百合 〔甘微寒，入心、肺二经。白花者可用。〕保肺止咳，〔相傅清肃，咳嗽可止。〕驱邪
定惊，〔君主镇定，邪魅可驱，惊悸可疗。仲景用治行住坐卧不定，如有神灵，谓之百合病，是亦清心
安神之效。〕止涕泪多，〔清肺肝热之功。〕利大小便。〔清肾热之效，以肾主二便也。〕
中寒者勿用。
山药 〔一名薯蓣，甘平，入心、肺、脾、肾四经。或蒸或炒。〕健脾胃而止泄泻，益肾气而止遗
精。治肌肉羸瘦，润皮肤枯燥。〔能入脾、肺二经，补其不足，清其虚热，则肌肉自长，皮肤不枯，故
体虚羸者，宜加而用之。〕能除虚胀，〔脾得补而胀自消。〕可镇心神。〔能补心气不足。〕
性缓非多用不效。
薄荷 〔辛凉，入心、肝、肺三经。〕解散风热，〔为风热上壅之要药。〕通利关节。〔以其辛
香走窜也。〕清头目，利咽喉口齿诸病；〔辛能发散，凉能清利，专于消风散热，故主头痛、头风、面
肿、目赤肿痛，咽疼，暴喑，舌糜，唇肿，齿痛诸病。〕治瘰 ，兼痧疹瘙痒诸疮。〔瘰 多因气郁伤
肝，肝火血燥而筋挛所致。兼入肝经气分，辛香开气，故能祛愤气。且凉能清利之功。其治痧疹疮疥，
风气瘙痒，皆祛风清热之效。〕能理霍乱，可除胀满。〔辛香开气通窍之力。〕和蜜而擦伤寒舌苔，捣汁
而涂猫咬蛇伤。〔猫食薄荷则醉故也。亦涂蜂螫。〕仲淳噙化丸，治阴虚肺热咳嗽，用之为君，以其与滋
阴收敛之剂同用，故有利而无患。
病患新瘥勿服，以其能发汗，虚表气也。阴虚人发热勿
服，以出汗则愈竭其津液也。
紫苏 〔辛温，入心、肺、胃三经。与鲤鱼同食，生毒疮。解鱼蟹毒。〕善散风寒，〔解肌
发表之功。〕能治冷气。〔故心腹胀满，温中行气，止痛用之。〕
子〔辛温，炒研。〕功专降气，性兼润燥，止嗽定喘俱用、消痰治噎均求。可除呕逆，亦疗吐
血。〔皆属降气之功〕
阴虚发寒热，或恶寒头痛者忌用叶，大便滑者不用子。
莱菔子 〔辛温，炒研用。〕下气治痰定喘，〔治痰有推墙倒壁之功。〕消食除膨止痛，生研汁
服而吐风痰，〔生用则升。〕醋调末涂而消肿毒。〔辛散之功。〕
虚弱人忌之。
白芥子 〔辛热，入肺经。研用。〕善豁寒痰，能除冷冻饮料。
〔若痰在肋下，及皮里膜外者，非此不能达，祛胸膈之痰，是其剩馥矣。〕
阴虚痰嗽者甚戒，茎叶有疮、痔便血者大忌。
韭 〔辛温，生捣汁用，熟则归肾壮阳。〕专消瘀血，〔故吐血及胸痹痛如锥刺及损伤，并用之。
〕能疗噎膈，〔以其能消散胃脘之瘀血。〕
胃气虚而有热者勿服。
干姜 〔辛大热，入肺、脾二经。〕生用则辛，逐寒邪而发表，炮用则苦，除胃冷而守中。〔
守而不移，非若附子，行而不止也。〕能引血药入血分，引气药入气分，又能祛恶养新，有阳生阴长之
意，故产后方中用之所由来也。
大辛大热，辛能 上，辛能散气走血，久服损阴伤目，病非寒冷，切戒误投。孕妇服之，令胎内消。
生姜 〔辛热，入肺、胃二经。制半夏毒。〕生则发表，熟则温中，〔故能治胀满，止腹痛。〕
开痰有效，〔热痰则忌之。〕止呕宜求。〔孙真人云∶呕乃气逆不散，此能行阳而散气。东垣言其止呕
，但治表实气壅，仲淳言呕兼寒者宜用，挟热者则忌。〕
姜皮治疟疾无汗，〔或寒多，或寒甚，或兼呕者并用。若病久阴虚而有热者，虽呕亦忌。〕消浮肿腹
胀。〔药之辛者，轻者可使走表，用以治水气肿胀，开鬼门之义也。〕凡早起山行，宜含一块，不犯露雾
清湿之气，山岚不正之气。
忌同干姜。人云∶夜不宜食。夜则气本收敛，反开发之，则违天道矣。
葱白 〔辛温，入肺、胃二经。大忌与蜜同食。〕发表出汗，治伤寒头痛而即安，通气利窍
，熨小便不通而立至。表虚易汗者勿用。多食令人神昏发落。因热便秘者勿熨。
Lily Bulb (Baihe): Sweet, slightly cold; enters the Heart and Lung meridians. The white-flowered variety is usable. It protects the lungs and stops coughing. [When the Lung's function of clearing and descending is normal, coughing ceases.] It expels pathogens and calms fright. [When the Heart, the sovereign organ, is stabilized, pathogenic influences are expelled, and palpitations due to fright are treated. Zhang Zhongjing used it to treat restlessness in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, as if possessed by spirits, a condition called "Lily Disease" (Baihe Bing), demonstrating its effect of clearing the heart and calming the spirit.] It stops excessive nasal discharge and tears. [This is the effect of clearing heat from the Lung and Liver.] It promotes urination and defecation. [This is the effect of clearing Kidney heat, as the Kidney governs the two lower orifices.] Contraindicated for those with middle-jiao cold.
