“The Four Number One Treasures”

“The Four Number One Treasures”refers to the four kinds of herbs from the Tujia ethnic minority that lives in the Shennongjia Forestry District.They are also called“the Four Great Chinese Medicines,”including“One Flower with Seven Leaves,”“One Pearl on the Head,”“One Writing Brush of Emperor Wen,”and“One Bowlof Water by the River.”

“One Flower with Seven Leaves”

This particular medicine is the dry rhizome of the Liliaceae.It has around seven to ten ovalleaves,which are attached to the tip ofa stem and its flowers can only grow on the blade,and thus the name is given to this plant.For its big and leaf-like outertepals and degraded linearinnerones,with golden colorwhen it’s ripened,itis also named“Paris polyphylla”or“Golden Paris polyphylla;”its rhizome looks something like a conch,so it is known as “conch seven.”This herbal medicine mainly distributes itself in Laojunshan Mountain,Small Shennongjia,and towns like Songluo,Hongping,Dajiuhu ofShennongjia.

Medicinal effects include heat-clearing and detoxifying,alleviating swelling and pain,and is often used for mumps,tonsillitis,sore throat,mastitis,bruising injuries,and carbuncle.It is extremely effective in treating mosquito and snake bites.

“One Pearlon the Head”

The medicine is the rhizome and mature fruit of the Trillium Tschonoskii(literally“Life-prolonging Grass”in Chinese).It has three leaves which are attached to a single stem,and its flowers can only grow on new leaves;it bears round fruits after flowering,and when it’s ripened,these dark purple and shiny fruits look like a girl in a veil with a jewel on her head,thus it is given the name“One Pearl on the Head.”This herbal medicine is mainly distributed in Small Shennongjia,Laojunshan Mountain,and towns like Songluo,Hongping,Dajiuhu of Shennongjia.

Medicinal effects include blood coagulation,alleviation of swelling and pain,dispelling wind,and eliminating dampness,and it is often used for hypertension,neurasthenia,vertigo&headache,and traumatic injury.Trillium Tschonoskii is a rare and endangered plant species,and a third-class protected plant in China.

“One Writing Brush of Emperor Wen”

This plant is a parasitic fungus on the root of other plants,and the dry plant of Balanophora is used as medicinalmaterial.Its inflorescence resembles a thick brush.According to folklore,Emperor Wen of the Zhou Dynasty once used it as a pen to compose poems,draw a picture,and look over the official reports when he stayed in Shennongjia.Hence the plant is known as the“One Writing Brush of Emperor Wen.”It mainly distributes itself in Bancang Village of Hongping Town,Dalongtan of Muyu Town,Xiaguping Town,and otherplaces.

It is used to treat bleeding, promoting granulation, analgesia, and often for stomach diseases, nose hemorrhage, menorrhagia,dysentery,and traumatic bleeding.Also it can be used as a restorative.

“One Bowlof Water by the River”.

The medicine is the dry rhizome of Diphylleia sinensis.Each node of its rhizome has a bowl-shaped pit(stem mark),and it was found at first under the hillside along the river,hence it has the name.For its tawny and whip-like pit,it is also called “Golden Whip Seven”or“Pit Seven.”The herbal medicine mainly distributes in Nicha River,Honghe River,Dajiu Lake,Yazishi,Hongping town,small shennongjia and other places.

It is used to treat blood stasis,inflammatory swelling,and often used for traumatic injury,rheumatoid arthritis, lumbocrural pain, and irregular menstruation.

七叶一枝花One Flower with Seven Leaves

头顶一颗珠One Pearlon the Head

“四个一”名不虚传

“四个一”是神农架林区土家人的草药，被称为“四大名药”，包括七叶一枝花、头顶一颗珠、文王一支笔、江边一碗水。

七叶一枝花

以百合科(延龄草科)重楼属植物七叶一枝花的干燥根茎入药。因其叶多为7至10片，生于茎项，而花单生于叶片之上，故得名“七叶一枝花”。又因花的外轮花被片形大，似叶状；内轮花被片退化呈长线状，成熟时为金黄色，故又名“重楼”、“金线吊重楼”；其根茎略似海螺，又称“海螺七”。主要分布于神农架林区宋洛乡、红坪镇、大九湖镇，老君山、小神农架等地。

药效：清热解毒、消肿止痛。民间常用于治疗流行性腮腺炎、扁桃体炎、咽喉肿痛、乳腺炎、跌打损伤、疮痈肿毒等。此药外用，治蚊虫叮咬、毒蛇咬伤有奇效。

头顶一颗珠

以百合科(延龄草科)植物延龄草的根茎或成熟果实入药。延龄草是珍稀濒危物种，为国家三级保护植物。因该植物有3片叶轮生于茎顶端，花单生于轮生叶之上，开花后结圆球形果实，成熟后黑紫色，富光泽，好似一披纱少女头戴一颗宝珠，因而得名“头顶一颗珠”。主要分布于神农架宋洛乡、老君山、红坪镇、小神农架、大九湖等地。

药效：活血止血、消肿止痛、祛风除湿。用于高血压、神经衰弱、眩晕头痛、跌打损伤等。

文王一枝笔One Writing Brush of Emperor Wen

江边一碗水One Bowlof Water by the River

秋色斑斓(张 波摄)Maple trees listen to murnuring of the stream(Photo by Zhang Bo)

文王一支笔

以蛇菰科植物筒鞘蛇菰或蛇菰的干燥全株入药。其花序形如粗粗的毛笔，民间传说周文王路经神农架，曾用它当笔写诗作画、批阅公文，故得名“文王一支笔”。主要分布于红坪镇板仓村、下谷坪乡、木鱼镇大龙潭等地，寄生于木本植物根上。

药效：止血、生肌、镇痛。民间常用于治疗胃病、鼻出血、妇女月经出血不止、痢疾及外伤出血等，也可作补药。

江边一碗水

以小辟科植物南方山荷叶的干燥根茎入药。因其根茎的每一茎节处有一碗状小凹窝(茎痕)，且最初是在河边高山坡林下发现，故得此名。又因其根茎黄褐色，每节部均有一凹窝，故又名“金鞭七”、“窝儿七”。分布于尼叉河、红坪镇、红河、鸭子石、大九湖、小神农架等地。

药效：散瘀活血、止血止痛。民间常用于治疗跌打损伤、五劳七伤、风湿关节炎、腰腿疼痛、月经不调等。

醉红九湖（肖华林摄）Leaves dye the mountain red around Dajiu Lake(Photo by Xiao Hualin)