〔害〕同人参。
〔利〕甘平，补中气，和脾胃，补肺，益气升津，微虚者宜之。
〔修治〕八月上旬采根，竹刀刮曝干，勿令见风。上党（即今潞州）所出者良。
〔害〕其性苦寒，脏寒者服之，反作腹痛。郁火服之，火不透发，反生寒热。
北沙参
〔害〕脏腑无实热，寒客肺中作嗽者，犯之成劫。
〔利〕苦微寒。人参甘温体重，专益肺气，补阳而生阴。沙参甘寒体轻，专清肺热，补
阴而
制阳。
南沙参。功同北沙参，而力稍逊。
〔修治〕八九月采根，白实长大者良。南参色稍黄，形稍瘦，小而短。近因有一种味带
辣者
，不可用，产亳州。
〔害〕善通二便，中寒下陷者勿服。
〔利〕甘微寒，保肺止咳，清心安精，又补大肠，肺与大肠相表里也。
〔修治〕一茎直上，四向生叶，似短竹叶而阔，茎端五六月开大白花者佳。
五月开红花者，名山丹，其根微苦，食之不甚良，是不及白花也。山丹者，主治疮肿惊邪，
女人崩中。二月八月采根阴干，近道山谷处处有之。
〔害〕海味多寒，寒哮冷嗽不宜用，食之恐增病。
〔利〕甘淡平润，大养肺阴，化痰止嗽，补而能清，治肺气不能清肃下行之症。又能开
胃气
，已劳痢。可入煎，或单煎汁服。若以煮粥，或鸡汁煮，则乱其清气补阴之本性矣。用冰糖
煎则甘温矣，能助肺气清肃下行也。
燕窝脚，又名燕窝根，色红紫，名血燕，功用相仿。性重能达下，微咸能润下，治噎膈
甚效
。
〔修治〕闽漳海边，近生番处，燕衔小鱼，粘之于石，久而成窝。又云燕衔麒麟菜嫩芽
成窝
。有乌、白、红三色，乌色最下，红色最难得，能益小儿痘疹，白色能愈痰疾，色如糙米者
最佳。入煎药，须用陈久者良。先用清水浸透胖开，用小钳 去毛，洁净，更换清水养
好，
仍将原燕浸水，澄清去脚煎服。如用毛燕窝，须入锻石坛内收燥，研细，在风口筛簸，则毛
吹净，再用钳拣去毛管，如粉、则煎服。如用毛燕燕根燕屑入煎，须用棉包，或绢包好入煎
，则无毛。恐毛不净，碍肺为患。
假燕窝无边无毛，色白，或微有边毛，甚有白如银丝者，皆伪为之。
【危害】与（人参）相同。
【功效】味甘性平，补益中气，调和脾胃，补肺，益气生津，轻微虚损者适宜服用。
【炮制】八月上旬采集根部，用竹刀刮去外皮后晒干，不要让风吹到。产自上党（即今天的潞州）的质量最好。
【危害】其药性苦寒，脏腑有寒的人服用，反而会引起腹痛。郁火内盛的人服用，火热之邪不能透发，反而会产生寒热交替的症状。
北沙参
【危害】脏腑没有实热，因寒气客居于肺中引起咳嗽的人，误服会损伤正气。
【功效】味苦微寒。人参味甘性温，质地沉重，专门补益肺气，补阳而生阴。沙参味甘性寒，质地轻清，专门清泄肺热，补阴而制约阳亢。
南沙参。功效与北沙参相同，但力量稍弱。
【炮制】八九月采集根部，白色、坚实、长大者为佳。南沙参颜色稍黄，形体稍瘦小短促。近来有一种味道带辛辣的，不可使用，产于亳州。
【危害】善于通利大小便，中焦虚寒、气机下陷的人不要服用。
【功效】味甘微寒，保肺止咳，清心安神固精，又能补益大肠，因为肺与大肠相表里。
【炮制】一茎直立向上，四周生长叶片，像短竹叶但更宽阔，茎端在五六月开大白花的为佳。五月开红花的，名叫山丹，其根味微苦，食用不太适宜，不如白花的好。山丹，主治疮肿惊邪，妇女崩漏。二月八月采集根部阴干，附近山谷处处都有。
【危害】海产品多属寒性，寒哮冷嗽患者不宜使用，食用恐怕加重病情。
【功效】味甘淡性平润，大补肺阴，化痰止咳，补益而能清泄，治疗肺气不能清肃下行的病症。又能开胃气，治愈劳痢。可以入煎剂，或者单独煎汁服用。如果用粥煮，或用鸡汁煮，就会扰乱它清气补阴的本性。如果用冰糖煎煮则变为甘温，能帮助肺气清肃下行。
燕窝脚，又名燕窝根，颜色红紫，名叫血燕，功用相似。性质重能达下焦，味微咸能润下，治疗噎膈非常有效。
【炮制】福建漳州海边，靠近生番居住的地方，燕子衔小鱼粘在石头上，久而久之结成窝。又说是燕子衔麒麟菜的嫩芽成窝。有乌、白、红三种颜色，乌色最差，红色最难得到，能有益于小儿痘疹，白色能治愈痰疾，颜色像糙米的是最好的。入煎药，必须用陈久的为好。先用清水浸透泡发，用小钳子去掉绒毛，洗净，更换清水养好，仍将原燕浸泡的水澄清，去掉脚部煎服。如果使用毛燕窝，必须放入锻石坛内收燥，研细，在风口筛簸，则绒毛吹净，再用钳子拣去毛管，如果变成粉末状，则煎服。如果使用毛燕、燕根、燕屑入煎，必须用棉布包好，或绢布包好入煎，则没有绒毛。担心绒毛不干净，阻碍肺气造成病患。
假燕窝无边无毛，颜色白，或者微有边毛，甚至有白如银丝的，都是伪造的。
[Harm] Same as [Ginseng].
