味苦温。主恶血。破症结积聚。喉痹乳难。久服长肌肉。明目轻身。一名旁通。一
名屈人。一名止行。一名豺羽。一名升推。生平泽或道旁。
屈人疾利。布地缘墙。据之破结。走且妨僵。林森豺羽。波 菱芒。象形铁铸。渠答
钢。
李时珍曰。其刺伤人甚疾利也。陶弘景曰。多生道旁及墙头。其叶布地。子有刺状如菱。
易
。据于蒺藜。苏轼碑。汗流籍 走且僵。李子卿赋。戈矛林森。白居易诗。镜动波 菱。尔
雅翼。 蒺藜起于隋。谓之渠答。李观文。 钢之利器。
味甘微温。主痈疽。久败创。排脓止痛。大风癞疾。五痔鼠 。补虚小儿百病。一名戴
糁。生山谷。
通理三焦。甘先五变。赤白流同。短长形辨。细韧柔绵。缓抽修箭。苜蓿根坚。岂容托
援。
易。君子黄中通理。王好古曰。是上中下内外三焦之药。淮南子。味有五变。甘其主也。
日
华子曰。赤水 。白水 。功用并同。苏颂曰。今河东陕西州郡多有之。根长二三尺。木
短而理横。其皮折之如绵。李时珍曰。以坚实如箭竿者良。王好古曰。苜蓿根味苦。坚脆
宜审。卢仝诗。托援交情重。
味甘微温。主五劳七伤。补中除茎中寒热痛。养五脏。强阴益精气。多子。妇人症
瘕。久服轻身。生山谷。
阴阳司命。福禄丛生。名假肉食。体遍鳞纹。妄言马沥。杂啖羊羹。苁蓉中道。补益功
成。
日华子曰。治男子绝阳。女子绝阴。吴普曰。一名黑司命。韩保升曰。出肃州福禄县沙
中。
左传。肉食者鄙。南史纪。齐高帝鳞纹遍其体。苏颂曰。旧说是野马遗沥所生。陶弘景曰。
以作羊羹补虚乏。李时珍曰。补而不峻。故有苁蓉之号。中庸。苁蓉中道。
[ Tribulus Fruit (Jili Zi) ]
Taste: Bitter. Nature: Warm.
Indications: Treats evil blood (stagnant blood), breaks up masses and accumulations (abdominal lumps). Treats throat obstruction (swollen and painful throat with difficulty in swallowing or breathing) and difficult lactation. Long-term use promotes muscle growth, brightens the eyes, and lightens the body.
Aliases: Pangtong, Quren, Zhixing, Chayu, Shengtui.
Habitat: Grows in marshes or by the roadside.
"Quren Jili": Describes its thorns injuring people quickly and sharply. "Budian Yuanqiang": Its leaves spread on the ground and reach the walls. "Ju Zhi Pojie": Relying on its hard, thorny nature to break up stagnations. "Zou qie fang jiang": Running can lead to stumbling and stiffness (referring to injury from thorns). "Linsen Chayu": Thorns dense as a forest, sharp like chayu feathers. "Boleng Mang": Wave-like angles, sharp as caltrop spines. "Xiangxing Tiezhu": Shape resembling cast iron. "Quda Gang": Texture like steel made from Quda grass.
Li Shizhen stated: Its thorns injure people very quickly and sharply. Tao Hongjing stated: It grows mostly by roadsides and on walls; its leaves spread on the ground, and the seeds have thorns shaped like caltrops. The *I Ching* mentions: "The gentleman has yellow qi flowing through the center..." (Contextually implying its penetrating nature). Su Shi's stele inscription reads: "Sweating profusely, stumbling and falling." Li Ziqing's fu reads: "Spears and halberds standing like a forest." Bai Juyi's poem reads: "The mirror moves with wave-like reflections." *Erya Yi* records: Tribulus originated in the Sui Dynasty, called Quda. Li Guanwen wrote: "A sharp weapon of steel."
[ Astragalus Root (Huangqi) ]
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Slightly warm.
Indications: Treats carbuncles and sores, long-standing ulcerated wounds, expels pus, and relieves pain. Treats severe wind-type leprosy (severe skin diseases like leprosy), five types of hemorrhoids, and shulou (scrofula/lymphatic tuberculosis). Tonifies deficiency and treats various pediatric diseases.
Alias: Daishen.
Habitat: Grows in mountains and valleys.
"Tongli Sanjiao": Unblocks and regulates the Upper, Middle, and Lower Triple Burners. "Gan xian wu bian": The sweet taste initiates five transformations (changes in the Five Elements). "Chi bai liu tong": Blood and Qi flow smoothly, harmonizing both yin and yang aspects. "Duan chang xing bian": Roots vary in length and shape, distinguishable by form. "Xi ren rou mian": Texture is fine, tough, soft, and cotton-like. "Huan chou xiu jian": Slender and straight like a slowly drawn arrow. "Muxu gen jian": Alfalfa roots are hard. "Qi rong tuo yuan": How can it rely on support? (Implying independence or contrasting with clinging plants).
The *I Ching* states: "The gentleman has yellow qi flowing through the center and regulating the pathways." Wang Haogu stated: This herb acts on the Upper, Middle, and Lower Triple Burners, both internally and externally. *Huainanzi* states: There are five variations in taste, with sweet being the primary one. Ri Huazi stated: Astragalus from Chishui and Baishui regions have identical functions. Su Song stated: It is currently abundant in Hedong and Shaanxi prefectures. The root is two to three chi long, with short woody parts and transverse grain. When the bark is broken, it feels like cotton. Li Shizhen stated: Those firm and straight like arrow shafts are superior. Wang Haogu stated: Alfalfa root is bitter, hard, and brittle, requiring careful distinction. Lu Tong's poem says: "Reliance in friendship is heavy."
[ Cistanche Stem (Roucongrong) ]
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Slightly warm.
Indications: Treats five exhaustions and seven injuries (various chronic deficiencies), tonifies the middle jiao, eliminates cold-heat pain in the urethra. Nourishes the five zang organs, strengthens yin and benefits essence and spirit, increases fertility. Treats abdominal masses (zhijia) in women. Long-term use lightens the body.
Habitat: Grows in mountains and valleys.
"Yinyang Siming": A key herb governing yin and yang/life and death. "Fulu Congsheng": Name implies abundance of fortune and happiness (due to origin in Fulu County). "Ming jia roushi": Name borrows from "those who eat meat" (allusion). "Ti bian linwen": Body covered in scale-like patterns. "Wangyan Mali": Absurdly claimed to be born from wild horse semen. "Za dan yanggeng": Mixed and eaten with mutton soup. "Rongrong Zhongdao": Cistanche embodies the Doctrine of the Mean. "Buyi Gongcheng": The function of tonification is achieved.
Ri Huazi stated: It treats male impotence (jueyang) and female frigidity (jueyin). Wu Pu stated: Also known as Heisiming. Han Baosheng stated: It originates from the sandy soils of Fulu County in Suzhou. *Zuo Zhuan* states: "Those who eat meat are vulgar." *History of Southern Dynasties* states: Emperor Gao of Qi had scales covering his body. Su Song stated: Old theories claimed it was born from wild horse semen. Tao Hongjing stated: Making mutton soup with it tonifies deficiency and fatigue. Li Shizhen stated: It tonifies without being harsh, hence the name "Congrong" (meaning leisurely/gentle). *Zhongyong* (Doctrine of the Mean) states: "Cistanche embodies the central way."