桃有肤毛为肺果，仁则主攻瘀血而为肝药，兼疏肤腠之瘀。惟其为肝药，故桃核承气汤、
抵当汤、抵当丸治在少腹，鳖甲煎丸治在胁下，大黄牡丹汤治在大肠，桂枝茯苓丸治在症痼
，下瘀血汤治在脐下。惟其为肺果兼疏肤腠之瘀，故大黄 虫丸治肌肤甲错，千金苇茎汤治
胸中甲错，王海藏以桂枝红花汤加海蛤桃仁治妇人血结胸，桃仁之用尽于是矣。
本经桃仁主瘀血血闭症瘕邪气（邹氏本经疏证无症字）。张隐庵以邪气单顶症瘕，谓血
与寒汁沫留聚于肠胃之外，凝结为症瘕。邹氏则连上主瘀血血闭为句，如释以他处文法如紫
葳主症瘕血闭之寒热非主症瘕血闭等例有所不可，特变其说，以邪气为瘀血、血闭瘕受病之
因。噫！邹氏之不知阙疑亦甚矣。其援仲圣方以自解也，曰∶用桃仁之外候有三∶一表证未
罢，一少腹有故，一身中甲错。若三者一件不见，必无用桃仁之事。夫少腹有故，身中甲错，
是着其证非溯其因，于邪气何与。至表证未罢，如桃核承气汤、抵当汤、抵当丸，则以表证
虽未罢，而伤寒至热结膀胱，则不当解表惟当攻里，其方岂半治里半治表哉。桃仁若与桂枝
解表，则抵当何以无桂枝哉。仲圣用药殊有分寸，抵当治瘀血之已结，故纯用血药峻攻；桃
核承气治瘀血之将结（已结将结说本洄溪），故兼以桂枝甘草化气。桂枝茯苓丸，下症之方
也。血病非得气药不化，故逐瘀止丹皮桃仁，而以苓芍药桂枝入病所，为下症之前导，何尝
有一毫表证
纲目引典术云∶桃乃西方之木，五木之精，味辛气恶，能辟邪气制百鬼。本草中如孟诜
于桃胶，则云主恶鬼邪气。陈藏器于桃橛，则云辟邪恶气。即桃仁能治尸疰鬼疰，亦见于肘
后诸方。然则本经此处邪气二字或指邪鬼气言之，未可知也。
桃子的外皮有绒毛，属于肺经的果实；桃仁则主要攻逐瘀血，是入肝经的药物，同时也能疏通皮肤腠理间的瘀滞。正因为它是入肝经的药物，所以桃核承气汤、抵当汤、抵当丸治疗部位在少腹（下腹部），鳖甲煎丸治疗部位在胁下（肋骨下方），大黄牡丹汤治疗部位在大肠，桂枝茯苓丸治疗部位在癥瘕（腹内结块），下瘀血汤治疗部位在脐下。正因为它是肺经果实且能疏通皮肤腠理的瘀滞，所以大黄䗪虫丸治疗肌肤粗糙如鳞甲状（肌肤甲错），千金苇茎汤治疗胸中肌肤粗糙如鳞甲状，王海藏用桂枝红花汤加上海蛤和桃仁治疗妇人血结胸证，桃仁的功效大致就在这里了。
《神农本草经》记载桃仁主治瘀血、血闭、癥瘕及邪气（邹氏版本的《本经疏证》中没有“症”字）。张隐庵认为“邪气”二字单独顶格书写，对应“癥瘕”，意思是血液与寒湿汁沫留聚在肠胃之外，凝结形成癥瘕。邹氏则将“主瘀血血闭”连成一句，如果按照解释其他处文法的方式，比如紫葳主治癥瘕血闭引起的寒热，而不是主治癥瘕血闭本身等例子来看，这种说法似乎不可行，于是邹氏改变说法，认为“邪气”是导致瘀血、血闭、癥瘕发病的原因。唉！邹氏对于存疑之处不知保留而随意解说，也太严重了。他引用张仲景的方剂来为自己辩解，说：使用桃仁的外在指征有三点：一是表证尚未解除，二是少腹有旧疾或积滞，三是身体肌肤出现甲错现象。如果这三点中没有任何一点出现，就一定没有使用桃仁的情况。然而，“少腹有故”、“身中甲错”，这是描述具体的证候，而非追溯病因，这与“邪气”有什么关系呢？至于“表证未罢”，像桃核承气汤、抵当汤、抵当丸这些方剂，是因为虽然表证未解，但伤寒病已发展至热结膀胱的阶段，此时不应当解表，只应当攻里，这些方剂难道是半治表半治里的吗？如果桃仁是用来配合桂枝解表的，那么抵当汤为什么没有桂枝呢？张仲景用药非常有分寸，抵当汤治疗已经形成的瘀血，所以纯用活血药峻猛攻逐；桃核承气汤治疗即将形成的瘀血（关于已结与将结的说法源自徐灵胎《洄溪医案》），所以兼用桂枝、甘草来化气行血。桂枝茯苓丸是消除癥块的方剂。血病如果不借助气药是无法化解的，所以在用丹皮、桃仁逐瘀的同时，加入茯苓、芍药、桂枝引导药力到达病所，作为消除癥块的前导，哪里有一丝一毫是为了治疗表证呢？
《本草纲目》引用典术的话说：桃是西方的木，是五种树木的精气，味道辛烈，气味恶臭，能够辟除邪气、制服百鬼。本草书中，如孟诜论桃胶时说主治恶鬼邪气；陈藏器论桃橛（桃树根或残桩）时说能辟除邪恶之气。就连桃仁能治疗尸疰、鬼疰（一种具有传染性的慢性消耗性疾病），也见于《肘后备急方》中的各方。既然如此，《神农本草经》这里的“邪气”二字，或许是指邪鬼之气而言，这也是未可知的事情。
Peach skin has fuzz, making it a fruit associated with the Lung; peach kernels primarily attack blood stasis and serve as herbs for the Liver, while also dispersing stasis in the skin and interstices. Because it is a herb for the Liver, *Taohe Chengqi Tang* (Peach Pit Decoction to Order the Qi), *Didang Tang* (Wait-and-See Decoction), and *Didang Wan* (Wait-and-See Pill) treat conditions in the Shaoyang abdomen (lower abdomen); *Biejia Jian Wan* (Softening the Mass Pill with Turtle Shell) treats conditions under the hypochondrium; *Dahuang Mudan Tang* (Rhubarb and Moutan Decoction) treats the Large Intestine; *Guizhi Fuling Wan* (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill) treats fixed masses (*Zhenggu*); and *Xiayuxue Tang* (Decoction to Drain Down Blood Stasis) treats below the umbilicus. Because it is a Lung fruit that also disperses stasis in the skin and interstices, *Dahuang Zhechong Wan* (Rhubarb and Ground Beetle Pill) treats rough skin resembling scales (*Ji Fu Jia Cuo*); *Qianjin Weijing Tang* (Reed Rhizome Decoction from the Thousand Gold Formulas) treats roughness in the chest; Wang Haicang used *Guizhi Honghua Tang* (Cinnamon Twig and Safflower Decoction) plus *Haige* (Clam Shell) and *Taoren* (Peach Kernel) to treat blood-stagnation chest binding in women. The uses of Peach Kernel are exhausted here.