巴戟天，味甘、温，无毒。入心、肾二经。补虚损劳伤，壮阳道，止小腹牵痛，健骨强
筋，
定心气，益精增志，能止梦遗，此臣药，男妇俱有益，不只利男人也。世人谓其能使痿阳重
起，故云只利男子。不知阳事之痿者，由于命门火衷，妇人命门与男子相同，安在不可同补
乎。（〔批〕巴戟天男女受益，论是。）夫命门火衰，则脾胃寒虚，即不能大进饮食。用附子
、肉桂，以温命门，未免过于太热，何如用巴戟天之甘温，补其火，而又不烁其水之为妙耶
。
或问巴戟天近人罕用，止用之于丸散之中，不识亦可用于汤剂中耶？曰∶巴戟天，正汤
剂之
妙药，无如近人不识也。巴戟天，温而不热，健脾开胃，既益元阳，复填阴水，真接续之利
器，有近效，而又有远功。夫巴戟天虽入心、肾，而不入脾、胃，然入心，则必生脾胃之气
，故脾胃受其益。汤剂用之，其效易速，必开胃气，多能加餐，及至多餐，而脾乃善消。又
因肾气之补，薰蒸脾胃之气也，谁谓巴戟天不宜入于汤剂哉。
巴戟天温补命门，又大补肾水，实资生之妙药。单用一味为丸，更能补精种子，世人未
知也
。
或疑巴戟天入汤剂最妙，何以前人未见用之？曰∶前人多用，子未知之耳。夫巴戟天，
补水
火之不足，益心肾之有余，实补药之翘楚也。用之补气之中，可以健脾以开胃气；用之补血
之中，可以润肝以养肺阴。古人不特用之，且重用之。自黄柏、知母之论兴，遂置巴戟天于
无用之地。嗟乎！人生于火，而不生于寒，如巴戟天之药，又乌可不亟为表扬哉。
Morinda officinalis (Bajitian), with a sweet taste and warm nature, is non-toxic. It enters the Heart and Kidney meridians. It tonifies deficiency and damage from overwork, strengthens the Yang pathway, stops pulling pain in the lower abdomen, strengthens bones and sinews, stabilizes Heart Qi, benefits essence and enhances willpower, and can stop nocturnal emission. As a Minister herb (herbs that assist the Sovereign herb in treating main symptoms or enhance its efficacy), it benefits both men and women, not just men. The world believes it causes flaccid Yang to rise again, hence saying it only benefits men. They do not know that flaccidity of sexual function is due to the decline of Fire at the Gate of Life (Mingmen). Since the Gate of Life in women is the same as in men, how can it not be supplemented similarly? (Commentary: The argument that Bajitian benefits both men and women is correct.) When Fire at the Gate of Life declines, the Spleen and Stomach become cold and deficient, making it impossible to consume large amounts of food. Using Aconite Root (Fuzi) and Cinnamon Bark (Rougui) to warm the Gate of Life is perhaps too hot; what could be more wonderful than using the sweet-warm nature of Morinda officinalis to supplement Fire without scorching Water?
Someone asked: Modern people rarely use Morinda officinalis, employing it only in pills and powders. Is it unknown whether it can be used in decoctions? I replied: Morinda officinalis is indeed a wonderful medicine for decoctions, but modern people simply do not understand it. Morinda officinalis is warm but not hot; it strengthens the Spleen and opens the stomach appetite. It both benefits Primordial Yang and fills Yin Water. It is truly an excellent tool for connecting [Yin and Yang], offering both immediate effects and long-term benefits. Although Morinda officinalis enters the Heart and Kidney, and does not directly enter the Spleen and Stomach, by entering the Heart, it necessarily generates Qi of the Spleen and Stomach; thus, the Spleen and Stomach benefit from it. When used in decoctions, its effect is rapid. It surely opens the stomach appetite, allowing one to eat more. Once eating increases, the Spleen becomes good at digestion. Furthermore, due to the supplementation of Kidney Qi steaming and warming the Qi of the Spleen and Stomach, who says Morinda officinalis is unsuitable for decoctions?
Morinda officinalis warms and tonifies the Gate of Life and greatly supplements Kidney Water. It is truly a miraculous medicine for nourishing life. Used alone as a single herb made into pills, it can further supplement essence and seed. The world does not know this.
Some doubt: If Morinda officinalis is most wonderful in decoctions, why did predecessors not see its use? I replied: Predecessors used it often; you are just unaware. Morinda officinalis supplements the insufficiency of Water and Fire and benefits the excess of the Heart and Kidney. It is truly the outstanding among tonifying herbs. When used among Qi-tonifying herbs, it can strengthen the Spleen to open the stomach appetite; when used among Blood-tonifying herbs, it can moisten the Liver to nourish Lung Yin. Ancients not only used it but also heavily relied on it. Since the theories of Phellodendron Bark (Huangbai) and Anemarrhena Rhizome (Zhimu) promoting heat-clearing and fire-descending rose, Morinda officinalis was placed in a position of uselessness. Alas! Humans are born from Fire, not from Cold. How can medicines like Morinda officinalis not be urgently praised and promoted?