称石莲子。以秋深沉水。坚黑如石得名。纲目载别有石莲子。状如土石而味苦。不知
何物也。
即北地晒干赤枣。肉浓多脂。宜用入药。其蒸熟色黑。是为胶枣。亦有用者。至南枣
以糖蜜拌蒸。更甘而润。食多损脾动湿热。未堪用也。枣仁陈久者弥良。
本草主治云。安志厌食。厌平声。饱也。纲目称其开胃益脾。补虚长智。即安志厌食
之谓也。
纲目云。气温味甘苦冷利。冷利者其性也。凡用。汤浸去皮尖。麸炒黄。然治风寒肺
病。有连皮尖用者。取其发散也。桃仁行血。宜连皮尖生用。若润燥活血。则宜汤浸去皮
尖炒黄用也。
本经名铁落。主风热恶疮疡。疽疮。痂疥气在皮肤中。痂说文训干疡。疥有甲。故曰
疥。皆外干燥。邪郁皮肤。痛痒不可耐。金以制木。木平则邪热自清。故主之。千金方用治
小儿丹毒。亦此意也。煎汁服。亦治水肿。盖借铁气以制肝木。使不能克土。土不受邪。水
自消矣。愈后仍断盐。以盐性濡润。恐致复病也。
纲目依本经。朴硝硝石并列。而以芒硝属硝石。谓硝有水火二种。形质虽同。性气迥
别。朴硝即水硝。经煎炼。有细芒者为芒硝。如马牙者为牙硝。气寒而味咸。硝石即火硝。
经煎炼。亦有芒牙二种。气大温而味辛苦。自唐宋以来。所用芒硝牙硝。皆水硝也。信然。
则气温味辛之火硝。既不复用。不必以性寒常用之芒硝另属硝石。且称硝石为火硝矣。汤液
本草载朴硝盆硝硝石。于朴硝称气温。盆硝硝石称气寒。又云。硝石者其总名。不经火者为
生
硝朴硝。经火者为盆硝苦硝。其余诸家。皆称朴芒一物。而有精粗之别。固是。但今药肆朴
硝。一名皮硝。工以治皮。炼净则名芒硝。并入药用。正是水硝。产河南睢州。其火硝得火
即然。一名焰硝。产寿春。今禁私贩。重火器也。至本经硝石。气味主治。与朴硝无大异。
正苏颂所称。又有生硝。亦出蜀地。不因煮炼。类朴硝而小坚。则硝石殆自然铜之比。未易
多致。且既有芒硝可用。亦不更求耳。纲目辨论纷纭。惜未尽一。宋惠民和剂。有碧雪方。
治诸热病。内朴硝芒硝马牙硝硝石并用。皆水硝也。业歧黄者。于此等处。亦宜研窍。未容
姑置。
称石莲子。以秋深沉水。坚黑如石得名。纲目载别有石莲子。状如土石而味苦。不知 何物也。
被称为石莲子，是因为它在秋季沉入深水之中，质地坚硬、颜色漆黑如同石头而得名。《本草纲目》记载另外有一种石莲子，形状像土石一样且味道苦涩，不知道是什么东西。
即北地晒干赤枣。肉浓多脂。宜用入药。其蒸熟色黑。是为胶枣。亦有用者。至南枣 以糖蜜拌蒸。更甘而润。食多损脾动湿热。未堪用也。枣仁陈久者弥良。
这就是北方地区晒干的赤枣，果肉浓厚且多油脂，适宜用来入药。将其蒸熟后颜色变黑，称为胶枣，也有使用的。至于南枣，用糖和蜂蜜搅拌后蒸制，更加甘甜滋润，但吃多了会损伤脾胃并引发湿热，不适合入药。枣仁存放时间越久越好。
本草主治云。安志厌食。厌平声。饱也。纲目称其开胃益脾。补虚长智。即安志厌食 之谓也。
《本草经集注》等本草著作的主治功效说：安定神志，消除饱胀感。“厌”读作平声，意思是饱足。《本草纲目》称它能开胃健脾，补虚益智，说的就是安定神志、消除饱胀的意思。
纲目云。气温味甘苦冷利。冷利者其性也。凡用。汤浸去皮尖。麸炒黄。然治风寒肺 病。有连皮尖用者。取其发散也。桃仁行血。宜连皮尖生用。若润燥活血。则宜汤浸去皮 尖炒黄用也。
《本草纲目》说：桃仁气温，味甘、苦，具有寒凉通利的特性。“冷利”是指它的药性。凡是使用，需用热水浸泡后去掉皮和尖，再用麦麸炒至黄色。然而治疗风寒肺病时，有连同皮和尖一起使用的，是取它发散邪气的意思。桃仁用于活血化瘀，适宜连同皮和尖生用；如果是为了润燥活血，则适宜用水浸泡后去掉皮和尖，炒黄后使用。
本经名铁落。主风热恶疮疡。疽疮。痂疥气在皮肤中。痂说文训干疡。疥有甲。故曰 疥。皆外干燥。邪郁皮肤。痛痒不可耐。金以制木。木平则邪热自清。故主之。千金方用治 小儿丹毒。亦此意也。煎汁服。亦治水肿。盖借铁气以制肝木。使不能克土。土不受邪。水 自消矣。愈后仍断盐。以盐性濡润。恐致复病也。
