春荣秋瘁。入夏开花。白瓣黄蕊。随即结实。薄皮细仁。色深红。霜后收之。
苦寒。气薄味浓。轻清上行。气浮而味降。阳中阴也。入手太阴肺经血分。更入手少阴
足阳明经。 留皮泻肺火。去皮泻心火。 主除五内邪气。胃中热气。去心中客热。烦躁懊
。治热厥心痛头痛。解热郁。散结气热毒风。疗五种黄病。清胃脘血。及吐衄下血尿血。
散肝热血郁。并脐下血滞而小便不利。利五淋。治疝气汤火伤。 除上焦虚热。疗风热。（洁
古） 治心经留热。小便赤涩。（宗 ） 泻三焦之火。及痞块中火邪。最清胃脘之血。其
性屈曲下行。能降火从小便中泄去。（丹溪）按痞块中火邪。乃郁也。由于气不行。而血随
以凝也。用栀仁去皮。姜汁拌炒。假辛味冲折郁火。不为无功。 立斋每合丹皮以清肝。 凡
心痛稍久。不宜温散。反助火邪。古方多用栀子以导热。药则邪易伏而病易退。（丹溪） 伤
寒发汗吐下后。虚烦不得眠。若剧者。必反复颠倒。心中懊 。栀子豉汤主之。（仲景） 凡
亡血亡津液。脏腑无润养。内生虚热。非兹物不可去。（宗 ） 栀豉治烦躁。烦者气也。
躁者血也。肺主气。肾主血。故用栀子以治肺烦。用香豉以治肾躁。（海藏） 古今治发黄。
皆用栀豉茵陈甘草作汤饮。治大病后劳复。皆用栀子鼠矢等汤。利小便而愈。（颂） 得故
纸。能滋阴降火。清上固下。性虽寒而带补。（门） 五脏诸气益少阴血。用栀子炒黑研末。
生姜同煎。饮之甚捷。（丹溪） 用童便炒黑。能益少阴经血而治阴火。（门） 同连翘麦冬
灯心竹叶黄连甘草。能泻心经有余之火。加赤苓木通滑石泽泻。泻小肠火。 同茵陈滑石车
前子秦艽黄连连钱草苜蓿。治酒热发黄。 胃脘火痛。大山栀子七枚或九枚。炒焦。水一盏。
煎七分。入生姜汁。饮之立止。复发者。必不效。用元明粉一钱服。立止。
〔论〕 栀子味苦气寒。苦寒合则宜就下。但味浓而气薄。味从乎气者也。其气升浮。
故入手太阴肺及手少阴心。夫心肺合而上焦营诸阳。阳中有阴矣。栀子以苦寒气味。华实于
大火之候。华色白者。金脏之气也。子色深赤者。火脏之血也。是非阳中有阴乎。（乘大火
之候。吐花而结实。正效其金水之用于火者。心固火主。然离中有坎。所以主血。更得金为
火妻。以孕水子。所以生血而气化愈清。）人身心肺为阳。阳中原有阴。其阳盛以伤阴者。
气伤而血随伤。血伤则热益郁。气益结。如他味止能清气。不能凉血。或即凉血。而不由清
气以致之。犹未得如心肺合而营诸阳之义也。栀仁由寒气之轻清以至主气之肺。即有苦味之
涌泄以至主血之心。心肺之热既清。则阳中有阴。而胃热自除矣。其治五种黄病。及亡血亡
精劳复等证。皆不离胃之阴气而言。大抵上焦之阳。易伤其阴。阴不降。则阳益炽于上。此
味除热。从气分入血。使阳中阴降。阴降而阳随之。故胃热散。即此便能清胃脘血。热炽而
血污。热除则血清。又何血证之不能治乎。其治热厥心痛及头痛者。阴降而阳随也。其屈曲
降火从小便出者。气化而血和也。其散肝热血郁者。由肺胃以及之也。其治疝者。即解郁热。
散结气。并入肝而效其用也。其治大小肠大热者。胃与大小肠相上下。况又为心肺二经之合
也。（由上而及下。故云能泻三焦之火。）总之。他味降火。类多直折其阳。此独从阳中之阴
以除热。使阴从阳和。故能透经脉。入密理。以纾其阳化。而尽其由上及下之用。所以破痞
块中火。而又曰屈曲下行。非如他昧之降折。昔人遂并称其寒而能补也。但不可施于气虚之
人耳。
缪氏。禀至苦大寒之气。损胃而伤血。凡脾胃虚弱。及血虚发热者。忌之。凡诸血证用
之。
〔辨治〕 长而大者。止用染色。不堪入药。皮薄而圆。七棱至九棱者。名山栀子。（即
越桃也） 胃热病在上者。带皮用。（丹溪）大率治上中焦病。连皮。或生或炒用。下焦病。
去皮。洗去黄浆。炒用。 治血病及开郁止痛。并炒黑用。 去心肝血热。酒炒黑用。殊效。
不用皮。
Spring brings growth, autumn brings withering. Flowers bloom in summer, with white petals and yellow stamens, bearing fruit shortly thereafter. The skin is thin, the seeds fine, and the color deep red. Harvested after frost.
