气味甘、平，无毒。主心腹鬼疰精物老魅，咳逆，泄痢脓血，女子漏下，症瘕坚
结，小儿热气惊痫。
陈修园曰∶龙得天地纯阳之气，凡心腹鬼疰精物，皆属阴气作祟，阳能制阴也。肝属木
而得东方之气，肝火乘于上则为咳逆，奔于下则为泄痢脓血。女子漏下，龙骨能敛戢肝火，
故皆治之。且其用变化莫测，虽症瘕坚结难疗，亦能穿入而攻破之。至于惊痫颠痉，皆肝气
上逆，挟痰而归迸入心；龙骨能敛火安神，逐痰降逆，故为惊痫颠痉之圣药。仲景风引汤，
必是熟读《本经》，从此一味悟出全方，而神妙变化，亦如龙之莫测。余今详注此品，复为
点睛欲飞矣。
痰，水也，随火而升。龙属阳而潜于海，能引逆上之火与泛滥之水，而归其宅。若与牡
蛎同用，为治痰之神品。今人只知其性涩以止脱，何其浅也？
气味甘、平，无毒。主心腹内崩，劳极洒洒如疟状。腰腹痛，四肢酸疼，女子下
血，安胎。久服轻身益气。
陈修园曰∶阿胶以阿井之水，入黑驴皮煎炼成胶也。《内经》云∶手少阴外合于济水，
内合于心，故能入心。又曰∶皮毛者，肺之合也；以皮煎胶，故能入肺，味甘无毒，得地中
正之土气，故能入脾。凡心包之血，不能散行经脉，下入于腹，则为崩堕，阿胶入心补血，
故能治之。劳极气虚，皮毛洒洒如疟状之先寒；阿胶入肺补气，故能治之。脾为后天生血之
本，脾虚则阴血内枯，腰腹空痛，四肢酸疼；阿胶补养脾阴，故能治之。且血得脾以统，所
以有治女子下血之效。胎以血为养，所以有安胎之效。血足气亦充，所以有轻身益气之效也
东阿井，在山东兖州府阳谷县，东北六十里，即古之东阿县也。此清济之水，伏行地中
，历千里而发于此井，其水较其旁诸水，重十之一、二不等。人之血脉，宜伏而不宜见，宜
沉而不宜浮；以之制胶，正与血脉相宜也。必用黑皮者，以济水合于心，黑色属于肾，取水
火相济之义也。所以妙者，驴亦马类，属火而动风；肝为风脏而藏血，今借驴皮动风之药，
引入肝经；又取阿水沉静之性，静以制动；俾风火熄而阴血生，逆痰降。此《本经》性与天
道
[Longgu (Dragon Bone)]
Taste and Nature: Sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Indications: Governs "Guizhu" (a chronic wasting disease caused by evil qi) and disturbances by spirits or demons in the heart and abdomen; cough with reverse flow of Qi; dysentery with pus and blood; leukorrhea or metrorrhagia in women; hard and firm masses in the abdomen; heat-induced convulsions and epilepsy in children.
Chen Xiuyuan states: The dragon embodies the pure Yang Qi of Heaven and Earth. All cases of Guizhu and disturbances by spirits or demons in the heart and abdomen belong to Yin Qi acting as a disturbance; Yang can control Yin. The Liver belongs to Wood and receives the Qi of the East. When Liver Fire rushes upward, it causes cough with reverse flow of Qi; when it rushes downward, it causes dysentery with pus and blood. For leukorrhea or metrorrhagia in women, Longgu can restrain and curb Liver Fire, thus treating these conditions. Moreover, its effects are unpredictable; even for difficult-to-treat hard and firm masses, it can penetrate and break them down. As for convulsions, epilepsy, mania, and spasms, these are all due to Liver Qi rebelling upward, carrying phlegm to strike the Heart; Longgu can restrain fire, calm the spirit, expel phlegm, and descend rebellious Qi, making it a sacred medicine for convulsions, epilepsy, mania, and spasms. Zhang Zhongjing's Fengyin Decoction must have been derived from thoroughly studying the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, realizing the entire formula from this single herb. Its divine and subtle changes are also as unfathomable as the dragon. Now that I have detailed the annotation of this substance, it is like adding the finishing touch to a painted dragon, ready to fly.
Phlegm is water fluid, rising with fire. The dragon belongs to Yang and hides in the sea; it can guide rebellious fire and overflowing water fluids back to their residence. If used together with Muli (Oyster Shell), it becomes a supreme product for treating phlegm. People nowadays only know its astringent nature for stopping collapse and leakage; how shallow is this understanding!
[Ejiao (Donkey-Hide Gelatin)]
Taste and Nature: Sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Indications: Governs internal bleeding in the heart and abdomen; feeling cold like malaria during extreme exhaustion; lower back and abdominal pain; soreness and pain in the four limbs; vaginal bleeding in women; calming the fetus. Long-term use makes the body light and benefits Qi.
Chen Xiuyuan states: Ejiao is made by boiling black donkey hide with water from the E-Ah Well. The *Huangdi Neijing* states: The Hand-Shaoyin (Heart) meridian externally harmonizes with the Ji River and internally harmonizes with the Heart; therefore, Ejiao can enter the Heart. It also states: Skin and hair are the exterior correspondence of the Lung; since gelatin is boiled from skin, it can enter the Lung. Sweet in taste and non-toxic, it obtains the central Earth Qi from the ground; therefore, it can enter the Spleen. Whenever Blood of the Pericardium cannot disperse and circulate through the meridians but sinks into the abdomen, it results in metrorrhagia or miscarriage. Ejiao enters the Heart to tonify Blood, thus treating it. Extreme exhaustion leads to Qi deficiency, causing the skin and hair to feel cold like the pre-chill stage of malaria; Ejiao enters the Lung to tonify Qi, thus treating it. The Spleen is the root of post-heaven Blood generation. Spleen deficiency leads to internal depletion of Yin-Blood, causing empty pain in the waist and abdomen and soreness in the four limbs; Ejiao tonifies and nourishes Spleen Yin, thus treating it. Furthermore, Blood is controlled by the Spleen, which explains its efficacy in treating vaginal bleeding in women. The fetus is nourished by Blood, which explains its efficacy in calming the fetus. When Blood is sufficient, Qi is also充盈 (full), which explains the effect of making the body light and benefiting Qi.
The E-Ah Well is located 60 li northeast of Yanggu County, Yanzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province, which was the ancient Dong'e County. The clear water of the Ji River flows underground for a thousand miles before emerging at this well. Its density is one to two parts heavier than the surrounding waters. Human blood vessels should be hidden rather than exposed, and sunken rather than floating; using this water to make gelatin is perfectly suited to the nature of blood vessels. The reason for using black hide is that the Ji River corresponds to the Heart, and black corresponds to the Kidney, symbolizing the mutual interaction of Water and Fire. The subtlety lies in the fact that the donkey, being of the horse family, belongs to Fire and stirs Wind; the Liver is the organ that stores Wind and Blood. By borrowing the wind-stirring property of the donkey hide, the medicine is guided into the Liver Meridian; simultaneously, the tranquil nature of the Ah water is used to control movement with stillness. This extinguishes Wind and Fire, generates Yin-Blood, and descends rebellious Phlegm. This reflects the medicinal nature recorded in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* and the Way of Heaven...