感清阳之气，得金水之性，故味苦辛平，性寒，无毒。气味俱薄，轻清而浮升
也，阴中阳也。入手足少阳、手阳明经，亦入手少阴心经。辛凉清扬，故散郁滞结热，
诸淋诸疮，湿热肿毒之要药。
连翘，散心经客热，脾胃湿热诸经郁热，既有清热之功，又有散结之妙。凡湿热
血凝气聚，一切痈毒，五淋寒热，鼠 瘰痘恶疮，结热虫毒。
主治（痘疹合参） 清诸火，退五心烦热，散痘中心经热毒，风热阳毒痈肿，痘后
余毒，散郁除湿。
按∶连翘，味苦性寒，能泻六经郁火，然入手少阴主药也。心为火主，心清则诸脏
皆清。诸痛疮疡，皆属心火，故疮家以为要药。然多用胃虚食少，脾胃不足者慎之。且
清而无补，痈疽溃后勿服，火热由于虚者忌投。
禀地之燥气，天之冬气以生，故味甘咸寒无毒。脾胃利水药中宜生用，滋阴，利水
药中宜盐水拌炒用，八味温补药中宜盐酒拌炒用。
泽泻，去阴汗，大利小便，泻伏水，微养新水，尿血泄精泻痢肿胀，除湿止渴圣
药，通淋利水仙丹。五苓散用取其行湿，八味丸用引入肾经。久服轻身，多服昏目。地
黄补肾药中，必兼泽泻，泻肾者，却泻肾中湿火，则补药得力，故古人凡用补药，必兼
泻邪，此开合之妙。若有补无泻，即有偏胜之害，惟在脱虚之症，则峻补之力，毋容一
少缓也。扁鹊云∶多服病患眼，以其利水泻肾也。故病患无湿、肾虚精滑、目虚不明者
禁用。
主治（痘疹合参） 主补阴滋血，逐膀胱三焦停水。凡痘疮小便赤涩者用之。
连翘：感受清阳之气，禀受金水之性，所以味道苦、辛，性质平和，药性寒，无毒。气味都很淡薄，质地轻清而具有浮升的特性，属于阴中有阳的药物。归入手少阳经、足少阳经、手阳明大肠经，也进入手少阴心经。因其辛凉清扬，所以能疏散郁滞结聚的热邪，是治疗各种淋证（小便不利）、各种疮疡以及湿热引起的肿胀毒邪的重要药物。
连翘能疏散心经中的客热（外感热邪），以及脾胃湿热和其他经络中的郁热，它既有清热的功效，又有散结的妙用。凡是湿热导致血凝气聚，一切痈毒，五淋（五种淋证）伴有的寒热往来，鼠瘰（淋巴结结核），痘疹恶疮，结聚的热毒和虫毒，都能治疗。
主治（结合痘疹病症参考）：清除各种火邪，退去五心烦热（手心、脚心和心胸烦热），疏散痘疮中心经的热毒，治疗风热阳毒引起的痈肿，以及痘疮痊愈后的余毒，能疏散郁结、祛除湿气。
按语：连翘，味苦性寒，能泻除六经中的郁火，但它是入入手少阴心经的主药。心属火为主宰，心火清则其他脏腑都清。所有的疼痛疮疡，都属于心火范畴，所以疮疡家将其视为重要药物。然而，连翘多用会损伤胃气，导致食欲减少，脾胃虚弱不足者应谨慎使用。而且它只有清热作用而没有补益作用，痈疽溃破后不要服用，火热是由于虚证引起者忌用。
泽泻：禀受大地的燥气和天空冬季寒气而生，所以味道甘、咸，性质寒，无毒。在脾胃利水药中宜生用，在滋阴利水药中宜用盐水拌炒后用，在八味温补药中宜用盐酒拌炒后用。
泽泻能去除阴部汗出，大力通利小便，泻除潜伏的水湿，轻微滋养新水，治疗尿血、遗精、泄痢、肿胀，是除湿止渴的圣药，也是通淋利水的仙丹。在五苓散中使用它是为了行湿，在八味丸中使用它是为了引入肾经。久服能使人身体轻便，多服会导致眼睛昏花。在地黄补肾药方中，必须兼用泽泻，泽泻泻的是肾中的湿火，这样补药才能发挥作用，所以古人凡是用补药，必定兼用泻邪的药，这是开合的奥妙。如果有补无泻，就会有偏胜的危害，只有在脱失虚损的病症中，才需要用峻猛的补力，不容许有一刻的延缓。扁鹊说：多服泽泻会让病人眼睛出问题，因为它利水且泻肾。所以，病人如果没有湿气，或者肾虚精滑、视力模糊不明者，禁用。
Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus): It receives the Qi of clear Yang and inherits the nature of Metal and Water; therefore, its taste is bitter and acrid, its nature is neutral (originally stated as "ping" but contextually clarified as cold later, here translated based on standard properties: bitter, acrid, slightly cold), and it is non-toxic. Its aroma and flavor are both thin, making it light, clear, and ascending in nature; it belongs to Yin containing Yang. It enters the Hand-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, and also the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Due to its acrid-cool and clearing-upward nature, it disperses stagnant and knotted heat. It is a key herb for treating various types of Lin syndrome (dysuria) and sores, as well as swelling and toxicity caused by damp-heat.
