightens the ears and eyes, lightens the body, eliminates hunger and extends life. Another name for it is Shan Yu (“Mountain Tuber”). It grows in Mountains and Valleys. The Shen Nong's description highlights key functions of  supplementing (補) and benefiting or increasing (益). This is in keeping wit
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Metal of Metal: Wu Wei Zi 五味子

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味酸皆屬金， 五味[子]為之主 ，枳實為木，豉為火，芍藥為土，薯蕷為水。 All sour belongs to metal, for it is governed by Wuweizi , and Zhishi is wood,Chi is fire, Shaoyao is earth, and Shuyu [Shan Yao] is water. Wuweizi or Chinese Schisandra Berry is classified as the Metal of Metal by the Tang Ye Jing. Its flavor is the quintessence of Sour, and the action of Wuweizi perfectly illustrates why the Tang Ye Jing ascribes the action of Sour to Metal.  The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing’s entry for Wuweizi describes it in this way: 五味子 味酸，溫。主益氣，欬逆，上氣，勞傷，羸瘦，補不足，強陰，益男子精。 Wuweizi’s flavor is sour, [its temperature] is warm. It governs augmenting qi, cough reversal, surging qi, taxation damage, debilitating emaciation, tonifies insufficiency, strengthens yin, augments male essence. Wuweizi's association with augmenting qi and treating cough suggest it is an herb with an affinity for the Lungs, which is in keeping with Su Wen Chapter 22's statement that when the Lungs desire to be gathered, urgently eat s
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Earth of Metal: Shao Yao 芍藥

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味酸皆屬金，五味[子]為之主，枳實為木，豉為火，芍藥為土，薯蕷為水。 All sour belongs to metal, for it is governed by Wuweizi; Zhishi is wood, [Dan Dou] Chi is fire,  Shaoyao is earth , and Shuyu [Shanyao] is water. Shaoyao is peony root (Radix Paeoniae), but in modern Chinese Herbalism there is no generic peony root as such – we differentiate between Baishao (白芍) or White Peony (Radix Paeoniae Alba) and Chishao (赤芍) or Red Peony (Radix Paeoniae Rubra). Both herbs in modern TCM theory are said to effect the Blood, with Baishao having a more nourishing quality and Chishao are more moving and cooling quality, respectively. Classical Chinese herbal texts, including the Tang Ye Jing, Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, and the Shang Han Lun, do not differentiate between Baishao and Chishao - they just refer to “Shaoyao”. There is often debate over whether a given formula should use Baishao or Chishao. Generally most contemporary practitioners use Chi Shao if there is more excess – such as Blood Stasis or swelling - and Bai Sha
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Fire of Metal: Dan Dou Chi 淡豆豉

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味酸皆屬金，五味[子]為之主，枳實為木，豉為火，芍藥為土，薯蕷為水。 All sour belongs to metal, for it is governed by Wuweizi; Zhishi is wood, [Dan Dou ]Chi is fire , Shaoyao is earth, and Shuyu [Shanyao] is water. Dandouchi (淡豆豉) is fermented black soybean (Semen Sojae Preparata). It is not the most commonly prescribed herb in classical herbalism (although it does feature prominently in several of Zhang Zhongjing’s formulas, which we will explore shortly) - to the point that it does not have an entry in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. One of the earliest mentions of dandouchi in a Chinese materia medica is the Ming Yi Bie Lu (名醫別錄), an herbal text attributed to the Daoist alchemist Tao Hongjing. Recall that Tao is also the purported author of the Fu Xing Jue Wu Zang Yong Yao Fa Yao (輔行訣臟腑用藥法要), the previously lost manuscript that contains the only passages we have of the Tang Ye Jing. Here is what the Ming Yi Bie Lu has to say about Dandouchi: 豉: 味苦，寒，無毒。主傷寒，頭痛，寒熱，瘴氣，惡毒，煩躁，滿悶，虛勞，喘吸，兩腳疼冷，又殺六畜胎子諸毒。 [Dan Dou] C
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