处处有之。近根处有白茸。以状似得名。其苗有风则静。无风而摇。与赤箭独活同。七
月采根。阴干用。
苦辛而寒。气味俱浓。可升可降。能入血分。主血。为手足阳明经血分药。苦能下泄。
辛能解散。寒能除热凉血。得酒良。豚实为之使。治赤毒痢蛊痢腹痛极效。又治鼻衄。温疟
狂易。寒热症瘕积聚。项下瘤 。百节骨阴痛。疝偏坠。头秃膻腥。兼止金疮血出及痛。（皆
逐
〔论〕仲景治传经在厥阴。热痢下重者。主白头翁汤。以此味逐血疗 。而东垣又谓痢
下则虚。故以纯苦之剂坚之。盖热传厥阴而痢。其入已深。热深而真阴失守。有分利如猪苓
汤。清解如白头翁。或攻下如大小承气。惟视其浅深缓急。期于祛热救阴而已。然则白头翁
于清解之中。导瘀行毒。使阳邪无伏留地。是乃所以救真阴也。即此可以类推其功矣。
缪氏云。凡滞下胃虚而不思食。及下利完谷不化。泄泻不由于湿毒者。忌之。
三月下子。九月子熟时刈草。春社前后采根。阴干。其根头有白毛如茸。未花时
采则根色鲜明。花过而采则黯恶。
气味甘咸寒。入手足厥阴足少阴经。功专凉血活血。利大小肠。主斑疹痘毒。治心腹邪
气。疗五疸。利九窍。味苦气寒。水乘火色。禀水气澄湛之体。捍格之用。凡心腹浊邪热气。
郁作五黄。损气闭窍者。力能捍格而澄湛之。（之颐）五疸者。湿热在脾胃也。湿热多在血
分。此味凉血除热。而又利
窍。故疸自愈。（仲淳）痘疹欲出未出。血热毒盛。大便闭塞者。
宜用。盖包络之血凉而热散。则胃与肝之血皆和。而大肠自利。直指方云。紫草治痘。能导
大便。使发出亦轻。得木香白术佐之。尤为有益。其已出而紫黑便闭者。亦可用。若已出而
红活。及白陷大便利者。切忌。（能令作泻）同红花子生地丹皮贝母甘草浓煎。加生犀角汁。
量儿大小。以四十九匙至半盏为度。治痘疮深红色。或紫或黑陷。干枯便闭。神效。若在一
朝及二朝内。稍有元气。虽危可生。并治痘疔痘毒。惟痘毒须加黄 金银花大力子。痘疮夹
斑疹者。加硬石膏麦冬知母竹叶一二剂。即去之。痈疽便闭。紫草瓜蒌实等分。新水煎服。
火黄身热。午后却凉。（身有赤点或黑点者不治）宜烙手足心背心百会下廉。内服紫草汤。
紫草吴蓝一两。木香黄连一两。水煎服。
〔论〕丹皮紫草红花茜草苏木。多以赤色应心火。而紫草独为间色。多以甘应脾胃。咸
应肾水。（血本于水。而化于火。其行水火之气化者。脾胃也。）而丹皮独禀苦辛。夫应火
者赤。紫草之见水乘火色者。以相火为水中之火。上奉君火而摄行君令。故心脉诊于左寸。
包络之脉诊于右尺也。所以甘咸而应水土之化。其味与红花茜根苏木同。而紫色则应乎包络
而入之。夫甘咸之味既同。将入血之用亦有同焉者。不知紫草味固甘咸。气则微寒。故主凉
包络之血而解毒。不似三味或兼辛温。止以行血为功。且其凉血。又与丹皮所入不同。在丹
皮由心而及包络之用。紫草则由包络而行心之化。一本元阴之根于肾者。散其伏火以上奉。
一本相火之奉于心者。解其结热以下行。盖丹皮苦而寒。根于先天元阴。紫草甘而寒。兼于
后天化醇也。惟红花茜根苏木能活血。未必能凉血。故不及利大肠。丹皮虽凉血。却不若紫
草更兼后天化醇。而切于胃与大肠。故便闭宜之。又红花茜根苏木俱染红。紫草染紫。若丹
皮则不能染色。以本于先天而后天之化少也。夫肝主色。自入为青。入心为赤。入脾为黄。
入肺为白。入肾为黑。故韭之色青。蒲黄色黄。桃仁白。百草霜黑。皆能入血而效其用。又
何疑于丹皮哉。抑郁金苦寒而辛。与丹皮同。何以又能染色。丹溪曰。郁金属火与土而有水。
即此言。是得之后天者多。所以用其气以入血。与丹皮殊。而染物有色也。
〔修治〕入药去根取茸。细锉。白汤泡用。古方惟用茸。取其初得阳气。以类触类。用
发痘疮。今人不达此理。一概用之。非矣。触烟气则色变。收藏者弗令近之。
Baitouweng (Pulsatilla Root):
It grows everywhere. Near the root, there is white down/fuzz. It gets its name from this resemblance. Its seedlings remain still when there is wind and sway when there is no wind, which is the same as Chijian (Rhizoma Gastrodiae) and Duhuo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis). The roots are harvested in the seventh lunar month and dried in the shade for use.
