气味辛寒，无毒。主治暴热身痒，下水气，胜酒，长须发，止消渴。久服轻身。
（水萍处处池泽止水中皆有。季春始生，而盛于夏。一叶过宿即生数叶，叶下有微须，
即其根也。叶小而圆，面青背紫，其紫赤若血者，谓之紫背浮萍，入药为良。七月收采，置
竹筛内，下以盆水映之晒日中，方易干也。）
太阳之气，根于水中，而外浮于肤表。萍生水中，浮于水面，盖禀太阳之气化。其背紫
赤，
皆连于水，乃太阳之气，根于水中也。盛于暑夏，乃太阳之气，开浮而主夏也。气味辛寒者
，辛属干金，太阳如天而合干。寒本太阳，太阳标阳而本寒也。主治暴热身痒者，风热之邪
，暴客皮肤，一身苦痒。水萍禀寒水之气，外行肤表，故暴热身痒可治也。下水气者，太阳
之气外达皮毛，则膀胱之水气自下也。胜酒者，酒性辛温而剽悍，先行皮肤。水萍辛寒而解
热，亦先行皮肤，故能胜酒。长须发者，太阳为诸阳主气，而熏肤泽毛，须发长也。得寒水
之精气，故止消渴。久服则阴精盛而阳气充，故轻身。
太阳之气出于水中，上与君火相合而主日。水萍下为水映，上为日晒方干，乃太阳之气，
上下相通，此物理自然之妙用也。
气味苦平，无毒。主治腰脊痛强，骨节风寒湿周痹，恶疮不瘳，热气。
（萆 处处有之，出川蜀、怀庆者佳。苗引延蔓，茎叶俱青有刺，叶作三叉，花有红黄
白数种，亦有无花结白子者，根黄白色，多枝节而硬，故《别录》一名赤节萆 ，犹卑解也。
以其专精在根，性引延上，从下解上之义。）
凡草木之根 ，坚硬而骨胜者，主肾。有刺而藤蔓者，走经脉。萆 骨胜藤蔓，故主治
腰脊痛强，骨节风寒而主肾。又，治湿痹、周痹，而主经脉。苦能清热，故治恶疮不瘳之热
气。
气味辛、寒，无毒。主治突然发热伴身体瘙痒，利水气，解酒毒，促进须发生长，止消渴。长期服用可使人身体轻健。
（水萍在各地的池塘沼泽及静止水域中都有生长。季春时节开始生长，夏季最为茂盛。一片叶子经过一夜就会生出几片新叶，叶下有细微的根须，这就是它的根。叶片小而圆，正面青色背面紫色，其中紫红色如血的，称为紫背浮萍，入药效果最好。七月采收，放在竹筛内，下面用盆水映照，在太阳下晾晒，才容易晒干。）
太阳之气，根源在于水中，而外浮于皮肤表面。水萍生长在水中，漂浮于水面，大概禀受了太阳之气的化生。其背面紫赤色，都与水相连，这是太阳之气扎根于水中的表现。在暑热夏季生长旺盛，是太阳之气开泄上浮而主宰夏季的表现。气味辛、寒，辛属于金，太阳如同天而合于干（天）。寒本是太阳的本性，太阳标阳而本寒。主治突然发热伴身体瘙痒，是因为风热邪气突然侵袭皮肤，导致全身苦痒。水萍禀受寒水之气，外行于皮肤表面，所以能治疗突然发热伴身体瘙痒。利水气，是因为太阳之气外达皮毛，则膀胱的水气自然下行。解酒毒，是因为酒性辛温而剽悍，先行于皮肤。水萍辛寒而解热，也先行于皮肤，所以能解酒毒。促进须发生长，是因为太阳为诸阳之主气，熏蒸肌肤润泽毛发，所以须发生长。得到寒水的精气，所以能止消渴。长期服用则阴精盛而阳气充盛，所以身体轻健。
太阳之气出于水中，上与君火相合而主宰日。水萍下被水映照，上被日晒才干，这是太阳之气上下相通，这是物理自然的妙用。
气味苦、平，无毒。主治腰脊疼痛僵硬，骨节间的风寒湿周痹，恶疮久不愈合，热气。
（萆薢各地都有，出产于川蜀、怀庆地区的品质较好。苗茎蔓延，茎叶都青且有刺，叶作三叉形，花有红、黄、白几种颜色，也有不开花结白色种子的，根黄白色，多枝节且坚硬，所以《别录》又名赤节萆薢，犹言卑解。因为它专精于根部，性质引延向上，是从下解除上的含义。）
凡是草木的根，坚硬而骨质胜者，主肾。有刺且藤蔓的，走经脉。萆薢骨质胜且藤蔓，所以主治腰脊疼痛僵硬，骨节间的风寒并主肾。另外，治疗湿痹、周痹，并主经脉。苦能清热，所以治疗恶疮久不愈合的热气。
Taste and Nature: Acrid, Cold; Non-toxic. Indications: Sudden fever with pruritus (body itching), promotes urination to resolve fluid retention, counteracts alcohol toxicity, promotes the growth of beard and hair, stops Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome). Long-term use results in a light body.