Chinese Yam (Shanyao): Also known as Shuyu; sweet, neutral; enters the Heart, Lung, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. Can be steamed or stir-fried. It strengthens the Spleen and Stomach to stop diarrhea, and tonifies Kidney Qi to stop seminal emission. It treats emaciation and moistens dry skin. [It enters the Spleen and Lung meridians, tonifying deficiency and clearing deficient heat; thus muscles grow naturally and skin does not wither, making it suitable for those who are weak and emaciated.] It eliminates false distension. [When Spleen Qi is tonified, distension subsides.] It can calm the mind and spirit. [It tonifies insufficient Heart Qi.] Its action is mild; large doses are required for efficacy.
Mint (Bohe): Pungent, cool; enters the Heart, Liver, and Lung meridians. Disperses wind-heat. [It is a key herb for treating wind-heat congestion upward.] It unblocks and benefits the joints. [Due to its pungent aroma and penetrating nature.] It clears the head and eyes, and treats diseases of the throat, mouth, and teeth. [Pungency disperses, coolness clears and benefits; it specializes in dissipating wind and clearing heat, thus governing headaches, cephalalgia due to wind, facial swelling, red and swollen painful eyes, sore throat, sudden loss of voice, oral ulcers, lip swelling, and toothache.] It treats scrofula (Luoli) and various sores caused by sand-rash and itching. [Scrofula often results from Qi stagnation injuring the Liver, leading to Liver fire, blood dryness, and tendon spasms. Mint also enters the Qi level of the Liver meridian; its pungent aroma opens Qi stagnation, thus dispelling resentment. Its coolness also clears and benefits. Its treatment of sand-rash, sores, and itching relies on dispelling wind and clearing heat.] It regulates Huoluan (cholera-like disease) and removes distension. [Relying on the power of pungent aroma to open orifices and promote Qi flow.] Mixed with honey and applied to the tongue coating of Shanghan (cold damage); juice applied to cat bites or snake bites. [Because cats become intoxicated after eating mint. It is also applied to bee stings.] Zhongchun Qin Hua Wan uses Mint as the chief herb to treat cough due to Yin deficiency and Lung heat; because it is used with yin-nourishing and astringent agents, it is beneficial without harm.
Contraindicated for patients newly recovered from illness, as it induces sweating and depletes deficient exterior Qi. Contraindicated for those with Yin deficiency and fever, as sweating further exhausts body fluids.
Perilla Leaf (Zisu): Pungent, warm; enters the Heart, Lung, and Stomach meridians. Eating together with carp causes toxic sores. Resolves fish and crab toxicity. [It effectively disperses wind-cold. [The effect of releasing the muscle layer and venting the exterior.] It treats cold qi. [Therefore, it is used for fullness and distension in the heart and abdomen, warming the middle, promoting Qi flow, and relieving pain.]
