气平。味甘。无毒。主胸胁逆气。忧恚惊邪恐悸。心下结痛。寒热烦满咳逆。口焦
舌干。利小便。久服安魂养神。不饥延年。
茯苓气平。禀天秋降之金气。入手太阴肺经。味甘无毒。得地中正之土味。入足太阴脾
经。
气平味和。降中有升。阴也。胸者肺之分也。胁者肝之分也。肝主升而肺主降。肺金不足则
气不降。肝木有余则气上逆。逆于肝肺之分。故在胸胁间也。茯苓入肺。气平则降。味甘可
以缓肝。所以主之。脾为土。肺为金。脾肺上下相交。则五脏皆和。位一身之天地矣。若脾
肺失中和之德。则忧恚惊邪恐悸。七情乖戾于胸。发不中节而为病。茯苓味甘和脾。气平和
肺。脾肺和平。七情调矣。心下脾之分也。湿热在脾则结痛。湿热不除。则流入太阳而发寒
热。郁于太阴而烦满。湿乘肺金而咳逆。茯苓甘平淡渗。所以能燥脾伐水清金。治以上诸症
也。人身水道不通。则火无制。而口焦舌干矣。茯苓入肺。以通水道。下输膀胱。则火有去
路。故止口舌干焦。水道通。所以又利小便也。肝者魂之居也。而随魂往来者神也。久服茯
苓。则肺清肃。故肝木和平。而魂神安养也。不饥延年者。脾为后天之本。肺为元气之腑。
脾健则不饥。气足则延年也。
制 方:
白茯同人参、白术、甘草、陈皮、山药、扁豆、白芍。治脾虚。同人参、白术、甘草、
陈皮
、半夏。名六君子汤。治咳而吐。同二术、泽泻、车前、白芍、陈皮、木瓜、猪苓。治水肿
。同陈皮、半夏、甘草、人参、枳壳、川芎、白芍、归身、生地、前胡、葛根、桔梗、苏叶
、生姜、大枣。名茯苓补心汤。治火郁心包痛而吐血咳逆。
Poria (Fuling), with a neutral qi and sweet taste, is non-toxic. It primarily treats rebellious qi in the chest and hypochondrium, as well as palpitations and fright caused by worry, resentment, shock, or evil pathogens. It resolves knotting and pain below the heart, alleviates alternating chills and fever, vexation and fullness, coughing and rebellious qi, and scorched mouth and dry tongue. It promotes urination. Long-term consumption calms the soul and nourishes the spirit, prevents hunger, and prolongs life.
Poria has a neutral qi, inheriting the descending metal qi of autumn, and enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its sweet taste and non-toxic nature derive from the central earth flavor of the earth, entering the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian.
With harmonious neutral qi and taste, it descends while containing ascending properties, belonging to Yin. The chest is the domain of the Lung; the hypochondrium is the domain of the Liver. The Liver governs ascending, while the Lung governs descending. If Lung Metal is deficient, qi fails to descend; if Liver Wood is excessive, qi rebels upward. This rebellion occurs in the regions of the Liver and Lung, hence manifesting in the chest and hypochondrium. Poria enters the Lung meridian; its neutral qi aids descent, and its sweet taste soothes the Liver, thus treating these conditions. The Spleen is Earth, and the Lung is Metal. When the Spleen and Lung interact上下 (upper and lower), the Five Zang Organs harmonize, representing Heaven and Earth within the body. If the Spleen and Lung lose their virtue of harmony, emotions such as worry, resentment, shock, and fear become disordered. These Seven Emotions conflict in the chest, erupting without moderation and causing disease. Poria’s sweet taste harmonizes the Spleen, and its neutral qi pacifies the Lung. When the Spleen and Lung are peaceful, the Seven Emotions are regulated. The area below the heart belongs to the Spleen. Damp-heat stagnating in the Spleen causes knotting and pain. If damp-heat is not cleared, it flows into the Taiyang channel causing chills and fever, stagnates in the Taiyin channel causing vexation and fullness, and invades Lung Metal causing cough and rebellious qi. Poria is sweet, bland, and permeating, thus drying dampness, strengthening the Spleen, draining water, and clearing Metal, thereby treating the aforementioned symptoms. When the body's water pathways are obstructed, Fire lacks control, leading to scorched mouth and dry tongue. Poria enters the Lung meridian to unblock water pathways, directing water downward to the Bladder, providing an exit for Fire, thus stopping mouth and tongue dryness. Since water pathways are unblocked, it also promotes urination. The Liver is the residence of the Hun (Ethereal Soul), accompanied by the Shen (Spirit). Long-term consumption of Poria clears and purifies the Lung, harmonizing Liver Wood and calming and nourishing the Hun and Shen. "Preventing hunger and prolonging life" occurs because the Spleen is the root of Post-Heaven existence, and the Lung is the mansion of Yuan Qi (Original Qi). A healthy Spleen prevents hunger, and sufficient Qi prolongs life.
Prescription Methods:
Combine Bai Fuling (White Poria) with Renshen (Ginseng), Baizhu (Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome), Gancao (Licorice Root), Chenpi (Tangerine Peel), Shanyao (Dioscorea Rhizome), Biandou (Lablab Bean), and Baishao (White Peony Root) to treat Spleen Deficiency.
Combine Bai Fuling with Renshen, Baizhu, Gancao, Chenpi, and Banxia (Pinellia Tuber), named Liujunzi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction), to treat cough with expectoration.
Combine Bai Fuling with Zhushu (Cangzhu and Baizhu), Zexie (Alisma Rhizome), Cheqian (Plantago Seed), Baishao, Chenpi, Mugua (Chaenomelos Fruit), and Zhuling (Polyporus) to treat edema.
Combine Bai Fuling with Chenpi, Banxia, Gancao, Renshen, Zhike (Aurantii Fructus), Chuanxiong (Ligusticum Rhizome), Baishao, Guishen (Angelica Sinensis Root Tip), Shengdi (Rehmannia Root), Qianhu (Peucedani Radix), Gegen (Puerariae Radix), Jiegeng (Platycodon Root), Ziye (Perilla Leaf), Shengjiang (Fresh Ginger), and Dazao (Jujube), named Fuling Buxin Tang (Poria Heart-Nourishing Decoction), to treat chest pain due to Fire depression in the Pericardium, hemoptysis, and cough with rebellious qi.