辛温，有毒。汤浸，同皂荚、白矾煮熟，姜汁拌、焙干用；或皂荚、白矾、姜汁
、竹沥四制尤妙。咽痛醋炒用。小儿惊痰发搐及胆虚不得眠，猪胆汁炒。入脾胃丸剂，为细
末姜汁拌和作面，候陈炒用。反乌附者，以辛燥鼓激悍烈之性也。忌羊血、海藻、饴糖者
，以甘腻凝滞开发之力也。
《本经》主伤寒寒热，心下坚，胸胀，咳逆，头眩，咽喉肿痛，肠鸣下气，止汗。
发明 半夏为足少阳本药，兼入足阳明、太阴。虚而有痰气宜加用之，胃冷呕哕方药之
最要。止呕为足阳明，除痰为足太阴，柴胡为之使，故小柴胡汤用之，虽为止呕，亦助柴胡
、黄芩主往来寒热也。《本经》治伤寒寒热，非取其辛温散结之力欤。治心下坚、胸胀，非
取其攻坚消痞之力欤。治咳逆、头眩、非取其涤痰散邪之力欤。治咽喉肿痛，非取其分解阴
火之力欤。治肠鸣下气止汗，非取其利水开痰之力欤。同苍术、茯苓治湿痰，同栝蒌、黄芩
治热痰，同南星、前胡治风痰，同芥子、姜汁治寒痰，惟燥痰宜栝蒌、贝母、非半夏所能治
也。半夏性燥能去湿、豁痰、健脾。今人惟知半夏去痰，不言益脾利水，脾无留湿则不生痰
，故脾为生痰之源，肺为贮痰之器。半夏能主痰饮及腹胀者，为其体滑而味辛性温也，二陈
汤能使大便润而小便长。世俗皆以半夏、南星为性燥，误矣。湿去则土燥，痰涎不生，非二
物之性燥也。古方治咽痛喉痹，吐血、下血多用二物，非禁剂也。按∶《灵枢》云，阳气满
则阳 盛不得入于阴，阴虚则目不瞑，饮以半夏汤一剂通其阴阳，其卧立至。半夏得栝蒌实
、黄连，名小陷胸汤，治伤寒小结胸。得鸡子清、苦酒，名苦酒汤，治少阴咽痛生疮，语声
不出。得生姜，名小半夏汤，治支饮作呕。得人参、白蜜，名大半夏汤，治呕吐反胃。得麻
黄，蜜丸名半夏麻黄丸，治心下悸忪。得茯苓、甘草，以醋煮半夏共为末，姜汁面糊丸，名
消暑丸，治伏暑引饮，脾胃不和，此皆得半夏之妙用。惟阴虚羸瘦，骨蒸汗泄，火郁头痛，
热伤咳嗽，及消渴肺痿，咳逆失血，肢体羸瘦禁用，以非湿热之邪，而用利窍行湿之药，重
竭其津，医之罪也，岂药之咎哉！
辛，温，有毒。用汤浸泡，与皂荚、白矾一起煮熟，再用姜汁拌匀、焙干后使用；或者用皂荚、白矾、姜汁、竹沥四种方法炮制尤为巧妙。咽喉疼痛时用醋炒的半夏。小儿惊风痰盛引起抽搐以及胆气虚导致无法入睡，用猪胆汁炒制的半夏。用于脾胃丸剂时，研为细末，用姜汁拌和作为粘合剂，候陈久后炒制使用。半夏反乌头、附子，是因为其辛燥之性鼓动激发出悍烈之气。忌食羊血、海藻、饴糖，是因为甘腻之物会凝滞阻碍开发之力。
《神农本草经》主治伤寒引起的寒热往来，心下痞硬，胸胁胀满，咳嗽气逆，头晕目眩，咽喉肿痛，肠鸣下气，止汗。
发明：半夏是足少阳胆经的本药，兼入足阳明胃经、足太阴脾经。体虚而有痰气者适宜加用，胃冷导致的呕吐呃逆是其方药中最主要的功效。止呕针对足阳明经，除痰针对足太阴经，柴胡为其引经药，所以小柴胡汤中使用它，虽然是为了止呕，但也辅助柴胡、黄芩主治往来寒热。《本经》治疗伤寒寒热，难道不是利用其辛温散结的力量吗？治疗心下痞硬、胸胁胀满，难道不是利用其攻坚消痞的力量吗？治疗咳嗽气逆、头晕目眩，难道不是利用其涤痰散邪的力量吗？治疗咽喉肿痛，难道不是利用其分解阴火的力量吗？治疗肠鸣下气、止汗，难道不是利用其利水开痰的力量吗？与苍术、茯苓同用治疗湿痰，与瓜蒌、黄芩同用治疗热痰，与天南星、前胡同用治疗风痰，与芥子、姜汁同用治疗寒痰，只有燥痰适宜用瓜蒌、贝母，不是半夏所能治疗的。半夏性燥能祛湿、豁痰、健脾。现在的人只知道半夏去痰，不说它益脾利水，脾没有留湿就不会生痰，所以说脾为生痰之源，肺为贮痰之器。半夏能主治痰饮及腹胀，是因为其体质滑润而味道辛、性质温，二陈汤能使大便润泽而小便通长。世俗都以为半夏、南星性燥，这是错误的。湿气去除则土燥，痰涎不生，这不是这两味药性燥的原因。古方治疗咽痛喉痹、吐血、下血多用这两味药，并非禁忌之剂。