莺子粟，其花有千叶者，红白紫黑色有数种。一莺内子数千万，植细如葶，苈而色
白，味甘寒润燥，主除解毒下气，和中行风气逐邪热，止反胃去胸中痰滞，丹石发动，
不能下食，和竹沥煮作粥，食之极美。粟壳，味酸涩；微温无毒，以味酸涩收敛，故
止嗽泻痢脱肛遗精多用之。若咳嗽，尚有风寒或痰火未清，泻痢，尚有积滞未尽，遗精
由于湿热下流者，而误用之，其病反痢。阿芙蓉即莺粟花之津液也。莺粟结青苞时，午
后以大针刺其外面青皮，或三五处，切勿损伤里面硬皮，次早津出，以竹刀刮取入瓷
器，阴干用之，气味与粟壳相同，而酸涩更甚，故止痢之功尤甚。痘疮行浆时，泄泻不
止，用五厘至一分，未有不愈，近世取为房术药中用者，亦取其收涩固精之丸耳。
莺粟米，一名御米。主胸膈稠痰凝滞，噎塞反胃，不可多用，动气膀胱。壳去净筋
膜，蜜炙醋炒，俱可以性涩固肠敛肺之能，为久泻虚嗽要药。遗精脱肛，并所云焉。倘
湿热湿痢，不可误加，否则，杀人如剑。
功用与小麦相似，其性更平凉滑腻，益气补中，实五脏，浓肠胃，不亚于粳米也。
陈士良云∶补虚劣，壮血脉，化谷食，止泄泻，不动风气。久食令人肥白，滑肌肤为
面，无燥热，胜于小麦。苏泰云∶平胃止渴消食，疗胀满。麦 ，以水浸大麦而成，味
咸，气温，无毒。功用与米 相同，而此消化之力更紧。咸能软坚，温主通行，其发生
之气又能主胃气上升，行阳道，而资健运，故主开胃补脾，消化水谷，及一切宿食冷气
心腹胀满，温中下气，除烦止霍乱，消痰破 结。王好古云∶麦芽、神曲二药，胃气虚
人宜服之。以代戊己，腐熟水谷，以谷消谷，有类从之义，无推荡之峻，胃虚停谷食
者宜之也。以上诸类皆以健脾胃化水谷起见，谓宜久食，益人者，然不知蒸腐水谷
者，宜壮土下之真火，则湿润之气生，水精上布，糟粕下输，至精之华，输归于肾，若
以温肾之功。以存谷壳之象，则糟粕徒存，精华实失，况能逐 结消壅乳，除腹胀，破
冷气，堕胎元，则于胃家阳分，或有微功，在肾家阴分实有大损，且为软坚克削之药
也，岂可常服乎！
大麦，味咸，气平，微寒，故可久食。益气调中，止消渴除热，实肠胃补虚。其芽
尤能化食消痰，孕妇勿食，恐堕胎。元虚者少煎，防消肾水。立斋用治妇人丧子，乳房
肿胀，欲成痈者，以麦芽一二两，炒熟，煎服即消，其破气破血可知，故丹溪曰∶麦芽
消肾；《良方》云∶神曲善下胎，观此则二味消耗之力可见矣。
主治（痘疹合参） 麦芽，非主消食健脾，治胃虚，食难消化，腹中胀满，而痘不
起者，此王道和缓之剂。如应用， 终无碍。
按∶麦，主粘滞，水渍生芽，气虽少清，性犹未化。炒至焦色，反有功力。专化
五谷之积，与山楂消肉积者。然古人有消肾之说，为其伐胃故也，《经》云∶胃为水
谷气血之海，化营卫而润宗筋。又曰∶阴阳总宗筋之会，而阳明为之长，故胃伤者，即
阳事衰也。时珍曰∶有积消积，无积消元气。前贤于攻伐，如麦芽平善者，犹谆谆告
诫。若此，况峻利如硝黄之属，其可尝试耶，惟有是病，而服是药，则药为病当之
矣，亦勿因循，以致养成大患。
莺粟米，它的花有重瓣的，颜色有红、白、紫、黑等多种。一株莺粟内含有数千万粒种子，种子细小如葶苈子，颜色洁白，味道甘、寒、润燥，主要功效是解毒、下气、调和脾胃、行风气、驱逐邪热，治疗反胃，去除胸中的痰滞，缓解丹石药发作导致的无法进食，与竹沥一起煮成粥食用，味道极佳。
粟壳，味道酸涩；性微温，无毒。因为味酸涩具有收敛作用，所以常用于治疗咳嗽、腹泻、痢疾、脱肛、遗精等症。如果咳嗽是由风寒或痰火未清引起，腹泻痢疾是由积滞未尽引起，遗精是由于湿热下流引起，此时误用粟壳，病情反而会加重变成痢疾。
阿芙蓉即莺粟花的汁液。当莺粟结出青色花苞时，在午后用大针刺破其外面的青皮，刺三五处，切勿损伤里面的硬皮。次日清晨，汁液流出，用竹刀刮取放入瓷器中，阴干后使用。其气味与粟壳相同，但酸涩之性更甚，因此止痢的功效尤其显著。痘疮处于行浆期时，若泄泻不止，使用五厘至一分剂量，没有不痊愈的。近代有人将其用于房中术药物中，也是利用其收涩固精的作用罢了。
莺粟米，又名御米。主要治疗胸膈稠痰凝滞、噎塞反胃，不可多用，以免动气伤及膀胱。粟壳需去掉干净的筋膜，用蜜炙或醋炒，都具有性涩固肠、敛肺的功能，是治疗久泻和虚咳的重要药物。对于遗精、脱肛也适用。如果是湿热或湿痢，不可误加使用，否则，杀人如剑。
大麦的功用与小麦相似，但其性质更平和、凉滑、腻，能益气补中，充实五脏，浓密肠胃，功效不亚于粳米。陈士良说：大麦能补虚损，壮血脉，化谷食，止泄泻，不动风气。长期食用使人身体肥白，皮肤光滑，做成面粉食用，无燥热之弊，胜过小麦。苏泰说：大麦能平胃、止渴、消食，治疗胀满。
