（宋《嘉 》）
【释名】忘忧（《说文》）、疗愁
剑（《土宿》）、妓女（《吴普》）宜男。
时珍曰∶萱本作谖。谖，忘也。《诗》云∶焉得谖草？言树之背。谓忧思不能自遣，故
欲
树此草，玩味以忘忧也。吴人谓之疗愁。《董子》云
故也。其苗烹食，气味如葱，而鹿食九种解毒之草，萱乃其一，故又名鹿葱。《周处风土记》
云∶怀妊妇人佩其花，则生男。故名宜男。李九华《延寿书》云∶嫩苗为蔬，食之动风，令
人昏然如醉，因名忘忧。此亦一说也。嵇康《养生论》∶《神农
萱草忘忧。亦谓食之也。郑樵《通志》乃言萱草一名合欢者，误矣。合欢见木部。
【集解】颂曰∶萱草处处田野有之，俗名鹿葱。五月采花，八月采根。今人多采其嫩苗
及花跗作菹食。
时珍曰∶萱宜下湿地，冬月丛生。叶如蒲、蒜辈而柔弱，新旧相代，四时青翠。五月抽
茎开花，六出四垂，朝开暮蔫，至秋深乃尽，其花有红黄紫三色。结实三角，内有子大如梧
子，黑而光泽。其根与麦门冬相似，最易繁衍。《南方草木状》言∶广中一种水葱，状如鹿
葱，其花或紫或黄，盖亦此类也。或言鹿葱花有斑纹，与萱花不同时者，谬也。肥土所生，
则花浓色深，有斑纹，起重台，开有数月；瘠土所生，则花薄而色淡，开亦不久。嵇含《宜
男花序》亦云∶荆楚之土号为鹿葱，可以荐菹，尤可凭据。今东人采其花跗干而货之，名为
黄花菜。
苗花
【气味】甘，凉，无毒。
【主治】煮食，治小便赤涩，身体烦热，除酒疸（大明）。消食，利湿热（时珍）。作菹
，利胸膈，安五脏，令人好欢乐，无忧，轻身明目（苏颂）。
根
【主治】沙淋，下水气。酒疸黄色遍身者，捣汁服（藏器）。大热衄血，研汁一大盏，
和生姜汁半盏，细呷之（宗 ）。吹乳、乳痈肿痛，擂酒服，以滓封之（时珍）。
【发明】震亨曰∶萱属木，性下走阴分，一名宜男，宁无微意存焉？
【附方】新四。
通身水肿∶鹿葱根叶，晒干为末。每服二钱，入席下尘半钱，食前米饮
小便不通∶萱草根煎水频饮。（《杏林摘要》）
大便后血∶萱草根和生姜，油炒，酒冲服。（《圣济总录》）
食丹药毒∶萱草根，研汁服之。（《事林广记》）
（出自宋代《嘉祐本草》）
【释名】忘忧（出自《说文解字》）、疗愁、剑草（出自《土宿本草》）、妓女（出自《吴普本草》）、宜男。
李时珍说：萱字原本写作“谖”。“谖”的意思是忘记。《诗经》中说：“哪里能得到谖草？种在北堂之上。”意思是忧愁思念无法自我排遣，所以想种植这种草，通过观赏品味来忘却忧愁。吴地人叫它疗愁。《董子》书中记载了相关说法。它的嫩苗可以烹饪食用，气味像葱一样，而鹿只吃九种能解毒的草，萱草是其中之一，所以又名鹿葱。《周处风土记》说：“怀孕的妇女佩戴它的花，就会生男孩。”所以名叫宜男。李九华在《延寿书》中说：“嫩苗作为蔬菜，食用后会引起风气，让人昏沉如醉，因此名叫忘忧。”这也是一说。嵇康在《养生论》中提到：“神农氏认为萱草能忘忧。”也是指食用的功效。郑樵在《通志》中说萱草又名合欢，这是错误的。合欢见载于木部。
【集解】苏颂说：萱草在各地的田野中都有生长，俗名叫鹿葱。五月采集花朵，八月采集根部。现在的人多采摘它的嫩苗及花蕾做成腌菜食用。
李时珍说：萱草适宜生长在低湿之地，冬季丛生。叶子像蒲草、蒜类那样柔弱，新旧交替，四季常青。五月抽茎开花，花瓣六片四垂，早晨开放傍晚凋谢，直到深秋才结束，花朵有红、黄、紫三种颜色。结出三角形的果实，里面有像梧桐子大小的种子，黑色而有光泽。它的根与麦门冬相似，最容易繁衍。《南方草木状》中说：岭南有一种水葱，形状像鹿葱，它的花有的紫色有的黄色，大概也是这一类。有人说鹿葱花有斑纹，且与萱草开花时间不同，这是谬误。生长在肥沃土壤中的，花朵浓艳色深，有斑纹，重瓣，开花数月；生长在贫瘠土壤中的，花朵单薄色淡，开花时间也不久。嵇含的《宜男花序》也说：荆楚地区的土地称它为鹿葱，可以用来制作腌菜，尤其可以作为依据。现在东方人采摘它的花蕾晒干出售，名叫黄花菜。
【气味】甘味，凉性，无毒。
【主治】煮食，治疗小便赤涩，身体烦热，消除酒疸（出自《大明本草》）。消食，利湿热（李时珍）。做成腌菜，利胸膈，安五脏，使人心情欢乐无忧，身体轻便明目（苏颂）。
根
【主治】沙淋，下行水气。全身发黄如酒疸者，捣汁服用（出自《藏器本草》）。大热导致的鼻出血，研磨取汁一大盏，混合生姜汁半盏，细细咽下（出自《宗奭本草》）。吹乳、乳痈肿痛，用酒磨服，并将药渣敷贴患处（李时珍）。
【发明】朱震亨说：萱属木，性向下走阴分，又名宜男，难道没有微妙的寓意存在吗？
【附方】新收录四方。
通身水肿：鹿葱根叶，晒干研为末。每次服用二钱，加入席下尘半钱，饭前用米汤送服。
大便后出血：萱草根和生姜一起，用油炒，酒冲服。（出自《圣济总录》）
食丹药中毒：萱草根，研磨取汁服用。（出自《事林广记》）
(Sourced from the Song Dynasty *Jiayou Bencao*)
**[Names]** Wangyou (Forget Sorrow, from *Shuowen Jiezi*), Liao Chou (Cure Sorrow), Jian Cao (Sword Grass, from *Tusuxiang Bencao*), Ji Nü (Prostitute, from *Wu Pu Bencao*), Yi Nan (Promoter of Male Offspring).
