江广蜀川皆有之。根叶都似郁金。其花春生于根。与苗并出。花先叶生。入夏花烂。
秋中渐凋。不结实。其根盘屈。黄色类生姜而圆有节。八月采根。片切曝干用。（苏 颂）
近
味辛苦。气辛香。性温燥。阳中阴也。入足太阴。亦入足厥阴经。主治祛邪辟恶。疗心
腹结积冷气。心腹胀痛。风痹臂痛。消痈肿。及女子产后血气冲心。方书治气证痞证。胀满
喘噎。胃脘痛。腹胁肩背及臂痛痹。疝。姜黄郁金 药三物。形状功用皆相近。但郁金入心
治血。 药则入肝。兼治气中之血。而姜黄兼入脾。兼治气。为不同。（濒湖）能入手臂。
治痛。其兼理血中之气可知。（又）力行升出之机。夺土大之郁。土用行而黄中理矣。（之颐）
得当归生地牛膝延胡肉桂。治一切积血在腹中作痛。中寒心痛难忍。姜黄一两。桂三两。为
末。醋汤服一钱。
附案 一妇冬月怯寒头痛。其背部重坠而痛。下引腰腿及腿肚更甚。又臂痛不能举。医
以五积散加羌活乌药。散寒行滞。其怯寒腰痛果除。而头及腿腿肚右臂之痛少轻。至背部重
坠而痛则毫未应。此由只知行胃肾之气。而不知达胸中之阳故也。夫阳受气于胸中。背固胸
中之府也。以姜黄为君。入羌活白术甘草四之一。更加附子三分。一剂知。再剂已。详此以
见姜黄能达上焦之阳。勿混于治血可也。
〔论〕姜黄春末方生。花并苗出。是力行生出之机以宣木火之用也。花先叶生。秋仲渐
凋。是独畅火大之用以对寒凉之治也。不结实即于八月采根。是畅火大之气而归于金。即并
火金之力以归乎土。有合于入脾之说也。夫火之气以风木昌。更以燥金化。始于木。终于金。
归于土。而绝不受寒水之气以成其火金之用。是则兹物所理者气。而所兼者血。以气昌则血
生。气化则血畅耳。夫气化于金。何以更归于土。盖金为火妻。以育离中之坎。此阳必得阴
乃化也。气化则归于土矣。人身木火之相生。必经于胃。而胃乃以浊中之清上注于肺。火金
之相化。亦必归于胃。而肺乃以清中之浊内注于经。下溜于海。是中土固成始而成终者也。
一有不归于胃者。必其火金不能相化。非气不能生血。即血不足以化气矣。得归于土。则胃
合脾。以达气于三阴三阳。乃畅于脏腑。而彻于形体矣。此卫先而营随之义。姜黄适有合焉。
不
缪氏云。凡臂痛腹痛因于血虚。而非瘀凝气壅作胀者。切勿误用。误则血愈伤。病转剧。
〔修治〕不宜见火。盖辛胜是其功用。见火则辛去矣。
Jiang, Guang, Shu, and Chuan regions all have this herb. The roots and leaves resemble *Curcuma aromatica* (Yujin, 郁金). Its flowers sprout from the root in spring, emerging together with the shoots. The flowers appear before the leaves; by summer they rot, and gradually wither in autumn, producing no seeds. The roots are tortuous, yellow in color, resembling ginger but rounder and jointed. The roots are harvested in August, sliced, and dried in the sun for use. (Su Song)
The taste is pungent and bitter. The qi is pungent and fragrant. The nature is warm and dry, belonging to yin within yang. It enters the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian and also the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its main indications include dispelling evil pathogens and warding off foul odors, treating cold qi accumulation in the heart and abdomen, abdominal distension and pain, bi-syndrome causing arm pain, resolving carbuncles and swellings, and addressing postpartum blood and qi rushing to the heart in women. Medical texts record its use for qi disorders, plugging syndromes, distension, wheezing and choking, epigastric pain, pain and bi-syndrome in the abdomen, flanks, shoulders, back, and arms, and hernia. Among these three herbs—*Curcuma longa* (Jianghuang, 姜黄), *Curcuma aromatica* (Yujin, 郁金), and *Curcuma zedoaria* (Ezhu, 莪术)—their shapes and functions are quite similar. However, Yujin enters the Heart to treat blood disorders, Ezhu enters the Liver and treats blood within qi, whereas Jianghuang additionally enters the Spleen and treats qi; this is their difference. (Li Shizhen) Jianghuang can enter the arm meridians to treat pain, indicating it can also regulate qi within the blood. (Note) It vigorously promotes ascending mechanisms, breaking through major stagnation in the Earth element. When the Spleen-Earth function operates, the central yellow qi is regulated. (Zhang Yuansu) Combined with *Angelicae Sinensis Radix* (Danggui, 当归), *Rehmanniae Radix* (Shengdihuang, 生地黄), *Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix* (Niuxi, 牛膝), *Corydalis Rhizoma* (Yanhusuo, 延胡索), and *Cinnamomi Ramulus* (Rougui, 肉桂), it treats all kinds of accumulated blood in the abdomen causing pain, and severe heart pain due to cold invasion. Take one qian of Jianghuang and three liang of Rougui, grind into powder, and take one qian with vinegar-infused water.
