\r何首乌\ph294.bmp\r，本出顺州南河县，岭外、江南诸州亦有，今处处有之，以西
洛、嵩山及南京柘城县
者为胜。春生苗，叶叶相对，如山芋而不光泽；其茎蔓延竹木墙壁间，夏秋开黄白花，似葛
勒花；结子有棱，似荞麦而细小，才如粟大。秋冬取根，大者如拳，各有五棱瓣，似小甜瓜
。此有二种∶赤者雄，白者雌。采时乘湿以布帛拭去土，后用苦竹刀切，米泔浸一宿，曝干
。忌铁。以木臼杵捣之。一云∶春采根，秋采花。九蒸九曝，乃可服。此药本名交藤，因何
首乌服而得名。何首乌者，顺州南河县人，祖能嗣，本名田儿，生而阉弱，年五十八，无妻
子，一日醉卧野中，见田中藤两本异生，苗蔓相交，久乃解，解合三、四，田儿心异之，掘
根持问乡人，无能名者，遂曝干，捣末，酒服七日，而思人道，百日而旧疾皆愈，十年而生
数男，后改名能嗣。又与子延服皆寿百六十岁，首乌服药，亦年百三十岁。唐元和七年，僧
文象遇茅山老人，遂传其事。李翱因着方录云。又叙其苗如木 ，光泽，形如桃柳叶，其背
偏，皆单生不相对，有雌雄者，雌者苗色黄白，雄者黄赤。其生相远，夜则苗蔓交，或隐化
不见。春末、夏中、初秋三时候，晴明日，兼雌雄采之，烈日曝干，散服，酒下良。采时尽
其根，乘润以布帛拭去泥土，勿损皮，密器贮之。每月再曝。凡服偶日，二、四、六、八日
是。服讫，以衣覆汗出导引。尤忌猪、羊血，其叙颇详，故载之。
何首乌，原本产于顺州南河县，岭外、江南各州也有出产，如今到处都有，以西洛、嵩山以及南京柘城县所产的为优。春天生苗，叶子两两相对，像山药（Shanyao, 薯蓣）但没有光泽；它的茎蔓延在竹子、树木和墙壁之间，夏秋季节开黄色或白色的花，类似葛勒花；结出的种子有棱角，像荞麦但更细小，大小才如粟米。秋冬时节采挖根部，大的像拳头，各有五个棱瓣，形状像小甜瓜。这药有两种：红色的是雄株，白色的是雌株。采收时趁着湿润用布帛擦去泥土，然后用苦竹刀切开，用淘米水浸泡一夜，晒干。忌讳接触铁器。用木臼和杵捣碎。另一种说法是：春天采根，秋天采花。经过九次蒸制和九次晾晒后，才可以服用。这种药原本名叫“交藤”，因为何首乌服用而得名。何首乌这个人，是顺州南河县人，祖辈名为能嗣，本名田儿，出生时被阉割而体弱，五十八岁时没有妻子儿女。一天他醉卧野外，看见田里的藤蔓两株异根共生，苗蔓相互缠绕，很久才解开，解后又合拢三四次，田儿对此感到奇异，便挖掘根部拿回家询问乡人，没有人能说出名字，于是将其晒干，捣成粉末，用酒送服七天，便产生了性欲，一百天后旧疾全部痊愈，十年间生下几个男孩，后来改名为能嗣。他又让儿子延服用，都活到了一百六十岁，首乌自己服药，也活到了一百三十岁。唐宪宗元和七年，僧人文象遇到茅山老人，于是传述了这件事。李翱因此撰写《方录》记载此事。又叙述其苗像木头一样，有光泽，形状像桃叶或柳叶，背面偏斜，都是单生而不相对，有雌雄之分，雌株的苗色黄白，雄株的黄赤。它们生长位置相距较远，夜晚时苗蔓会相交，有时隐形消失不见。在春末、夏中、初秋三个时节，选择晴朗的日子，同时采集雌雄植株，烈日下晒干，研散服用，用酒送服效果良好。采收时要尽量保留根部，趁着湿润用布帛擦去泥土，不要损伤外皮，用密封容器储存。每月再晾晒一次。凡是服药的日子，选双数日，即二、四、六、八日为宜。服完后，用衣服覆盖身体促使出汗并进行导引（Dao Yin, 气功锻炼）。特别忌讳食用猪血、羊血，这段叙述颇为详细，所以记录下来。
He Shou Wu (Polygoni Multiflori Radix), originally produced in Nanhe County of Shunzhou, is also found in various prefectures beyond the Five Ranges and in Jiangnan. Currently, it is available everywhere, with those from Xiluo, Mount Song, and Zhoucheng County of Nanjing being considered superior. The vines sprout in spring; leaves grow opposite each other, resembling *Dioscorea opposita* (Shanyao, Yam) but lacking luster. The stems creep among bamboo, trees, and walls. In summer and autumn, they bear yellow or white flowers similar to those of *Pueraria lobata* (Gegen, Kudzu). The seeds are angular, smaller than buckwheat, and roughly the size of millet grains. Roots are harvested in winter and autumn; large roots are fist-sized, possessing five distinct ridges, resembling small melons. There are two varieties: red ones are male, and white ones are female. Upon harvesting, while still moist, soil is wiped off with cloth. Subsequently, they are sliced with a knife made of bitter bamboo, soaked in rice washing water overnight, and dried in the sun. Iron must be avoided. They are pounded using a wooden mortar and pestle. Another account states: harvest roots in spring and flowers in autumn. After nine steaming and nine drying cycles, they become suitable for consumption. This herb was originally named "Jiao Teng" (Interlocking Vine) because He Shou Wu took it. He Shou Wu was a man from Nanhe County, Shunzhou. His ancestor, Neng Si, originally named Tian Er, was castrated at birth and remained weak. At fifty-eight years old, he had no wife or children. One day, while drunk and sleeping in the wild, he saw two vines growing from different roots in a field, their stems intertwining, separating after a long time, and then re-interlocking three or four times. Tian Er found this strange, dug up the roots, and asked villagers about them, but no one knew the name. He dried them, powdered them, and took them with wine for seven days. He regained sexual desire, and within one hundred days, his chronic ailments were cured. Within ten years, he fathered several sons and later changed his name to Neng Si. He also gave it to his son Yan, who both lived to be one hundred and sixty years old. Shou Wu himself lived to be one hundred and thirty years old after taking the medicine. In the seventh year of the Yuanhe era of Emperor Xianzong of Tang, Monk Wenxiang met an old man from Mount Mao and thus transmitted this story. Li Ao recorded this in his *Fang Lu*. He further described the vines as woody and lustrous, with leaves shaped like peach or willow leaves, asymmetrical on the back, growing singly rather than oppositely. There are male and female plants; female vines have yellowish-white coloration, while male vines are yellowish-red. Although they grow far apart, their stems intersect at night and sometimes become invisible. During late spring, mid-summer, and early autumn, on sunny days, both male and female plants should be harvested, dried under intense sunlight, powdered, and taken with wine for best results. When harvesting, retain as much root as possible, wipe off soil while moist with cloth without damaging the skin, and store in a sealed container. Sun-dry again once a month. Administration should occur on even-numbered days (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th). After ingestion, cover with clothing to induce sweating and perform Dao Yin (Qigong exercises). Consumption of pig blood and sheep blood is strictly prohibited. Since this narrative is quite detailed, it is recorded here.