Bitter in taste, cold in nature. The qi is light and thin, while the flavor is strong. It acts lightly and clears upward; its qi floats while its flavor descends. It belongs to "Yang containing Yin." It enters the blood aspect of the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, and further enters the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian and Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. Retaining the peel purges Lung Fire (Lung Heat); removing the peel purges Heart Fire (Heart Heat). It primarily eliminates pathogenic factors within the five viscera, removes heat qi in the stomach, dispels lingering heat in the heart, treats irritability and mental restlessness (Ao-Nao), manages heat-jue heartache and headache, resolves heat stagnation, dissipates stagnant qi, heat toxins, and wind-heat. It treats five types of jaundice, clears blood heat in the epigastrium, and addresses hematemesis, epistaxis, lower bleeding, and hematuria. It dissipates liver blood heat and stagnation, as well as blood stasis below the navel causing difficult urination, benefits five types of strangury (Wu-Lin), treats hernia (Shan-Qi) and scalds/burns. It removes deficiency heat in the upper jiao and treats wind-heat. (Jiegu) Treats lingering heat in the Heart Meridian and dark, scanty, painful urination. (Zong) Purges fire of the Sanjiao (Triple Burner) and fire pathogens in mass formations (Pi-Kuai), most effectively clearing blood heat in the epigastrium. Its nature curves downward, enabling it to drain fire via urination. (Danxi) Note: Fire pathogens in mass formations are due to stagnation, caused by qi not moving, leading to blood coagulation. Using Zhi Zi Ren (Gardeniae Fructus seed) with the peel removed, stir-fried with ginger juice, borrows the pungent flavor to break through stagnant fire, which is not without merit. Lizhai often combines it with Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex) to clear the Liver. For heartache lasting a short while, warming and dispersing methods are unsuitable, as they反而会 assist the fire pathogen. Ancient formulas often use Zhi Zi to conduct heat away, allowing pathogens to subside and the disease to recede easily. (Danxi) After sweating, vomiting, or purging for Shanghan (Cold Damage), if deficiency vexation prevents sleep, and if severe, causing tossing and turning with mental restlessness, Zhi Zi Chi Tang (Gardenia and Fermented Soybean Decoction) is the primary treatment. (Zhongjing) For those who have lost blood or body fluids, leaving the viscera without nourishment and generating internal deficiency heat, this herb is indispensable for removal. (Zong) Zhi Zi and Chi Dou treat vexation and restlessness. Vexation (Fan) relates to Qi; Restlessness (Zao) relates to Blood. The Lung governs Qi, the Kidney governs Blood; thus, Zhi Zi is used to treat Lung-related vexation, and Xiang Chi (Fermented Soybean) to treat Kidney-related restlessness. (Haizang) Since ancient times, treating jaundice has involved decocting Zhi Zi, Chi Dou, Yin Chen, and Gan Cao. Treating post-illness relapse from overwork involves decoctions like Zhi Zi Shu Shi, curing the condition by promoting urination. (Song) Paired with Gu Zhi (Bu Gu Zhi / Psoraleae Fructus), it nourishes Yin and descends fire, clears the upper and secures the lower; though cold, it carries tonifying properties. (Men) When the qi of the five viscera depletes Shaoyin Blood, Zhi Zi stir-fried until black, powdered, and decocted with fresh ginger yields rapid results. (Danxi) Stir-fried until black with child's urine, it benefits Shaoyin Meridian blood and treats Yin Fire. (Men) Combined with Lian Qiao (Forsythiae Fructus), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Deng Xin Cao (Junci Medulla), Zhu Ye (Bambusae Folium), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), and Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), it purges excess fire of the Heart Meridian; adding Chi Fu Ling (Poria Cocos with Red Skin), Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis), Hua Shi (Talcum), and Ze Xie (Alismatis Rhizoma) purges Small Intestine fire. Combined with Yin Chen (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba), Hua Shi, Che Qian Zi (Plantaginis Semen), Qin Jiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix), Huang Lian, Lian Qian Cao (Lysimachiae Herba), and Mu Xu (Medicago Sativa), it treats jaundice caused by wine-heat. For epigastric pain due to fire, use seven or nine large Zhi Zi, stir-fried until charred, decocted in one cup of water to reduce to 70%, add ginger juice, and drink; pain stops immediately. If it recurs, this method will fail; instead, take one qian of Yuan Ming Fen (Mirabilite) for immediate relief.
