燥湿痰，润肾燥，宣通阴阳
辛温有毒，体滑性燥，能走能散，能燥能润。和胃健脾（去湿），补肝（辛散）润肾，
除湿化痰，发表开郁，下逆气，止烦呕，发音声，利水道（燥去湿，故利水；辛通气，能化
液，故润燥。丹溪谓∶二陈汤能使大便润而小便长），救暴卒（葛生曰∶凡遇五绝之病，用
半夏末吹入鼻中即活，盖取其能作嚏也。五绝，谓缢死、溺死、压死、魇死、产死也）。
治咳逆头眩（火炎痰升则眩），痰厥头痛，眉棱骨痛（风热与痰），咽痛（成无己曰∶半
夏辛散，行水气而润肾燥。又局方半硫丸，治老人虚秘，皆取其润滑也。俗以半夏、南星为
性燥误矣，湿去则土燥，痰涎不生，非二物之性燥也。古方用治咽痛、喉痹、吐血，非禁剂
也。二物亦能散血，故破伤、扑打皆主之。惟阴虚劳损，则非湿热之邪，而用利窍行湿之药，
是重竭其津液，医之罪也，岂药之咎哉。《甲乙经》用治之眠，是果性燥者乎！半夏、硫黄
等分，生姜糊丸，名半硫丸）胸胀（仲景小陷胸汤用之），伤寒寒热（故小柴胡汤用之），痰
疟不眠（《素问》曰∶胃不和，则卧不安。半夏能和胃气而通阴阳。《灵枢》曰∶阳气满，不
得入于阴，阴气虚，故目不得瞑，饮以半夏汤，阴阳既通，其卧立安。又有喘嗽不得眠者。
左不得眠属肝胀，宜清肝；右不得眠属肺胀，宜清肺），反胃吐食（痰膈），散痞除瘿（瘿多
属痰），消肿止汗（胜湿）。孕妇忌之（王好古曰∶肾主五液，化为五湿，本经为唾、入肝为
泪、入心为汗、入肺为涕、入脾为痰。痰者因咳而动，脾之湿也，半夏泄痰之际，不能治痰
之本，治本者治肾也。咳无形，痰有形，无形则润，有形则燥，所以为流脾湿而润肾燥之剂
也。俗以半夏为肺药非也，止呕为足阳明，除痰为足太阴。柴胡为之使，故柴胡汤用之。虽
云止呕，亦助柴、芩主寒热往来，是又为足少阳也。时珍曰∶脾无湿不生痰，故脾为生痰之
源，肺为贮痰之器。按∶有声无痰曰咳，盖伤于肺气；有痰无声曰嗽，盖动于脾湿也；有声
有痰曰咳嗽，或因火、因风、因寒、因湿、因虚劳、因食积，宜分证论治。大法治嗽，当以
治痰为先，而治痰又以顺气为主。宜以半夏、南星燥其湿，枳壳、橘红利其气，肺虚加温敛
之味，肺热加凉泻之剂。赵继宗曰∶二陈治痰，世医执之，内有半夏，其性燥烈，若风、寒、
湿、食诸痰则相宜，至于劳痰、失血诸痰，用之反能燥血液而加病。按古有三禁，血家、汗
家、渴家忌之，然亦间有用之者。俗以半夏专为除痰，而半夏之功用，不复见知于世矣。小
柴胡汤、半夏泻心汤，皆用半夏，岂为除痰乎？火结为痰，气顺则火降而痰消）。
圆白而大，陈久者良，浸七日，逐日换水，沥去涎，切片，姜汁拌（性畏生姜，用之以
制其毒，得姜而功愈彰）。柴胡、射干为使。畏生姜、秦皮、龟甲、雄黄。忌羊肉、海藻、
饴糖。恶皂角。反乌头（合陈皮、茯苓、甘草、名二陈汤，为治痰之总剂。寒痰佐以干姜、
芥子，热痰佐以黄芩、栝蒌，湿痰佐以苍术、茯苓，风痰佐以南星、前胡，痞痰佐以枳实、
白术。更看痰之所在，加导引药，惟燥痰非半夏所司也）。
