味苦、甘、辛，气温，无毒。苦辛重而甘味轻，故燥烈除湿之功则有余，补中扶脾
之功则不足矣。宜囫囵米泔水浸一宿，切片晒干，炒深黄色。
苍术消痰结窠囊，宽胸中窄狭，治身面大风，风眩头疼。辟山岚障气，瘟疫时气，
暖胃安胎，宽中进食，驱 癖气块，止心腹胀痛。补脾燥湿之功，与白术功用皆同，但
白补性居多，且能敛汗；苍气辛烈，又能发汗。白术性禀冲和，直固清阳中气；苍木性
多燥悍，功专除湿祛风，无湿者便不可用，况于燥症乎。
主治（痘疹合参） 燥湿健脾，辟恶宽中，进食暖胃，痘疮湿疡及不结痂可用。然
性太燥，不宜多投，在起胀灌浆，尤所禁焉。有用以烧烟，辟其不正之气，可暂不可
常，亦虑其燥耳。
按∶苍术为湿家痰家要剂，辛温辟邪，得天地之正气者欤，但阴虚便燥，渴而火亢者忌之。
味甘苦，大寒，无毒。禀仲冬之气以生稼，禀地之和气以长黄者，土之正色也。甘
能入脾，苦能入心，故兼入心脾。蒸晒至黑，则减寒性，而专补肾脏精血也。如阴虚
火盛，而脾气又弱者，宜切片酒浸透炒干，方能入补脾药，加白术之类，逐队共剂成
功。
生地同麦冬入心兼肾。同姜汁炒，不泥胸中稠痰。主劳伤通二便，养阴退阳，凉心
火血热骨蒸痨热，五心烦热，吐衄血症眼疮，妇人经枯闭绝，妊娠下血漏胎崩中，下
血脉洪多热者皆用，惟脾胃有寒者少投。
主治（痘疹合参） 甘寒能行血养血凉血，专治血热红紫之痘。其用有四∶凉心火
之血热，泻脾土之湿热，去鼻中之衄血，除五心之烦热，用必酒浸洗。凡痘疮血热。疮
色干枯者宜之。但性寒凉血润，肠胃虚弱脾者忌之。
【苍术】
味道苦、甘、辛，药性温，无毒。其苦辛之味重而甘味轻，因此燥湿除邪的功效有余，但补益中焦、扶助脾胃的功效则不足。适宜用浑浊的米泔水整块浸泡一夜，切片后晒干，炒至深黄色使用。
苍术能消除痰结形成的囊状物，舒展胸中的狭窄感，治疗全身及面部的风邪，以及因风引起的眩晕和头痛。它能驱散山间潮湿瘴气，预防瘟疫和时行疫病，温暖胃腑并安胎，宽畅中焦促进进食，驱除积聚的气块，停止心腹部的胀满疼痛。苍术补脾燥湿的功效与白术相似，但白术以补益为主，且能收敛止汗；苍术气味辛烈，又能发汗。白术药性平和冲淡，直接固护清阳中气；苍术药性多燥烈强悍，功效专门在于除湿祛风，没有湿邪的人便不可使用，更何况是燥症呢？
主治（结合痘疹病症参考）：燥湿健脾，驱除秽恶之气宽畅中焦，促进进食温暖胃腑，痘疮出现湿疡及不结痂的情况可以使用。然而其性质过于燥烈，不宜大量投用，在痘疹起胀灌浆阶段，尤其禁止使用。有人将其烧烟，用以驱除不正之气，可以暂时使用不可长期经常使用，也是担心其燥性罢了。
按语：苍术是患有湿病和痰病者的关键药物，辛温以驱散邪气，大概是得天地正气之物吧，但阴虚导致大便干燥、口渴且火气亢盛者忌用。
【生地】
味道甘、苦，药性大寒，无毒。禀受仲冬（农历十一月）的气候而生于庄稼之中，禀受大地温和之气而生长出黄色的根，这是土的正色。甘味能入脾，苦味能入心，所以兼入心和脾二经。经过蒸晒变黑后，便能减弱寒性，专门补益肾脏的精血。如果是阴虚火旺，同时脾气又虚弱的人，适宜切片后用酒浸透再炒干，才能加入补脾的药物中，配合白术等药一起使用，共同发挥作用取得成功。
生地黄同麦冬一起使用可入心经兼入肾经。同姜汁一起炒制，不会阻滞胸中的稠痰。主要治疗劳损内伤导致的二便不通，滋养阴液退却虚阳，清凉心火、血热、骨蒸痨热，五心烦热，吐血、衄血等血症以及眼疾疮疡，妇女月经枯竭闭绝，妊娠期间下血、漏胎、崩中等症，血脉洪大且多热者皆可使用，只有脾胃有寒的人少量投用。
主治（结合痘疹病症参考）：甘寒能行血、养血、凉血，专门治疗血热导致颜色红紫的痘疮。其用法有四种：清凉心火的血热，泻除脾土的湿热，去除鼻中的衄血，清除五心的烦热，使用时必须用酒浸洗。凡是痘疮血热，疮色干枯者适宜使用。但其性质寒凉且润血，肠胃虚弱脾虚者忌用。
[Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma)]
Taste: bitter, sweet, pungent. Nature: warm. Non-toxic. The bitter and pungent flavors are heavy while the sweet flavor is light; therefore, its efficacy in drying dampness and eliminating pathogens is sufficient, but its merit in tonifying the middle jiao and supporting the spleen is insufficient. It is suitable to soak the whole rhizome in turbid rice-washing water overnight, slice it, dry it in the sun, and stir-fry it until deep yellow.
