味酸性寒无毒，入肺脾肝三经。主香港脚水肿，心腹冷热痛及奔豚，去湿气，调营卫，
助谷气，和脾胃，止吐泻。忌犯铁器，石捣用。
按木瓜之入三经，何也？经所谓以酸补肺，以酸泻肝，脾则受制于木，而孕育夫金者也，
何弗入焉？东垣云∶气脱则能收，气滞则能和，腰肾脚膝之要药也。香薷饮用之，取其专和
脾胃，培植肺气，除夏间之湿，以生至微之金耳。
雷公云∶凡使勿误用和圆子、蔓子、土茯子，其色样外形，真似木瓜，只气味别，并向
里子，各不同，若木瓜皮薄，微赤黄香，甘酸不涩，调营卫，助谷气，向里子头尖一面，方
是真木瓜。若和圆子，色微黄，蒂核粗，子小圆，味涩微酸，伤人气。蔓子颗小似木瓜，味
绝涩，不堪用。土茯子似木瓜，味绝涩，子如大祥油麻，又苦涩不堪用，若饵之令人目涩。
目赤，多筋骨痛，凡使木瓜，勿犯铁，用铜刀刮去硬皮并子，薄切，于日中晒，却用黄牛乳
汁拌蒸，从巳至未，其木瓜如膏煎，却于日中薄摊，晒干用也。
味甘淡，性平无毒，入心肺胃三经。主新旧风邪之烦热，喘促气胜之上冲，疗伤寒，
解虚烦，治消渴，疗喉痹，止呕吐，除咳逆。有一种苦竹叶，主舌疮目痛，去青刮取为竹茹
，主胃热呕呃，除烦解渴，疗吐衄崩中，噎膈气溢，筋极五痔。火烧竹沥，主阴虚发热，中
风口噤，除自汗，解消渴，止惊悸，清烦躁，痰在手足四肢，非此不达，痰在皮里膜外，有
此可驱；又主小儿天吊惊痫，妇人怀孕闷晕。胎前不损子，产后不得虚。笋，补气止渴，久
食益人。
按∶竹叶生于中半以上，故主治多在上焦，心肺胃，皆脏腑之居上者也，宜并入之。味
苦者专泻南方，竹茹者其除土郁，故主用小殊。竹沥者竹之液也，犹人身之血也，极能补阴，
况阴之不足，由于火烁，竹沥长于清火，则血得其养，《本经》已载其功，丹溪又详其效，
而世俗不能常用者。盖泥《证类》之大寒尔，不知竹即笋之老者也。今人自幼食笋，至老不
撤，曾无中其寒凉之害者。沥则假火而成，何寒之有？《证类》之所大寒者，盖表其功，非
论其气也。幸高明者准之以理，斯药无遗用矣。
[Mu Gua]
Taste sour, nature cold, non-toxic, enters the Lung, Spleen, and Liver meridians. It mainly treats Hong Kong foot (gouty edema), cold and hot pain in the heart and abdomen, Ben Tun (a syndrome characterized by Qi rushing from the lower abdomen to the chest and heart), removes dampness, harmonizes Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi), assists Gu Qi (Grain Qi), harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach, and stops vomiting and diarrhea. Avoid contact with iron vessels; crush using a stone mortar.
Commentary: Why does Mu Gua enter these three meridians? The Classics state "sour tonifies the Lung, sour purges the Liver." The Spleen is controlled by Wood and generates Metal; why does it not enter the Spleen meridian? Li Dongyuan said: "When Qi escapes, it can gather; when Qi is stagnant, it can harmonize." It is a key herb for treating the waist, kidneys, feet, and knees. In Xiang Ru Yin (Mosla Decoction), it is used to specifically harmonize the Spleen and Stomach, cultivate Lung Qi, remove summer dampness, and thereby generate the very subtle Metal Qi.
Lei Gong said: When using Mu Gua, do not mistakenly use He Yuan Zi, Man Zi, or Tu Fu Zi. Their color and external appearance are very similar to true Mu Gua, but their taste and internal structures differ. True Mu Gua has thin skin, is slightly reddish-yellow with fragrance, tastes sweet and sour without astringency, harmonizes Ying and Wei, assists Gu Qi, and has a pointed inner seed end. He Yuan Zi is slightly yellow, has a rough pedicel and core, small round seeds, tastes astringent and slightly sour, and damages human Qi. Man Zi is small like Mu Gua, tastes extremely astringent, and is unsuitable for use. Tu Fu Zi resembles Mu Gua, tastes extremely astringent, seeds are like large sesame seeds, bitter and astringent, unsuitable for use; ingestion causes dry and red eyes and frequent bone and joint pain. When processing Mu Gua, avoid iron; scrape off the hard peel and remove seeds with a copper knife, slice thinly, sun-dry, then mix with cow's milk juice and steam from Si hour to Wei hour. When Mu Gua becomes paste-like, spread thinly and sun-dry for use.
[Zhu Ye]
Taste sweet and bland, nature neutral, non-toxic, enters the Heart, Lung, and Stomach meridians. It mainly treats vexation and heat caused by new or old wind pathogens, panting and rebellious Qi rushing upward, treats Shang Han (Cold Damage), resolves deficiency vexation, treats Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst), treats Hou Bi (Sore Throat), stops vomiting, and eliminates cough and rebellious Qi. There is a type of bitter Zhu Ye that mainly treats tongue sores and eye pain. Scraping off the green outer layer yields Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings), which mainly treats Stomach Heat vomiting and hiccups, relieves vexation and thirst, treats hematemesis, epistaxis, metrorrhagia, dysphagia with Qi overflow, Jin Ji (extreme tendon condition), and Wu Zhi (Five Hemorrhoids). Bamboo Juice (Zhu Li) obtained by burning bamboo mainly treats Yin Deficiency fever, stroke with jaw lock, eliminates spontaneous sweating, resolves Xiao Ke, stops palpitations, clears vexation. For phlegm in the hands, feet, and limbs, this herb is essential for reaching the site; for phlegm between the skin and membranes, this herb can expel it. It also mainly treats infant Tian Diao convulsions and epilepsy, and pregnant women's fainting and dizziness. During pregnancy, it does not harm the fetus; after childbirth, it prevents deficiency. Bamboo shoots (Sun) tonify Qi and stop thirst; long-term consumption benefits the person.
Commentary: Zhu Ye grows on the middle to upper part of the bamboo stalk, so its therapeutic effects are mostly on the Upper Jiao. The Heart, Lung, and Stomach are organs located superiorly, so they are appropriately grouped here. Bitter flavors specifically purge the South (Fire); Zhu Ru is used to remove Earth stagnation, hence their different indications. Zhu Li is the fluid of bamboo, analogous to blood in the human body; it strongly tonifies Yin. Since Yin deficiency often results from Fire scorching, and Zhu Li excels at clearing Fire, the Blood receives nourishment. The *Shennong Ben Cao Jing* already recorded its efficacy, and Danxi detailed its effects, yet common people rarely use it. This is likely due to adherence to the description of it being "greatly cold" in the *Zheng Lei Ben Cao*. They fail to realize that bamboo is simply aged bamboo shoots. People eat bamboo shoots from childhood to old age without suffering cold damage. Zhu Li is formed through fire; how can it be cold? The "greatly cold" description in *Zheng Lei Ben Cao* refers to its functional effect, not its intrinsic nature. May those with wisdom judge by reason, so that no medicinal uses are overlooked.