气味苦、寒，无毒。主下淤血、血闭，寒热，破症瘕积聚、留饮宿食，荡涤肠胃，推
陈致新，通利水谷，调中化食，安和五脏。
陈修园曰∶大黄色正黄而臭香，得土之正气正色，故专主脾胃之病；其气味苦寒，故主
下泄
凡血淤而闭，则为寒热；腹中结块，有形可征曰症，可聚可散曰瘕；五脏为积，六腑为
聚，
以及留饮宿食，得大黄攻下，皆能已之。自“荡涤肠胃”下五句，是申明大黄之效。末一
句是总结上四句，又大申大黄之奇效也。意谓人只知大黄荡涤肠胃，功在推陈，抑知推陈即
所以致新乎？人知大黄通利水谷，功在化食，抑知化食即所以调中乎？且五脏皆禀气于胃，
胃
得大黄运化之力而安和，而五脏亦得安和矣，此《本经》所以有黄良之名也。（有生用者，
有用清酒洗者。）
气味苦、甘、平，无毒。主淤血、血闭、症瘕邪气，杀小虫。（双仁者，大毒。）
陈修园曰∶桃仁气平为金气，味苦为大味，味甘为上味。所以泻多而补少者，以气平主
降，
味苦主泄，甘味之少，不能与之为敌也。
徐灵胎曰∶桃得三月春和之气以生，而花色鲜明似血，故凡血郁血结之疾，不能调和畅
达者
，此能入于其中而和之散之。然其生血之功少，而去淤之功多者，何也？盖桃核本非血类，
故不能有所补益。若淤瘕皆已败之血，非生气不能流通。桃之生气，皆在于仁，而味苦又能
开
泄，故能逐旧而不伤新也。
[Da Huang / Rhizoma Rhei]
Odor and Flavor: Bitter, Cold, non-toxic.
Indications: Primarily treats blood stasis (stagnation of blood), amenorrhea due to blood obstruction, alternating chills and fever; breaks up masses and accumulations (abdominal lumps), retained fluids, and old food; purges the intestines and stomach, eliminates the stale to generate the new, promotes the smooth flow of water and grain digestion, harmonizes the middle jiao to transform food, and pacifies and harmonizes the five zang organs.
Chen Xiuyuan states: Da Huang has a pure yellow color and a fragrant odor, inheriting the righteous qi and color of Earth, thus specializing in treating diseases of the Spleen and Stomach; its bitter and cold flavor primarily addresses chills and fever caused by blood stasis and obstruction. Whenever blood is stagnant and obstructed, chills and fever arise; abdominal masses that are fixed and palpable are termed "Zheng" (masses), while those that gather and scatter are termed "Jia" (accumulations); pathology in the five zang organs is called "Ji" (accumulation), and in the six fu organs is called "Ju" (gathering). Retained fluids and old food can all be cured by the purgative action of Da Huang. The five sentences following "purges the intestines and stomach" further elucidate the efficacy of Da Huang. The final sentence summarizes the preceding four, greatly extolling the unique efficacy of Da Huang. The implication is that people only know Da Huang purges the intestines and stomach, with merit in eliminating the stale, but do they realize that eliminating the stale is precisely how the new is generated? People know Da Huang promotes the flow of water and grain, with merit in transforming food, but do they realize that transforming food is precisely how the middle jiao is harmonized? Moreover, the five zang organs all receive qi from the Stomach; when the Stomach obtains the transformative power of Da Huang and becomes harmonious, the five zang organs also become harmonious. This is why the *Shennong Bencao Jing* names Da Huang as "Huang Liang" (Excellent Yellow). (Some are used raw, some are washed with clear wine.)
[Tao Ren / Semen Persicae]
Odor and Flavor: Bitter, Sweet, Neutral, non-toxic.
Indications: Treats blood stasis, amenorrhea due to blood obstruction, Zheng/Jia masses, and pathogenic factors; kills small parasites. (Peach kernels with two almonds contain high toxicity.)
Chen Xiuyuan states: Tao Ren has a neutral qi belonging to Metal qi, a bitter taste which is a major taste, and a sweet taste which is a superior taste. It tonifies less than it drains because neutral qi governs descending, and bitter taste governs purging; the slight sweetness cannot counteract this.
Xu Lingtai states: Peaches grow by absorbing the mild qi of spring in the third month, and their flowers are bright red like blood. Therefore, for diseases of blood stagnation and congealment that cannot be harmonized and unblocked smoothly, Tao Ren can enter them to harmonize and dissipate them. However, why does its ability to generate blood lie less in its function, while its ability to remove stasis lies more? Because peach pits do not belong to the category of blood, they cannot provide nourishment. If stasis and masses are already corrupted blood, without vital qi they cannot circulate. The vital qi of the peach resides entirely in the kernel, and its bitter taste opens and purges, thus allowing it to expel the old without injuring the new.