三月开白花。根长及尺。四月采根。曝用。
味苦微辛。气温芳烈。苦泄热。温壮气。辛散郁。肾经气分药。（苗短根长。司肾之物。
肾有相火。苦温者入之。）藏于肾而用于心。（之颐）主治强志补中。定心气。止惊悸。治健
忘。益智慧。利九窍。聪耳明目。除邪气。去心下膈气。小便赤浊。及肾积奔豚。又远志酒
治一切痈疽。奇效。同枣仁茯神人参地黄丹砂。为镇心定惊要药。同人参柏仁枣仁麦冬五味
归身益智茯苓神生地甘草沉香。治心气弱。心血少。馁怯易惊。梦寐多魇。神不守舍。怔忡
健忘。失志阳痿。同茯神人参白术炙草枣仁木香龙眼肉。能归脾益智。入当归六黄汤。止阴
虚盗汗。
附方 远志酒。凡一切痈疽发背疖毒。有死血阴毒在中则不痛。敷之即痛。有忧恚等气
积怒攻。则痛不可忍。敷之即不痛。或蕴热在内。热逼人手不可忍。敷之即清凉。或气虚冷
溃而不敛。敷之即敛。此方极验。若七情内郁。不问虚实寒热。治之皆愈。用远志不拘多少。
米泔浸洗。捶去心。为末。每服三钱。温酒一盏调。澄少顷。饮其清。以渣敷患处。小便赤
浊。远志八两。茯神益智各二两。为末。酒糊丸梧子大。每空心枣汤下五十丸。
〔论〕 远志独以益志见长者。以志固静中之动机。所谓阴中阳也。此味苦而至地。乃
本于气之温者。感于离阳以上越。有合于人身阴中之阳。阳之初动。以效其离火之用动而不
者。（先哲谓肾气不足加熟地远志丹皮）观其采根。定以孟夏。非阳之动而欲畅者。此固
乘之以出乎。经曰。营卫留于下。久之不以时上。故善忘。此味之治善忌。固为其举精气以
上奉也。然则远志信为肾经气分药。乃又谓其入心归血者。（丹溪）盖能于至阴之地以发阳。
还能于至阳之地以宅阴也。（虽为肾家气分药。而最能宁心。以其入心归血也。盖血者真阴
之化醇。入心归血。正于至阳之地宅阴。动又以静为君也。）其益智慧者。以精气上奉于心。
而精中伎巧之出。并之而上也。之颐云。藏于肾而用于心一语。庶几微中矣。人身止是水火
二气。肾气者。水中火也。心血者。火中水也。能使肾气上奉于心。则水亦随火以升矣。水
随火升。即能使心血下达于肾。而火亦随水以降矣。历参所疗诸证。如强志定气。可以识升
者机。如赤浊奔豚。可以识降者机。至于调气之道。在和阴阳。远志能开郁者。亦其升降阴
阳之功也。枣仁治心。乃入脾胆血分者。炒熟则香甘而仍有酸意。盖肝胆以脾为用。熟枣仁
香醒脾困。甘生脾血。而又有酸以收其耗散之气。使血归于脾。脾之脉固注心者也。所以亦
曰补心。大约远志乃先天化原。枣仁乃后天化原。故二味俱用以益心。（二味入补心药须以
血药为主）
缪氏云。心有实火。应用黄连生地者。禁与术等补阳气药同用。
〔修治〕 去骨取皮。甘草汤渍一宿。（因苦下行。以甘缓之。使上发也。）漉出。曝干
用。
In the third month, it opens white flowers. The roots grow up to one chi in length. In the fourth month, the roots are harvested and used after sun-drying.
The taste is bitter with a slight pungency; the nature is warm, and the aroma is fragrant and intense. Bitterness drains heat, warmth strengthens Qi, and pungency disperses stagnation. It is a herb entering the Kidney channel Qi level. (Its seedlings are short while roots are long, governing matters of the Kidney. The Kidney houses Ministerial Fire, and herbs that are bitter and warm enter into it.) It stores in the Kidney but acts upon the Heart. (According to Zhang Zhiyi) Its main indications include strengthening willpower, tonifying the Middle Jiao, stabilizing Heart Qi, arresting palpitations and fright, treating amnesia, enhancing wisdom, benefiting the nine orifices, improving hearing and vision, eliminating pathogenic factors, removing stagnant Qi under the heart and diaphragm, treating dark turbid urine, as well as Kidney accumulation and Ben Tun syndrome (running piglet). Furthermore, Yuanzhi Wine treats all types of carbuncles and sores with remarkable efficacy. Combined with Suanzaoren Fructus Ziziphi Spinosae, Fushen Poria Cum Radix, Renshen Radix Ginseng, Dihuang Rhizoma Rehmanniae Recens, and Zhusha Cinnabaris, it serves as an essential formula for calming the Heart and arresting fright. Combined with Renshen Radix Ginseng, Bairen Semen Armeniacae Amarum, Suanzaoren Fructus Ziziphi Spinosae, Maidong Herba Ophiopogonis, Wuweizi Fructus Schisandrae, Dangguishen Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Yizhiren Fructus Alpiniae Oxyphyllae, Fuling Poria, Shenqu Mass Medicamentum Fermentatum Chinese, Shengdi Huang Rhizoma Rehmanniae Recens, Gancao Radix Glycyrrhizae, and Chenxiang Lignum Aquilariae Resinatum, it treats conditions of weak Heart Qi and deficient Heart Blood, timidity and susceptibility to fright, frequent nightmares during sleep, unsettled Spirit, palpitations and amnesia, loss of willpower, and impotence. Combined with Fushen Poria Cum Radix, Renshen Radix Ginseng, Baizhu Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Zhigancao Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata, Suanzaoren Fructus Ziziphi Spinosae, Muxiang Radix Aucklandiae, Longyanrou Arillus Longan, it benefits the Spleen and enhances wisdom. When added to Danggui Liuhuang Tang (Angelica Hexapartite Decoction), it stops night sweats due to Yin deficiency.
