（芳草）入肝血分敛气
白芍（专入肝）。有白有赤。白者味酸微寒无毒。功专入肝经血分敛气。缘气属阳。血
属阴。
阳亢则阴衰。阴凝则阳伏。血盛于气则血凝而不行。气盛于血则血燥而益枯。血之盛者。
必赖辛为之散。故川芎号为补肝之气。气之盛者。必赖酸为之收。故白芍号为敛肝之液。收
肝之气。而令气不妄行也。至于书载功能益气除烦。敛汗安胎。（同桂枝则敛风汗。同黄
人参则敛虚汗。）补痨退热。及治泻痢后重。痞胀胁痛。（胁为肝胆二经之处。用此则能理中
泻火。）肺胀嗳逆。痈肿疝瘕。鼻衄目涩。（用此益阴退火而自治。）溺闭。（杲曰。白芍能益
阴滋湿而停津液。故小便自利。非因通利也。）何一不由肝气之过盛。而致阴液之不敛耳。（
杲曰。四物汤用芍药。大抵酸涩者为收敛停湿之剂。故主手足太阴收敛之体。元素曰。白芍
入脾经。补中焦。乃下利必用之药。盖泻利皆太阴病。故不可缺此。得炙甘草为佐。治腹中
疼痛。夏月少加黄芩。恶寒加桂。此仲景神方也。其用凡六。安脾经。一也。治腹痛。二也
。收胃气。三也。止泻利。四也。和血脉。五也。固腠理。六也。）是以书言能补脾肺者。
因
其肝气既收。则水不克土。土安则金亦得所养。故脾肺自尔安和之意。（杲曰。经曰。损其
肝者缓其中。即调血也。）产后不宜妄用者。以其气血既虚。芍药恐伐生气之意也。（冯兆张
曰。产后芍药佐以姜桂。制以酒炒。合宜而用。有何方之可执哉？倘腹痛非因血虚者。不可
误用。盖诸腹痛宜辛散。而芍药酸收故耳。又曰。今人用芍药。则株守前人一定之言。每于
产后冬月。兢兢畏惧。及其芩连栀子。视为平常要药。凡遇发热。不论虚实辄投。致令虚阳
浮越。惜哉！）然用之得宜。亦又何忌。（同白术则补脾。同参耆则补气。同归地则补血。同
芎则泻肝。同甘草止腹痛。同黄连止泻痢。同防风发痘疹。同姜枣温经散湿。）如仲景黑
神散、芍药汤。非皆产后要药耶。惟在相症明确耳。出杭州佳。酒炒用。恶芒硝石斛。畏鳖
甲小蓟。反藜芦赤芍。其义另详。
白芍（专门入肝经）。有白色和赤色之分。白色的白芍味道酸、性微寒、无毒。其功效专门作用于肝经的血分，以收敛气机。因为气属于阳，血属于阴。阳气亢盛则阴血衰少，阴气凝滞则阳气潜伏。如果血盛于气，血液就会凝滞而不运行；如果气盛于血，血液就会干燥而更加枯竭。对于血盛的情况，必须依靠辛味药来发散，所以川芎被称为能补益肝气的药物；对于气盛的情况，必须依靠酸味药来收敛，所以白芍被称为能收敛肝液、收摄肝气，从而使气不妄行的药物。至于书籍中记载的它益气除烦、敛汗安胎的功效。（与桂枝同用则收敛风邪引起的汗出，与人参同用则收敛虚损引起的汗出。）治疗劳损退热，以及治疗痢疾后的里急后重、痞满胀闷、胁肋疼痛。（胁部是肝胆二经循行之处，使用此药能调理中焦、清泻火热。）肺胀嗳气逆上，痈肿疝气瘕积，鼻出血眼睛干涩。（使用此药能滋养阴液、退却虚火从而自愈。）小便闭塞。（张杲说：白芍能滋养阴液、滋生湿气而停留津液，所以小便自然通利，并非通过利尿作用实现。）这些功效哪一样不是由于肝气过盛，导致阴液不能收敛所致呢？（张杲说：四物汤中使用芍药，大抵是因为酸涩之性使其成为收敛停湿的药剂，所以主治手足太阴经收敛的特性。李元素说：白芍入脾经，补益中焦，是治疗下利必须使用的药物。因为腹泻痢疾都属于太阴病，所以不可缺少此药。配合炙甘草作为佐使，可以治疗腹部疼痛。夏季少量加入黄芩，恶寒时加入桂枝，这是张仲景的神妙方剂。它的用途共有六种：安定脾经，这是一；治疗腹痛，这是二；收敛胃气，这是三；止住泻利，这是四；调和血脉，这是五；固密腠理，这是六。）因此书中说它能补益脾肺，是因为肝气既已收敛，则木不克土，土气安宁则金气也能得到滋养，所以脾肺自然安和的意思。（张杲说：医经说：损伤肝脏的要缓和其中气，也就是调血的意思。）产后不宜随意滥用的原因，是因为气血已经虚弱，芍药恐怕会伐伤生发之气。（冯兆张说：产后使用芍药，配合姜、桂，用酒炒制，合乎适宜地运用，有什么固定的方剂拘束呢？倘若腹痛不是因为血虚引起的，不可误用。因为各种腹痛适宜用辛散的方法，而芍药性酸收的缘故。又说：现在的人使用芍药，就拘泥守前人的固定言论，每每在产后冬季，兢兢业业地畏惧。等到遇到黄芩、黄连、栀子时，却视为平常的重要药物。凡是遇到发热，不论虚实就投药服用，致使虚阳浮越，可惜啊！）然而如果使用得当，又有什么忌讳呢？（与白术同用则补脾，与人参、黄芪同用则补气，与当归、地黄同用则补血，与川芎同用则泻肝，与甘草同用止腹痛，与黄连同用止泻痢，与防风同用发痘疹，与生姜、大枣同用温经散湿。）像张仲景的黑神散、芍药汤，不都是产后的要药吗？关键在于辨证明确罢了。出自杭州的品质较好。用酒炒后使用。忌与芒硝、石斛同用。畏鳖甲、小蓟。反藜芦、赤芍。其中的道理另外详细说明。
(Fragrant herbs) enter the Liver blood level to astringe Qi.
Bai Shao (White Peony Root) specifically enters the Liver meridian. There are white and red varieties. The white variety has a sour taste, is slightly cold in nature, and is non-toxic. Its efficacy specifically targets the blood level of the Liver meridian to astringe Qi. This is because Qi belongs to Yang, and Blood belongs to Yin. When Yang is hyperactive, Yin declines; when Yin coagulates, Yang becomes latent. If Blood exceeds Qi, Blood coagulates and fails to circulate; if Qi exceeds