健脾燥湿。
止可用以调补常病之虚者。及病后调理脾胃。若生死关头。断难恃以为治。阴虚燥渴。
肝肾
有筑筑动气者。勿服。产浙江台州燕山。亦以冬月采者为佳。并无鹤颈与须。反肥大于野术
。熬膏良。（云术形长大、性燥劣、人或切片以杂之。）江西白术。其形甚小。与浙江野术相
似。虽有鹤颈而甚短。其体坚实。其味苦劣。（如野术不可得、唯用台术为稳、余俱不可用
。）
补脾燥湿、宣、升阳解郁。
苦温辛烈。燥胃强脾。发汗除湿。能升发胃中阳气。（上行雄壮、能除湿、治中气下陷、
下
安太阴、使邪气不入脾。）止吐泻。逐痰水。（许叔微本事方曰∶苍术能破水饮之 囊、盖燥
脾以去湿、崇土以补脾、方用苍术一斤、大枣五十枚、去皮捣、油麻半两、水二盏、研滤汁
和
实脾土、燥脾湿、是治痰之本。）消肿满。辟恶气。（为除邪气之上
品、辟一切岚瘴邪恶鬼气、阴湿处焚之佳。）散风寒湿。为治痿要药。（阳明虚、则宗筋纵弛
、带脉不引、故痿 、苍术阳明经药、经曰∶治痿独取阳明、合黄柏为二妙散、加牛膝名三
妙散。）又能总解痰、火、气、血、湿、食六郁。（丹溪曰∶诸郁皆因传化失常、气不得升降
、病在中焦、将欲升之、必先降之、将欲降之、必先升之、越鞠丸用苍术、香附、苍术、能
径入诸经、疏泄阳明之湿、通行敛涩、香附乃阴中快气之药、一升一降、故郁散而平。）
及脾湿下流。肠风带浊。（带浊赤者热伤血分、白者湿伤气分、并有寒热二证、亦有因痰而
带
柴。）燥结多汗者忌用。出茅山。坚小有朱砂点者良。糯米泔浸
。焙干。同芝麻炒。以制其燥。二术皆防风、地榆为使。古本草不分苍白。陶隐居分两种。
始各施用。（因湿气身痛者、苍术泔浸、切、煎取浓汁、熬膏、白汤点服。）
Invigorate the spleen and dry dampness.
It can only be used to regulate and tonify chronic deficiency conditions, and to regulate the spleen and stomach after illness. In critical situations involving life and death, it is absolutely unreliable as a treatment. It is contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with dry thirst, and for those with palpitations or restless sensations (Zhuzhu Dongqi) in the liver and kidney regions.
It originates from Yanshan, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province. The roots harvested in winter are considered superior. They lack the "crane's neck" (a constricted neck part) and rootlets found in wild Atractylodes, and are generally fatter and larger than wild varieties. Making them into an extract/paste is effective. (Some claim that cultivated Atractylodes grows large, has a drying nature, and is of inferior quality; some slice them to mix with other herbs.)
White Atractylodes from Jiangxi Province is very small in shape, resembling the wild Atractylodes from Zhejiang. Although it has a short "crane's neck," its body is solid and its taste is bitter and inferior. (If wild Atractylodes cannot be obtained, only using the authentic Taizhou variety is stable/safe; all others are unusable.)
Tonify the spleen, dry dampness, diffuse, and raise yang to resolve stagnation.
It is bitter, warm, pungent, and acrid. It dries the stomach and strengthens the spleen, induces sweating to remove dampness, and can raise the clear yang qi in the stomach. (Its action ascends vigorously, removing dampness and treating sinking of middle qi; descending, it calms the Taiyin (Spleen), preventing pathogenic factors from entering the spleen.) It stops vomiting and diarrhea, and expels phlegm-fluids. (Xu Shuwei stated in *Ben Shi Fang*: Cangzhu can break through accumulations of fluid-dampness. This is because it dries the spleen to remove dampness and fortifies the earth to tonify the spleen. The formula uses one jin of Cangzhu, fifty large dates (pitted and pounded), half liang of sesame oil/seeds, and two zhan of water. Grind, filter, and mix. This solidifies the spleen-earth and dries spleen-dampness, which is the root treatment for phlegm.) It reduces swelling and fullness, and repels foul odors/pathogenic qi. (It is a premier herb for eliminating pathogenic qi, repelling all mountain miasma and evil influences; burning it in damp, dark places is excellent.) It disperses wind-cold-dampness and is a key herb for treating flaccidity syndromes (Wei syndrome). (Deficiency of the Yangming meridian leads to laxity of the sinews and failure of the Dai meridian to constrain, resulting in flaccidity. Cangzhu is a herb for the Yangming meridian. The *Neijing* states: "In treating Wei syndrome, focus solely on the Yangming." Combined with Huangbai, it forms Er Miao San; adding Niuxi creates San Miao San.) It can also resolve the six types of stagnation: phlegm, fire, qi, blood, dampness, and food. (Zhu Danxi said: All stagnations arise from dysfunction of transmission and transformation, where qi fails to ascend and descend properly, causing disease in the middle jiao. To raise, one must first lower; to lower, one must first raise. Yueju Wan uses Cangzhu and Xiangfu. Cangzhu enters the meridians directly, venting dampness in the Yangming, and promoting circulation while resolving constriction/stagnation. Xiangfu is a herb that moves qi within yin. One raises and one lowers, thus dispersing stagnation and restoring balance.) It treats spleen-dampness flowing downward, causing intestinal wind (blood in stool) or turbid leukorrhea. (Red leukorrhea indicates heat injuring the blood level; white leukorrhea indicates dampness injuring the qi level. Both have cold and heat patterns. Some cases of leukorrhea are due to phlegm.) It is contraindicated in cases of dryness-constipation and excessive sweating.
It originates from Maoshan. The hard, small roots with cinnabar-like spots are considered good. Soak in rice-washing water, bake dry, and stir-fry with sesame seeds to moderate its drying nature. Both Bai Zhu and Cang Zhu use Fang Feng and Di Yu as guiding herbs. Ancient materia medica did not distinguish between Cang and Bai Zhu. Tao Hongjing separated them into two types, and they began to be used separately. (For body pain caused by dampness, soak Cangzhu in rice-washing water, slice, decoct to obtain a thick liquid, boil down to a paste, and take with plain boiled water.)