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Aucklandia Root is the dried root of the Aucklandia lappa Decne. plant from the Asteraceae family. Common Vladimiria Root is the dried root of the Vladimiria souliei (Franch.) Ling or the gray-haired Vladimiria souliei (Franch.) Ling var. cinerea Ling from the Asteraceae family. Slender Dutchman's Pipe Root is not included in the 2005 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and is the dried root of the Aristolochia debilis Sieb. et Zucc. from the Dutchman's Pipe Fruit family. Aucklandia Root is originally from India and Myanmar, hence the name "Guang Aucklandia Root". It was successfully introduced in Lijiang, Ludian, Yunnan in the 1930s, so the product is also known as "Yun Aucklandia Root". It is mainly produced in the Lijiang area and Diqing Prefecture of Yunnan Province, and is also cultivated in Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Guangxi, Guangdong, Tibet and other provinces. Common Vladimiria Root is named after Sichuan, where it is mainly produced in Songpan County of Aba Prefecture, Ganzi Prefecture, Ya'an Baoxing, Lushan, Xichang of Liangshan Prefecture, and also in Tibet. Slender Dutchman's Pipe Root contains Dutchman's Pipe Fruit acid, which can cause kidney failure, and has been discontinued.

Materia medica research believes that from Bencao Jing Jizhu to before the Ming Dynasty, Aucklandia Root was often referred to as Slender Dutchman's Pipe Root, but its original plant is still Aucklandia lappa from the Asteraceae family. Since this plant is not native to our country and mainly relies on imports, several confusing products and substitutes have appeared. The Aristolochia debilis from the Dutchman's Pipe Fruit family was initially called Tu Slender Dutchman's Pipe Root, and from the name, it should be a substitute for Slender Dutchman's Pipe Root. However, from the Ming Dynasty, this plant replaced the Asteraceae Slender Dutchman's Pipe Root and became the genuine product. The previous Asteraceae Slender Dutchman's Pipe Root was renamed Aucklandia Root, or called Yun Aucklandia Root, Guang Aucklandia Root. As for the current Common Vladimiria Root, it is a confusing product of Aucklandia Root, not recorded in ancient materia medica. Due to the shortage of Aucklandia Root resources in later generations, it gradually became the genuine product.

bubble_chart Variety revision

Bencao Jing states that Aucklandia Root "grows in the valleys of Yongchang", Yongchang is now the Baoshan area of Yunnan. Since the currently used Aucklandia Root Aucklandia lappa has not been found in the wild in Yunnan, Mr. Huang Shengbai, based on the description of Xinxiu Bencao, revised the Aucklandia Root in Bencao Jing Bielu to Inula Root Inula helenium L. from the Asteraceae family. His main basis is Wu Qijun's statement that "Benjing records, no foreign products", meaning that all the drugs recorded in Bencao Jing are produced in our country. But in fact, this reason cannot stand scrutiny. Taking Rhinoceros Horn as an example, Bencao Jing also says "grows in the valleys of Yongchang", and according to "Shuowen", "rhinoceros, cattle outside the southern border." "The Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Emperor He's Chronicle" says: "In the sixth year of Yongyuan, in the spring and first month, the barbarians outside the Yongchang border sent envoys to offer rhinoceros." Obviously, the Rhinoceros Horn in Bencao Jing comes from outside the territory, and Yongchang is just the port of entry. The Aucklandia Root, which is also recorded as growing in the valleys of Yongchang, is likely the same.

We do not accept the claim that Bencao Jing Aucklandia Root is Inula Root of the Inula genus or Yuexi Aucklandia Root of the Vladimiria genus. However, we also do not believe that the Aucklandia Root mentioned in early literature must necessarily be the plant of the Aucklandia genus in the Asteraceae family today. After all, Aucklandia lappa, as a herbaceous plant 1-2 meters tall, is hard to imagine being named "wood" (木) incense by the ancients. We strongly suspect that the "Aucklandia Root" imported from Yongchang during the Han and Wei-Jin periods was actually the Aquilaria agallocha Roxb. of the Thymelaeaceae family, known today.

