治腹中不和而痛（此阴阳气血不和，肝木乘脾之故也。腹痛有寒、有热、有虚、有实、
有食积、有湿痰、有死血、有虫。寒痛者，痛无增减，或兼吐利；热痛者，时痛时止，腹满
坚结；实痛者，痛甚胀满，手不可按；虚痛者，按之即止；食痛者，痛甚则利，利后痛减；
死血痛者，痛有常处；湿痰痛者，脉滑、痰气阻碍，不得升降；虫痛者，时作时止，面白唇
红。大抵胃脘下大腹痛者，多属食积外邪；绕脐痛者，属痰火积热；脐下小腹痛者，属寒，
或瘀血，或溺涩）。仲景用治误表发厥，脚挛吐逆，与干姜甘草汤以复其阳，厥愈足温者，
更作此汤以和其阴，其脚即伸（酸甘相合，用补阴血。王海藏曰∶稼穑作甘，甘者己也，曲
直作酸，酸者甲
白芍药 甘草（炙。各四两。）脉缓伤水，加桂枝、生姜；脉洪伤金，加黄芩、大枣；
脉
此足太阳、阳明药也。气血不和故腹痛，白芍酸收而苦泄，能行营气；炙草温散而甘缓
，能和逆气。又痛为木盛克土（诸痛皆属肝木），白芍能泻肝，甘草能缓肝和脾也（虞天民
曰∶白芍不惟治血虚，大能行气，腹痛者，营气不和，逆于肉里，得白芍行其营气，又以甘
草之甘缓和
本方去芍药，加干姜（一两，炮），名甘草干姜汤（仲景。别见寒门），《金匮》用此治
肺痿肺冷，吐涎沫，小便数（以此温之）。本方加附子，名芍药甘草附子汤（仲景。别见寒
门）。本方加黄芩，名黄芩芍药汤（《机要》）∶治热痢，腹痛后重，脓血稠粘，及鼻衄不止，
脉洪数（此即仲景之黄芩汤除大枣）。本方加白术，名白术芍药汤（《机要》）∶治脾湿水泻，
身重困弱（《保命集》曰∶泻痢不止，或暴下者，皆太阴受病，故不可离芍药；人不受湿则
不痢，故须白术；四时下痢，于白芍、白术内∶春加防风，夏加黄芩，秋加浓朴，冬加桂附。
更详外证治之，如身困倦加白术；自汗逆冷、气息微，加桂附以温之；如里急后重，脓血稠
粘，虽在盛冬，于温药内
治疗腹中不适而疼痛（这是由于阴阳气血不和，肝木克制脾土的缘故。腹痛有寒痛、热痛、虚痛、实痛、食积痛、湿痰痛、死血痛、虫痛之分。寒痛的特点是疼痛没有增减，或者兼有呕吐腹泻；热痛的特点是时而疼痛时而停止，腹部胀满坚硬结块；实痛的特点是疼痛剧烈且胀满，手不能按压；虚痛的特点是按压后疼痛即止；食积痛的特点是疼痛剧烈则腹泻，腹泻后疼痛减轻；死血痛的特点是疼痛部位固定不变；湿痰痛的特点是脉象滑利、痰气阻碍，导致气机升降失常；虫痛的特点是发作有时，时作时止，面色苍白嘴唇发红。大抵胃脘下方至大腹部的疼痛，多属于食积或外邪所致；绕脐部的疼痛，属于痰火积热；脐下小腹部的疼痛，属于寒证，或者是瘀血，或者是小便涩滞）。张仲景用此方治疗误用发汗法导致的四肢厥冷、脚部痉挛、呕吐逆气，先给予干姜甘草汤来恢复阳气，当厥冷痊愈、足部变温后，再制作此汤来调和阴气，其脚部随即舒展（酸味与甘味相合，用于补益阴血。王海藏说：稼穑作甘，甘对应己土；曲直作酸，酸对应甲木）。
白芍药 甘草（炙。各四两。）如果脉缓表示伤水，加桂枝、生姜；如果脉洪表示伤金，加黄芩、大枣；
这是足太阳经和足阳明经的药物。因为气血不和所以腹痛，白芍味酸能收敛、味苦能泄降，能够运行营气；炙甘草性温能散、味甘能缓，能够调和逆乱之气。另外，疼痛是由于肝木过盛克制脾土（各种疼痛都归属于肝木），白芍能泻肝火，甘草能舒缓肝急并调和脾脏（虞天民说：白芍不仅治疗血虚，更能行气，腹痛是因为营气不和，逆乱于肌肉纹理之间，得到白芍运行其营气，又以甘草的甘缓之性……）
本方去掉芍药，加入干姜（一两，炮制），名为甘草干姜汤（张仲景。另见寒门），《金匮要略》用此方治疗肺痿肺冷，吐涎沫，小便频数（以此温补之法治疗）。本方加入附子，名为芍药甘草附子汤（张仲景。另见寒门）。本方加入黄芩，名为黄芩芍药汤（《兰室秘藏·机要》）：治疗热痢，腹痛里急后重，脓血稠粘，以及鼻出血不止，脉象洪数（这就是张仲景的黄芩汤去掉了大枣）。本方加入白术，名为白术芍药汤（《兰室秘藏·机要》）：治疗脾虚湿盛的水样腹泻，身体沉重困倦（《卫生宝鉴》说：腹泻痢疾不止，或者突然暴下的，都是太阴经受病，所以不可离开芍药；人如果不感受湿气就不会患痢疾，所以必须用白术；四季下的痢疾，在白芍、白术的基础上：春季加防风，夏季加黄芩，秋季加厚朴，冬季加桂枝、附子。更详细地根据外部症状治疗，如身体困倦加白术；自汗、四肢逆冷、气息微弱，加桂枝、附子以温补；如果有里急后重，脓血稠粘，即使在严冬，在温药内……）
Treats discomfort and pain in the abdomen (This is due to disharmony of Yin and Yang, Qi and Blood, where Liver Wood overacts on Spleen Earth. Abdominal pain can be categorized into Cold Pain, Heat Pain, Deficiency Pain, Excess Pain, Food Stagnation Pain, Damp-Phlegm Pain, Fixed Blood Pain, and Parasite Pain. In Cold Pain, the pain does not fluctuate in intensity, or is accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea; in Heat Pain, the pain comes and goes, with abdominal fullness and hardness; in Excess Pain, the pain is severe with distension, and cannot be touched by hand; in Deficiency Pain, pressing stops the pain; in Food Stagnation Pain, severe pain leads to diarrhea, and pain decreases after defecation; in Fixed Blood Pain, the pain is located in a fixed place; in Damp-Phlegm Pain, the pulse is slippery, phlegm-Qi obstructs, preventing ascending and descending movements; in Parasite Pain, it occurs intermittently, with pale complexion and red lips. Generally, pain below the epigastrium extending to the large abdomen mostly belongs to Food Stagnation or External Pathogens; pain around the umbilicus belongs to Phlegm-Fire and accumulated heat; pain in the lower abdomen below the umbilicus belongs to Cold, or Fixed Blood, or difficult urination). Zhang Zhongjing uses this formula to treat cold limbs (Jue) caused by mistaken sweating therapy, leg cramps, and vomiting/reversal of Qi. First, Ganjiang Gancao Tang (Dried Ginger and Licorice Decoction) is used to restore Yang Qi. When the cold limbs resolve and the feet become warm, this decoction is prepared again to harmonize Yin Qi, at which point the legs extend (Sour and Sweet flavors combined are used to tonify Yin and Blood. Wang Haicang said: "Jiaose produces Sweet, Sweet corresponds to Ji [Earth]; Quzhi produces Sour, Sour corresponds to Jia [Wood]").