Blood, Blood becomes dry and increasingly depleted. For conditions where Blood is excessive, pungent herbs are required to disperse it; thus, Chuan Xiong (Sichuan Lovage Rhizome) is known as an herb that tonifies Liver Qi. For conditions where Qi is excessive, sour herbs are required to astringe it; thus, Bai Shao is known as an herb that astringes Liver fluids, gathers Liver Qi, and prevents Qi from moving recklessly. As recorded in texts regarding its functions: tonifying Qi and relieving irritability, astringing sweat and calming the fetus (when used with Gui Zhi [Cinnamon Twig], it astringes wind-induced sweating; when used with Ren Shen [Ginseng Root], it astringes deficiency-induced sweating); treating consumptive fever; and treating tenesmus after dysentery, abdominal fullness and distension, and hypochondriac pain (the hypochondrium is the region of the Liver and Gallbladder meridians; using this herb can regulate the middle Jiao and clear fire); lung distension and belching/counterflow qi; carbuncles, sores, hernia, and mass formations; epistaxis and dry eyes (using this herb nourishes Yin and clears fire, allowing self-healing); and urinary retention (Zhang Gao stated: Bai Shao can nourish Yin and moisten dampness to retain body fluids, thus promoting urination naturally, not through diuretic action). Which of these effects is not caused by excessive Liver Qi leading to the failure of Yin fluids to be retained? (Zhang Gao stated: In Si Wu Tang [Four Substances Decoction], Shaoyao is used largely because its sour and astringent properties make it an agent for astringing and retaining dampness, thus governing the astringent nature of the Hand and Foot Taiyin meridians. Li Yuanhao stated: Bai Shao enters the Spleen meridian and tonifies the Middle Jiao; it is a necessary herb for treating diarrhea/dysentery. Since diarrhea and dysentery are all diseases of the Taiyin, this herb cannot be omitted. Paired with Zhi Gan Cao [Honey-fried Licorice Root] as an assistant, it treats abdominal pain. In summer, add Huang Qin [Scutellaria Root] in small amounts; for aversion to cold, add Gui Zhi [Cinnamon Twig]. These are Zhang Zhongjing's divine formulas. Its uses are sixfold: calming the Spleen meridian, one; treating abdominal pain, two; astringing Stomach Qi, three; stopping diarrhea/dysentery, four; harmonizing Blood vessels, five; and consolidating the Cou Li [interstitial spaces/skin and muscles], six.) Therefore, texts state it can tonify the Spleen and Lungs because