韩飞霞造曲十法（一姜汁浸造，名生姜曲，治浅近诸痰。一矾水煮透，兼姜糊造，名矾
曲，矾最能却水，治清水痰。一煮皂角汁，炼膏，和半夏末为曲，或加南星，或加麝香，名
皂角曲，治风痰开经络。一用白芥子等分，或三分之一，竹沥和成，略加曲糊，名竹沥曲，
治皮里膜外结核隐显之痰。一麻油浸半夏三五日，炒干为末，曲糊造成。油以润燥，名麻油
曲，治虚热劳咳之痰。一用腊月黄牛胆汁，略加热蜜和造，名牛胆曲，治癫痫风痰。一用香
附、苍术、抚芎等分，熬膏，和半夏末作曲，名开郁曲，治郁痰；一用芒硝居半夏十分之三
，煮透为末，煎大黄膏和成，名硝磺曲，治中风、卒厥、伤寒宜下由于痰者。一用海粉一两
、雄黄一两、半夏二两，为末炼蜜和造，名海粉曲，治积痰沉痼；一用黄牛肉煎汁炼膏，即
霞天膏，和半夏末为曲，名霞天曲，治沉 痼痰，功效最烈）。以上并照造曲法，草庵七日
，待生黄衣晒干，悬挂风处，愈久愈良。
味辛、性温，有毒。质地滑利而药性燥烈，能通行周身，能发散邪气，既能燥湿又能润燥。能和胃健脾（以去除湿气），补益肝脏（利用其辛散之性），滋润肾脏，除湿化痰，发表解郁，降逆气，止住烦闷呕吐，促进发声，通利水道（因为燥性能去湿，所以能利水；辛味能通气，能化生津液，所以能润燥。朱丹溪说：二陈汤能使大便润泽而小便通畅）。救治暴卒死亡（葛生说：凡是遇到五绝这种病证，用半夏粉末吹入鼻中即可救活，大概是取其能引起喷嚏的作用。所谓五绝，是指缢死、溺死、压死、梦魇而死、难产而死这五种情况）。治疗咳嗽气逆、头晕目眩（火炎上炎、痰浊上升导致眩晕），痰厥引起的头痛，眉棱骨疼痛（风热与痰邪所致），咽喉疼痛（成无己说：半夏辛散，行水气而滋润肾燥。另外《局方》中的半硫丸，治疗老年人虚秘，都是取其润滑的作用。世人误以为半夏、天南星药性燥烈是错误的，湿气去除则脾土干燥，痰涎自然不生，并非这两味药的药性本身燥烈。古方用它们治疗咽痛、喉痹、吐血，并不是禁忌药物。这两味药也能散血，所以跌打损伤、扑打受伤都主治它们。只有阴虚劳损，并非湿热之邪，却使用利窍行湿的药物，这是使津液更加枯竭，是医生的过错，难道是药物的罪过吗？《甲乙经》用它治疗失眠，难道它真的是燥性的吗！半夏、硫黄各等分，用生姜糊制成丸剂，名叫半硫丸）胸部胀满（张仲景的小陷胸汤中使用它），伤寒引起的寒热往来（所以小柴胡汤中使用它），痰疟导致的不眠（《素问》说：胃不和，则卧不安。半夏能和胃气而通调阴阳。《灵枢》说：阳气盛满，不能进入阴分，阴气虚弱，所以眼睛无法闭合入睡，饮用半夏汤后，阴阳既已通调，睡眠立刻安宁。又有气喘咳嗽导致无法入睡的情况。左侧不得眠属于肝胀，宜清肝；右侧不得眠属于肺胀，宜清肺），反胃吐食（痰膈阻滞），消散痞块、消除瘿瘤（瘿多属于痰邪），消肿止汗（胜湿作用）。孕妇忌服（王好古说：肾主管五液，化为五湿，在《本经》中指唾、入肝为泪、入心为汗、入肺为涕、入脾为痰。痰是因为咳嗽而动产生的，是脾的湿气。半夏在泄痰的时候，不能治疗痰的根本，治疗根本在于治肾。