Red Arrow

Red Arrow was listed as a substance of the "Superior Grade" in the Classic of Materia Medica original: 本經, Běnjīng; referring to the Shénnóng Běncǎo Jīng, the foundational text of Chinese herbology which categorizes non-toxic, life-prolonging herbs as "superior". Even Tao Yinju Tao Hongjing, a famous 5th-century Daoist scholar and physician known as the "Hermit of Huayang" was unable to definitively identify the plant in his time.

The Dream Pool Essays original: 夢溪筆談, Mèngxī Bǐtán; an 11th-century scientific work by Shen Kuo states that Red Arrow is the same plant as Tianma Tianma: the tuber of the orchid Gastrodia elata. The author laments that it is now only used to "treat wind" in traditional medicine, "wind" refers to a category of ailments including dizziness, vertigo, tremors, and paralysis, which he considers a regrettable waste of its properties.

The Compendium of Materia Medica original: 本草綱目, Běncǎo Gāngmù; the definitive 16th-century pharmaceutical encyclopedia by Li Shizhen mentions that it is also known as the "Returning-Tube Seed."

If one examines the "Request for Red Arrow" calligraphy scroll by Liu Gongquan a famous Tang Dynasty official and master calligrapher, it shows he used the herb as a means of "supporting the elderly" implying its use as a strengthening tonic rather than just a treatment for acute illness. This confirms that prior to the Song Dynasty, Red Arrow was consistently regarded as a primary herb for Dietary Consumption original: 服食, fúshí; the Daoist practice of ingesting specific minerals and herbs to achieve vitality, longevity, or immortality.