【气味】
辛温无毒。半浮半沉。可升可降。阳中之阴也。又云大辛大热。为阳中之阳。
【主治】
其用有四。通心助阳。去脏腑沉寒痼冷。发诸经之寒气。疗感寒腹痛。故肾中无阳
。
脉气欲绝。附子为引。名姜附汤。亦治中焦寒邪淫胜之症。又能补下焦。故四逆汤用之以治
里寒。理中汤用之以回阳气。或言干姜为心脾二气分之药。则当补心气之不足。补脾胃之空
虚。今理中汤用之言泄不言补何也。盖辛热燥湿。泄脾中寒湿邪气。非泄正气也。邪去而正
自升。只言其泄之功可也。又或云服干姜以治中者。恐其僭上。不可不知。何也。盖干姜入
肺中利肺气。入肾中燥下湿。入肝经引血药生血。同补阴药亦能引血药入气分。然温肺必和
之以五味。温胃必和之以人参。而概缓之以甘草之甘。庶不致壮火而食气也。久服令人目暗
。孕妇不可食。恐令胎内消。炒黑为灰。能引血药入血分。引气药入气分。另有奇功。
【气味】
辛温涩无毒。纯阳而浮。入足太阴阳明经。
【主治】
风寒客邪。散滞气。利膈上痰。若身受寒邪。口食寒物。胃寒作痛。用之如鼓应桴
。若热郁者。则不可用。恐其积温成热。有偏胜之患也。
【气味】
大温无毒。轻清而升。阳也浮也。入手太阴经。
【主治】
散肺中滞气。宽膈进饮食。温暖脾胃。感寒腹痛。止呕逆翻胃。去太阳经目内大
红筋。别有清高之气。补上焦元气之不足。
【气味】
辛，温，无毒。药性半浮半沉。既能升散又能降泄。属于阳中的阴药。又有人说它大辛大热，属于阳中的阳药。
【主治】
干姜的作用有四个方面：通达心阳并辅助阳气，祛除脏腑深处积存的寒邪和顽固冷痛，发散各条经络中的寒气，治疗因受寒引起的腹痛。因此，当肾中阳气不足、脉气即将断绝时，以附子为引导（配合使用），名为姜附汤。也能治疗中焦寒邪过盛的病症。又能补益下焦，所以四逆汤用它来治疗里寒证，理中汤用它来恢复阳气。有人说干姜是调理心和脾两脏气机的药物，那么应当用于补益心气的不足，补益脾胃的空虚。然而理中汤中使用它，说是为了“泄”而不是“补”，这是为什么呢？原来是因为干姜辛热燥湿，能泄除脾中的寒湿邪气，并非泄除正气。邪气去除后正气自然上升，只说它有泄邪的功效就可以了。又有人说服用干姜治疗中焦病证，担心它会僭越上行（导致火热上炎），这一点不可不知道。为什么呢？因为干姜进入肺中能利肺气，进入肾中能燥下焦之湿，进入肝经能引导血药生血，与补阴药同用也能引导血药进入气分。然而温肺必须用五味子调和，温胃必须用人参调和，并且一概用甘草的甘缓之性来制约，这样才不会使壮火过度而消耗元气。长期服用会导致视力模糊。孕妇不可食用，恐怕会使胎内精气消损。炒黑成炭灰后，能引导血药进入血分，引导气药进入气分，另有奇特的功效。
【气味】
辛，温，涩，无毒。纯阳且药性上浮。入足太阴脾经和足阳明胃经。
【主治】
风寒客邪，能疏散滞气，利膈上部的痰浊。如果身体感受寒邪，又吃了寒凉食物，导致胃寒作痛，使用草豆蔻就像鼓槌敲击鼓面一样迅速见效（如鼓应桴）。如果是热郁证，则不可使用，恐怕其积聚的温热之性会转化为热邪，产生偏胜的危害。
【气味】
大温，无毒。质地轻清而上行。属阳，药性上浮。入手太阴肺经。
【主治】
疏散肺中的滞气，宽胸膈以促进饮食，温暖脾胃，治疗感寒腹痛，止呕逆和翻胃，去除太阳经目内的粗大红筋。具有清高之气，能补益上焦元气的不足。
[Flavor and Nature]
Pungent, warm, non-toxic. The medicinal property is half-floating and half-sinking. It can ascend and descend. It is Yin within Yang. Some say it is extremely pungent and hot, belonging to Yang within Yang.
[Indications]
Its functions are fourfold: it unblocks the Heart and assists Yang; eliminates deep-seated cold and stubborn chill in the Zang-Fu organs; disperses cold pathogenic factors from all meridians; and treats abdominal pain caused by cold invasion. Therefore, when there is a lack of Yang in the Kidney and the pulse Qi is about to vanish, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi, 附子) is used as a guide, forming the name Jiangfu Decoction (Ginger and Aconite Decoction). It also treats conditions of excessive cold pathogenic factors in the Middle Jiao. It can also tonify the Lower Jiao; thus, Sini Decoction (Four Reversal Decoction) uses it to treat interior cold syndromes, and Lizhong Decoction (Regulate the Middle Decoction) uses it to restore Yang Qi. Some claim that dried ginger is a herb that distributes the Qi of the Heart and Spleen, so it should be used to tonify insufficiency of Heart Qi and emptiness of the Spleen and Stomach. However, in Lizhong Decoction, its use is described as "draining" rather than "tonifying." Why is this? It is because its pungent and hot nature dries dampness and drains cold-damp pathogenic factors from the Spleen, not draining healthy Qi. Once the pathogen is removed, healthy Qi naturally rises; it suffices to mention only its draining efficacy. Alternatively, some warn that taking dried ginger to treat Middle Jiao disorders may cause it to overact upwards (invade upward improperly), which must be known. Why? Because dried ginger enters the Lung to benefit Lung Qi, enters the Kidney to dry lower dampness, enters the Liver Meridian to guide blood-invigorating herbs to generate blood, and when combined with Yin-tonifying herbs, can also guide blood herbs into the Qi level. However, warming the Lung must be harmonized with Schisandrae Fructus (Wuweizi, 五味子); warming the Stomach must be harmonized with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen, 人参); and generally, the sweet and moderating nature of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao, 甘草) is used to restrain them, so as not to allow the vigorous fire to consume Qi excessively. Long-term consumption leads to dim vision. Pregnant women should not consume it, fearing it may cause dissipation of fetal essence. When stir-fried until blackened and turned to ash, it can guide blood herbs into the Blood level and Qi herbs into the Qi level, possessing other miraculous effects.
[Flavor and Nature]
Pungent, warm, astringent, non-toxic. Pure Yang and floating. Enters the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian and Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian.
[Indications]
For wind-cold external pathogens, it disperses stagnant Qi and benefits phlegm in the upper Diaphragm. If the body has been invaded by cold pathogens and cold food has been ingested, causing stomach cold and pain, using this herb acts like a drumstick striking a drum (immediate effect). If there is heat stagnation, it must not be used, for fear that accumulated warmth will transform into heat, causing harm due to excessiveness.
[Flavor and Nature]
Extremely warm, non-toxic. Light, clear, and ascending. Belongs to Yang, floating. Enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian.
[Indications]
It disperses stagnant Qi in the Lung, widens the Diaphragm to promote appetite, warms the Spleen and Stomach, treats abdominal pain from cold invasion, stops vomiting and retching, removes large red veins inside the eyes associated with the Taiyang Meridian. It possesses a pure and lofty Qi, and tonifies insufficiency of Yuan Qi in the Upper Jiao.