杏仁，味甘、苦，气温，可升可降，阴中阳也，有小毒。专入太阴肺经。乃利下之剂，
除胸
中气逆喘促，止咳嗽，坠痰，润大肠，气闭便难，逐痹散结。研纳女人阴户，又治发痒虫疽
。虽与桃仁同是利气下血之药，其中亦有分别。东垣分杏仁治气、桃仁治血，似乎明晰，而
不知杏仁未尝不治血，桃仁未尝不治气也，如大便闭结，气闭者，桃仁亦能开；血闭者，杏
仁
亦能下。惟真阳真阴虚者，二物俱不能通。所谓其阳与阴者，乃肾中之真火真水，非气血之
谓也。真火衰，则大肠冰冻，非桂、附不能温。真水竭，则大肠枯槁，非熟地、山茱不能生
。桃、杏之仁，又何能润泽而下降，况加陈皮以耗散其气血乎。
或问杏仁利气而不下血，而子以为未尝不可血，古人亦曾见之乎？嗟乎。杏仁下血，仲
景夫
子用杏仁汤非乎。盖消血于利气之中，实有神功耳。
木瓜，味酸，气温，无毒。入手太阴、足厥阴之经。气脱能固，气滞能和。平胃以滋脾，
益
肺而去湿，助谷气，调荣卫，除霍乱，止转筋，祛香港脚，禁水利。但可臣、可佐使，而不可
以为君。乃入肝益筋之品，养血卫脉之味，最宜与参、术同施，归、熟并用，生者可以辟邪
也。
或疑木瓜可以为君，治霍乱转筋实神。不知木瓜非君药，霍乱，非香薷不能转其逆，木
瓜不
过助香薷而回筋，不能助香薷而返气。且香薷无参、术，则返逆之气亦不能骤顺也。谁谓木
瓜是君药哉。
或问木瓜利气，故能转逆，然有用木瓜而不能定逆者，岂木瓜不能利气乎？曰∶木瓜未尝不
利气也。因用之未当耳。木瓜无君主之药，愈利气而愈无成功。盖木瓜宜于补中利气，而不
宜散中利气也。
杏仁，味道甘、苦，药性温，作用趋势既可上升也可下降，属于阴中寓阳的药物，具有小毒。专门进入足太阴肺经。它是通利下行的药剂，能消除胸中的气逆喘促，停止咳嗽，坠降痰液，滋润大肠，治疗因气机闭塞导致的大便困难，驱除痹症，消散结块。将其研成粉末纳入女性阴道内，又可治疗瘙痒和虫蚀疮疽。虽然它与桃仁都是行气破血的药物，但二者之间也有区别。李东垣将杏仁用于治气、桃仁用于治血，看似清晰明确，却不知杏仁并非不治疗血证，桃仁也并非不治疗气证。例如大便闭结，若是气机闭塞所致，桃仁也能开通；若是血瘀闭塞，杏仁也能下行。只有真阳和真阴极度虚损的患者，这两种药都无法起到疏通作用。所谓真阳与真阴，指的是肾中的真火（命门之火）和真水（肾阴），并不是指气血。如果真火衰微，则大肠如冰冻般寒冷，非用桂枝、附子不能温暖；如果真水枯竭，则大肠干枯燥结，非用熟地黄、山茱萸不能滋生。桃仁和杏仁的仁，又怎么能润泽并促使下行呢？况且再加上陈皮来耗散其气血的话。
有人问：杏仁主要利气而不直接下血，而您认为它也能下血，古人也曾这样认识吗？唉！杏仁下血的功效，张仲景先生使用杏仁汤难道不是证明吗？在利气的过程中消除瘀血，确实有神奇的功效。
木瓜，味道酸，药性温，无毒。进入手太阴肺经和足厥阴肝经。对于气脱症状能固摄，对于气滞症状能调和。它能平抑胃气以滋养脾土，补益肺气并去除湿气，辅助谷气，调和营卫，消除霍乱，停止转筋，祛除脚气病，制止泄泻。但它只能作为臣药或佐使药，而不能作为君药。它是入肝经、益筋脉的物品，是养血护脉的味道，最适合与人参、白术同时施用，当归、熟地黄配合使用，生木瓜可以用来辟邪。
有人怀疑木瓜可以作为君药，治疗霍乱转筋确实神效。却不知道木瓜不是君药，治疗霍乱，非用香薷不能扭转逆乱之气，木瓜不过是帮助香薷恢复筋脉功能，不能帮助香薷恢复元气。而且香薷如果没有人参、白术的配合，那么逆转的气也不能迅速顺降。谁说木瓜是君药呢？
有人问：木瓜利气，所以能扭转逆乱之气，然而有用木瓜却不能定逆的情况，难道是木瓜不能利气吗？回答说：木瓜并非不利气，而是使用不当罢了。木瓜如果没有君主之药（主药）的主导，越是利气越不会成功。因为木瓜适宜在补益中利气，而不适宜在发散中利气。
Almond (Xingren), with a sweet and bitter taste and warm temperature, possesses the ability to ascend and descend, representing Yang within Yin. It has slight toxicity. It specifically enters the Foot-Taiyin Lung Meridian. It is a purgative agent that descends, eliminating Qi rebellion and wheezing in the chest, stopping coughs, dropping phlegm, moistening the Large Intestine, treating constipation due to Qi obstruction, expelling Bi syndrome (painful obstruction), and dissipating nodules. When ground into powder and inserted into the female vagina, it also treats itching and insect-infested ulcers. Although it shares the property of promoting Qi circulation and breaking blood stasis with Peach Kernel (Taoren), there are distinctions between them. Li Dongyuan distinguished Almond for treating Qi disorders and Peach Kernel for treating Blood disorders, which seems clear; however, he did not realize that Almond does treat Blood disorders, nor that Peach Kernel fails to treat Qi disorders. For instance, in cases of fecal impaction due to Qi obstruction, Peach Kernel can also open the blockage; in cases of Blood obstruction, Almond can also promote descent. Only when both True Yang and True Yin are severely deficient can neither substance achieve unblocking. The so-called True Yang and True Yin refer to the True Fire and True Water within the Kidney, not merely Qi and