《神农本草经》中名为铁落（铁屑）。主要治疗风热引起的严重疮疡、疽疮以及痂疥，这些病症的气机郁结在皮肤之中。“痂”在《说文解字》中解释为干燥的疮疡，“疥”因为有甲壳般的硬皮，所以叫“疥”。它们都是外部干燥，邪气郁结在皮肤中，疼痛瘙痒难以忍受。中医认为金能克制木，肝木平和则邪热自然清除，所以铁落主治这些病症。《千金方》用它治疗小儿丹毒，也是这个意思。煎汁服用，也能治疗水肿。这大概是借助铁的沉降之气来制约肝木，使肝木不能克制脾土，脾土不受邪气侵犯，水湿自然消退。痊愈后仍然要忌盐，因为盐的性质湿润滑利，恐怕会导致疾病复发。
纲目依本经。朴硝硝石并列。而以芒硝属硝石。谓硝有水火二种。形质虽同。性气迥 别。朴硝即水硝。经煎炼。有细芒者为芒硝。如马牙者为牙硝。气寒而味咸。硝石即火硝。 经煎炼。亦有芒牙二种。气大温而味辛苦。自唐宋以来。所用芒硝牙硝。皆水硝也。信然。 则气温味辛之火硝。既不复用。不必以性寒常用之芒硝另属硝石。且称硝石为火硝矣。汤液 本草载朴硝盆硝硝石。于朴硝称气温。盆硝硝石称气寒。又云。硝石者其总名。不经火者为 生 硝朴硝。经火者为盆硝苦硝。其余诸家。皆称朴芒一物。而有精粗之别。固是。但今药肆朴 硝。一名皮硝。工以治皮。炼净则名芒硝。并入药用。正是水硝。产河南睢州。其火硝得火 即然。一名焰硝。产寿春。今禁私贩。重火器也。至本经硝石。气味主治。与朴硝无大异。 正苏颂所称。又有生硝。亦出蜀地。不因煮炼。类朴硝而小坚。则硝石殆自然铜之比。未易 多致。且既有芒硝可用。亦不更求耳。纲目辨论纷纭。惜未尽一。宋惠民和剂。有碧雪方。 治诸热病。内朴硝芒硝马牙硝硝石并用。皆水硝也。业歧黄者。于此等处。亦宜研窍。未容 姑置。
《本草纲目》依据《神农本草经》，将朴硝和硝石并列，却把芒硝归入硝石一类。声称硝分为水硝和火硝两种，虽然形状质地相同，但药性和气味截然不同。朴硝就是水硝，经过煎炼后，带有细微芒刺状的称为芒硝，像马牙齿形状的称为牙硝，其气寒而味咸。硝石就是火硝，经过煎炼后，也有芒硝和牙硝两种形态，其气大温而味辛、苦。自从唐宋以来，所使用的芒硝和牙硝，都是水硝。确实如此。那么气温味辛的火硝既然不再使用，就没有必要将性寒常用的芒硝单独归入硝石一类，并且应该称硝石为火硝了。《汤液本草》记载朴硝、盆硝、硝石，对朴硝称其气温，对盆硝和硝石称其气寒。又说，硝石是它们的总称，未经过火炼的称为生硝或朴硝，经过火炼的称为盆硝或苦硝。其他各家都称朴硝和芒硝是同一种东西，只是有精粗的区别，这固然正确。但是现在的药店中的朴硝，又名皮硝，工匠用它来处理皮革，提炼干净后称为芒硝，一并作为药物使用，这正是水硝，产于河南睢州。那火硝遇到火就会燃烧，又名焰硝，产于寿春，现在禁止私人贩卖，是因为重视火器安全的原因。至于《神农本草经》中的硝石，其气味和主治功效与朴硝没有太大差异，正是苏颂所说的。另外还有生硝，也出产于蜀地，不经过煮炼，类似朴硝但稍微坚硬一些，那么硝石大概类似于自然铜，不容易大量获得。况且既然已经有芒硝可以使用，也就不再寻求硝石了。《本草纲目》对此辨析议论纷纷，可惜未能完全厘清。宋代《太平惠民和剂局方》中有碧雪方，治疗各种热病，其中朴硝、芒硝、马牙硝、硝石并用，这些都是水硝。从事中医行业的人，在这些地方也应该深入研究探究，不容许轻易放过。
Stone lotus seeds are so named because they sink into deep water in autumn, becoming hard and black like stones. *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) records another type of stone lotus seed that resembles earthy stones and has a bitter taste, but its identity is unknown.