(Shuiping [Water Duckweed] is found everywhere in ponds, marshes, and stagnant waters. It begins to grow in late spring and flourishes in summer. One leaf over night generates several new leaves; beneath the leaves are fine rootlets, which constitute its roots. The leaves are small and round, green on the surface and purple on the back. Those that are purple-red like blood are called Zibei Fuping [Purple-backed Floating Duckweed], which are superior for medicinal use. Harvested in July, placed in bamboo sieves, dried under the sun with basins of water reflecting underneath, it dries easily.)
The Qi of Taiyang (Greater Yang) has its root in water and floats outwardly on the skin surface. Shuiping grows in water and floats on the surface, thereby inheriting the transformation of Taiyang Qi. Its purple-red back connects with the water, indicating that Taiyang Qi takes root in water. It flourishes in the hot summer, representing the opening and floating upward of Taiyang Qi which governs summer. The taste is acrid and cold. Acrid belongs to Metal; Taiyang is like Heaven and corresponds to Qian (Heaven). Cold is the original nature of Taiyang; Taiyang manifests as Yang but its root is Cold. Regarding sudden fever with pruritus: Wind-Heat pathogenic factors suddenly invade the skin, causing general itching. Shuiping inherits the Qi of Cold Water and acts externally on the skin surface, thus treating sudden fever with pruritus. Regarding promoting urination: When Taiyang Qi reaches the exterior skin and hair follicles, the fluid Qi of the Bladder naturally descends. Regarding counteracting alcohol: Alcohol is acrid, warm, and pungent, acting first on the skin. Shuiping is acrid and cold, resolving heat, and also acts first on the skin, thus countering alcohol. Regarding promoting beard and hair growth: Taiyang is the master Qi of all Yang meridians, steaming the skin and moistening the hair, leading to the growth of beard and hair. By obtaining the essence of Cold Water, it stops Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome). Long-term use causes Yin Essence to flourish and Yang Qi to become abundant, resulting in a light body.
Taiyang Qi emerges from water, combines upwardly with Minister Fire (Jun Huo), and governs the Sun. Shuiping is reflected by water below and dried by the sun above, demonstrating the mutual communication of Taiyang Qi between upper and lower, which is the wonderful application of natural physical laws.
Taste and Nature: Bitter, Neutral; Non-toxic. Indications: Pain and stiffness of the waist and spine, wind-cold-dampness generalized bi-syndrome affecting bone joints, chronic non-healing malignant sores, Heat Qi.
(Bibo [Dioscorea Hypoglauca Rhizome] is found everywhere; those from Chuan-Shu and Huaqing regions are superior. The vines extend and creep; stems and leaves are green with thorns; leaves are trifoliate; flowers come in red, yellow, and white varieties, and some produce white seeds without flowering. The rhizome is yellowish-white, multi-jointed and hard. Therefore, "Bie Lu" [Ben Cao Jing Jiu Yi] calls it Chi Jie Bi [Red-Jointed Bibo], implying "lower resolution." Because its efficacy concentrates in the root, its nature extends upward, signifying the meaning of resolving pathology from below upwards.)
Generally, herbal roots that are hard and bone-like govern the Kidney. Plants with thorns and vines circulate through the meridians. Bibo possesses both bone-like hardness and vine-like extension; therefore, it treats pain and stiffness of the waist and spine, wind-cold in bone joints, and governs the Kidney. Furthermore, it treats damp-bi and generalized bi-syndrome, governing the meridians. Bitter flavor clears Heat; thus, it treats the Heat Qi associated with chronic non-healing malignant sores.