藕始终以生、以长、以穿穴于水中，而孔窍玲珑，丝纶内隐，故能入心所主之血。又味
甘入
鸡头植于水与藕同，味甘平补中亦同。惟藕始终不离水而善穿泥，鸡头则取苞中之实，
而苞有青刺，结必向阳。藕气寒而鸡头气温，藕性润而鸡头性燥。藕所以为血药者，以其在
水中穿穴也。鸡头所以为气药者，以向阳而得天气也。藕气寒性润善穿，故能散血除热。鸡
头气温性燥有刺，故能除湿通痹。
鸡头主湿痹，取其能通。然其通以涩为通，故本经又以益精气继之。后世用于遗精带浊
小便不禁之方颇多，则涩精之功，较胜于通痹之功矣。
土寄旺于四时，而人身之土亦然。天地生补土之物以为人用亦然。白术补土，为补土之
本宫，固医无不知矣。窃谓补心中之土者莲实也，补肝中之土者薏苡也，补肺中之土者山药
也，补肾中之土者鸡头实也。白术而外，四物皆饮馔之常品，可见心肝肺肾土有所歉，亦赖
饮食以补之，偶有所见，附志于此。
柏为百木之长，叶独西指，是为金木相媾。仁则色黄白而味辛甘气清香，有脂而燥，虽
润不腻。故肝得之而风虚能去，脾得之而湿痹能通，肺得之而大肠虚秘能已。竹皮大丸喘加
柏实者，肺病亦肝病也。盖妇人乳中烦呕，是肝气之逆，逆则不下归肾而上冲肺。柏实得西
指之气，能降肺以辑肝，喘宁有不止。此与他喘证不同，故用药亦异也。
藕始终生长在浅水中，向上延伸并穿透水下的淤泥，其内部孔窍玲珑剔透，丝状维管束隐于其中，因此能够进入心所主司的血分。另外，藕味甘美，能入脾经。
鸡头实（芡实）生长在水中，与藕相似，味甘平，具有补益中焦脾胃的作用，这一点也与藕相同。然而，藕始终不离水且善于穿透淤泥，而鸡头实则是取苞叶包裹中的果实，其苞叶带有青色的刺，结实时必定朝向太阳。藕的气性寒凉而鸡头实的气性温热；藕的性质滋润而鸡头实的性质燥烈。藕之所以成为血分药，是因为它在水中穿透淤泥的特性；鸡头实之所以成为气分药，是因为它朝向太阳而汲取天阳之气的特性。藕气寒、性润且善于穿透，因此能散瘀血、除虚热。鸡头实气温、性燥且有刺，因此能祛除湿邪、通利痹阻。
鸡头实主治湿痹，取其能疏通经络的作用。然而，它的疏通是以收敛固涩为特点的，所以《神农本草经》在提到它之后又补充说它能益精气。后世医家在治疗遗精、白带过多、小便不禁的方剂中大量使用它，这说明其固涩精微的功效，比通利痹阻的功效更为显著。
土行寄旺于四季之中，人体的脾土也是如此。天地生成补益脾土的物产供人使用，也是同样的道理。白术是补益脾土的根本药物，这是医生们都知道的。但我认为，补益心中脾土的是莲子，补益肝中脾土的是薏苡仁，补益肺中脾土的是山药，补益肾中脾土的是鸡头实。除了白术之外，这四种食材都是日常饮食中的常用品，可见心、肝、肺、肾四脏中的“土”若有不足，也依赖饮食来补益。这是我偶有所得，记录于此。
柏树是百木之长，叶子独自向西指，这是金（肺/西）与木（肝/东）相互交媾的象征。柏树的种子（柏实）颜色黄白，味道辛甘，气味清香，含有油脂但质地干燥，虽然滋润但不油腻。因此，肝脏得到它能去除风虚之证，脾脏得到它能通利湿痹之证，肺脏得到它能治愈大肠虚秘之证。在竹皮大丸中治疗气喘时加入柏实，是因为肺病往往兼有肝病。大概因为妇女在哺乳期出现心烦呕吐，这是肝气上逆所致，气逆则不能下归于肾而上冲于肺。柏实得自向西指的肃降之气，能够降肺气以安抚肝气，气喘自然得以平息。这与其它类型的气喘证不同，所以用药也随之不同。
The lotus root (Ou) always grows in shallow water, extending upwards and penetrating the mud beneath. Its internal structure is characterized by delicate perforations and hidden fibrous vascular bundles; thus, it can enter the blood domain governed by the Heart. Furthermore, its sweet flavor enters the Spleen meridian.
