【气味】
甘平无毒。浮而升。阳也。白者入手太阴足太阳经气分。赤者入足太阴手少阴太阳
气分。
【主治】
心下结痛。寒热烦满。咳逆。口焦舌干。利小便。止消渴。大腹淋沥。膈中痰水。
开胸肺。调脏气。伐肾邪。长阴益气力。开胃止呕逆。安心神。主肺痿痰壅。小儿惊痫。女
人热淋。暖腰膝。安胎。除湿益燥。缓脾生津。导气平火。开腠理。泄膀胱。疗肾积奔豚。
赤茯苓主治。破结气。泻心小肠膀胱湿热。利窍行水。盖茯苓之白入壬癸。
赤者入丙丁。味甘而淡又降也。为阳中之阴。服食至要云。茯芩
通神而至灵。和魂
而炼魄。利窍而益肌。浓肠而开心。调荣而理卫。大抵得松之余气孕毓而成。属金之质。小
便多能止之。小便涩能利之。止之者何。茯苓多益心脾。性美。下能接引诸温暖药归就肾经
。肾得真火而真气固。故八味丸之不离茯苓者是也。利之者何。凡饮食入胃。游溢精气。上
输于肺。通调水道。下输膀胱。茯苓淡渗而色白为金之象。金之令上行而下降。金能生水。
涩者有不利之乎。然本草言茯苓利小便。伐肾邪。有降而下之之功。而丹溪又言阴虚者不宜
用。似亦相反何也。盖肺虚心虚胞热厥阴病者皆虚热也。其人必上热下寒。脉虚而弱。法当
用
升阳之药。以升水降火。膀胱不约。下焦虚者。乃火投于水。水泉不藏。脱阳之症。其人必
肢冷脉迟。法当用温暖之药。峻补其下。交济坎离。二症皆非茯苓淡渗之药所能益其元气。
朱氏之谓阴虚不可用者。此之谓也。素问云。心虚则少气遗溺。下焦虚则遗溺。胞遗热于膀
胱
则遗溺。膀胱不利为癃。不约为遗。厥阴病则遗溺闭癃。朱氏之不欲骤用者。其深明于此理
也。若肺气盛者实热也。其人必气壮脉强。寒淫所胜。素问所云肺气盛则便数而欠。非茯苓
之淡渗。何以分阴阳而导湿。本草之必用以伐肾邪者。此之谓也。
[Flavor and Nature]
Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic. The therapeutic tendency is floating and ascending, belonging to Yang. White Poria (Fuling) enters the Qi aspect of the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian; Red Poria (Chifuling) enters the Qi aspect of the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian, and Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian.
[Indications]
Treats knotting and pain below the heart. Treats alternating chills and fever, vexation, and fullness. Treats cough and rebellious Qi. Treats dry mouth and tongue. Promotes urination. Stops Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome). Treats abdominal distension with dripping sensation (Lin syndrome). Treats phlegm-fluid retention in the chest and diaphragm. Opens the chest and lungs. Regulates Zang-Fu Qi. Expels Kidney pathogenic factors. Nourishes Yin, enhances strength. Benefits the stomach, stops vomiting and rebellious Qi. Calms the Spirit. Mainly treats Phlegm obstruction due to Fei Wei (Lung Atrophy). Treats pediatric convulsions and epilepsy. Treats women's Lin syndrome due to Heat. Warms the waist and knees. Stabilizes the fetus. Disperses Dampness, benefits Dryness (note: refers to generating fluids by strengthening Spleen and drying Dampness). Harmonizes Spleen Qi, generates body fluids. Guides Qi, calms Fire. Opens the Cou Li (pores and interstices). Drains the Bladder. Treats Shen Ji Ben Tun (Rushing Tumor due to Kidney accumulation).
Red Poria's indications: Breaks up stagnant Qi. Drains Damp-Heat from the Heart, Small Intestine, and Bladder. Unblocks orifices, promotes water metabolism. Generally speaking, white Poria enters Ren-Gui (Water), while red Poria enters Bing-Ding (Fire). Sweet and bland in flavor, with a descending action, it belongs to Yin within Yang. In dietary therapy, it is considered essential: it connects the Spirit and is highly efficacious, harmonizes Hun and Po, unblocks orifices and benefits muscles, thickens the intestines and opens the heart, regulates Ying (Nutritive Qi) and manages Wei (Defensive Qi). Broadly, it is formed by absorbing the residual Qi of pine trees, possessing the quality of Metal. For frequent urination, it can stop it; for scanty or difficult urination, it can promote it. Why can it stop frequent urination? Because Poria greatly benefits the Heart and Spleen, its nature is pleasant, and downwardly it guides various warming herbs into the Kidney Meridian. When the Kidney receives True Fire, True Qi becomes secure; thus, Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) cannot do without Poria, which is the reason. Why can it promote difficult urination? When food enters the Stomach, its essence floats and overflows, transports upward to the Lung, regulates water passages, and transports downward to the Bladder. Poria is bland and渗 (percolating/drainage), and its white color represents the image of Metal. The function of Metal is to ascend and descend; Metal generates Water, so how could it not benefit cases of difficulty and lack of flow? However, Ben Cao states that Poria promotes urination and expels Kidney pathogens, having a descending effect, yet Zhu Danxi says it should not be used for Yin deficiency. This seems contradictory. Why? Cases of Lung deficiency, Heart deficiency, Bladder Heat, and Jueyin disease are all deficiency-heat patterns. These patients must have upper heat and lower cold, with weak and deficient pulses. The treatment method should use herbs that raise Yang to raise Water and descend Fire. If the Bladder fails to constrain, and the Lower Jiao is deficient-cold, this is Fire entering Water, causing Water springs to be uncontained, representing a symptom of Yang collapse. These patients must have cold limbs and slow pulses. The treatment method should use warming herbs to strongly tonify the Lower Jiao and communicate between Kan and Li (Kidney and Heart). Neither of these two conditions can be benefited by Poria's bland and percolating nature regarding Yuan Qi. When Zhu said "Yin deficiency should not use it," he referred to this situation. Su Wen states: Heart deficiency leads to shortness of breath and urinary incontinence; Lower Jiao deficiency leads to urinary incontinence; Bladder Heat from the Bao Gong (Uterus/Bladder) leads to urinary incontinence; Bladder dysfunction leads to Long (retention); lack of constraint leads to Yi Niao (incontinence); Jueyin disease leads to incontinence or closure. Zhu's reluctance to use Poria hastily stems from his deep understanding of this principle. If Lung Qi is excessive and there is excess heat, the patient must have strong Qi and forceful pulse, caused by excessive Cold pathogen. As Su Wen states, excessive Lung Qi leads to frequent urination and yawning. Without Poria's bland and percolating nature, how can one differentiate Yin and Yang and guide Dampness? This is why Ben Cao insists on using Poria to expel Kidney pathogens.