病有寒成。亦有热致。寒成者固当用温。热成者自当用寒。如五倍子百草煎。其味虽曰
酸涩
。而性实寒不温。为收肺虚火浮之味。故能去嗽止痢。除痰定喘。但百草煎则较倍子而鲜收
耳！牡蛎性专入肾固脱。化痰软坚。而性止专入肾而不入肝。龙骨入肝敛气。收魂固脱。
凡梦遗惊悸。是其所宜。而性不及入肾。各有专治兼治之妙耳。至于粟壳。虽与五倍入肺敛
气涩肠相似。而粟壳之寒。则较倍子稍轻。粟壳之涩。则较倍子更甚。故宁用粟而不用倍也
。粳米气味甘凉。固中除烦。用亦最妙。若在蛤蜊粉气味咸冷。功专解热化痰固肺。及秦皮
性亦苦寒。功专入肝除热。入肾涩气。亦宜相其热甚以行。未可轻与龙骨牡蛎粟壳微寒之药
为比也。
（卵生）内服敛肺泻火除热止嗽固脱外祛风湿杀虫
五倍子（专入肺脾）。按书既载味酸而涩。气寒能敛肺经浮热。为化痰渗湿降火收涩之
剂。（
汪昂述丹溪谓倍子属金与水。噙之善收顽痰。解热毒。黄昏咳嗽。乃火浮肺中。不宜用凉药
。宜五倍五味敛而降之。《医学纲目》云。王元 虚而滑精。屡与加味四物汤。吞河间秘真
丸及
真珍粉丸。不止。后用五倍子一两。茯苓二两。丸服遂愈。此则倍子收敛之功。敏于龙骨蛤
粉也。昂按凡用秘涩药。能通而后能秘。此方用茯苓倍于五倍。一泻一收。是以能尽其妙也
。）又言主于风湿。凡风癣痒瘙。眼目赤痛。用之亦能有效。得非又收又散。又升又降之味
乎？讵知火浮肺中。无处不形。在上则有痰结咳嗽。汗退场门干吐衄等症。在下则有泄痢五痔
。下血脱肛。脓水湿烂。子肠坠下等症。溢于皮肤。感冒寒邪。则必见有风癣痒瘙。疮口不
敛。攻于眼目。则必见有赤肿翳障。用此内以治脏。则能敛肺止嗽。固脱住汗。（常出自汗
。睡中出为盗汗。用五倍子研末。津调填脐中。缚定。一夜即止也。）外以治肤。熏洗则
能祛风除湿杀虫。（一切癣疮。用五倍子去虫。白矾烧过。各等分为末搽之。干则油调。）药
虽一味。而治分内外。用各不同。非谓既能入肺收敛。（治黄昏时嗽。）又能浮溢于表。而为
驱逐外邪之药耳。书载外感勿用。义实基此。染须皂物最妙。生于盐肤木上。乃小虫食汁。
遗种结球于叶间。（盐肤木酸寒。除痰生津止嗽。五倍子虫食其津液结成。故与盐肤木功同
。）入药或生或炒用。
疾病有因寒邪所致，也有因热邪所致。由寒邪所致的病证固然应当使用温性药物，由热邪所致的病证自然应当使用寒性药物。例如五倍子百草煎（一种含五倍子的方剂），其味道虽然说是酸涩的，但药性实际上是寒凉而非温热的。它是收敛肺气、平抑虚火上浮的药物，因此能够治疗咳嗽、止住痢疾、消除痰液、平息喘息。但是百草煎相比单独的五倍子而言，收敛作用稍弱罢了。牡蛎的药性专门入肾经以固摄脱失之证，能化痰软坚，但其药性只专入肾经而不入肝经。龙骨入肝经以收敛气机，收摄神魂、固摄脱失之证。凡是梦遗、惊悸等症状，是龙骨适宜治疗的，但其药性不及入肾经。它们各有专门治疗和兼治的妙处。至于罂粟壳，虽然与五倍子一样入肺经收敛气机、涩肠止泻，但罂粟壳的寒性比五倍子稍轻，而罂粟壳的涩性比五倍子更甚。所以宁愿使用罂粟壳而不使用五倍子。粳米气味甘凉，能补益中焦、消除烦渴，使用它也非常巧妙。至于蛤蜊粉，气味咸冷，功效专门在于清热化痰、固护肺气；以及秦皮，药性也是苦寒，功效专门入肝经清除热邪，入肾经涩敛气机，也应当根据热邪的严重程度来使用，不可轻易将其与龙骨、牡蛎、罂粟壳等微寒性质的药物相提并论。
（卵生）内服可收敛肺气、泻火除热、止咳、固摄脱失；外用以祛除风湿、杀虫。
五倍子（专门入肺、脾二经）。按书籍记载，其味酸且涩，气寒，能收敛肺经的浮热，属于化痰、渗湿、降火、收涩的药剂。（汪昂转述朱丹溪的观点说：五倍子属金与水，含在口中善于收敛顽固痰液，解除热毒。黄昏时分的咳嗽，是由于火气上浮于肺中，不宜使用凉药，宜用五倍子和五味子收敛并使其下降。《医学纲目》记载：王元体虚且滑精，多次服用加味四物汤，吞服河间秘真丸及珍珠粉丸，病情未止。后来使用五倍子一两、茯苓二两，制成丸药服用，于是痊愈。这说明五倍子的收敛之功，灵敏于龙骨和蛤蜊粉。汪昂按语：凡是使用秘涩类药物，必须先通利而后才能秘涩。此方中茯苓用量是五倍子的两倍，一泻一收，因此能发挥其奇妙功效。）又说主治风湿。凡是风癣瘙痒，眼目红肿疼痛，使用它也有效验。这难道不是又收敛又发散、又上升又下降的药性吗？哪里知道火气上浮于肺中，无处不显现形态。在上部则有痰结咳嗽、汗退后肛门干燥、吐血衄血等症状；在下部则有泄泻痢疾、五种痔疮、便血脱肛、脓水湿烂、直肠坠下等症状。溢于皮肤，感受寒邪，则必然出现风癣瘙痒、疮口不愈合；攻于眼目，则必然出现红肿翳障。使用此药内治脏腑，则能收敛肺气、止咳、固摄脱失、止汗（经常自发出汗，睡中出汗称为盗汗，用五倍子研成末，用唾液调和填塞肚脐中，绑紧固定，一夜即可停止）。外用治疗皮肤，熏洗则能祛风除湿杀虫（一切癣疮，用五倍子去虫，白矾烧过，各等分研成末搽涂，干了则用油调和）。药物虽只一味，但治疗分为内外，用法各不相同。并不是说它既能入肺收敛（治疗黄昏时的咳嗽），又能浮溢于体表，成为驱逐外邪的药物。书籍记载外感病勿用，道理确实基于此。染须用的皂物最为美妙，生长在盐肤木上，是小虫子吸食汁液，遗留种子在叶间结成球状。（盐肤木味酸寒，能除痰生津止咳，五倍子是虫子吸食其津液结成的，所以与盐肤木功效相同。）入药或生用或炒用。
