茺蔚子 Motherwort

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 2

1. 性微溫一云微寒, 味辛甘, 無毒. 主明目, 益精, 除水氣.

   Its nature is slightly warm, though one account calls it slightly cold; its taste is pungent and sweet, and it is non-toxic. It chiefly brightens the eyes, augments jeong (精, essence), and removes water qi.

   HomiclubChungwija is the seed of ikmocho (motherwort). Ikmocho is a biennial of the mint family, common along roadsides and on waste ground, and bundles of it cut and dried in summer can still be found at country markets.

2. 處處有之. 一名益母草, 一名野天麻. 其葉類大麻, 方莖, 花紫色.

   It is found everywhere. One of its names is ikmocho (益母草) and another is yacheonma (野天麻). Its leaves resemble hemp, its stem is square, and its flowers are purple.

   HomiclubA square stem is a shared trait of the mint family. Ikmocho has palm-like, deeply cut leaves that do resemble hemp foliage, and pale purple flowers ring each stem node like a collar.

3. 端午日採莖葉, 陰乾, 不見日及火, 忌鐵器.

   Cut the stems and leaves on Dano day and dry them in the shade, keeping them from sun and fire; iron vessels are to be avoided.

4. 一云, 葉似荏, 方莖, 花生節間, 實如雞冠子黑色. 九月採. 《本草》

   One account says its leaves resemble perilla, its stem is square, its flowers open between the nodes, and its seeds are like cockscomb seeds and black. Gather it in the ninth month. 《Boncho (本草)》