枸杞子，味甘、苦，气微温，无毒。甘肃者佳。入肾、肝二经。明耳目，安神，耐寒暑，
延
寿，添精固髓，健骨强筋。滋阴不致阴衰，兴阳常使阳举。更止消渴，尤补劳伤。
地骨皮，即枸杞之根也。性甚寒凉，入少阴肾脏，并入手少阳三焦。解传尸有汗肌热骨
蒸，
疗在表无汗风湿风痹，去五内邪热，利大、小二便，强阴强筋，凉血凉骨。二药同是一本所
出，而温寒各异，治疗亦殊者，何也？盖枸杞秉阴阳之气而生。亲于地者，得阴之气；亲于
天者，得阳之气也。得阳气者益阳，得阴气者益阴，又何疑乎？惟是阳之中又益阴，而阴之
中不益阳者，天能兼地，地不能包天，故枸杞子益阳而兼益阴，地骨益阴而不能益阳也。然
而，二物均非君药，可为褊裨之将。枸杞佐阳药以兴阳，地骨皮佐阴药以平阴也。
或疑枸杞阳衰者，尤宜用之，以其能助阳也。然吾独用一味煎汤服之，绝不见阳兴者，
何故
？恐枸杞乃地骨皮所生，益阴而非益阳也。曰∶兴阳亦不同也。阳衰而不至大亏者，服枸杞
则阳生。古人云∶离家千里，莫服枸杞。正因其久离女色，则其阳不衰，若再服枸杞，必致
阳举而不肯痿，故戒之也。否则，何不戒在家之人，而必戒远行之客，其意可知矣。然则
吾子服枸杞而阳不兴者，乃阳衰之极也。枸杞力微，安得有效乎。
或问地骨皮治骨蒸之热，用之不见效者，何也？夫骨蒸之热，热在骨髓之中，其热甚深，
深
则凉亦宜深，岂轻剂便可取效乎，势必多用为佳。世人知地骨皮之可以退热，而不知多用，
故见功实少耳。曰∶黄柏、知母，亦凉骨中之热也，辟黄柏、知母，而劝多用地骨皮，何也
？不知地骨皮非黄柏、知母之可比，地骨皮虽入肾而不凉肾，止入肾而凉骨耳。凉肾必至泻
肾而伤胃；凉骨反能益骨而生髓。黄柏、知母泻肾伤胃，故断不可多用以取败。地骨皮益肾
生髓，不可少用而图功。欲退阴虚火动、骨蒸劳热之症，用补阴之药，加地骨皮或五钱或一
两，始能凉骨中之髓，而去肾中之热也。
或问地骨皮用至五钱足矣，加至一两，毋乃太多乎，恐未必有益于阴虚内热之人耳？不
知地
骨皮，非大寒之药也，而其味又轻清，如用之少，则不能入骨髓之中而凉其骨。大寒恐其伤
胃，微寒正足以养胃也。吾言用一两，犹少之辞，盖既有益于胃，自有益于阴矣。
枸杞子，味道甘、苦，药性微温，没有毒性。甘肃出产的质量最好。归入肾经和肝经。能明目聪耳，安定神志，抵御寒暑侵袭，延长寿命，填补精髓，坚固骨髓，强健骨骼与筋脉。滋阴而不会导致阴气衰弱，振奋阳气常能使阳事勃起。更能治疗消渴症，尤其擅长补益虚劳损伤。
地骨皮，就是枸杞的根。药性非常寒凉，归入少阴肾经，并入手少阳三焦经。能解除传尸（指痨病等具有传染性的慢性消耗性疾病）引起的肌热骨蒸（感觉热量从骨头里透发出来）、有汗之热；治疗在表无汗的风湿风痹（风湿性关节炎等），清除五脏内部的邪热，通利大、小便，强壮阴精与筋骨，凉血凉骨。这两味药虽然同出一源，但一温一寒，治疗方法也不同，为什么呢？大概是因为枸杞是禀受阴阳二气而生长的。亲近地面的部分，得到的是阴气；亲近天空的部分，得到的是阳气。得到阳气的部分有益阳的作用，得到阴气的部分有益阴的作用，这有什么可怀疑的呢？只是阳之中又兼益阴，而阴之中不益阳的原因，是因为天能涵盖地，地不能包裹天，所以枸杞子益阳的同时兼益阴，地骨皮益阴却不能益阳。然而，这两味药都不是君药（主药），只能作为辅佐的将领。枸杞辅助阳药来振奋阳气，地骨皮辅助阴药来平抑阴火。
有人怀疑枸杞对于阳气衰微的人特别适宜使用，因为它能助阳。然而我单独用一味枸杞煎汤服用，完全没见到阳气兴起的，这是为什么？恐怕枸杞是由地骨皮生长出来的，只益阴而不益阳。回答说：振奋阳气也要分情况。阳气衰微但没有严重亏损的人，服用枸杞则阳气会生发。古人说：“离家千里，不要服用枸杞。”正是因为他长期远离女色，阳气本就不衰，如果再服用枸杞，必然会导致阳举而不能痿软，所以告诫人们避免。否则，为什么不告诫在家的人，而一定要告诫远行的客人，其中的意思就可以知道了。那么，你服用枸杞而阳气不兴起，是因为阳气已经极度衰微了。枸杞药力微弱，怎么能见效呢？
有人问地骨皮治疗骨蒸潮热，使用后不见效，为什么呢？那骨蒸的热，热在骨髓之中，热度很深，深则清热也应当深入，难道轻量的药剂就能见效吗？势必多用才好。世人知道地骨皮可以退热，却不知道要大量使用，所以见效确实很少。回答说：黄柏、知母，也能清骨中之热，为何摒弃黄柏、知母，而劝人多用地骨皮呢？这是因为不知道地骨皮不是黄柏、知母所能比拟的，地骨皮虽然入肾经但并不凉肾，只是入肾经而凉骨罢了。凉肾必定会泻肾而伤胃；凉骨反而能益骨而生髓。黄柏、知母泻肾伤胃，所以绝对不可多用来求取疗效。地骨皮益肾生髓，不可少量使用而指望成功。想要退除阴虚火动、骨蒸劳热的症状，在使用补阴药的基础上，加入地骨皮五钱或一两，才能凉骨中之髓，去除肾中之热。
有人问地骨皮用到五钱就够了，加到一两，是不是太多了，恐怕未必对阴虚内热的人有益吧？不知道地骨皮并不是大寒的药物，而且它的味道轻清，如果用量少，就不能进入骨髓之中去凉骨。大寒的药恐怕伤胃，微寒的药正好足以养胃。我说用一两，还是说得少了的话，既然有益于胃，自然也就有益于阴了。
Goji Berry (Lycii Fructus), sweet and bitter in taste, slightly warm in nature, non-toxic. Those from Gansu are of the best quality. It enters the Kidney and Liver meridians. It brightens the eyes and improves hearing, calms the spirit, resists cold and heat, prolongs life, replenishes essence and secures marrow, strengthens bones and sinews. It nourishes Yin without causing Yin deficiency, and often promotes Yang erection. Furthermore, it stops thirst (Xiao Ke), and especially tonifies consumptive injuries.
Digut皮的 (Lycii Cortex), which is the root of Goji Berry, has a very cold nature. It enters the Shaoyin Kidney meridian and the Hand-Shaoyang Sanjiao meridian. It resolves the steaming bone fever with sweating associated with transmissive corpse disease (consumptive infectious diseases like tuberculosis), treats wind-dampness and bi-syndrome without sweating on the exterior, removes pathogenic heat from the five zang organs, promotes urination through both large and small orifices, strengthens Yin and sinews, cools blood and bones. Although these two medicines originate from the same source, they differ in temperature (one warm, one cold) and therapeutic applications. Why? This is because Goji Berry grows by inheriting Qi of Yin and Yang. The part close to the earth obtains Yin Qi; the part close to the sky obtains Yang Qi. The part obtaining Yang Qi benefits Yang, and the