即鸡苏。俗呼为龙脑薄荷。以生东平龙脑冈者为良。三月生苗。方茎中虚。叶似苏叶
而微长。面皱色青。密齿紫背。气甚辛烈。六七月开水红花。成穗结子如荆芥。沃地者。苗
高四五尺。其子不如紫苏。因紫苏以八月开花结子。而水苏子早。非禀金气之浓也。
茎叶味辛。气微温。主治下气。辟恶气。疗吐血衄血。肺痿崩中。带下血痢。酒煮汁服。
治头风目眩。及产后中风。恶血不止。作生菜食。除胃间酸水。其功专于理血下气。（大都
逆上之血用之的有殊效）清肺辟恶消谷。故局方治吐衄咳唾。下血血淋。口臭苦甜喉腥诸病。
有龙脑薄荷丸。衄血不止。鸡苏叶生地等分。为末。冷水服。脑热鼻渊。肺壅多涕。鸡苏叶
麦冬川芎桑白皮炒黄 炙草生地等分。为末。炼蜜丸梧子大。每服四十丸。人参汤下。风热
头痛。（热结上焦。致生风气。）痰厥头痛。水苏叶五两。皂荚炙去皮子三两。芫花醋炒焦一
两。为末。炼蜜丸梧子大。每服二十丸。食后荆芥汤下。
〔论〕紫苏水苏。味皆辛。气皆温。皆为火中之金。第水苏辛味胜于紫苏。而气之温则
逊之。且采以七月。取乘金之进气也。夫金以火为主。火以金为用。二者固相合而相须。然
五行有递为君之时。因于成功退而将来进也。如紫苏叶面背俱紫。已全禀乎火之气矣。又采
于五月。因其时以全其气也。水苏叶面青背紫。已不全禀乎火之气矣。采以七月。则因于火
之退气。乘乎金之进气也。全乎火之气者。金为火用。裨火得化水而为血。故心主脉。脉舍
血。虽则化血。总以全其大火之气也。若乘乎金之气者。火又藉金以为用。俾火之化水为血
者。仍行其清化。使胃生之。脾统之。肝藏之。而火更因此以宿于水焉。（金以火为主。故
阴得阳而血化。血化而气益畅。似归功于气者紫苏也。火以金为用。故阳得阴而气清。气清
而血得静。似归功于血者水苏也。）夫水火之升降。全藉于木与金。金以火为主。而木又以
金为主。如火中之金不得司其凉降。则肝之从阴而达于上者。不得阳中之阴接引。将木火交
煽而邪热益炽矣。水苏由火而独专其金气。有不奏功于吐衄咳唾喉腥口臭及苦甜者欤。虽然。
血固心主之。胃生之。能使归其所藏而纳之血海者。则肝也。肝之所以能纳血者。由肺之气
能归于胃。以至肝也。肺气所以能归于胃者。全由凉降之气。使火就金妻而宅水于中。木依
水母而随金以下。升已而降。不致木火之相煽也。（经曰。伤肺者脾气不守。胃气不清。经
气不为使。真藏坏决。经脉傍绝。五藏漏泄。不衄则呕。绎此则由火中之金。而金得司其职
者。犹不能令血归其藏而致逆漏欤。）此味于血证有殊效者。缘不以苦寒退血中之火。而以
火中之金气和之。握生化之机权以为升降。所谓火得归宿于水者。是本经首言下气。理固可
参。而又能疗风。可愈知其专于理血以化气矣。
采取适时 紫苏以五月。水苏则七月。紫苏子九月。半枯时收。如市肆茎叶子多于霜后
采取。采时则气味俱失。何可用。
这就是鸡苏。民间俗称龙脑薄荷。以产自东平龙脑冈的药材品质最佳。三月生苗。茎呈方形且中空。叶片形状像紫苏叶但略长。叶面皱缩、颜色青绿，边缘有细密的锯齿，叶背呈紫色。气味非常辛烈。六七月间开红花。花序成穗状，结出的种子像荆芥的种子一样。如果种植在湿润肥沃的土地上，植株能长到四五尺高。它的种子不像紫苏那样等到八月才开花结子，而是成熟较早，这是因为水苏没有充分禀受金气的缘故。
茎和叶的味道辛，气微温。主要功效是降气，驱除恶浊之气，治疗吐血、鼻出血、肺痿、妇女崩漏、带下病及血痢。用酒煮取汁服用，可以治疗头风引起的目眩，以及产后中风导致的恶露不尽。作为生菜食用，可以消除胃中的酸水。它的主要功效在于调理血液和降气。（大多数情况下，对于逆上的出血症状使用它有显著疗效。）它能清肺、驱除秽浊、助消化。因此，《局方》（《太平惠民和剂局方》）中治疗呕吐、鼻出血、咳嗽吐痰、便血、血淋、口臭、口苦、咽喉腥臭等病症，使用了龙脑薄荷丸。对于鼻出血不止的情况，将鸡苏叶和生地黄各取等份，研成粉末，用冷水送服。对于脑热引起的鼻渊（鼻窦炎）、肺气壅滞导致的多涕症，将鸡苏叶、麦冬、川芎、桑白皮（炒黄）、炙甘草、生地黄各取等份，研成粉末，用炼蜜制成梧桐子大小的药丸。每次服用四十丸，用人参汤送下。对于风热头痛（热邪结聚在上焦，导致风气内生），采用以下方剂：痰厥头痛，用水苏叶五两，皂荚（炙后去皮和籽）三两，芫花（醋炒至焦）一两，研成粉末，用炼蜜制成梧桐子大小的药丸。每次服用二十丸，饭后用荆芥汤送下。