1. From the perspective of aliases, Aucklandia Root Bielu is "also known as honey fragrance." According to Sun Xingyan's compilation of Bencao Jing, the Bao edition of Taiping Yulan states it as "also known as japanese raisin tree seed fragrance." The terms "honey fragrance," "japanese raisin tree seed fragrance," or "japanese raisin tree seed" in many Wei and Jin dynasty texts Zhongdu (LR6) are aliases for Aquilaria. For example, in volume 3 of Beihu Lu, Yang Fu's Jiaozhou Yiwu Zhi states: "Honey fragrance, to obtain it, first cut its root. After a year, the outer skin rots, and the center and nodes become hard and black. When placed in water, it sinks. This is called Aquilaria." Fayuan Zhulin, volume 49, quotes Yiwu Zhi: "Japanese raisin tree seed fragrance is called the fragrant tree, living for a thousand years, with a very large root. First, cut it down and let it lie for four or five years before checking. Over time, the bad parts of the root rot, leaving only the middle section hard and fragrant." Taiping Yulan, volume 982, quotes it as "japanese raisin tree seed." According to these descriptions, they all refer to Aquilaria or plants of the same genus, unrelated to the Asteraceae Aucklandia Root.
2. In Wei and Jin dynasty texts, "Aucklandia Root" was also an alias for Aquilaria. Fayuan Zhulin, volume 49, quotes Nanzhou Yiwu Zhi: "Aucklandia Root comes from Rinan. To obtain it, first cut down the tree and let it lie on the ground for a long time. The outer part rots, but the inner core remains hard. When placed in water, it sinks. This is called Aquilaria." Liangshu, volume 5,
3. and Nanshi, volume 78, both refer to Aquilaria as "sinking Aucklandia Root."
4. The Nanzhou Yiwu Zhi quoted in Fayuan Zhulin was written by Wan Zhen of the Wu state during the Three Kingdoms period. From the surviving fragments, it is clear that the book mentions both Aucklandia Root and slender dutchman's pipe root (details later), indicating that the author did not consider them the same.

Whether Aucklandia Root in Bencao Jing is Aquilaria remains questionable. However, starting from Bencao Jing Jizhu, Aucklandia Root was referred to as "slender dutchman's pipe root," and a separate entry for Aquilaria was established, leading to confusion in the classification of Aucklandia Root. Tao Hongjing stated: "This is slender dutchman's pipe root. Yongchang no longer offers it. Now it all comes from foreign ships, said to be from the Roman Empire. It is effective in treating toxic swellings and dissipating malign qi. Nowadays, it is used in incense blending, not in medicine. Only in making moth-repellent pills is it used. It is excellent for boiling and bathing." Why Aucklandia Root was called "slender dutchman's pipe root" remains unknown, possibly to distinguish it from the previous Aucklandia Root. From then on, until the Ming dynasty, Aucklandia Root and slender dutchman's pipe root were considered the same by material medica scholars Zhongdu (LR6), without distinction. However, examining existing medical prescriptions from the Northern and Southern dynasties, Tao's statement that slender dutchman's pipe root "is used in incense blending, not in medicine" is accurate. At that time, slender dutchman's pipe root was often combined with cloves, Aquilaria, musk, etc., for external use in treating armpit odor. Regarding this slender dutchman's pipe root, there were records before Tao. Fayuan Zhulin, volume 49, quotes Nanzhou Yiwu Zhi: "Slender dutchman's pipe root comes from India, it is a grass root, shaped like Liquorice Root." Zheng Lei quotes the same. This is the first clear description of slender dutchman's pipe root as a herb, "shaped like Liquorice Root," likely describing the nearly woody, thick main root of Aucklandia lappa.

