甘温，无毒。制地黄法，择取原株重六七钱者，以好酒浸，入缩砂仁末拌，木
甑瓦锅九蒸九晒，得太阳真火入剂，方始得力。盖地黄性泥，得砂仁之香窜，而通调五脏冲
和之气，归宿丹田也。
发明 熟地黄假火力蒸晒，转苦为甘，为阴中之阳，故能补肾中元气。必须蒸晒多次，
得太阳真火，确有坎离交济之妙用；若但煮熟，不加蒸曝，虽服奚益。好古曰∶生地黄治心
热，手心热，益肾水，凉心血，其脉洪实者宜之。若脉虚者，则宜熟地黄。钱氏六味丸以之
为君，天一所生之源也。若命门真火素弱者，必须崔氏八味丸，得桂、附共襄之力，方得阴
阳兼济之功。汤液四物汤以之为主，乙癸同源之治也，其功专于填骨髓，长肌肉，生精血，
补五脏内伤不足，通血脉，利耳目，黑须发，男子五劳七伤，女子伤中胞漏下血，经候不调
，胎产百病，滋肾水真阴，疗脐腹急痛，病后胫股酸痛，坐而欲起，目 如无所见。盖脐
下痛属肾藏精伤，胫股酸痛系下元不足，目 如无所见乃水亏不能鉴物，皆肾所主之病，
非熟地黄不除。今人治目翳内障，往往用六味丸配磁朱丸服，良非所宜。地黄禁铁，磁为铁
之母，安得不忌。予尝用当归代地黄，借其辛温以助 发之势。火盛则用芍药代山茱萸，借
其酸寒以收耗散之阴，药虽异而功不殊也。愚按∶地黄本手少阴经药，功专清热散血，非经
蒸曝不能入足少阴经，得水火既济之功，转苦成甘，变紫为黑，故直入肾脏填补真阴，兼培
黄庭后土，土浓戴物，诸脏皆受其荫，是以崔氏八味、钱氏六味为培养真阴真阳之总司。后
人借此各随所禀之偏而为增减，无往非受其益。如阴气不固则加鳔胶、蒺藜。阳气不充则加
鹿茸、河车。中气不舒则加沉香、缩砂。下气不吸则加牛膝、车前。上气不津则加门冬、五
味。肝气内盛则减萸倍泽。精气下脱则减泽倍萸。各得补偏救弊之妙用。其阴火旺者加知柏
于六味方中，此与鸩酒止渴无异。他如四物汤中之芎、归，即六味丸中山萸之义。十全大补
中之 、桂则八味丸中桂、附之义，方得阴阳相济之妙用。须知八味、十全平调血气，且汤
液性味易过，地黄与参并用略无妨碍。六味丸中切不可杂一味中焦药，如人参、白术、甘草
之类，咸非所宜。昔人有以六味丸加参而服，下咽少顷辄作迷迷不爽；或令增麦冬、五味功
力倍常，深得金水相生之妙用，非专工药性者之可与讨论也。
味甘，性温，无毒。炮制地黄的方法：选取原植株中重量在六七钱的药材，用优质白酒浸泡，加入缩砂仁末拌匀，放入木甑和瓦锅中进行九次蒸制和九次日晒，使其吸收太阳真火之气，才能发挥药效。因为地黄质地黏腻，借助缩砂仁的芳香走窜之性，能够疏通调理五脏冲和之气，使其归于丹田。
【发明】熟地黄借助火力蒸晒，将苦味转为甘味，成为阴中之阳，因此能补益肾中的元气。必须经过多次蒸晒，吸收太阳真火，确实具有坎离交济（心肾相交）的奇妙作用；如果只是煮熟，不进行蒸晒，虽然服用又有什么益处呢？好古说：生地黄治疗心热、手心发热，滋补肾水，凉血清热，适用于脉象洪实的患者。如果脉象虚弱，则适宜使用熟地黄。钱乙的六味丸以它为君药，它是天一所生的源头。如果命门真火素来虚弱，必须使用崔氏八味丸，依靠桂枝、附子共同襄助的力量，才能达到阴阳兼济的功效。汤液四物汤以它为君药，这是基于乙癸同源（肝肾同源）的治疗原则，其功效专门在于填补骨髓，生长肌肉，生成精血，补益五脏内伤不足，疏通血脉，利耳目，使须发变黑，治疗男子五劳七伤，女子损伤中气、胞宫漏下出血、月经不调，以及胎产各种疾病，滋补肾水真阴，治疗脐腹急痛，病后小腿和大腿酸痛，坐立不安，视物模糊如同看不见东西。