气微温。味苦。无毒。主伤中。补不足。金疮痈疡折跌续筋骨。妇人乳难。久服益
气力。（酒炒用）
续断气微温。禀天春升之木气。入足厥阴肝经。味苦无毒。得地南方之火味。入手少阴
心经
。
气升味降。阳也。肝藏血。心主血。血者营也。中之守也。血虚则中伤。续断气微温入肝。
肝者阳中之少阳。以生气血者也。所以主伤中。补不足者。补肝经之不足也。金疮痈疡。
皆伤血之症。气温益血。味苦清心。所以主之。折跌续筋骨者。气微温能活血。血活则断者
续也。女人血不足则乳难。气温行血。血充乳自多也。肝者罢极之本。以生血气之脏也。气
微温。达少阳之气。所以益气力也。
制 方:
续断一味。治产后诸症。同杜仲、枣肉丸。治胎不安。同北味、木瓜、炮姜、牛膝、丹
皮、
生地。治产后火升。
气温。味酸。无毒。主益气。咳逆上气。劳伤羸瘦。补不足。强阴。益男子精。
五味子气温。禀天春升之木气。入足少阳胆经。味酸无毒。得地东方之木味。入足厥阴
肝经
。气升味降。阴也。胆者担也。生气之原也。肝者敢也。以生血气之脏也。五味气温益胆
。
味酸益肝。所以益气。肝血虚则木枯火炎。乘所不胜。病咳逆上气矣。五味酸以收之。
温以
行之。味过于酸。则肝气以津而火不炎矣。肝气不足。则不胜作劳。劳则伤其真气。而肝病
乘脾。脾主肌肉。故肌肉瘦削。五味酸以滋肝。气温治劳。所以主劳伤羸瘦也。肝胆者。东
方生生之脏腑。万物荣发之经也。肝胆生发。则余脏从之宣化。五味益胆气而滋肝血。所以
补不足也。阴者宗筋也。肝主筋。味酸益肝。肝旺故阴强也。酸温之品。收敛元阳。敛则阴
生。精者阴气之英华也。所以益男子精也。
制 方:
五味子同黄 、麦冬、黄柏。治夏月困乏无力。同炮姜炭。敛浮游之火归于下焦。同干
葛、
扁豆
。治酒疸。同苦茶、甘草。治久咳。同白矾末。猪肺蘸服。治痰嗽并喘。专为末。治肝虚泄
精。及阳事不起。同生地、丹皮、山萸、山药、泽泻、茯芩。名都气汤。治水虚火炎。同淫
羊藿丸。治阴虚阳痿。临房不举。易泄易软。
Qi is slightly warm. Flavor is bitter. Non-toxic. Primarily treats internal injury (shang zhong, damage to the middle jiao/viscera). Tonifies insufficiency. Treats metal wounds (jin chuang), sores and ulcers (yong yang), fractures and dislocations (zhe die) to reconnect sinews and bones (xu jin gu). Treats difficult lactation in women (ru nan). Long-term consumption benefits qi and strength. (Use after stir-frying with wine.)
Xu Duan (Dipsaci Radix): Qi is slightly warm. It inherits the spring-rising Wood Qi of heaven, enters the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. Flavor is bitter and non-toxic, obtaining the Fire flavor of the south earth, enters the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian.
Its nature rises and its flavor descends; it is Yang. The Liver stores blood; the Heart governs blood. Blood belongs to Ying (Nutritive Qi) and serves as the guardian within. Blood deficiency leads to injury of the middle. Xu Duan, with slightly warm Qi entering the Liver meridian: The Liver is Shao Yang within Yang, responsible for generating Qi and Blood. Thus, it primarily treats internal injury and tonifies insufficiency, specifically by tonifying the insufficiency of the Liver meridian. Metal wounds and sores are conditions damaging blood. Warm Qi benefits blood; bitter flavor clears the Heart; hence it treats these. For fractures requiring bone connection, its slightly warm Qi activates blood; when blood flows, broken parts reconnect. Women with insufficient blood experience difficult lactation; warm Qi moves blood, and when blood is abundant, milk increases naturally. The Liver is the root of fatigue, the zang organ that generates Qi and Blood. Its slightly warm Qi reaches the Shao Yang, thus benefiting Qi and strength.
