主破结气。泻心小肠膀胱湿热。利窍行水。赤苓味有微甘。入胃而散血分之湿热。以胃
固多气多血之区。而升降之枢也。夫同一苓也。赤者何以泻。白者何以补。盖白而坚者。属
金而气浓。其虚而赤者。受气未甚凝浓。止本于淡渗之性。而利水逐湿熟耳。
（皮） 主治水肿肤胀。开水道。开腠理。
气味甘平 专理心经。补心气虚。乏疗风眩心虚开心益智。止惊悸。虚人小肠不利
者。加而用之。治心病必用茯神。洁古云。风眩心虚。非茯神不能除。然茯苓亦未尝不治。
心病也。（濒湖）茯苓是古松流肪入地。久得霜露泉壤之精气。而成。茯神是抱根者。与松
根连属。气不相绝。故尤有补心气之功。为其得真阳之余气。名之以神。职此耳。（类明）
生雀丸。治心神不定。恍惚健忘不乐。火不下降。水不上奉。时复振跳。常服消阴养火全心
气。茯神去皮二两。沉香半两。为末。炼蜜丸小豆大。每服三十丸。食后。人参汤下。
〔论〕 茯苓假松气而生。不附着根。皆自作块。其包根而轻虚者为茯神。大约入地深。
则蕴泉壤至精之气。附根而结。则入地未深。假阳之精气居多。故取以治心。不概如茯苓为
得阳中之阴气浓也。又按茯苓茯神。皆取其坚而白。皆用其气之浓。均皆有不坚者。但当以
入地深浅。分阴阳浓薄。不得以虚实较也。茯神茯苓俱补心。而亦有少异者。茯苓导手太阴
之气。使肺气下降入心而生血。且从阳吸阴。似于补心血较切。而安神为最。以心主脉。脉
舍神也。茯神固亦导气。第其入地尚浅。未蕴阴气以归阳。故补心气似较茯苓为专。而安神
当逊于苓也。茯神补心。须佐远志。盖茯神专补心之阳。必藉远志举阴中之阳以上奉。乃可
补心也。
主治破除郁结之气。清泻心、小肠及膀胱的湿热。通利窍道，行气利水。赤茯苓味道带有微甘，入胃经以疏散血分中的湿热，因为胃是多气多血的部位，也是气机升降的枢纽。同样是茯苓，为什么赤色的能泻实，白色的能补虚？大概是因为白色且质地坚硬的，属金，气味浓厚；而赤色且质地疏松的，受气未甚凝浓，只是凭借淡渗的性质来利水祛湿罢了。（茯苓皮）主治水肿和皮肤胀满，开通水道，开泄腠理。
气味甘平。专门调理心经，补益心气之虚。对于风眩（因风邪引起的眩晕）、心虚导致的开心益智不足、惊悸等症状有疗效。身体虚弱者若出现小便不利，加入茯苓使用。治疗心病必须用茯神。张洁古说：“风眩心虚，非茯神不能除。”然而茯苓也并非不治疗心病。（李时珍认为）茯苓是古松树的脂液流入地下，经过长时间吸收霜露、泉水和土壤的精气而形成的。茯神是包裹在松根周围的，与松根相连属，气息不断绝，所以更有补益心气的功效，因为它得到了真阳之余气，命名为“神”，职能就在这里。（《本草类明》记载）生雀丸，治疗心神不定、恍惚健忘、心情不悦、火气不下降、水气不上承、时常震颤跳动。常服可消除阴寒、滋养阳气、全心气。配方：茯神去皮二两，沉香半两，研为细末，用炼蜜制成如小豆大小的丸药。每次服用三十丸，饭后用人参汤送下。
【论述】茯苓假借松气而生，不附着于根，都是自行结成块状。其中包裹着松根且质地轻虚的是茯神。大致来说，入地深的，蕴藏着泉壤最精纯的气；附着在根上结成的，入地不深，假借阳气精气居多，所以用来治疗心病，不像茯苓那样获得浓厚的阳中之阴气。另外考证，茯苓和茯神，都取其坚硬且白色的部分，都使用其气味浓厚的部分。都有不坚硬的，但应当根据入地深浅来区分阴阳的浓薄，不能以虚实来比较。茯神和茯苓都补心，但也有细微差别。茯苓引导手太阴肺经之气，使肺气下降入心而生血，并且从阳吸入阴，似乎对补心血更为贴切，而以安神效果最佳，因为心主脉，脉舍神。茯神固然也导气，但它入地尚浅，未蕴藏阴气以归附于阳，所以补心气似乎比茯苓更专一，而安神效果则逊色于茯苓。茯神补心，须佐以远志。因为茯神专门补心之阳，必须借助远志提升阴中之阳以上奉于心，才能起到补心的作用。
Primarily treats the breaking up of stagnant Qi. Drains damp-heat from the Heart, Small Intestine, and Bladder. Benefits orifices, promotes Qi movement, and induces diuresis. Red Poria (Chiling) has a slightly sweet taste; it enters the Stomach to dissipate damp-heat in the Blood level, as the Stomach is an area abundant in both Qi and Blood, serving as the pivot for ascending and descending mechanisms. Although they are the same herb, why does the red variety drain excess while the white variety tonifies deficiency? Generally, the white and firm variety belongs to Metal, possessing dense Qi; whereas the red and loose variety has not absorbed Qi with great density, relying merely on its bland and leaching nature to promote urination and expel dampness. (Poria Peel) Treats edema and abdominal distension with skin swelling; opens the water pathways and releases the interstices (Cou Li).