按：《灵枢》说，阳气满则阳盛不得入于阴，阴虚则目不瞑（眼睛无法闭合），饮用半夏汤一剂以通调阴阳，睡眠立刻就能到来。半夏配合瓜蒌实、黄连，名为小陷胸汤，治疗伤寒小结胸证。配合鸡子清、苦酒，名为苦酒汤，治疗少阴咽痛生疮，声音不出。配合生姜，名为小半夏汤，治疗支饮作呕。配合人参、白蜜，名为大半夏汤，治疗呕吐反胃。配合麻黄，蜜丸名为半夏麻黄丸，治疗心下悸动。配合茯苓、甘草，用醋煮半夏共为细末，姜汁面糊为丸，名为消暑丸，治疗伏暑引饮，脾胃不和，这些都是得到半夏妙用的例子。只有阴虚羸瘦、骨蒸盗汗、火郁头痛、热伤咳嗽，以及消渴肺痿、咳逆失血、肢体羸瘦者禁用，因为并非湿热之邪，却使用利窍行湿的药物，会再次竭尽津液，这是医生的罪过，难道是药的过错吗！
Pungent, warm, toxic. Soak in decoction, cook together with *Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus* (Zaojiao, 皂荚) and *Alumen* (Baifan, 白矾) until cooked, mix with *Zingiberis Recens Rhizoma* (Shengjiang, 生姜) juice, and dry by baking; or the four-method processing using Zaojiao, Baifan, Shengjiang juice, and *Bambusae Caulis in Taeniam* (Zhuli, 竹沥) is particularly excellent. For sore throat, use vinegar-processed Banxia. For pediatric convulsions due to phlegm-wind and insomnia due to Gallbladder deficiency, use pork bile-processed Banxia. When entering pills for the Spleen and Stomach, grind into fine powder, mix with Shengjiang juice as a binder, and process after aging. It is incompatible with *Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata* (Fuzi, 附子) and *Aconiti Radix* (Wutou, 乌头), due to its pungent-dry nature stimulating fierce properties. Avoid mutton blood, *Sargassum* (Haizao, 海藻), and *Saccharum* (Yitang, 饴糖), because sweet and greasy substances congeal and obstruct dispersing forces.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* treats cold-heat alternating from Taiyang cold damage, hardness below the heart, chest distension, cough and qi reversal, dizziness, sore and swollen throat, borborygmus with descending qi, and stopping sweating.
