既得阿井纯阴之济水,又得纯黑补阴之驴皮,气味俱阴功力自大,味淡性平,入手
太阴,足少阴,厥阴经,为补精养血,滋肝补肾,更能入肺肾,补不足,盖肺主气,肾
纳气也,故既专补血,复能益气。凡吐血、衄血、血淋、尿血、肠风下血、血痢、女子
血气痛。血枯、崩中带下,胎前产后诸疾,及虚劳咳嗽,肺痿肺痈脓血杂出等症神效
者,皆取其入肺入肾,益阴滋水补血清热之功也。
阿胶,主心腹内崩劳极,洒洒如疟状,腰腹痛,四肢酸痛,养血安胎,阴气不足。
脚酸不能久立,久咳脓血,血崩带下,羸瘦劳伤,咳嗽喘急,吐血衄血,淋尿血,肠风
血痢,肺痿肺痈,润燥养肝,化痰清肺,更主女人下血。凡血痛血枯,调经崩中,胎产
诸疾皆妙。久服轻身益气,补血和血之圣药也。又牛皮胶,名为水胶,润燥利大小肠。
为外科活血止痛要药,兼治一切男妇血症,诸胶皆养血补虚,而阿胶又黑驴皮阿井水所
熬,即济水所潴其色正绿,性极下趋,清而且重,其性纯阴,与诸水大别,所以尤能滋
肺养肝滋肾也。
按∶阿井乃济水之眼,《内经》以济水为天地之肝,故入肝多功,乌骡皮合北方水
色,顺而健行之物,故入肾多功,水充则火有制,火息则风不生,故木旺风淫,火盛金
衰之症,莫不应手取效。凡用当择光如漆带油丝者为真,真者折之即断,体坚而脆,味
淡不臭,夏月不湿软,不粘纸者为佳,宜切块蛤粉拌炒成珠或洒化成膏。
Ejiao (Donkey-Hide Gelatin) absorbs the pure yin nature of Ji River water from A Well, and utilizes donkey hide, which is purely black and tonifies yin. Its aroma and flavor are both yin, thereby possessing great efficacy. It has a bland taste and neutral nature, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, and Jueyin Liver Meridian. It serves to replenish essence and nourish blood, benefiting the liver and kidneys, and can further enter the lungs and kidneys to supplement deficiencies. Since the lungs govern qi and the kidneys grasp qi, Ejiao not only specializes in nourishing blood but also assists in benefiting qi. For conditions such as hematemesis (vomiting blood), epistaxis (nosebleed), bloody strangury, hematuria, intestinal wind bleeding, bloody dysentery, women's blood and qi pain, blood dryness amenorrhea, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, various diseases before and after childbirth, as well as deficiency consumption cough, lung萎 (lung atrophy/flaccidity), and lung abscess with mixed pus and blood, it yields miraculous results. This is due to its ability to enter the lungs and kidneys, exerting effects of benefiting yin, nourishing water, tonifying blood, and clearing heat.
Ejiao primarily treats internal collapse and exhaustion of the heart and abdomen, chills resembling malaria, lower back and abdominal pain, soreness of the four limbs, nourishes blood and calms the fetus, and addresses insufficiency of yin qi. It treats leg soreness preventing prolonged standing, chronic cough with pus and blood, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, emaciation and injury from overwork, cough with wheezing and urgency, hematemesis, epistaxis, strangury with hematuria, intestinal wind bloody dysentery, lung flaccidity, and lung abscess; it moistens dryness and nourishes the liver, transforms phlegm and clears the lungs, and specifically treats women's lower bleeding. For all cases of blood pain, blood dryness, regulating menstruation, metrorrhagia, and obstetric and gynecological disorders, it is excellent. Long-term use lightens the body and benefits qi, making it a holy medicine for tonifying blood and harmonizing blood. Additionally, there is beef-hide gelatin, known as Shui Jiao, which moistens dryness and promotes urination and defecation through the large and small intestines. It is a crucial herb for invigorating blood and relieving pain in surgery, and also treats various blood disorders in men and women. All gelatins nourish blood and tonify deficiency, but Ejiao is boiled from black donkey hide and A Well water. The A Well water is where the Ji River accumulates; its color is truly green, its nature tends strongly downward, it is clear and heavy, and its attribute is pure yin, distinct from other waters. Therefore, it is particularly capable of nourishing the lungs, liver, and kidneys.
Note: A Well is the source of the Ji River. The *Neijing* regards the Ji River as the liver of heaven and earth, thus Ejiao has many functions entering the liver. Black mule hide corresponds to the color of water in the north, being an object that follows and moves vigorously, thus having many functions entering the kidney. When water is sufficient, fire is controlled; when fire subsides, wind does not arise. Therefore, for conditions of hyperactive wood and rampant wind, or excess fire and declining metal, no case fails to respond effectively. When using it, one should select pieces that are glossy like lacquer and contain oily threads as authentic. Authentic pieces break cleanly, are firm yet brittle, have a bland taste without odor, do not become soft and damp in summer, and do not stick to paper. These are considered superior. They should be cut into blocks, stir-fried with clam powder into beads, or melted into paste by sprinkling water.