散结、消瘿、明目。
辛苦微寒。缓肝火。解内热。散结气。治瘰 鼠 。瘿瘤症坚。乳痈乳岩。目珠夜痛。
（
泻热、理劳、清暑。
苦寒。得春木少阳之令最早。（二月生苗。）故入少阳、厥阴血分。（肝、胆。）治劳瘦骨
蒸。
（能除骨髓之热、用童便浸、捣汁熬膏。）蓐劳虚热。久疟久痢。虚烦盗汗。（能除阴分伏热
。）风毒热黄。瘙疥恶疮。鬼气尸疰。（身中鬼气、接引外邪、有游走皮肤、洞穿脏腑、
每发刺痛、变动不常者、为飞尸、附骨入肉、攻凿血脉、见尸闻哭便作者、为遁尸、淫跃四
末、不知痛之所在、每发恍惚、得风雪便作者、为风尸、缠结脏腑、冲引心胁、每发绞切
、遇寒冷便作者、为沉尸、举身沉重、精神错杂、尝觉昏废、每节气大发者、为尸疰、时珍
曰∶月令通纂言、伏内庚日、采青蒿、悬门庭、可辟邪、冬至元旦、各服二钱亦良、则青蒿
之治鬼疰、盖亦有所伏也。）明目。清暑辟秽。凡苦寒药。多与胃家不利。惟青蒿芬芳袭脾
。宜于血虚有热之人。以其不犯冲和之气尔。寒而泄泻者。仍当避之。使子勿使叶。使根勿
使茎。熬膏良。（圣济总录、治鼻中息肉、青蒿灰、锻石等分、淋汁熬膏点之。）
轻宣散结、泻火。
味苦微寒。而性升浮。其形似心。（实似莲房有瓣。）故入手少阴、厥阴。（心、心包。）
而泻
火。兼除手足少阳（三焦、胆。）手阳明经（大肠。）湿热。散诸经血凝气聚。利水通经。杀
虫
止痛。消肿排脓。（皆结者散之、凡肿而痛者、为实邪、肿而不痛、为虚邪、肿而赤者、为
结热、肿而不赤、为留气停痰。）为十二经疮家圣药。（经曰∶诸疮痛痒、皆属心火。）苦寒
之物。多饵即减食。痈疽溃后勿服。（集验方、治痔疮肿痛、连翘煎汤、熏洗后、以刀上飞
过绿矾、入麝香贴之。）
Dissipate nodules, eliminate goiter, and brighten the eyes.
(Xiakucao / Prunellae Spica) has the effects of dissipating nodules, eliminating goiter, and improving vision.
Acrid, bitter, slightly cold. It moderates Liver Fire, resolves internal heat, and dissipates Qi stagnation. It treats scrofula (Luo Li) and rat-type scrofula (Shu Lou), goiters, hard masses (Zheng Jian), mastitis (Ru Yong), breast cancer (Ru Yan), and pain in the eyeballs at night.
(It is acrid and bitter, with a slightly cold nature.) It can moderate Liver Fire, resolve internal heat, and dissipate Qi stagnation. It is used to treat scrofula and rat-type scrofula, as well as goiters and hard masses, mastitis, breast cancer, and symptoms of eye pain occurring at night.
Clear heat, regulate consumptive disease, and clear summerheat.
(Qinghao / Artemisiae Annuae Herba) has the effects of clearing heat, regulating consumptive diseases, and clearing summerheat.
Bitter and cold. It receives the command of Spring Wood and Shaoyang earliest. (Sprouts in the second lunar month.) Therefore, it enters the Blood level of Shaoyang and Jueyin. (Liver, Gallbladder.) It treats emaciation due to consumptive disease and bone-steaming fever.
(It is bitter and cold.) It is the herb that most early responds to the generative command of Spring Wood and Shaoyang. (It sprouts in the second lunar month.) Thus, it enters the Blood level of the Shaoyang and Jueyin meridians. (Corresponding to the Liver and Gallbladder.) It treats emaciation caused by consumptive disease and bone-steaming fever.
