\r滁州萎蕤\pj142.bmp\r
\r舒州女萎\pj143.bmp\r
味甘，气平。无毒。泰山山谷多生，滁州舒州俱有。叶长而狭，表白里青，茎干
黄精相同，强直似竹有节。故一名玉竹，又名地节，咸取象也。根大如指，一二尺长。色黄
多须，甘美可啖。开青花春末，结圆实夏初。入剂采根，竹刀刮净，蜜水浸宿，文火烘干。
勿误取钩吻黄精，（二物俱似萎蕤，但萎蕤节上有毛、茎斑，叶尖处有小黄点为异。）须仔细
辨认真假。考古方多用，畏卤咸勿加。益气补中，润肺除热。主心腹结气，虚热湿毒。治腰
脚冷痛，天行热狂。止 烂双眸，逐风淫四末。泽容颜去面黑 ，调气血令体康强。 又种
女萎，辛温，气味与萎蕤全别。似白蔹蔓生，开白花结细子。在荆襄每名曰蔓地楚，
今人常谬以为白头翁。采得荫
干，去头上白蕊，锉成细片，拌豆淋酒蒸。从巳至申，方取曝用。主霍乱肠鸣泄痢，洒淅风
寒；理游气上下无常，癫痫
寒热。消食驱积，出汗散邪。
（谟）按∶萎蕤《本经》与女萎同条。考其诸注，有指一物二名，有谓自是二物。又后
女萎与
前女萎同名，亦云功用并同。信非二物，疑乃剩出一条也。但考陈氏所注，谓古方用者，又
似差殊。胡洽治时气洞泄 下有女萎丸，治伤寒冷下结肠丸亦有女萎。治虚劳小黄耆酒云∶
下痢者加女萎。详此数方所用，乃后加圈女萎，缘其性温，主霍乱泄痢故也。又茵芋酒用女
萎，主贼风手足枯痹，四肢拘挛。女萎膏治身体 斑剥，乃似前与萎蕤同条女萎，缘其主风
淫四末，及去黑 泽容颜。故陈藏器亦谓更非二物。是不然，况此女萎性平、味甘，后条女
萎性温、味辛。性味既殊，功用又别，安得为一物乎？又续命鳖甲汤治伤寒七八日不解，鳖
甲汤治脚弱并用萎蕤。又萎蕤饮，主风热项急痛，四肢骨肉烦热。萎蕤丸，主风虚热发即
头痛，乃似前与女萎同条萎蕤，缘其主虚热湿毒故也。三者主治既殊，则非一物明矣。又云
∶萎蕤一名地节，极似偏精，疑即青粘，昔华佗所服漆叶青粘散是此也。然世无复能辨者，
未敢为言，姑着之，以俟明达折衷尔。
味甘，气平。无毒。泰山山谷中多生长，滁州、舒州也都有。叶子长而窄，正面白色背面青色，茎干与黄精相同，坚硬挺直像竹子一样有节。所以一名叫玉竹，又名地节，都是取象于其形态。根大如手指，长一二尺。颜色黄，须根多，甘甜美味可以食用。春末开青花，夏初结圆实。入药时采集根部，用竹刀刮干净，用蜜水浸泡过夜，用小火烘干。不要误取钩吻和黄精，（这两种药都类似萎蕤，但萎蕤的节上有毛、茎上有斑纹，叶尖处有小黄点作为区别。）必须仔细辨别真假。古代方剂多用此药，畏忌卤咸之物不可加入。能益气补中，润肺除热。主治心腹结气，虚热湿毒。治疗腰脚冷痛，天行热狂。止烂眼病，祛除四肢的风邪。润泽容颜去除面部黑斑，调和气血使身体康强。
另外种植的女萎，味辛性温，气味与萎蕤完全不同。类似白蔹蔓生，开白花结细子。在荆襄地区名叫蔓地楚，现在的人常错误地把它当作白头翁。采得后阴干，去掉头部的白色花蕊，锉成细片，拌豆淋酒蒸制。从巳时至申时，才取出晒干使用。主治霍乱肠鸣泄痢，洒淅风寒；调理游走之气上下无常，癫痫寒热。消食驱积，出汗散邪。
（陈嘉谟）按：萎蕤在《本经》中与女萎列在同一条。考证各家注释，有的指为一物两名，有的认为是两种不同的药。又有前女萎和后女萎同名，也说功用相同。如果不是两种药，怀疑是多余列出的一条。但考证陈氏所注，谓古方使用的，又似乎有差异。胡洽治疗时气洞泄下有女萎丸，治疗伤寒冷下结肠丸也有女萎。治疗虚劳小黄耆酒云：“下痢者加女萎。”详细考察这几个方剂所用的，乃是后加圈的女萎，因为其性温，主治霍乱泄痢的缘故。又有茵芋酒用女萎，主治贼风手足枯痹，四肢拘挛。女萎膏治身体斑剥，乃似前与萎蕤同条的女萎，因为其主风淫四末，及去黑泽容颜。所以陈藏器也说不是两种药。这不对，况且此女萎性平、味甘，后条女萎性温、味辛。性味既然不同，功用又别，怎么能是一种药呢？又有续命鳖甲汤治伤寒七八日不解，鳖甲汤治脚弱并用萎蕤。又有萎蕤饮，主风热项急痛，四肢骨肉烦热。萎蕤丸，主风虚热发即头痛，乃似前与女萎同条的萎蕤，因为其主虚热湿毒的缘故。三者主治既然不同，则不是一种药很明显了。又说：萎蕤一名地节，极似偏精，怀疑就是青粘，昔日华佗所服漆叶青粘散是此药。然而世上再也没有人能辨别了，不敢妄言，姑且记录下来，以等待明达之人折衷判断。
*Polygonatum odoratum* (Weirui) from Chuzhou
*Anemarrhena asphodeloides* (Nüwei) from Shuzhou
Taste is sweet, nature is neutral. Non-toxic. It grows abundantly in the valleys of Mount Tai, and is also found in Chuzhou and Shuzhou. The leaves are long and narrow, white on the upper surface and green on the lower surface. The stem is similar to *Rhizoma Polygonati* (Huangjing), stiff and straight like bamboo with nodes. Hence it is also called Yuzhu (Jade Bamboo) or Dijie (Earth Joint), names derived from its morphology. The root is as thick as a finger, one to two chi long. It is yellow with many fibrous roots, sweet and delicious, and edible. It blooms with blue flowers in late spring and bears round fruits in early summer. For medicinal use, the roots are harvested, scraped clean with a bamboo knife, soaked overnight in honey water, and dried over gentle heat. Do not mistake it for *Gelsemium elegans* (Gougen) or *Rhizoma Polygonati* (Huangjing). (Both substances resemble *Polygonatum odoratum*, but *Polygonatum odoratum* has hairs on the nodes, mottled stems, and small yellow spots at the leaf tips as distinguishing features.) Careful differentiation between authentic and fake materials is required. Ancient prescriptions frequently used this herb; it should not be combined with salty condiments. It benefits Qi and tonifies the Middle Jiao, moistens the Lungs and clears deficiency heat. It treats stagnation of Qi in the chest and abdomen, deficiency heat, and damp-heat toxicity. It alleviates cold pain in the waist and legs, and epidemic fever with mania. It stops ulcerative eye diseases and expels wind pathogens from the four extremities. It nourishes the complexion, removes facial hyperpigmentation, harmonizes Qi and Blood, and promotes physical robustness.
