味苦平。主痈肿,恶疮,败疽伤阴,死肌,解毒生肌。胃中邪气,养胃驱邪。贼风鬼
击,痱缓不收。和筋逐风。
此以质为治,白芨气味冲淡和平,而体质滑润又极粘腻。入于筋骨之中,能和柔滋养,
与正气相调,则微自退也。
味苦微寒。主腹中邪热气,寒能除热。诸毒,邪热之毒。杀三虫。湿热所生之虫。
贯众生于山涧之中,得天地清阴之气,故能除蕴热湿秽之疾。其体中虚而清芳,故能解
中焦之毒。人身之虫,皆湿热所生。湿热除,则诸虫自消也。
味苦平。主寒热,火气所郁之寒热。鼠 瘰 ,痈肿恶疮,瘿瘤结热,皆肝经热结之
证。蛊毒。湿热之虫。
凡药之散寒、温凉,有归气分者,有归血分者。大抵气胜者治气,味胜者治血。连翘之
气芳
家留
滞之邪毒也。
味苦辛寒。主寒热,瘰 ,鼠 头疮,火气所发。破症散瘿结气,火气所结。嘴肿
湿痹,湿热之在下者。轻身。湿火退则身健也。
此以物禀之气候为治,又一义也。凡物皆生于春,长于夏,惟此草至夏而枯。盖其性禀
纯阴,得少阳之气勃然兴发,一交盛阳,阴气将尽,即成熟枯槁。故凡盛阳留结之病,用此
为治,亦即枯灭,此天地感应之妙理也。凡药之以时候荣枯为治者,俱可类推。
味咸平。主逐恶血,瘀血月闭,破血瘕积聚,诸败血结滞之疾皆能除之。无子,恶血
留于子宫则难孕。利水道,水蛭生于水中故也。
凡人身瘀血,方阻尚有生气者易治,阻之久,则无生气而难治。盖血既离经,与正气全
不相
属,投之轻药,则拒而不纳,药过峻,反能伤未败之血,故治之极难。水蛭最喜食人之血,
而性又迟缓善入,迟缓则生血不伤,善入则坚积易破,借其力以攻积久之滞,自有利而无害
也。
【白芨】
味苦,性平。主治痈肿、恶疮、败疽损伤阴分、死肌,能解毒并促进肌肉生长。清除胃中邪气,滋养胃气以驱除邪气。治疗贼风鬼击引起的肢体瘫痪弛缓不收。调和筋脉,驱逐风邪。
这是利用药材的质地来治病。白芨气味冲淡平和,而体质滑润且极粘腻。进入筋骨之中,能够柔和滋养,与人体正气相协调,则病邪自然消退。
【水蛭】
味苦,微寒。主治腹中邪热之气,寒性能清除热邪。治疗各种毒邪,即邪热之毒。杀灭三虫(指湿热所生的寄生虫)。
水蛭贯穿生活在山涧之中,汲取天地清阴之气,因此能清除蕴结的热、湿、秽浊之疾。其体内中空且气味清芳,因此能解除中焦的毒邪。人身内的寄生虫,都是由湿热滋生而成。湿热去除,各种寄生虫自然消亡。
【连翘】
味苦,性平。主治寒热往来,即火气郁结导致的寒热。治疗鼠瘰(淋巴结结核)、痈肿恶疮、瘿瘤结热,这些都是肝经热结的证候。治疗蛊毒(湿热之虫)。
大凡药物中,具有散寒、温凉作用的,有的归入气分,有的归入血分。大致而言,气偏胜的药物治疗气分病,味偏胜的药物治疗血分病。连翘的气味芳香……(原文此处有缺漏或乱码“家留 滞之邪毒也”,推测意为:连翘气味芳香,能消散滞留的邪毒。)
【夏枯草】
味苦、辛,性寒。主治寒热往来、鼠瘰、头疮,由火气引发。破除症积、消散瘿瘤结气,由火气凝结所致。治疗喉肿、湿痹,即湿热在下部的病症。使身体轻健。湿热退去,则身体康健。
这是利用物候气候来治病,是另一种道理。凡是植物都生于春季,长于夏季,唯独此草到了夏季就枯萎。大概是因为它的性质禀受纯阴之气,得到少阳之气勃然兴起,一旦遇到盛阳之时,阴气将尽,便成熟枯萎。所以凡是盛阳留结的疾病,用此药治疗,也能像草木一样枯灭,这是天地感应的妙理。凡是利用物候荣枯来治病的药物,都可以类推。
【水蛭】
味咸,性平。主治驱逐恶血、瘀血、月经闭止,破除血瘕积聚,诸种败血结滞的疾病都能清除。治疗无子(不孕),因为恶血留于子宫则难以受孕。通利水道,因为水蛭生活在水中。
大凡人身中的瘀血,刚阻塞时尚有生气者容易治疗,阻塞时间久,则失去生气而难治。因为血液既已离经,与正气完全不相隶属,投以轻药,则被拒绝而不接纳;用药过峻猛,反而伤害未败坏的血液,所以治疗极其困难。水蛭最喜欢食用人的血液,而且性情迟缓善于钻入,迟缓则不伤新生之血,善于钻入则坚硬的积块容易攻破,借助它的力量来攻逐久积的滞血,自然有利而无害。
[Baiji (Bletilla Rhizome)]
Taste: Bitter. Nature: Neutral.
