气平微寒。味苦甘。无毒。主解百毒。杀百精老物殃鬼。辟瘟疫瘴气邪气。蛊毒入
口皆吐出。中恶腹痛。时气毒疠。头痛寒热。风肿诸毒。喉痛口疮。久服不夭。轻身长年。
升麻气平微寒。禀天秋平冬寒金水之气。入手太阴肺经、足太阳膀胱经、手太阳小肠经。
味
苦甘无毒。得地南方中央火土之味。入手少阴心经。味苦则燥。入足阳明胃经。气味轻清。
阳也。其解百毒者。气平而寒。味甘而苦。能清能和。所以解毒也。其杀百精老物殃鬼者。
升麻禀平寒之气。则得清阳通达之性。能破幽暗。制精鬼也。瘟疫瘴气邪气。皆天地郁塞熏
蒸之气也。平寒能清。苦能泄。甘能和。所以能辟之也。蛊毒阴恶败坏之毒。甘苦之味。能
和能解。故药入口。蛊即吐出也。其主中恶腹痛者。甘能解毒。苦能泄邪也。其主时气毒疠
头痛者。甘平和毒。苦寒清热。平苦又燥湿也。其主寒热风肿诸毒者。平甘以和之。寒苦以
清之。入膀胱。能散寒热风肿也。喉痛口疮。火郁于上也。其主之者。苦寒之味。火郁发之
也。久服不夭。轻身长年者。升麻为阴中之阳。能升阳气于至阴之下。阴精所奉。其人寿也
。盖必佐补药。方可久服耳。
制 方:
升麻同葱白。散阳明风邪。同石膏。止阳明齿痛。同葛根、白芍、甘草。名升麻葛根汤。
治
阳明之热邪。及 疹。同人参、莲子。治噤口痢。同石膏、知母、麦冬、竹叶。治阳明经风
热。同川连、红曲、滑石、白芍、甘草。治痢。
[Shengma] (Rhizoma Cimicifugae)
The qi is neutral and slightly cold. The taste is bitter and sweet. It is non-toxic. It primarily resolves all toxins, kills various spirits, old entities, and malevolent ghosts, and wards off epidemic miasma, pestilential qi, evil qi, and gu poison. When gu poison enters the mouth, it causes vomiting to expel it. It treats zhong'e abdominal pain, seasonal epidemic toxic pestilence, headache with chills and fever, wind-induced swelling, and various toxins causing sore throat and oral ulcers. Long-term use prevents premature death, lightens the body, and prolongs life.
Shengma's neutral and slightly cold qi inherits the qi of metal and water from the autumnal peace and winter cold. It enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, and Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian.
Its bitter and sweet taste, being non-toxic, derives from the flavors of fire and earth in the southern central region. It enters the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. A bitter taste induces dryness, entering the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. Its aroma and flavor are light and clear, belonging to Yang. Its ability to resolve all toxins stems from its neutral and cold qi, and sweet and bitter taste, which allow it to clear heat and harmonize, thus detoxifying. Its ability to kill spirits and ghosts arises because Shengma inherits neutral and cold qi, granting it the nature of clear Yang to penetrate through; it can break through darkness and restrain spirits. Epidemic miasma, pestilential qi, and evil qi are all qi generated by stagnation, blockage, and steaming in heaven and earth. Neutral and cold qi clears heat; bitter taste drains downward; sweet taste harmonizes; thus, it can ward them off. Gu poison is a yin, malicious, and corrupting toxin. The sweet and bitter tastes can harmonize and resolve it; therefore, upon ingestion, the gu poison is vomited out. It treats zhong'e abdominal pain because sweet taste detoxifies and bitter taste drains pathogenic factors. It treats headaches caused by seasonal epidemic toxic pestilence because sweet and neutral flavors harmonize toxins, bitter and cold flavors clear heat, and neutral and bitter flavors also dry dampness. It treats chills, fever, wind-induced swelling, and various toxins because neutral and sweet flavors harmonize them, while cold and bitter flavors clear them; entering the Bladder Meridian, it disperses chills, fever, wind, and swelling. Sore throat and oral ulcers result from Fire stagnating in the upper jiao. Shengma treats this using its bitter and cold flavor to "vent" the stagnated Fire (Huo Yu Fa Zhi). Long-term use preventing premature death, resulting in a light body and longevity, occurs because Shengma is Yang within Yin; it can ascend Yang Qi from below the extreme Yin, allowing Yin Essence to be nourished, thereby extending life. However, it must be accompanied by tonifying herbs for long-term use.
Prescription Applications:
Shengma combined with Congbai (Scallion White) disperses Wind-Pathogen in the Yangming channel. Combined with Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum), it stops toothache in the Yangming channel. Combined with Gegen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix), Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), it forms Shengma Gegen Tang (Cimicifugae and Kudzu Decoction), treating Heat-Pathogen in the Yangming channel and measles/rash. Combined with Renshen (Ginseng Radix) and Lianzi (Nelumbinis Semen), it treats Jin Kou Li (Dysentery with inability to swallow food). Combined with Shigao, Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), and Zhuye (Bambusae Folium), it treats Wind-Heat in the Yangming channel. Combined with Chuanlian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Hongqu (Red Yeast Rice), Huashi (Talcum), Baishao, and Gancao, it treats dysentery.