青蒿，味苦，气寒，无毒。入胃、肝、心、肾四经。专解骨蒸劳热，尤能泻暑热之火，
愈风
瘙痒，止虚烦盗汗，开胃，安心痛，明目辟邪，养脾气，此药最佳。盖青蒿泻火热，又不耗
伤气血，用之以佐气血之药，大建奇功。可君可臣，而又可佐使，无往不宜也。但必须多用
。因其体既轻，而性兼补阴，少用转不得力。夫人身最嫌火盛，泻火之药动必伤阴，欲其泻
火
不损阴者，原无多味，乌可置青蒿于无用之地耶。人身不离阴阳，火盛则阴不生，阳不长，
阴阳既不生长，势必阴阳不交而身病矣。倘不平其火，而徒补其阳，则火盛而阳益旺；不平
其火，徒补其阴，则水燥而阴愈衰。故无论补阴
补阳，总以平火为先务。然火又宜养，而不宜平。火过旺，则阴阳不生；过衰，则阴阳又不
长。必寓补于平之中，而后阳得之安，阴得之而泰也。青蒿平火而又补水，此阴阳所以两宜
之也。
或问青蒿退暑则有之，退虚热则未也，何以先之以其有臭气，必然散气故耳。是未知青
蒿者
也。青蒿生于火道之旁，常夏日之炎蒸，而色更青翠，其得至阴之气者多矣。况气臭入肾，
青蒿为补阴之药无疑，而疑其不能退虚热乎。夫阳药补阳，阴药补阴。青蒿既得至阴之气，
其非阳药可知。既非阳药，而谓不能退虚火也，此则所不信也。
或疑青蒿至贱，而吾子誉之如神，真所谓臭腐而出神奇矣。顾青蒿何尝臭腐哉。以青蒿
为臭
者，薄之辞也。余尝行田野间，往往有一种□气亲人，不见之，知气从青蒿中出，是青蒿气
香，非臭也。且其气能辟蝇虱，凡案间有青蒿，蝇不集也，夫蝇逐腐，畏青蒿而不集，其非
腐可知。惜其丛生至多，人皆贱之，倘或为鲜产之物，吾不知若何珍之矣。青蒿实有至补之
功，以臭腐轻之惜矣。
或问青蒿退阴火至速，何以前人并未用之，而吾子盛称其功效，亦又有所试而云然乎？
曰∶
青蒿退骨蒸劳热，前人既言之，宁得不用之，何必余试而后信青蒿之退阴火、退骨中之火也
。然不独退骨中之火，即肌肤之火，未尝不其泻之也。故阴虚而又感邪者，最宜用耳。
或问阴虚火盛者，用沙参、地骨皮，自是正法，今先生言青蒿退阴火，则用青蒿，可不
必又
用沙参、地骨皮矣？曰∶是又不然。青蒿最宜与沙参、地骨皮共用，则泻阴火更捷。青蒿能
别骨中之火行于皮肤，而沙参、地骨皮只能凉骨中之火，而不能外泄也。
青蒿，味道苦，性质寒，没有毒性。归入胃、肝、心、肾四经。专门解除骨蒸劳热（一种感觉热自骨髓深处向外透发的虚热症状），尤其能够清泻暑热之火，治愈风邪引起的瘙痒，停止因阴虚导致的烦躁和夜间盗汗，开胃，安定心痛，明目并驱除邪气，滋养脾气，这味药非常好。因为青蒿能清泻火热，又不会耗伤气血，用它来辅助补益气血的药物，能建立奇功。它可以作为君药（主药）、臣药（辅药），也可以作为佐使药（引导药或调和药），无处不适宜。但是必须大量使用。因为它质地轻，且性质兼有滋阴的作用，用量少反而不起作用。人体最忌讳火气过盛，泻火的药物往往容易损伤阴液，想要找到既能泻火又不损伤阴液的药，原本就不多，怎么可以把青蒿放在无用的地方呢？人身离不开阴阳，火气过盛则阴不能生长，阳不能长养，阴阳既然不能生长，势必导致阴阳不交合而身体生病。如果不平抑火气，只是单纯地补阳，那么火气更盛而阳气更加旺盛；不平抑火气，只是单纯地补阴，那么水液干燥而阴液更加衰弱。所以无论是补阴还是补阳，总以平抑火气为当务之急。然而火气又宜于养护，而不宜于强行平抑。火气过旺，则阴阳不能生长；火气过衰，则阴阳也不能长养。必须在平抑之中寓含补益，然后阳气得以安宁，阴气得以安泰。青蒿既能平抑火气又能补水，这就是阴阳都适宜它的原因。
有人问：青蒿退去暑热是有道理的，但退去虚热则未见，为什么先说它有臭气，必然是因为散发气味的缘故吧。这是不了解青蒿啊。青蒿生长在火道旁边，常受夏日炎热熏蒸，而颜色更加青翠，它得到的至阴之气很多了。况且气味臭入肾，青蒿是补阴的药毫无疑问，却怀疑它不能退虚热吗？阳药补阳，阴药补阴。青蒿既然得到至阴之气，它不是阳药就可以知道了。既然不是阳药，却说它不能退虚火，这是我不相信的。
有人怀疑青蒿极其便宜，而你像神一样赞誉它，真所谓是从臭腐中生出神奇来了。可是青蒿何尝是臭腐的呢？认为青蒿臭的人，是轻视它的言辞。我曾经在田野间行走，常常有一种气息亲近人，看不见它，知道气息从青蒿中发出，这说明青蒿的气味是香的，不是臭的。而且它的气味能驱避苍蝇和虱子，凡是案几上有青蒿，苍蝇就不聚集。苍蝇追逐腐物，畏惧青蒿而不聚集，这就知道它不是腐物了。可惜它丛生非常多，人们都轻视它，如果它是新鲜出产的物品，我不知道人们会多么珍视它啊。青蒿实在有极大的补益功效，因为觉得它臭而轻视它，真是可惜。
有人问：青蒿退去阴火非常快，为什么前人并没有使用它，而你极力称赞它的功效，也是经过尝试才这样说吗？回答说：前人既然说过青蒿能退去骨蒸劳热，怎么能不用它呢？何必等我尝试后才相信青蒿能退去阴火、退去骨中之火呢。然而不仅退去骨中之火，即使是肌肤中的火，也未尝不清泻它。所以阴虚而又感受外邪的人，最适合使用它。
有人问：阴虚火盛的人，使用沙参、地骨皮，自然是正法，现在先生说青蒿能退去阴火，那么就只用青蒿，不必再用沙参、地骨皮了吗？回答说：这又不对了。青蒿最适合与沙参、地骨皮一起使用，这样泻除阴火更快捷。青蒿能把骨中的火引导到皮肤表面，而沙参、地骨皮只能凉解骨中的火，而不能向外发散排泄。
Qinghao (Artemisiae Annuae Herba), with a bitter taste and cold nature, is non-toxic. It enters the Stomach, Liver, Heart, and Kidney meridians. It specializes in resolving bone-steaming consumptive fever (a type of deficiency heat feeling as if emanating from the deep marrow), and is particularly effective in draining fire from summerheat. It cures wind-induced pruritus, stops deficiency-related irritability and night sweats, opens the appetite, alleviates heart pain, brightens the eyes, expels evil influences, and nourishes Spleen Qi. This herb is excellent. Since Qinghao drains fire and heat without consuming Qi and Blood, when used to assist herbs that tonify Qi and Blood, it achieves remarkable results. It can serve as a Sovereign (Jun), Minister (Chen), Assistant (Zuo), or Guide (Shi) herb, making it suitable for all situations. However, it must be used in large doses. Because its texture is light and its nature兼具 yin-nourishing properties, using a small dose renders it ineffective. The human body most dislikes excessive fire; fire-draining medications often inevitably damage Yin. Medications that drain fire without damaging Yin are originally few in number; how can Qinghao be placed in a position of uselessness? The human body relies on Yin and Yang. Excessive fire prevents Yin from growing and Yang from flourishing. If