Diseases may arise from cold pathogens or be caused by heat. For diseases caused by cold, warming agents should naturally be used; for those caused by heat, cooling agents should be used. Take Wu Bei Zi Bai Cao Jian (Five-Gall Nut Hundred-Herb Decoction) as an example. Although its taste is sour and astringent, its nature is actually cold rather than warm. It is a substance that consolidates Lung Qi and subdues floating deficiency fire, thus capable of treating cough, stopping dysentery, eliminating phlegm, and calming asthma. However, compared to using Wu Bei Zi alone, the astringent effect of Bai Cao Jian is slightly weaker. Mu Li (Oyster Shell) has a property that specifically enters the Kidney channel to secure depletion, transforms phlegm, and softens hardness, but its action is specific to the Kidney and does not enter the Liver channel. Long Gu (Fossilized Bone) enters the Liver channel to consolidate Qi, gather the Hun (Ethereal Soul), and secure depletion. Conditions such as nocturnal emission and palpitations are suitable for its treatment, though its action does not extend to the Kidney. Each has its unique efficacy in specific and combined treatments. As for Ying Su Ke (Poppy Capsule), although it resembles Wu Bei Zi in entering the Lung channel to consolidate Qi and astringe the intestines, its cold nature is slightly milder than that of Wu Bei Zi, while its astringency is more intense. Therefore, one might prefer Ying Su Ke over Wu Bei Zi. Jing Mi (Rice) has a sweet and cool flavor, benefits the Middle Jiao, and relieves irritability, making it an excellent choice. In contrast, Ge Li Fen (Clam Shell Powder) has a salty and cold flavor, with functions dedicated to clearing heat, transforming phlegm, and securing Lung Qi. Qin Pi (Ash Bark) is also bitter and cold, functioning specifically to clear heat in the Liver channel and astringe Qi in the Kidney channel. These should be used according to the severity of heat and should not be lightly compared with mildly cold herbs like Long Gu, Mu Li, and Ying Su Ke.
