女贞子，味苦、甘，气平，无毒，入肾经。黑须乌发，壮筋强力，安五脏，补中气，除
百病
养精神。多服，补血祛风，健身不老。近人多用之，然其力甚微，可入丸以补虚，不便入汤
以滋益。与熟地、枸杞、南烛、麦冬、首乌、旱莲草、乌芝麻、山药、桑椹、茄花、杜仲、
白术同用，真变白之神丹也。然又为丸则验，不可责其近效也。
或问女贞既善黑须，又有诸益，自宜入汤剂中，以收其功，何以不宜乎？夫女贞子功缓，
入
在汤剂中，实无关于重轻，无之不见损，有之不见益。若必欲入汤剂，非加入一两不可，然
而过多，则又与胃不相宜。盖女贞少用则气平，多用则气浮也。
女贞子，非冬青也。冬青子大，而女贞子小，冬青子长，而女贞子圆也。若用冬青更为
寒凉
，尤无功效，未可因《本草》言是一种，而采家园之冬青子以入药也。
或疑女贞子为长生之药，而子以为无足重轻，何以又誉之为变白之神丹乎？曰∶余前言
其有
功者，附之于诸补阴药中为丸，以变白也，后言其无足重轻者，欲单恃之作汤，难速效也。
女贞子缓则有功，而速则寡效，故用之速，实不能取胜于一时；而用之缓，实能延生于永久
，亦在人用之得宜耳。
浓朴，味甘、辛，气大温，阴中之阳，可升可降，无毒。入脾、胃、大肠。主中风寒热，
治
霍乱转筋，止呕逆吐酸，禁泻利淋露，消痰下气。乃佐使之药，不可为君臣。盖攻而不补，
有损无益之味也，然而善用之，收功正多，未可弃而不用。大约宜与诸药同用，同大黄、枳
实，则泻实满矣；同人参、苍术、陈皮，则泻湿满矣；同桂枝，则伤寒之头痛可除；同槟榔
、枳实，则痢疾之秽物可去。同苦药则泻，同温药则补，同和药则止痛，同攻药则除痞，亦
在人善用之。倘错认为补益，虚人用之，脱元气矣。
或问浓朴收功甚多，不补而能之乎？夫疑浓朴为补，固不可。然而，浓朴实攻药，能于
攻处
见补，此浓朴之奇也。若论其性，实非补剂也。
或浓朴能升清降浊，有之乎？曰∶浓朴可升可降，非自能升清而降浊也。用之补气之中，
则
清气能升。用之于补血之中，则浊气能降。升降全恃乎气血之药，与浓朴何所与哉。
或问浓朴佐大黄以攻坚，仲景张公入于承气汤中，有奇义乎？曰∶承气汤中用大黄者，
以邪
结于大肠也。大黄迅拂之速，何藉于浓朴。不知大黄走而不守，而浓朴降中有升，留大黄而
不骤降，则消导祛除，合而成功，自然根株务绝，无有少留。此浓朴入之大承气汤，佐大黄
之义也。
或问浓朴入于平胃散中，以平胃气，似浓朴乃益胃之品，而非损胃之药。然平胃散，非
益胃
之品也。彼其命名之意，谓胃之不平者而平之也，是泻胃气之有余，非补胃气之不足。胃气
既无所补，又何所益乎。平胃散用浓朴，泻胃实而不补胃虚，人奈何错认为益胃之品哉。
女贞子，味道苦、甘，性质平和，没有毒性，归入肾经。它能令黑须变黑、头发乌黑，强壮筋骨，安定五脏，补益中气，祛除百病，滋养精神。长期服用，可以补血祛风，强身健体，延缓衰老。近代人常用它，然而它的药力非常微弱，适合制成丸剂来补虚，不适合入汤剂来滋益身体。与熟地黄、枸杞、南烛、麦冬、何首乌、旱莲草、黑芝麻、山药、桑椹、茄花、杜仲、白术一同使用，真是能让白发变黑的灵丹妙药。但是做成丸剂才见效，不能指望它迅速起效。
有人问：女贞既然善于使胡须变黑，又有诸多益处，自然应该入汤剂中，以收其功效，为什么说不适宜呢？这是因为女贞子的药效缓慢，如果放入汤剂中，实际上对病情轻重无关紧要，不用它不见得受损，用了它也不见得有增益。如果一定要入汤剂，非加入一两不可，然而用量过多，又与胃不相适宜。大概女贞子少量使用时药性平和，大量使用时药性则浮散。
女贞子，不是冬青。冬青子个头大，而女贞子个头小；冬青子形状长，而女贞子形状圆。如果使用冬青，药性更为寒凉，尤其没有功效，不要因为《本草》说它是一种，就采摘园子里的冬青子入药。
有人怀疑女贞子是长生不老药，而我却认为它无足轻重，为什么又称赞它是让头发变白的灵丹妙药呢？回答说：我前面说它有功效，是把它附在诸种补阴药中制成丸剂，用来让头发变白；后面说它无足轻重，是想说明如果单独依靠它煎汤服用，很难快速见效。女贞子慢慢用则有功效，快速用则功效很少，所以用得急，实在不能在一时取胜；而用得缓，实在能延长寿命于永久，这也在于使用者运用得当罢了。
浓朴，味道甘、辛，性质大温，属于阴中之阳，可升可降，没有毒性。归入脾、胃、大肠经。主治中风寒热，治疗霍乱转筋，止住呕逆吐酸，禁止泻利淋露，消除痰浊，下气。它是辅助性的药物，不能作为君药或臣药。大概是只攻伐不补益，只有损害没有好处的药味，然而善于使用它，收获的功效正多，不可以抛弃而不使用。大致适宜与其他药物同用，与大黄、枳实同用，就能泻除实满；与人参、苍术、陈皮同用，就能泻除湿满；与桂枝同用，就能祛除伤寒引起的头痛；与槟榔、枳实同用，就能去除痢疾中的秽物。与苦药同用则泻，与温药同用则补，与调和药同用则止痛，与攻邪药同用则消除痞块，这也在于使用者善于运用。如果错误地把它当作补益药，给虚弱的人使用，就会耗脱元气。
有人问：浓朴收取的功效很多，不补益却能做到吗？怀疑浓朴是补药，固然不对。然而，浓朴实际上是攻伐药，能在攻伐处见到补益的效果，这是浓朴的奇妙之处。如果论它的药性，实在不是补剂。
有人说浓朴能升清降浊，有这回事吗？回答说：浓朴可升可降，并不是自己能升清而降浊。用在补气药中，清气就能上升。用在补血药中，浊气就能下降。升降完全依赖气血的药物，与浓朴有什么关系呢。
