柏子仁，甘、辛，气平，无毒。入心、肝、肾、膀胱四经。聪耳目，却风痹，止疼，益
气血
，去恍惚虚损，敛汗。治肾冷、腰冷、膀胱冷。尤能润燥，腰肾身体颜面燥涩者，皆治之。
兴阳道，杀百虫，止惊怪，安五脏，头风眩痛。亦可煎调，久服不饥，增寿耐老，此药尤佳
，乃延生之妙品也。但必须去油用之，否则过润，反动大便。尤宜与补心、肾之药同用，则
功用尤神。
柏叶苦涩，只能敛肺，遏吐血、衄血，亦生须发。但非补阳要药，不可与柏子仁同类而
并称
也。
或疑柏子仁益心而不益肾，以其必去油而用之也，油去则性燥，心喜燥而肾恶燥，非明验耶
？噫！以此论药，失之凿矣。夫柏子仁最多油，去油者，恐过滑以动便，非欲其燥以入心，
且
柏子仁油去之，亦不能尽，肾得之，未尝燥也。凡药皆宜制其中和，何独于柏子仁疑之
耶。
或疑柏子仁补心之药，何以补肾火之药反用之耶？夫心肾相通，心虚而命门之火不能久
闭，
所以跃跃欲走也。用柏子仁以安心君，心君不动，而相火奉令惟谨，何敢轻泄乎。此补心之
妙，胜于补肾也。世人但知补肾以兴阳，谁知补心以兴阳之更神哉。
黄柏，味苦、微辛，气寒，阴中之阴，降也。无毒。乃足少阴妙药，又入足太阳。专能
退火
解热，消渴最效，去肠风，止血痢，逐膀胱结热，治赤带，泻肾中相火，亦能平肝明目
，其余《本草》
所载功效，俱不可尽信也。盖黄柏乃至阴之物，其性寒冷，只可暂用以降火，而不可长用以
退热。试思阴寒之地，不生草木，岂阴寒之药，反生精髓。黄柏有泻而无补，此可必信者也
。如遇阴虚火动之人，用黄柏以泻火，不若用元参以降火也。万不得已而用黄柏，亦宜与肉
桂同用，一寒一热，水火有相济之妙，庶不致为阴寒之气所逼，至于损胃而伤脾也。
或疑丹溪朱公，专以阴虚火动立论，其补阴，丹溪以黄柏、肉桂同用，未尝教人尽用黄
柏、
知母也。而吾子讥其太过，毋乃已甚乎？嗟乎。人生于火，原宜培火，不宜损火也。火之有
余，实水之不足。因水之不足，乃现火之有余。火盛者，补水而火自息，不必去泻火也。自
丹溪创阴虚火动之说，其立论为千古之不磨，而其立方不能无弊，用黄柏、知母于肉桂之中
，不用熟地、山茱为君，乌可为训乎。
或疑黄柏苦寒泻火，是泻火有余，而补水不足，入于大补阴之内，少用之，以退阴虚之
火，
不识亦可乎？曰∶不可也。黄柏泻火而不补水也。惟是阴虚火大动，用黄柏于大补真阴之药
，如熟地、山茱萸、北五味之类，可暂用以退火。倘阴虚而火微动者，亦断不可用。盖阴火
之大盛者，退火而火少息；阴火之微动者，退火而火愈起。总之，虚火旺宜泻，而虚火衰宜
补也。
或问知母、黄柏，同是苦寒之药，用一味以泻虚火，未必无功，必要加用二味，与仲景
张公
并驾齐驱，反致误事，使后人讥之，是则丹溪之失也。嗟乎！虚火之沸腾，乃真水之亏损，
用六味以生水制火，尚恐水不能以遽生，而火不可遽制。况用苦寒之黄柏、知母，使水之不
生，又何以制火哉。在丹溪欲制火以生水，谁知制火而水愈不生耶。用知母、黄柏之一味，
似乎轻于二味并用，然而，水一遇寒凉即不生，正不必二味之兼用也。
柏子仁，味甘、辛，气性平，无毒。归入心、肝、肾、膀胱四经。能聪耳明目，祛除风痹，止痛，补益气血，消除恍惚虚损症状，收敛汗液。治疗肾冷、腰冷、膀胱冷。尤其擅长润燥，凡腰肾、身体、颜面出现干燥涩滞者，皆能治疗。
兴阳道（增强性功能），杀灭百虫，止惊悸怪异，安定五脏，治疗头风眩晕疼痛。也可以煎汤调服，长期服用不感饥饿，增加寿命，延缓衰老，此药尤为佳妙，是延年益寿的妙品。但必须去除油脂后使用，否则过于润滑，反而导致大便滑泄。尤其适宜与补心、补肾的药物同用，则功效更加神奇。
柏叶味苦、涩，只能收敛肺气，遏制吐血、鼻衄（鼻出血），也能促进须发生长。但它不是补阳的要药，不可与柏子仁同类而并称。
有人怀疑柏子仁只补心而不补肾，因为它必须去油后使用。油去除了则药性变燥，心喜燥而肾恶燥，这不是明显的证据吗？唉！以此议论药物，就失之偏颇了。柏子仁本身含油量最多，去油是因为担心其过于滑利而扰动大便，并非想要它变得燥烈以入心经。而且，柏子仁的油即使去除也不能完全除尽，肾脏得到它，并未感到燥热。凡是药物都应当制得其中和之性，为何唯独对柏子仁产生怀疑呢？
有人怀疑柏子仁是补心的药物，为什么治疗补肾火（相火）的药物中反而使用它呢？因为心肾相通，心气虚弱时命门之火不能长久闭藏，所以跃跃欲动。使用柏子仁来安顿心君（心神），心君安定不动，相火就会奉令谨慎行事，怎敢轻易泄露呢？这是补心的妙处，胜过直接补肾。世人只知道通过补肾来兴阳，谁知道通过补心来兴阳更为神奇呢。
