一名白羊鲜
苦咸寒，无毒。
《本经》主头风黄瘅，咳逆淋沥，女子阴中肿痛，湿痹死肌，不可屈伸，起止行步。
发明 白藓皮气寒善行，味苦，性燥，足太阴、阳明经去风湿热药也。兼入手太阴、阳
明，为诸黄风痹要药。《本经》所主皆风湿热邪蕴酿经中之病。《千金》治婴儿风痫，热则
生风，胸中有痰，白羊鲜汤取其善祛风热也。世医只施之于疮科，浅矣。下部虚寒之人，虽
有湿证勿用。
即玄胡索
苦辛温，无毒。上部酒炒，中部醋炒，下部盐水炒。
发明 延胡索色黄入脾胃，能活血止痛，治小便溺血。得五灵脂同入肝经散血破滞。《
炮炙论》曰∶心痛欲死，急觅延胡，以其能散胃脘气血滞痛也。概当归、芍药调腹中血虚痛
，延胡、五灵治胸腹血滞痛。又延胡善行血中气滞，气中血滞，与当归、桂心治一身上下诸
痛，及经癸不调，产后血病，往往独行多功，杂他药中便缓。按延胡走而不守，惟有瘀滞者
宜之，若经事先期，虚而崩漏，产后血虚而晕，咸非所宜。
甘苦平微寒，无毒。反乌头。川者味甘最佳，西者味薄次之，象山者微苦又次之
，一种大而苦者，仅能解毒，并去心用。凡肺经药皆当去心，不独贝母也。其独颗无瓣者名
丹龙睛，误服令人筋不收持。
《本经》主伤寒烦热，淋沥邪风，疝瘕喉痹，乳难金疮，风痉。
发明 贝母乃手太阴肺经气分药，兼入手少阴心经。一名虻 风，言采其虻，善解
心胸郁结之气，故诗人以此寓焉。肺受心包火乘，因而生痰；或为邪热所干，喘嗽烦闷，非
此莫治。详《本经》主伤寒烦热者，甘寒能解烦热也。淋沥者，热结二肠也。清心肺郁热而
淋沥通矣。疝瘕者，足厥阴之邪干手厥阴也。《经》曰∶诊得心脉搏滑急，为心疝，少腹当
有形也。喉痹者，热郁结于上也。《经》云∶二阴一阳结，谓之喉痹，心主三焦之脉，皆络
于喉也。乳难者，郁热结于手足厥阴也。风痉者，金疮热郁生风而成痉，总取解散郁结之邪
也。仲景治伤寒寒实结胸，外无热证者，小陷胸汤主之，白散亦可。二方，一主热痰内结，
一主寒实内结，虽同一例，治不可混也。俗以半夏性燥，用贝母代之，不知贝母寒润治肺家
燥痰，痰因郁结者宜之。半夏性燥治脾胃湿痰，痰因湿滞者宜之。二者天渊，何可代用。若
虚劳咳嗽，吐血咯血，肺痿肺痈，痈疽及诸郁火证，半夏乃禁忌，皆贝母为向导也。至于脾
胃湿热，涎化为痰，久则生火，火痰上攻，昏愦僵仆，蹇涩诸证，生死旦夕，岂贝母可治乎
。浙产者，治疝瘕，喉痹，乳难，金疮，风痉，一切痈疡。又同苦参、当归治妊娠小便难，
同青黛治人面恶疮，同连翘治项上结核，皆取其开郁散结化痰解毒之功也。
[Dictamnus Cortex (Baixianpi)]
Also known as Baiyangxian.
Bitter, salty, cold in nature, non-toxic.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) states it treats head wind (toufeng), jaundice (huangdan), cough with reverse qi (ke ni), dribbling dysuria (linli), swelling and pain of the female external genitalia, damp-bi causing muscle necrosis and stiffness (shiji), inability to flex or extend joints, and difficulty walking.
Invention: Dictamnus cortex is cold in qi and good at circulating; bitter in flavor and drying in nature. It is a drug for dispelling wind-damp-heat in the Foot-Taiyin Spleen and Foot-Yangming Stomach meridians. It also enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung and Hand-Yangming Large Intestine meridians, serving as a key herb for treating various types of jaundice and wind-bi. The conditions treated in the *Bencao Jing* are all diseases caused by the fermentation of wind-damp-heat pathogens within the meridians. The *Qianjin Fang* (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) treats infant wind-epilepsy, reasoning that heat generates wind and phlegm accumulates in the chest; Baiyangxian Tang utilizes its ability to effectively dispel wind-heat. Modern physicians only apply it to dermatology, which is superficial. It should not be used in patients with deficiency-cold in the lower jiao, even if dampness is present.
[Corydalis Rhizome (Yanhusuo)]
Also known as Xuanhusu.
Bitter, acrid, warm in nature, non-toxic. For upper body ailments, stir-fry with wine; for middle body, with vinegar; for lower body, with salt water.
