气寒，味苦带甘，气薄味浓，降也，阴也。入手厥阴胞络及足厥阴肝经药也。润大肠血
燥难便，去小腹血凝成块。多用逐瘀血而止痛，少用生新血而通经。盖多则苦胜，破滞气也。
少则甘夺，生新血也。然惟实症可用，若遇血枯之症，必须以滋血补血之药为主，再以此剂
佐之，自是其濡润而无闭结之患矣。孕妇所禁。
气寒，味甘咸，无毒。可升可降，阴也。诸血家之要药也。与川芎同用，则散头目之血
热。与红花同用，则治产后之血瘀。与皂荚刺同用，则逐痈肿之血死。与四物汤同用，则滋
骨蒸之血枯。要之热去则血凉，瘀除则血新，死逐则血活，枯滋则血润。
气寒，味苦，无毒。其色紫，故能行血。其味苦，故能通窍利水。其气寒，故能治肿毒
痈疽。与大力子同用，善快痘疮未发。与淫羊藿同用，能起痘疮已快。攻血泡，佐以红花。
消水泡，并以茯苓。同川芎赤芍入青葙子，能医眼目之赤障。用翘连荆防兼皂荚刺，善消痈
疽之红肿。大都血家药也，无问麻痘症，无论痈疽病，无问男女杂症，但见血紫血热，及热
毒深者，俱宜用之。但泻痢则忌。糯米监制无妨。
气寒，味苦，无毒，阴中微阳也。疗中多蛊毒，治跌扑损伤。吐下血如烂肝，凝积血成
瘀块。虚热崩漏不止，劳伤吐衄时来。室女经滞不行，妇人产后血晕，治之皆愈。大都皆血
家药也，故血滞者能行之，血死者能活之，痘家红紫干枯者，用之于活血药中甚妙，外症疮
疖痈肿者，用之于排脓药中立效。其曰除乳结为痈者何？盖乳者，血之所为也，用此剂以行
之，则血行而痈自散矣。
Tao Ren (Persicae Semen): Its nature is cold, and its taste is bitter with a hint of sweet. Its qi is thin and its flavor is strong; it has a descending and yin property. It enters the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin (also known as Bao Luo) and the Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin. It moistens the large intestine to relieve constipation caused by blood dryness, and eliminates masses formed by blood stasis in the lower abdomen. In larger doses, it expels blood stasis to alleviate pain; in smaller doses, it generates new blood to unblock menstruation. Generally, a large dose makes the bitter flavor predominant, breaking stagnant qi; a small dose allows the sweet flavor to prevail, generating new blood. However, it is only suitable for excess syndromes. If encountering a syndrome of blood depletion, one must prioritize herbs that nourish and tonify blood, using this herb as an adjunct. This will naturally provide moisture without causing obstruction. It is contraindicated for pregnant women.
Qian Cao (Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma): Its nature is cold, and its taste is sweet and salty, non-toxic. It can ascend and descend, and is of yin nature. It is a key herb for treating various blood disorders. When used with Chuan Xiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), it disperses blood heat in the head and eyes. When used with Hong Hua (Carthami Flos), it treats postpartum blood stasis. When used with Zao Jia Ci (Gleditsiae Spina), it expels dead blood from carbuncles and swellings. When used with Si Wu Tang (Four Substances Decoction), it nourishes blood depletion caused by bone-steaming consumption. In summary, when heat is removed, blood cools; when stasis is eliminated, blood becomes fresh; when dead blood is expelled, living blood circulates; when blood depletion is nourished, blood becomes moist.
Zi Cao (Arnebiae Radix seu Cortex): Its nature is cold, and its taste is bitter, non-toxic. Its purple color enables it to promote blood circulation. Its bitter taste allows it to open orifices and promote urination. Its cold nature enables it to treat toxic swellings and carbuncles. When used with Niu Bang Zi (Arctii Fructus), it effectively alleviates symptoms before the eruption of smallpox/variolous eruptions. When used with Yin Yang Huo (Epimedii Folium), it promotes the eruption of already appearing variolous eruptions. To treat blood blisters, add Hong Hua (Carthami Flos). To eliminate watery blisters, combine with Fu Ling (Poria). Combined with Chuan Xiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Chi Shao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra), and Qing Xiang Zi (Veronici Semen), it treats red obstructions of the eyes. Used with Qiao (Scutellariae Barbatae Herba or Forsythiae Fructus depending on context, here likely Scutellaria/Forsythia mix for heat), Lian Qiao (Forsythiae Fructus), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Jing Jie (Schizonepetae Herba), Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), and Zao Jia Ci (Gleditsiae Spina), it effectively reduces redness and swelling of carbuncles. Broadly speaking, these are blood-invigorating herbs. Regardless of whether the condition is related to measles/smallpox or carbuncles, and regardless of gender, if there is purple blood, blood heat, or deep-seated heat toxicity, they are all suitable. However, they are contraindicated in diarrhea and dysentery. Processing with glutinous rice mitigates any adverse effects.
Dan Shen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma): Its nature is cold, and its taste is bitter, non-toxic. It belongs to yin with slight yang properties. It treats various gu poisons and injuries from falls and blows. It is effective for vomiting and defecating blood resembling rotten liver, or for clotted blood forming stasis masses. It treats continuous metrorrhagia due to deficiency-heat, and recurrent hematemesis and epistaxis due to劳伤 (labor injury/overwork). It resolves menstrual stagnation in unmarried women and postpartum syncope due to blood disorder in married women, leading to recovery in all cases. Broadly, these are blood-invigorating herbs; thus, they can move stagnant blood and revive dead blood. For patients with smallpox/variolous eruptions presenting with red, purple, dry, and withered signs, adding them to blood-invigorating formulas is highly effective. For external sores, boils, and carbuncles, incorporating them into pus-draining formulas yields immediate results. Why does it say it removes breast nodules that turn into carbuncles? Because the breasts are formed by blood; using this herb to invigorate blood causes the blood to circulate, and the carbuncle dissipates spontaneously.