大概脐下疼痛属于肾脏藏精受损，小腿和大腿酸痛是由于下元不足，视物模糊是因为水亏不能映照物体，这些都是肾脏所主管的病症，非熟地黄不能治愈。现在人们治疗目翳内障，往往使用六味丸配合磁朱丸服用，这其实并不适宜。地黄忌铁，磁石是铁之母，怎么能不忌讳呢？我曾经用当归代替地黄，借其辛温之性以助头发生长的势头。如果火盛，则用芍药代替山茱萸，借其酸寒之性以收敛耗散的阴气，药物虽然不同但功效相似。我认为：地黄本是手少阴经的药物，功效专门在于清热散血，不经蒸晒不能进入足少阴经，获得水火既济的功效，将苦味转为甘味，紫色变为黑色，因此直接入肾脏填补真阴，同时培补黄庭后土（脾胃），土壤深厚则承载万物，各脏腑都受到它的荫庇，所以崔氏八味丸、钱氏六味丸是培养真阴真阳的主管者。后人借此方根据各自禀赋的偏颇进行增减，无不受益。如阴气不固则加鱼鳔胶、蒺藜。阳气不充则加鹿茸、紫河车。中气不舒则加沉香、缩砂。下气不纳则加牛膝、车前子。上气不生津则加麦冬、五味子。肝气内盛则减去山茱萸并加倍泽泻。精气下脱则减去泽泻并加倍山茱萸。各自得到补偏救弊的妙用。其中阴火旺盛者，在六味丸中加入知母、黄柏，这与喝毒酒止渴没有区别。其他如四物汤中的川芎、当归，即六味丸中山茱萸的含义。十全大补汤中的黄芪、桂枝则是八味丸中桂枝、附子的含义，这才符合阴阳相济的妙用。须知八味丸、十全大补汤平调血气，且汤剂药性容易过散，地黄与人参并用完全没有妨碍。六味丸中切不可混杂一味中焦药物，如人参、白术、甘草之类，都不适宜。过去有人将六味丸加入人参服用，咽下不久就感到迷闷不适；或者令增加麦冬、五味子，功效倍增，深得金水相生的妙用，这不是专门精通药性的人可以与之讨论的。
Sweet in flavor, warm in nature, non-toxic. The method for processing Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata (Shu Dihuang): Select the original plant material weighing approximately 6 to 7 qian, soak it in fine wine, mix with powder of Amomi Fructus Rotundus (Sha Ren), place in a wooden steamer and earthenware pot, steam nine times and sun-dry nine times, allowing it to absorb the true fire of the Sun, only then can it be effective. This is because Rehmanniae Radix has a muddy/sticky nature; aided by the aromatic and penetrating properties of Amomi Fructus, it can unblock and regulate the harmonious Qi of the five Zang organs, guiding it to return to the Dantian.
