气温平。味甘。无毒。主伤中。补虚羸。除寒热邪气。补中。益气力。长肌肉。强
阴。久服耳目聪明。轻身。不饥延年。（炒用）
山药气温平。禀天春升秋降之和气。入足厥阴肝经、手太阴肺经。味甘无毒。禀地中正
之土
味。入足太阴脾经。气升味和。阳也。脾为中州而统血。血者阴也。中之守也。甘平益血。
故主伤中。脾主肌肉。甘温益脾。则肌肉丰满。故补虚羸。肺主气。气虚则寒邪生。脾统血
。血虚则热邪生。气温益气。味甘益血。血气充而寒热邪气除矣。脾为中州。血为中守。甘
平而益脾血。所以补中。脾主四肢。脾血足。则四肢健。肺气充。则气力倍也。阴者宗筋也
。宗筋属肝。气温禀春升之阳。所以益肝而强阴也。久服。气温益肝。肝开窍于目。目得血
则明。气平益肺而生肾。肾开窍于耳。耳得血则聪。味甘益脾。脾气充则身轻。脾血旺则不
饥。气血调和。故延年也。
制 方:
山药同生地、杞子、牛膝、甘菊、白蒺藜、五味。治肝肾虚怯。同莲肉、扁豆、人参、
白芍
、白茯、甘草、陈皮。治脾虚泄泻。同羊肉、肉苁蓉作羹。治虚羸。
气微寒。味甘。无毒。主筋急拘挛不可屈伸。久风湿痹。下气。久服轻身益气（
糯米炒）
苡仁气微寒。禀天秋金之燥气。入手太阴肺经。味甘无毒。得地中平之土味。入足太阴
脾经
。气降味和。阴也。经云。湿热不攘。则大筋软短而拘挛。苡仁气微寒。清热利湿。所以主
筋急拘挛不可屈伸也。久风。长久之风也。风淫则末疾。所以手足麻木而湿痹生焉。苡仁甘
寒。其主之者。甘以行之。寒以清之也。微寒。禀秋金之燥气而益肺。肺气治则下行。故主
下气。久服轻身益气者。湿行则脾健而身轻。金清则肺实而气益也。
制 方:
苡仁同木瓜、石斛、萆 、黄柏、生地、麦冬。治痿厥。同五加皮、牛膝、石斛、生地、
甘
草。治筋拘急。专一味多服久服。治湿火伤肺。肺痈肺痿及痿症。
【山药】
气味：气温，味平。无毒。主治：损伤中气。补益虚损消瘦。祛除寒热邪气。补益中焦。益气力。促进肌肉生长。强壮阴精。长期服用可使耳目聪明。身体轻盈。不感饥饿并延年益寿。（建议炒用）
山药气温平，禀受天地春季升发、秋季沉降的和合之气，入足厥阴肝经和手太阴肺经。味甘无毒，禀受大地中正平和的土味，入足太阴脾经。其气上升而味平和，属阳。脾为中州之脏且统摄血液，血属阴，是守中之物。甘平之性可益血，所以主治中气损伤。脾主肌肉，甘温之性可益脾，使肌肉丰满，所以能补益虚损消瘦。肺主气，气虚则寒邪内生；脾统血，血虚则热邪内生。山药气温能益气，味甘能益血，气血充盛则寒热邪气自除。脾为中州，血为内守，甘平之性益脾血，因此能补益中焦。脾主四肢，脾血充足则四肢强健；肺气充盛则气力倍增。阴指宗筋，宗筋归属于肝，山药气温禀受春升之阳气，所以能益肝而强壮阴精。长期服用，山药气温益肝，肝开窍于目，目得血滋养则视物清明；山药气平益肺而生肾，肾开窍于耳，耳得血滋养则听觉聪敏；山药味甘益脾，脾气充盛则身体轻盈；脾血旺盛则不觉饥饿。气血调和，故能延年益寿。
制方应用：
山药同生地、枸杞子、牛膝、甘菊、白蒺藜、五味子配伍，治疗肝肾虚怯。同莲子、扁豆、人参、白芍、茯苓、甘草、陈皮配伍，治疗脾虚泄泻。同羊肉、肉苁蓉煮羹，治疗虚损消瘦。
【薏苡仁】
气味：气微寒，味甘。无毒。主治：筋脉拘急挛缩，不能屈伸。久患风湿痹证。降气。长期服用可使身体轻盈、益气（建议糯米炒）。
薏苡仁气微寒，禀受天地秋季金气的燥气，入手太阴肺经。味甘无毒，得大地中平和的土味，入足太阴脾经。其气下降而味平和，属阴。经文说：湿热不去除，则大筋软短而拘挛。薏苡仁气微寒，能清热利湿，所以主治筋脉拘急挛缩、不能屈伸。所谓“久风”，即长久之风邪。风邪淫溢则导致肢体末端疾病，所以出现手足麻木及湿痹。薏苡仁甘寒，主治上述病症，是因为甘味能行散，寒性能清解。其微寒之性，禀受秋金燥气以益肺，肺气治理正常则下行，所以主治降气。长期服用身体轻盈、益气的原因在于：湿气行去则脾健而身轻，金气清肃则肺实而气益。
制方应用：
薏苡仁同木瓜、石斛、萆薢、黄柏、生地、麦冬配伍，治疗痿厥。同五加皮、牛膝、石斛、生地、甘草配伍，治疗筋脉拘急。单用一味，多服久服，治疗湿火伤肺、肺痈、肺痿及痿症。
[Shanyao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma)]
Nature and Flavor: Qi is warm, flavor is neutral. Non-toxic. Indications: Treats injury to the Middle Jiao; tonifies deficiency and emaciation; eliminates pathogenic cold and heat; tonifies the Middle; benefits Qi and strength; promotes muscle growth; strengthens Yin essence. Long-term consumption makes ears and eyes clear, body light, prevents hunger, and prolongs life. (Recommended to be stir-fried before use.)