咳是无形的，痰是有形的，无形则需润，有形则需燥，所以半夏是疏导脾湿而滋润肾燥的药剂。世人认为半夏是肺经药是错误的，止呕归于足阳明胃经，除痰归于足太阴脾经。柴胡作为引经药，所以柴胡汤中使用它。虽然说是止呕，但也辅助柴胡、黄芩主治寒热往来，这又归属于足少阳胆经了。李时珍说：脾没有湿气就不会生痰，所以脾是生痰之源，肺是贮痰之器。按：有声音无痰叫做咳，这是因为伤于肺气；有痰无声音叫做嗽，这是因为动于脾湿；既有声音又有痰叫做咳嗽，可能因为火、因风、因寒、因湿、因虚劳、因食积，应当分证候论治。大凡治疗嗽，应当以治痰为先，而治痰又以顺气为主。宜用半夏、天南星燥其湿，枳壳、橘红利其气，肺虚加温敛的药物，肺热加凉泻的方剂。赵继宗说：二陈汤治痰，世医固执于此，其中含有半夏，药性燥烈，如果是风、寒、湿、食诸痰则适宜，至于劳痰、失血诸痰，使用它反而能燥伤血液而加重病情。按照古法有三禁，血家、汗家、渴家忌用，然而也有间或使用的情况。世人认为半夏专门用于除痰，而半夏的其他功用不再被世人所知了。小柴胡汤、半夏泻心汤，都使用半夏，难道只是为了除痰吗？火结聚而成痰，气顺则火降而痰消）。
果实圆白且大，陈久的质量好。浸泡七天，每天换水，沥去粘液，切片，用姜汁拌制（药性畏惧生姜，用生姜来制约其毒性，得到生姜后功效更加显著）。柴胡、射干作为引经药。畏惧生姜、秦皮、龟甲、雄黄。忌食羊肉、海藻、饴糖。厌恶皂角。相反的是乌头（配合陈皮、茯苓、甘草，名叫二陈汤，是治疗痰证的总方。寒痰佐以干姜、芥子，热痰佐以黄芩、栝蒌，湿痰佐以苍术、茯苓，风痰佐以南星、前胡，痞痰佐以枳实、白术。再根据痰所在的部位，加入引导药，只有燥痰不是半夏所主治的）。
韩飞霞制作药曲的十种方法：（一用姜汁浸泡制作，名叫生姜曲，治疗浅近的各种痰证。一用明矾水煮透，兼用姜糊制作，名叫矾曲，明矾最能祛除水湿，治疗清水痰。一煮皂角汁，炼成膏，和半夏末做成曲，或者加南星，或者加麝香，名叫皂角曲，治疗风痰开通经络。一用白芥子等分，或者三分之一，竹沥调和，略加曲糊，名叫竹沥曲，治疗皮里膜外结核隐现不定的痰证。一用麻油浸泡半夏三到五天，炒干研末，用曲糊造丸。油能润燥，名叫麻油曲，治疗虚热劳咳之痰。一用腊月黄牛胆汁，略加热蜜调和制作，名叫牛胆曲，治疗癫痫风痰。一用香附、苍术、抚芎等分，熬成膏，和半夏末作曲，名叫开郁曲，治疗郁痰；一用芒硝占半夏十分之三，煮透研末，煎大黄膏调和而成，名叫硝磺曲，治疗中风、卒厥、伤寒适宜攻下由于痰邪导致的病症。一用海粉一两、雄黄一两、半夏二两，研末炼蜜调和制作，名叫海粉曲，治疗积痰沉疴；一用黄牛肉煎汁炼膏，即霞天膏，和半夏末为曲，名叫霞天曲，治疗沉痼痰，功效最猛烈）。以上都按照造曲的方法，在草庵中放置七天，等到生出黄色菌衣晒干，悬挂在通风处，越久越好。
Dries damp-phlegm, moistens kidney dryness, and unites yin and yang.
