感夏末秋初之气，得火金之味，故其味苦辛，其气温而无毒，阳中阴降也。入足厥
阴肝经气分，能破气中之血，故一切气血凝结，作痛俱效。
蓬莪术，止心痛，通月经，消瘀血，破积聚 癖，乃气中之血药也。欲先入气，火
炮用之，欲先入血，则用醋炒。
按∶蓬术攻削峻猛，诚为磨积之药，但虚人服之，积滞未退，本元日亏，兼以参术
乃无损耳惟元气壮盛者，则有病病当之也。
又名猴姜。得金气兼得石气而生，味苦辛气温。好生阴处，故得阴气为多，入足少
阴而主骨。凡骨中毒瓦斯，风血疼痛，五劳六积，手足麻木，上热下冷，肾虚齿痛，耳鸣
痢风足软，坚骨固齿，皆入肾主骨之验也。凡采得铜刀刮去黄赤毛，细切蜜拌蒸晒用。
骨碎补，补骨节伤碎，疗风血积痛，破血有功，止血亦效。专入肾经，故治肾泄骨
痿耳响牙疼诸骨肾症。昔魏刺吏子，久泄垂危，诸药不效，用此药末入猪肾中，煨熟食
之；即愈。盖肾主二阴，而司禁固，久泄乃属肾虚、不可专责脾胃也。
禀初夏之气，兼得乎金之辛味，故味辛气温而无毒。入足厥阴，亦入手少阴经。性
温则能行能畅，味辛则能润能散，所以为行气活血要药。但性能走而不能守，故经事先
期，崩中淋露，一切血热血虚并宜戒之。行上部酒炒，中部醋炒，下部盐水炒。
延胡索，因味辛温，破血下气，调月水气滞血凝，产后血冲血晕，心腹卒疼，小腹
胀痛，通经下胎，舒筋疗疝，妙不可言，乃活血下气第一品药也。
按∶元胡索，行气中血滞，血中气滞，通理一身上下诸痛，往往独行功多，故调经
药中常用之。然既无益气之情，绝少养营之义，徒仗辛温，攻凝逐滞，虚人当兼补药同
用，否则徒损无益。
感受夏末秋初的气候，兼具火与金的特性，因此味道苦辛，药性温而无毒，属于阳中阴降之品。归入足厥阴肝经的气分，能够破除气滞导致的血瘀，所以对于各种气血凝结引起的疼痛均有疗效。
蓬莪术（Curcuma zedoaria），能缓解心痛，疏通月经，消除瘀血，破除积聚形成的癖块，是行气活血的药物。若想先作用于气分，需用火炮制后使用；若想先作用于血分，则用醋炒制后使用。
按语：蓬莪术攻伐削积峻猛，确实是消磨积滞的药物，但体虚之人服用，若积滞未退，本元会日益亏损。若能配合人参、白术等补益药物同用，则无损害。只有元气壮盛者，才能承受其药力，使病邪被药物所克制。
又名猴姜。禀受金气并兼得石气而生，味道苦辛，药性温。喜好生长在阴凉处，因此获得的阴气较多，归入足少阴肾经而主治骨骼疾病。凡是骨中毒瓦斯（指外邪侵袭骨骼）、风血疼痛、五劳六积、手足麻木、上热下冷、肾虚齿痛、耳鸣、痢疾伴足软、坚骨固齿等症状，都是其入肾主骨的验证。凡采收后用铜刀刮去黄赤色的毛，细切后用蜜拌蒸晒后使用。
骨碎补（Drynaria fortunei），能补接骨节损伤破碎，治疗风血积滞疼痛，破血功效显著，止血也有效。专入肾经，因此治疗肾泄、骨痿、耳鸣、牙疼等各种骨骼肾脏病症。从前魏刺史的兒子，长期腹泻濒临死亡，多种药物无效，将此药研末装入猪肾中，煨熟后食用；随即痊愈。因为肾主管二阴，并司职固摄，长期腹泻属于肾虚所致，不能单纯责怪脾胃。
禀受初夏之气，兼得金的辛味，因此味道辛温而无毒。归入足厥阴肝经，也归入手少阴心经。药性温则能通行畅达，味辛则能滋润发散，所以是行气活血的重要药物。但其性质善于走窜而不能固守，因此月经提前、崩漏淋漓、一切血热和血虚证候都应禁忌使用。作用于上部用酒炒，中部用醋炒，下部用盐水炒。
延胡索（Corydalis yanhusuo），因味道辛温，能破血下气，调理月经不调、气滞血凝、产后血冲血晕、心腹突然疼痛、小腹胀痛、通经下胎、舒筋治疗疝气，功效奇妙不可言说，是活血下气的上品药物。
按语：延胡索，能行气中之血滞，也能行血中之气滞，通理全身上下各种疼痛，往往单用效果显著，因此在调经药中常用。然而它既没有益气的作用，极少有养营的意义，仅依靠辛温之性，攻破凝滞、驱逐积滞，体虚之人应当配合补益药物同用，否则只会损耗正气而无益处。
Having absorbed the qi of late summer and early autumn, and possessing the flavors associated with Fire and Metal, its taste is bitter and acrid, its nature is warm and non-toxic, representing a descent of Yin within Yang. It enters the Qi aspect of the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian, capable of breaking blood stasis caused by Qi stagnation; thus, it is effective for all types of pain resulting from Qi and Blood coagulation.