有人问：浓朴辅助大黄来攻坚，张仲景公将其放入承气汤中，有什么深意吗？回答说：承气汤中使用大黄，是因为邪气结聚在大肠。大黄迅捷拂扫的速度，哪里需要借助浓朴。不知道大黄走而不守，而浓朴降中有升，保留大黄而不使其骤然下降，那么消导祛除，合而成功，自然连根拔除，不留丝毫。这就是浓朴放入大承气汤中，辅助大黄的用意。
有人问：浓朴放入平胃散中，用来平复胃气，似乎浓朴是益胃的物品，而不是损伤胃的药。然而平胃散，并不是益胃的物品。它命名的意思，是说对于不平的胃使之平复，这是泻除胃气的有余，而不是补益胃气的不足。胃气既然没有什么可补的，又有什么可益的呢。平胃散使用浓朴，是泻胃实而不补胃虚，人们怎么能错误地认为它是益胃的物品呢。
Ligustrum Lucidum Fructus (Nüzhenzi), with a bitter and sweet taste, neutral nature, and non-toxic properties, enters the Kidney Meridian. It can darken gray hair, strengthen tendons and bones, stabilize the five Zang organs, tonify middle Qi, eliminate hundred diseases, and nourish the spirit. Long-term consumption can nourish blood, dispel wind, strengthen the body, and promote longevity. Although widely used in recent times, its efficacy is quite weak; it is suitable for inclusion in pills to tonify deficiency but not convenient for decoctions to provide nourishment. When used together with Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root), Gou Qi Zi (Goji Berry), Nan Zhu (Nandina Fruit), Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber), He Shou Wu (Polygonum Multiflorum Root), Han Lian Cao (Eclipta Herba), Wu Zhi Ma (Sesame Seed), Shan Yao (Dioscorea Rhizome), Sang Shen (Mulberry Fruit), Qie Hua (Eggplant Flower), Du Zhong (Eucommia Bark), and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome), it truly becomes a miraculous elixir for turning white hair black. However, it shows effects when made into pills and should not be expected to produce rapid results.
One might ask: Since Ligustrum Lucidum Fructus excels at darkening hair and offers various benefits, it naturally ought to be included in decoctions to achieve its effects, why is it considered unsuitable? This is because Ligustrum Lucidum Fructus has a slow-acting efficacy. When added to decoctions, it actually makes little difference to the severity of the condition; its absence does not cause harm, and its presence does not bring significant benefit. If one insists on using it in decoctions, a dosage of at least one liang is required, but excessive amounts are incompatible with the Stomach. Generally, small doses maintain a neutral nature, while large doses cause the qi to become floating.