Invention: Banxia is the principal herb of the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder channel, also entering the Foot-Yangming Stomach and Foot-Taiyin Spleen channels. It is suitable for addition in cases of deficiency with phlegm-qi, and is most essential in formulas for cold-Stomach vomiting and hiccups. Stopping vomiting targets the Foot-Yangming, eliminating phlegm targets the Foot-Taiyin, and *Bupleuri Radix* (Chaihu, 柴胡) acts as its guiding herb; thus it is used in Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction). Although used to stop vomiting, it also assists Chaihu and Huangqin in treating alternating cold and heat. Does the *Bencao Jing*'s treatment of cold-heat in cold damage not rely on its pungent-warm power to dissipate nodules? Does the treatment of hardness below the heart and chest distension not rely on its power to break down accumulation and eliminate fullness? Does the treatment of cough/qi reversal and dizziness not rely on its power to wash out phlegm and scatter pathogens? Does the treatment of sore/swollen throat not rely on its power to resolve Yin-fire? Does the treatment of borborygmus, descending qi, and stopping sweat not rely on its power to promote urination and open phlegm? Combined with *Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma* (Cangzhu, 苍术) and *Poria* (Fuling, 茯苓) to treat damp-phlegm; combined with *Trichosanthis Fructus* (Gualou, 瓜蒌) and *Scutellariae Radix* (Huangqin, 黄芩) to treat hot-phlegm; combined with *Acoris Tatarinowii Rhizoma* (Nanxing, 天南星 - note: usually Aconitum carmichaelii lateral root processed, but here refers to Pinellia/Typhonium context, standardly Nanxing is Typhonii Rhizoma) and *Peucedani Radix* (Qianhu, 前胡) to treat wind-phlegm; combined with *Sinapis Semen* (Jiezi, 芥子) and Shengjiang juice to treat cold-phlegm. Only dry-phlegm is suitable for Gualou and *Ostreae Concha* (Beimu, 贝母); Banxia cannot treat it. Banxia’s dry nature removes dampness, resolves phlegm, and strengthens the Spleen. Nowadays people only know Banxia eliminates phlegm, ignoring its benefit to the Spleen and promotion of urination. If the Spleen has no retained dampness, it does not generate phlegm; thus, the Spleen is the source of phlegm generation, and the Lung is the vessel storing phlegm. Banxia can mainly treat phlegm-fluids and abdominal distension because its texture is slippery, taste pungent, and nature warm. Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) makes stool moist and urine long. The common belief that Banxia and Nanxing are dry in nature is mistaken. When dampness is removed, Earth becomes dry, and phlegm-saliva does not form; this is not due to the dry nature of these two herbs. Ancient formulas treating sore throat, bi-throat, hematemesis, and lower bleeding often use these two herbs; they are not prohibited agents. Note: The *Ling Shu* states, "When Yang Qi is full, Yang is excessive and cannot enter Yin; when Yin is deficient, the eyes cannot close." Drinking one dose of Banxia Tang (Pinellia Decoction) to unblock Yin and Yang results in immediate sleep. Banxia combined with Gualou fruit and Huanglian is named Xiao Xian Xiong Tang (Minor Intrapectoral Decoction), treating minor intrapectoral syndrome in cold damage. Combined with egg white and vinegar, it is named Ku Jiu Tang (Bitter Wine Decoction), treating Shaoyin sore throat with sores and inability to speak. Combined with Shengjiang, it is named Xiao Ban Xia Tang (Minor Pinellia Decoction), treating fluid retention causing vomiting. Combined with Ginseng and white honey, it is named Da Ban Xia Tang (Major Pinellia Decoction), treating vomiting and retrograde regurgitation. Combined with *Ephedrae Herba* (Mahuang, 麻黄) and made into honey pills named Banxia Mahuang Wan (Pinellia-Ephedra Pill), treating palpitations below the heart. Combined with Fuling and *Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma* (Gancao, 甘草), with Banxia boiled in vinegar and ground to powder, formed into pills with ginger juice and flour paste, named Xiao Shu Wan (Summerheat-Dispelling Pill), treating latent summerheat inducing thirst and Spleen-Stomach disharmony. These are all examples of the wonderful uses of Banxia. However, it is contraindicated in cases of Yin deficiency with emaciation, bone-steaming night sweats, headache due to fire stagnation, cough due to heat injury, as well as Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst) and Fei Wei (Lung Atrophy), cough with qi reversal and hemoptysis, and limb emaciation, because these are not damp-heat pathogens, yet using drugs that open orifices and move dampness will further exhaust body fluids. This is the physician's fault, not the herb's blame!