The Chinese water chestnut seed (Jitou Shu / Euryale Seed), also known as Qian Shi, grows in water similarly to the lotus root. It has a sweet and neutral flavor and tonifies the Middle Jiao (Spleen and Stomach), which is similar to the lotus root. However, while the lotus root remains in the water and excels at penetrating mud, the Chinese water chestnut seed is the fruit enclosed within a bract that bears green thorns, and it must face the sun when forming. The lotus root is cold in nature and moistening, whereas the Chinese water chestnut seed is warm in nature and drying. The reason the lotus root serves as a blood-invigorating herb is its ability to penetrate through water and mud; the reason the Chinese water chestnut seed serves as an Qi-regulating herb is its orientation towards the sun to absorb celestial Yang Qi. Due to its cold nature, moistening quality, and penetrating ability, the lotus root can dissipate blood stasis and clear heat. Due to its warm nature, drying quality, and thorny exterior, the Chinese water chestnut seed can dispel dampness and unblock Bi syndrome (painful obstruction).
The Chinese water chestnut seed treats damp-Bi syndrome by virtue of its unblocking properties. However, this unblocking is achieved through astringency; therefore, the *Shennong Bencao Jing* follows this with the statement that it benefits Essence and Qi. In later generations, it was frequently used in prescriptions for seminal emission, leukorrhea, and urinary incontinence, indicating that its function of astringing Essence surpasses its function of unblocking Bi syndrome.
Earth governs the four seasons, and the Earth element in the human body is likewise distributed throughout. Just as Heaven and Earth produce substances to tonify Earth for human use, so too do specific foods serve this purpose. Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu) is the fundamental herb for tonifying Spleen Earth, a fact known to all physicians. I propose that Lotus Seed (Lian Zi) tonifies the Earth within the Heart, Coix Seed (Yiyi Ren) tonifies the Earth within the Liver, Chinese Yam (Shanyao) tonifies the Earth within the Lung, and Chinese Water Chestnut Seed (Jitou Shu) tonifies the Earth within the Kidney. Apart from Baizhu, these four items are common dietary staples. This demonstrates that if the "Earth" aspect of the Heart, Liver, Lung, or Kidney is deficient, it can be supplemented through diet. These are my occasional observations, recorded here.
The Cypress tree is the leader among hundred trees; its leaves point uniquely westward, symbolizing the interaction between Metal (West/Lung) and Wood (East/Liver). The seed (Bai Shi) is yellowish-white, tastes pungent and sweet, has a clear fragrance, contains oil but is dry, and although moistening, it is not greasy. Therefore, when the Liver obtains it, wind-deficiency conditions are eliminated; when the Spleen obtains it, damp-Bi conditions are unblocked; when the Lung obtains it, deficiency-type constipation of the Large Intestine is resolved. In the Zhupi Dawan Decoction, Bai Shi is added to treat asthma because lung disease often involves liver pathology. Specifically, irritability and vomiting during lactation in women result from rebellious Liver Qi; rebellion prevents Qi from descending to the Kidney and causes it to rush upward to the Lung. Bai Shi, possessing the descending Qi of the west-pointing direction, can descend Lung Qi to pacify the Liver, thereby calming asthma. This differs from other types of asthma syndromes, hence the medication is also different.