气味甘平，无毒。主治心腹内崩，劳极洒洒如疟状，腰腹痛，四肢酸疼，女子下血，
安胎，久服轻身益气。
（山东兖州府，古东阿县地有阿井，汲其水煎乌驴皮成胶，故名阿胶。此清济之水，伏
行地
中，历千里而发现于此井，济居四渎之一，内合于心，井有官舍封禁，发煮胶以供天府，故
真胶难得，货者多伪。其色黯绿，明净不臭者为真，俗尚黑如漆。故伪造者，以寻常之水煎
牛皮成胶，搀以黑豆汁，气臭质浊，不堪入药。）
（《本草乘雅》云∶东阿井在山东兖州府阳谷县，东北六十里，即古之东阿县也。《水经
注
》云∶东阿井大如轮，深六七丈，水性下趋，质清且重，岁常煮胶以贡。煮法必取乌驴皮刮
净去毛，急流水中浸七日，入瓷锅内渐增阿井水煮三日夜，则皮化，滤清再煮稠粘，贮盆中
乃成耳。冬月易干，其色深绿且明亮轻脆，味淡而甘，亦须陈久，方堪入药。设用牛皮及黄
明胶并杂他药者，慎不可用。）
（余尝逢亲往东阿煎胶者，细加询访，闻其地所货阿胶，不但用牛马诸畜杂皮，并取旧
箱匣
坏皮及鞍辔靴屐，一切烂损旧皮皆充胶料。人间尚黑，则入马料、豆汁以增其色。人嫌秽气
，则加樟脑等香，以乱其气，然美恶犹易辨也。今则作伪者，日益加巧，虽用旧皮浸洗日久
，臭秽全去，然后煎煮，并不入豆汁及诸般香味，俨与真者相乱。人言真胶难得，真胶未尝
难得，特以伪者杂陈并得，真者而亦疑之耳。人又以胶色有黄有黑为疑者，缘冬月所煎者，
汁不妨嫩，入春后嫩者，难于坚实，煎汁必老。嫩者色黄，老者色黑，此其所以分也。昔人
以光如 漆，色带油绿者为真，犹未悉其全也。又谓∶真者拍之即碎，夫拍之即碎，此唯极
陈者为然，新胶安得有此。至谓真者，绝无臭气，夏月亦不甚湿软，则今之伪者，未尝不然
，未可以是定美恶也。又闻古法先取野狼溪水以浸皮，后取阿井水以煎胶，野狼溪发源于洪范泉
，其性阳，阿井水之性阴，取其阴阳相配之意，火用桑薪煎炼四日夜而后成。又谓∶烧酒为
服胶者所最忌，尤当力戒。此皆前人所未言者，故并记之。）
阿胶乃滋补心肺之药也。心合济水，其水清重，其性趋下，主清心主之热而下交于阴。
肺合
皮毛，驴皮主导肺气之虚而内入于肌。又，驴为马属，火之畜也，必用乌驴，乃水火相济之
义。崩，堕也，心腹内崩者，心包之血，不散经脉，下入于腹而崩堕也。阿胶益心主之血，
故治心腹内崩。劳极，劳顿之极也。洒洒如疟状者，劳极气虚，皮毛洒洒如疟状之先寒也。
阿胶益肺主之气，故治劳极洒洒如疟状。夫劳极，则腰腹痛。洒洒如疟状，则四肢酸痛。心
腹内崩，则女子下血也。心主血，肺主气，气血调和，则胎自安矣。滋补心肺。故久服轻身
益气。
（按∶《灵枢·经水》篇云∶手少阴外合于济水，内属于心。隐庵心合济水之说，盖据
此也。李中梓谓∶《内经》以济水为天地之肝，故阿胶入肝功多，当是误记耳。）
气味甘平，无毒。主治心腹内部出血，极度疲劳时出现类似疟疾的寒战症状，腰部和腹部疼痛，四肢酸痛，妇女经血非时而下，安胎，长期服用能使人身体轻健、益气。
（山东兖州府，古东阿县地有阿井，汲取其水煎煮乌驴皮制成胶，所以名叫阿胶。这是清澈的济水，潜伏行于地下，经过千里才在此井显现。济水是四渎之一，内应合于心。井边有官舍封禁，开采煮胶以供皇家使用，所以真正的阿胶难以得到，市场上售卖的多为假货。其色暗绿，明净无臭的为真品，世俗崇尚黑如漆的颜色。因此伪造者用普通的水煎煮牛皮成胶，掺入黑豆汁，气味臭秽、质地浑浊，不堪入药。）
（《本草乘雅》说：东阿井在山东兖州府阳谷县，东北六十里，就是古代的东阿县。《水经注》说：东阿井大如车轮，深六七丈，水性向下流，质地清且重，每年常煮胶进贡。煮法必须取乌驴皮刮净去毛，在急流水中浸泡七天，放入瓷锅内逐渐增加阿井水煮三昼夜，则皮化开，过滤澄清再煮至稠粘，贮存在盆中才制成。冬季容易干燥，其色深绿且明亮轻脆，味淡而甘，也必须陈放久远，方可入药。如果用到牛皮及黄明胶并混杂其他药物的，千万不可使用。）
