味甘苦微寒。入手太阴经。功专清金利水道。益精气。补五劳。治淋崩发背。炒末
冷调酒服。去毛。微火炙用。杏仁、滑石、射干为使。得菖蒲良。生瓦上者名瓦苇。治淋亦
佳。
味甘寒。入手太阳经。功专利水通淋。得猎茶治小便不通。得滑石治膏淋如油
。得白术黑牵牛治脾湿肿满。得栀子、牙硝、硼砂治伤寒热狂。
味苦。入足太阳阳明太阴经。功专去风湿寒热。得山栀疗热黄。得附子治阴黄。得
车前治眼目湿热赤肿。凡湿热为病。推为上品。浸酒服。可以去湿。
味辛温。入足阳明太阴手少阴经。功专散暑利湿。得浓朴治伤暑寒证。得白术治暑
湿水肿。单服治霍乱转筋。宜冷冻饮料。热则泻。
味苦寒。入手足少阳厥阴经。功专清热。得地骨皮治骨蒸劳热。蓐劳虚热。最稳且
效。得鳖甲治温疟。
味辛温。入足太阴厥阴经。功专驱风泄湿。熟附得麻黄发中有补。生附得麻黄补中
有发。得人参能留阳气。得熟地能固元阳。得干姜、桂枝温经散寒。通经堕胎。畏人参、
黄
、甘草、防风、犀角、绿豆、童便。反贝母、半夏、栝蒌、白芨、白蔹。中其毒者。黄连、
犀角、甘草煎汤解之。或用黄土煎水服亦可。若手足冻裂。附子去皮为末。以水面调涂。若
眼赤以附片贴足心引火下行自愈。附尖合浆水饮之可吐胶痰。
(Shiwei, *Pyrrosiae Folium*) The flavor is sweet and bitter, the nature is slightly cold. It enters the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its function specializes in clearing lung qi and promoting water passages. It benefits essence and qi, treats five types of deficiency labor (chronic wasting conditions), and manages strangury (dysuria with pain), metrorrhagia (uterine bleeding), and carbuncles on the back. Stir-fry into powder, mix with cold wine for oral administration. Remove hairs before use; roast over mild fire. Almond (*Xingren*), Talcum (*Huashi*), and Belamcanda Rhizome (*Shegan*) serve as guiding herbs. It works well when combined with Acorus (*Changpu*). Those growing on tiles are named "Wa Wei" (Tile Reed) and are also excellent for treating strangury.
(Bianxu, *Polygoni Avicularis Herba*) The flavor is sweet and cold. It enters the Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian. Its function specializes in promoting urination and relieving strangury. Combined with Lie Cha (a type of tea/herb), it treats urinary retention. Combined with Talcum (*Huashi*), it treats gao lin (lipiduria/urine resembling grease). Combined with Atractylodes Macrocephala (*Baizhu*) and Black Morning Glory Seed (*Qian Niu Zi*), it treats swelling and fullness due to spleen dampness. Combined with Gardenia (*Zhizi*), Mirabilite (*Ya Xiao*), and Borax (*Peng Sha*), it treats mania caused by heat from cold damage.
(Qumai, *Dianthi Herba*) The flavor is bitter. It enters the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian, Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian, and Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian. Its function specializes in dispelling wind-dampness and resolving chills and fever. Combined with Gardenia (*Shanzhi*), it treats heat jaundice. Combined with Prepared Aconite Root (*Fuzi*), it treats yin jaundice. Combined with Plantago Seed (*Cheqian*), it treats redness and swelling of eyes due to damp-heat. For diseases caused by damp-heat, it is regarded as a top-grade herb. Soaked in wine and taken orally, it can remove dampness.
(Mutong, *Akebiae Caulis*), The flavor is pungent and warm. It enters the Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian, Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian, and Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Its function specializes in dispersing summerheat and promoting dampness removal. Combined with Magnolia Bark (*N Houpo*), it treats cold syndromes resulting from summerheat injury. Combined with Atractylodes Macrocephala (*Baizhu*), it treats edema due to summerheat-dampness. Taken alone, it treats convulsions (muscle spasms) in cholera. It should be consumed chilled; if heated, it causes diarrhea.
(Chaihu, *Bupleuri Radix*) The flavor is bitter and cold. It enters the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian, Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, and Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its function specializes in clearing heat. Combined with Groundcherry Root (*Digupi*), it treats bone-steaming consumption fever (deficiency heat) and postpartum deficiency heat; this combination is most stable and effective. Combined with Turtle Shell (*Biejia*), it treats warm malaria.
(Fuzi, *Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata*) The flavor is pungent and warm. It enters the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian and Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its function specializes in driving out wind and draining dampness. Prepared Fuzi combined with Ephedra (*Mahuang*) provides tonification amidst sweating; Raw Fuzi combined with Ephedra (*Mahuang*) provides sweating amidst tonification. Combined with Ginseng (*Renshen*), it retains yang qi. Combined with Prepared Rehmannia Root (*Shudi*), it secures primal yang. Combined with Dried Ginger (*Ganjiang*) and Cinnamon Twig (*Guizhi*), it warms meridians and dispels cold. It has the effect of unblocking meridians and inducing abortion. It is incompatible with Ginseng (*Renshen*), Astragalus (*Huangqi*), Licorice (*Gancao*), Saposhnikovia (*Fangfeng*), Rhinoceros Horn (*Xijiao* - note: currently prohibited/replaced), Mung Bean (*Lvdou*), and Child's Urine (*Tongbian*). It is antagonistic to Fritillaria (*Beimu*), Pinellia (*Banxia*), Trichosanthes Fruit (*Gualou*), Bletilla (*Baiji*), and Ampelopsis (*Bailian*). In case of poisoning, decoct Coptis (*Huanglian*), Rhinoceros Horn (*Xijiao*), and Licorice (*Gancao*) to detoxify. Alternatively, decoct Yellow Earth (*Huangtu*) in water and drink. If hands and feet are cracked by frostbite, peel Fuzi, grind into powder, and apply mixed with flour paste. If eyes are red, apply Fuzi slices to the soles of the feet to guide fire downward, which will lead to self-healing. The tip of Fuzi drunk with fermented grain water can induce vomiting of sticky phlegm.