once Liver Qi is restrained, Wood does not overact on Earth; when Earth is peaceful, Metal also receives nourishment, so the Spleen and Lungs become harmonious naturally. (Zhang Gao stated: The Classics say: "To injure the Liver, soothe its center," which means regulating Blood.) It should not be used indiscriminately postpartum because Qi and Blood are already deficient, and Shaoyao might damage the vital generating Qi. (Feng Zhaozhang stated: Postpartum use of Shaoyao, assisted by Jiang [Ginger] and Gui [Cinnamon], prepared with wine frying, applied appropriately—what fixed formula constraints exist? However, if abdominal pain is not due to Blood deficiency, it must not be mistakenly used. Because various abdominal pains are suitable for pungent dispersion, whereas Shaoyao is sour and astringent. He further stated: Nowadays, people use Shaoyao by rigidly adhering to previous authorities' fixed statements, often fearing it cautiously during the postpartum period or winter months. Yet, when encountering Huang Qin [Scutellaria Root], Huang Lian [Coptis Rhizome], and Zhi Zi [Gardenia Fruit], they view them as ordinary essential herbs. Whenever fever occurs, regardless of excess or deficiency, they administer them, causing floating of deficient Yang. What a pity!) However, if used appropriately, what is there to fear? (When used with Bai Zhu [Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome], it tonifies the Spleen; with Ren Shen [Ginseng Root] and Huang Qi [Astragalus Root], it tonifies Qi; with Dang Gui [Angelica Sinensis Root] and Di Huang [Rehmannia Root], it tonifies Blood; with Chuan Xiong [Sichuan Lovage Rhizome], it drains the Liver; with Gan Cao [Licorice Root], it stops abdominal pain; with Huang Lian [Coptis Rhizome], it stops diarrhea/dysentery; with Fang Feng [Saposhnikovia Root], it promotes eruption of pox/rashes; with Sheng Jiang [Fresh Ginger] and Da Zao [Jujube Fruit], it warms the meridians and disperses dampness.) Are not Zhang Zhongjing's Hei Shen San [Black Spirit Powder] and Shao Yao Tang [Peony Decoction] essential herbs for the postpartum period? It depends entirely on accurate syndrome differentiation. Those from Hangzhou are of superior quality. Use after wine frying. Adverse interactions: incompatible with Mang Xiao [Mirabilite] and Shi Hu [Dendrobium Stem]; fearful of Bie Jia [Tartaric Turtle Shell] and Xiao Ji [Cirsium Herba]; contrary to Li Lu [Veratrum Rhizome] and Chi Shao [Red Peony Root]. The rationale is detailed elsewhere.