However, it should be noted that although Nanzhou Yiwu Zhi's description of slender dutchman's pipe root resembles the Asteraceae Aucklandia Root, it was still a foreign object, and most texts did not understand its true nature, leading to various legends. For example, Fayuan Zhulin, volume 49, quotes Xu Zhong's Nanfang Ji: "Slender dutchman's pipe root comes from the country of Tianzhu, its shape is unknown." Some say all fragrances come from one tree: its flowers are cloves, its resin is frankincense, its nodes are slender dutchman's pipe root, its roots are sandalwood, its leaves are patchouli, and its heartwood is Aquilaria, as mentioned in Yu Yiqi's letter to Han Kangbo. Some even claim that all these fragrances are one, namely slender dutchman's pipe root. For example, Shuofu, volume 98, quotes Sandong Zhunang: "Five fragrances, one tree with five roots, one stem with five branches, one branch with five leaves, one leaf with five nodes, all corresponding. Thus, the ancients named it the five-fragrance tree. When burned for ten days, its smoke reaches the nine stars of heaven. This is slender dutchman's pipe root." This theory was also adopted by Su Song in Bencao Tujing and criticized by Wang Anguo, as seen in Xuelin, volume 8, without further elaboration. Despite the various theories, slender dutchman's pipe root during the Northern and Southern dynasties all came from foreign lands, never confused with local plants.

The slender Dutchman's pipe root was widely used during the Tang Dynasty, with over a hundred prescriptions in the *Waitai Miyao* utilizing it. The *Xinxiu* states: "There are two types, and the one from Kunlun (BL60) is superior, while the one from the Western Hu region is inferior. Its leaves resemble those of Japanese dock root but are longer and larger, its flowers resemble chrysanthemum flowers, and its fruit is yellow-black. It can also be found locally." The *Sisheng Materia Medica* notes: "The function of slender Dutchman's pipe root is the same as that of Aucklandia Root." It further states: "The one brought by ship from Kunlun (BL60), resembling dried bones, is of good quality." It appears that until the Tang Dynasty, Aucklandia Root relied on imports. According to the *Xinxiu*, there were two sources: one from Kunlun (BL60), though the exact location of Kunlun (BL60) is debated among scholars. Based on the *Yulan* (Volume 789), the entry on Kunlun (BL60) cites the *Nanyi Zhi*: "The kingdom of Kunlun (BL60) is located 81 stages north of the Xi'er River and produces elephants and slender Dutchman's pipe root." According to Tang Yijing's *Nanhai Jigui Zhuan* and Huilin's *Yiqie Jing Yinyi*, this Kunlun (BL60) kingdom is likely one of the Southeast Asian countries. The other source of slender Dutchman's pipe root is the Western Hu region, which roughly corresponds to present-day Afghanistan and Iran. This aligns with the *Sui Shu·Xiyu Zhuan*, which records that Persia produced "frankincense, Curcuma Root, storax, and other fragrances." From a distribution perspective, both imported varieties of slender Dutchman's pipe root could potentially be genuine Aucklandia Root (*Aucklandia lappa*).

It is noteworthy that Su Jing's description of the (green) Aucklandia Root plant: "The leaves resemble those of the Japanese dock root but are longer and larger, the flowers resemble chrysanthemum flowers, the fruit is yellow-black, and it is found everywhere." Based on this, Mr. Huang Sheng-bai believed it to be the Inula Root (Inula helenium) of the Asteraceae family, which is not incorrect. However, whether this is the authentic Aucklandia Root of the Tang Dynasty is quite debatable. Inula helenium is widely distributed, indeed as Su Jing said, "found everywhere." If this species were the authentic Aucklandia Root or slender dutchman's pipe root, it would not have been necessary to import it over thousands of miles by sea or land from the Six Dynasties to the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, we believe that the plant described by Su Jing was merely a substitute or a confused species of Aucklandia Root at the time, and its root also had a pungent aroma, leading Su Jing to mistake it. This error persisted until the Song Dynasty. Shu Bencao states: "Nowadays, it is cultivated in gardens, with yellow flowers, stems three to four feet tall, leaves eight to nine inches long, wrinkled, soft, and hairy." This is undoubtedly Inula Root. Kou Zong-shi once saw this plant in person. After describing the functions of Aucklandia Root, the "Yanyi" states: "Another type, once obtained from Minzhou beyond the frontier, was the raw slender dutchman's pipe root, brought back to Xiluo. The leaves resemble burdock but are narrower and longer, the stems are three to four feet tall, the flowers are yellow, like coins, and the root is slender dutchman's pipe root. Chewing it raw is extremely pungent and aromatic, especially moving qi." This, of course, also refers to Inula Root, but Kou Zong-shi's use of "another type" in the "Yanyi" indicates a distinction from the conventional usage.