Supplementary Formula: Yuanzhi Wine. For all types of carbuncles, back infections, boils, and toxic sores: if there is dead blood and Yin toxin inside, there is no pain; applying this causes pain. If there is accumulation of emotions such as grief and anger attacking, the pain is unbearable; applying this stops the pain. If there is internal heat accumulation, the heat forces the hand away intolerably; applying this brings immediate coolness. If Qi deficiency and cold cause ulceration without healing, applying this promotes healing. This formula is extremely effective. For internal depression caused by the Seven Emotions, regardless of deficiency, excess, cold, or heat, treatment leads to recovery. Take Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix) in any quantity, soak and wash with rice water, beat to remove the woody core, and grind into powder. Take three qian per dose, mix with one zhan of warm wine, let settle for a moment, drink the clear liquid, and apply the dregs to the affected area. For dark turbid urine: Yuanzhi 8 liang, Fushen Poria Cum Radix and Yizhiren Fructus Alpiniae Oxyphyllae each 2 liang, grind into powder, make pills with wine paste the size of wutong seeds. Take fifty pills on an empty stomach with jujube decoction.
[Discussion] Yuanzhi excels specifically in enhancing willpower because "Zhi" (Will) is indeed the motive force within stillness, known as "Yang within Yin." This herb has a bitter taste and tends downward, originating from the warmth of Qi, sensing the Yang of the Li trigram to ascend upward, conforming to the "Yang within Yin" in the human body. At the initial movement of Yang, it exerts the function of Li Fire, moving without restlessness. (Ancient sages stated that when Kidney Qi is insufficient, add Shudi, Yuanzhi, and Danpi) Observing its harvest time set in Mengxia (early summer, the first month of summer), it is not when Yang is active and seeking freedom; rather, it naturally emerges by taking advantage of this timing. The Classic states: "When Ying and Wei remain below and fail to ascend in time, one easily suffers from amnesia." The efficacy of Yuanzhi in treating amnesia lies precisely in its ability to elevate Jing and Qi to offer them to the Heart. However, although Yuanzhi is indeed considered a herb entering the Kidney channel Qi level, it is also said to enter the Heart and return to the Blood. (According to Zhu Danxi) This is likely because it can emit Yang from the place of extreme Yin, and also house Yin in the place of extreme Yang. (Although it is a herb for the Qi level of the Kidney family, it is best at calming the Heart because it enters the Heart and returns to the Blood. Blood is the refined transformation of True Yin; entering the Heart and returning to the Blood means housing Yin in the place of extreme Yang, where movement is primary but stillness is the ruler.) Its ability to enhance wisdom stems from Jing and Qi being offered to the Heart, and the skills contained within Jing ascending together. Zhang Zhiyi said, "Stores in the Kidney but acts upon the Heart," which almost hits the mark. The human body possesses only Water and Fire Qi. Kidney Qi is Fire within Water; Heart Blood is Water within Fire. If Kidney Qi can be offered upward to the Heart, then Water rises along with Fire; if Water rises with Fire, it enables Heart Blood to descend to the Kidney, and thus Fire descends along with Water. Reviewing the various conditions treated, such as strengthening willpower and stabilizing Qi, reveals the mechanism of ascending; such as dark turbid urine and Ben Tun syndrome, reveals the mechanism of descending. As for the way of regulating Qi, it lies in harmonizing Yin and Yang. Yuanzhi's ability to open stagnation is also the result of its merit in ascending and descending Yin and Yang. Suanzaoren treats the Heart, entering the Blood level of the Spleen and Gallbladder. When stir-fried until ripe, it becomes fragrant and sweet yet retains sourness. Roughly speaking, the Liver and Gallbladder utilize the Spleen; the fragrance of ripe Suanzaoren awakens the Spleen's fatigue, sweetness generates Spleen Blood, and sourness gathers dissipating Qi, causing Blood to return to the Spleen. The Spleen's meridian inherently connects to the Heart, so it is also said to tonify the Heart. Generally speaking, Yuanzhi is the source of congenital transformation, while Suanzaoren is the source of acquired transformation; therefore, both are used to benefit the Heart. (When these two herbs enter formulas for tonifying the Heart, they must be based on Blood-tonifying herbs.)
Miao Xi Yong stated: For Heart Excess Fire, where Huanglian and Shengdi Huang should be used, they are contraindicated for simultaneous use with tonifying Yang Qi herbs such as Baizhu.
[Processing] Remove the woody core and take the bark. Soak in Gancao decoction overnight. (Because bitterness directs downward, sweetness is used to moderate it, enabling upward dispersion.) Drain, sun-dry, and use.