Ligustrum Lucidum Fructus is not Ilex Chinensis Fructus (Dongqingzi). Ilex Chinensis Fructus is larger, whereas Ligustrum Lucidum Fructus is smaller; Ilex Chinensis Fructus is elongated, whereas Ligustrum Lucidum Fructus is round. If Ilex Chinensis Fructus is used, its nature is even more cold-cooling, rendering it particularly ineffective. One should not harvest Ilex Chinensis Fructus from gardens for medicinal use simply because ancient Materia Medica texts state they are the same species.
Some may doubt that Ligustrum Lucidum Fructus is an immortality drug, yet I consider it insignificant, so why do I praise it as a miraculous elixir for whitening hair? The answer is: My previous statement regarding its efficacy referred to incorporating it into pills alongside other Yin-tonifying herbs to turn hair black. My later statement regarding its insignificance meant that relying solely on it in decoctions makes rapid effects difficult to achieve. Ligustrum Lucidum Fructus yields results when used slowly but has few effects when used rapidly. Therefore, urgent application cannot win immediate success, whereas slow application can extend life permanently, depending entirely on proper usage by the practitioner.
Magnolia Officinalis Bark (Houpo), with a sweet and pungent taste, strongly warm nature, belonging to Yang within Yin, capable of ascending and descending, and non-toxic, enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Large Intestine meridians. It treats wind-stroke with chills and fever, manages cholera with muscle cramps, stops vomiting and acid regurgitation, halts diarrhea and dysuria, resolves phlegm, and directs Qi downward. It serves as an assistant herb and cannot serve as a sovereign or minister herb. It is generally a substance that attacks without tonifying, causing damage without benefit. However, when skillfully utilized, it yields many benefits and should not be discarded. It is generally suitable for combination with other herbs: combined with Da Huang (Rhubarb Root) and Zhi Shi (Immature Bitter Orange), it purges excess fullness; combined with Ren Shen (Ginseng Root), Cang Zhu (Atractylodes Lancea Rhizome), and Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel), it drains dampness-induced fullness; combined with Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig), it eliminates headache caused by Cold Damage; combined with Bing Lang (Areca Seed) and Zhi Shi, it removes foul matter from dysentery. Combined with bitter herbs, it purges; combined with warm herbs, it tonifies; combined with harmonizing herbs, it relieves pain; combined with attacking herbs, it eliminates stagnation. Its effect depends on the user's skill. If mistakenly regarded as a tonic and used by deficient individuals, it may deplete Yuan Qi.
One might ask: Magnolia Officinalis Bark achieves many results; can it do so without tonification? Suspecting Magnolia Officinalis Bark to be a tonic is indeed incorrect. However, Magnolia Officinalis Bark is essentially an attacking herb that reveals tonifying effects through its action, which is its uniqueness. Regarding its nature, it is truly not a tonic.
Someone asks: Can Magnolia Officinalis Bark ascend clear Qi and descend turbid Qi? The answer is: Magnolia Officinalis Bark can ascend and descend, but it does not inherently ascend clear Qi and descend turbid Qi. When used among Qi-tonifying herbs, clear Qi can ascend. When used among Blood-nourishing herbs, turbid Qi can descend. Ascension and descent rely entirely on herbs affecting Qi and Blood; what does this have to do with Magnolia Officinalis Bark?
One might ask: Magnolia Officinalis Bark assists Da Huang in breaking down hardness; did Master Zhang Zhongjing include it in Chengqi Tang (Harmonizing the Qi Decoction) for any special meaning? The answer is: In Chengqi Tang, Da Huang is used because pathogenic factors are knotted in the Large Intestine. Given the swift sweeping action of Da Huang, what need is there for Magnolia Officinalis Bark? Da Huang moves without staying, whereas Magnolia Officinalis Bark descends while containing ascending properties. Retaining Da Huang prevents it from descending too abruptly, allowing digestion and expulsion to succeed jointly, ensuring roots are completely eradicated with nothing left behind. This is the rationale for including Magnolia Officinalis Bark in Da Chengqi Tang (Major Order the Qi Decoction) to assist Da Huang.
One might ask: Magnolia Officinalis Bark is included in Pingwei San (Stomach-Pacifying Powder) to pacify Stomach Qi, suggesting it is a Stomach-benefiting substance rather than a damaging herb. However, Pingwei San is not a Stomach-benefiting substance. Its name implies bringing the imbalanced Stomach back to balance, meaning it drains excess Stomach Qi rather than tonifying deficient Stomach Qi. Since there is no Stomach Qi to tonify, what benefit is there? Pingwei San uses Magnolia Officinalis Bark to drain Stomach excess without tonifying Stomach deficiency. How can people mistakenly regard it as a Stomach-benefiting substance?