（宋开宝）
【气味】甘寒，无毒。
【主治】主五淋，败席尤良。
【核】曰∶出江南，及陕西泽地，他处虽有野生，但不多耳。丛生圆劲，与龙须草同类，
龙须草茎小瓤实，灯心草茎肥瓤虚为别也。土人选长大者，蒸熟待冷，劈取白瓤为炷，短细
者唯堪织席，用皮作蓑，谓之夫需。质之柔脆，性之温凉，各随水土，以分优劣。修事∶取
生劈者良，或饮或膏，或末或圆，各从方制。若辗末使，每用生劈白瓤十斤，以米粉调煮稀
薄浆水，拌润一伏时，晒燥辗末，入水澄去浆粉，取浮起者，曝干收用。
先人云∶外刚内柔，表青里白，具乙木之气，禀燥金之化。体浮用升，故能齐通窍穴，
咸遍腑脏，奇方之轻剂通剂也。
【 】曰∶草瓤用以然灯，与贞明不息之机矣。 弱而滑，轻虚而浮，端直而长。象一
阳之始生，自下而上，用行体至之发陈物也。顾肝之为用，疏泄前阴，不行焉，则为癃，为
淋，为水肿。又肝之为用，从踵彻巅，不及焉，则为急喉痹，为两胁 满；太过焉，则为眩
冒，为目不夜合。此不循伦次而允升，一唯迅疾而自上，所谓浮沉则顺之，反乎温凉则逆也。
（木自火出，性缘物显，用行体至，灯灯续明，柔以明升，积小以高硕，废固不行，缓
则不及，急则太过矣。）
【宋开宝本草】
【气味】味甘，性寒，无毒。
【主治】主治五淋（五种类型的淋证），用败席（破旧的草席）疗效尤其好。
【核】曰：灯心草产于江南地区及陕西的湿地，其他地方虽有野生，但数量不多。它丛生且茎干圆而坚韧，与龙须草同类，区别在于龙须草茎细中空，而灯心草茎肥实心中空。当地人选取长大的灯心草，蒸熟待冷却后，劈开取出白色的髓心作为灯芯，短小的只能用来编织草席，用其皮制作蓑衣，称为“夫需”。其质地柔脆，药性温凉，各地因水土不同而有优劣之分。炮制方法：选取生品劈开者为佳，或入汤剂、或制成膏剂、或研末、或制成丸剂，各依方剂规定。若需研末使用，每取生品劈开的白色髓心十斤，用米粉调成稀薄的浆水，拌润一夜（一伏时），晒干后研末，加水澄清去除浆粉，取浮起的部分，晒干备用。
先父曾说：灯心草外刚内柔，外表青绿内部洁白，具备乙木（肝木）之气，禀受燥金之化。其体轻浮，作用上升，故能贯通窍穴，遍布脏腑，是奇方中的轻剂、通剂。
【】曰：草瓤用于点燃灯火，具有贞明不息的机理。其质弱而滑，轻虚而浮，端正直长。象征一阳初生，自下而上，发挥推行本体至诚、发陈出新物的作用。看肝脏的功能，疏泄前阴，若不运行，则会导致癃闭（小便不通）、淋证、水肿。又看肝脏的功能，从足踵贯穿至头顶，若不及，则导致急喉痹（急性咽喉肿痛闭塞）、两胁胀满；若太过，则导致眩晕昏冒、目不瞑（失眠）。此不循常规次序而允诺上升，一味迅疾自上而下，所谓顺应其浮沉特性，若违背其温凉本性则为逆。
（木自火出，性质随物显现，作用推行本体至诚，灯灯续明，以柔和之光上升，积小成大，废弃坚固而不行，缓则不及，急则太过矣。）
[Song Kai Bao Ben Cao]
[Flavor and Properties] Sweet, cold, non-toxic.
[Indications] Mainly treats the five types of strangury (five categories of painful urinary disorders); using a worn-out mat is particularly effective.
[Analysis] It says: Produced in the Jiangnan region and wetlands of Shaanxi; although wild varieties exist elsewhere, they are scarce. It grows in clumps with round, tough stems, belonging to the same category as Dragon's Whisker Grass (Luzula japonica). The distinction lies in Dragon's Whisker Grass having thin stems with solid pith, whereas Juncus effusus (Rush Pith) has thick stems with hollow pith. Local people select the longer rushes, steam them until cooked, wait for cooling, split them open, and extract the white pith to use as lamp wicks. The shorter, thinner ones are only suitable for weaving mats, and their skins are used to make rain capes, called "Fu Xu". Its texture is soft and brittle; its nature of warmth or coolness varies by local soil and water conditions, determining its quality. Processing: Raw, split material is preferred. It may be used in decoctions, pastes, powders, or pills, according to prescription specifications. If powdering is required, take ten jin (approx. 5 kg) of raw, split white pith. Mix with a thin starch slurry made from rice flour, moisten thoroughly for one period of time (approx. 2-3 hours), dry in the sun, then grind into powder. Add water, clarify, remove the starch sediment, collect the floating fine powder, dry it in the sun, and store for use.
My late father said: Externally rigid and internally soft, green outside and white inside, it possesses the qi of Yi Wood (Liver Wood) and inherits the transformation of Dry Metal. Its body is light and floating, its action ascending; thus, it can unblock acupoints and permeate the zang-fu organs. It is a light and unblocking agent within extraordinary prescriptions.
It says: The rush pith is used to light lamps, embodying the mechanism of constant brightness without cessation. It is weak yet slippery, light, void, and floating, straight, upright, and long. It symbolizes the initial birth of Yang Qi, moving from below to above, executing the function of promoting the substance to reveal new growth. Regarding the Liver's function: it regulates the discharge of the anterior yin. If this function fails, it leads to retention of urine (Long), strangury, and edema. Furthermore, the Liver's function extends from the heel to the vertex. If this flow is insufficient, it results in acute throat bi (sore throat with obstruction) and distension/fullness in the hypochondrium; if excessive, it leads to dizziness and vertigo, and inability to close the eyes at night (insomnia). This refers to not following the proper sequence but rising swiftly from above. It is said that one should follow its floating and sinking nature; deviating from its warm/cool properties constitutes opposition.
(Wood emerges from fire; nature is revealed through objects; action promotes the substance to sincerity; lamps continue to shine; gentle light ascends; accumulating smallness to achieve greatness; abandoning solidity to avoid stagnation; being too slow leads to insufficiency, being too fast leads to excess.)