[Discussion] Zhi Zi is bitter in taste and cold in qi. Bitter and cold combined suit descending. However, its flavor is strong while its qi is light; the flavor follows the qi. Its qi ascends and floats, hence entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung and Hand-Shaoyin Heart meridians. The Heart and Lung combine to manage Yang in the Upper Jiao; there is Yin within Yang. Zhi Zi flowers and fruits during the peak of Fire (Summer); white flowers represent the Qi of the Metal Organ (Lung); deep red seeds represent the Blood of the Fire Organ (Heart). Is this not Yin within Yang? (Flowering and fruiting during the Fire season effectively demonstrates the application of Metal and Water within Fire. The Heart is indeed the master of Fire, yet Li Trigram contains Kan, thus governing Blood. Furthermore, receiving Metal as the wife of Fire allows it to conceive Water offspring, thereby generating Blood and clarifying Qi transformation.) In the human body, the Heart and Lung are Yang, originally containing Yin. When excessive Yang damages Yin, Qi injury leads to Blood injury; Blood injury causes heat to stagnate further, and Qi to knot further. Other herbs may only clear Qi but not cool Blood, or even if they cool Blood, they do not achieve this through clearing Qi, failing to grasp the principle of Heart and Lung managing Yang together. Zhi Zi Ren, through light/clear cold Qi, reaches the Lung (governing Qi); through bitter/ascending/descending action, it reaches the Heart (governing Blood). Once Heat in Heart and Lung is cleared, Yin exists within Yang, and Stomach Heat is naturally eliminated. Its treatment of five types of jaundice, and conditions like blood loss, essence loss, and post-illness relapse, all relate to the Yin Qi of the Stomach. Generally, Upper Jiao Yang easily damages Yin; if Yin does not descend, Yang blazes higher above. This herb removes heat, entering from the Qi aspect into the Blood aspect, causing Yin within Yang to descend. As Yin descends, Yang follows harmoniously; thus Stomach Heat scatters, enabling it to clear epigastric blood. When heat blazes, blood becomes turbid; when heat is removed, blood clarifies. How then can blood disorders not be treated? Its treatment of heat-jue heartache and headache relies on Yin descending and Yang following. Its curving descent of fire via urination represents Qi transformation harmonizing Blood. Its dissipation of Liver blood heat and stagnation extends from the Lung and Stomach. Its treatment of hernia involves resolving stagnant heat and dissipating knotted Qi, acting within the Liver. Its treatment of intense heat in the Large and Small Intestines works because the Stomach is connected above and below them, and they are also combinations of the Heart and Lung meridians. (From upper to lower, hence it is said to purge Sanjiao fire.) In summary, other herbs that descend fire mostly directly suppress Yang; this herb uniquely removes heat from Yin within Yang, harmonizing Yin with Yang. Thus, it penetrates meridians and enters dense tissues (Li), relieving Yang transformation and utilizing its effects from top to bottom. Hence, it breaks fire in mass formations and is described as curving downward, unlike the direct suppression of other herbs. Ancients therefore called it cold yet capable of tonification. However, it must not be applied to those with Qi deficiency.
Mou believed that Zhi Zi possesses extreme bitterness and great coldness, damaging Stomach Qi and injuring Blood. It is contraindicated for those with Spleen-Stomach weakness and blood-deficiency fever. Regarding various blood disorders using it...
[Differentiation and Treatment] Long and large specimens are used only for dyeing and are unsuitable for medicinal use. Those with thin skin, round shape, and seven to nine ridges are called Shan Zhi Zi (Mountain Gardenia) (also known as Yue Tao). For Stomach heat affecting the upper body, use with the peel. (Danxi) Generally, for Upper and Middle Jiao diseases, use with the peel, raw or stir-fried. For Lower Jiao diseases, remove the peel, wash away the yellow liquid, and stir-fry. For blood disorders and opening stagnation to relieve pain, use stir-fried until black. To remove Heart and Liver blood heat, use wine-stir-fried until black for remarkable effect. Do not use the peel.