甘蔗，味甘，气平，无毒。入脾、肺、大小肠。绞汁入药，养脾和中，解酒毒，止渴，
利大
小肠，益气，驱天行热，定狂。
砂糖，杀疳虫，润肺，除寒热，凉心。多食伤齿。二味糖，不可入诸药中。唯蔗可用者，
取
其生气以止热，自易生津耳。
蔗浆，止渴，亦权宜之法，多饮又不相宜，恐过多生痰耳。
甘蔗，世人皆以为性热，不敢多食。不知甘蔗甘平而兼微寒，能泻火热，润燥之妙品也。
覆盆子，味甘，气平、微热，无毒。入五脏命门。拯 益气，温中补虚，续绝，安和五
脏，
悦泽肌肤，疗中风发热成惊。治肾伤精竭流滑，明目黑须，耐老轻身。男子久服轻身，女人
多服结孕，益人不浅，而医家只入于丸散之中，而不用于汤剂之内。谁知覆盆子用之汤剂，
更效应如响，其功不亚于肉桂。且肉桂过热，而覆盆子微热，既无阳旺之虞，且有阴衰之益
。虽不可全倚之为君，而实可大用之为臣，不可视为佐使之具也。
或疑覆盆子一味为末，酒送亦能兴阳，非君药乎？曰∶单味服之，终觉效轻。只可与阳
微衰
者，为助阳之汤，而不可与阳大衰者，为起阳之剂，盖覆盆子必佐参、 ，而效乃大，必增
以桂、附，而效乃弘，实可臣而不可君之品也。
或疑覆盆子亦可为君，而子必以为臣，然吾见古人有配二、三味而成功者，亦独何欤？
曰∶
覆盆子遇补气之药，不可与人参争雄；遇补血之药，不可与当归争长；遇补精之药，不可与
熟地争驱；遇补脾之药，不可与白术争胜。殆北面之贤臣，非南面之英主也。故辅佐赞襄，
必能奏最以垂勋，而不能独立建绩矣。
或疑覆盆子兴阳实有功，而吾子必贬之为臣使之药，意谓必与人参同用为佳，然天下之
人安
得尽用人参也？曰∶覆盆子何必尽用人参，归、熟、 、术，何者不可并用乎。
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) has a sweet taste and a neutral qi nature, with no toxicity. It enters the Spleen, Lung, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine meridians. Extracted juice used in medicine nourishes the Spleen and harmonizes the Middle Jiao, resolves alcohol toxicity, relieves thirst, promotes urination through the Large and Small Intestines, supplements Qi, expels epidemic heat pathogens, and calms mania.
Refined sugar (Bing Tang), kills pinworms (Ganchong), moistens the Lungs, eliminates alternating chills and fever, and cools the Heart. Excessive consumption damages teeth. These two types of sugar should not be added to various herbal formulas. Only sugarcane juice is usable, taking advantage of its ability to generate vital energy to clear heat and naturally produce body fluids.
Sugarcane syrup (Zhe Jiang), relieves thirst, but this is only a temporary measure; drinking too much is inappropriate as it may generate phlegm-dampness.
People generally believe sugarcane has a hot nature and dare not eat it in large quantities. They do not know that sugarcane is sweet and neutral with slight cold properties, making it an excellent product for draining fire-heat and moistening dryness.
Rubus chingii (Fupenzi) has a sweet taste and a neutral to slightly warm qi nature, with no toxicity. It enters the Five Zang organs and the Mingmen (Gate of Life). It rescues and supplements Qi, warms the Middle and tonifies deficiency, restores severed connections, harmonizes the Five Zang organs, enhances skin luster, treats convulsions resulting from wind-stroke with fever, and manages kidney injury leading to essence depletion and seminal emission. It brightens vision, darkens beard hair, delays aging, and lightens the body. Men who take it long-term find their bodies lighter; women who take it frequently can conceive pregnancy. Its benefits are profound, yet physicians only include it in pills and powders, not in decoctions. Who would know that when used in decoctions, Fupenzi yields effects as immediate as an echo, with efficacy comparable to Cinnamon Twig (Rougui). Moreover, while Cinnamon Twig is excessively hot, Fupenzi is only slightly warm, posing no risk of excessive Yang flourishing while benefiting Yin deficiency. Although it cannot fully rely on being the Sovereign herb, it is truly suitable for major use as a Minister herb, and should not be viewed merely as an Assistant or Guide herb.
Some doubt that Fupenzi alone, powdered and taken with wine, can stimulate Yang, asking if it is not a Sovereign herb? The answer is: taken singly, the effect is ultimately mild. It can only assist those with weak and declining Yang as a Yang-assisting decoction, but cannot serve as a Yang-restoring agent for those with severe Yang collapse. This is because Fupenzi must be assisted by Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and [missing character, likely Astragali Radix/Huangqi] for significant effect, and must be augmented by Cinnamon Bark (Guizhi) and Aconite Root (Fuzi) for expansive effect. It is indeed a substance fit to be a Minister but not a Sovereign.
Some doubt that Fupenzi could also be a Sovereign herb, yet you insist it is a Minister. However, I have seen ancients succeed with combinations of two or three herbs; why is this so? The answer is: When encountering Qi-tonifying herbs, Fupenzi cannot compete with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen); when encountering Blood-tonifying herbs, it cannot compete with Angelica Sinensis Radix (Danggui); when encountering Essence-tonifying herbs, it cannot compete with Prepared Rehmannia Root (Shudihuang); when encountering Spleen-tonifying herbs, it cannot compete with Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu). It is akin to a virtuous minister who bows north, not a heroic sovereign who faces south. Thus, in assisting and supporting, it can achieve top results and leave merit, but cannot independently establish great feats.
Some doubt that although Fupenzi contributes to stimulating Yang, you must downgrade it to a Minister/Guide herb, implying it is best used with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen). Yet how can everyone in the world afford Ginseng? The answer is: Why must Fupenzi always be used with Ginseng? Angelica Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Prepared Rehmannia Root (Shudihuang), [missing character], and Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu)—which of these cannot be used concurrently?