The taste is bitter and acrid, and the nature is cold. Both aroma and flavor are strong. It can ascend and descend. It can enter the Blood level (Xue Fen), primarily treating blood disorders, and serves as a medicine for the Blood level of the Foot-Yangming and Hand-Yangming meridians. Bitterness can drain downward, acridity can disperse and resolve, and coldness can clear heat and cool the blood. It works best when processed with wine. Tunshi (a plant) acts as its guiding herb. It is extremely effective in treating red toxic dysentery, gu dysentery, and abdominal pain. It also treats epistaxis (nosebleed), warm malaria, mania/insanity (Kuangyi), alternating chills and fever, fixed masses and accumulations (Zhengjia Jiju), neck lumps, deep bone/joint pain in all joints, hernia with testicular swelling, head baldness, and offensive odor at the Danzhong area. It also stops bleeding and pain from metal wounds. (These effects are achieved by expelling stasis.)
[Discussion] Zhang Zhongjing treated dysentery with tenesmus resulting from transmitted heat entering the Jueyin meridian using Baitouweng Tang. This herb expels blood stasis to treat dysentery. Li Dongyuan further stated that dysentery leads to deficiency, so pure bitter agents are used to firm and consolidate. Generally, when heat transmits to the Jueyin causing dysentery, the pathogen has entered deeply; profound heat causes the loss of control over True Yin. In such cases, some use Zhuling Tang to separate turbidity and promote urination, some use Baitouweng Tang to clear and resolve heat, and some use Da or Xiao Chengqi Tang to purge accumulation. The choice depends on the depth and urgency of the condition, aiming solely to dispel heat and save True Yin. Thus, within its clearing and resolving action, Baitouweng guides out stasis and expels toxins, leaving no place for Yang pathogens to linger. This is precisely how it saves True Yin. From this, one can infer its other merits.
Miao Xiyong stated: For those suffering from dysentery (Zhixia) with stomach deficiency and lack of appetite, or who have diarrhea with undigested food, or whose diarrhea is not caused by damp-heat/toxins, this herb should be avoided.
Zicao (Arnebia Root / Lithospermum Root):
It sets fruit in the third lunar month, and the grass is harvested when fruits mature in the ninth lunar month. Roots are collected around the Spring She festival and dried in the shade. The root crown has white hairs like down. If harvested before flowering, the root color is bright and vivid; if harvested after flowering, it becomes dull and poor.
The taste is sweet and salty, and the nature is cold. It enters the Hand-Jueyin (Pericardium), Foot-Jueyin (Liver), and Foot-Shaoyin (Kidney) meridians. Its function specializes in cooling the blood and invigorating blood circulation, benefiting the large and small intestines. It primarily treats macules, rashes, and pox toxins. It treats evil qi in the heart and abdomen, cures the five types of jaundice (Wu Dan), and benefits the nine orifices. The flavor is bitter and the nature is cold. Water assumes the color of fire; it inherits the body of water's clarity and stillness, and the function of resistance and obstruction. For turbid evil heat in the heart and abdomen that stagnates into the five yellows (jaundices), damaging Qi and blocking orifices, this herb has the power to resist and clarify. (Zhiyi) The five jaundices refer to damp-heat in the Spleen and Stomach. Damp-heat mostly resides in the Blood level. This herb cools the blood and removes heat while benefiting the orifices, so jaundice heals itself. (Zhongchun) For pox/rashes that desire to emerge but have not yet done so, where blood heat and toxin are abundant and stool is constipated, it is suitable to use. Because when the blood of the Pericardium is cooled and heat dissipates, the blood of the Stomach and Liver harmonizes, and the Large Intestine becomes unobstructed naturally. *Zhizhi Fang* states: Zicao treats pox, guiding bowel movements to make the eruption lighter. Assisted by Muxiang and Baizhu, it is particularly beneficial. If the pox has emerged but is purple/black with constipation, it can also be used. However, if the pox has emerged and is red/vivid, or presents as white depression with free stools, it is strictly contraindicated. (It may cause diarrhea.) Decoct strongly with Honghua Zi, Shengdi Huang, Mudan Pi, Beimu, and Gancao, adding fresh Rhinoceros Horn juice (Xi Jiao). Dosage varies by child's age, ranging from 49 spoons to half a cup. It treats deep red, purple, or black depressed pox with dryness and constipation with miraculous effect. If used within the first or second day of onset, even in critical conditions with some Yuan Qi remaining, survival is possible. It also treats pox carbuncles and pox toxins. Only for pox toxins must Huangqi, Jinyinhua, and Niubangzi be added. For pox accompanied by macules and rashes, add Yingshigao, Maidong, Zhimu, and Zhuye for one to two doses, then stop. For abscesses/carbuncles with constipation, use equal parts of Zicao and Gualou Shi, decocted in new well water.
