Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Herbs

Crowdipper Original: Ban Xia (半夏). The tuber of Pinellia ternata. The name literally translates to "Mid-summer," referring to the timing of its harvest.

Crowdipper grows in the river valleys of Huaili An ancient district in what is now Shaanxi province., though it is found in many locations. Those sourced from Qizhou Modern-day Jinan, Shandong province. are considered of the highest quality.

The sprouts emerge in the second lunar month. Each stalk typically bears three leaves at its tip; these are light green and closely resemble bamboo leaves, though they are notably glossy. The variety found in the regions south of the Yangtze River Original: Jiangnan (江南). has leaves that resemble those of a peony. The roots consist of layered parts, larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, with yellow skin and white flesh.

The roots are harvested during the fifth and eighth lunar months. They are processed by boiling them in ash Ash-boiling: Hui zha (灰煠), a traditional pharmaceutical technique used to neutralize the acrid, throat-irritating toxins of the raw plant. for two days, then washed in a hot water decoction and dried in the sun. Those that are round, white, and have been aged for a long time are considered the best.

A variety that grows in level marshes is very small and is known as Sheep’s Eye Crowdipper Original: Yangyan Ban Xia (羊眼半夏).. There is also another plant whose sprouts and roots are extremely similar to Crowdipper, but its sprouts grow one to two feet high and its root is as large as a chicken egg. This variety mostly grows in the shade of forests; some suggest it is actually a small version of the Tiger’s Paw Original: Hu Zhang (虎掌), or Pinellia pedatisecta., and it is easily confused with the true Crowdipper.

Crowdipper has a pungent taste and is toxic. It is primarily used to treat "Stomach Cold" A Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pattern characterized by cold sensations in the abdomen and the inability to retain food., vomiting, and retching. It is a most essential ingredient in medicinal prescriptions.

It is also known as Field Guard Original: Shou Tian (守田)., Earth Pattern Original: Di Wen (地文)., Water Jade Original: Shui Yu (水玉)., and Maiden Original: Shi Gu (示姑)..