[Benefits] Sweet and neutral in nature, tonifies Middle Qi (the energy of the Spleen and Stomach), harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach, tonifies the Lung, benefits Qi and promotes fluid production; suitable for those with slight deficiency.
[Processing] Harvest the roots in early August, scrape them with a bamboo knife and dry them in the sun, avoiding exposure to wind. Those produced in Shangdang (modern-day Luzhou) are of superior quality.
[Harm] Its nature is bitter and cold; taking it when there is Cold in the Zang organs will instead cause abdominal pain. Taking it when there is constrained Fire will prevent the Fire from venting outward, instead causing alternating chills and fever.
Bei Sha Shen (Glehniae Radix)
[Harm] If there is no Excess Heat in the Zang-Fu organs, but Cough is caused by Cold invading the Lungs, taking this herb will damage healthy Qi.
[Benefits] Bitter and slightly cold. Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) is sweet and warm, heavy in texture, specifically tonifying Lung Qi, benefiting Yang to generate Yin. Sha Shen (Glehniae Radix or Adenophorae Radix) is sweet and cold, light in texture, specifically clearing Lung Heat, benefiting Yin to restrain Yang.
Nan Sha Shen (Adenophorae Radix). Its efficacy is the same as Bei Sha Shen, but its strength is slightly inferior.
[Processing] Harvest the roots in August or September; those that are white, solid, large, and long are best. Nan Sha Shen is slightly yellowish in color, thinner, smaller, and shorter. Recently, a variety with a pungent taste has appeared, which should not be used; it is produced in Bozhou.
[Harm] It effectively unblocks urination and defecation; those with Middle Jiao Cold and sinking Qi should not take it.
[Benefits] Sweet and slightly cold, protects the Lungs and stops cough, clears the Heart and secures Essence, and also tonifies the Large Intestine, as the Lung and Large Intestine are exterior-interiorly related.
[Processing] A single stem grows straight up, with leaves growing in four directions, resembling short bamboo leaves but broader. Those that bear large white flowers at the stem tip in May or June are preferred. Those bearing red flowers in May are called Shan Dan (Lilium brownii var. viridulum), whose roots are slightly bitter and not very suitable for consumption, being inferior to the white-flowered variety. Shan Dan mainly treats sores, swellings, and fright-evil, and uterine bleeding in women. Harvest the roots in February or August and dry them in the shade; they are found everywhere in nearby valleys.
[Harm] Seafood tends to be cold in nature; patients with Cold Asthma or Cold Cough should not use it, as eating it may worsen the condition.
[Benefits] Sweet, bland, neutral, and moistening; greatly nourishes Lung Yin, resolves phlegm and stops cough, tonifies while clearing, treating conditions where Lung Qi cannot descend clearly and purely. It can also open Stomach Qi and cure Labor Dysentery. It can be decocted or taken as a single decoction. If cooked with rice porridge or chicken broth, it disrupts its original nature of generating clear Qi and tonifying Yin. If decocted with rock sugar, it becomes sweet and warm, assisting Lung Qi in descending clearly and purely.
Yan Wo Jiao (Swallow's Nest Foot), also known as Yan Wo Gen, is reddish-purple in color and called Xue Yan (Blood Swallow's Nest); its functions are similar. Its nature is heavy and reaches downward, slightly salty and moistening downward, very effective in treating Yige (Dysphagia).
[Processing] On the coast of Zhangzhou, Fujian, near areas inhabited by indigenous people, swallows carry small fish and stick them to rocks, forming nests over time. Another theory says swallows carry tender shoots of Gracilaria lemaneiformis to form nests. There are black, white, and red colors; black is the lowest grade, red is the hardest to obtain and benefits children with smallpox/rash, white cures phlegmatic diseases, and those resembling rough rice are the best. For decoction, aged ones are preferred. First soak thoroughly in clean water until swollen, remove feathers with tweezers, wash clean, change to fresh water to soak well, then clarify the original soaking water, remove the feet, and decoct. If using raw swallow nest, place it in an alum jar to dry, grind finely, sift in the wind to blow away feathers, then pick out feather quills with tweezers; if powdered, decoct and take. If using raw swallow, nest foot, or nest debris for decoction, wrap in cotton or silk before adding to the decoction to avoid feathers. Fear that unclean feathers obstruct Lung Qi and cause harm.
Fake swallow nests have no edges or feathers, are white in color, or have slight edge feathers, even some white like silver threads; all are counterfeit.