MATERIA MEDICA OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE. 229 
130.—K F§ ta huang. P., XVIlla, 1. 7, CLV. 
Pen king:—Ta huang (great yellow), $E JS huang liang 
(yellow excellent), 4% TE tsiang kin (captain general). The 
root is officinal. Taste bitter. Nature cold. Non-poisonous. 
Pie lu:—The ta huang grows in Ho si [west of the 
Yellow River. See App. 79] in mountain -yalleys, also in 
Lung si [in Kan su, App. 216]. The root is taken up in 
the 2nd and 8th months and dried by fire. 
Wu P‘u [8rd cent,}:—Other names: 4¢ BB huo shen 
(fire Ginseng) and if A fu ju. The ta huang grows in 
Shu [Western Sz ch‘uan, App. 292], in Pei pu [in Sz 
ch‘uan, App. 244], also in Lung si. In the 2nd month the 
young leaves are rolled up and are of a yellowish red colour. 
The plant grows three feet and more high. The leaves 
are arranged four together opposite around the stem. In 
the 3rd month it opens its yellow flowers, in the 5th it bears 
black fruits (seeds). In the 8th month the root, which 
contains a yellow juice, is dug up, cut up in slices and dried 
‘in the shade. Emperor Suen nune and Let Kune [the 
latter is said to have lived in the days of Emperor Huane 
_ TI] considered the ta huang to have poisonous properties. 
Other ancient authors say it is not poisonous. [The P. 
classes it among the poisonous drugs. ] 
T‘ao Hune-Kina :—The name ta huang refers to the 
yellow colour of the root, the name tsiang kin to the excellent 
and prompt effect of the drag. The drug which is now 
brought from I chou [Sz ch‘uan, App. 102], namely from 
Pei pu [v. supra] and Wen shan [in Sz ch‘uan, App. 383] 
and the western mountains, is not equal in quality to that 
from Ho si and Lung si [v. supra], it is darker in colour 
and of a very bitter and harsh taste. That from Si ch‘uan 
[in Kan su, App. 296], which is dried in the shade, is of a 
