古注茯苓，皆云松脂入地所结，无苗叶花实。今之茯苓，皆有蔓可种，疑古今有异同
也。味甘平。主胸胁逆气，忧恚，惊邪恐悸，心下结痛，寒热烦满，咳逆，皆脾虚不能化水
，痰饮留结诸经之疾。口焦舌干，胸有饮，则水下聚而津液不升。利小便。淡渗利水道。久
服，安魂养神，不饥延年。心脾和通之效。
茯苓生山谷之中，得松柏之余气，其味极淡，故为调补脾阴之药，义见石斛条下。凡人
邪气郁结，津液不行，则为痰为饮。痰浓稠为火之所结，饮清稀为水之所停。故治痰则咸以
降之，治饮则淡以利之。若投以重剂，反拒而不相入，惟茯苓极轻淡，属土，土胜水能疏之
涤之，令从膀胱以出，病渐去而不觉也。观仲景猪苓汤等方，五苓散义自见矣。
味苦寒。主五脏、肠胃中结热，黄胆，肠痔，止泄痢，女子漏下赤白，阴阳蚀疮。皆
阳明表里上下所生湿热之疾。
黄柏极黄，得金之色，故能清热。其味极苦，若属火，则又能燥湿。凡燥者未有不热，
而寒者未有不湿，惟黄柏于清热之中而兼燥湿之效。盖黄色属金，阳明为燥金，故其治皆除
阳明湿热之疾，气类相感也。
味辛温。主绝伤，补中，续筋骨，填髓脑，补续筋骨中之脂膏。安五脏，实脏中之脂
膏。五缓六急，调和筋骨。风寒湿痹，漆得寒反坚，得湿反燥，故能除寒热也。生漆去长虫
。生漆着人肌肤即腐烂，故亦能腐虫。久服，轻身耐老。漆入地不朽，其质耐久，故有此效
。
此以质为治。漆，树脂也。凡草木之服最韧而不朽者，莫如漆。人身中非气非血而能充
养筋
骨者，皆脂膏也。气血皆有补法，而脂膏独无补法，则以树之脂膏力最浓者补之。而脂膏之
中，凡风寒湿热之邪，留而不去者，得其气以相助，亦并能驱而涤之也。
古人对茯苓的注释，都说它是松脂渗入地下凝结而成，没有苗、叶、花、果实。现在的茯苓，都有藤蔓可以种植，我怀疑古今的情况有所不同。
茯苓味甘、性平。主治胸胁部气逆上冲，忧愁愤怒，惊恐心悸，心下（胃脘部）结聚疼痛，寒热往来，烦闷胀满，咳嗽气逆。这些病症都是由于脾虚不能运化水湿，导致痰饮留滞结聚在经络中引起的疾病。如果口舌焦干，胸中有停饮，那么水液就会下聚而津液无法上升。茯苓能通利小便。其原理是淡味渗泄，通利水道。长期服用，能安魂养神，使人不感饥饿并延年益寿。这是心脾调和通畅的功效。
茯苓生长在山谷之中，吸收了松柏残留的气机，它的味道极淡，所以是调理补益脾阴的药物，这一道理在石斛条目的解释中已有体现。大凡人体邪气郁结，津液运行不畅，就会形成痰或饮。痰质地浓稠，是火邪凝结所致；饮质地清稀，是水液停聚所致。因此，治疗痰证多用咸味药以降泄之，治疗饮证则用淡味药以渗利之。如果使用重剂量的药物，反而会被身体排斥而不能吸收，只有茯苓性质极轻淡，五行属土，土能克水，从而能够疏浚涤荡水饮，使其从膀胱排出，病邪逐渐去除而人不觉痛苦。观察张仲景《伤寒论》中的猪苓汤等方剂，五苓散的治疗义理自然显现了。
黄柏味苦、性寒。主治五脏及肠胃中的结热，黄疸，肠痔，止住泄泻痢疾，妇女经血漏下赤白浊带，以及阴阳部位生疮溃烂。这些都是阳明经表里上下所生的湿热类疾病。
黄柏颜色极黄，获得了金的色泽，所以能清热。它的味道极苦，若归属于火性，则又能燥湿。凡是燥性的药物没有不热的，而寒性的药物没有不湿的，只有黄柏在清热的同时兼具燥湿的功效。因为黄色属金，阳明经对应燥金之气，所以它治疗的都是清除阳明经湿热类的疾病，这是气味相感的结果。
干漆味辛、性温。主治严重的外伤断折，补益中气，接续筋骨，填补髓脑，补充延续筋骨中的脂膏。安定五脏，充实脏腑中的脂膏。治疗五缓六急（筋脉弛缓与拘急），调和筋骨。治疗风寒湿痹，生漆遇到寒冷反而坚硬，遇到湿气反而干燥，所以能祛除寒热。生漆能去除体内的长虫（寄生虫）。生漆接触人的肌肤就会导致腐烂，所以也能腐蚀虫体。长期服用，能使身体轻便、耐老抗衰。漆进入地下不会腐朽，其质地耐久，所以有此功效。
这是利用药物的质地来治病。漆，是树脂。凡是草木类药物中最坚韧且不腐朽的，没有比得上漆的。人体中非气非血却能充养筋骨的物质，都是脂膏。气血都有补益的方法，唯独脂膏没有专门的补法，这里是用树木中脂膏力量最浓郁的漆来补益人体。而在脂膏之中，凡是有风寒湿热等邪气停留不去的，得到漆的气机相助，也能一并驱除和涤荡干净。
Ancient commentaries on Poria (Fuling) all state that it is formed from pine resin penetrating into the ground, without stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits. Modern Poria, however, has vines and can be cultivated; I suspect there are differences between ancient and modern times.