黄柏，味苦、微辛，气寒，属于阴中之阴，具有沉降作用。无毒。是足少阴肾经的妙药，又入足太阳膀胱经。专门能够退火解热，治疗消渴症最为有效，祛除肠风，止血痢，清除膀胱结热，治疗赤带，泻除肾中相火，也能平肝明目。其余《本草》所载的功效，都不可全信。大概黄柏是至阴之物，其性寒冷，只可暂时用来降火，而不可长期用来退热。试想阴寒之地，不生草木，难道阴寒之药，反而能生精髓？黄柏只有泻的作用而没有补的作用，这是可以确信无疑的。如果遇到阴虚火动的人，用黄柏来泻火，不如用玄参来降火好。万不得已而使用黄柏，也适宜与肉桂同用，一寒一热，水火有相互济助的妙处，这样才不至于被阴寒之气所逼迫，进而损伤胃气和脾脏。
有人怀疑丹溪朱公，专门以阴虚火动立论，他补阴时，用黄柏、肉桂同用，从未教导人只用黄柏、知母。而你讥笑他太过分，岂不是太过严厉了吗？唉！人生于火，原本应该培护火，不应该损害火。火的有余，实际上是水的不足。因为水的不足，才显现出火的有余。火盛的时候，补水而火自然平息，不必去泻火。自从丹溪创立阴虚火动之说，他的立论是千古不朽的，但他的处方不能没有弊端，在肉桂中使用黄柏、知母，而不以熟地、山茱萸为君药，怎么可以作为典范呢？
有人问知母、黄柏，同样是苦寒的药物，用一味来泻虚火，未必没有功效，一定要加用两味，与张仲景并驾齐驱，反而导致误事，让后人讥笑，这是丹溪的失误。唉！虚火的沸腾，是真水的亏损，使用六味地黄丸来生水制火，还担心水不能迅速生成，而火不能迅速控制。何况使用苦寒的黄柏、知母，使水不能生成，又凭什么来制火呢？在丹溪想要通过制火来生水，谁知道制火反而使水更不生了呢？使用知母、黄柏中的一味，似乎比两味并用要轻缓，然而，水一遇到寒凉就不再生成，正不必两味兼用。
Bai Zi Ren (Biota Seed), sweet and acrid in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic. It enters the Heart, Liver, Kidney, and Bladder meridians. It sharpens hearing and vision, expels wind-bi syndrome, relieves pain, tonifies Qi and Blood, eliminates mental confusion and deficiency damage, and stops sweating. It treats coldness of the Kidney, waist, and Bladder. It is especially effective in moistening dryness; conditions involving dryness and astringency in the waist, Kidneys, body, and face are all treated by it.
It enhances sexual function, kills parasites, calms fright and strange sensations, stabilizes the Five Viscera, and treats head wind with dizziness and pain. It can also be decocted and taken with liquid; long-term use prevents hunger, increases longevity, and delays aging. This herb is particularly excellent and is a wonderful product for prolonging life. However, it must be used after removing its oil content; otherwise, it will be too lubricating and cause loose stools. It is especially suitable to be used together with herbs that tonify the Heart and Kidney, thereby making its effects even more miraculous.