Case Record: A woman suffered from aversion to cold and headache in winter. Her back felt heavy, dragging, and painful, extending downward to cause worse pain in the waist, legs, and calf muscles. Additionally, her arm was painful and unable to lift. The physician used Wuji San (Five Accumulations Powder) augmented with Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix) and Wuyao (Linderae Radix) to disperse cold and promote stagnation. Her aversion to cold and lower back pain were indeed resolved, and the pain in her head, legs, calves, and right arm slightly lightened. However, the heaviness and pain in her back showed no response at all. This occurred because the treatment only addressed the qi of the Stomach and Kidney, failing to unblock the yang qi of the chest. Yang qi receives its influence from the chest; the back is indeed the mansion of the chest's qi. Using Jianghuang as the sovereign herb, combined with one-quarter dose each of Qianghuo, Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), plus three fen of Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata), she improved after one dose and recovered after two doses. Detailed analysis of this case reveals that Jianghuang can reach the upper jiao to unblock yang qi; it should not be confused with herbs that only treat blood.
[Discussion] Jianghuang sprouts in late spring, with flowers emerging alongside shoots, vigorously exerting the mechanism of growth to disseminate the function of Wood and Fire. Flowers appearing before leaves and withering gradually in mid-autumn indicates it uniquely promotes the function of Fire and Earth to counteract cold and cool treatments. Not bearing seeds and being harvested in August for its roots signifies promoting the qi of Fire and Earth to return to Metal, combining the forces of Fire and Metal to return to Earth, aligning with the theory of entering the Spleen. The qi of Fire prospers through Wind-Wood and transforms via Dryness-Metal, starting with Wood, ending with Metal, and returning to Earth, without accepting Cold-Water qi to complete its Fire-Metal function. Thus, this herb governs qi while simultaneously managing blood; when qi prospers, blood is generated, and when qi flows smoothly, blood circulates freely. Qi transforms in Metal, why does it return to Earth? Because Metal is the wife of Fire, nurturing Kan water within Li fire; thus, yang must obtain yin to transform. Once transformed by qi, it returns to Earth. In the human body, the mutual generation of Wood and Fire must pass through the Stomach, which sends the clear part of turbidity upward to the Lung. The mutual transformation of Fire and Metal must also return to the Stomach, where the Lung sends the turbid part of clarity inward to the meridians, flowing down to the Sea. Therefore, the Central Earth (Spleen/Stomach) is both the beginning and the end. If anything fails to return to the Stomach, it implies Fire and Metal cannot transform mutually; either qi cannot generate blood, or blood is insufficient to transform qi. If it returns to Earth, the Stomach combines with the Spleen to deliver qi to the Three Yin and Three Yang meridians, thereby flowing freely through the zang-fu organs and penetrating the physical form. This embodies the principle that Wei (Defensive) qi moves first and Ying (Nutritive) qi follows; Jianghuang coincides with this.
Miao Xiyong stated: For arm pain or abdominal pain caused by blood deficiency, rather than stasis condensation and qi stagnation causing distension, do not mistakenly use this herb. Mistaken use will further injure the blood and aggravate the disease.
[Processing] It should not be exposed to fire, as its pungent flavor is key to its efficacy; exposure to fire causes the loss of its pungency.