Invention: Corydalis rhizome is yellow and enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians; it invigorates blood and stops pain, treating hematuria. When combined with Trogopterus Dung (Wulingzhi) entering the Liver meridian, it disperses blood stasis and breaks stagnation. The *Paozhi Lun* (Treatise on Processing) states: "When heart pain is unbearable, urgently seek Yanhu," because it can dissipate qi and blood stagnation pain in the stomach region. Generally, Angelica Sinensis (Danggui) and White Peony Root (Shaoyao) regulate abdominal pain due to blood deficiency; Corydalis (Yanhu) and Trogopterus Dung (Wulingzhi) treat chest and abdominal pain due to blood stagnation. Furthermore, Corydalis excels at moving qi stagnation in blood and blood stagnation in qi. Combined with Angelica Sinensis (Danggui) and Cinnamon Heart (Guixin), it treats various pains throughout the body, irregular menstruation (jingui), and postpartum blood disorders. It often yields significant results when used alone, but its efficacy becomes sluggish when mixed with other herbs. Corydalis moves without staying put; it is suitable only for those with stasis. It is unsuitable for early menstruation, deficiency-induced metrorrhagia, or postpartum dizziness due to blood deficiency.
[Fritillaria Bulb (Beimu)]
Sweet, bitter, neutral and slightly cold in nature, non-toxic. Incompatible with Aconite Root (Wutou). Those from Sichuan have the best sweet taste; those from Shaanxi are thinner in taste and second best; those from Xiangshan are slightly bitter and third best. One type is large and bitter, used only for detoxification, and must have its core removed. All herbs entering the Lung meridian should have their cores removed, not just Beimu. The single bulb without scales is named Danlongjing; accidental ingestion causes loss of muscle tone and inability to hold objects.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* treats shanghan with vexatious heat, dribbling evil wind, hernia masses (shenjia), throat obstruction (houbi), difficult lactation, traumatic injuries (jinchuang), and wind-spasm (fengjing).
Invention: Fritillaria bulb is a qi-level herb for the Hand-Taiyin Lung meridian, also entering the Hand-Shaoyin Heart meridian. Also known as Mengchufeng, implying that picking it is like picking a horsefly, effectively resolving qi stagnation in the chest and heart; thus poets use it as an allegory. When the Lung is invaded by Fire from the Pericardium, phlegm is generated; or when disturbed by evil heat, causing wheezing, coughing, and vexation, no other herb is as effective. Analyzing the *Bencao Jing*'s treatment of shanghan with vexatious heat: sweet and cold properties resolve vexatious heat. Dribbling refers to heat binding in the intestines. Clearing the stagnant heat of the Heart and Lung unblocks the dribbling. Hernia masses result from Pathogens of the Foot-Jueyin Liver interfering with the Hand-Jueyin Pericardium. The *Neijing* states: "If the Heart pulse is felt slippery and rapid, it is Heart Hernia, and there should be a mass in the lower abdomen." Throat obstruction is heat stagnating and knotting in the upper jiao. The *Neijing* says: "Binding of Two Yin and One Yang is called Throat Obstruction"; the Heart governs the Sanjiao meridians, all of which connect to the throat. Difficult lactation is due to stagnant heat knotting in the Hand and Foot Jueyin meridians. Wind-spasm arises from heat stagnation generating wind after traumatic injury; generally, the goal is to dissipate and resolve stagnant pathogens. Zhang Zhongjing treats Cold-Excess Chest Knotting in shanghan without external heat signs using Xiaoxianzhong Tang (Minor Trap-the-Chest Decoction); Baisan (White Powder) is also applicable. These two formulas, one targeting internal Heat-Phlegm binding and the other Cold-Excess binding, belong to the same category but treatments must not be confused. Lay physicians replace the drying Banxia (Pinellia) with Beimu, unaware that Beimu is cold and moistening, treating dry-phlegm of the Lung suitable for phlegm due to stagnation; Banxia is drying, treating damp-phlegm of the Spleen and Stomach suitable for phlegm due to damp-stagnation. They are worlds apart and cannot substitute each other. For consumption cough, hemoptysis, Lung萎 (Feiwei), Lung abscess (Feiyong), carbuncles, and various stagnant fire syndromes, Banxia is contraindicated, and Beimu serves as a guide. As for damp-heat in the Spleen and Stomach transforming saliva into phlegm, which over time generates fire, attacking upwards causing coma, stiff falling, and speech impediment—conditions where life hangs in the balance—how could Beimu treat them? Zhejiang-produced Beimu treats hernia masses, throat obstruction, difficult lactation, traumatic injuries, wind-spasm, and all carbuncles. Combined with Sophora Root (Kushen) and Angelica Sinensis (Danggui), it treats difficult urination during pregnancy; combined with Indigo Naturalis (Qingdai), it treats malignant ulcers on the face; combined with Forsythia Fruit (Lianqiao), it treats cervical lymphadenopathy (neck tubercles), all utilizing its power to open stagnation, dissipate knots, transform phlegm, and detoxify.