味辛甘。性大热。有大毒。全禀地中火土燥烈之气。兼得天之热气以生。降多升少。
浮中沉无所不至。阳中阴也。地胆为使。恶蜈蚣。畏防风、黑豆、甘草、黄 、人参、童便
、犀角。忌豉汁。得川椒、食盐。能引下行。直达命门。
【主治】主风寒咳逆邪气。寒湿痿 。拘挛膝痛。不能行步。破症坚积聚血瘕。金疮。
（本
经） 腰脊风寒。香港脚冷弱。心腹冷痛。霍乱转筋。下痢赤白。坚肌骨。又堕胎为百药长。
（
淫腹
寒。阴
阳。久
聋。（
【归经】入命门三焦二经。兼入脾肾膀胱三经。为回阳退阴之品。（兼补剂 专补命门
相火
【前论】虞抟曰。附子禀雄壮之质。能引补气药行十二经。以追复散失之元阳。引补血
药入
祛除
阳益
传遍
待
之即
药。
格不
也。
寒治
先其
鳌按、热药不但附子。一切姜、桂皆然
阳俱虚。或阴虚更甚于阳者。以热药治之。
原以补阳。余曾见一医治一阴虚之妇。其医
不痊。且愈多枯燥象。可见人参补阳。虽有益
足。若但与补阳药用之。未见其有济也。读书
【禁忌】经疏曰。一切阳症。火症。热症。阴虚内热血液衰少症。均忌。
味辛。性热。有毒。即附子之母。
【主治】主风痹。血痹。半身不遂诸风。除寒冷。温养脏腑。去心下坚痞。感寒腹痛。
（
元素） 除寒湿行经。散风邪。破诸积冷毒。（李杲） 补命门不足。肝风虚。（好古）
【归经】入脾命门二经。为助阳退阴之品。（通行十二经络功同附子而稍缓）
【前论】宗 曰。补虚寒须用附子。去风即多用川乌。大略如此。 时珍曰。附子性重
滞。
鳌按、乌头以出川彰明者为上。故加川字以别草乌头也。附子即附生于乌头者。故亦以
川产
物。
虽暑
又
竟不可用也。不然。仲景白通四逆真武等汤。何为用之哉。丹溪法重滋阴。故每偏诋阳药。
非平允之说也。
[Properties and Flavors] Pungent and sweet in taste. Extremely hot in nature. Highly toxic. It completely inherits the dry, hot, and fierce qi of fire and earth from within the ground, and grows by combining with the hot qi of heaven. Its descending action is greater than its ascending action.
It reaches all levels of floating, middle, and deep pulses. It belongs to yin within yang. Di Dan (Borneol) serves as its guiding herb. It is incompatible with centipede (Wugong). It fears Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia Root), Heidou (Black Soybean), Gancao (Licorice Root), Huangqin (Scutellaria Root), Renshen (Ginseng Root), Tongbian (Child's Urine), and Xijiao (Rhinoceros Horn - *note: modern substitutes used*). It is contraindicated with Douzhi (Fermented Soybean Juice). When combined with Chuanjiao (Sichuan Pepper) and Shiyans (Salt), it can guide the medicinal power downward, reaching directly to the Mingmen (Gate of Life).
[Indications] Primarily treats wind-cold cough and rebellious qi due to pathogenic factors. Treats flaccidity syndrome caused by cold-dampness. Treats tendon contraction and knee pain, inability to walk. Breaks up masses, accumulations, and blood stasis (Xuejia). Treats metal weapon injuries (Jinchuang).
(From *Shennong Ben Cao Jing*) Treats wind-cold in the lower back and spine. Treats cold weakness of Hongxiangjiao (Beriberi/Foot Qi). Treats cold pain in the heart and abdomen. Treats Huoluan (cholera-like syndrome) with tendon spasms. Treats dysentery with red and white discharge. Strengthens muscles and bones. It can also induce abortion and is known as the "Chief of Hundred Medicines."
(Text here has omissions, likely referring to abdominal cold, yin-yang imbalance, and chronic deafness.)
[Meridian Tropism] Enters the Mingmen and Sanjiao meridians. Also enters the Spleen, Kidney, and Bladder meridians. It is a substance that restores yang and dispels yin-cold. (It also functions as a tonic, specifically tonifying the Minister Fire of the Mingmen.)
[Preliminary Discussions] Yu Tun stated: Fuzi possesses a heroic and vigorous quality. It can guide qi-tonifying herbs through the twelve meridians to pursue and restore scattered Yuan Yang (Original Yang); it guides blood-tonifying herbs into... [text missing], removing... [text missing], benefiting yang... [text missing], spreading throughout... [text missing], waiting for... [text missing], which then... [text missing], the drug's barrier not... [text missing].
Aot An (Author's Note): Hot medicines are not limited to Fuzi; all ginger and cinnamon are similar. If both yang and qi are deficient, or if yin deficiency is more severe than yang deficiency, treating with hot medicines... [text missing]. Originally intended to tonify yang. I once saw a doctor treat a woman with yin deficiency. That doctor... [text missing] did not recover, and instead showed more signs of dryness and withering. This shows that although Renshen tonifies yang and has benefits, if used only with other yang-tonifying drugs, it has not been seen to be helpful. Reading... [text missing].
[Contraindications] Miao Xiyong in *Jingshu* states: All yang syndromes, fire syndromes, heat syndromes, yin deficiency with internal heat, and conditions with depleted blood are all contraindicated.
[Chuanwu]
Pungent in taste. Hot in nature. Toxic. It is the mother plant of Fuzi.
[Indications] Primarily treats wind-bi, blood-bi, hemiplegia, and various wind syndromes. Dispels cold sensations. Warms and nourishes the zang-fu organs. Removes hardness and fullness below the heart. Treats abdominal pain caused by cold invasion.
(From Li Gao/Jiegu) Dispels cold-dampness and unblocks the meridians. Disperses wind-pathogens. Breaks up various accumulated cold toxins. (From Li Gao) Tonifies insufficiency of the Mingmen. Treats liver wind deficiency. (From Wang Haogu)
[Meridian Tropism] Enters the Spleen and Mingmen meridians. It is a substance that assists yang and dispels yin. (Its function of circulating through the twelve meridians is similar to Fuzi but slightly milder.)
[Preliminary Discussions] Zong stated: To tonify deficiency-cold, one must use Fuzi; to dispel wind, one should mostly use Chuanwu. Roughly speaking, this is the case.
Shizhen (Li Shizhen) stated: Fuzi has a heavy and stagnant nature.
Aot An: Aconite root produced in Zhangming, Sichuan, is considered superior, hence the prefix "Chuan" (Sichuan) is added to distinguish it from Caowu (Wild Aconite). Fuzi is the lateral root attached to the main Aconite root, so it is also best when produced in Sichuan... [text missing].
Although summer... [text missing] again... [text missing] could it really be unusable? Otherwise, why do Zhang Zhongjing's Baibotong Decoction, Sini Decoction, and Zhenwu Decoction use it? Danxi (Zhu Zhenheng) emphasized nourishing yin, thus often unfairly disparaging yang-tonifying drugs. This is not a fair and balanced view.