远志，味苦，气温，无毒。而能解毒，安心气，定神益智，多服强记，亦能止梦遗，乃
心经
之药，凡心经虚病俱可治之。然尤不止治心也。肝、脾、肺之病俱可兼治，此归脾汤所以用
远志也。而吾以为不止治心、肝、脾、肺也。夫心肾常相通者也，心不通于肾，则肾之气不
上
交于心，肾不通于心，则心之气亦不下交于肾。远志定神，则君心宁静而心气自通于肾矣，
心之气既下通于肾，谓远志但益心而不益肾，所不信也。是远志乃通心肾之妙药。故能开心
窍而益智，安肾而止梦遗，否则心肾两离，何能强记而闭守哉。
或问远志既是心经之药，心气一虚，即宜多加以益心，何故前人少用也？不知心为君主，
君
心宁静则火不上炎。心虚而少益其火，则心转受大补之益。倘多用远志以益心，必至添火
以增焰，是益心而反害心矣。所以远志止可少用，而断不可多用也。（〔批〕添火增炎，新
。）
或问远志益心，而子又曰益肾，毕竟补心多于补肾，抑补肾多于补心乎？盖远志益心，
自是
心经主药，补心多于补肾，何必辨哉。虽然心肾之气，实两相通也，既两相通，则远志之补
心肾，又何有于两异。惟是用药者或有重轻，则补心补肾亦各有分别。补心之药多用，远志
重在补心。补肾之药多用，远志重在补肾。补心补肾虽若有殊，而通心通肾正无或异也。
或问远志上通心而下通肾，有之乎？曰∶有之。有则何以上通心者每用远志，而下通肾者绝
不用远志耶？不知肾药易通于心，而心药难通于肾，故用肾药，不必又用远志，而用心药，
不可不用远志也。（〔批〕远志补心而不补肾，然能通肾，通肾自然补肾矣，亦宜活看。）
或问远志益心而不效，岂多用之故乎，然未尝多用而仍然不效者何也？盖肾气乘之也。
夫肾
益心者也。虽曰水克火，实水润心也。然则肾何以乘心也。肾之乘心者，非肾气之旺，乃肾
气之衰，肾水旺则肾益心，肾水衰则肾克心也。不滋肾以益水，徒用远志以益火，则火愈旺
而心愈不安矣。毋怪其少用而亦不效也。苟用远志于熟地、山茱之内，则肾得滋而心火胥受
益矣。
或问陈言《三因方》用远志酒，治一切痈疽、发背、阴毒有效，子何略而不言？非不言
也。
陈言单举远志一味以示奇，其实酒中不止远志也。单藉远志以治痈，未有不败者。盖痈毒至
于发背，其势最横、最大，岂区区远志酒汁传之，即能奏功乎，此不必辨而知其非也。或用
金银花为君，佐之远志则可，然亦蛇足之说。不若竟用金银花半斤，加当归一二两，甘草四
五钱，治之之为神。
或疑远志不可治痈，前人何故载之书册，以误后人，想亦有功于痈，吾子未识耳。嗟乎。
远
志治痈，余先未尝不信，每用之而不效，今奉岐夫子之教，不觉爽然自失，悔从前误信耳。
至于用金银花方治痈，屡获奇效，故敢辟陈言而特载用新方，无使后人再误如铎也。
或疑远志益心而不益肾，而吾子必曰兼益肾，似乎心肾之亏者，单用远志一味，而心肾
两补
矣。何以肾虚者，必另加补肾之药，不单用远志乎？不知远志可引肾之气以通心，非助肾之
水以滋心也。故通心肾者，用远志一味，而心肾已受两益矣。若心肾两虚者，乌或全恃远志
哉。（〔批〕总之，远志并非可单用之药。）
Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi, 远志), bitter in taste and warm in nature, is non-toxic. It can detoxify, calm the Heart Qi (vital energy of the Heart), stabilize the spirit, enhance wisdom, and with prolonged use, strengthen memory. It can also arrest nocturnal emissions. It is a herb entering the Heart Meridian (Heart Channel), suitable for treating all deficiency syndromes of the Heart. However, its action is not limited to the Heart. It can also concurrently treat diseases of the Liver, Spleen, and Lung; this is why Polygalae Radix is used in Guipi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction). But I believe its scope extends beyond the Heart, Liver, Spleen, and Lung. The Heart and Kidney are usually interconnected. If Heart Qi does not reach the Kidney, then Kidney Qi cannot ascend to connect with the Heart; if Kidney Qi does not reach the Heart, then Heart Qi cannot descend to connect with the Kidney. Polygalae Radix stabilizes the spirit, making the Monarch (Heart) tranquil, so that Heart Qi naturally connects with the Kidney. Since Heart Qi has descended to connect with the Kidney, I do not believe that Polygalae Radix only benefits the Heart without benefiting the Kidney. Therefore, Polygalae Radix is an exquisite herb for connecting the Heart and Kidney. Thus, it can open the orifices of the Heart to enhance wisdom and secure the Kidney to arrest nocturnal emissions. Otherwise, with the separation of Heart and Kidney, how could one achieve strong memory and retention of essence?
