（荤辛）利肠胃解烦热
白菘菜（专入肠胃）。因何命名。以其经冬不凋。故以菘称。因色青白。故以白号。但
菘有三
。一曰牛肚菘。其叶最大而味甘。一曰紫菘。即芦菔。一曰白菘。根坚小而不可食。三种南
北通有。（时珍曰。苏恭言南北变种者。盖指蔓荆。紫菘而言。紫菘根似蔓荆。而叶又不同
耳。）而气则一。本草言其性温。大明言其性凉。盖凉则是而温则非也。时珍云。气虚胃冷
人多食。则恶心吐沫。气壮人则相宜。诜曰。发风冷内虚人不可食。有热人食不发病。则其
性冷又属可知。（颂曰。有小毒。不可多食。多则以生姜解之。瑞曰。夏至前食发气动疾。
有足疾者忌之。）即据别录载能通利肠胃。除胸中烦。解渴。萧炳载能消食下气。治瘴气。
止热气嗽。冬汁尤佳。宁源载能和中利大小便。并列丹方。载治小儿赤游。（赤游行于上下
。至心则死。菘采捣敷即止。）飞丝入目。（白菜揉烂。帕包。滴汁二三点。入目即出。）漆
毒生疮。（用白菘菜捣烂。涂之即退。）亦何莫不是气凉之故。而能使其诸病悉除也。后人不
解其意。反以味辛曰温。（生则辛冷。熟则甘寒。）嗟嗟。性既温矣。安有止烦除渴。消食下
气解热之功乎？于此可征其概矣。
（柔滑）通阳利便
苋菜（专入肠胃）。味甘气寒。质滑。按据诸书。无不皆言其性冷利。能治热结血痢蛊
毒之症
。（恭曰。赤苋辛寒。弘景曰。人苋细苋并冷利。赤苋疗赤下而不堪食。震亨曰。红苋入血
分善走。故与马苋同服能下胎。或煮食之。令人易产。）即人服之者。亦无不谓其通肠利便
。是亦菜中最冷最滑之味也。且又戒其多食。则令人动气烦闷。又曰。不可与鳖同食。生鳖
症。按此事即未有。而其气味之寒。气味之冷。与于龟鳖同为一类。故有如此箴规之词矣。
岂止寻常冷利之味哉？然果脏阳不阴。及于暑时。挟有真正热候。亦又何忌。惟在食之者之
能审其所用可耳。子治肝经风热上攻眼目。赤痛生翳。遮障不明。青盲赤眼。并宜服之。为
末。每服方寸匙。
白菘菜（专门作用于肠胃）。为什么这样命名呢？因为它经历冬天也不凋谢，所以用“菘”来称呼。因为颜色青白，所以用“白”来标识。但是菘有三种：一种叫牛肚菘，它的叶子最大而且味道甘甜；一种叫紫菘，就是萝卜；一种叫白菘，根坚硬细小而不能食用。这三种南北各地都有。（李时珍说：苏恭所说的南北变种，大概是指蔓荆和紫菘而言。紫菘的根像蔓荆，但叶子又不同罢了。）但它们的气味性质是一样的。《本草》说它性温，《大明本草》说它性凉。看来凉是对的而温是错的。李时珍说：气虚胃冷的人如果多吃，就会恶心吐沫；身体壮实的人则适宜食用。孟诜说：患有风疾、体内虚寒的人不可食用；有热邪的人吃了不发病，那么它的性冷也就可想而知了。（苏颂说：有小毒，不可多吃。多吃了可以用生姜来解毒。陈瑞说：夏至前食用会引发气动疾病，有脚疾的人忌食。）就根据《名医别录》记载它能通利肠胃，消除胸中烦闷，解渴；萧炳记载它能消食下气，治疗瘴气，止住热气引起的咳嗽，冬季的菜汁尤其好；宁源记载它能调和脾胃，通利大小便，并列在丹方中，记载治疗小儿赤游丹（赤游丹在身体上下游走，到达心脏就会死亡，采集白菘菜捣烂外敷即可停止）；飞丝入目（白菜揉烂，用帕子包裹，滴汁二三点，进入眼睛即排出）；漆毒生疮（用白菘菜捣烂，涂抹患处即可消退）。这些难道不是因为它气凉的缘故，从而能使其各种病症都消除吗？后人不理解其中的意思，反而认为味道辛就是温。（生吃则辛冷，煮熟则甘寒）。唉，既然性温，怎么会有止烦除渴、消食下气、解热的功效呢？从这里可以推知大概情况了。
（质地柔滑）能通阳利便。
苋菜（专门作用于肠胃），味甘气寒，质地滑润。查阅各类书籍，无不都说它性冷利，能治疗热结血痢、蛊毒等病症。（苏恭说：赤苋辛寒。陶弘景说：人苋、细苋都性冷利，赤苋治疗赤色下痢但不能食用。朱震亨说：红苋入血分善于走窜，所以与马齿苋同服能堕胎，或者煮食它，使人容易生产。）即使服用它的人，也无不称它能通肠利便。这也是蔬菜中最冷最滑的味道。并且告诫不要多吃，否则会让人动气烦闷。又说：不可与鳖同食，否则会生鳖症。按此事尚未发生，但其气味之寒、之冷，与龟鳖归为一类，所以有这样的规劝之词。这岂止是寻常的冷利味道呢？然而如果是脏阳不足阴液亏虚，以及暑天夹杂有真正热象的情况，又有什么忌讳的呢？只在于食用者能审慎使用罢了。用于治疗肝经风热上攻眼目，导致眼睛红肿疼痛、生成翳膜、遮蔽视线不明、青盲赤眼等症状，都适宜服用。将其研成粉末，每次服用一方寸匙。
(Having a pungent and warm nature) It benefits the intestines and stomach, and relieves irritability and heat.