〔论述〕紫苏和水苏，味道都是辛的，气性都是温的，都属于“火中之金”。只是水苏的辛味比紫苏强，而温性则不如紫苏。并且水苏在七月采收，是为了利用金气初生的时机。金以火为主宰，火以金为作用对象，二者确实相互结合、相互依存。然而五行中有轮流为主的时候，因为成功者退位，后来者进位。比如紫苏的叶子正面背面都呈紫色，已经完全禀受了火的气性。又在五月采收，是因为在那个时候采集能保全其气性。水苏的叶子正面青、背面紫，并没有完全禀受火的气性。在七月采收，是因为顺应火气衰退、金气初升的时机。完全禀受火气的事物，金作为火的功用，帮助火将水转化为血。所以心主脉，脉中容纳血。虽然化生血液，但总体上是保全了大火的阳气。如果是顺应金气的事物，火又借助金来发挥作用，使得火将水转化为血的过程，仍然保持其清化的特性，使胃生成它，脾统摄它，肝贮藏它，而火也因此得以潜藏于水中。（金以火为主，所以阴得阳的帮助而化为血，血化后气更加通畅，似乎归功于气的是紫苏。火以金为用，所以阳得阴的帮助而气清，气清后血得以宁静，似乎归功于血的是水苏。）水火之气的升降，完全依赖于木和金。金以火为主，而木又以金为主。如果火中的金不能行使凉降的职能，那么肝脏从阴达于上方的过程，就无法得到阳中之阴的接引，这将导致木火交相煽动，邪热更加炽盛。水苏由火气中独专金气，难道不会对治疗吐血、鼻出血、咳嗽吐痰、咽喉腥臭、口臭及口苦等症状没有特殊功效吗？虽然如此，血液固然由心所主，由胃所生，但能使血液归其所藏并纳入血海的，则是肝。肝之所以能纳血，是因为肺的气机能归于胃，进而到达肝。肺气之所以能归于胃，完全依靠凉降之气，使火就合于金，妻子（此处指阴阳配合关系，或指金生水之意，原文语境偏向金火既济）而在中焦安宅于水，木依水母而随金气下行。升已而降，不致使木火相互煽动。（《内经》说：伤肺会导致脾气不守，胃气不清，经气不为所用，真脏脉坏决，经脉旁绝，五脏漏泄，不出血就会呕吐。推究此理，则由火中之金，而金若能行使其职，尚且不能让血归其藏而导致逆乱泄漏吗？）这种药物对血证有特殊疗效，原因在于它不用苦寒药来消退血中的火，而是用火中之金的和气来调和，掌握生化之机权来进行升降调节。所谓火得到归宿于水，是本经首先提到的降气功效，道理本来就可以参悟。而且又能治疗风邪，可以更知道它专门通过调理血液来化生气机。
采收适时：紫苏在五月采收，水苏则在七月采收。紫苏子在九月，在半枯时收割。如果像市场上那样在霜后采收茎叶，采收时气味就会丧失，怎么能使用呢。
This is *Jisu* (Perilla frutescens var. japonica). Commonly known as Longnao Bohe (Brain Mint). The best quality comes from the area of Longnao Gang in Dongping. Seedlings emerge in March. The stem is square and hollow. The leaves resemble those of Zisu (Purple Perilla) but are slightly longer. The leaf surface is wrinkled and green, with fine serrated edges and a purple underside. The odor is very pungent and strong. Red flowers bloom in June and July. The inflorescence forms spikes, and the seeds resemble those of Jingjie (Schizonepeta). When grown in moist and fertile soil, the plant can reach four to five chi in height. Its seeds mature earlier than those of Zisu, which flower and set seed in August; this is because Shuisu has not fully inherited the Qi of Metal.