Pungent, warm, and toxic in nature. Its texture is slippery while its property is drying; it can circulate and disperse, and can both dry dampness and moisten dryness. It harmonizes the stomach and strengthens the spleen (to remove dampness), tonifies the liver (via its pungent dispersing action), moistens the kidney, removes dampness and transforms phlegm, releases the exterior and opens depression, directs rebellious qi downward, stops irritability and vomiting, promotes voice production, and benefits water passages (because its drying action removes dampness, it thus benefits urination; its pungency moves qi and transforms fluids, thus it moistens dryness. Zhu Danxi stated: Er Chen Tang [Two-Aged Decoction] can make the stool moist and increase urine output). It rescues sudden death (Ge Sheng said: In cases of "Five Extinctions" [five types of apparent death], blowing powder of Banxia into the nose can revive the patient, likely because it induces sneezing. The "Five Extinctions" refer to hanging, drowning, crushing, sleep paralysis [nightmare death], and death during childbirth]. It treats cough with rebellious qi and dizziness (dizziness caused by flaming fire and rising phlegm), headache due to phlegm-jue, pain in the supraorbital ridge (due to wind-heat and phlegm), sore throat (Cheng Wuji said: Banxia is pungent and dispersing, moves fluid accumulation, and moistens kidney dryness. Additionally, Ban Liu Wan [Banxia and Sulfur Pill] in *Ju Fang* treats constipation in the elderly due to deficiency, relying on its lubricating property. It is a common misconception that Banxia and Tian Nan Xing are drying in nature; when dampness is removed, the spleen earth becomes dry, and phlegm-saliva ceases to generate; this is not due to the inherent dryness of these two herbs. Ancient formulas used them for sore throat, throat obstruction, and hematemesis; they are not contraindicated. These two herbs also dissipate blood stasis, so they treat traumatic injuries and bruises. However, in cases of yin-deficiency consumptive disease, where there is no damp-heat pathogen, using drugs that drain orifices and move dampness would further exhaust body fluids; this is the physician's fault, not the herb's. If *Jia Yi Jing* used it for insomnia, how could it be truly drying! Ban Xia and Huang Qi in equal parts, made into pills with ginger paste, is named Ban Liu Wan) chest distension (used in Zhang Zhongjing's Xiao Xian Xiong Tang [Small Trap-in-the-Chest Decoction]), chills and fever due to Shang Han (thus used in Xiao Chai Hu Tang [Minor Bupleurum Decoction]), insomnia due to phlegm-malaria (*Su Wen* states: When the stomach is disharmonious, one cannot sleep peacefully. Banxia can harmonize stomach qi and unite yin and yang. *Ling Shu* states: When yang qi is excessive and cannot enter yin, and yin qi is deficient, the eyes cannot close for sleep. Drinking Ban Xia Tang allows yin and yang to unite, and sleep is immediately restored. There are also cases of asthma and cough preventing sleep. Insomnia on the left side belongs to liver distension, suitable for clearing the liver; insomnia on the right side belongs to lung distension, suitable for clearing the lungs), regurgitation and vomiting (phlegm-obstruction), dissipating masses and eliminating goiter (goiters often belong to phlegm), reducing swelling and stopping sweating (overcoming dampness). Contraindicated in pregnancy (Wang Haogu said: The Kidney governs the five fluids, transforming them into five dampnesses. As per *Ben Cao Jing*, these correspond to saliva, tears in the liver, sweat in the heart, mucus in the lungs, and phlegm in the spleen. Phlegm arises from movement due to coughing and is spleen dampness. While Banxia drains phlegm, it does not treat the root of phlegm; treating the root means treating the kidney. Cough is formless, phlegm is formed; formless requires moistening, formed requires drying. Thus, it is an agent that guides spleen dampness and moistens kidney dryness. It is incorrect to view Banxia solely as a lung herb. Stopping vomiting relates to the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian; removing phlegm relates to the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. Chai Hu acts as its guide, hence used in Chai Hu Tang. Although it stops vomiting, it also assists Chai Hu and Huang Qin in treating alternating chills and fever, relating it to the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. Li Shizhen said: Without spleen dampness, no phlegm is generated; thus, the spleen is the source of phlegm generation, and the lung is the vessel storing phlegm. Note: Cough with sound but no phlegm indicates injury to lung qi; phlegm without sound indicates disturbance by spleen dampness; cough with both sound and phlegm may be due to fire, wind, cold, dampness, consumptive disease, or food stagnation, requiring syndrome differentiation. Generally, treating cough prioritizes treating phlegm, and treating phlegm prioritizes smoothing qi. Use Banxia and Tian Nan Xing to dry dampness, Zhi Ke and Ju Hong to benefit qi, add warming and astringent flavors for lung deficiency, and cooling purgative agents for lung heat. Zhao Jizong said: Physicians rigidly adhere to Er Chen Tang for phlegm. Since it contains Banxia, which is acrid and drying, it is suitable for phlegm due to wind, cold, dampness, or food. However, for consumptive phlegm or phlegm with bleeding, using it can dry blood and worsen the condition. According to ancient rules, there are three prohibitions: patients with blood disorders, those prone to sweating, and those with thirst should avoid it, though occasional use exists. The common belief that Banxia is exclusively for removing phlegm obscures its other functions. Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang both use Banxia; is it merely for phlegm? Fire condensing into phlegm resolves when qi smooths, fire descends, and phlegm dissipates).