Bai Song Cai (Chinese Cabbage) (specifically enters the Intestines and Stomach). Why is it named so? Because it does not wither through winter, hence called "Song". Because its color is greenish-white, hence designated as "White". However, there are three types of Song: one is Niu Du Song (Ox-belly Chinese Cabbage), whose leaves are the largest and taste sweet; one is Zi Song (Purple Radish), which is Lu Fu (Radish); one is Bai Song, whose root is hard and small and inedible. These three types are found both in the North and South. (Shizhen said: Su Gong's mention of northern and southern variants refers to Man Jing (Vitex rotundifolia) and Zi Song. The root of Zi Song resembles Man Jing, but the leaves are different.) Their qi nature is identical. Ben Cao states its nature is warm, while Da Ming Ben Cao states it is cool. It appears that cool is correct and warm is incorrect. Shizhen stated: For those with Qi deficiency and cold stomach, excessive consumption leads to nausea and spitting foam; for robust individuals, it is suitable. Shen stated: Those with wind-cold and internal deficiency should not eat it. Those with heat who eat it do not develop disease, thus its cold nature can be inferred. (Song stated: It has slight toxicity and should not be eaten in excess. If eaten in excess, resolve it with Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger). Rui stated: Eating before Summer Solstice induces Qi movement and疾 (disease); those with foot ailments should avoid it.) According to Bie Lu, it can benefit and unblock the intestines and stomach, remove chest irritability, relieve thirst. Xiao Bing recorded that it promotes digestion, directs Qi downward, treats Zhang Qi (Miasma), stops coughs caused by hot Qi, and winter juice is especially good. Ning Yuan recorded that it harmonizes the middle, benefits urination and defecation, and is listed in Dan Fang (Alchemical Formulas), treating Xiao Er Chi You (Pediatric Red Roaming Erysipelas) (Red Roaming moves up and down; if it reaches the Heart, death ensues. Applying crushed Bai Song Cai stops it.) Fei Si Ru Mu (Flying silk entering the eye) (Crush Chinese cabbage, wrap in cloth, drip two or three drops into the eye to expel it.) Qi Du Sheng Chuang (Lac poison causing sores) (Apply crushed Bai Song Cai to the area to make it recede.) Are these not all due to its cool nature, enabling it to eliminate various diseases? Later generations did not understand this, mistakenly thinking pungent flavor implies warm nature. (Raw is pungent and cold; cooked is sweet and cold). Alas, if its nature were warm, how could it have the effects of relieving irritability, quenching thirst, promoting digestion, directing Qi downward, and clearing heat? From this, its general characteristics can be deduced.
(Soft and slippery texture) It unblocks Yang and facilitates urination/defecation.
Xian Cai (Amaranth) (specifically enters the Intestines and Stomach), tastes sweet, has a cold nature, and a slippery texture. Consulting various books, all state its nature is cold and purgative, capable of treating conditions such as Heat-binding Bloody Dysentery and Gu Du (Gu Poison). (Gong stated: Chi Xian (Red Amaranth) is pungent and cold. Hongjing stated: Ren Xian (Common Amaranth) and Xi Xian (Small Amaranth) are both cold and purgative; Chi Xian treats red dysentery but is not edible. Zhenheng stated: Hong Xian (Red Amaranth) enters the Blood level and moves vigorously; thus, taken together with Ma Xian (Purslane), it can induce abortion, or when boiled and eaten, it facilitates childbirth.) Even those who consume it invariably claim it unblocks the intestines and facilitates bowel movements. It is indeed the coldest and slippest among vegetables. Furthermore, it is warned against excessive consumption, as it causes Qi disturbance and irritability. It is also stated that it should not be eaten with Die (Soft-shelled Turtle), as it may cause Die Syndrome. Although this case has not occurred, its cold and chilly nature aligns it with Gui (Tortoise) and Die (Turtle), hence such cautionary advice. Is it merely an ordinary cold and purgative food? However, if there is insufficient Yin to anchor Yang, or during summer months accompanied by true Heat patterns, what is there to fear? It depends solely on the consumer's ability to use it judiciously. It is used to treat Liver Meridian Wind-Heat attacking the eyes, causing redness, pain, nebula formation, visual obstruction, Qing Mang (Blindness), and Red Eyes. All these conditions are suitable for its administration. Grind into powder, take one Fang Cun Chi (square-inch spoonful) per dose.