Flavor: Sweet; Nature: Neutral. Specifically regulates the Heart Meridian, tonifying deficiency of Heart Qi. It treats wind-induced vertigo (Feng Xuan), Heart deficiency affecting mental clarity and wisdom, and palpitations due to deficiency. For deficient individuals experiencing difficulty in urination, add it to the prescription. Treating Heart diseases requires the use of Poria with Hostwood (Fushen). Zhang Jiejie stated: "For wind-induced vertigo and Heart deficiency, only Fushen can eliminate it." However, Poria also treats Heart diseases. (Li Shizhen) Poria is formed when the resin of ancient pine trees flows into the ground, absorbing the essence of frost, dew, spring water, and soil over a long period. Poria with Hostwood (Fushen) is the part wrapping around the root, connected to the pine root, with continuous Qi flow, thus having superior efficacy in tonifying Heart Qi, as it obtains the residual Qi of True Yang. Hence named "Shen" (Spirit), this is its function. (Bencao Liming) Shengque Wan treats unsettled Spirit, absent-mindedness, forgetfulness, unhappiness, failure of Fire to descend, and failure of Water to ascend, accompanied by occasional tremors. Regular consumption eliminates Yin cold, nourishes Yang, and fully tonifies Heart Qi. Formula: Poria with Hostwood (Fushen), peeled, 2 liang; Agarwood (Chenxiang), 0.5 liang. Grind into powder, make pills with refined honey the size of small beans. Take 30 pills per dose after meals, washed down with Ginseng decoction.
[Discussion] Poria grows by borrowing Pine Qi but does not attach to the root, forming lumps independently. The portion that wraps the root and is light and spongy is Poria with Hostwood (Fushen). Generally, those buried deep absorb the most refined essence of spring water and soil; those attached to roots and formed shallowly borrow more Yang essence. Thus, it is used to treat Heart diseases, unlike Poria which obtains dense Yin within Yang. Furthermore, regarding Poria and Fushen, both utilize the firm and white parts, employing their dense Qi. There are also non-firm varieties, but one should distinguish the density of Yin and Yang based on burial depth, rather than comparing them by deficiency or excess. Both Fushen and Poria tonify the Heart, yet there are slight differences. Poria guides the Qi of the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, causing Lung Qi to descend into the Heart to generate Blood, and absorbs Yin from Yang; it seems closer to tonifying Heart Blood, with calming the Spirit being its primary effect, as the Heart governs vessels and the Spirit resides in vessels. Fushen also guides Qi, but since it is shallower underground and has not accumulated Yin Qi to return to Yang, its tonification of Heart Qi appears more specific than Poria, though its ability to calm the Spirit is inferior to Poria. When using Fushen to tonify the Heart, it must be assisted by Polygala Root (Yuanzhi). Since Fushen specifically tonifies Heart Yang, it relies on Yuanzhi to lift the Yang within Yin to ascend and offer itself to the Heart, thereby achieving the effect of tonifying the Heart.