宣，行气，化痰，消食
辛散气，甘调中，温开胃。化水谷，消积滞（《医余》云∶有伤粽子成积，用曲末少加
木香，盐汤下，数日口中闻酒香，积遂散）。治痰逆症结，泻痢胀满。回乳（炒研，酒服二
钱，日二）下胎（产后血晕，末服亦良），亦治目病（《启微集》云∶生用，能发其生气；熟
用，能敛其暴气）。造曲法，以五月五日，六月六日，用白面百斤，赤豆末、杏仁泥、青蒿、
苍耳、红蓼汁各三升，以配青龙、白虎、朱雀、玄武、 蛇、勾陈六神，通和作饼， 生黄
衣，晒收。陈者良。炒用。
宣，破血，燥，消食
甘温色赤。入营而破血，燥胃消食，活血和血。治赤白下痢，跌打损伤，产后恶露不尽
（李时珍曰∶人之水谷入胃，中焦湿热熏蒸，游溢精气，化为营血，此造化自然之妙也。红
曲以白米饭杂曲面母，湿热蒸 ，即变为真红，此人窥造化之巧者也。故治脾胃营血，得同
气相求之理）。红入米心、陈久者良（昂按∶红曲温燥，能腐生物使熟。故鱼肉 用之，不
特取其色也）。
一名苦酒
散瘀，敛气，消痈肿
酸温。散瘀解毒，下气消食（食敛缩则消矣），开胃气（令人嗜食，《本草》未载），散
水气。治心腹血气痛（磨木香服），产后血晕（以火淬醋，使闻其气），症结痰癖，疸黄痈肿
（外科敷药多用之，取其敛壅热、散瘀解毒。昂按∶贝母性散而敛疮口，盖能散，所以能敛。
醋性酸收而散痈肿，盖消则内散，溃则外散，收处即是散处，两者一义也）口舌生疮（含漱），
损伤积血（面和，涂能散之），谷、鱼、肉、菜、蕈、诸虫毒。多食伤筋（收缩太过。酒、
醋无所不入，故制药多用之）。米造、陈久者良（寇宗 曰∶食酸则齿软者，齿属肾，酸属
肝，木气强水气弱故也）。
宣，具有行气、化痰、消食的功效。
辛味能发散气机，甘味能调和脾胃，温性能开胃进食。
它能消化水谷饮食，消除积滞（《医余》记载：有因食用粽子导致积食的，用神曲末少量加入木香，以盐汤送服，几天后口中闻到酒香味，积滞便消散了）。
治疗痰气上逆、症结痞块，以及泄泻痢疾、腹部胀满。
回乳（将神曲炒熟研成粉末，用酒送服二钱，每日两次）；下胎（产后血晕，服用神曲末也有效），也能治疗眼病（《启微集》记载：生用神曲，能激发其生气；熟用神曲，能收敛其暴烈之气）。
制作神曲的方法：在五月五日或六月六日，取白面一百斤，赤豆末、杏仁泥、青蒿汁、苍耳汁、红蓼汁各三升，用来配伍青龙、白虎、朱雀、玄武、蛇、勾陈这六位神灵（指代不同的药材或方位属性），混合做成饼状，生出黄色的菌衣，晒干收藏。陈年的神曲效果更好。使用时需炒制。
红曲，具有破血、燥湿、消食的功效。
味甘性温，颜色赤红。
入营分而能破血，燥胃消食，活血和血。
治疗赤白痢疾，跌打损伤，产后恶露不尽（李时珍说：人的水谷进入胃中，中焦湿热熏蒸，游溢精气，化为营血，这是造化自然的奥妙。红曲是将白米饭混杂曲面母，经过湿热蒸制，就变为真正的红色，这是人窥探到造化巧妙之处而制成的。所以治疗脾胃营血方面的疾病，符合“同气相求”的道理）。红曲以深入米心、陈年久放的为好（汪昂按语：红曲性温燥，能使食物腐败变熟。所以鱼肉菜肴常用它，不仅是为了取其颜色）。
醋，又名苦酒。
具有散瘀、敛气、消痈肿的功效。
味酸性温。
散瘀解毒，下气消食（食物被收敛缩小则自然消解），开胃气（让人增进食欲，《本草》未记载此功效），散水气。
治疗心腹血气疼痛（磨碎木香与醋同服），产后血晕（用火淬醋，让患者闻其气味），症结痰癖，黄疸痈肿（外科敷药多用之，取其收敛壅热、散瘀解毒的作用。汪昂按语：贝母性散而能敛疮口，正因为能散，所以能敛。醋性酸收而能散痈肿，正因为能消解，所以内散；溃破之后，外散。收敛之处即是消散之处，两者道理一致）；口舌生疮（含漱），损伤积血（用面粉调和醋涂抹，能消散积血），谷物、鱼、肉、菜、蘑菇、各种虫毒。
多食伤筋（因为收缩太过。酒和醋无所不入，所以制药多用它们）。醋以米酿造、陈年久放的为好（寇宗奭说：吃酸的东西牙齿会软，是因为齿属肾，酸属肝，肝木气强则肾水气弱的原因）。
Xuan (Shenqu, Medicated Leaven), promotes the movement of Qi, resolves phlegm, and aids digestion.