（我曾亲自前往东阿询问煎胶的人，仔细查访，听说当地所卖的阿胶，不但用牛马各种牲畜的杂皮，还取旧箱匣坏皮以及鞍辔靴屐，一切烂损旧皮都充当胶料。人间崇尚黑色，就加入马料、豆汁以增加颜色。人们嫌弃秽气，就加樟脑等香料，以掩盖气味，然而美恶还是容易辨别的。现在造假的人，日益巧妙，虽然用旧皮浸洗日久，臭秽全去，然后煎煮，并不加入豆汁及诸般香味，俨然与真品相混。人说真胶难得，其实真胶未尝难得，只是因伪品混杂陈列，让人连真品也怀疑了。人们又以胶色有黄有黑为疑，因为冬季所煎的，汁液不妨嫩，入春后嫩的，难于坚实，煎汁必老。嫩的色黄，老的色黑，这就是区分所在。古人认为光如漆，色带油绿的是真品，这还未完全知晓全部真相。又说：真品拍之即碎，拍之即碎，这只是极陈久的才这样，新胶怎么会有这种特性。至于说真品绝无臭气，夏季也不甚湿软，那么现在的伪品，也未尝不是这样，不能以此来确定美恶。又听说古法先取野狼溪水浸泡皮，后取阿井水煎胶，野狼溪发源于洪范泉，其性阳，阿井水之性阴，取其阴阳相配的意思，用火桑薪煎炼四日夜而后成。又说：烧酒是服胶者最忌讳的，尤其应当极力戒除。这些都是前人所未言说的，所以一并记录下来。）
阿胶是滋补心肺的药物。心合济水，其水清重，其性趋下，主清心主之热而下交于阴。肺合皮毛，驴皮主导肺气之虚而内入于肌。另外，驴为马属，是火之畜，必须用乌驴，乃是水火相济的意义。崩，指堕下，心腹内崩，是指心包之血，不散于经脉，下入于腹而崩堕。阿胶补益心主之血，所以治疗心腹内崩。劳极，是劳顿之极。洒洒如疟状，是劳极气虚，皮毛洒洒如疟状之先寒。阿胶补益肺主之气，所以治疗劳极洒洒如疟状。夫劳极，则腰腹痛。洒洒如疟状，则四肢酸痛。心腹内崩，则女子下血。心主血，肺主气，气血调和，则胎自安矣。滋补心肺，所以久服轻身益气。
（按：《灵枢·经水》篇说：手少阴外合于济水，内属于心。隐庵心合济水之说，大概依据于此。李中梓说：《内经》以济水为天地之肝，所以阿胶入肝功多，当是误记耳。）
The flavor is sweet and neutral, non-toxic. It treats internal bleeding in the heart and abdomen, a condition of extreme fatigue presenting with chills resembling malaria, pain in the lower back and abdomen, soreness and pain in the four limbs, abnormal uterine bleeding in women, calms the fetus, and long-term consumption lightens the body and benefits Qi.
(Shandong Yanzhou Prefecture, the ancient Dong'e County area has the A Well. Drawing water from it to decoct black donkey skin into gelatin gives it the name Ejiao (Donkey-Hide Gelatin). This is the clear Ji River water, which runs underground for a thousand li before emerging at this well. The Ji River is one of the Four Great Rivers, internally corresponding to the Heart. There are official residences guarding the well; the water is extracted and boiled to produce gelatin for the imperial treasury, hence genuine Ejiao is hard to obtain, and most sold on the market are counterfeit. Genuine Ejiao is dark green, bright, clean, and odorless. Popular taste favors black like lacquer. Therefore, forgers boil cowhide with ordinary water to make gelatin, mixing it with black bean juice; it smells foul and has a turbid texture, making it unsuitable for medicinal use.)
