紫蘇 Shiso (Red Perilla)

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

1. 性溫, 味辛, 無毒.

   Its nature is warm, its taste is pungent, and it is non-toxic.

   HomiclubJaso is the purple perilla, an annual in the mint family split off from the same species as the Korean deulkkae. The underside of its leaf turns purple. Japan calls it shiso and uses it to dye pickled plums red.

2. 治心腹脹滿, 止霍亂. 療脚氣, 通大小腸, 除一切冷氣, 散風寒表邪. 又能下胸膈痰氣.

   It treats distension and fullness of the epigastrium and abdomen and stops sudden turmoil disorder. It treats gakgi (脚氣, leg qi), frees the large and small intestines, removes every kind of cold qi, and disperses pyosa (表邪, exterior evil) of wind and cold. It can also send down damgi (痰氣, phlegm qi) in the chest and diaphragm.

3. 生園圃中. 葉下紫色皺, 而氣甚香, 可入藥.

   It grows in garden plots. The underside of the leaf is purple and wrinkled, and its scent is very fragrant, so it can be put into medicine.

   HomiclubTurning the leaf over to see whether purple shows is the clue that separates purple perilla from the green Korean perilla. Plants purple on both faces are commonly called jeokjaso.

4. 其無紫色不香者, 名曰野蘇, 不堪用. 其背面皆紫者, 尤佳. 夏採莖葉, 秋採實.

   Those without purple and without fragrance are called yaso (野蘇, wild perilla) and cannot be used. Those purple on both faces are still better. Gather stem and leaf in summer and the fruit in autumn.

5. 葉可生食, 與一切魚肉作羹, 良. 《本草》

   The leaf can be eaten raw, and it is good boiled into soup with any fish or meat. 《Boncho (本草)》