Indications: Mainly treats carbuncles and swellings (Yongzhong), foul sores (Echuang), gangrenous ulcers damaging Yin (Baiju shangyin), necrotic tissue (Simi); detoxifies and promotes tissue regeneration (Shengji). Clears pathogenic qi from the Stomach, nourishes Stomach Qi to expel pathogens. Treats flaccid paralysis and inability to move limbs caused by "Zefeng Guiji" (strange wind and ghost strikes). Harmonizes tendons and drives out Wind.
This treatment method utilizes the physical quality of the herb. Baiji has a mild and peaceful aroma and taste, while its texture is slippery, moist, and extremely sticky. Entering the sinews and bones, it can gently nourish and harmonize with the Healthy Qi (Zhengqi), causing the pathogen to recede naturally.
[Leech]
Taste: Bitter. Nature: Slightly Cold.
Indications: Mainly treats evil heat qi in the abdomen; the cold nature eliminates heat. Treats various toxins, specifically toxins of evil heat. Kills three types of parasites (worms generated by damp-heat).
Leeches live penetrating through mountain streams, absorbing the clear and yin qi of heaven and earth; thus, they can eliminate diseases of accumulated heat, dampness, and filth. Their bodies are hollow inside with a clear fragrance, enabling them to resolve toxicity in the Middle Jiao. Parasites within the human body are all generated by damp-heat. When damp-heat is removed, the parasites naturally disappear.
[Lianqiao (Forsythia Fruit)]
Taste: Bitter. Nature: Neutral.
Indications: Mainly treats alternating chills and fever (Hanre) caused by depression of fire qi. Treats scrofula (Shuluo), carbuncles and swellings, foul sores, and goiters with knotted heat; these are all syndromes of heat knotting in the Liver Meridian. Treats Gu poison (parasites of damp-heat).
Generally, herbs that disperse cold or have warm/cool properties either enter the Qi level or the Blood level. Broadly speaking, herbs with predominant Qi properties treat Qi-level disorders, while those with predominant Taste properties treat Blood-level disorders. Lianqiao's aromatic fragrance... [text fragment]: ...resolves stagnant pathogenic toxins.
[Xiakucao (Prunella Spike)]
Taste: Bitter, Pungent. Nature: Cold.
Indications: Mainly treats alternating chills and fever, scrofula, and head sores, caused by the eruption of fire qi. Breaks up masses (Zheng), dissipates goiters, and resolves knotted qi caused by fire qi condensation. Treats throat swelling and damp-bi, which refers to damp-heat located below. Makes the body feel light; when damp-fire retreats, the body becomes healthy.
This treatment method utilizes the climatic characteristics of the plant, representing another principle. All plants are born in Spring and grow in Summer, but this herb withers in Summer. This is because its nature is purely Yin; it receives the vigorous rising energy of Shaoyang (Lesser Yang), but once it encounters the peak Yang of summer, the Yin qi is exhausted, leading to maturity and withering. Therefore, for diseases characterized by the stagnation and knotting of excessive Yang, using this herb causes the pathology to wither and perish, just like vegetation. This is the wonderful principle of heaven-earth resonance. For any herb that uses seasonal flourishing and withering as its therapeutic basis, similar logic applies.
[Shuizhi (Leech)]
Taste: Salty. Nature: Neutral.
Indications: Mainly drives out evil blood, stasis, amenorrhea (Yuebi); breaks down blood masses (Xuejia) and accumulations; clears all diseases of stagnant and coagulated bad blood. Treats infertility (Wuzi); if evil blood remains in the uterus, conception is difficult. Promotes urination, as leeches live in water.
Generally, human blood stasis that has recently obstructed still retains vital energy and is easy to treat. If obstruction persists for a long time, it loses vital energy and becomes difficult to treat. Once blood leaves the vessels, it is completely disconnected from the Healthy Qi. If mild medicines are administered, they are rejected and not absorbed; if medicines are too harsh, they damage the uncorrupted blood. Thus, treatment is extremely difficult. Leeches most prefer to feed on human blood, and their nature is slow yet adept at penetration. Their slowness ensures they do not harm newly generated blood, and their ability to penetrate allows them to easily break hard accumulations. By borrowing their strength to attack long-standing stagnation, there is naturally benefit without harm.