其枝小弱如蔓。故名。
气味苦辛。微凉。气清味薄。阳中之阴。入手足太阳经。主治凉诸经血。益气明目。利
关节及九窍。治筋骨间寒热。湿痹拘挛。搜肝风。散风邪。治太阳风头痛。头沉昏闷。除昏
暗。止目睛内痛。及目泪出。方书主眩晕螈 。颈项强痛。腰痛挛痞。行痹着痹。并耳鼻齿
病。蔓荆子禀阳气以生。兼得金化而成。（仲淳）气清味辛。体轻而浮。上行而散。故主头
面风虚之证。（濒湖）蔓荆之治。何以于头目为先。盖阳气先于天表。而乃及于经脉。正所
谓卫气充周。而后精专者入于脉也。
〔论〕 蔓荆春因旧枝而生小叶。至夏茂盛作花。是秉春温之气以生。夏热之气以长。
九月结实。是因深秋凉降之气以成。其味始尝之多苦。后味之有辛。更有微凉。正其气化之
应也。先哲曰。假令自地而升天。非苦无以至地。非温无以至天。故用苦温之剂。假令自天
而降地。非辛无以至天。非凉无以至地。故用辛凉之剂。凉固在天之阴而降地者也。蔓荆从
苦温而成于辛凉。以升天始。以降地终。夫有温升。始有凉降。而有凉降。乃以成其温升。
（阳不得阴。则阳无以化也。）东垣曰。诸阳气皆根于阴血。阴受火邪。则上乘阳分。而阳
道不行。此味成于凉降。能凉诸经之血。不使火邪乘于阳分。且阳得阴以化。而阳道行。绎
东垣数语。足以明其功用矣。世第以其辛温升散。推为风剂。孰知有妙于凉降以成其温升。
不使阳之戾气。化为风眚者乎。（凉血则阳得阴以为守。而风木之气化自平。故此味专治内
风。凡方书中用疗风证。须识此义。）或曰。本经首治筋骨间寒热湿痹拘挛。此凉血之故欤。
抑
气也。虽水谷之悍气入卫。不能入于脉。然卫气充周。和调五脏。洒陈六腑。遂能入于脉。
是有充周之气。乃有精专者以入于营。固无二气也。然则如上主治。岂能外于温升之气乎。
第温升之气无凉降。则阳中无阴。与经所谓至阴虚天气绝者无二义。惟此味本温升之气以归
凉降。有阴降而阳随之化机。故能使阳入阴中。而营气得以贯注。遂为筋骨之利。而痹者通
挛者伸耳。先哲言营之机不动。则卫气不布。斯语可互为参也。（即伏虎丹之治瘫痪。拯济
换骨丹之治半身不遂。茯神汤之疗心痹。小乌犀汤之治行痹。神效黄 汤蔓荆子汤苦参汤之
疗着痹。有一不由于营卫之合以致其用者乎。更参苦参汤。乃治营虚卫实而肌肉不仁者。可
知兹味之用。以阴而达阳。即由阳以彻阴也。）再如洁古谓其凉诸经血。又曰气清。别录言
其益气。大约凉血益气。妙皆以清气为关捩子。盖其气清者。阳得阴以化。东垣所谓阳道得
行。即此是气益矣。故气虚而头疼。气虚而着痹。气虚而胸次痞。率于补气中用之。不可想
见其气清即气益之微义欤。至其并能化阳之戾者。以气之虚者欲补。此能清其气以达之。气
之戾者欲散。此更能清其气以化之。总之于气胥益也。（观螈 一证。有牛黄散治其虚。更
有胃风汤独活散治其实可见。）然则此味先入何经。乃合于凉血。以奏益气之功欤。曰。手
太阳小肠受邪。蔓荆子除之。此说最当矣。夫心为火主。气者火之灵也。而小肠与之合。心
不司气化。而小肠为心司气化之权。又心主血。而小肠即为血化之府。东垣所谓诸阳气根于
阴血者也。况小肠经脉。上会诸阳于督。下会诸阳于任。其上而受诸阳之施化者。实下而根
柢于真阴之熏蒸也。所谓小肠之邪。即病于气化不清。除小肠之邪。非即凉血而令气清。气
清而令气益乎哉。彼洁古云入太阳者。固包举手足两经而言矣。
〔修治〕 去膜。打碎用。
它的枝条细小柔弱，像藤蔓一样。因此得名。
气味苦、辛，性微凉。气清轻而味道淡薄，属于阳中的阴，归入手太阳小肠经和足太阳膀胱经。主要功效是清凉各条经脉的血分，补益元气，明目，通利关节及九窍。治疗筋骨间的寒热邪气，湿痹引起的拘挛抽搐。搜剔肝风，疏散风邪。治疗太阳经风邪引起的头痛，头部沉重昏闷，消除视物昏暗，止住眼球内部疼痛以及流泪。医书主治眩晕、抽搐（瘛疭）。颈项强直疼痛，腰痛挛急痞塞，行痹、着痹，以及鼻、耳、牙齿的疾病。蔓荆子禀受阳气而生，兼得金气而成。（陈实功/仲淳）其气清味辛，质地轻浮，药势上行且发散，所以主治头面部风虚之证。（李时珍/濒湖）蔓荆子的治疗作用，为什么以头目为先？因为阳气先到达体表，然后才进入经脉，这正是所谓的卫气充盈周遍之后，精专之气才能进入脉中。
〔论〕 蔓荆子在春天依靠旧枝生出小叶，到了夏天茂盛开花。这是秉承了春温之气以生长，夏热之气以壮大。九月结果实，这是因深秋凉降之气以成熟。它的气味起初尝起来多苦，后来品味有辛，更有微凉，这正是其气化作用的应验。先哲说：假如从地上升到天，没有苦味无法到达地界，没有温性无法到达天界，所以使用苦温的药剂。假如从天下降到地，没有辛味无法通达天界，没有凉性无法到达地界，所以使用辛凉的药剂。凉性固然属于天的阴气而降于地。蔓荆子从苦温开始，最终成就于辛凉，以升天开始，以降地结束。因为有温升，才有凉降；而有凉降，才能成就其温升。（阳气如果没有阴气的配合，就无法化生。）李东垣说：各种阳气都根源于阴血。如果阴血受到火邪侵害，就会上乘于阳分，导致阳道运行不畅。此药性成于凉降，能清凉各经之血，不让火邪乘袭阳分。并且阳气得到阴血的滋养而化生，阳道得以运行。推演李东垣的这几句话，足以阐明蔓荆子的功用。世人只因为它辛温升散，把它推崇为治风药剂，哪里知道它有妙在凉降以成就温升，不让阳气的乖戾之气化为风灾呢？（凉血则阳气得到阴气的守持，而风木之气化自然平和。所以此药专门治疗内风，凡是医书中用于治疗风证的，必须明白这一含义。）有人问：《神农本草经》首先治疗筋骨间的寒热湿痹拘挛，这是因为凉血的作用吗？还是因为气的作用？虽然水谷产生的悍气进入卫分，不能直接进入脉中，但是卫气充盈周遍，调和五脏，散布六腑，随后才能进入脉中。有了充盈周遍的卫气，才有精专的营气进入脉中，本来就没有两种分离的气。既然这样，那么上述的主治功效，难道能脱离温升之气吗？只是温升之气如果没有凉降的配合，那么阳中就无阴，这与经文所说的“至阴虚则天气绝”没有两样。只有此药本具温升之气而归入凉降，有阴气的下降而阳气随之化生，所以能使阳气进入阴中，而营气得以贯通注入，从而成为筋骨的便利，使痹症通畅、拘挛伸展。先哲说营气之机不动，则卫气不布，这句话可以互为参考。（即伏虎丹治疗瘫痪，拯济换骨丹治疗半身不遂，茯神汤治疗心痹，小乌犀汤治疗行痹，神效黄芪汤、蔓荆子汤、苦参汤治疗着痹，难道有不通过营卫相合来发挥作用的吗？再参考苦参汤，它是治疗营虚卫实而肌肉麻木不仁的，可知此药的作用，是以阴通达阳，即由阳彻达阴。）又如张洁古说它能凉诸经之血，又说气清，《名医别录》说它益气。大概凉血益气，奥妙都在于清气这个关键。因为它气清，阳气得到阴气的化生，李东垣所说的阳道得以运行，这就是气得到了补益。所以气虚导致的头痛，气虚导致的着痹，气虚导致的胸中痞塞，都在补气方剂中使用它。不可以想象它气清就是气益的微妙含义吗？至于它能转化阳气的乖戾之气，对于气虚想要补益的，它能清气以通达它；对于气机乖戾想要疏散的，它更能清气以化解它。总之对气都有补益。（观察抽搐一证，有牛黄散治疗其虚证，更有胃风汤、独活散治疗其实证可见。）那么此药先进入哪条经脉，才能结合凉血，从而奏效益气之功呢？回答是：手太阳小肠经受邪，蔓荆子能清除它，这种说法最恰当。心为火之主，气是火的灵明所在，而小肠与心相表里。心不直接司管气化，而小肠代心行使气化的权柄。又心主血，而小肠即为血液化生的府库。这就是李东垣所说的各种阳气根源于阴血。况且小肠经脉，上会合诸阳经于督脉，下会合诸阳经于任脉。其上而接受诸阳的施化，实际上下而根基于真阴的熏蒸。所谓小肠的邪气，就是病在气化不清。清除小肠的邪气，不就是凉血令气清，气清令气益吗？张洁古说入太阳经，确实包举了手、足两条太阳经而言。