The pungent flavor disperses Qi, the sweet flavor harmonizes the middle Jiao, and the warm nature opens the stomach appetite.
It transforms water and grain, and eliminates food stagnation (as recorded in *Yiyu*: for stagnation caused by eating zongzi, a small amount of Shenqu powder mixed with Muxiang is taken with salted water; after several days, a wine aroma is detected in the mouth, indicating the resolution of stagnation).
It treats rebellious phlegm-Qi, fixed masses, diarrhea, dysentery, and abdominal distension.
It stops lactation (take two qian of roasted and powdered Shenqu with wine, twice daily); it expels the fetus (effective for postpartum blood syncope when taken as powder), and also treats eye diseases (as recorded in *Qiwei Ji*: raw Shenqu stimulates its vital energy; cooked Shenqu restrains its excessive energy).
Method of preparation: On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month or the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, take 100 jin of white flour, along with three sheng each of red bean powder, almond paste, Qinghao juice, Cang'er juice, and Hongliao juice. These are combined to represent the six deities (Qinglong, Baihu, Zhuque, Xuanwu, She, Gouchen), mixed into cakes, allowed to grow yellow mold, dried, and stored. Aged Shenqu is superior. It should be stir-fried before use.
Hongqu (Red Yeast Rice), breaks blood stasis, dries dampness, and aids digestion.
It is sweet, warm, and red in color.
It enters the Ying level to break blood stasis, dries the stomach to aid digestion, and invigorates and harmonizes blood.
It treats bloody and non-bloody dysentery, traumatic injuries, and lochia retention after childbirth (Li Shizhen stated: When food and drink enter the stomach, the damp-heat of the Middle Jiao steams and vaporizes, transforming essence and qi into Ying-blood; this is the natural wonder of creation. Hongqu is made by mixing white rice with Qu mother and steaming it with damp-heat until it turns true red; this is humanity imitating the ingenuity of creation. Thus, treating Spleen and Stomach Ying-blood disorders follows the principle of "seeking similarity in kind"). Hongqu that penetrates the core of the rice grain and has been aged for a long time is best (Wang Ang noted: Hongqu is warm and drying, capable of ripening food through fermentation. Hence, it is used in fish and meat dishes not only for its color).
Cu (Vinegar), also known as Kujiu.
Disperses blood stasis, astringes Qi, and reduces carbuncles and swellings.
It is sour and warm.
It disperses stasis and resolves toxicity, directs Qi downward, and aids digestion (food is digested as it is contracted and reduced), opens the stomach appetite (increases desire to eat, a function not recorded in *Bencao*), and disperses fluid retention.
It treats pain from Qi and blood stagnation in the heart and abdomen (administered with ground Muxiang), postpartum blood syncope (by quenching hot iron in vinegar and inhaling the fumes), fixed masses and phlegm accumulations, jaundice, and carbuncle swellings (frequently used in external surgical applications for its ability to astringe heat, disperse stasis, and resolve toxicity. Wang Ang noted: Beimu is dispersing yet can astringe wound edges because its dispersing action allows for healing. Vinegar is sour and astringing yet can disperse swellings because its resolving action leads to internal dispersion; upon ulceration, there is external dispersion. The point of astringency is the point of dispersion; both share the same principle). It treats sores on the mouth and tongue (used for gargling), traumatic blood stasis (mixed with flour and applied topically to disperse stasis), and poison from grains, fish, meat, vegetables, mushrooms, and various insects.
Excessive consumption damages the sinews due to excessive contraction. Since wine and vinegar penetrate everywhere, they are widely used in herbal processing. Vinegar made from rice and aged for a long time is best (Kou Zongshi stated: Consuming sour substances softens the teeth because teeth belong to the Kidney, while sourness belongs to the Liver; when Liver Wood Qi is strong, Kidney Water Qi becomes weak).