气平。味苦。无毒。主腰脊痛强。骨节风寒湿周痹。恶疮不瘳。热气。
萆 气平。禀天秋降之金气。入手太阴肺经。味苦无毒。得地南方之火味。入手少阴心
经。
气味俱降。阴也。太阳寒水经。挟脊抵腰中。太阳有湿。则阳气不布。腰脊强而痛矣。太阳
经行身表附皮毛而为外卫者也。皮毛者肺之合。萆 气平入肺。味苦燥湿。肺之皮毛理而太
阳之湿亦逐。所以主腰脊强痛也。骨节者节犍之处也。亦属太阳经。湿流孔窍。故风寒湿合
而成痹。则周身麻木而骨节更甚也。其主之者。萆 入肺。肺通调水道。下输膀胱。可以去
太阳之湿而理痹也。恶疮热气。皆属心火。萆 味苦清心。心火退。则疡疮愈而热气解矣。
制 方:
萆 同莲子、白茯、车前、木通、泽泻、牛膝、甘草、黄柏。可厘清治湿。同杜仲。治
腰脚
痹。同菖蒲、益智、乌药。治白浊。佐杜仲、肉苁蓉、菟丝子、北味丸。名金刚丸。治筋
痿足不能行。
气平。味辛。无毒。主风寒温疟热气诸痫。除邪。利大小便。
防己气平。禀天秋降之金气。味辛无毒。得地西方燥金之味。入手太阴肺经。气味降多
于升
。阴也。风寒温疟者。感风寒而患但热不寒之疟也。诸痫热气者。心有热而患一切风痫也。
温热皆为阳邪。痫疟皆属风木。防己气平可以清阳邪。味辛可以平风木。而消风痰也。除邪
者辛平之品。可除湿热之邪也。小便出于膀胱。膀胱津液。肺气化乃出。防己气平可以化气
。故利小便。大便出于大肠。肺与大肠为表里。味辛可以润肠。故利大便也。但臭恶伤胃。
宜慎用之。
制 方:
防己同黄 、桂枝、白茯、甘草。治皮水。同黄 、白术、甘草、生姜、大枣。治风水。
恶
风汗出。身重脉浮。
[Bi Xie]
The Qi is neutral. The taste is bitter. It is non-toxic. It primarily treats pain and stiffness of the lower back and spine, wind-cold-dampness bi-syndrome (painful obstruction syndrome caused by wind, cold, and damp pathogens) affecting the bone joints throughout the body, chronic ulcers that do not heal, and heat conditions.
Bi Xie (Dioscorea Hypoglauca Rhizome) has a neutral Qi, inheriting the descending Metal Qi of autumn, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its bitter taste and non-toxic nature derive from the Fire flavor of the southern earth, entering the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian.
Both its Qi and taste are descending, belonging to Yin. The Taiyang Cold Water Meridian runs alongside the spine to the middle of the waist. When dampness exists in the Taiyang meridian, Yang Qi cannot circulate freely, resulting in stiffness and pain in the lower back and spine. The Taiyang meridian travels on the surface of the body, attaching to the skin and hair to serve as the external defense. The skin and hair are the exterior correspondence of the Lung. Bi Xie, with its neutral Qi, enters the Lung; its bitter taste dries dampness, consolidating the pores of the Lung's exterior and expelling the dampness of the Taiyang meridian. Thus, it treats stiffness and pain of the lower back and spine. Bone joints are the locations of articulations, also belonging to the Taiyang meridian. When dampness flows into the orifices, wind, cold, and dampness combine to form bi-syndrome, causing numbness throughout the body and worsening symptoms at the bone joints. The reason for its efficacy is that Bi Xie enters the Lung; the Lung regulates water passages and transports fluids downward to the Bladder, thereby removing dampness from the Taiyang meridian and regulating bi-syndrome. Chronic ulcers and heat belong to Heart Fire. Bi Xie's bitter taste clears Heart Fire; when Heart Fire recedes, ulcers heal and heat dissipates.
Prescription Methods:
Bi Xie combined with Lotus Seeds (Lianzi), White Poria (Baifu), Plantago Seed (Cheqian), Akebia Stem (Mutong), Alisma Rhizome (Zexie), Achyranthes Root (Niuxi), Licorice Root (Gancao), and Phellodendron Bark (Huangbai) can separate clear from turbid to treat dampness. Combined with Eucommia Bark (Duzhong), it treats bi-syndrome of the waist and legs. Combined with Acorus Rhizome (Changpu), Alpinia Oxyphylla Fruit (Yizhi), and Lindera Root (Wuyao), it treats leukorrhea-like discharge (Bai Zhuo). Assisted by Eucommia Bark (Duzhong), Cistanche Stem (Roucongrong), Cuscuta Seed (Tusizi), and Schisandra Berry (Beiwu) to make pills named Jingang Wan, it treats tendon wasting with inability to walk due to weak legs.
[Fang Ji]
The Qi is neutral. The taste is pungent. It is non-toxic. It primarily treats wind-cold warm malaria, heat conditions, and various epilepsy syndromes. It eliminates pathogens and promotes urination and defecation.
Fang Ji (Stephania Tetrandra Root) has a neutral Qi, inheriting the descending Metal Qi of autumn. Its pungent taste and non-toxic nature derive from the dry Metal flavor of the western earth, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its descending Qi exceeds its ascending Qi, belonging to Yin. Wind-cold warm malaria refers to malaria contracted from wind-cold, characterized by fever without chills. Various epilepsy syndromes with heat refer to wind-epilepsy caused by Heat in the Heart. Warmth and heat are all Yang pathogens; epilepsy and malaria all belong to Wind-Wood. Fang Ji's neutral Qi can clear Yang pathogens, and its pungent taste can pacify Wind-Wood, thereby eliminating wind-phlegm. Eliminating pathogens occurs because pungent-neutral substances can remove damp-heat pathogens. Urine originates from the Bladder; the fluids of the Bladder are excreted through the Qi transformation of the Lung. Fang Ji's neutral Qi facilitates Qi transformation, thus promoting urination. Feces originate from the Large Intestine; the Lung and Large Intestine are interior-exteriorly related. Its pungent taste can moisten the intestines, thus promoting defecation. However, its foul odor damages the Stomach Qi, so it should be used with caution.
Prescription Methods:
Fang Ji combined with Astragalus Root (Huangqi), Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi), White Poria (Baifu), and Licorice Root (Gancao) treats Pi Shui (Skin Edema). Combined with Astragalus Root (Huangqi), Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu), Licorice Root (Gancao), Fresh Ginger (Shengjiang), and Jujube (Dazao), it treats Feng Shui (Wind Edema), characterized by aversion to wind, sweating, heaviness of the body, and a floating pulse.