The rhizomes are round, white, and large; aged ones are superior. Soak for seven days, changing water daily, drain the slime, slice, and mix with ginger juice (the herb fears ginger; ginger is used to mitigate its toxicity, enhancing its efficacy). Chai Hu and She Gan act as guides. It fears Ginger, Qin Pi, Gui Jia, and Xiong Huang. Avoid mutton, Hai Zao, and Yi Tang. It clashes with Zao Jiao. It is incompatible with Wu Tou (combined with Chen Pi, Fu Ling, and Gan Cao, it forms Er Chen Tang [Two-Aged Decoction], the general formula for treating phlegm. For cold-phlegm, assist with Gan Jiang and Jie Zi; for hot-phlegm, assist with Huang Qin and Gua Lou; for damp-phlegm, assist with Cang Zhu and Fu Ling; for wind-phlegm, assist with Tian Nan Xing and Qian Hu; for obstructive phlegm, assist with Zhi Shi and Bai Zhu. Further, add guiding herbs based on the location of the phlegm; only dry-phlegm is not within the scope of Banxia).
Han Fei Xia's ten methods for preparing medicinal pastes/cakes: (1. Soak in ginger juice, named Sheng Jiang Qu [Fresh Ginger Paste], treating superficial phlegm. 2. Boil thoroughly in alum water, then shape with ginger paste, named Fan Qu [Alum Paste], as alum best eliminates water-dampness, treating clear-water phlegm. 3. Boil Zao Jiao juice, refine into paste, mix with Banxia powder, optionally adding Tian Nan Xing or She Xiang, named Zao Jiao Qu [Zao Jiao Paste], treating wind-phlegm to open meridians. 4. Mix equal parts of Bai Jie Zi, or one-third, with Zhu Li [Bamboo Sap], slightly adding paste, named Zhu Li Qu [Bamboo Sap Paste], treating hidden or manifest tubercles/phlegm in the interstitial spaces. 5. Soak Banxia in sesame oil for 3-5 days, stir-fry until dry, powder, and shape with paste. Oil moistens dryness, named Ma You Qu [Sesame Oil Paste], treating phlegm from deficiency-fire and consumptive cough. 6. Use bile from a yellow ox in the twelfth lunar month, mix with heated honey, named Niu Dan Qu [Ox Gall Paste], treating epilepsy and wind-phlegm. 7. Mix Xiang Fu, Cang Zhu, and Fu Xiong in equal parts, boil into paste, mix with Banxia powder, named Kai Yu Qu [Depression-Opening Paste], treating stagnant phlegm. 8. Use Mang Xiao [Mirabilite] at 3/10th the amount of Banxia, boil thoroughly, powder, mix with Da Huang paste, named Xiao Huang Qu [Mirabilite and Rhubarb Paste], treating stroke, sudden syncope, or Shang Han requiring purgation due to phlegm. 9. Use Hai Fen [Sea Powder], Xiong Huang, and Banxia in specific ratios, refine with honey, named Hai Fen Qu [Sea Powder Paste], treating entrenched accumulated phlegm. 10. Decoct yellow beef meat into paste, i.e., Xia Tian Gao, mix with Banxia powder, named Xia Tian Qu [Xia Tian Paste], treating entrenched phlegm with potent efficacy]. All follow the paste preparation method: place in a thatched hut for seven days, wait for yellow mold to grow, sun-dry, and hang in a ventilated area; the older, the better.