味苦平。主益气，充肌肤，得天地之和气以生，故亦能益人之正气而强健也。明目，
聪慧先知。蓍草神物，揲之能前知。盖得天地之灵气以生，故亦能益人之神明也。久服，不
饥，不老轻身。气足神全，故有此效。
此因其物之所能以益人之能也。昔圣人幽赞于神明而生蓍，此草中之神物也。服之则补
人之神，自能聪慧前知，食肉者鄙，不益信夫。
味苦寒。主热气，除热在气分者。目痛， 伤泪出，明目，除湿热在上之病。肠 ，
腹痛下痢，除湿热在中之病。妇人阴中肿痛。除湿热在下之病。久服，令人不忘。苦入心能
补心也。
苦味属火，其性皆热，此固常理。黄连至苦，而反至寒，则得火之味，与水之性者也，
故能除水火相乱之病。水火相乱者，湿热是也。凡药能去湿者，必增热，能除热者，必不能
去湿。惟黄连能以苦燥湿，以寒除热，一举两得，莫神于此。心属火，寒胜则火，黄连宜为
泻心之药，而反能补心何也？盖苦为火之正味，乃以味补之也。若心家有邪火，则此亦能
泻之，而真火反得宁，是泻之即所以补之也。苦之极者，其性反寒，即《内经》亢害承制之
义。所谓火盛
味甘微温。主痈疽，久败疮，排脓止痛，除肌肉中之热毒。大风癞疾，去肌肉中之风
毒。五痔，鼠 ，去肌肉中之湿毒。补虚，补脾胃之虚。小儿百病。小儿当补后天。后天者
，肌肉之本也。
黄 甘淡而温，得土之正味、正性，故其功专补脾胃。味又微辛，故能驱脾胃中诸邪。
其皮最浓，故亦能补皮肉，为外科生肌长肉之圣药也。
[Shi Shi (Yarrow Fruit)]
Taste: Bitter, neutral.
Main actions: Tonifies Qi, fills the flesh and skin. As it is born from the harmonious Qi of Heaven and Earth, it can also benefit human Zheng Qi (Upright Qi), thereby strengthening the body. It brightens the eyes, enhances wisdom, and provides precognition. Yarrow is a divine herb; divining with its stalks allows one to foresee the future. This is because it absorbs the spiritual essence of Heaven and Earth, thus benefiting human Shen Ming (Spiritual Intelligence). Long-term consumption prevents hunger, delays aging, and lightens the body. These effects arise from sufficient Qi and complete Shen.
This illustrates utilizing the properties of substances to enhance human capabilities. In ancient times, sages used Yarrow to communicate with the divine, making it a divine substance among herbs. Consuming it tonifies human Shen, naturally granting wisdom and foresight. The fact that meat-eaters are coarse proves this further.
[Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma)]
Taste: Bitter, cold.
Main actions: Treats hot pathogens; clears heat in the Qi level. For eye pain and excessive tearing, it brightens the eyes and clears damp-heat in the upper jiao. For intestinal pain, abdominal pain, and dysentery, it clears damp-heat in the middle jiao. For swelling and pain in the female genitalia, it clears damp-heat in the lower jiao. Long-term consumption improves memory. Bitter flavor enters the Heart and tonifies the Heart.
Bitter flavor belongs to Fire, and its nature is typically hot, which is the general rule. However, Huang Lian is extremely bitter yet extremely cold, possessing the flavor of Fire but the nature of Water. Thus, it can treat disorders caused by the disturbance between Water and Fire. Such disturbance refers to damp-heat. Generally, herbs that remove dampness increase heat, while those that clear heat cannot remove dampness. Only Huang Lian can dry dampness with its bitterness and clear heat with its coldness, achieving two goals with one stroke; nothing is more miraculous than this. The Heart belongs to Fire; if Cold overcomes Fire, Fire declines. Although Huang Lian should theoretically drain the Heart, why does it tonify it? Because bitter is the correct flavor of Fire, so it tonifies via flavor. If there is pathogenic fire in the Heart, it can also drain it, allowing the true Fire to remain tranquil. Thus, draining is equivalent to tonifying. When bitterness reaches its extreme, its nature becomes cold, which aligns with the principle of "Excessive Harm and Controlling Mechanism" (Kang Hai Cheng Zhi) in the *Neijing*. That is, when Fire is excessive...
[Huang Qi (Astragali Radix)]
Taste: Sweet, slightly warm.
Main actions: Treats carbuncles and ulcers, chronic non-healing sores, expels pus, relieves pain, and clears heat-toxins from the muscles. Treats severe wind-induced leprosy, removing wind-toxins from the muscles. Treats five types of hemorrhoids and scrofula, removing damp-toxins from the muscles. Tonifies deficiency, specifically tonifying Spleen and Stomach deficiency. Treats various diseases in children. Children require tonification of the Post-Heaven foundation. The Post-Heaven foundation is the root of the muscles.
Huang Qi is sweet, bland, and warm, possessing the correct flavor and nature of Earth. Therefore, its function specializes in tonifying the Spleen and Stomach. Its slight pungency allows it to dispel various pathogens in the Spleen and Stomach. Its bark is the most concentrated, so it also tonifies the skin and flesh, serving as a supreme herb for generating tissue and promoting wound healing in surgery.