平补而润
甘平。补中益气，安五脏，益脾胃，润心肺，填精髓，助筋骨，除风湿，下三虫。以
其得坤土之精粹，久服不饥（气满则不饥。脂川有人虐使婢，婢逃入山，拔草根食之甚美，
久食不饥。夜宿树下，见草动疑为虎，上树避之，及晓而下，凌空若飞鸟。家人采薪见之，
告其主，设网捕不得。或曰∶此岂有仙骨？不过服食灵药耳。遂设酒馔于路，果来食之，食
讫遂不能去，擒而询之，指所食之草，乃黄精也）。
俗名山生姜，九蒸九晒用（仙家以为芝草之类，服之长生）。
平补肝肾
苦坚肾，甘益血（能强汗），温养气。治失溺不节（肾虚），脚弱、腰痛、寒湿。
周痹（经曰∶内不在脏腑，而外未发于皮，独居分肉之间，真气不能周，命曰周痹）。
除风虚，强机关，利俯仰（滋肾益肝，则骨健而筋强）。
有黄毛如狗形，故曰金毛狗脊。去毛，切，酒拌蒸。萆 为使。熬膏良。
平补肝肾
甘淡入脾，而除虚热，咸平入肾，而涩元气。益精，强阴，暖水脏，平胃气，补虚劳，
壮筋骨。
疗风痹脚弱，发热自汗，梦遗滑精，囊涩余沥（雷 曰∶石斛镇髓。昂按∶石斛石生
之草，体瘦无汁，味淡难出。置之煎剂，猝难见功，必须熬膏，用之为良）。
光泽如金钗，股短而中实，生石上者良，名金钗石斛。长而虚者名水斛，不堪用。去
头、根，酒浸用。恶巴豆。畏僵蚕。细锉水浸，熬膏更良。
黄精：性质平和且滋润。味甘性平。能补益中气、益气力，安定五脏，补益脾胃，滋润心肺，填补精髓，辅助筋骨生长，祛除风湿，驱除体内的三种寄生虫。因为它汲取了大地（坤土）的精粹，长期服用可以使人不感到饥饿（这是因为体内气机充盈所以不觉饥饿。传说四川有人虐待婢女，婢女逃入山中，挖掘草根食用，味道极佳，长期食用后不再感到饥饿。夜晚在树下住宿，看见草在动，怀疑是老虎，便爬上树躲避，等到天亮下来时，脚步轻盈如同飞鸟一般。家人上山砍柴看到这种情况，告诉主人，设下罗网捕捉却未能成功。有人说：“这难道是有仙骨吗？不过是服食了灵药罢了。”于是便在路边摆设酒食，那婢女果然来吃，吃完后便无法离开，被擒获并询问，她指向所吃的草，就是黄精）。俗称山生姜，经过九次蒸制和九次晾晒后使用（道家将其视为灵芝草一类，服用它可以长生不老）。
狗脊：性质平和，补益肝肾。味苦能坚肾，味甘能益血（并能固摄汗液），性温能养气。治疗小便失禁且无节制（因肾虚所致）、下肢痿弱、腰痛、寒湿痹痛。治疗周痹（医经说：病邪内不在脏腑，外未发于皮肤，独自居于肌肉间隙之间，真气不能周流全身，命名为周痹）。祛除风虚之邪，强健关节，利于身体俯仰动作（因为滋补肾肝，所以骨骼健壮而筋脉强韧）。其根茎有黄色绒毛，形状像狗脊，所以称为金毛狗脊。需去除绒毛，切片，用酒拌蒸。以萆薢为引经药。熬成膏剂效果良好。
石斛：性质平和，补益肝肾。味甘淡入脾经，能清除虚热；味咸性平入肾经，能固涩元气。补益精气，强壮阴液，温暖下焦水脏，调和胃气，补益虚损劳伤，壮健筋骨。治疗风痹、下肢痿弱、发热自汗、梦遗滑精、尿道涩痛及余沥不尽（雷敩说：石斛能镇守骨髓。汪昂按语：石斛是生于石上的草，体形瘦小无汁液，味道淡难以煎出有效成分。放入煎剂中，很难迅速见效，必须熬成膏剂，使用膏剂效果才好）。色泽光亮如金钗，茎短而中间实心，生于石头上的品质优良，称为金钗石斛。茎长而内部空虚的称为水斛，不堪药用。需去掉头尾和根部，用酒浸泡后使用。忌与巴豆同用。畏惧僵蚕。细切后用水浸泡，再熬成膏剂效果更好。
**Huangjing (Rhizoma Polygonati)**: Mildly tonifying and moistening. Sweet and neutral in nature. Tonifies the middle jiao and benefits qi, calms the five zang organs, strengthens the spleen and stomach, moistens the lungs and heart, fills the essence and marrow, assists the sinews and bones, dispels wind-dampness, and expels three types of parasites within the body. This is because it absorbs the quintessence of Kun Earth (the earth element). Long-term consumption prevents hunger (when qi is abundant, one does not feel hungry. Legend has it that in Sichuan, a master abused his maid, who fled into the mountains. She dug up wild roots to eat, finding them delicious. After eating them for a long time, she no longer felt hungry. One night, while sleeping under a tree, she saw grass moving and suspected a tiger, so she climbed a tree to hide. When dawn broke and she descended, her steps were light as if flying like a bird. Her family, who went to the mountains to gather firewood, saw this and told their master. They set nets to catch her but failed. Someone said, "Does she have immortal bones? It must be that she consumed spiritual herbs." So they set out wine and food by the road. The maid indeed came to eat, and after eating, she could not leave. Upon capture and interrogation, she pointed to the herb she had eaten, which was Huangjing). Commonly known as Mountain Ginger. It should be used after nine steaming and nine sun-drying cycles (Daoists consider it similar to Lingzhi mushrooms; consuming it promotes longevity).