Li Shizhen states: The character "Xuan" was originally written as "Xuan" (谖). "Xuan" means to forget. The *Classic of Poetry* says: "Where can one obtain the Xuan grass? Plant it on the north hall." This implies that when worries and thoughts cannot be dispelled by oneself, one wishes to plant this grass and appreciate it to forget sorrow. People in Wu call it Liao Chou. The *Book of Dong Zhongshu* records related accounts. Its tender shoots are edible and have an odor similar to scallions. Since deer eat nine types of detoxifying herbs, and Xuan is one of them, it is also called Lu Cong (Deer Onion). *Zhou Chu's Fengtu Ji* states: "If a pregnant woman wears its flower, she will give birth to a boy." Hence the name Yi Nan. Li Jiuhua in *Yanshou Shu* says: "The tender shoots serve as vegetables; consuming them stirs wind energy, making one feel dizzy and intoxicated, hence named Wangyou." This is another interpretation. Ji Kang in *Yangsheng Lun* mentions: "Shennong regarded Xuan Cao as a herb that forgets sorrow," referring to its consumption. Zheng Qiao in *Tongzhi* claimed Xuan Cao is also known as Hehuan, which is incorrect. Hehuan is recorded in the section on Trees.
**[Collection and Explanation]** Su Song says: Xuan Cao grows in fields everywhere, commonly known as Lu Cong. Flowers are harvested in May, roots in August. Nowadays, people often pick its tender shoots and flower buds to make pickles.
Li Shizhen says: Xuan prefers low and wet lands, growing in clumps during winter. The leaves are soft like those of cattail or garlic, replacing old with new, remaining green all year round. In May, stems emerge and bloom; the flowers have six petals drooping downwards, opening in the morning and wilting by evening, lasting until late autumn. The flowers come in red, yellow, and purple colors. It bears triangular fruits containing seeds as large as paulownia seeds, black and glossy. Its root resembles Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong) and propagates easily. *Nanfang Caomu Zhuang* states: "In Guangling, there is a type of water onion resembling Lu Cong, with flowers either purple or yellow, likely of the same category." Some claim Lu Cong flowers have patterns and bloom at different times than Xuan, which is erroneous. Grown in fertile soil, the flowers are dense, deep-colored, patterned, double-layered, and bloom for months; grown in poor soil, they are thin, pale, and bloom briefly. Ji Han's *Yinan Hua Xu* also states: "In Jingchu, it is called Lu Cong, suitable for pickles, providing strong evidence." Currently, people in the East dry its flower buds for sale, named Huanghua Cai (Daylily).
**[Properties and Flavor]** Sweet, cool, non-toxic.
**[Therapeutic Actions]** Boiled and eaten, it treats dark and difficult urination, bodily restlessness and heat, and eliminates Jiudan (Alcohol Jaundice) (from *Daming Bencao*). Promotes digestion, benefits damp-heat (Li Shizhen). Made into pickles, it benefits the chest and diaphragm, calms the five zang organs, brings joy and freedom from worry, lightens the body, and improves vision (Su Song).
**Root**
**[Therapeutic Actions]** Treats Shalin (Gravel Strangury), promotes the downward movement of water qi. For general yellowing due to Jiudan, crush and take the juice (from *Zangqi Bencao*). For severe heat causing epistaxis, grind to extract one large cup of juice, mix with half a cup of ginger juice, and sip slowly (from *Zongshi Bencao*). For Ruichui (blocked lactation) and Ru Yong (breast abscess) with swelling and pain, grind with wine to drink, and apply the dregs externally (Li Shizhen).
**[Elucidation]** Zhu Zhenheng says: Xuan belongs to Wood, its nature directs downward to the Yin aspect. Named Yi Nan, does it not harbor subtle implications?
**[Attached Prescriptions]** Four new prescriptions.
Generalized Edema: Dry Lu Cong roots and leaves, powder them. Take 2 qian per dose, add 0.5 qian of dust from under mats, taken before meals with rice water.
Urinary Retention: Decoct Xuan Cao roots and drink frequently (*Xinglin Zhaiyao*).
Hematochezia after Defecation: Stir-fry Xuan Cao roots with ginger in oil, take with wine (*Shengji Zonglu*).
Poisoning from Elixir Pills: Grind Xuan Cao roots to extract juice and consume (*Shilin Guangji*).