In the Tang Dynasty, not only was Inula helenium confused with (green) Aucklandia Root, but the root of Dutohmanspipe Fruit also began to be used as a substitute for (green) Aucklandia Root. In the early Tang period, the root of Dutohmanspipe Fruit was still known as "earth slender dutchman's pipe root." The "Xinxiu" adds a new entry under the lower-grade herbs: "It is a vine, with leaves resembling those of the milkweed, and its fruit resembles peaches and plums. When dried, the head splits into four parts and hangs on plants. The root is flat, about a foot long, with a Pueraria Root-like aroma, also similar to Fourstamen Stephania Root. It grows beside ancient city walls, and in the southern mountains, it is called earth slender dutchman's pipe root. It is highly effective in treating boils and sores, also known as the root of the bell." This is Aristolochia debilis. The reason it was called "earth slender dutchman's pipe root" was to maintain a distinction from slender dutchman's pipe root. However, by the late Tang period, according to the "Kaibao" entry on Aucklandia Root, a "separate note" states: "The leaves resemble yam but the root is larger, the flowers are purple, and it has many medicinal uses. Tao's claim that it is not used in medicine is incorrect." This completely identifies the root of Dutohmanspipe Fruit as the authentic (green) Aucklandia Root.

Of course, mainstream literature from the Song Dynasty to the early Ming period still maintained the distinction between the Asteraceae "slender dutchman's pipe root" and the Dutohmanspipe Fruit family's "earth slender dutchman's pipe root." For example, the "Bencao Tujing" states: "There is also a type with leaves resembling mountain yam and purple flowers. The roots and buds are collected as medicine regardless of the season, and those shaped like dry bones are considered the best. In the Jianghuai region, this type is also known as earth slender dutchman's pipe root and is not suitable for medicinal use." The "Tongzhi" volume 75 states: "The solitary root is called Yunnan root or bell root, and in the southern mountains, it is called earth slender dutchman's pipe root. Its fruit is called horse bell." The "Jiuhuang Bencao" states: "Horse bell, also known as Yunnan root or earth slender dutchman's pipe root. It grows in Guanzhong, Xinzhou, Chuzhou, Hedong, Hebei, Jianghuai, Kui, and Zhezhou regions, and is now also found in high-altitude areas."

Although Su Song stated that the root of the slender dutchman's pipe is not suitable for medicinal use, the medicinal illustrations of the Haizhou slender dutchman's pipe root and Chuzhou slender dutchman's pipe root in the "Zheng Lei" are actually depictions of the slender dutchman's pipe root, which is Dutohmanspipe Fruit (Figure 1). As for the Guangzhou Aucklandia Root being depicted as a perplexing woody plant (Figure 2), it certainly indicates that Su Song had never seen the original plant of Aucklandia lappa, and also suggests that Su Song did not recognize the Asteraceae Inula Root Inula helenium as mentioned in the "Xin Xiu". Although the "Bencao Bieshuo" criticized Su Song, saying: "Aucklandia Root now all comes from foreign countries, which is the slender dutchman's pipe root, and Tao's explanation is correct, originally in the herb section, but the 'Bencao Tujing' records a type from Guangzhou, which is a woody plant. It also records those from Chuzhou and Haizhou as the root of Dutohmanspipe Fruit, a local name in the mountains. The treatments for cold and heat are quite different." However, these medicinal illustrations have already laid the groundwork for the future confusion of Dutohmanspipe Fruit root as the genuine slender dutchman's pipe root.

