味辛温。主风寒咳逆邪气，寒邪逆在上焦。温中，除中焦之寒。金疮，血肉得暖而合
。
破症坚积聚，血瘕，寒气凝结，血滞于中，得热乃行也。寒湿 ，拘挛，膝痛不能行
步。此寒邪之在下焦筋骨间者。
凡有毒之药，性寒者少，性热者多。寒性和缓，热性峻速，入于血气之中，暴烈性发，
体益不支，脏腑娇柔之物，岂能无害，故须审慎用之。但热之有毒者，速而易见；而寒之有
毒者，缓而难察，尤所当慎也。
味辛平。主伤寒寒热，寒热之在肺胃间者。心下坚，下气，辛能开肺降逆。咽喉肿痛
，头眩，开降上焦之火。胸胀，咳逆，肠鸣，气降则通和，故能愈诸疾。止汗。涩敛肺气。
半夏色白而味辛，故能为肺经燥湿之药。肺属金，喜敛而不喜散，盖敛则肺叶垂而气顺，散
则肺叶张而气逆。半夏之辛，与姜桂之辛迥别，入喉则闭不能言，涂金疮则血不复出，辛
中带涩，故能疏而又能敛也。又辛之敛，与酸之敛不同，酸则一主于敛，辛则敛之中有发
散之意，尤与肺投合也。
味苦寒。主下瘀血，血闭除血中热结之滞。寒热，血中积滞之寒热。破症瘕积聚，凡
腹中邪气之积，无不除之。留饮宿食，荡涤肠胃，推陈致新，凡腹中饮食之积，无不除之。
通利水谷，调中化食，助肠胃运化之力。安和五脏。邪积既去，则正气自和。
大黄色正黄而气香，得土之正气正色，故专主脾胃之疾。凡香者，无不燥而上升。大黄
极滋润达下，故能入肠胃之中，攻涤其凝结之邪，而使之下降，乃驱逐停滞之良药也。
[Fuzi (Aconite Lateral Root)]
Pungent, warm. Primarily treats cough and rebellious qi caused by wind-cold and pathogenic factors; these are cold pathogens rebelling in the Upper Jiao (Upper Burner). Warms the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner) and eliminates cold within it. Treats Jin Chuang (metal weapon wounds), as flesh and blood heal when warmed.
Breaks up Zheng Jian Ji Ju (hard abdominal masses and accumulations), Xue Xia (blood masses that gather and disperse irregularly); this is due to cold-dampness coagulation and blood stasis in the interior, which moves only upon receiving heat. Treats spasm and knee pain preventing walking caused by cold-dampness; this refers to cold pathogens located between the sinews and bones of the Lower Jiao (Lower Burner).
Generally, toxic herbs are few in cold nature and many in hot nature. Cold-natured herbs act gently, while hot-natured herbs act violently and rapidly. When entering the blood and qi, their fierce nature erupts, causing the body to be unable to support itself. The Zang-Fu organs are delicate and soft; how can they not be harmed? Therefore, they must be used with caution. However, hot-natured toxic herbs act quickly and their toxicity is easily seen; whereas cold-natured toxic herbs act slowly and their toxicity is difficult to detect, requiring even greater caution.
[Banxia (Pinellia Tuber)]
Pungent, neutral. Primarily treats chills and fever from Shang Han (Cold Damage); these are cold-heat pathogens located between the Lung and Stomach. Treats hardness below the heart (epigastric fullness and hardness) and descends rebellious Qi, because pungency can open the Lung and descend rebellious Qi. Treats sore throat and swelling, dizziness, by opening and descending Fire in the Upper Jiao. Treats chest distension, cough and rebellious Qi, and borborygmus; when Qi descends, it becomes smooth and harmonious, thus curing various diseases. Stops sweating by astringing and consolidating Lung Qi.
Banxia is white in color and pungent in taste, thus serving as an herb for drying dampness in the Lung Meridian. The Lung belongs to Metal, preferring astringency over dispersion. Astringency causes the lung lobes to droop and Qi to flow smoothly, while dispersion causes the lung lobes to expand and Qi to rebel. The pungency of Banxia is distinctly different from that of Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger) and Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig); it causes closure of the throat and inability to speak when placed in the mouth, and stops bleeding when applied to wounds. Its pungency contains astringency, so it can both unblock and astringe. Furthermore, the astringency of pungency differs from that of sourness: sourness primarily focuses on astringency, while pungency contains the intent of dispersion within its astringency, which particularly harmonizes with the Lung.
[Dahuang (Rhubarb Root and Rhizome)]
Bitter, cold. Primarily expels stagnant blood, removes blood obstruction, and clears stagnation caused by heat accumulation in the blood. Treats chills and fever resulting from stagnation in the blood. Breaks up Zheng Xia Ji Ju (abdominal masses and accumulations); no accumulation of pathogenic factors in the abdomen remains untreated. Treats Liu Yin (lingering fluid retention) and Su Shi (retained food), sweeping the intestines and stomach, pushing out the old and bringing forth the new; no dietary accumulation in the abdomen remains untreated. Promotes the passage of water and grain, harmonizes the middle and transforms food, assisting the digestive power of the intestines and stomach. Harmonizes the Five Zang organs; once pathogenic accumulations are removed, righteous Qi naturally harmonizes.
Dahuang has a true yellow color and a fragrant aroma, possessing the upright Qi and true color of Earth, thus specializing in treating diseases of the Spleen and Stomach. Generally, fragrant herbs are drying and ascending. Dahuang is extremely moistening and descending, thus entering the intestines and stomach to attack and cleanse condensed pathogens, causing them to descend. It is an excellent drug for driving out stagnation.