甘寒滑，无毒。
发明 蕨性寒滑，不可生食，《搜神记》言，有甲士折蕨食之，觉心中怏怏成疾，后吐
一小蛇，渐干成蕨。孙真人云，久食成瘕，信与前说相符耳。
即土芋
甘辛寒小毒。不可溺灌，灌之则苦。
发明 土芋解诸药毒。生研水服，当吐出恶物便止。煮熟食甘美不饥，浓人肠胃，去热
嗽。小儿熟食能稀痘，解痘毒、疮毒。其藤烧灰敷痘烂成疮，可无瘢痕。
即山药，因唐代宗名蓣，宋英宗名薯，改名山药
甘平无毒。同面食发动气，微
焙用。
《本经》治伤中补虚羸，除寒热邪气，补中益气力，长肌肉强阴。久服耳目聪明，轻身
不饥延年。
发明 山药入手足太阴。色白归肺。味甘归脾。大补黄庭，治气不足而清虚热。故《本
经》治伤中寒热邪气，补而不滞，温而不热。又能益气力，长肌肉，强阴固肾，止泄精小便
频数。肺为肾之上源，源既有滋，流岂无益，《金匮》八味丸用以强阴也，薯蓣丸以之为君
。而主虚劳不足，风气百病，甘温平补而不碍久积之邪也。其鲜者，和生鲫鱼脑捣敷肿，又
捣烂和芎 末白糖霜涂乳癖结块及诸痛日久坚硬不溃。但涂上奇痒不可忍，忍之良久渐止，
不过数次即愈。子名零余子，补虚损，强腰脚，益肾。一种曰甘薯，色较薯蓣稍紫，味较薯
蓣稍甜，质较薯蓣稍腻，性较薯蓣稍温，补脾强肾之功较薯蓣稍胜。广人以之代粮，今徽宁
亦多种之，名曰薯，音孺与薯字形切音并相类，传久之讹耳。
甘寒滑，无毒。
发明：蕨菜性寒而滑利，不可生吃。《搜神记》记载，有身穿铠甲的士兵折断蕨菜食用，觉得心中郁闷不乐从而生病，后来吐出一条小蛇，逐渐干枯变成了蕨菜。孙思邈说，长期食用会形成瘕积（腹内结块），确实与前一种说法相符。
即土芋（黄独）
甘辛寒，有小毒。不可用水浇灌，浇灌后味道会变苦。
发明：土芋能解各种药物之毒。生研末用水送服，吐出恶物后即可停止。煮熟后食用甘甜美味且不感到饥饿，能滋养肠胃，去除热咳。小儿熟食能使痘疹稀疏，解除痘毒、疮毒。将其藤条烧成灰敷在溃烂的痘疮上，可以不留瘢痕。
即山药，因唐代宗名李豫（蓣），宋英宗名赵曙（薯），故改名为山药
甘平，无毒。与面食同食容易动气，需微焙后使用。
《神农本草经》记载其治疗中焦受损、补益虚弱消瘦，去除寒热邪气，补中益气力，生长肌肉、强壮阴精。长期服用可使耳目聪明，身体轻健，不感饥饿，延年益寿。
发明：山药归入手足太阴经。色白入肺经。味甘入脾经。大补黄庭（指脾胃或中焦），治疗气不足引起的清虚热。所以《本经》记载其治疗中焦受损及寒热邪气，补益而不滞涩，温补而不燥热。又能益气力，生长肌肉，强壮阴精并固肾，止泄精和小便频数。肺为肾之上源，源头既有滋润，下游岂无益处，《金匮要略》中的八味丸用它来强壮阴精，薯蓣丸以它作为君药。主治虚劳不足，风气百病，甘温平补而不妨碍久积之邪气的排出。新鲜的山药，配合生鲫鱼脑捣碎外敷消肿，又捣烂混合川芎粉末和白糖霜涂抹于乳癖结块及诸痛日久坚硬不溃之处。但涂上后奇痒难忍，忍耐良久逐渐停止，不过数次即可痊愈。其子实名为零余子，补虚损，强腰脚，益肾。有一种叫甘薯，颜色比山药稍紫，味道比山药稍甜，质地比山药稍腻，性质比山药稍温，补脾强肾的功效比山药稍胜。广东人用它代替粮食，现在徽州宁国府也多种植它，名叫薯，读音“孺”与“薯”字形切音并相类似，是流传久了产生的讹误罢了。
Sweet, cold, slippery, non-toxic.