Yin and Yang fail to grow, they will inevitably fail to interact, leading to disease. If one does not level the fire but merely tonifies Yang, the fire becomes more excessive and Yang becomes even stronger. If one does not level the fire but merely tonifies Yin, the fluids dry up and Yin becomes even weaker. Therefore, whether tonifying Yin or Yang, leveling the fire is always the primary task. However, fire should be nurtured rather than forcibly leveled. If fire is too excessive, Yin and Yang cannot grow; if it is too deficient, Yin and Yang also fail to grow. One must embed tonification within leveling, so that Yang becomes secure and Yin becomes peaceful. Qinghao levels fire and replenishes water (Yin); this is why both Yin and Yang benefit from it.
Someone asks: "It is true that Qinghao dispels summerheat, but I have not seen it dispel deficiency heat. Why did you first mention its foul odor, implying that it scatters Qi due to this smell?" This person does not understand Qinghao. Qinghao grows beside paths exposed to intense heat, enduring the steaming summers, yet its color remains verdant green, indicating it absorbs abundant extreme Yin Qi. Moreover, odors enter the Kidney; Qinghao is undoubtedly a Yin-nourishing herb. How can one doubt its ability to dispel deficiency heat? Yang herbs tonify Yang, and Yin herbs tonify Yin. Since Qinghao possesses extreme Yin Qi, it is clearly not a Yang herb. To claim that it cannot dispel deficiency fire, given that it is not a Yang herb, is something I do not believe.
Someone suspects that Qinghao is extremely cheap, yet you praise it as miraculous, truly saying that magic emerges from rot. But has Qinghao ever been rotten? Calling Qinghao foul-smelling is a derogatory remark. I once walked through fields and often encountered a scent that approached people. Though invisible, knowing the scent came from Qinghao, I realized Qinghao's aroma is fragrant, not foul. Furthermore, its scent repels flies and lice. Wherever Qinghao is placed on a desk, flies do not gather. Flies pursue decay; their avoidance of Qinghao proves it is not decaying. It is a pity that it grows in dense clusters and is numerous, causing people to despise it. If it were a fresh produce item, I wonder how much people would cherish it. Qinghao indeed possesses great tonifying power; it is regrettable to despise it because of a perceived foul odor.
Someone asks: "Qinghao dispels ministerial fire very quickly. Why did predecessors not use it, while you extol its efficacy? Did you test it yourself before claiming this?" I reply: Predecessors already stated that Qinghao dispels bone-steaming consumptive fever. How could one not use it? Why must I test it before believing Qinghao dispels ministerial fire and fire within the bones? However, it not only dispels fire in the bones but also drains fire in the skin and muscles. Therefore, it is most suitable for those with Yin deficiency who have contracted pathogenic factors.
Someone asks: "For patients with Yin deficiency and hyperactive fire, using Shashen (Glehniae Radix) and Digupi (Lycii Cortex) is the correct method. Now, since you say Qinghao dispels ministerial fire, should we use only Qinghao and omit Shashen and Digupi?" I reply: This is incorrect. Qinghao is best used jointly with Shashen and Digupi, which makes draining ministerial fire more rapid. Qinghao can guide fire from the bones to the skin surface, whereas Shashen and Digupi can only cool fire within the bones but cannot vent it outward.