气味甘苦温，冷利，有小毒。主治咳逆上气，雷鸣，喉痹，下气，产乳，金疮，寒心
奔豚。
（杏叶似梅，二月开淡红花，五月实熟有数种，赭色而圆者，名金杏。甘而有沙者，名
沙杏，黄而带酢者，名梅杏。
青而带黄者，名柰杏，入药用苦杏。）
杏仁气味甘苦，其实苦重于甘，其性带温，其质冷利。冷利者，滋润之意，主治咳逆上
气者
，利肺气也。肺气利而咳逆上气自平矣。雷鸣者，邪在大肠。喉痹者，肺窍不利。下气者，
谓杏仁质润下行，主能下气。气下则雷鸣，喉痹皆愈矣。产乳者，产妇之乳汁也。生产无乳
，杏仁能通之。金疮者，金刃伤而成疮也。金伤成疮，杏仁能敛之。寒心奔豚者，肾脏水气
凌心而寒，如豚上奔。杏仁治肺，肺者金也，金为水之母，母能训子逆。又，肺气下行，而
水逆自散矣。
气味苦甘平，无毒。主治瘀血血闭，症瘕邪气，杀小虫。
（桃种类颇多，唯山中野毛桃即《尔雅》所谓 桃者，小而多毛，核粘味恶，其仁充满
多脂，可入药用。）
桃仁、杏仁味俱甘苦，杏仁苦胜，故曰甘苦，桃仁甘胜，故曰苦甘。桃色先青后紫，其
味甘
酸，禀木气也，其仁亦主疏肝，主治瘀血血闭，疏肝气也。症瘕邪气乃血与寒汁沫，留聚于
肠胃之外，凝结而为症瘕，肝气和平，则症瘕邪气自散矣。杀小虫者，厥阴风胜则生虫，肝
气疏通而虫自杀矣。
《素问》五果所属，以桃属金，为肺之果，后人有桃为肺果，其仁治肝之说。
愚按∶桃味酸甘，其色生青熟紫，并无金体，窃疑《素问》之桃，乃胡桃也，俗名核桃，
外
壳内白，庶几似之。若谓桃，则唯毛桃仁之桃，皮色白有毛，余俱无矣。生时肉青白，熟则
紫矣。若以外核内仁当之，则杏梅未始不如是，献疑于此，俟后贤正之。
[Apricot Kernel]
Flavor and Nature: Sweet, bitter, warm; cold and slippery in nature, slightly toxic.
Indications: Cough with rebellious Qi (Ke Ni Shang Qi), borborygmus (Lei Ming), throat obstruction (Hou Bi), descending Qi, postpartum lactation issues, metallic wounds (Jin Chuang), cold heart with running piglet syndrome (Han Xin Ben Tun).
(The apricot leaves resemble plum leaves; pale red flowers bloom in the second lunar month; fruits ripen in the fifth month with several varieties. Those that are dark red and round are called Jin Xing (Golden Apricot); those that are sweet and sandy are called Sha Xing (Sandy Apricot); those that are yellow and sour are called Mei Xing (Plum Apricot); those that are greenish-yellow are called Nai Xing. The bitter apricot is used for medicinal purposes.)
The flavor of Apricot Kernel is sweet and bitter, with bitterness predominating over sweetness. Its nature is warm, and its texture is cold and slippery. "Cold and slippery" implies a moistening quality. It treats cough with rebellious Qi by promoting the free flow of Lung Qi. When Lung Qi flows freely, cough and rebellious Qi subside naturally. "Borborygmus" refers to pathogenic factors in the Large Intestine. "Throat obstruction" refers to dysfunction of the Lung orifice. "Descending Qi" means that due to its moist and descending nature, Apricot Kernel primarily functions to descend Qi. When Qi descends, both borborygmus and throat obstruction are cured. "Postpartum lactation" refers to breast milk in women after childbirth. For insufficient lactation after delivery, Apricot Kernel can promote milk flow. "Metallic wounds" refer to injuries caused by metal blades. For wounds caused by metal trauma, Apricot Kernel can help consolidate the wound. "Cold heart with running piglet syndrome" refers to coldness caused by Kidney water Qi invading the Heart, feeling as if a piglet is rushing upward. Apricot Kernel treats Lung diseases; the Lung belongs to Metal in the Five Elements. Metal is the mother of Water; the mother can discipline the son's rebellion (i.e., Lung Metal generates Kidney Water, and the descending action of Lung Qi can restrain the counterflow of Kidney Water). Furthermore, when Lung Qi descends, the counterflow of Water Qi dissipates naturally.
[Peach Kernel]
Flavor and Nature: Bitter, sweet, neutral; non-toxic.
Indications: Blood stasis, blood obstruction, mass formations (Zheng Jia) and pathogenic factors, killing small parasites.
(There are many varieties of peaches. Only the wild peach from mountains, referred to as "Tao" in *Erya*, has small, hairy fruits with sticky kernels and poor taste, but its kernel is full and oily, making it suitable for medicinal use.)
Both Peach Kernel and Apricot Kernel have sweet and bitter flavors. In Apricot Kernel, bitterness prevails, hence described as "sweet and bitter"; in Peach Kernel, sweetness prevails, hence described as "bitter and sweet". The color of the peach changes from green to purple, and its flavor is sweet and sour, inheriting Wood Qi. Its kernel also primarily soothes the Liver. It treats blood stasis and blood obstruction by venting Liver Qi. Zheng Jia (mass formations) and pathogenic factors consist of blood mixed with cold fluid and foam, remaining and aggregating outside the stomach and intestines, condensing into masses. When Liver Qi is peaceful, Zheng Jia and pathogenic factors dissipate naturally. Regarding "killing small parasites," excessive Wind in the Jueyin channel leads to the generation of parasites; when Liver Qi flows smoothly, the parasites die naturally.
In *Su Wen* (Plain Questions), regarding the Five Fruits, Peach is attributed to Metal and considered the fruit of the Lung. Later scholars proposed that since Peach is a Lung fruit, its kernel treats the Liver.
I opine: Peach tastes sour and sweet, appearing green when raw and purple when ripe, lacking the characteristics of Metal. I suspect the "Peach" mentioned in *Su Wen* actually refers to Walnut (Hu Tao), commonly known as He Tao, which has a white interior shell, resembling the description. If referring to Peach, only the wild peach kernel has white, hairy skin; others do not. The flesh is greenish-white when growing and turns purple when ripe. If comparing the outer shell and inner kernel, Apricot and Plum are not different in this regard. I raise this doubt here, awaiting correction by future scholars.