(The *Bencao Chengya* states: The Dong'e Well is located 60 li northeast of Yanggu County, Yanzhou Prefecture, Shandong, which is the ancient Dong'e County. The *Commentary on the Water Classic* states: The Dong'e Well is as wide as a wheel and six or seven zhang deep. The water flows downward, is clear and heavy, and is annually boiled into gelatin for tribute. The boiling method requires taking black donkey skin, scraping it clean and removing hair, soaking it in fast-flowing water for seven days, placing it in a porcelain pot, gradually adding A Well water, and boiling for three days and nights until the skin dissolves. It is filtered clear and boiled again until thick and sticky, then stored in basins to form. It dries easily in winter, appearing deep green, bright, light, and brittle, with a faint and sweet taste. It must be aged for a long time before being suitable for medicinal use. If cowhide, Huangming Jiao (Yellow Clear Gelatin), or other mixed substances are used, they must absolutely not be used.)
(I once personally visited Dong'e to inquire about gelatin production. Upon detailed investigation, I heard that the Ejiao sold there uses not only mixed hides from cattle, horses, and other livestock, but also old box fragments, broken leather from saddles, bridles, boots, and shoes—all damaged and old leather serves as material. Since people favor black color, horse feed and bean juice are added to darken it. To mask the foul odor, camphor and other fragrances are added to confuse the smell. However, good and bad qualities are still easy to distinguish. Now, forgers have become increasingly skillful. Although old leather is soaked and washed for a long time to remove all odor, and then boiled without adding bean juice or any fragrances, it closely resembles the genuine product. People say genuine Ejiao is rare, but actually, genuine Ejiao is not inherently rare; it is merely that counterfeit products are mixed and displayed, causing suspicion even towards genuine ones. People also doubt the variation in color between yellow and black. Gelatin boiled in winter may be tender; in spring, tender gelatin is difficult to solidify, so the decoction must be reduced further (aged). Tender gelatin is yellow, while aged gelatin is black; this is the distinction. Ancients considered gelatin shiny like lacquer and oily-green colored as genuine, but this did not cover all aspects. They also stated: Genuine Ejiao shatters when tapped. Shattering upon tapping applies only to extremely aged Ejiao; how can new Ejiao have this property? Regarding the claim that genuine Ejiao has absolutely no odor and is not too soft in summer, modern counterfeits often exhibit these traits as well, so one cannot determine quality solely based on this. I also heard of an ancient method: first soaking the skin in Wild Wolf Creek water, then boiling it with A Well water. Wild Wolf Creek originates from Hongfan Spring; its nature is Yang, while A Well water's nature is Yin, reflecting the principle of Yin-Yang coordination. It was boiled with mulberry wood fire for four days and nights. It is also said: Rice wine (Baijiu) is strictly forbidden for those consuming gelatin, and one must strongly avoid it. These are points not previously mentioned by predecessors, so I record them here.)
Ejiao is a herb that tonifies the Heart and Lungs. The Heart corresponds to the Ji River; its water is clear and heavy, its nature tends downward, clearing Heat of the Heart Master and descending to interact with Yin. The Lungs correspond to skin and hair; donkey skin addresses deficiency of Lung Qi and enters internally into the muscles. Furthermore, the donkey belongs to the Horse category, which is associated with Fire. One must use black donkeys, embodying the meaning of Water and Fire interacting harmoniously. "Beng" means falling or miscarriage. "Internal Beng in the heart and abdomen" refers to blood of the Pericardium failing to circulate in the meridians, sinking into the abdomen and falling. Ejiao benefits the blood of the Heart Master, thus treating internal Beng in the heart and abdomen. "Lao Ji" refers to extreme exhaustion. "Sasha ru nue zhuang" describes a sensation of chills resembling malaria due to Qi deficiency from extreme fatigue affecting the skin and hair. Ejiao benefits the Qi of the Lung Master, thus treating Lao Ji with chills resembling malaria. Extreme fatigue leads to lower back and abdominal pain. Chills resembling malaria lead to soreness and pain in the four limbs. Internal Beng leads to abnormal uterine bleeding in women. The Heart governs Blood, the Lungs govern Qi; when Qi and Blood are harmonious, the fetus is naturally secured. By tonifying the Heart and Lungs, long-term consumption lightens the body and benefits Qi.
(Note: The *Ling Shu · Jing Shui* chapter states: Hand-Shaoyin externally corresponds to the Ji River and internally belongs to the Heart. Yin'an's theory that the Heart corresponds to the Ji River is likely based on this. Li Zhongzi stated: The *Nei Jing* regards the Ji River as the Liver of Heaven and Earth, therefore Ejiao has many effects on the Liver. This is likely a misrecorded statement.)