The stems and leaves taste pungent and have a slightly warm nature. They primarily regulate descending Qi, dispel evil Qi, treat hematemesis (vomiting blood), epistaxis (nosebleed), feiwei (lung atrophy/withering), benglou (uterine bleeding), leukorrhea, and bloody dysentery. Taken as juice boiled in wine, they treat toufeng (head wind) causing dizziness, as well as postpartum stroke with persistent lochia. Eaten as raw vegetables, they eliminate acid water in the stomach. Their main efficacy lies in regulating blood and descending Qi. (Generally, for upward-rebellious bleeding conditions, they yield remarkable effects.) They clear the lungs, dispel turbidity, and promote digestion. Therefore, in the *Ju Fang* (Formulas of the Bureau of People's Welfare and Medical Relief), formulas such as Longnao Bohe Wan are used to treat vomiting, epistaxis, coughing with sputum, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, bloody strangury, bad breath, bitter or sweet taste in the mouth, and fishy odor in the throat. For persistent epistaxis, equal parts of Jisu Ye (Shuisu Leaves) and Shengdi Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) are powdered and taken with cold water. For naoyuan (nasal sinusitis) due to brain heat, and excessive nasal discharge due to lung congestion, equal parts of Jisu Ye, Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Chuanxiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Sangbaipi (Mori Cortex), Zhi Gancao (Prepared Licorice Root), and Shengdi Huang are powdered, mixed with refined honey to form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take forty pills per dose, washed down with Ginseng Decoction. For fengre tou tong (wind-heat headache) (where heat binds in the upper jiao, generating wind qi), use the following prescription: for tanjue tou tong (phlegm-jue headache), take 5 liang of Shuisu Ye, 3 liang of Zaojia (Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus) roasted, peeled, and de-seeded, and 1 liang of Yuanhua (Genkwa Flos) stir-fried with vinegar until charred. Powder them, mix with refined honey to form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take twenty pills per dose after meals, washed down with Jingjie Decoction.
[Discussion] Both Zisu and Shuisu have a pungent taste and warm nature; both belong to "Metal within Fire." However, Shuisu is more pungent than Zisu, though less warm. Furthermore, Shuisu is harvested in the seventh month to capitalize on the incoming Qi of Metal. Metal is governed by Fire, and Fire utilizes Metal; the two indeed complement and require each other. Yet, the Five Elements have periods where one acts as the sovereign while others recede or advance. For instance, Zisu leaves are purple on both sides, having fully inherited the Qi of Fire. It is harvested in the fifth month to preserve its Qi during that season. Shuisu leaves are green on top and purple underneath, meaning they do not fully inherit the Qi of Fire. Harvested in the seventh month, it follows the decline of Fire and the rise of Metal. Things that fully inherit Fire's Qi utilize Metal as Fire's function, assisting Fire in transforming Water into Blood. Thus, the Heart governs the vessels, and the vessels house Blood. Although it transforms blood, it ultimately preserves the great Fire's Qi. Conversely, things that follow Metal's Qi allow Fire to utilize Metal, enabling the transformation of Water into Blood by Fire to retain its clarifying nature. This allows the Stomach to generate it, the Spleen to control it, and the Liver to store it, so that Fire resides within Water. (Since Metal is governed by Fire, Yin obtains Yang to transform into blood, and once transformed, Qi flows freely; thus, credit seems attributable to Qi, which applies to Zisu. Since Fire utilizes Metal, Yang obtains Yin to clarify Qi, and when Qi is clear, Blood becomes tranquil; thus, credit seems attributable to Blood, which applies to Shuisu.) The ascending and descending of Water and Fire relies entirely on Wood and Metal. Metal is governed by Fire, and Wood is governed by Metal. If the Metal within Fire fails to exercise its cooling and descending function, the Liver's ascent from Yin will lack the guidance of Yin within Yang. This will cause Wood and Fire to fan each other, exacerbating pathogenic heat. Shuisu, possessing the Qi of Metal exclusively derived from Fire, would surely be ineffective for treating hematemesis, epistaxis, coughing with sputum, fishy throat odor, bad breath, and bitter taste? Although Blood is governed by the Heart and generated by the Stomach, the organ that enables Blood to return to its storage and enter the Sea of Blood is the Liver. The reason the Liver can store Blood is that Lung Qi can return to the Stomach and then reach the Liver. The reason Lung Qi can return to the Stomach is entirely due to its cooling and descending Qi, which causes Fire to join with Metal, allowing Water to reside in the middle. Wood, relying on Water as its mother, descends with Metal. After ascending, it descends, preventing Wood and Fire from fanning each other. (*Neijing* states: Injury to the Lung causes the Spleen's Qi to fail to remain, the Stomach's Qi to become unclear, meridian Qi to cease functioning, true Zang pulses to rupture, meridians to cut off, and Zang organs to leak, resulting in either epistaxis or vomiting. Analyzing this, even if Metal within Fire functions properly, can it ensure Blood returns to its storage and prevents rebellious leakage?) This herb yields special effects in blood disorders because it does not use bitter-cold herbs to retreat fire in the blood, but rather harmonizes using the mild Qi of Metal within Fire, grasping the mechanism of generation and transformation to regulate ascending and descending. This is what is meant by Fire finding its home in Water. The *Benjing* first mentions descending Qi, the principle of which can be understood. Moreover, it can treat wind disorders, further proving its specialization in regulating blood to transform Qi.
Timely Harvesting: Zisu is harvested in May, while Shuisu is harvested in July. Zisu Zi (Seeds) are harvested in September when half-dry. If harvested after frost like many commercial stems and leaves, the aroma and flavor are lost, rendering them unusable.