〔修治〕 去掉膜壳，打碎后使用。
Its branches are slender and weak, resembling vines. Hence the name.
The flavor is bitter and acrid, with a slightly cool nature. The qi is clear and light, and the taste is thin. It belongs to yin within yang, enters the Hand-Taiyang (Small Intestine) and Foot-Taiyang (Bladder) meridians. Its main indications include cooling the blood of various meridians, benefiting qi, brightening the eyes, unblocking joints and orifices. It treats cold-heat in muscles and bones, wind-damp bi syndrome causing spasms and contractures. It searches out liver wind, disperses wind pathogens, treats Taiyang wind headache, heavy and dull head sensation, eliminates visual dimness, stops pain inside the eyeballs, and stops tearing. Medical texts indicate its use for vertigo and convulsions (Chi Zhong). Stiffness and pain in the neck and nape, lower back pain with cramping and obstruction, Xing Bi (Wandering Bi), Zhuo Bi (Fixed Bi), as well as diseases of the nose, ears, and teeth. Man Jing Zi is born bearing yang qi and formed by acquiring metal qi. (Chen Shigong/Zhong Chun) Its qi is clear and flavor acrid; its substance is light and floating, moving upward and dispersing. Therefore, it mainly treats wind-deficiency syndromes of the head and face. (Li Shizhen/Bin Hu) Why does Man Jing Zi prioritize the treatment of the head and eyes? Because yang qi first reaches the exterior surface, and then enters the meridians. This is precisely what is meant by: only after the Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) is full and circulates thoroughly can the refined and specialized qi enter the vessels.
[Discussion] Man Jing Zi sprouts small leaves from old branches in spring, and becomes lush and flowers in summer. This is growing by inheriting the warm qi of spring and expanding by the hot qi of summer. It bears fruit in September, maturing due to the cool-descending qi of late autumn. Its taste is initially mostly bitter, followed by an acrid note, and further a slight coolness, which corresponds exactly to its qi transformation. Ancient sages said: If ascending from earth to heaven, without bitterness one cannot reach the earth, and without warmth one cannot reach heaven; thus, bitter-warm formulas are used. If descending from heaven to earth, without acridity one cannot connect to heaven, and without coolness one cannot reach the earth; thus, acrid-cool formulas are used. Coolness certainly belongs to the yin of heaven descending