This refers to red dates dried in the northern regions. Their flesh is thick and oily, making them suitable for medicinal use. When steamed until black, they are called Jiaozao (Gelatinous Dates), which are also used. Southern dates, however, are steamed with sugar and honey, making them sweeter and more moistening; excessive consumption damages the Spleen and stirs up Damp-Heat, rendering them unsuitable for internal medicine. The seeds of the date tree (Zaoren, Semen Ziziphi Spinosae) are better when aged.
The *Materia Medica* states its functions as calming the mind and relieving fullness. "Yan" is pronounced with the level tone, meaning satiety or fullness. *Bencao Gangmu* describes it as opening the appetite, benefiting the Spleen, tonifying deficiency, and enhancing intelligence, which corresponds to the concept of calming the mind and relieving fullness.
*Bencao Gangmu* states: Its nature is warm, flavor sweet and bitter, with a cold and purgative property. "Cold and purgative" refers to its specific characteristic. Generally, it should be soaked in hot water, skin and tips removed, and stir-fried with bran until yellow. However, when treating Wind-Cold Lung diseases, some practitioners use it with the skin and tips intact to exploit its dispersing properties. For promoting blood circulation, Tao Ren (Peach Seed) should be used raw with skin and tips. For moistening dryness and invigorating blood, it should be soaked in water, skin and tips removed, and stir-fried until yellow before use.
In the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, it is named Tielluo (Iron Filings). It primarily treats severe sores and ulcers caused by Wind-Heat, such as carbuncles, and conditions involving crusts and scabies where pathogenic qi stagnates in the skin. "Jia" (crust) is defined in *Shuowen Jiezi* as a dry ulcer; "Suo" (scabies) gets its name from the hard, armor-like appearance. These conditions are externally dry, with pathogens stagnating in the skin, causing unbearable pain and itching. In TCM theory, Metal controls Wood; when Liver Wood is balanced, pathogenic heat clears naturally, hence Tielluo is indicated. The *Qianjin Fang* uses it to treat Erysipelas in children, based on this same principle. Decocted and taken orally, it also treats Edema. This likely works by borrowing the heavy, sinking Qi of iron to restrain Liver Wood, preventing it from overacting on Spleen Earth. When Spleen Earth is not attacked, Water metabolism resolves spontaneously. After recovery, salt intake must still be restricted because salt's moistening nature may cause relapse.
*Bencao Gangmu* follows the *Shennong Bencao Jing* by listing Puxiao (Raw Natrii Sulfas) and Xiaoshi (Nitrums) together, but categorizes Mangxiao (Mirabilite) under Xiaoshi. It claims there are two types of Xiao: Water Xiao and Fire Xiao. Although their form and substance are similar, their nature and Qi differ significantly. Puxiao is Water Xiao; after boiling and refining, those with fine crystalline structures are Mangxiao, and those resembling horse teeth are Yaxiao (Crystal Natrii Sulfas). They are cold in nature and salty in taste. Xiaoshi is Fire Xiao; after refining, it also comes in Mang and Ya forms. It is very warm in nature and pungent and bitter in taste. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, the Mangxiao and Yaxiao used have all been Water Xiao. This is indeed true. Therefore, since the warm and pungent Fire Xiao is no longer used, there is no need to separately classify the commonly used, cold-natured Mangxiao under Xiaoshi, nor should Xiaoshi be called Fire Xiao. *Tangye Bencao* lists Puxiao, Penxiao, and Xiaoshi, describing Puxiao as warm in nature, while Penxiao and Xiaoshi are cold. It further states that "Xiaoshi" is a general term: unrefined is Shengxiao or Puxiao, while fire-refined is Penxiao or Kuxiao. Other authorities consider Puxiao and Mangxiao to be the same substance, differing only in purity, which is correct. However, current pharmacy Puxiao, also known as Pixiao, is used by tanners to treat leather; when refined clean, it becomes Mangxiao and is used medicinally. This is indeed Water Xiao, produced in Suizhou, Henan. Fire Xiao ignites upon contact with fire, also known as Yanxiao, produced in Shouchun. Private trade is now prohibited due to concerns regarding firearms. Regarding the Xiaoshi in the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, its taste, nature, and indications are not vastly different from Puxiao, consistent with Su Song's description. There is also Shengxiao from Sichuan, unboiled, resembling Puxiao but harder. Thus, Xiaoshi might be akin to Ziran Tong (Natural Pyrolusite), which is not easily obtained in large quantities. Moreover, since Mangxiao is available, there is no need to seek Xiaoshi. *Bencao Gangmu*'s discussions are numerous and confusing, unfortunately not fully clarified. The Song Dynasty's *Huimin Heji Ju Fang* contains the Bixue Formula for various heat diseases, using Puxiao, Mangxiao, Yaxiao, and Xiaoshi together, all of which are Water Xiao. Practitioners of Huangdi Neijing and Shennong Bencao Jing should investigate these distinctions carefully and not overlook them.