九 Page Nine

Grass Wormwood

original: Caohao (草蒿). This refers to a specific variety of wormwood, identified here as being synonymous with Qinghao (Artemisia annua), famously known in modern medicine as the source of the anti-malarial compound artemisinin.

Grass Wormwood is the same as Sweet Wormwood original: Qinghao (青蒿). It grows in the valleys and marshes of Huayin A region in modern-day Shaanxi Province, near the sacred Mount Hua, though today it can be found everywhere. In the spring, it produces sprouts with extremely fine leaves. When the plant is young and tender, people often harvest it to mix with various aromatic vegetables for food. By summer, it reaches a height of four to five feet. After autumn begins, it opens small, pale yellow flowers. Below the flowers, seeds form that are about the size of millet grains. Between the eighth and ninth lunar months, the seeds are harvested and dried in the shade.

The roots, stems, seeds, and leaves are all used for medicinal purposes. When the plant is dried and roasted to make a beverage, its fragrance is exceptionally fine. Sweet Wormwood is also known by the name Fangkui original: Fangkui (方潰).

In the preparation of this medicine, one must follow strict rules:

• If using the seeds, do not use the buds original: jiong (莔); likely referring to the immature flower heads or specific involucres.
• If using the leaves, do not use the roots.
• If using the roots, do not use the stems.

If these four parts are used together, they will conflict and cause illness rather than cure it. It is considered of superior quality if it has been soaked in the urine of a young boy A traditional processing method (paozhi) in Chinese medicine believed to enhance the herb's ability to "clear heat" and direct the medicine to specific parts of the body.

It is called Sweet Wormwood Qinghao and also Fangkui. Its flavor is bitter, its nature is cold, and it is non-toxic.

It primarily treats scabies and itchy scabs, as well as malignant sores. It kills lice and clears lingering heat trapped within the joints This refers to "bone-steaming" fevers or chronic low-grade fevers associated with internal deficiency. It also brightens the eyes.