part obtaining Yin Qi benefits Yin; what is there to doubt? However, Yang benefits Yin as well, while Yin does not benefit Yang. This is because Heaven can encompass Earth, but Earth cannot envelop Heaven. Therefore, Goji Berry benefits Yang while simultaneously benefiting Yin, whereas Digupi benefits Yin but cannot benefit Yang. Nevertheless, neither of these two substances serves as a Sovereign herb (Jun Yao); they act as assisting generals. Goji Berry assists Yang herbs to promote Yang, while Digupi assists Yin herbs to pacify Yin fire.
Some suspect that Goji Berry is particularly suitable for those with Yang deficiency because it can assist Yang. However, when I use a single dose of Goji Berry decocted in water, I never see Yang rise. Why? Perhaps because Goji Berry grows from Digupi, it benefits Yin rather than Yang. The response is: Promoting Yang varies by condition. For those with Yang deficiency but not severe depletion, taking Goji Berry generates Yang. The ancients said, "Traveling a thousand miles from home, do not take Goji Berry." This is precisely because such individuals have been away from sexual activity for a long time, so their Yang is not deficient. If they take Goji Berry, it will inevitably cause persistent erection without flaccidity, hence the warning. Otherwise, why warn travelers specifically instead of those at home? The intent is clear. Thus, if you take Goji Berry and Yang does not rise, it is because your Yang is extremely depleted. Goji Berry's potency is weak; how could it be effective?
Someone asks: Why does Digupi fail to treat steaming bone fever when used? The heat of steaming bone fever resides within the bone marrow, running very deep. When the heat is deep, cooling must also penetrate deeply; can light doses achieve results? It is necessary to use larger doses. People know that Digupi can reduce fever but do not know to use large amounts, so its efficacy is rarely seen. The response is: Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex) and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) also cool heat in the bones. Why discard them and advise using more Digupi? Because Digupi cannot be compared to Huangbai and Zhimu. Although Digupi enters the Kidney meridian, it does not cool the Kidney itself; it only enters the Kidney meridian to cool the bones. Cooling the Kidney necessarily drains the Kidney and damages the Stomach; cooling the bones, however, benefits the bones and generates marrow. Huangbai and Zhimu drain the Kidney and damage the Stomach, so they absolutely should not be used in large doses to seek efficacy. Digupi benefits the Kidney and generates marrow; it should not be used in small doses expecting success. To resolve symptoms of Yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity and steaming bone fever, when using Yin-nourishing herbs, add 15g to 30g of Digupi. Only then can it cool the marrow in the bones and remove heat from the Kidney.
Someone asks: Is 15g of Digupi sufficient? Adding up to 30g might be too much; perhaps it is not beneficial for those with Yin deficiency and internal heat? One does not realize that Digupi is not a severely cold herb, and its flavor is light and clear. If used in small doses, it cannot enter the bone marrow to cool the bones. Severely cold herbs may damage the Stomach, but mildly cold herbs are just enough to nourish the Stomach. When I say to use 30g, it is still an understatement. Since it benefits the Stomach, it naturally benefits Yin.