Invention: Jue (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum) is cold and slippery in nature and must not be eaten raw. *Soushen Ji* records that a soldier broke off some Jue to eat; he felt depressed and ill, later vomiting a small snake which gradually dried up into Jue. Sun Simiao stated that long-term consumption leads to the formation of *jia* (abdominal masses), which indeed aligns with the previous account.
Also known as Tudou (Dioscorea bulbifera)
Sweet, pungent, cold, slightly toxic. It should not be irrigated with water, otherwise it becomes bitter.
Invention: Tudou resolves the toxicity of various medicines. When crushed raw and taken with water, one should vomit noxious substances and then stop. Cooked, it is sweet, delicious, satiating, nourishes the intestines and stomach, and clears heat cough. For children, cooked consumption can make chickenpox/varicella lesions sparse and resolve toxin from chickenpox or sores. Ash from its vines applied topically to ulcerated chickenpox prevents scarring.
Also known as Shanyao (Dioscorea opposita), renamed due to Emperor Daizong of Tang's personal name Yu (蓣) and Emperor Yingzong of Song's personal name Shu (薯).
Sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Consuming it with wheat flour may induce Qi stagnation; it should be used after slight roasting.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats damage to the middle jiao, tonifies deficiency and emaciation, eliminates pathogenic cold and heat, supplements the middle and boosts Qi and strength, promotes muscle growth, and strengthens Yin. Long-term consumption brightens the eyes and ears, lightens the body, prevents hunger, and prolongs life.
Invention: Shanyao enters the Taiyin channels of the Hand and Foot. Its white color corresponds to the Lung. Its sweet taste corresponds to the Spleen. It greatly tonifies the Huangting (Middle Jiao/Spleen-Stomach), treating Qi deficiency causing clear empty-heat. Thus, the *Bencao Jing* notes it treats middle-jiao damage and pathogenic cold/heat; it tonifies without stagnation and warms without excessive heat. It also boosts Qi and strength, promotes muscle growth, strengthens Yin and secures the Kidney, stops seminal emission, and reduces frequent urination. The Lung is the upper source of the Kidney; if the source is nourished, how could the flow not benefit? The *Jin Gui Yao Lue* uses it in Ba Wei Wan to strengthen Yin, and it serves as the sovereign herb in Shu Yi Wan. It primarily treats deficiency labor insufficiency, wind-pathogen myriad diseases; its sweet-warm neutral tonification does not hinder the expulsion of chronic accumulated pathogens. Fresh Shanyao mixed with raw crucian carp brain and pounded is applied externally to reduce swelling; pounded and mixed with Chuanxiong powder and rock sugar frost, it is applied to breast lumps (ru pi) and old painful hard swellings that do not suppurate. However, application causes unbearable itching, which subsides after enduring for a long time, healing within a few applications. Its aerial tubers are named Lingyuzi, tonifying deficiency, strengthening waist and legs, and benefiting the Kidney. A variety called Ganshu has a slightly purple color compared to Shanyao, is slightly sweeter, has a slightly greasier texture, and is slightly warmer in nature, offering slightly superior spleen-tonifying and kidney-strengthening effects. People in Guangdong use it as a staple food substitute; now it is widely planted in Huizhou and Ningguo, named "Shu". The pronunciation "Ru" resembles the character shape and phonetic component of "Shu", an error arising from long-term transmission.