Baishao Yao (White Peony Root), Gancao (Licorice Root, honey-fried). Each 4 liang. If the pulse is slow indicating Water injury, add Guizhi (Cinnamon Twig) and Shengjiang (Fresh Ginger); if the pulse is surging indicating Metal injury, add Huangqin (Scutellaria Root) and Dazao (Jujube Fruit).
These are herbs for the Foot-Taiyang and Foot-Yangming meridians. Because Qi and Blood are disharmonious, abdominal pain occurs. Baishao is sour and astringent, bitter and draining, capable of moving Ying-Qi; Honey-fried Gancao is warm and dispersing, sweet and relaxing, capable of harmonizing rebellious Qi. Furthermore, pain is caused by excessive Liver Wood suppressing Spleen Earth (all pains belong to Liver Wood); Baishao can drain the Liver, and Gancao can soothe the Liver and harmonize the Spleen (Yu Tianmin said: "Baishao not only treats Blood deficiency but greatly moves Qi. Abdominal pain is due to disharmony of Ying-Qi, rebelling within the muscle layers; obtaining Baishao to move its Ying-Qi, and using the sweet relaxation of Gancao...")
Removing Baishao from this formula and adding Ganjiang (Dried Ginger, 1 liang, processed), it is named Gancao Ganjiang Tang (Zhang Zhongjing. See also Cold Category). The *Jinkui Yaolue* uses this to treat Lung Wei (Flaccidity Syndrome) and Lung Cold, with symptoms of spitting saliva and foam, and frequent urination (using this to warm them). Adding Fuzi (Prepared Aconite Root) to this formula creates Shaoyao Gancao Fuzi Tang (Zhang Zhongjing. See also Cold Category). Adding Huangqin (Scutellaria Root) creates Huangqin Shaoyao Tang (*Lanshimibzang - Jiyao*): It treats Dysentery with Heat, abdominal pain with tenesmus, thick and sticky pus and blood, as well as persistent epistaxis, with a surging and rapid pulse (This is essentially Zhang Zhongjing's Huangqin Tang without Dazao). Adding Baizhu (Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome) creates Baizhu Shaoyao Tang (*Lanshimibzang - Jiyao*): It treats Spleen Dampness causing watery diarrhea, heavy body, and fatigue (*Weisheng Baojian* states: "Diarrhea and dysentery that do not stop, or sudden profuse discharge, all indicate disease of the Taiyin; thus, Shaoyao cannot be omitted; humans do not get dysentery without receiving Dampness, thus Baizhu is necessary; for dysentery in four seasons, within Baishao and Baizhu: add Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia Root) in Spring, Huangqin in Summer, Houpo (Magnolia Bark) in Autumn, Guizhi and Fuzi in Winter. Treat further according to external symptoms, such as adding Baizhu for bodily fatigue; spontaneous sweating, cold limbs, and faint breath, add Guizhi and Fuzi to warm; if there is tenesmus, thick and sticky pus and blood, even in deep winter, within warming medicines...")