Bo Ye (Biota Leaf) is bitter and astringent; it can only astringe Lung Qi, arrest hematemesis (vomiting blood) and epistaxis (nosebleed), and promote the growth of hair and beard. However, it is not an essential herb for tonifying Yang and should not be grouped or praised alongside Bai Zi Ren.
Some doubt whether Bai Zi Ren tonifies the Heart but not the Kidney, arguing that since it must be used without oil, its nature becomes dry. Since the Heart prefers dryness and the Kidney dislikes dryness, is this not clear evidence? Alas! To discuss herbs in this manner is overly rigid. Bai Zi Ren contains abundant oil; the oil is removed out of fear that its excessive slipperiness might disturb bowel movements, not to make it dry for entering the Heart meridian. Moreover, even if the oil is removed, it cannot be completely eliminated, and the Kidney does not feel dry when receiving it. All herbs should be processed to achieve a balanced nature; why single out Bai Zi Ren for suspicion?
Some question why an herb that tonifies the Heart, such as Bai Zi Ren, is used in formulas treating Kidney Fire (Ministerial Fire). The Heart and Kidney are interconnected. When Heart Qi is deficient, the Ministerial Fire of the Gate of Life cannot remain closed for long, causing it to leap and move restlessly. Using Bai Zi Ren to calm the Heart Monarch (Shen) ensures that the Heart remains stable, and the Ministerial Fire will then obey orders cautiously, daring not leak lightly. This is the subtlety of tonifying the Heart, which surpasses direct tonification of the Kidney. People only know how to enhance Yang by tonifying the Kidney; who knows that enhancing Yang by tonifying the Heart is even more miraculous?
Huang Bo (Phellodendron Bark) is bitter and slightly acrid in flavor, cold in nature, belonging to Yin within Yin, with a descending action. It is non-toxic. It is a miraculous herb for the Foot Shaoyin (Kidney) meridian and also enters the Foot Taiyang (Bladder) meridian. It specializes in clearing fire and relieving heat, being most effective for treating Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst), expelling intestinal wind, stopping bloody dysentery, driving out stagnant heat from the Bladder, treating red leukorrhea, draining Ministerial Fire from the Kidney, and calming the Liver to brighten the eyes. Other efficacy records in Ben Cao materia medica should not be fully trusted. Huang Bo is a substance of extreme Yin with a cold nature; it can only be used temporarily to descend fire and should not be used long-term to reduce heat. Consider that no grass or trees grow in Yin-cold places; how could an Yin-cold herb generate essence and marrow? Huang Bo has draining properties but no tonifying properties; this is certain. For individuals with Yin deficiency and fire hyperactivity, using Huang Bo to drain fire is inferior to using Xuan Shen (Scrophularia Root) to descend fire. If Huang Bo must be used out of desperation, it should be combined with Rou Gui (Cinnamon Bark); one cold and one hot, creating a miraculous balance between Water and Fire, thus avoiding being forced by Yin-cold qi to damage Stomach Qi and Spleen Yang.
Some doubt that Master Zhu Danxi established his theory specifically on Yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity. He combined Huang Bo and Rou Gui for tonifying Yin and never taught people to use only Huang Bo and Zhi Mu. Yet you criticize him for being excessive; is this not too harsh? Alas! Humans are born from Fire; originally, Fire should be cultivated, not damaged. Excess Fire is actually due to insufficient Water. Because Water is insufficient, Fire appears excessive. When Fire is flourishing, tonifying Water causes Fire to subside naturally; there is no need to drain Fire. Since Danxi created the theory of Yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity, his theoretical stance is immortal, but his prescriptions have flaws. Using Huang Bo and Zhi Mu among Rou Gui, without making Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root) and Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus Fruit) the sovereign herbs, how can this serve as a model?
Someone asks: Zhi Mu and Huang Bo are both bitter-cold herbs. Using one to drain deficient fire may not be ineffective. Why add both to rival Zhang Zhongjing, potentially causing errors and ridicule from later generations? This is Danxi's fault. Alas! The boiling of deficient fire is due to the depletion of True Water. Using Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) to generate Water and control Fire is already worrying about insufficient water generation and inability to quickly control fire. How much more so when using bitter-cold Huang Bo and Zhi Mu, which prevent Water generation, leaving no way to control Fire? Danxi intended to generate Water by controlling Fire, but who knew that controlling Fire would result in even less Water generation? Using one of Zhi Mu or Huang Bo seems lighter than using both, yet Water ceases to generate upon encountering coldness; therefore, combining two is unnecessary.