Prescription Formulation:
Using only Xu Duan to treat various postpartum syndromes. Combined with Du Zhong (Eucommiae Cortex) and date paste pills to treat fetal unrest. Combined with Bei Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus), Mu Gua (Chaenomelis Fructus), Pao Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Preparatum), Niu Xi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex), and Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) to treat postpartum rising fire.
Qi is warm. Flavor is sour. Non-toxic. Primarily benefits Qi. Treats cough with rebellious Qi (ke ni shang qi). Treats emaciation and weakness due to consumptive injury (lao shang lei shou). Tonifies insufficiency. Strengthens Yin. Benefits male essence (jing).
Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus): Qi is warm. It inherits the spring-rising Wood Qi of heaven, enters the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. Flavor is sour and non-toxic, obtaining the Wood flavor of the east earth, enters the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its nature rises and its flavor descends; it is Yin. The Gallbladder is responsible/bearing; it is the source of generated Qi. The Liver is courageous; it is the zang organ that generates Qi and Blood. Wu Wei Zi’s warm Qi benefits the Gallbladder.
Sour flavor benefits the Liver, thus benefiting Qi. If Liver Blood is deficient, Wood becomes dry and Fire flares up, attacking what it cannot overcome (Lung), resulting in cough and rebellious Qi. Wu Wei Zi uses sour flavor to astringe it and warm nature to move it. If the sour flavor is excessive, Liver Qi becomes moist and Fire does not flare. If Liver Qi is insufficient, one cannot endure labor; labor damages True Qi, and Liver pathology attacks the Spleen. The Spleen governs muscles, hence muscle emaciation. Wu Wei Zi uses sour flavor to nourish the Liver and warm nature to treat consumption; thus it primarily treats emaciation due to labor injury. The Liver and Gallbladder are the zang-fu organs of the East, the meridians of flourishing growth for all things. When Liver and Gallbladder generate and flourish, other zang-fu follow in their diffusion and transformation. Wu Wei Zi benefits Gallbladder Qi and nourishes Liver Blood, thus tonifying insufficiency. Yin refers to the Sinew Vessels (Zong Jin). The Liver governs sinews; sour flavor benefits the Liver, and when Liver is prosperous, Yin is strong. Sour and warm substances converge Yuan Yang; convergence generates Yin. Essence is the refined splendor of Yin Qi; thus it benefits male essence.
Prescription Formulation:
Wu Wei Zi combined with Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Tuber), and Huang Bo (Phellodendri Cortex) to treat summer fatigue and weakness. Combined with Pao Jiang Tan (Prepared Charred Ginger Rhizome) to anchor floating fire back to the Lower Jiao. Combined with Gan Ge (Puerariae Lobatae Radix) and Bian Dou (Dolichoris Lablab Semen Album) to treat Jaundice caused by alcohol (Jiu Dan). Combined with Ku Cha (Bitter Tea) and Gan Cao (Licorice Root) to treat chronic cough. Combined with Bai Fan (Alumen) powder, dipped in Pig Lung, to treat phlegm-cough and wheezing. Ground into fine powder alone to treat Liver deficiency with seminal emission and impotence (yang shi bu qi). Combined with Sheng Di Huang, Dan Pi, Shan Zhu Yu (Corni Fructus), Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma), Ze Xie (Alismatis Rhizoma), and Fu Ling (Poria) to form Du Qi Tang, treating Water deficiency with Fire flaring. Combined with Yin Yang Huo Wan (Epimedii Pill) to treat Yin deficiency with impotence, inability to erect during intercourse, premature ejaculation, and softening.