补脾，涩肠，固精
甘温而涩，脾之果也。脾者黄宫，故能交水火而媾心肾，安靖上下君、相火邪（古方治
心肾不交、劳伤白浊，有莲子清心饮，补心肾有瑞莲丸）。益十二经脉血气，涩精气，浓肠
胃，除寒热。治脾泄久痢，白浊梦遗，女人崩带及诸血病。大便燥者勿服。去心、皮，蒸熟
焙干用。得茯苓、山药、白术、枸杞良。
黑而沉水者为石莲，清心除烦，开胃进食，专治噤口痢、淋浊诸证（石莲入水则沉，入
卤则浮。煎盐人以之试卤，莲浮至顶，卤乃可煎。落田野中者，百年不坏，人得食之，发黑
不老。肆中石莲，产广中树上，其味大苦，不宜入药）。
莲心为末，米饮下，疗产后血竭。
涩精
甘温而涩。精心通肾，益血固精，乌须黑发，止梦泄遗精，吐崩诸血。略与莲子同功。
凉血散瘀
涩平。解热毒，消瘀血，止吐、衄、淋、痢一切血证（和生地汁、童便服良）。藕生甘
寒，凉血散瘀（宋大官作血 ，误落藕皮，血遂涣散不凝。一人病血淋，痛胀欲死，李时珍
以发灰二钱，藕汁调服，三日而愈。《梅师方》∶产后余血上冲，煮汁服），止渴除烦（《圣惠
方》∶藕汁，蜜和服，治时气烦渴），解酒毒、蟹毒（捣烂，热酒调服）。煮熟甘温，益胃补
心（多孔象心），止泻（能实大肠）止怒，久服令人欢（益心之效）。生捣，罨金疮伤折；熟
捣，涂坼裂冻疮（《肘后方》∶卒中毒箭者，藕汁饮，多多益善。孟诜曰∶产后忌生冷，独藕
不忌，为能散瘀血也）澄粉亦佳，安神益胃。
Tonifies the Spleen, astringes the Intestines, consolidates Essence.
Sweet, warm in nature and astringent, it is the fruit of the Spleen. The Spleen belongs to Earth and occupies the central yellow position; therefore, it can harmonize Water and Fire, facilitate the interaction between the Heart and Kidney, and pacify the pathogenic factors of the Ministerial Fire (Jinghuo) in the lower Jiao and the Sovereign Fire (Junhuo) in the upper Jiao (Ancient formulas for treating non-interaction between Heart and Kidney and white turbidity due to overwork include Lianzi Qingxin Yin [Lotus Seed Clearing Heart Decoction]; Ruilian Wan [Auspicious Lotus Pill] tonifies Heart and Kidney). It benefits the Qi and Blood of the Twelve Meridians, astringes Essence and Jing, thickens the Stomach and Intestines, and eliminates cold and heat. It treats Spleen deficiency diarrhea, chronic dysentery, white turbidity, nocturnal emission with dreams, women's metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, and various blood diseases. Those with dry stools should not take it. Remove the plumule and skin, steam until cooked, then bake dry before use. It works well when combined with Poria [Fu Ling], Dioscorea [Shan Yao], Atractylodes Macrocephala [Bai Zhu], and Lycium [Gou Qi].
Those that are black and sink in water are called Shi Lian [Stone Lotus]. They clear the Heart and relieve irritability, stimulate appetite, and specifically treat Jin Kou Li [closed-mouth dysentery], Lin syndrome [dysuria], and turbid urine conditions (Shi Lian sinks in fresh water but floats in brine. Salt makers use it to test brine density; when the lotus seed floats to the top, the brine is ready for boiling. Shi Lian found in fields does not decay for a hundred years; consuming it darkens hair and prevents aging. Commercially available Shi Lian comes from trees in Guangdong, has a very bitter taste, and is unsuitable for medicinal use).
Powdered Lotus Plumule [Lian Xin] taken with rice decoction treats postpartum exhaustion of blood.
Astringing Essence
Sweet, warm in nature and astringent. Lotus Plumule connects the Heart and benefits the Kidney, nourishes Blood, consolidates Essence, darkens beard and hair, stops nocturnal emission and spermatorrhea, and treats hematemesis and metrorrhagia. Its efficacy is slightly similar to that of the Lotus Seed [Lian Zi].
Cooling Blood and Dispersing Stasis
Pungent/Neutral? No, text says "Se/Ping" -> Sour/Astringent and Neutral. Astringent, neutral. Resolves heat toxins, disperses blood stasis, and stops all types of bleeding such as hematemesis, epistaxis, Lin syndrome, and bloody dysentery (taking it with juice of Rehmannia [Sheng Di Huang] and first-void urine [Tong Bian] is effective). Raw Lotus Root [Ou] is sweet and cold, cooling blood and dispersing stasis (In the Song Dynasty, an official making blood paste accidentally dropped blood on lotus root skin, causing the blood to scatter and fail to coagulate. A patient suffering from bloody Lin syndrome, experiencing severe pain and distension nearly to death, was treated by Li Shizhen with two qian of burnt hair powder mixed with lotus root juice, cured in three days. *Mei Shi Fang* records: for residual blood rushing upward after childbirth, boil and drink the juice), relieves thirst and irritability (*Sheng Hui Fang* records: lotus root juice mixed with honey treats irritability and thirst caused by epidemic febrile diseases), resolves alcohol and crab toxicity (mash fresh, mix with hot wine). Cooked Lotus Root is sweet and warm, benefiting the Stomach and tonifying the Heart (its many pores resemble the heart structure), stops diarrhea (solidifies the Large Intestine), calms anger, and long-term consumption brings joy (effect of tonifying the Heart). Fresh mashed applied externally treats traumatic injuries and fractures; cooked mashed applied externally treats fissures and frostbite (*Zhou Hou Fang* records: for sudden poison arrow wounds, drink lotus root juice, the more the better. Meng Shen said: Postpartum patients should avoid raw and cold foods, except for lotus root, because it disperses blood stasis). Lotus starch [Ou Fen] is also excellent, calming the Spirit and benefiting the Stomach.