（本经下品）
单属上焦，亦是一法。
【气味】苦寒，无毒。
【主治】主秃疮疥瘙。除热。女子阴蚀。
【核】曰∶出陈留川泽，所在亦有。秋深始生，凌冬不死。春生苗，高三四尺。茎节紫
赤，叶长尺许，状如牛舌，及莴苣叶而青碧。入夏起台，花青白，成穗结实，有三棱，夏至
而
【 】曰∶秋分始生，夏至乃枯，以降入为升出，升出为降入者也。具充金丽泽之用，
故名羊，即以形似表功力也。广八卦云∶ 为羊，为毁折，为附决，所谓商兑未宁，介疾有
喜者也。味苦气寒，故主火热刑金，为疥瘙秃疮，女子阴蚀。经云∶痛痒疮疡，皆属心火，
浸淫肺金形脏故尔。
（本经下品）
单属上焦，亦是一法。
【气味】辛寒，有毒。
【主治】主蛊毒咳逆，泄利肠 ，头疡疥瘙恶疮，杀诸蛊毒，去死肌。
【核】曰∶出太山山谷，高山者乃佳。今陕西、辽州、均州、解州亦有之。四月生苗，
高五六寸，茎似葱白，色青紫多毛，外有黑皮裹茎，宛似棕榈，故初生之叶，亦若棕心。经
久渐放，与郁金、秦艽、 荷等叶相类也。六七月开花，肉红色，立冬便凋。根似龙胆，及
马肠根，长四五寸。一本二三十科，若百余科者，水藜芦也。水藜芦生近水溪涧石上，茎叶
都相同，独不为药用。修事，去头，用糯米泔汁煮之，从巳至未，晒干用。黄连为之使。反
细辛、芍药、人参、沙参、紫参、苦参。恶大黄。
先人云∶辛生在夏，犹金生在巳也。故入肺及大肠，而治咳逆肠 。盖肠 虽属下焦，
其因
之痰自愈矣。
【 】曰∶藜茨属，亦利器也，芦，苇属，亦食器也。然其形两相似矣。合入太阴肺，
阳明大肠，以互相循属盘络而为雌雄腑脏者也。故主肺为是动，则病咳逆之脏气，与肺为所
生，则病头疡疥瘙恶疮死肌之藏形。若泄利肠 ，蛊毒虫毒，此病大肠腑气之与形也。气味
辛寒，施之风热，颇相宜耳。
（手太阴肺脏之经脉，下络大肠，上膈，属肺；手阳明大肠腑之经脉，络肺，下膈，属
大肠；彼此互相盘络，以为腑脏雌雄。内外表里，则手与手为腑脏之雌雄，足与足为腑脏之
雌雄，非其腑脏雌雄，则彼此不相盘络。人多习而不察，竟不知手足腑脏雌雄之故。）
(Ben Jing, Lower Category)
Solely belonging to the Upper Jiao (Upper Burner), this is also a therapeutic method.
[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, Cold, Non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats alopecia areata with tinea (tu chuang), scabies and pruritus (jie sao). Clears heat. Treats vaginal erosion and ulceration in women (yin shi).
[Verification] Lu Zhiyi states: It grows in the rivers and marshes of Chenliu, and is found elsewhere as well. It begins to sprout in late autumn and survives through winter. In spring, seedlings emerge, three to four chi high. The stem nodes are purple-red. Leaves are about one chi long, resembling ox tongues or the greenish-blue leaves of lettuce. In summer, it bolts; flowers are pale blue-white, forming spike-like fruits with three edges, until the Summer Solstice...
[Interpretation] Lu Zhiyi states: It begins to grow at the Autumn Equinox and withers by the Summer Solstice, embodying the principle that descending transformation leads to ascending emergence, and ascending emergence leads to descending transformation. It possesses the function of Metal Qi filling and shining within the Marsh (Dui Trigram), hence named "Yang" (Sheep), indicating its efficacy through morphological similarity. The "Guang Ba Gua" states: Dui represents the sheep, destruction/breaking, and attachment/decision, meaning "when Shang Dui is unsettled, severe illness brings joy." Due to its bitter flavor and cold nature, it primarily treats Fire Heat punishing Metal (Lung), causing scabies, alopecia, and vaginal erosion. The Classic states: "Pain, itching, sores, and ulcers all belong to Heart Fire," which infiltrates the formative organs of Lung Metal, thus occurring.
(Ben Jing, Lower Category)
Solely belonging to the Upper Jiao (Upper Burner), this is also a therapeutic method.
[Flavor and Nature] Acrid, Cold, Toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats gu poison-induced cough and rebellious Qi (ke ni), diarrhea and dysentery (xie li chang pi), head ulcers, scabies, and malignant sores. Kills various gu poisons, removes dead tissue (si ji).
[Verification] Lu Zhiyi states: It grows in the valleys of Mount Tai, with those from high mountains being superior. It is now also produced in Shaanxi, Liaozhou, Junzhou, and Xiezhou. Seedlings emerge in April, five to six cun high. The stem resembles green onion white, colored purple-green and hairy, wrapped externally by black skin, resembling palm trees; thus, the initial leaves resemble palm hearts. As time passes, they gradually unfurl, resembling leaves of Curcuma aromatica (Yujin), Gentiana macrophylla (Qinjiao), and lotus. Flowers appear in June and July, flesh-colored, and wither after Start of Winter. Roots resemble Gentian root (Longdan) and horse intestine root, four to five cun long. One plant may have two to thirty clusters; if there are over a hundred clusters, it is called Water Lichu. Water Lichu grows on rocks near streams, with identical stems and leaves, but is not used medicinally. For processing, remove the rhizome head, boil in rice washing water from Si hour to Wei hour, then dry in the sun. Huanglian serves as its guiding herb. It is incompatible with Xixin, Shaoyao, Renshen, Shashen, Zishen, and Kushen. It dislikes Dahuang.
My father said: Xin (Metal) is born in Summer, just as Metal is in its 'Chang Sheng' (Birth) phase in the Si month. Therefore, it enters the Lung and Large Intestine meridians to treat cough and rebellious Qi, as well as diarrhea and dysentery. Although diarrhea and dysentery belong to the Lower Jiao, the phlegm-dampness causing them resolves spontaneously.
[Interpretation] Lu Zhiyi states: Lichu belongs to the Chenopodiaceae family, acting as a sharp tool; Lu belongs to the Poaceae family, acting as a food vessel. However, their shapes are similar. It combines with the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, interweaving and connecting to form yin-yang paired zang-fu organs. Thus, it treats diseases of the Lung meridian moving (shi dong), manifesting as cough and rebellious Qi (zang qi pathology); and diseases generated by Lung, manifesting as head ulcers, scabies, malignant sores, and dead tissue (zang xing pathology). Regarding diarrhea/dysentery and gu/chicken poisons, these are pathologies of the Large Intestine fu qi and xing. With acrid and cold flavors, it is quite suitable for applying to wind-heat conditions.
(The Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian descends to connect with the Large Intestine, ascends through the diaphragm, and belongs to the Lung; the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian connects with the Lung, descends through the diaphragm, and belongs to the Large Intestine; they interweave and connect with each other, forming the yin-yang pairing of fu and zang. Internally and externally, front and back, hands pair with hands to form zang-fu yin-yang, and feet pair with feet to form zang-fu yin-yang. Without this zang-fu yin-yang relationship, they would not interweave. People are accustomed to this without scrutiny, often unaware of the reason behind the hand-foot zang-fu yin-yang pairing.)