Perilla Seed (Zisuzi): Pungent, warm; stir-fried and ground. Its function specializes in descending Qi; its nature also moistens dryness. It is used for stopping cough and stabilizing asthma, and for eliminating phlegm and treating dysphagia. It removes vomiting and regurgitation, and also treats hematemesis. [All belong to the function of descending Qi.]
Contraindicate leaves for those with Yin deficiency presenting with alternating chills and fever, or aversion to cold and headache. Contraindicate seeds for those with loose stools.
Radish Seed (Laifuzi): Pungent, warm; stir-fried and ground. Descends Qi, resolves phlegm, and stabilizes asthma. [Resolving phlegm has the power to push down walls and overturn battlements.] Digests food, removes distension, and relieves pain. Raw juice taken orally induces vomiting of wind-phlegm. [Raw use causes ascending action.] Powder mixed with vinegar applied externally reduces swelling and detoxifies. [Relies on pungent dispersion.] Contraindicated for weak individuals.
White Mustard Seed (Baijiezhi): Pungent, hot; enters the Lung meridian. Ground for use. It excellently resolves cold-phlegm and eliminates accumulation from cold drinks. [If phlegm is located under the ribs or within the fascia, this herb alone can reach it; resolving phlegm in the chest and diaphragm is merely its residual effect.] Strictly contraindicated for those with Yin deficiency and cough with phlegm. Greatly contraindicated for those with sores, hemorrhoids, or blood in stool.
Leek (Jiu): Pungent, warm; raw juice used; cooked, it enters the Kidney meridian and strengthens Yang. It specifically resolves blood stasis. [Therefore, it is used for hematemesis, chest bi pain like needle pricks, and traumatic injuries.] It treats dysphagia and esophageal obstruction. [Because it can resolve blood stasis in the stomach region.] Contraindicated for those with deficient Stomach Qi and heat.
Dried Ginger (Ganjiang): Pungent, very hot; enters the Lung and Spleen meridians. Used raw, it is pungent, driving out cold pathogens and venting the exterior; used roasted, it is bitter, removing stomach cold and securing the middle. [It secures without moving, unlike Aconite which moves ceaselessly.] It guides blood-invigorating herbs into the Blood level and Qi-regulating herbs into the Qi level. It also eliminates evil and nourishes the new, embodying the principle of Yang generating Yin. Hence its use in postpartum formulas.
Very pungent and very hot. Pungency ascends and disperses; pungency scatters Qi and moves Blood. Long-term use damages Yin and harms the eyes. If the disease is not due to cold, strictly avoid misuse. Pregnant women should not take it, as it causes fetal dissipation.
Fresh Ginger (Shengjiang): Pungent, hot; enters the Lung and Stomach meridians. Controls Banxia toxicity. Raw, it vents the exterior; cooked, it warms the middle. [Therefore, it treats distension and stops abdominal pain.] Effective for opening phlegm. [Contraindicated for hot phlegm.] Sought for stopping vomiting. [Sun Simiao said: Vomiting is caused by rebellious Qi that fails to disperse; this herb promotes Yang and disperses Qi. Li Dongyuan stated it stops vomiting but only for exterior excess with Qi congestion. Zou Shu (courtesy name Zhongchun) said it is suitable for vomiting accompanied by cold, but contraindicated when accompanied by heat.]
Ginger Skin treats malaria without sweat. [Used regardless of whether there is much cold, severe cold, or accompanying vomiting. If the disease is prolonged, with Yin deficiency and heat, even vomiting makes it contraindicated.] Reduces edema and abdominal distension. [The pungent nature of herbs: light ones move to the exterior; used to treat water-Qi swelling, following the meaning of "opening the ghost gate."] When hiking in mountains early in the morning, it is advisable to hold a piece in the mouth to avoid damp-cold air from dew and fog, and miasma from mountain vapors.
Contraindicated to be used with Dried Ginger. Some say: Do not eat ginger at night. At night, Qi naturally converges; using an opening agent contradicts the Way of Heaven.
Scallion White (Congbai): Pungent, warm; enters the Lung and Stomach meridians. Greatly contraindicated to be eaten with honey. Vents the exterior and induces sweating; treats headache due to Shanghan with immediate relief. Promotes Qi flow and benefits orifices; moxibustion/warming compress treats urinary retention with immediate result. Contraindicated for those with deficient exterior prone to sweating. Excessive consumption causes mental confusion and hair loss. Contraindicated for warming compresses in cases of constipation due to heat.