白扁豆，味甘，气微温，无毒。入脾、胃二经。下气和中，除霍乱吐逆，解河豚酒毒，
善治
暑气。佐参、茯、二术，止泻实神。但味轻气薄，单用无功，必须同补气之药共用为佳矣。
或谓白扁豆非固胎之药，前人安胎药中往往用之，何故？盖胎之不安者，由于气之不安，白
扁豆尤能和中，故用之以和胎气耳。母和而安，即谓之能安胎也。亦可但单用此味，以安骤
动之胎，吾从未见其能安者矣。
或问白扁豆气味凉薄，亦可有可无之物，先生删药味甚多，何独不删白扁豆？夫扁豆乃
五谷
中最纯之味，淡而不厌，可以适用者，不止入汤剂也，或入于丸剂，或磨粉而调食，均能益
人。况功用不独安胎，尤善种子。凡妇人之不受孕者，半由于任、督之伤也，白扁豆善理任
、督，又入脾、胃二经，同人参、白术用之，引入任、督之路，使三经彼此调和，而子宫胞
胎自易容物。予所以特登此味，以为毓麟之资，岂漫然而收录乎哉。
乌芝麻，味甘，气温，无毒，入肾经，并通任、督之脉。功擅黑须，《图经》未载，故
近人
无知之者。凡黑须髭之药，缺乌芝麻则不成功。盖诸药只能补肾，而不能通任督之路也。唇
口之间，正在任督之路，乌芝麻通任督而又补肾，且其汁又黑，所以取神效也。但功力甚薄
，非久服多服，益之以补精之味，未易奏功也。
或问乌芝麻黑须髭，神农未书，《本草》不志，何吾子创言之哉？曰∶乌芝麻变白，予
亲试
而验者。乃不慎色故，余年四十早衰，须髯半白，服乌芝麻重黑，后因变乱，不慎酒色复白
。可见，服乌须药，必须断欲，不可归咎乌芝麻之无效验焉哉。
或疑乌芝麻即白芝麻同类，未闻白芝麻之润肾，乌芝麻之变白，恐亦好事者之言。不知
乌芝
麻之变白，实有义也。芝麻性润而汁乌，乌自入肾，既入肾，自能润髭矣，况又通任督之脉
乎。然而，乌芝麻之义，又不止此，乌芝麻更能上润于心，使心火不炎，不烧任督之路，引
补肾之药至于唇口，故能变白也。
Bai Biandou (White Hyacinth Bean), with a sweet taste and slightly warm nature, is non-toxic. It enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians. It descends Qi and harmonizes the middle Jiao, eliminates vomiting and regurgitation caused by Huoluan (cholera-like syndrome), resolves toxicity from pufferfish and alcohol, and is particularly effective in treating Summerheat pathogen. When combined with Renshen (Ginseng), Fuling (Poria), Baizhu (Atractylodes macrocephala), and Zhushu (Atractylodes lancea), it stops diarrhea with remarkable efficacy. However, its flavor is light and its qi is thin; used alone, it has no effect, so it must be used together with Qi-tonifying herbs for best results.
Some ask: Bai Biandou is not a herb for securing the fetus, yet predecessors often included it in fetal-securing formulas. Why? Generally, fetal instability arises from maternal Qi instability. Bai Biandou excels at harmonizing the Middle Jiao, thus it is used to harmonize fetal Qi. When the mother is harmonized and stable, it is said to secure the fetus. One might use this single herb to calm a suddenly agitated fetus, but I have never seen it succeed in doing so.
Someone asks: Bai Biandou has a cool and thin flavor, seemingly an optional herb. You deleted many herbs, why did you specifically spare Bai Biandou? Because Biandou possesses the purest flavor among the five grains, bland yet not tiresome, applicable not only in decoctions but also in pills or ground into powder for dietary use, all benefiting the body. Moreover, its functions are not limited to securing the fetus but especially promote conception. Women who fail to conceive often suffer injury to the Ren and Du vessels. Bai Biandou regulates the Ren and Du vessels and enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians. Combined with Renshen and Baizhu, it guides medicinal energy into the pathways of the Ren and Du vessels, harmonizing these three meridians, thereby making the uterus and womb receptive to conception. I included this herb specifically as a resource for nurturing offspring, not arbitrarily.
Wu Zhima (Black Sesame Seed), with a sweet taste and warm nature, is non-toxic. It enters the Kidney meridian and connects with the Ren and Du vessels. Its function excels at darkening hair. It was not recorded in *Tujing*, so modern people are ignorant of it. Any herb intended to darken beard and whiskers fails without Wu Zhima. Generally, other herbs can only tonify the Kidney but cannot open the pathways of the Ren and Du vessels. The area between the lips and mouth lies exactly on the pathway of the Ren and Du vessels. Wu Zhima opens these vessels while tonifying the Kidney, and its juice is black, hence achieving miraculous effects. However, its potency is weak; unless taken long-term and in large doses, supplemented with essence-tonifying herbs, it is difficult to achieve results.
Someone asks: Wu Zhima darkens hair, yet Shennong did not write of it, and *Bencao* does not record it. Why do you create such claims? I reply: I personally tested that Wu Zhima turns white. This occurred due to imprudence in sexual activity. At age forty, I experienced premature aging, with half my beard turning white. After taking Wu Zhima, it turned black again. Later, due to turmoil, I indulged in wine and sex, and it turned white again. Thus, when taking hair-darkening herbs, one must abstain from sexual desire; one should not blame Wu Zhima for lacking efficacy.
Some suspect Wu Zhima is the same category as Bai Zhima (White Sesame Seed) and have not heard that White Sesame nourishes the Kidney or that Black Sesame turns white, fearing this is merely talk by enthusiasts. They do not understand the rationale behind Wu Zhima turning white. Sesame is moistening, and its juice is black. Black enters the Kidney; once in the Kidney, it naturally moistens the beard. Furthermore, it connects the Ren and Du vessels. However, the significance of Wu Zhima extends beyond this: it moistens the Heart from above, preventing Heart Fire from flaring up and burning the pathways of the Ren and Du vessels, thereby guiding Kidney-tonifying herbs to the lips and mouth, which allows white hair to turn black.