麦蘖（麦芽），是将大麦用水浸泡发芽而成，味道咸，气温，无毒。功用与大米相同，但消化之力更紧。咸味能软坚散结，温性主通行，其生发之气又能助胃气上升，运行阳气，资助健运，因此主治开胃补脾，消化水谷，以及一切宿食冷气导致的心腹胀满，能温中下气，除烦止霍乱，消痰破结。王好古说：麦芽、神曲这两味药，胃气虚弱的人适宜服用。以它们来代替戊己（脾胃）腐熟水谷，以谷消谷，符合“同类相从”的道理，没有推荡攻伐的峻烈，适合胃虚停食者服用。以上这些品类都是着眼于健脾胃、化水谷而言，说是适宜久食、有益于人，然而不知道蒸腐水谷的关键在于宜壮脾胃之下的真火，这样湿润之气才会产生，水精上布，糟粕下输，最精华的部分输送归于肾，起到温肾的作用。如果只保留谷壳的象，那么糟粕徒存，精华实失。况且麦芽还能逐结消壅乳，除腹胀，破冷气，堕胎元，这对于胃家阳分或许有一点微功，但在肾家阴分实在有大损害，且属于软坚克削的药物，怎么可以常服呢！
大麦，味道咸，气平，微寒，所以可以久食。能益气调中，止消渴除热，充实肠胃补虚。其芽尤其能化食消痰，孕妇勿食，恐怕堕胎。元气虚弱者少煎，防止消耗肾水。立斋用麦芽治疗妇人丧子后乳房肿胀，欲成痈肿的情况，用麦芽一二两，炒熟，煎服即消，可见其破气破血之力。所以丹溪说：麦芽消肾；《良方》说：神曲善下胎，由此可以看出这两味药的消耗之力。
主治（痘疹合参）：麦芽，并非主要用来消食健脾，而是治疗胃虚、食物难消化、腹中胀满，而痘疹不起发的情况，这是王道和缓的药剂。如果应用得当，始终无碍。
按语：麦类主粘滞，水浸生芽，气虽稍清，性质仍未完全转化。炒至焦色，反而有功力。专门化解五谷的积滞，这与山楂消除肉积类似。然而古人有“消肾”的说法，是因为它伐胃的缘故。《内经》说：胃是水谷气血之海，化生营卫而滋润宗筋。又说：阴阳总汇于宗筋，而阳明为之长，所以胃受伤，就会导致阳事衰败。李时珍说：有积滞则消积滞，无积滞则消元气。前贤对于攻伐类药物，即使是像麦芽这样平和的，还谆谆告诫。何况那些峻利如硝黄之类的药物，岂可尝试呢？只有有病才服这种药，那么药就是为病而设的，也不要因循拖延，以致养成大患。
Yingsu Mi (Poppy Seed), its flowers have double-petaled varieties, with colors including red, white, purple, and black. One plant contains tens of millions of seeds; the seeds are fine like *Semen Lepidii* / *Semen Descurainiae* (Tingli Zi) and white in color. They taste sweet, are cold in nature, and moisten dryness. Their main functions are to detoxify, direct Qi downward, harmonize the middle jiao, move wind-qi, expel pathogenic heat, treat regurgitation (fanwei), remove phlegm stagnation in the chest, alleviate symptoms triggered by mineral drugs (danshi) that prevent eating, and when boiled with bamboo sap (zhuli) to make porridge, they are extremely delicious.
Su Qiao (Poppy Husk) tastes sour and astringent; it is slightly warm and non-toxic. Due to its sour and astringent properties which promote consolidation, it is frequently used to treat cough, diarrhea, dysentery, rectal prolapse, and seminal emission. However, if cough is caused by wind-cold or unresolved phlegm-fire, diarrhea/dysentery is due to retained food stagnation, or seminal emission results from damp-heat flowing downward, mistaken use will worsen the condition, potentially turning it into dysentery.
