（唐本草）
【气味】甘辛寒，有小毒。
【主治】主水肿香港脚，利大小便，消痰，破癖，除积聚，消疔肿。
【核】曰∶出荆、襄，所在亦有，生田泽池畔间。高数尺，六七月茎间三叶，先白后绿。
一叶白，其旁遂开花成穗，如蓼花状，色白微香。结子细小。根长而白，虚软有节，根间白
须，宛如蒲根。根汁洒搜麦面，造曲酿酒，已湿消暑，色香味殊胜也。制雄黄，伏南铅，干
砂汞。
【 】曰∶弘景云，叶上有三白点，因名三白。苏恭云，叶上有三黑点，非白也，古人
秘之，隐黑为白耳。藏器云，初生无白。入夏叶半白如粉，农人候之莳田，三叶皆半白，则
草便莠，故谓之三白。时珍云，八月生苗，四月其巅三叶面白，三青变，三白变，余则仍青
而不变也。故叶初白食小麦，再白食梅杏，三白食黍子，此皆未识三白形色者也。颐家植此
草于庭前者，二十余载，每见三月生苗，叶如薯叶而对生，小暑后，茎端发叶，纯白如粉，
背面一如，初小渐大，大则叶根先青，延至叶尖，则尽青矣；如是发叶者三，不再叶而三莠
，花穗亦白，根须亦白，为三白也。设草未莠，而削除之，或六七月，或八九月，虽重生苗
叶，亦必待时而叶始白，月令小暑后，逢三庚，则三伏，所以避火刑，以全容平之金德。三
白草，不三伏白而三显白，转以火金相袭之际，化炎 为清肃，此即点火成金，不烦另觅种
子者是也。故主夏伤于暑，而出机未尽；秋伤于湿，而降令过急者，两相宜耳。
（《唐本草》记载）
【气味】味甘、辛，性寒，有小毒。
【主治】主治水肿和脚气病，通利大小便，消除痰饮，破除积块，消除积聚，消散疔疮肿毒。
【考证】曰：三白草产于荆州、襄阳一带，各地也有生长，生于田野、沼泽及池塘岸边。植株高达数尺，六七月间茎上生出三片叶子，先呈白色后变绿色。
一片叶子变白时，旁边随即开花结成穗状，形状像蓼花，颜色洁白且带有微香。结出的种子细小。根部细长而洁白，质地虚软且有节，根须洁白，宛如蒲草的根。将根汁洒在麦面上，用于制作酒曲或酿酒，制成的酒湿润消暑，色泽、香气和味道都特别优异。也可用来制约雄黄，使南铅伏藏，干燥砂汞。
【考证】曰：陶弘景说，叶子上有三个白点，因此得名“三白”。苏恭说，叶子上有三个黑点，并非白色，是古人将其保密，隐藏黑色而称为白色罢了。藏器说，刚长出时没有白色。进入夏天后，叶子一半变白如粉，农民以此观察时节来插秧，如果三片叶子都半白，那么杂草也会显现，所以叫它三白。李时珍说，八月生苗，四月顶端三片叶子面白，青色变为白色，白色再变，其余部分仍然保持青色不变。因此有说法称叶子初白时吃小麦，再白时吃梅杏，三白时吃黍子，这些都是没有认清三白草真实形色的人的说法。我家在庭前种植此草二十多年，每次见到三月生苗，叶子像薯叶一样对生，小暑之后，茎端发出新叶，纯白如粉，正反两面都一样，起初较小逐渐变大，变大后叶根先变青，延伸到叶尖，则全部变青了；这样发叶三次，不再长叶而是出现杂草，花穗也是白的，根须也是白的，这就是所谓的“三白”。如果草未呈现杂草状态而将其清除，或者在六七月，或者八九月，即使重新生出苗叶，也必定等待时节到来叶子才会变白，月令中小暑之后，遇到第三个庚日，就是三伏天，这是为了避开火刑，以保全从容平和的金德。三白草，不在三伏天变白而显出三次白色，反而在火金相袭之际，将炎热转化为清肃，这就是点燃火焰变成金属，不需要另外寻找种子的道理。所以主治夏季伤于暑气而阳气未尽发散，秋季伤于湿气而降令过于急迫的情况，两者都适宜。
(Recorded in *Tang Bencao*)
[Flavor and Properties] Sweet, acrid, cold; slightly toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats edema (swelling) and Hongjiao jiao (foot disease/gout), promotes urination and defecation, resolves phlegm, breaks up masses, eliminates accumulations, and dissipates carbuncles and swellings.
[Verification] It is stated: Originating from Jingzhou and Xiangyang regions, it is also found elsewhere, growing among fields, marshes, and pond banks. The plant grows several chi high. In the sixth and seventh lunar months, three leaves emerge from the stem, initially white then turning green.
When one leaf turns white, flowers subsequently bloom into spikes beside it, resembling Polygonum flowers, with a white color and slight fragrance. The seeds produced are small. The root is long, white, spongy, and jointed, with white rootlets resembling those of cattail (Pu Gen). Sprinkling the root juice on wheat flour aids in making yeast for brewing wine; the resulting wine is moistening, relieves summer heat, and possesses superior color, aroma, and taste. It can also be used to control Realgar (Xionghuang), stabilize Southern Lead (Nan Qian), and dry Cinnabar Mercury (Sha Meng).
[Verification] It is stated: Tao Hongjing claimed that there are three white spots on the leaves, hence the name "Sanbai" (Three Whites). Su Gong claimed there are three black spots on the leaves, not white, suggesting that ancients kept this secret, hiding the blackness as whiteness. Zang Qi stated that newly sprouted plants have no whiteness. Entering summer, half the leaves turn white like powder; farmers use this sign to transplant rice seedlings. If all three leaves are half-white, weeds appear, thus it is called "Sanbai". Li Shizhen stated that seedlings emerge in the eighth month; by the fourth month, the three leaves at the tip become white, changing from green to white, while the rest remains green and unchanged. Therefore, some say when leaves are initially white, eat wheat; when twice white, eat plums and apricots; when thrice white, eat millet. These are people who do not understand the true form and color of Sanbai. My family has planted this herb in front of the courtyard for over twenty years. I have observed that in the third month, seedlings emerge with leaves opposite each other like sweet potato leaves. After Minor Heat (Xiaoshu), new leaves emerge at the stem tips, pure white like powder, identical on both sides. Initially small, they gradually enlarge; upon enlargement, the leaf base turns green first, extending to the tip until the entire leaf is green. This process of leaf emergence occurs three times, after which no more leaves grow but weeds appear. The flower spikes are also white, and the rootlets are white; this constitutes the "Three Whites." If the weed-like state is removed before appearing, or if re-sprouting occurs in the sixth/seventh or eighth/ninth months, the leaves will only turn white when the season arrives. According to the Monthly Ordinances, after Minor Heat, encountering the third Geng day marks the beginning of the Three Fu days (Dog Days). This avoids the punishment of fire to preserve the golden virtue of calmness and balance. Sanbai Grass does not turn white during the Three Fu days but reveals its whiteness three times. Instead, at the juncture where fire and metal interact, it transforms heat into clarity and crispness. This is akin to igniting fire to create metal, without needing to seek another seed. Thus, it is suitable for treating conditions caused by summer heat injury where yang qi has not fully dispersed, and autumn dampness injury where descending functions are overly urgent.