出淄齐潞随江淮荆湖州郡沙碛中。根长尺许。若黄土地中者。根则短小。根茎俱有白
汁如乳。故一名羊乳。八九月采者白而实。春月采者微黄而虚。干时宛似人参。中黄外白。
但体轻松。味淡而短耳。（核）今世所用者。不知为何许物。（之颐）
根味甘微苦。气微寒。（苦者味之阴。寒者气之阴。甘乃土之冲气所化。合斯三者。故
能补五脏之阴。）足厥阴本经药。（养肝之功居多）又为脾经气分药。更入手太阴经。主治补
中。清肺热益肺气。疗胸痹结热。邪气头疼。散血结。养肝气。宣五脏风气。治久咳肺痿。
皮间邪热。惊气。（常欲眠而多惊烦者最宜。又惊气上逆。不能 之使下者。功用颇捷。）疝
气。方书治中风咯血。着痹谵妄。肺寒者用人参。肺热者用沙参代之。取其味甘也。（洁古）
人参甘苦温。其体重实。专补脾胃元气。因而益肺与肾。故内伤元气者宜之。沙参甘淡而寒。
其体轻虚。专补肺气。因而益脾与肾。故金受火克者宜之。同天麦冬百部五味桑白皮。治肺
痿肺热。同贝母枇杷叶栝蒌甘草桑白皮百部天冬款冬花。治久嗽。
附方 猝得疝气。小腹及阴中相引。痛如绞。自汗出欲死者。沙参捣筛为末。酒服方寸
匕。妇人白带。（多因七情内伤或下元虚冷所致）沙参为末。每服二钱。米饮调下。
〔论〕 沙参秋采则白实。春则虚黄。是明得容平金令。在土气成功之后者。其味先甘
微苦。其气微寒。甘味归土。而合微寒之气。则专于脾之气化而上达。（故本经言益肺气先
之以补中）即曰有微苦。亦反为甘用。以致其上清之化也。洁古谓疗肺热。与本经言益肺气。
非有相戾。盖阴阳和而气乃生。阴阳和而气乃连。肺主气而曰太阴者。阳中有阴也。阳不足
则甘温补之。阴不足则甘寒补之。第沙参益肺阴气。何又为厥阴本经药。曰。肝合于肾。本
阴中之阳上升以致于胃。而后天之气乃生。是肝上媾于肺者阳也。而阴随之矣。肺合于心。
本阳中之阴下降以致于脾。而后天之血乃成。是肺下媾于肝者阴也。而阳随之矣。若肺阳亢
而阴微。则木无以媾于金。而金亦不得媾于木。不惟肝血无以藏。即肝气亦无以养矣。（惟
肺之阳气合于阴。而后气能 之。肺之阴气和于阳。而后血能濡之。）此味本容平性质。茎
根皆有白汁。不可思金气溢润于风木之脏。而胸痹结热之所以散。血结之所以治乎。（夫肺
主气。而本经乃首治血结。盖本肺阴下降入心之义。是则金木媾而阴阳和矣。）凡药入肺经
气分而兼益血者。即于肝有专功。不独一沙参为然也。又脾与肾脉俱至于肺。所云脾气散精。
上归于肺。此由下而升者也。又云。伤肺者。脾气不守。胃气不清。经气不为使。此由上而
降者也。医者能识脾肺升降以尽其变。则思过半矣。
〔修治〕 白实味甘者良。水洗。去芦用。
Shashen (Adenophorae Radix) grows in the sandy and stony soils of Zizhou, Qizhou, Luzhou, as well as the Jianghuai, Jingzhou, and Huzhou regions. The root is approximately one chi long. If grown in yellow earth soil, the root will be short and small. Both the root and stem contain a white juice like milk, hence another name is Yangru (Goat Milk). Those harvested in the eighth and ninth months are white and solid; those harvested in spring are slightly yellow and hollow. When dried, it resembles Renshen (Ginseng Root), with a yellow center and white exterior. However, its texture is light and loose, the taste is bland, and it is shorter. (Kou Zongshi [Note]: What is currently used as Shashen in the world, I do not know what substance it is.) (Su Song [Note]: The root tastes sweet and slightly bitter, and has a slightly cold qi. (Bitterness is the yin attribute of taste, coldness is the yin attribute of qi, sweetness is transformed by the central qi of Earth. Combining these three properties, it can tonify the yin of the five zang organs.) It is a principal herb for the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. (Its function of nourishing the liver is predominant.) It is also an herb for the Qi aspect of the Spleen Meridian, and further enters the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian. It mainly treats: tonifying the middle, clearing Lung heat, benefiting Lung qi, treating chest bi (obstruction) with accumulated heat, headache caused by pathogenic factors, dissipating blood stasis, nourishing Liver qi, disseminating wind qi of the five zang organs, treating chronic cough and Feiwei (lung atrophy), pathogenic heat in the skin, and Jingqi (startling qi). (It is most suitable for those who often feel sleepy but suffer from frequent startling and irritability. Furthermore, for cases where Jingqi rebels upward and cannot be directed downward, its efficacy is quite rapid.) It treats Shanqi (hernia). Medical texts record its use for hemoptysis due to stroke, Zhuobi (fixed bi syndrome) with delirium. For Lung cold, Renshen (Ginseng Root) is used; for Lung heat, Shashen (Adenophorae Radix) is used instead, taking advantage of its sweet taste. (Zhang Yuansu [Note]: Renshen (Ginseng Root) tastes sweet and bitter and is warm in nature. Its body is heavy and solid, specifically tonifying the Yuan qi of the Spleen and Stomach, thereby benefiting the Lung and Kidney. Therefore, it is suitable for those with internal injury to Yuan qi. Shashen (Adenophorae Radix) tastes sweet and bland and is cold in nature. Its body is light and hollow, specifically tonifying Lung qi, thereby benefiting the Spleen and Kidney. Therefore, it is suitable for those whose Metal is overcome by Fire. Combined with Tiantongdong (Asparagi Radix), Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Baibu (Stemonae Radix), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus), and Sangbaipi (Mori Cortex), it treats Feiwei (lung atrophy) and Lung heat. Combined with Beimu (Fritillariae Bulbus), Pipaye (Loquat Leaf), Gualou (Trichosanthis Fructus), Gancao (Licorice Root), Sangbaipi (Mori Cortex), Baibu (Stemonae Radix), Tiandong (Asparagi Radix), and Kuandonghua (Farfarae Flos), it treats chronic cough.)