(Oviparous) Internally taken to consolidate Lung Qi, drain fire, clear heat, stop cough, and secure depletion; externally applied to dispel wind-dampness and kill parasites.
Wu Bei Zi (Galla Chinensis) (Specifically enters the Lung and Spleen channels). According to texts, its taste is sour and astringent, and its nature is cold, capable of consolidating floating heat in the Lung channel. It is a formula for transforming phlegm, leaching dampness, draining fire, and astringing. (Wang Ang recounts Zhu Danxi's view: Wu Bei Zi belongs to Metal and Water; holding it in the mouth effectively consolidates stubborn phlegm and resolves heat toxins. Cough at dusk is due to fire floating in the Lungs; cooling herbs are inappropriate. Instead, Wu Bei Zi and Wu Wei Zi should be used to consolidate and descend. *Medical Outline* records: Wang Yuan was deficient and suffered from seminal emission; repeated use of Jia Wei Si Wu Tang, He Jian Mi Zhen Wan, and Zhen Zhen Fen Wan failed to stop it. Later, he took one liang of Wu Bei Zi and two liang of Fu Ling, made into pills, and recovered. This demonstrates that the consolidating power of Wu Bei Zi is more agile than that of Long Gu and Ge Li Fen. Wang Ang notes: When using astringent herbs, one must first promote free flow before achieving consolidation. In this prescription, the amount of Fu Ling is double that of Wu Bei Zi; one drains and one consolidates, thereby achieving its miraculous effect.) It is also said to treat wind-dampness. It is effective for wind-xanthoma itching and red, painful eyes. Does this not indicate a property that both consolidates and disperses, ascends and descends? However, fire floating in the Lungs manifests everywhere. Upper manifestations include phlegm accumulation, cough, dry anus after sweating, hematemesis, and epistaxis. Lower manifestations include diarrhea, dysentery, five types of hemorrhoids, bloody stool, rectal prolapse, purulent exudate, wet rot, and intussusception. Overflowing onto the skin and contracting cold pathogens leads to wind-xanthoma itching and non-healing sores. Attacking the eyes leads to redness, swelling, and corneal opacity. Used internally to treat viscera, it consolidates Lung Qi, stops cough, secures depletion, and arrests sweating (Spontaneous sweating occurs during wakefulness; night sweats occur during sleep. Apply powdered Wu Bei Zi mixed with saliva into the umbilicus and bind tightly; it stops within one night). Externally treating the skin, fumigation and washing dispel wind, remove dampness, and kill parasites (For all tinea infections, use Wu Bei Zi [to remove insects] and calcined Bai Fan [Alum], ground into equal parts powder for application; if dry, mix with oil). Though a single herb, its treatment covers internal and external aspects with different applications. It is not claimed that it can both enter the Lung to consolidate (treating dusk cough) and float to the surface to expel external pathogens. Texts advise against its use in exterior contraction syndromes, based on this rationale. The best substance for dyeing hair is produced on Rhus chinensis (Yan Fu Mu); it is formed by small insects feeding on sap and depositing eggs between leaves. (Rhus chinensis is sour and cold, eliminates phlegm, generates fluids, and stops cough. Wu Bei Zi is formed by insects feeding on its sap, hence sharing similar efficacy with Rhus chinensis.) For medicinal use, it can be used raw or stir-fried.