[Invention] Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata relies on heat from steaming and drying to transform its bitter taste into sweet, becoming Yang within Yin, thus it can tonify the Yuan Qi of the Kidney. It must be steamed and dried multiple times to absorb the true fire of the Sun, truly possessing the wonderful effect of Kan-Li interaction (Heart-Kidney intersection); if merely boiled without steaming and exposure, what benefit would there be in taking it? Haogu stated: Sheng Di Huang (Raw Rehmanniae Radix) treats Heart heat, heat in the palms, benefits Kidney Water, cools Blood, and is suitable for those with a surging and solid pulse. If the pulse is deficient, then Shu Di Huang is suitable. Qian Yi's Liu Wei Wan uses it as the sovereign herb, representing the source of Tianyi generation. If the Mingmen (Gate of Life) true fire is inherently weak, Cui Shi Ba Wei Wan must be used, relying on the joint assistance of Cinnamon Twig (Gui Zhi) and Aconite Root (Fu Zi) to achieve the merit of mutual supplementation of Yin and Yang. Si Wu Tang uses it as the principal herb, treating based on the principle that Yi and Gui share the same source (Liver and Kidney homology). Its function specializes in filling marrow, growing muscle, generating essence and blood, tonifying insufficiency of internal injury to the five Zang organs, unblocking vessels, benefiting ears and eyes, blackening beard and hair, treating five labors and seven injuries in men, and women with damage to the middle, uterine leakage and bleeding, irregular menstruation, and various diseases related to pregnancy and childbirth. It nourishes Kidney Water and True Yin, treats urgent pain in the umbilical and abdominal regions, soreness and pain in the shins and thighs after illness, restlessness when sitting wanting to rise, and vision blurred as if unable to see things. Generally, pain below the navel belongs to damaged Kidney essence storage; soreness and pain in the shins and thighs stem from deficiency of the lower origin; blurred vision occurs because Water deficiency cannot reflect objects. These are all diseases governed by the Kidney, which cannot be cured without Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata. Nowadays, people often treat cataracts by administering Liu Wei Wan combined with Ci Zhu Wan, which is actually inappropriate. Rehmanniae Radix forbids iron; Magnetitum (Ci Shi) is the mother of iron, how can one not avoid it? I once used Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Dang Gui) to replace Rehmanniae Radix, borrowing its acrid-warm nature to assist the growth of hair. If Fire is excessive, use Paeoniae Radix Alba (Bai Shao) to replace Corni Fructus (Shan Zhu Yu), borrowing its sour-cold nature to consolidate dissipating Yin. Although the herbs differ, the effects are similar. In my opinion: Rehmanniae Radix originally belongs to the Hand Shaoyin meridian, specializing in clearing heat and dispersing blood; without steaming and drying, it cannot enter the Foot Shaoyin meridian to achieve the effect of Water-Fire already interacting, transforming bitterness into sweetness, changing purple to black, thus directly entering the Kidney organ to fill True Yin, while simultaneously cultivating the Huangting Hou Tu (Spleen/Stomach Earth). When Earth is thick, it bears all things, and all Zang organs receive its shade. Therefore, Cui Shi Ba Wei Wan and Qian Shi Liu Wei Wan are the general managers for cultivating True Yin and True Yang. Later generations borrowed these formulas and added or subtracted according to individual constitutional biases, reaping benefits everywhere. If Yin Qi is not secure, add Ichthyospermi Colla (Biao Jiao) and Tribuli Fructus (Ji Li). If Yang Qi is insufficient, add Cervus Nippon Cornu (Lu Rong) and Placenta Hominis (He Che). If Middle Qi is stagnant, add Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum (Chen Xiang) and Amomi Fructus Rotundus (Suo Sha). If Lower Qi fails to grasp, add Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niu Xi) and Plantaginis Seed (Che Qian Zi). if Upper Qi fails to generate fluids, add Ophiopogonis Radix (Mai Dong) and Schisandrae Fructus (Wu Wei Zi). If Liver Qi is internally excessive, reduce Corni Fructus and double Alismatis Rhizoma (Ze Xie). If Essence and Qi descend uncontrollably, reduce Alismatis Rhizoma and double Corni Fructus. Each achieves the wonderful effect of correcting bias and saving dysfunction. For those with vigorous Yin Fire, adding Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhi Mu) and Phellodendri Cortex (Huang Bo) to Liu Wei Wan is no different from quenching thirst with poison. Others, such as Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Xiong) and Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Gui) in Si Wu Tang, correspond to the meaning of Corni Fructus in Liu Wei Wan. Astragali Radix (Huang Qi) and Cinnamomi Ramulus (Gui Zhi) in Shi Quan Da Bu Tang correspond to the meaning of Cinnamon Twig and Aconite Root in Ba Wei Wan, thereby achieving the wonderful effect of mutual supplementation of Yin and Yang. It must be known that Ba Wei Wan and Shi Quan Da Bu Tang peacefully regulate Blood and Qi, and since decoction properties easily disperse, using Rehmanniae Radix together with Ginseng Radix (Ren Shen) causes no obstruction whatsoever. In Liu Wei Wan, one must absolutely not mix any Middle Jiao herbs, such as Ginseng Radix, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Bai Zhu), or Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao), all of which are unsuitable. In the past, someone took Liu Wei Wan with added Ginseng Radix, and shortly after swallowing, felt confused and uncomfortable; or instructed to increase Ophiopogonis Radix and Schisandrae Fructus, doubling the efficacy, deeply grasping the wonderful effect of Metal-Water mutual generation. This is not something that can be discussed with those who are not specialists in materia medica.