For Huohuang disease (fire-yellow) with body heat that subsides in the afternoon (those with red or black spots on the body are incurable), moxibustion/cauterization is suitable on the palms of hands and feet, back center, Baihui, and Xialian points. Internally administer Zicao Tang. Zicao and Wulan each 1 liang, Muxiang and Huanglian each 1 liang, decoct in water and drink.
[Discussion] Mudan Pi, Zicao, Honghua, Qiancao, and Sumu often correspond to Heart Fire due to their red color, whereas Zicao is uniquely an intermediate color (purple). They often correspond to the Spleen/Stomach via sweetness and Kidney Water via saltiness. (Blood originates from Water but transforms via Fire; the organs governing the Qi transformation of Water and Fire are the Spleen and Stomach.) Mudan Pi alone inherits bitter and acrid properties. What corresponds to Fire should be red. The reason Zicao shows "water assuming fire color" is that Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo) is the fire within Water, which ascends to serve Monarch Fire (Jun Huo) and executes its commands. Therefore, the Heart pulse is diagnosed at the Left Cun, and the Pericardium pulse at the Right Chi. Thus, it is sweet and salty, corresponding to the transformations of Earth and Water. Its taste is similar to Honghua, Qian Gen, and Sumu, but its purple color corresponds to the Pericardium and enters there. Since the sweet and salty flavors are the same, their usage in the blood level should also have similarities. However, unknown to many, although Zicao is sweet and salty, its nature is slightly cold. Thus, it primarily cools the blood of the Pericardium and resolves toxins, unlike the other three which may combine acrid-warm properties and only function to move blood. Furthermore, its method of cooling blood differs from Mudan Pi. Mudan Pi acts from the Heart extending to the Pericardium, whereas Zicao acts from the Pericardium influencing the Heart's transformation. One is rooted in Yuan Yin from the Kidney, dispersing latent fire to ascend; the other is Ministerial Fire serving the Heart, resolving constrained heat to descend. Generally, Mudan Pi is bitter and cold, rooted in congenital Yuan Yin; Zicao is sweet and cold, combining post-natal essence. Only Honghua, Qian Gen, and Sumu can invigorate blood but may not cool it, thus they do not benefit the Large Intestine as much. Although Mudan Pi cools blood, it lacks the post-natal essence that Zicao possesses, making Zicao more pertinent to the Stomach and Large Intestine, hence suitable for constipation. Additionally, Honghua, Qian Gen, and Sumu dye red, Zicao dyes purple, while Mudan Pi cannot dye because it is rooted in congenital factors with little post-natal transformation. The Liver governs colors: green enters itself, red enters the Heart, yellow enters the Spleen, white enters the Lung, and black enters the Kidney. Thus, leek is green, cattail pollen is yellow, peach kernel is white, and herbal charcoal is black; all enter the blood and exert their effects. Why doubt Mudan Pi? Yujin is bitter, cold, and acrid, similar to Mudan Pi, yet it can dye. Zhu Danxi said: Yujin belongs to Fire and Earth but contains Water. From this statement, we see it derives more from post-natal sources, so it uses its Qi to enter the blood, differing from Mudan Pi, and thus can dye objects.
[Processing] For medicinal use, remove the root and take only the down/fuzz. Finely chop and soak in boiling water before use. Ancient formulas used only the down, taking advantage of its initial acquisition of Yang Qi, using similarity to trigger similarity, specifically for inducing pox eruptions. Modern people do not understand this principle and use the whole plant indiscriminately, which is incorrect. Its color changes upon exposure to smoke fumes; during storage, keep it away from smoke.