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) states that Peach Kernel governs blood stasis, blood obstruction, fixed masses (*Zhengjia*), and evil qi (Zou’s version of *Benjing Shuzheng* omits the character "Zheng"). Zhang Yinan interprets "evil qi" as standing alone opposite "fixed masses," meaning blood and cold fluid residues remain gathered outside the intestines and stomach, coagulating into fixed masses. Zou connects "governs blood stasis and blood obstruction" as one phrase. If interpreted using grammatical patterns elsewhere, such as "Ziwei governs the chills and fever caused by fixed masses and blood obstruction, rather than governing the masses and obstruction themselves," this interpretation seems untenable. Thus, Zou alters the theory, suggesting "evil qi" is the cause of disease leading to blood stasis, blood obstruction, and masses. Alas! Zou’s failure to acknowledge uncertainty is quite severe. He cites Zhang Zhongjing’s formulas to explain himself, saying: There are three external indications for using Peach Kernel: first, the exterior syndrome has not yet resolved; second, there is an existing condition in the lower abdomen; third, there is scaling of the body's skin. If none of these three are present, there is certainly no reason to use Peach Kernel. However, "existing condition in the lower abdomen" and "scaling of the body's skin" describe specific manifestations, not trace back to causes; what does this have to do with "evil qi"? Regarding "exterior syndrome not yet resolved," in formulas like *Taohe Chengqi Tang*, *Didang Tang*, and *Didang Wan*, although the exterior syndrome may not be resolved, once Taiyang cold damage progresses to heat binding in the Bladder, one should not release the exterior but only purge the interior. Are these formulas half-treating the interior and half-treating the exterior? If Peach Kernel were used with Guizhi (Cinnamon Twig) to release the exterior, why does *Didang Tang* lack Guizhi? Zhang Zhongjing’s medication is always precise. *Didang Tang* treats already formed blood stasis, thus purely using blood-invigorating herbs for fierce purging; *Taohe Chengqi Tang* treats blood stasis about to form (the distinction between already formed and about to form originates from Xu Lingtai’s *Huixi Yi'an*), thus additionally using Guizhi and Gancao (Licorice) to transform Qi. *Guizhi Fuling Wan* is a formula to eliminate masses. Blood diseases cannot be resolved without Qi-moving herbs; therefore, while using Danpi (Moutan Bark) and Taoren to drive out stasis, Fuling (Poria), Shaoyao (Peony Root), and Guizhi are added to guide the medicine to the site of disease, serving as a vanguard for eliminating masses. Where is there even a hint of treating an exterior syndrome?
*Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) cites *Diangu* stating: Peach is the wood of the West, the essence of the five woods, with a pungent taste and foul odor, capable of repelling evil qi and subduing hundred demons. In materia medica texts, Meng Shen on Peach Gum says it governs evil ghosts and evil qi; Chen Cangqi on Peach Stumps says it repels evil and wicked qi. Even the ability of Peach Kernel to treat corpse transmission (*Shizhu*) and ghost transmission (*Guizhu*)—infectious chronic wasting diseases—is seen in various prescriptions in *Zhouhou Beiji Fang* (Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies). Therefore, the term "evil qi" in this passage of the *Shennong Bencao Jing* might refer to evil ghostly qi, which is also possible.