石膏气味辛甘微寒，《神农本经》主中风寒热，心下逆气，惊喘，口干舌焦，不能息，腹中坚痛，除
邪鬼，产乳，金疮。仲景用麻黄配石膏，能发阳明水液之汁，白虎汤解阳明燥热之渴，又主风热发斑。是神
农、仲景皆用为发散之品。盖气味辛甘，而体质疏松如肌理，但其性沉重，色白若金，故直从阳明而达于
外也。后人咸谓清内热而主降下，乃不明经义、物性故耳！夫凡物有可升可降者，配发散之药则升，配破泄
之药则降。如浓朴之气味苦温，本经主中风、伤寒，头
痛，寒热，乃发散之药也。仲景承气汤，配枳实、大黄、芒硝，为急下之剂。经云∶酸苦涌泄为阴。盖酸苦之味。
能上涌而下泄也。同升药则升，同降药则降，立方配合，乃医家第一义，讵可忽诸！
女贞子，乃本经上品，气味苦平，主补中，安五脏，养精神，除百病，久服肥健，轻身不老，强阴，健腰
膝，变白发，明目。即蜡树也。立夏前后，取蜡虫种子，裹置枝上，半月后，其虫化出，延缘枝上，造成白
蜡，坚白如凝脂，犹蚕食桑而成丝，连绵温暖，皆得树质精华，是以桑根白皮，主伤中，五劳六极，羸瘦，
崩中绝脉，补虚益气。女贞虽与冬青同名，其种实异。冬青名冻青，叶微圆，子赤色，虫不造蜡为别也。世俗混
用冻青，实二物，功用迥别。采择者，不可不辨！
石膏，其气味辛、甘，性微寒。《神农本草经》记载它主治中风引起的寒热症状，心下逆气，惊悸气喘，口干舌焦，呼吸急促困难，腹部坚硬疼痛，驱除邪祟鬼魅，治疗产后乳疾，以及金疮（金属利器造成的创伤）。张仲景使用麻黄配伍石膏，能够发越阳明经的水液津汁；白虎汤用于解除阳明燥热所致的口渴，又主治风热引发的斑疹。由此可见，神农和仲景都将石膏作为发散类药物来使用。大概是因为石膏气味辛甘，且体质疏松如同肌肉纹理，但其性质沉重，颜色洁白如金，所以药力能直入阳明经并达于体表。后世人都认为石膏是清内热而主沉降的药物，这是不明白经典医义和药物本性所致啊！大凡药物有可升可降的特性，配伍发散药则升，配伍破泄药则降。比如厚朴，其气味苦温，《本经》主治中风、伤寒引起的头痛、寒热，属于发散类药物。张仲景的承气汤，配伍枳实、大黄、芒硝，成为急下攻里的方剂。经书说：“酸味和苦味具有涌吐和泄下的作用，属于阴。”大概是因为酸苦的味道，既能向上涌吐又能向下泄下。与升提药同用则升，与沉降药同用则降，方剂的立方配合，是医家的首要原则，怎么可以忽视呢！
女贞子，是《本经》中的上品药材，气味苦平，主治补益中气，安定五脏，滋养精神，消除百病，长期服用能使身体丰满健壮，身轻不老，强壮阴精，强健腰膝，使白发变黑，明目。它就是蜡树。在立夏前后，采集蜡虫的种子，包裹放置在树枝上，半个月后，虫子孵化出来，沿着树枝蔓延，分泌出白蜡，质地坚硬洁白如凝固的油脂，就像蚕吃桑叶吐出丝一样，连绵温暖，都汲取了树木精华的滋养。因此，桑根白皮主治内伤，五劳六极，消瘦虚弱，崩漏断脉，补虚益气。女贞虽然与冬青同名，但它们的种子果实不同。冬青又名冻青，叶子略微圆润，果实呈赤色，昆虫不在此树上造蜡，以此作为区别。世俗之人混淆使用冻青，实际上这是两种不同的东西，功效截然不同。采药择药的人，不可不加以辨别！
Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum), with a pungent, sweet, and slightly cold nature, is recorded in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) to treat wind-stroke accompanied by alternating chills and fever, rebellious qi beneath the heart, palpitations with wheezing, dry mouth and scorched tongue, dyspnea, abdominal hardness and pain, expel evil spirits, treat postpartum conditions and lactation issues, and heal metal wounds. Zhang Zhongjing used Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba) combined with Shigao to release fluids from the Yangming channel; Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) resolves thirst caused by Yangming dryness-heat, and also treats macules erupted due to wind-heat. Thus, both Shennong and Zhongjing employed it as a dispersing agent. This is because its flavor is pungent and sweet, and its texture is loose like muscle fibers, yet its nature is heavy and its color white like gold, allowing its action to go directly into the Yangming channel and reach the exterior. Later generations generally believed that Shigao clears internal heat and acts downward, which stems from a misunderstanding of classical principles and the nature of substances! In fact, any substance can ascend or descend depending on compatibility: it ascends when combined with dispersing herbs, and descends when combined with purgative or draining herbs. For example, Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex), with a bitter and warm nature, is recorded in the *Bencao Jing* to treat wind-stroke and cold-pathogen causing headache, chills, and fever, making it a dispersing herb. In Zhongjing’s Chengqi Tang (Ordering Qi Decoction), it is combined with Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus), Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma), and Mangxiao (Natrii Sulfas) to form an urgent purgative formula. The classics state: "Sour and bitter flavors induce vomiting and purging, belonging to Yin." Essentially, sour and bitter tastes can cause upward vomiting and downward purging. Combined with ascending drugs, it ascends; combined with descending drugs, it descends. The formulation and combination of prescriptions are the primary principle for physicians; how can they be neglected!
Nüzhenzi (Ligustri Lucidi Fructus) is a top-grade herb in the *Bencao Jing*. Its flavor is bitter and neutral. It tonifies the middle, calms the five zang organs, nourishes spirit, eliminates various diseases, and with long-term use, promotes robustness, lightens the body, prevents aging, strengthens yin, fortifies the waist and knees, turns white hair black, and improves vision. It comes from the wax tree (Cerae Tree). Around Lixia (Start of Summer), collect seeds of the wax insect and wrap them onto branches. After half a month, the insects hatch, crawl along the branches, and produce white wax, hard and white like congealed fat, similar to how silkworms eat mulberry leaves to spin silk. They continuously draw warmth and essence from the tree. Therefore, Sanggen Baipi (Mori Cortex Radicis) treats internal injury, five labors and six extremes, emaciation, metrorrhagia with severed pulses, and tonifies deficiency and boosts qi. Although Nüzhen shares the name with Dongqing (Ilicis Cornutae Fructus), their seeds and fruits differ. Dongqing is also called Dongqing (Frozen Green), has slightly round leaves, red berries, and insects do not produce wax on it, which serves as a distinction. Laypeople often confuse Dongqing with Nüzhenzi; in reality, these are two different substances with vastly different functions. Those who harvest and select herbs must distinguish between them carefully!