Cangzhu eliminates phlegm nodules and cyst-like accumulations, relieves a sensation of narrowness in the chest, treats wind affecting the body and face, wind-induced vertigo, and headache. It repels mountainous miasma and pestilential qi, prevents epidemics and seasonal infectious diseases, warms the stomach and calms the fetus, relaxes the middle jiao to promote appetite, expels accumulated gas masses, and stops abdominal distension and pain. Its function of tonifying the spleen and drying dampness is similar to that of Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma); however, Baizhu is primarily tonifying and can also consolidate the exterior to stop sweating, whereas Cangzhu has a pungent and acrid nature and can induce sweating. Baizhu possesses a mild and harmonious nature, directly securing the clear yang and middle qi; Cangzhu tends to be dry and harsh, with functions specialized in drying dampness and dispelling wind. It should not be used by those without dampness, let alone those with dryness syndromes.
Indications (referencing smallpox/variolae): Dries dampness, tonifies the spleen, expels evil qi, relaxes the middle jiao, promotes eating, and warms the stomach. It can be used for varicelliform eruptions presenting as wet ulcers or failing to form scabs. However, its nature is too drying, so it should not be administered in large doses. It is especially contraindicated during the stage of eruption swelling and pus formation. Some burn it to smoke, using it to repel malignant qi; this may be done temporarily but not frequently, due to concerns about its drying nature.
Commentary: Cangzhu is an essential remedy for patients with dampness and phlegm disorders. Its pungent and warm nature dispels pathogens, likely endowing it with the upright qi of heaven and earth. However, it is contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with dry stools, thirst, and hyperactive fire.
[Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix)]
Taste: sweet, bitter. Nature: very cold. Non-toxic. It grows from the qi of mid-winter (the eleventh lunar month) and develops yellow roots from the harmonious qi of the earth, which is the proper color of Earth. Sweet flavor enters the spleen, and bitter flavor enters the heart; thus, it enters both the heart and spleen meridians. After steaming and sun-drying until black, its cold nature is reduced, and it specializes in tonifying the essence and blood of the kidney. For individuals with yin deficiency and hyperactive fire accompanied by weak spleen qi, it is suitable to slice the root, soak thoroughly in wine, stir-fry until dry, and then combine it with spleen-tonifying herbs such as Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) to achieve therapeutic success together.
When combined with Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Shengdi enters the heart and kidney meridians. When stir-fried with Jiangzhi (Zingiberis Rhizoma Juice), it does not obstruct thick phlegm in the chest. It mainly treats injuries from overwork causing obstruction of urination and defecation, nourishes yin to subdue yang, clears heat from the heart fire, blood heat, bone-stealing fever, and consumptive fever, soothes five-palm heat, treats hematemesis, epistaxis, blood disorders, eye sores, amenorrhea or menorrhagia in women, bleeding during pregnancy, threatened abortion, and metrorrhagia. It is used when the pulse is surging and hot, except for those with cold in the spleen and stomach, who should use it sparingly.
Indications (referencing smallpox/variolae): Its sweet and cold nature moves blood, nourishes blood, and cools blood. It specifically treats varicelliform eruptions with red-purple discoloration caused by blood heat. Its applications include four aspects: cooling blood heat from heart fire, draining damp-heat from spleen earth, stopping epistaxis, and removing five-palm heat. It must be washed with wine before use. It is suitable for cases where varicelliform eruptions exhibit blood heat and dry, shriveled lesions. However, due to its cold, cooling, and moistening nature, it is contraindicated in those with weak intestines and stomach or deficient spleen qi.