to earth. Man Jing Zi begins with bitter-warm and concludes with acrid-cool, starting with ascending to heaven and ending with descending to earth. Because there is warm ascent, there is cool descent; and because there is cool descent, the warm ascent is completed. (If yang lacks yin, yang cannot transform.) Li Dongyuan said: All yang qi is rooted in yin blood. If yin receives fire pathogenic factors, they will ascend to the yang sector, causing the Yang Dao (pathway of yang) to fail to function. This medicine, formed through cool descent, can cool the blood of various meridians, preventing fire pathogens from attacking the yang sector. Furthermore, yang obtains yin for transformation, allowing the Yang Dao to function. Elucidating these words of Li Dongyuan sufficiently clarifies the functions of this herb. The world merely regards it as acrid-warm and ascending-dispersive, promoting it as a wind-dispelling agent. Who knows that its subtlety lies in cool descent to achieve warm ascent, preventing the aberrant qi of yang from transforming into wind disasters? (Cooling the blood allows yang to have yin as its support, so the qi transformation of wind-wood naturally levels out. Thus, this herb specifically treats internal wind. In all medical texts using treatments for wind syndromes, one must recognize this principle.) One might ask: The *Shennong Bencao Jing* first mentions treating cold-heat, damp-bi, and spasms between muscles and bones. Is this due to cooling blood? Or due to qi? Although the fierce qi of water and grain enters the Wei level, it cannot enter the vessels directly. However, when Wei Qi is full and circulates, harmonizing the five zang organs and distributing to the six fu organs, it subsequently enters the vessels. Having full and circulating qi, there is refined and specialized qi entering the Ying (Nutritive) level. Originally, there are not two separate qi. Then, how can the aforementioned therapeutic effects be outside the scope of warm-ascent qi? Only if the warm-ascent qi lacks cool-descent, then yang has no yin, which is no different from the scripture's statement "when extreme yin deficiency occurs, the weather of heaven is cut off." Only this herb, possessing warm-ascent qi but returning to cool-descent, has the mechanism of yin descending and yang following in transformation. Thus, it enables yang to enter yin, allowing Ying Qi to penetrate and irrigate, thereby benefiting muscles and bones, making bi syndromes unblocked and spasms extended. The ancient saying "if the mechanism of Ying does not move, Wei Qi does not distribute" can be referenced mutually. (For example, Fuhu Dan treating paralysis, Zhengji Huangu Dan treating hemiplegia, Fushen Tang treating Heart Bi, Xiaowuxi Tang treating Xing Bi, Shenxiao Huangqi Tang, Man Jingzi