One asks: Since Polygalae Radix enters the Heart Meridian, when Heart Qi is deficient, one should add more to benefit the Heart. Why did predecessors rarely use it? One does not know that the Heart is the Monarch. When the Monarch's Heart is tranquil, fire does not flare upward. If the Heart is deficient and its fire is slightly supplemented, the Heart will receive great benefit from supplementation. However, if Polygalae Radix is used in large doses to benefit the Heart, it will inevitably add fire to increase the flame, thereby harming the Heart while claiming to benefit it. Therefore, Polygalae Radix should only be used in small doses and absolutely not in large doses. [Commentary: Adding fire and increasing flame, new.]
One asks: Polygalae Radix benefits the Heart, yet you also say it benefits the Kidney. Does it benefit the Heart more than the Kidney, or the Kidney more than the Heart? Generally, Polygalae Radix is the principal herb for the Heart Meridian in benefiting the Heart, so it benefits the Heart more than the Kidney; why bother distinguishing? Although, the Qi of the Heart and Kidney is indeed mutually connected. Since they are connected, what difference is there in Polygalae Radix's supplementation of both? It is merely that practitioners may emphasize one over the other, leading to distinctions in whether the focus is on benefiting the Heart or the Kidney. When herbs benefiting the Heart are used predominantly, Polygalae Radix focuses on benefiting the Heart. When herbs benefiting the Kidney are used predominantly, Polygalae Radix focuses on benefiting the Kidney. Although benefiting the Heart and Kidney seems different, connecting the Heart and Kidney is essentially the same.
One asks: Does Polygalae Radix ascend to connect the Heart and descend to connect the Kidney? Answer: Yes. If so, why is Polygalae Radix often used to ascend and connect the Heart, but never used to descend and connect the Kidney? One does not know that Kidney herbs easily connect to the Heart, whereas Heart herbs are difficult to connect to the Kidney. Therefore, when using Kidney herbs, there is no need to additionally use Polygalae Radix, but when using Heart herbs, Polygalae Radix must be used. [Commentary: Polygalae Radix benefits the Heart but not the Kidney directly, yet it can connect the Kidney; connecting the Kidney naturally benefits the Kidney as well, so one should view this flexibly.]
One asks: Polygalae Radix benefits the Heart but fails to produce effect. Is this due to excessive dosage? Yet, even without excessive dosage, it still fails. What is the reason? This is because of the influence of Kidney Qi. The Kidney is meant to benefit the Heart. Although Water controls Fire, in reality, Water moistens the Heart. So why does the Kidney overwhelm/control the Heart? The Kidney overwhelming the Heart is not due to exuberant Kidney Qi, but rather deficient Kidney Qi. When Kidney Water is exuberant, the Kidney benefits the Heart; when Kidney Water is deficient, the Kidney controls/harms the Heart. If one does not nourish the Kidney to benefit Water, but solely uses Polygalae Radix to benefit Fire, the Fire becomes more exuberant and the Heart becomes more unsettled. No wonder it fails even in small doses. If Polygalae Radix is used within Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata (Shudi) and Corni Fructus (Shanzhuyu), the Kidney will be nourished, and the Heart Fire will also benefit.
One asks: Chen Yan's *San Yin Fang* uses Polygalae Radix wine to treat all kinds of carbuncles, ulcers, back abscesses, and yin toxins effectively. Why do you omit this? It is not omitted. Chen Yan single-handedly lists Polygalae Radix to show its uniqueness, but actually, the wine contains more than just Polygalae Radix. Relying solely on Polygalae Radix to treat carbuncles invariably leads to failure. Because when carbuncle toxicity develops into a back abscess, the condition is most fierce and extensive. Could mere juice from Polygalae Radix wine achieve success? This is obviously incorrect without needing debate. Using Honeysuckle Flower (Jinyinhua) as the sovereign herb, assisted by Polygalae Radix, is acceptable, though this might be seen as superfluous. It is better to simply use half a jin of Honeysuckle Flower, add one or two liang of Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), and four or five qian of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao) for treatment, which would be miraculous.
One suspects that Polygalae Radix cannot treat carbuncles, yet predecessors recorded it in books, misleading later generations. Perhaps it has merit for carbuncles, which I have failed to recognize. Alas! Regarding Polygalae Radix treating carbuncles, I previously did not disbelieve it either. Every time I used it, it was ineffective. Now, following the teachings of Master Qibo, I feel lost and regret my previous mistaken belief. As for using Honeysuckle Flower formulas to treat carbuncles, I have repeatedly achieved remarkable effects. Therefore, I dare to refute Chen Yan and specifically record this new prescription, so that later generations do not make mistakes like I did.
One suspects that Polygalae Radix only benefits the Heart and not the Kidney, yet you insist it benefits both. It seems that for those with Heart and Kidney deficiency, using only Polygalae Radix alone would benefit both. Why must those with Kidney deficiency add separate Kidney-benefiting herbs instead of using Polygalae Radix alone? One does not know that Polygalae Radix can guide Kidney Qi to connect with the Heart; it does not assist Kidney Water to nourish the Heart. Therefore, when connecting the Heart and Kidney, using only Polygalae Radix allows both Heart and Kidney to receive dual benefits. If both Heart and Kidney are deficient, how can one rely entirely on Polygalae Radix? [Commentary: In short, Polygalae Radix is not an herb that can be used alone.]