(It can remove heat from the bone marrow; soak in urine of an uncircumcised boy, crush to extract juice, and boil into a paste.) It treats postpartum consumptive disease with deficient heat, chronic malaria, chronic dysentery, and deficient irritability with night sweats. (It can remove latent heat in the Yin level.)
(It can clear heat from the bone marrow; it can be soaked in the urine of an uncircumcised boy, crushed to extract the juice, and boiled into a paste.) It treats deficient heat arising from postpartum consumptive disease, long-standing malaria, and chronic dysentery, as well as deficient irritability and night sweats. (It can clear latent heat hidden in the Yin level.)
Wind-toxin heat jaundice, itching scabies, and malignant sores. Gui Qi Shi Zhu. (Regarding "Gui Qi": when ghostly Qi is within the body, it attracts external pathogens. Symptoms include wandering through the skin, piercing through organs, causing stabbing pain upon onset, and changing unpredictably; this is called Fei Shi (Flying Corpse). Attaching to bones and flesh, attacking and eroding blood vessels, and occurring upon seeing corpses or hearing crying; this is called Dun Shi (Escaping Corpse). Wandering in the four extremities, with unknown location of pain, causing trance-like states upon onset, and occurring during wind and snow; this is called Feng Shi (Wind Corpse). Entangling and knotting in the organs, rushing to and drawing from the heart and hypochondrium, causing severe twisting pain upon onset, and occurring in cold weather; this is called Chen Shi (Sinking Corpse). Whole-body heaviness, mental confusion, often feeling faint and exhausted, with major flare-ups at each solar term; this is called Shi Zhu (Corpse Transmission). Li Shizhen said: *Yueling Tongzuan* states that on Geng days during the Dog Days, collecting Qinghao and hanging it at the gate can ward off evil. Taking two qian on Winter Solstice and New Year's Day is also beneficial. This suggests that Qinghao's treatment of Gui Zhu has some basis.) Brighten the eyes. Clear summerheat and repel filth. Generally, bitter-cold herbs are detrimental to the Stomach. Only Qinghao, with its fragrant aroma, nourishes the Spleen. It is suitable for those with Blood deficiency and heat, because it does not violate the harmonious Qi. For those with cold constitutions and diarrhea, it should still be avoided. Use the seeds, not the leaves. Use the roots, not the stems. Boiling into a paste is good. (*Shengji Zonglu*: To treat nasal polyps, mix Qinghao ash and calcined stone in equal parts, leach with water to extract juice, boil into a paste, and apply.)
Lightly disperse and dissipate nodules, purge fire.
(Lianqiao / Forsythiae Fructus) has a light and dispersing nature to dissipate nodules and purge fire.
Bitter and slightly cold. Its nature is ascending and floating. Its shape resembles the Heart. (The fruit resembles a lotus pod with segments.) Therefore, it enters the Hand Shaoyin and Jueyin. (Heart, Pericardium.) To purge fire. It also removes damp-heat from the Hand Shaoyang (Sanjiao, Gallbladder) and Hand Yangming (Large Intestine) meridians. It dissipates blood stasis and Qi aggregation in various meridians. It promotes urination and unblocks menstruation. It kills parasites, relieves pain, reduces swelling, and expels pus. (All these actions address conditions of knotting by using dispersion. Generally, swelling with pain indicates Excess pathogenic factors; swelling without pain indicates Deficient pathogenic factors; swelling with redness indicates knotted heat; swelling without redness indicates stagnant Qi and retained Phlegm.) It is the sacred medicine for sores and ulcers in the twelve meridians. (The classics state: All sores' pain and itching belong to Heart Fire.) Bitter-cold substances, if taken frequently, reduce appetite. Do not take after abscesses or carbuncles have ulcerated. (*Jiyan Fang*: To treat painful and swollen hemorrhoids, decoct Lianqiao, fumigate and wash the area, then apply green vitriol passed over a knife flame mixed with musk to the site.)