Additionally, cultivated *Anemarrhena asphodeloides* (Nüwei) is acrid and warm. Its properties and flavors are completely different from *Polygonatum odoratum*. It climbs like *Radix Ampelopsis Japonicae* (Bailian), blooms with white flowers, and bears small seeds. In the Jingxiang region, it is named Mandichu. People nowadays often mistakenly identify it as *Omphalodes nipponica* (Baitouweng). After harvesting, it is shade-dried, the white stamens at the top are removed, it is sliced finely, steamed with fermented soybean wine, processed from Si hour to Shen hour, and then sun-dried for use. It treats cholera-like diarrhea with intestinal borborygmus, and chills and fevers resembling shivering; it regulates wandering Qi that moves irregularly up and down, and epilepsy with alternating chills and fever. It aids digestion, eliminates food accumulation, induces sweating, and disperses pathogenic factors.
(Chen Jiamo) Commentary: In the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, Weirui and Nüwei were listed in the same entry. Examining various annotations, some identify them as one substance with two names, while others consider them two distinct substances. There is also confusion regarding "former Nüwei" and "latter Nüwei" sharing the same name, with claims that their functions are identical. If they are not two different substances, it is suspected that an extra entry was redundantly added. However, examining Chen’s notes, ancient prescriptions seem to show discrepancies. Hu Qia’s prescription for epidemic acute diarrhea includes a Nüwei Pill; his prescription for cold-induced colitis also contains Nüwei. In the treatment of consumptive disease using Xiao Huangqi Wine, it states: "Add Nüwei for patients with dysentery." Detailed examination of these prescriptions suggests the use of the latter Nüwei (circled in later texts), due to its warm nature and efficacy in treating cholera and dysentery. Furthermore, Yin Yu Wine uses Nüwei to treat sudden wind causing flaccidity and numbness of hands and feet, and limb contracture. Nüwei Ointment treats skin peeling and macular lesions, which resembles the former Nüwei listed with Weirui, due to its ability to treat wind pathogens in the extremities and improve complexion. Thus, Chen Cangqi also argued they are not two different substances. This is incorrect. Moreover, this Nüwei is neutral in nature and sweet in taste, whereas the latter Nüwei is warm in nature and acrid in taste. Since their properties and flavors differ, and their functions are distinct, how can they be considered one substance? Additionally, Xuming Biejia Tang for unresolved cold damage after seven or eight days, and Biejia Tang for leg weakness, both use Weirui. Weirui Decoction treats wind-heat causing neck stiffness and pain, and irritability/heat in limbs and bones. Weirui Pill treats headache triggered by wind-deficiency heat. These resemble the former Weirui listed with Nüwei, due to its treatment of deficiency heat and damp-heat toxicity. Since the three indications are distinct, it is clear they are not one substance. It is also said: Weirui is also known as Dijie, which closely resembles Pianjing. It is suspected to be Qingnian, the substance consumed by Hua Tuo in his Qiyе Qingnian San. However, no one today can distinguish it, so I dare not assert this definitively. I record it here pending judgment by learned scholars.