Afulou (Opium) is the juice/sap of the Yingsu flower. When the Yingsu forms green buds, prick the outer green skin with a large needle in the afternoon, making three to five punctures, being careful not to damage the inner hard skin. The next morning, the sap exudes; scrape it off with a bamboo knife and place it in a porcelain vessel to dry in the shade. Its odor and flavor are similar to Su Qiao but more sour and astringent, thus its antidiarrheal effect is even stronger. During the stage of pustule formation in smallpox (douchuang), if diarrhea persists uncontrollably, using 0.15g to 0.3g (five li to one fen) ensures recovery. In recent times, some use it as an ingredient in sexual enhancement formulas, exploiting its astringent and semen-consolidating properties.
Yingsu Mi (Poppy Seed), also known as Yu Mi, mainly treats thick phlegm stagnation in the chest and diaphragm, choking sensations, and regurgitation. It should not be used in excess, as it can disturb Qi and affect the bladder. Su Qiao must have its fibrous membranes removed completely; honey-fried or vinegar-processed, it possesses the ability to consolidate the intestines and astringe the lungs due to its astringent nature, serving as a key herb for chronic diarrhea and deficiency-type coughs. It is also applicable for seminal emission and rectal prolapse. However, in cases of damp-heat or damp dysentery, it must not be mistakenly added, otherwise it can be fatal ("kill like a sword").
Its efficacy is similar to Xiao Mai (Wheat Sprout/Flower), but its nature is more neutral, cool, slippery, and greasy. It benefits Qi, tonifies the middle, solidifies the five zang organs, enriches the stomach and intestines, and is no inferior to Jing Mi (Rice). Chen Shiliang stated: It tonifies deficiency and weakness, strengthens blood vessels, aids digestion of grains, stops diarrhea, and does not stir up wind qi. Long-term consumption makes the body plump and white, smooths the skin, and when made into flour, lacks dryness-heat, surpassing wheat. Su Tai stated: It harmonizes the stomach, stops thirst, aids digestion, and treats distension.