Lianqiao disperses guest-heat (external pathogenic heat) in the Heart Meridian, damp-heat in the Spleen and Stomach, and stagnant heat in other meridians. It possesses both the merit of clearing heat and the wonder of dissipating nodules. It treats all carbuncles and toxins resulting from blood stasis and Qi stagnation due to damp-heat, five types of Lin syndrome with alternating chills and fever, scrofula (tuberculous lymphadenitis), malignant sores from smallpox, knotted heat, and insect toxins.
Indications (Reference combined with Smallpox/Rash diseases): Clears various fire pathogens, relieves vexillary heat in the five centers (palms, soles, and chest), disperses heart-meridian toxic heat in smallpox, treats carbuncle swellings caused by wind-heat and Yang-toxin, residual toxins after smallpox resolution, and dissipates stagnation while removing dampness.
Commentary: Lianqiao has a bitter taste and cold nature, capable of draining stagnant fire from the six meridians, yet it is primarily a drug entering the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. The Heart governs Fire; when Heart-fire is cleared, all other Zang organs are cleared. All pain and sores/ulcers belong to Heart-fire; thus, practitioners specializing in sores regard it as an essential herb. However, excessive use may weaken the Stomach and reduce appetite, so those with insufficient Spleen and Stomach function should use it with caution. Furthermore, it clears heat without tonifying; it should not be taken after carbuncles or ulcers have ulcerated, nor by those whose fire-heat stems from deficiency.
Zexie (Alismatis Rhizoma): Born inheriting the dry Qi of the Earth and the winter Qi of Heaven, its taste is sweet and salty, its nature is cold, and it is non-toxic. In herbs for promoting urination via the Spleen and Stomach, it should be used raw. In herbs for nourishing Yin and promoting urination, it should be stir-fried with salt water. In the Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Replenishing Pill) for warming and tonifying, it should be stir-fried with salt wine.
Zexie removes sweating in the yin regions, strongly promotes urination, drains latent water-dampness, and mildly nourishes new fluids. It is a sacred herb for treating hematuria, seminal emission, dysentery, edema, removing dampness, and quenching thirst; it is also considered an immortal pill for unblocking Lin syndrome and promoting diuresis. In Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder for Draining Fluids), it is used to move dampness; in Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Replenishing Pill), it is used to guide the formula into the Kidney Meridian. Long-term use can lighten the body, but excessive use causes blurred vision. In Rehmanniae Radix (Shu Di Huang) formulas for tonifying the Kidney, Zexie must be included. Zexie drains damp-fire from the Kidney, allowing tonifying herbs to take effect effectively. Thus, ancient physicians always included draining herbs alongside tonifying herbs; this is the subtlety of opening and closing. If there is only tonification without draining, there will be harm from excessiveness. Only in cases of collapse and severe deficiency is the force of strong tonification necessary, allowing no delay. Bian Que said: "Excessive use causes eye problems in patients," because it promotes urination and drains the Kidney. Therefore, it is contraindicated for patients without dampness, those with Kidney deficiency causing seminal emission, or those with deficient eyesight and unclear vision.
Indications (Reference combined with Smallpox/Rash diseases): Primarily tonifies Yin and nourishes Blood, drives away stagnant water in the Bladder and Triple Burner. It is used when smallpox patients present with red and scanty/difficult urination.