Poria tastes sweet and is neutral in nature. It primarily treats rebellious Qi in the chest and hypochondrium, worry and anger, fright and palpitations, knotting and pain below the heart (epigastrium), alternating chills and fever, vexation and fullness, coughing and rebellious Qi. These ailments are all caused by Spleen deficiency failing to transform water, leading to phlegm-fluid retention and knotting in the meridians. If the mouth and tongue are scorched and dry, and there is fluid retention in the chest, water gathers downward while body fluids fail to ascend. Poria promotes urination through its bland leaching property, which unblocks the water passages. Long-term consumption calms the soul and nourishes the spirit, prevents hunger, and prolongs life. This is the effect of harmonizing and unblocking the Heart and Spleen.
Poria grows in mountain valleys, absorbing the residual Qi of pine and cypress. Its taste is extremely bland, making it a herb for regulating and tonifying Spleen Yin. The rationale is explained under the entry for Dendrobium (Shihu). Generally, when pathogenic factors stagnate and body fluids fail to circulate, phlegm or fluid retention forms. Phlegm is thick and sticky, resulting from the knotting of Fire; fluid retention is clear and thin, resulting from the stagnation of Water. Therefore, treating phlegm involves using salty herbs to descend it, while treating fluid retention involves using bland herbs to promote diuresis. If heavy-dose medications are administered, they may be rejected and fail to enter; only Poria, being extremely light and bland, belongs to Earth. Since Earth overcomes Water, it can dredge and wash away the fluids, allowing them to exit via the Bladder. The disease gradually resolves without the patient feeling discomfort. Observing formulas such as Zhu Ling Tang (Polyporus Decoction) by Zhang Zhongjing, the rationale of Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria) becomes evident.
Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai) tastes bitter and is cold in nature. It treats internal heat knotting in the five Zang organs and intestines/stomach, jaundice, intestinal hemorrhoids, dysentery and diarrhea, leukorrhea (red and white discharge) in women, and sores on the yin and yang regions. These are all damp-heat disorders arising from the Yangming channel's interior and exterior, upper and lower aspects.
Phellodendri Cortex is extremely yellow, acquiring the color of Metal, thus enabling it to clear heat. Its taste is extremely bitter; if attributed to Fire, it can also dry dampness. Generally, drying agents are not without heat, and cold agents are not without dampness. Only Phellodendri Cortex combines heat-clearing with damp-drying effects. Because yellow corresponds to Metal, and the Yangming channel corresponds to Dry Metal, its treatment targets damp-heat disorders of the Yangming channel, based on the principle of qi resonance.
Toxicodendron Lacca (Ganqi) tastes pungent and is warm in nature. It treats severe injuries, tonifies the middle Jiao, reconnects sinews and bones, fills the marrow and brain, and replenishes the fat and essence within the sinews and bones. It calms the five Zang organs and solidifies the fat and essence within them. It addresses the "five slacknesses and six urgencies" (sinew laxity and spasticity), harmonizing sinews and bones. It treats Bi syndrome caused by wind-cold-dampness. Raw lacquer becomes hard when exposed to cold and dry when exposed to dampness, thus it can eliminate chills and fever. Raw lacquer expels long worms (parasites). When raw lacquer touches human skin, it causes rotting; therefore, it can also腐虫 (rot/corrode parasites). Long-term consumption makes the body light and resistant to aging. Lacquer does not decay when buried in the ground due to its durable quality, hence this effect.
This utilizes the substance/quality for treatment. Lacquer is a resin. Among herbs, none are more tough and indestructible than lacquer. In the human body, substances that are neither Qi nor Blood but nourish sinews and bones are all fat and essence. While there are methods to tonify Qi and Blood, there is no specific method to tonify fat and essence; here, the most potent tree resin is used to tonify it. Within the fat and essence, any pathogenic factors of wind, cold, damp, or heat that remain and do not depart can be driven out and washed away with the assistance of lacquer's qi.