Shanyao has a warm and neutral Qi, inheriting the harmonious Qi of Heaven's spring rising and autumn descending, entering the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian and Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its sweet and non-toxic flavor inherits the central and balanced Earth flavor from the Earth, entering the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. The ascending Qi and harmonious flavor represent Yang. The Spleen is the Central State and governs Blood; Blood is Yin and serves as the internal guardian. The sweet and neutral nature benefits Blood, thus treating injuries to the Middle. The Spleen governs muscles; the sweet and warm nature benefits the Spleen, resulting in plump muscles, thus treating deficiency and emaciation. The Lung governs Qi; Qi deficiency generates Cold pathogens; the Spleen governs Blood; Blood deficiency generates Heat pathogens. Shanyao's warm Qi benefits Qi, and its sweet flavor benefits Blood; when Qi and Blood are abundant, Cold and Heat pathogens are eliminated. The Spleen is the Central State, and Blood is the internal guardian; the sweet and neutral nature benefits Spleen and Blood, thereby tonifying the Middle. The Spleen governs the four limbs; sufficient Spleen Blood makes the limbs strong;充盈 Lung Qi doubles physical strength. "Yin" refers to the Zongjin (major tendons), which belong to the Liver. Shanyao's warm Qi inherits the Yang of spring rising, thus benefiting the Liver and strengthening Yin. Long-term consumption allows Shanyao's warm Qi to benefit the Liver; the Liver opens into the eyes, and the eyes become clear with Blood nourishment. Its neutral Qi benefits the Lung and generates Kidney essence; the Kidney opens into the ears, and the ears become acute with Blood nourishment. Its sweet flavor benefits the Spleen;充盈 Spleen Qi makes the body light; flourishing Spleen Blood prevents hunger. Harmonization of Qi and Blood leads to longevity.
Prescription Applications:
Combined with Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), Gouqizi (Lycii Fructus), Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), Ganju (Chrysanthemi Flos), Baijili (Tribuli Fructus), and Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus) to treat Liver and Kidney deficiency and frailty. Combined with Lianrou (Nelumbinis Semen), Bian Dou (Dolichoris Lablabis Semen), Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Baifu Ling (Poria), Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) to treat Spleen deficiency diarrhea. Made into soup with Lamb meat and Roucongrong (Cistanches Herba) to treat emaciation.
[Yiyiren (Coicis Semen)]
Nature and Flavor: Qi is slightly cold, flavor is sweet. Non-toxic. Indications: Treats tendon spasm and contracture preventing flexion and extension; chronic wind-damp Bi syndrome; directs Qi downward. Long-term consumption makes the body light and benefits Qi. (Recommended to be stir-fried with Glutinous Rice.)
Yiyiren has a slightly cold Qi, inheriting the dryness of Autumn Metal Qi from Heaven, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Its sweet and non-toxic flavor obtains the balanced Earth flavor from the center of the Earth, entering the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. The descending Qi and harmonious flavor represent Yin. The Classic states: If Damp-Heat is not removed, the major tendons become soft and short, leading to contracture. Yiyiren's slightly cold nature clears Heat and promotes urination to remove Dampness, thus treating tendon spasm and contracture preventing flexion and extension. "Chronic Wind" refers to long-standing Wind pathogens. Wind excess causes diseases in the extremities, leading to numbness of hands and feet and generation of damp-Bi. Yiyiren is sweet and cold; it treats these conditions because sweetness promotes circulation and coldness clears heat. Its slightly cold nature, inheriting Autumn Metal dryness, benefits the Lung; when Lung Qi is regulated, it descends, thus treating the directing of Qi downward. The reason long-term consumption makes the body light and benefits Qi is that when Dampness moves, the Spleen becomes healthy and the body feels light; when Metal is cleared, the Lung becomes solid and Qi is benefited.
Prescription Applications:
Combined with Mugua (Chaenomelis Fructus), Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis), Bixie (Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma), Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex), Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), and Maidong (Ophiopogonis Tuber) to treat Wei-Jue (flaccidity and cold extremities). Combined with Wujia Pi (Acanthopanacis Cortex), Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis), Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) to treat tendon contracture. Using a single herb, taken in large doses for a long time, treats Wet-Fire injuring the Lung, Lung Abscess, Lung萎 (flaccidity of the lung), and Wei syndrome.