Peng'ezhu (Curcuma zedoaria) alleviates heart pain, unblocks menstruation, eliminates blood stasis, and breaks down accumulations and masses. It is a herb that moves Blood within Qi. To act primarily on Qi, it should be used after being roasted over fire; to act primarily on Blood, it should be used after being stir-fried with vinegar.
Note: Pengzhu has a fierce and cutting action, truly serving as a herb for grinding down accumulations. However, if taken by persons with deficiency, without resolving the stagnation, it will daily deplete the original Yuan Qi. Only when combined with Renshen (Ginseng Root) and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizome) does it cause no harm. Only those with robust Yuan Qi can withstand it, allowing the medicine to overcome the disease.
Also known as Houjiang. It grows by absorbing Metal Qi and Stone Qi, with a bitter and acrid taste and warm nature. It prefers shady places, thereby acquiring abundant Yin Qi. It enters the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian and governs the bones. It is effective for toxic vapors in the bones, wind-blood pain, five exhaustions and six accumulations, numbness of hands and feet, upper heat and lower cold, kidney deficiency toothache, tinnitus, dysentery with weak feet, strengthening bones and securing teeth—all of which are manifestations of its entry into the Kidney to govern bones. Upon harvesting, yellow-red hairs are scraped off with a copper knife, sliced finely, mixed with honey, steamed, and dried for use.
Gusuibu (Drynariae Rhizoma) repairs fractured bone joints, treats wind-blood accumulation pain, has merit in breaking blood stasis, and is also effective in stopping bleeding. It specifically enters the Kidney Meridian; therefore, it treats various bone and kidney conditions such as kidney diarrhea, bone atrophy, tinnitus, and toothache. In the past, the son of Governor Wei suffered from chronic diarrhea and was near death; various medicines were ineffective. By taking this herb ground into powder stuffed inside a pig kidney, roasted and eaten, he recovered immediately. Since the Kidney governs the two yin openings and controls retention, chronic diarrhea belongs to Kidney deficiency and cannot be solely attributed to the Spleen and Stomach.
Endusu inherits the Qi of early summer and the acrid flavor of Metal; thus, its taste is acrid and warm, and it is non-toxic. It enters the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian and also the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Its warm nature allows it to circulate and unblock; its acrid flavor allows it to moisten and disperse. Therefore, it is an essential herb for moving Qi and invigorating Blood. However, its nature tends to move outward and cannot retain; thus, it is contraindicated in cases of premature menstruation, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, and all conditions involving Heat in the Blood or Blood deficiency. For the upper part of the body, stir-fry with wine; for the middle part, stir-fry with vinegar; for the lower part, stir-fry with salt water.
Yanhusuo (Corydalidis Rhizoma), due to its acrid and warm taste, breaks blood stasis and directs Qi downward. It regulates menstrual irregularities, Qi stagnation and Blood coagulation, postpartum blood rushing and fainting, sudden heart and abdominal pain, lower abdominal distension and pain, promotes menstruation and expels the fetus, relaxes sinews, and treats hernia. Its efficacy is wonderful and indescribable, making it the premier herb for invigorating Blood and directing Qi downward.
Note: Yanhusuo moves Blood stasis within Qi and Qi stasis within Blood, regulating pains throughout the upper and lower body. It often yields significant results when used alone, hence it is commonly used in formulas for regulating menstruation. However, since it lacks the quality of tonifying Qi and rarely possesses the meaning of nourishing Ying (Nutritive) Qi, relying solely on its acrid and warm nature to attack凝 (coagulation) and drive out stagnation, persons with deficiency should use it concurrently with tonic herbs; otherwise, it will only damage without benefit.