Tang, and Kushen Tang treating Zhuo Bi—is there any case where their efficacy is not achieved through the combination of Ying and Wei? Referencing Kushen Tang again, it treats muscle insensibility due to Ying deficiency and Wei excess. It can be known that the use of this herb is reaching yang through yin, and penetrating yin through yang.) Furthermore, Zhang Jiegu stated it cools the blood of various meridians and that its qi is clear. The *Mingyi Bielu* states it benefits qi. Generally, the wonders of cooling blood and benefiting qi hinge on clearing the qi. Because its qi is clear, yang obtains yin for transformation. What Li Dongyuan called "the Yang Dao functioning" is precisely this benefit of qi. Therefore, for headaches due to qi deficiency, Zhuo Bi due to qi deficiency, and chest oppression due to qi deficiency, it is routinely used among tonifying qi agents. One should not fail to perceive the subtle meaning that its clear qi constitutes a benefit to qi. As for its ability to transform the aberrant qi of yang: for those with deficient qi desiring tonification, it clears the qi to facilitate it; for those with aberrant qi desiring dispersion, it clears the qi to resolve it. In summary, it benefits all aspects of qi. (Observing the syndrome of convulsions, Niuhuang San treats its deficiency, while Weifeng Tang and Duohuo San treat its excess, this is visible.) Then, which meridian does this herb enter first to combine with cooling blood and achieve the effect of benefiting qi? The answer is: When the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine meridian is affected by pathogens, Man Jing Zi removes them. This explanation is most appropriate. The Heart is the master of fire, and qi is the spirit of fire. The Small Intestine is internally-externally related to it. The Heart does not directly manage qi transformation, but the Small Intestine exercises the authority of qi transformation on behalf of the Heart. Moreover, the Heart governs blood, and the Small Intestine is the palace where blood is transformed. This is what Li Dongyuan referred to as "all yang qi is rooted in yin blood." Furthermore, the Small Intestine meridian converges with all yang meridians at the Du Mai above, and converges with all yang meridians at the Ren Mai below. Its upper reception of transformations from all yang is actually rooted below in the steaming of true yin. The so-called pathogens of the Small Intestine are diseases of unclear qi transformation. Removing the pathogens of the Small Intestine is none other than cooling the blood to make the qi clear, and making the qi clear to benefit the qi. When Zhang Jiegu said it enters the Taiyang meridian, he indeed encompassed both the Hand and Foot Taiyang meridians.
[Processing] Remove the membrane and crush before use.