**Gouji (Cibotii Rhizoma)**: Mildly tonifying to the liver and kidneys. Bitter flavor solidifies the kidney; sweet flavor benefits blood (and can consolidate sweat); warm nature nourishes qi. Treats urinary incontinence without control (due to kidney deficiency), lower limb weakness, lumbar pain, and cold-dampness. Treats Zhou Bi (Generalized Bi-syndrome) (The Classics state: When pathogenic factors are internally not in the zang-fu organs, nor externally manifested on the skin, but reside exclusively between the muscles, preventing the true qi from circulating throughout the body, it is named Zhou Bi). Dispels wind-deficiency, strengthens joints, and facilitates flexion and extension (by nourishing the kidney and liver, the bones become strong and the sinews resilient). Its rhizome has yellow hairs resembling a dog's spine, hence the name Jinmao Gouji (Golden-haired Dog Spine). Remove the hairs, slice, and steam with wine. Bibi (Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma) serves as a guiding herb. Making it into an extract/paste is beneficial.
**Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis)**: Mildly tonifying to the liver and kidneys. Sweet and bland flavors enter the spleen meridian to clear deficiency heat; salty and neutral flavors enter the kidney meridian to astringe primordial qi. Benefits essence, strengthens yin, warms the water organ (lower jiao/kidney), regulates stomach qi, tonifies deficiency and fatigue, and strengthens sinews and bones. Treats wind-bi syndrome and lower limb weakness, fever with spontaneous sweating, nocturnal emission and spermatorrhea, urethral涩感 (astringency/tingling) and residual dribbling (Lei Xiao stated: Shihu stabilizes the marrow. Wang Ang notes: Shihu is a herb growing on rocks, with a slender body lacking juice, and a bland taste that is difficult to extract. Placing it in decoctions yields slow results; it must be processed into a paste for optimal efficacy). Those with a luster like a gold hairpin, short stems, and solid centers, grown on rocks, are of good quality and are called Jinchai Shihu (Gold-hairpin Dendrobium). Those that are long and hollow are called Shui Hu (Water Dendrobium) and are unsuitable for use. Remove the head, root, and base, and soak in wine before use. Adverse interaction with Badou (Crotonis Fructus). Aversion to Jiangcan (Bombyx Batryticatus). Finely chopped and soaked in water, then processed into a paste yields even better results.