Blood. If True Fire declines, the Large Intestine becomes frozen cold, requiring Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) and Aconite Root (Fuzi) for warming. If True Water is exhausted, the Large Intestine becomes withered and dry, requiring Prepared Rehmannia Root (Shudihuang) and Cornus Fruit (Shanzhuyu) for nourishment. How can the kernels of Peach and Almond provide moisture and facilitate descent? Especially when combined with Tangerine Peel (Chenpi), which disperses and consumes Qi and Blood.
One might ask: Almond promotes Qi but does not directly move Blood, yet you claim it can move Blood. Did the ancients recognize this? Alas! Does not Zhang Zhongjing’s use of Almond Decoction (Xingren Tang) demonstrate Almond’s ability to move Blood? By eliminating blood stasis within the process of promoting Qi circulation, it indeed achieves miraculous effects.
Quince (Mugua), with a sour taste and warm temperature, is non-toxic. It enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. It can consolidate Qi collapse and harmonize Qi stagnation. It soothes the Stomach to nourish the Spleen, benefits the Lung to dispel Dampness, assists Gu Qi (Grain Qi), harmonizes Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) Qi, eliminates Cholera (Huoluan), stops muscle spasms (Zhuanjin), expels Hong Kong Foot (Jiaoxie, referring to Beriberi or gout-like conditions), and controls diarrhea. However, it can only serve as a Minister (Chen) or Assistant-Guide (Zuo-Shi) herb, never as a Sovereign (Jun) herb. It is a substance that enters the Liver to benefit tendons and nourishes Blood to protect vessels. It is most suitable to be administered together with Ginseng (Renshen) and Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu), and used concurrently with Angelica Sinensis (Danggui) and Prepared Rehmannia Root (Shudihuang). Raw Quince can be used to ward off pathogenic factors.
Some doubt whether Quince can serve as a Sovereign herb, citing its miraculous efficacy in treating Cholera with muscle spasms. They fail to realize that Quince is not a Sovereign herb. In treating Cholera, Elsholtzia Herb (Xiangru) is indispensable to reverse the rebellious Qi; Quince merely assists Xiangru in restoring tendon function but cannot assist Xiangru in recovering Qi. Furthermore, without the support of Ginseng and Atractylodes, the reversed Qi cannot be rapidly smoothed by Xiangru alone. Who claims that Quince is a Sovereign herb?
One might ask: Quince promotes Qi, thus enabling it to reverse rebellious Qi. Yet there are instances where Quince fails to stabilize rebellion. Is it because Quince cannot promote Qi? I reply: Quince does promote Qi; the failure lies in improper application. Without a Sovereign herb to lead, Quince’s Qi-promoting action yields no success. This is because Quince is suitable for promoting Qi within the context of tonification, but unsuitable for promoting Qi within the context of dispersion.