姚宽西溪丛话云石斛出始兴六安山傍石上或生栎树上者谓之木斛虚长不堪入药用精好如
金色者佳凡用洗去土酒浸焙干石斛有补脾清肺之功遗精白浊虚烦之要药也
黄柏知母世人谓其补肾非也特以肾家火旺两尺脉盛者用其泻火则肾亦坚固而无
梦遗之患岂诚有补肾之功哉故肾家无穴而两尺微弱或右尺独旺者皆不宜用黄柏知母能降十二
经之火内经所谓强肾之阴热之犹可者正以其泻肾之火则肾令方行而热亦不作矣但凡肾家有热
两尺脉旺而成诸疾或眼疼或喉痹之类皆宜用之脾胃论云黄柏知母不可久服恐阴气为害故也东
垣岂欺我哉
香附子主气分之病香能窜苦能降推陈致新故诸书皆云益气而俗有耗气之讹女科之圣药皆
非也
治本病略炒兼血以酒煮痰以姜汁虚以童便浸实以盐水煮积以醋浸水煮然其性勇毅发畅可解妇
人郁结多怒之偏气行则无疾矣衍义补遗曰引至气分而生血此阳生阴长之义也此说恐碍盖香附
主气味主血果何以生血乎此又不可不辩
青姜顺气化痰化癖复于气血功侔造化虽十两半夏南星只不得青姜一两余考本草俱不载后
阅江少虞皇朝类苑云岭南青姜根下如合捧其附旁而生者状如姜往往如大
芋南人取其中者干之名为青姜北人则呼为蓬莪术韵书亦无术字名之为术土人病泻痢者用青姜
磨酒服之多
愈盖取其有和气之功耳王硕易简方云蓬莪术功能破 消癖其性猛烈不宜常服然今之所用者乃
红蒲根耳性虽相近而功力实不同真者如广蓬术之状青黄黑色者为佳如无真青姜以老姜黄代之
可也
姚宽在《西溪丛话》中说，石斛生长在始兴六安山岩石旁，或者生长在栎树上的叫做木斛，质地虚浮细长，不堪入药。其中精好、色泽如金色的为佳。凡是使用石斛，需洗去泥土，用酒浸泡后焙干。石斛具有补脾、清肺的功效，是治疗遗精、白浊、虚烦的要药。
黄柏和知母，世人认为它们能补肾，这是错误的。它们只是针对肾中火旺、两尺脉象盛大者，利用其泻火的作用，使肾脏坚固而没有梦遗的隐患，这难道真的是有补肾的功效吗？所以，如果肾中无火（指无实火/相火妄动，此处原文“无穴”疑为“无火”之误或通假，结合上下文“两尺微弱”及“泻火”逻辑，应理解为肾阴不足或无实火导致脉弱，但根据WHO术语标准及常规理解，此处语境为：若肾无实火且脉微弱，或右尺独旺，均不宜用）。凡肾家有热，两尺脉旺而引发各种疾病，如眼痛、喉痹等，都适宜使用黄柏和知母。李东垣在《脾胃论》中说，黄柏和知母不可久服，恐怕会伤害阴气。李东垣难道会欺骗我们吗？
香附子主治气分病。香能窜通，苦能降泄，推陈致新，所以各书都说它能益气，但世俗流传着耗气的错误说法。它也不是妇科圣药。
治疗本病时，略炒；兼治血证则用酒煮；化痰则用姜汁浸；虚证用童便浸；实证用盐水煮；积滞用醋浸水煮。然而香附性子性勇毅，发畅有力，可以解除妇人郁结多怒的偏颇之气，气行则无疾病了。《衍义补遗》说它能引至气分而生血，这是阳生阴长的道理。这种说法恐怕有碍理，因为香附主要作用于气分，主血，怎么能生血呢？这一点又不可不辨析。
青姜能顺气化痰，化解癖积，其功效与气血造化相当。虽然半夏、南星用量达十两，却离不开一两青姜。考察本草书籍都不记载青姜，后来阅读江少虞的《皇朝类苑》，说岭南的青姜根下像手合捧一样，旁边附着生长，形状像姜，往往像大芋头。南方人取其中间部分晒干，名叫青姜；北方人则称之为蓬莪术。韵书中也没有“术”字，称它为“术”。当地人患腹泻痢疾的，用青姜磨酒服用，大多痊愈，大概是取其有调和之气的功效。王硕《易简方》说蓬莪术的功能是破气消癖，其性猛烈，不宜常服。然而现在所使用的，乃是红蒲根之类，性质虽相近，但功力实在不同。真正的青姜像广蓬术的样子，以青黄黑色者为佳。如果没有真青姜，可以用老姜黄代替，也可以。
Yao Kuan, in *Xixi Conghua*, stated that Dendrobium (Shihu, 石斛) grows beside rocks on Liuan Mountain in Shixing or on oak trees; those growing on trees are called Wood Dendrobium (Muhu, 木斛), which are hollow, long, and unsuitable for medicinal use. The finest quality is golden in color. When used, it should be washed to remove soil, soaked in wine, and then dried by roasting. Dendrobium has the effects of tonifying the Spleen and clearing the Lungs, and is a key herb for treating spermatorrhea, leukorrhea, and deficiency-related irritability.
Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex, 黄柏) and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, 知母) are commonly believed by people to tonify the Kidney, but this is incorrect. They are specifically used to clear fire in cases where there is hyperactive fire in the Kidney and vigorous pulses at both Chi positions (two Chi pulses). By clearing the fire, they solidify the Kidney and prevent nocturnal emissions due to dreams; does this truly constitute a function of tonifying the Kidney? Therefore, if there is no excess fire in the Kidney and the pulses at both Chi positions are weak, or if only the right Chi pulse is vigorous, Huangbai and Zhimu should not be used. Whenever there is heat in the Kidney with vigorous Chi pulses leading to various diseases, such as eye pain or throat obstruction, Huangbai and Zhimu are suitable. In *Pi Wei Lun* (Treatise on the Spleen and Stomach), Li Dongyuan stated that Huangbai and Zhimu should not be taken for a long time, lest they harm Yin Qi. Would Li Dongyuan deceive us?
Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma, 香附子) primarily treats disorders of the Qi level. Its fragrance allows it to penetrate, its bitterness allows it to descend, and it eliminates the old to generate the new. Thus, all books claim it tonifies Qi, but the popular notion that it consumes Qi is an error. It is also not the "sage medicine" for gynecology.
To treat the root disease, it is lightly stir-fried; for blood disorders, it is decocted with wine; for phlegm, it is soaked in ginger juice; for deficiency, it is soaked in child's urine; for excess, it is decocted with salt water; for accumulation, it is soaked in vinegar and decocted with water. However, its nature is courageous and unblocking, capable of resolving the biased Qi of women who are depressed and prone to anger. When Qi moves smoothly, diseases do not arise. *Yanyi Buyi* states that it leads to the Qi level to generate Blood, which is the principle of Yang generating Yin. This statement is likely flawed because Xiangfu primarily acts on Qi and governs Blood; how can it generate Blood? This point requires further clarification.
Qingjiang (Green Ginger) promotes the smooth flow of Qi, transforms phlegm, and resolves accumulations, its efficacy matching the creation of Qi and Blood. Although Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, 半夏) and Nanxing (Arisaematis Rhizoma, 南星) may be used in doses of ten taels, one cannot dispense with one tael of Qingjiang. Examination of materia medica texts reveals no record of Qingjiang. Later, reading Jiang Shaoyu's *Huangchao Lei Yuan*, it was noted that in Lingnan, Qingjiang grows like a cupped hand beneath the root, attaching to the side, resembling ginger but often as large as a taro. Southerners take the middle part, dry it, and name it Qingjiang; Northerners call it Peng'zhu (Curcuma zedoaria, 蓬莪术). Rhyme dictionaries do not have the character "Zhu," referring to it simply as "Shu." Locals suffering from diarrhea and dysentery use Qingjiang ground in wine, which often cures them, likely due to its harmonizing Qi properties. Wang Shuo's *Yijian Fang* states that Peng'zhu functions to break Qi stagnation and resolve accumulations; its nature is fierce and it should not be taken regularly. However, what is currently used is actually the root of Hongpu (Red Acorus), which has similar properties but different efficacy. True Qingjiang resembles Guangpengzhu, with greenish-yellow-black being the best quality. If true Qingjiang is unavailable, aged Jianghuang (Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, 姜黄) can be substituted.