气平。味苦。无毒。主诸热。黄胆。肠 泄痢。逐水。下血闭。恶疮疽蚀。火疡。
（酒炒）
黄芩气平。禀天秋凉之金气。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。心者火脏也。十二官之君。诸热之主也。苦平清心。故主诸热。黄胆者湿
热乘脾之症也。脾为太阴湿土。土湿热。则本色现而发黄胆。黄芩苦平清肺。肺亦太阴。太
阴
湿热退。而脾疸亦平也。肺与大肠为表里。大肠湿热则肠 泄痢。黄芩清肺。肺清则通调水
道
。而湿热下逐。肠肺复其燥金之气。而泄痢愈矣。肺司水道。热则肺失清肃之令。而水道不
通。水因而蓄焉。黄芩清肺。则化气下及膀胱而水下逐矣。血闭者。实热在血分而经闭不通
也。心主血。味苦清心。则能下泄。所以主之。恶疮疽蚀者。疮疽败坏溃腐而不收口也。火
疡者。火伤疮也。皆心火有余而腐坏肺之皮毛也。苦平清心肺。所以主诸痛痒疮疡也。
制 方:
黄芩同白芍、甘草。名黄芩汤。治湿热肠痛。及泻痢。同白芍、甘草、半夏。治吐泻。
同白
芍、麦冬、白术。治胎不安内热。
气平。味苦。无毒。主寒热。鼠 瘰 。痈恶 疮。瘿瘤结热。蛊毒。（去心用）
连翘气平。禀天秋平之金气。入手太阴肺经。味苦无毒。得地南方之火味。入手少阴心
经、
手厥阴心包络经。气味俱降。阴也。心包络者。臣使之官。喜乐出焉。其经别属三焦。出循
喉咙。出耳后。合少阳。郁则包络之火上炎经络。而成寒热鼠 瘰 矣。连翘轻清平苦。轻
而
扬之。因而越之。结者散而寒热愈也。痈 恶疮。皆生于心火。连翘味苦清心。所以主之。
瘿瘤结热。亦心包络之郁结火也。其主之者。轻扬有散结之功也。蛊毒因辛热而成。辛热则
生虫也。连翘平能清而苦能泄。热解虫化而蛊自消也。
制 方:
连翘同脂麻。治瘰 。同贝母、白芷、甘草、金银花、玄参、薄荷、夏枯草、白芨。治
同上
。
[Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix)]
Qi is neutral. Flavor is bitter. Non-toxic. Mainly treats various heat syndromes, jaundice, intestinal diarrhea and dysentery, expels fluid retention, promotes the discharge of blood stasis, treats malignant sores, carbuncles with ulceration, and burns.
(Fried with wine)
Huangqin has a neutral Qi, inheriting the cooling Metal energy of autumn, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its flavor is bitter and non-toxic, deriving from the bitter taste of the Fire region in the south, entering the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian.
Both Qi and flavor are descending, belonging to Yin. The Heart is the Fire Zang organ, the ruler of the twelve officials, and the master of various heats. Bitter and neutral flavors clear Heart Heat, thus treating various heat syndromes. Jaundice is a syndrome where damp-heat invades the Spleen. The Spleen belongs to Taiyin Damp Earth; when Earth contains damp-heat, its true color manifests as yellow jaundice. Huangqin's bitter and neutral nature clears Lung Heat. Since the Lung also belongs to Taiyin, once the damp-heat of Taiyin recedes, the Spleen jaundice also subsides. The Lung and Large Intestine are interior-exterior pairs. When the Large Intestine has damp-heat, it causes intestinal rumbling, diarrhea, and dysentery. Huangqin clears the Lung; when Lung Qi is clear, water passages are regulated, and damp-heat is expelled downward. The Large Intestine and Lung regain their Dry Metal properties, and diarrhea/dysentery resolves. The Lung governs water passages. Heat causes the Lung to lose its clearing and purifying command, leading to blocked water passages and fluid accumulation. Huangqin clears the Lung, allowing transformative Qi to descend to the Bladder, thereby expelling water. Blood closure refers to amenorrhea caused by excess heat in the Blood level blocking menstruation. The Heart governs Blood. Huangqin's bitter flavor clears Heart Fire, enabling downward drainage, thus treating this condition. Malignant sores and carbuncles with ulceration refer to necrotic, suppurative wounds that fail to heal. Fire ulcers refer to wounds caused by thermal injury. All these result from excess Heart Fire corroding the skin and hair governed by the Lung. Huangqin's bitter and neutral nature clears Heart and Lung fire, thus treating various painful, itching sores and ulcers.
Prescription Formulation:
Huangqin combined with Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba) and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) is named Huangqin Tang. It treats intestinal abscess due to damp-heat, as well as diarrhea and dysentery.
Huangqin combined with Baishao, Gancao, and Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) treats vomiting and diarrhea.
Huangqin combined with Baishao, Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) treats restlessness during pregnancy accompanied by internal heat.
[Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus)]
Qi is neutral. Flavor is bitter. Non-toxic. Mainly treats alternating chills and fever, scrofula (lymph node tuberculosis), malignant sores, heat accumulation in goiter and tumors, and gu poison. (Use after removing the heart/core).
Lianqiao has a neutral Qi, inheriting the balanced Metal energy of autumn, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its flavor is bitter and non-toxic, deriving from the bitter taste of the Fire region in the south, entering the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian and the Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian.
Both Qi and flavor are descending, belonging to Yin. The Pericardium is the official of the messenger, from which joy and pleasure arise. Its meridian branches off to connect with the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), ascends along the throat, emerges behind the ear, and joins the Shaoyang. If Qi stagnates, Fire from the Pericardium flares upward along the meridians, resulting in alternating chills/fever and scrofula. Lianqiao is light, clear, neutral, and bitter. Its lightness allows it to ascend and disperse; following this dispersing action, accumulated pathogens scatter, and alternating chills/fever resolve. Malignant sores and carbuncles originate from Heart Fire. Lianqiao's bitter flavor clears Heart Fire, thus treating them. Heat accumulation in goiters and tumors is also due to stagnant Fire in the Pericardium. Lianqiao treats this because of its light, ascending property that has the function of dissipating nodules. Gu poison arises from acrid and hot substances; acridity and heat generate parasites. Lianqiao's neutrality clears heat, and its bitterness drains downward. Once heat is resolved and parasites dissolve, gu poison naturally disappears.
Prescription Formulation:
Lianqiao combined with Zhima (Sesamum indicum) treats scrofula.
Lianqiao combined with Beimu (Fritillariae Bulbus), Baizhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix), Gancao, Jinyinhua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos), Xuanshen (Scrophulariae Radix), Bohe (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba), Xiakucao (Prunellae Spica), and Baiji (Bletillae Rhizoma) treats the aforementioned conditions.