The differentiation between Aucklandia Root and slender dutchman's pipe root began in the Ming Dynasty. In Volume 7 of "Pin Hui Jing Yao," under the category of superior herbs, Aucklandia Root and slender dutchman's pipe root each have their own entry. Aucklandia Root is classified as a woody herb, said to originate from the "Shen Nong Ben Jing," with its medicinal illustration taken from the Guangzhou Aucklandia Root in "Zheng Lei." Slender dutchman's pipe root is classified as a herbaceous plant. Although its main text is titled "Recorded by Famous Physicians," it actually comes from the "Yaoxing Lun," and its medicinal illustration uses the Haizhou slender dutchman's pipe root and Chuzhou slender dutchman's pipe root from "Zheng Lei." "Pin Hui Jing Yao" was not officially circulated during the Ming Dynasty, so its influence was limited. However, the slightly later "Bencao Mengquan" also includes entries for both Aucklandia Root and slender dutchman's pipe root. Chen Jia-mo explicitly states under the entry for Dutohmanspipe Fruit: "The root is called slender dutchman's pipe root, and it is also a qi-dispersing medicine." The "Bencao Gangmu" states: "Aucklandia Root is a type of herb, originally named Mi Xiang because its fragrance resembles honey. Due to the presence of Mi Xiang in Aquilaria, it was mistakenly called Aucklandia Root. In the past, it was called slender dutchman's pipe root, but later people called Dutohmanspipe Fruit slender dutchman's pipe root, and thus called this Southern Aucklandia Root and Guang Aucklandia Root to distinguish it. Nowadays, some people call a type of rose Aucklandia Root, further confusing the truth." From then on, Aristolochia debilis of the Dutohmanspipe Fruit family became the authentic slender dutchman's pipe root, while Aucklandia lappa of the Asteraceae family, which had been called slender dutchman's pipe root since Tao Hong-jing, was referred to as Southern Aucklandia Root, Guang Aucklandia Root, or simply Aucklandia Root.

After all, Aucklandia lappa of the Asteraceae family is not native to our country, and based on literature analysis, it seems that it was not introduced before the 20th century. The two previously confused varieties, Aristolochia debilis of the Dutohmanspipe Fruit family, perhaps due to the discovery of its unique activity, unexpectedly became the authentic slender dutchman's pipe root, while Inula Root (Inula helenium) continued to exist as a substitute for true Aucklandia Root. According to Mr. Zhao Yuhuang's "Qizhou Medicinal Records," during the Republic of China era, farmers in the western suburbs of Qizhou still cultivated it, selling it as slender dutchman's pipe root or "Qi Aucklandia Root." Mr. Zhao referred to it as "Inula Root."

As for the origin of common vladimiria root (Vladimiria souliei), it is quite peculiar. Chen Renshan's "Drug Production Identification" mentions under the Aucklandia Root entry: "There is a variety produced in Sichuan called common vladimiria root, which has a light and clear taste." Checking the "Medicinal Trade Regulations" of the Xi'an City Traditional Chinese Medicine Business Association in 1940, there is indeed an entry for common vladimiria root, but it is unclear whether this is definitely Vladimiria souliei or its variant Vladimiria souliei var. cinerea. According to Mr. Xie Zongwan, during the 1960s, due to a shortage of Aucklandia Root, a wide search for substitutes was conducted, and several plants such as Vladimiria denticulate Ling of the Asteraceae family were discovered in the Yuexi area of Sichuan, which could be used as Aucklandia Root in medicine, collectively referred to as "Yuexi Aucklandia Root." It was under these circumstances that common vladimiria root was included in the 1963 edition of the "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" and has been used ever since.

bubble_chart Historical Evolution of Authentic Herbs

From the discussion on the varieties, it can be seen that since "Bencao Jing Jizhu," the authentic Aucklandia Root should be Aucklandia lappa of the Asteraceae family. This plant is not native to our country, so there is no concept of "authentic origin" domestically. Around the 1930s, overseas Chinese obtained Aucklandia Root seeds from India and successfully introduced them in Lijiang, Ludian, Yunnan, which is now the main production area for modern Aucklandia Root. Common vladimiria root is mainly produced in Sichuan and has not been used as an authentic medicinal herb for long, with limited clinical application. Slender dutchman's pipe root began to use Dutohmanspipe Fruit root as the authentic variety in the Ming Dynasty. After the 2000s, due to the presence of Dutohmanspipe Fruit acid, which can cause kidney failure, it is no longer used.