Attached Formula: For sudden onset of Shanqi (hernia), with pain radiating between the lower abdomen and the genitalia, feeling as if being wrung, spontaneous sweating, and a sensation of impending death. Crush Shashen (Adenophorae Radix), sieve into powder, and take one cunbi (a square inch measure) with wine. For leukorrhea in women: (often caused by internal injury from seven emotions or deficiency-cold of the lower origin). Grind Shashen (Adenophorae Radix) into powder, take two qian each time, mixed with rice water.
[Discussion] Shashen (Adenophorae Radix) harvested in autumn is white and solid, while that harvested in spring is pale and hollow. This clearly shows it conforms to the "Rongping" (containing and leveling) metal qi of autumn, maturing after the success of earth qi. Its taste is initially sweet then slightly bitter, and its qi is slightly cold. Sweetness enters Earth, and combined with slightly cold qi, it specializes in the transformation of Spleen qi ascending upwards. (Thus, the *Benjing* states that to benefit Lung qi, one must first tonify the middle.) Even if there is slight bitterness, it is reversed and utilized by sweetness to achieve its upper-clearing transformation. Zhang Yuansu stated it treats Lung heat, which does not contradict the *Benjing*'s statement on benefiting Lung qi. This is because when yin and yang harmonize, qi is generated; when yin and yang harmonize, qi connects. The Lung governs qi and is called Taiyin because there is yin within yang. If yang is insufficient, sweet-warm herbs are used to tonify it; if yin is insufficient, sweet-cold herbs are used to tonify it. Since Shashen (Adenophorae Radix) benefits Lung yin qi, why is it also a principal herb for the Jueyin Liver Meridian? The answer is: The Liver combines with the Kidney. It is originally yang within yin, ascending to reach the Stomach, so that post-heaven qi is generated. This is the yang that the Liver couples with the Lung, followed by yin. The Lung combines with the Heart. It is originally yin within yang, descending to reach the Spleen, so that post-heaven blood is formed. This is the yin that the Lung couples with the Liver, followed by yang. If Lung yang is hyperactive and yin is weak, then Wood cannot couple with Metal, nor can Metal couple with Wood. Not only can Liver blood not be stored, but Liver qi cannot be nourished either. (Only when Lung yang combines with yin can qi circulate; only when Lung yin harmonizes with yang can blood moisten.) This herb possesses the nature of "Rongping". Both stem and root have white juice. It is inconceivable how it allows metal qi to overflow and moisten the wind-wood organ, thereby dissipating chest bi (obstruction) with accumulated heat and treating blood stasis. (The Lung governs qi, yet the *Benjing* first treats blood stasis. This is likely based on the meaning of Lung yin descending into the Heart. Thus, Metal and Wood couple, and yin and yang harmonize.) Any herb that enters the Lung meridian's qi aspect and additionally benefits blood has a specific function for the Liver, not just Shashen (Adenophorae Radix). Furthermore, the meridians of the Spleen and Kidney both ascend to the Lung. As stated, "Spleen qi scatters essence and returns it upward to the Lung," this is ascending from below. It is also said, "Those who injure the Lung, their Spleen qi does not guard, Stomach qi is not clear, and meridian qi does not serve as envoy," this is descending from above. If physicians can understand the ascending and descending of Spleen and Lung to exhaust their variations, they will have grasped more than half of the matter.
[Processing] Those that are white, solid, and sweet-tasting are good. Wash with water, remove the lu (root crown), and use.