Mai Ya (Malt/Sprouted Barley) is produced by soaking barley in water until it sprouts. It tastes salty, is warm in nature, and non-toxic. Its functions are similar to rice, but its digestive power is stronger. Salty flavors can soften hardness, and warm nature promotes circulation. Its generating qi assists stomach qi in ascending, moves yang pathways, and supports healthy transformation. Therefore, it opens the appetite, tonifies the spleen, digests food and fluids, and treats all types of retained food and cold qi causing heart and abdominal fullness. It warms the middle, directs Qi downward, relieves irritability, stops cholera-like vomiting/diarrhea, resolves phlegm, and breaks nodules. Wang Haogu stated: Mai Ya and Shen Qu are suitable for people with deficient stomach qi. They replace the spleen/stomach (Wu-Ji) in rotting and ripening food; "using grain to digest grain" follows the principle of similarity, without the harsh purging action, making them suitable for those with weak stomachs and food retention. All these categories focus on strengthening the spleen and stomach and transforming food and fluids, suggesting long-term consumption is beneficial. However, one must understand that steaming and fermenting food requires strong true fire beneath the spleen/stomach; only then does moist qi generate, water essence spreads upward, and waste flows downward, with the finest essence returning to the kidney to warm it. If one merely retains the image of the grain husk, waste remains while essence is lost. Moreover, Mai Ya can break nodules, eliminate congestion/lactation issues, relieve abdominal distension, break cold qi, and induce abortion. While it may have slight merit for the stomach's yang aspect, it causes significant damage to the kidney's yin aspect. As a drug that softens hardness and reduces accumulation, how can it be taken regularly?
Da Mai (Barley) tastes salty, has a neutral qi, and is slightly cold, so it can be consumed for a long time. It benefits Qi, harmonizes the middle, stops thirst and eliminates heat, solidifies the stomach and intestines, and tonifies deficiency. Its sprouts are especially effective at resolving food stagnation and dissipating phlegm. Pregnant women should avoid it, fearing abortion. Those with primordial deficiency should use less decoction to prevent consuming kidney water. Lizhai used Mai Ya to treat women whose breasts swelled and threatened to become abscesses after losing a child; using 30-60g of fried Mai Ya, decocted and drunk, resolved the swelling immediately, demonstrating its ability to break Qi and blood. Thus, Danxi said: Mai Ya consumes the kidney; *Liang Fang* said: Shen Qu is good at inducing abortion. From this, the consuming power of these two herbs is evident.
Main Indications (Integrating Smallpox): Mai Ya is not primarily for digesting food and strengthening the spleen, but for treating weak stomach, indigestion, abdominal fullness, and failure of smallpox lesions to erupt. This is a gentle, royal-method formula. If applied correctly, it causes no harm.
Commentary: Wheat species tend to be sticky. Soaking in water to sprout clears the qi slightly, but the nature is not fully transformed. Stir-frying until scorched enhances its efficacy. It specifically resolves accumulations of the five grains, similar to how Shan Zha resolves meat accumulations. However, ancients spoke of "consuming the kidney" because it attacks the stomach. The *Classic* states: The stomach is the sea of food and fluid, transforming Ying and Wei to nourish the Zong Jin (tendons). It also says: Yin and Yang converge at the Zong Jin, with the Yangming channel as their leader; thus, stomach injury leads to impotence. Li Shizhen said: It resolves accumulation if present; if absent, it consumes Yuan Qi. Even regarding mild attacking herbs like Mai Ya, ancient sages gave earnest warnings. How much more so for harsh drugs like Xiao Huang (Mirabilite and Rhubarb)? Only take such medicine when the disease exists, so the medicine serves the disease. Do not delay or hesitate, lest minor issues develop into major crises.