待老收采。以紧小而赤黯色者。入药。其稍大而鲜红及淡红色者。及三青二黄时。
收之仅可供食。不疗疾。近用赤黑相间之草实为赤小豆。谬甚。
气味甘酸平。心之谷也。其性下行。通乎小肠。能入阴分。治有形之病。主治下水肿。
通
脓
散
鹤膝
和鲤
入苎
乳脉不
气。以袋
水之用药
皆湿气
入腹则杀
亦验。又
治先血后便。是行水化。即以达血滞也。入红豆丸。辅丁香胡椒砂仁。治
是虚寒补阳。亦借此味之化也。难产。日久气乏。赤小豆一升。水九升。
明胶（或用阿胶）一两。同煎少时。一服五合。三四服即产。胞衣不下。用赤
女二七枚。东流水吞服之。按妊娠诸经。轮月养胎。独手少阴手太阳二轻不
居则为月水。有胎则为乳汁。故不在养胎之类也。夫胚胎之兆始。受水精而
而成气。即此可识赤小豆下胎下乳汁。治产难之故矣。
〔论〕赤小豆以夏至后布种。至秋花实。秋将尽而取其老赤者。方可入药。夫其本三阴
进气
至于
明
性
血。血原于金水。而成于木火。
气告成而乃为火用者。固天气
阳不得阴以行其化。则火之气
或小便不利。及暴痢。甚则
湿。其义若此。诸书谓赤
氏便谓为肾之心物。水之用药
气中。如濒湖谓为心之谷。是
物。是指阳得阴以化。而阴即随
化于阳而水用行。故本经首主水
如下血香港脚鹤膝风。皆得于心与
烦满通气。士良所谓缩气行风。
曰。凡人气化布而后水化行。
肺不足以至之。即谓之水元不
则为热毒。皆阴不足以化之之
而诸热悉化矣。即斯义以求之
其由阴化阳。却必言其由阳化
以其能益水脏之气化也。气
水为专功哉。）且于心肾为功最
谵妄之茯神散。此专治心脏病
为行水。亦非于阴水不宜也。
用赤小豆。病已即去。勿过剂。（仲淳）久服则降令太过。津血渗泄。令人肌瘦身重。（濒
湖）
〔附余论〕上焦以阳为主。阳不得阴无以化。则天气不下济而穷于降。和于阴以化。即
随阴
化。
属权宜。惟使金
达阴。亦属权宜
水火以调。所谓
待种子成熟老练后采收。以颗粒紧小、颜色赤黑黯淡者为佳，用于入药。那些颗粒稍大、颜色鲜红或淡红色的，以及在青黄各半（三青二黄）时采收的，仅可供食用，不能用于治疗疾病。近来有人用赤黑相间的草实当作赤小豆，这是极大的谬误。
气味甘、酸，性平。是心之谷（归属于心的谷物）。其性质下行，通达小肠，能进入阴分，治疗有形的病证。主要主治消除水肿，通利脓液，消散鹤膝风（膝关节肿大如鹤膝），与鲤鱼同煮可消水肿，与苎麻根同用可治乳汁不通及脉气阻滞。用布袋装药熨敷腹部，对水湿之邪入腹导致的病症皆有效，也能杀灭腹中寄生虫，同样有效。又治疗先便血后大便的情况，这是通过行水利湿来化解瘀血，从而达到疏通血滞的目的。加入红豆丸中，辅助丁香、胡椒、砂仁，治疗虚寒补阳，也是借助此味药的化生作用。治疗难产，因日久气力匮乏，取赤小豆一升，加水九升，配合明胶（或用阿胶）一两，一同煎煮片刻，一次服用五合，服用三四次即可分娩。对于胞衣不下，用赤小豆七枚，用东流水吞服。按妊娠各经脉论述，每月养胎，唯独手少阴心经和手太阳小肠经不居主位，若没有受孕则化为月水（月经），若有胎则化为乳汁，所以不在养胎的范畴内。胚胎形成的征兆起始于受水精而生成形质，进而化成气，由此可以认识赤小豆能下胎、下乳汁、治产难的缘故了。
〔论〕赤小豆在夏至后播种，到秋季开花结实，秋末取其老熟赤色的，才可以入药。它的本性源于血，血原生于金水，而成于木火。当气告成而发挥火的作用时，固然是天气所致；但若阳气得不到阴气的协助来施行化育，那么火的气机就会郁滞。或者出现小便不利，以及暴发性痢疾，甚至湿热蕴结，道理就是这样。各种书籍说赤小豆是肾的心物（肾脏所属的心之药物），李士材便说是肾之心物，李时珍（濒湖）说是心之谷。这是指阳气得到阴气来化育，而阴气随即随着阳气化育，从而水的功能得以运行。所以《本经》首先主治水病，如下血、香港脚（足部肿痛）、鹤膝风等，都得益于心与小肠的气化功能。李士材所谓“缩气行风”，是说凡人气机布散之后，水液代谢才能运行。如果肺气不足以到达，就称之为水元不足，进而化为热毒，这都是因为阴气不足以化育阳气，而各种热症也就随之化解了。据此义理推求，虽然必须言及其由阳气化育阴气，但其实是因为它能益助水脏（肾）的气化功能。气行则水行，岂止是专门用于行水罢了。（况且在心肾两脏功效最为显著。）如治疗谵妄的茯神散，这是专门治疗心脏病的方剂，使用赤小豆是为了行水，并非不适合用于阴水证。使用赤小豆，病愈即停，不要过量服用。（仲淳语）长期服用则降泄太过，导致津液血液渗漏外泄，使人肌肉消瘦、身体沉重。（濒湖语）
〔附余论〕上焦以阳气为主，阳气得不到阴气就无法化育，那么天气就不能下济而穷于下降。调和阴气以化育阳气，也是权宜之计。只有使金气下达阴分，也属权宜之计，最终目的是水火调和，所谓……
Wait until the seeds are fully mature for harvest. Those that are tight, small, and dark red-black in color are used for medicinal purposes. Those that are slightly larger, bright red, or pale red, as well as those harvested when they are three parts green and two parts yellow, are only suitable for food and cannot be used to treat diseases. Recently, some people have mistakenly used grass fruits that are intermixed with red and black colors as *Chi Xiao Dou* (Red Adzuki Bean), which is a serious error.
The flavor is sweet and sour, and the nature is neutral. It is the grain of the Heart (a grain belonging to the Heart organ system). Its property descends, connecting to the Small Intestine, and can enter the Yin aspect. It treats pathological conditions with tangible forms. Its main indications include reducing edema, draining pus, dispersing He Xi Feng (Crane's Knee Wind, characterized by knee joint swelling), and treating milk stasis and pulse qi obstruction when combined with carp or ramie root. Applying it in a bag to warm the abdomen is effective for water-dampness entering the abdomen and killing intestinal parasites. It also treats hematochezia preceding defecation; this works by promoting diuresis to resolve blood stasis. In *Hong Dou Wan* (Red Bean Pill), assisted by Ding Xiang (Clove), Hu Jiao (Black Pepper), and Sha Ren (Amomum Fruit), it treats deficiency-cold and tonifies Yang, leveraging the transforming properties of this herb. For difficult labor due to prolonged Qi depletion, take one sheng of *Chi Xiao Dao*, boil in nine sheng of water, add one liang of Ming Jiao (Ming Gelatin) or E Jiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin), simmer briefly, and take five he at a time. Three to four doses will induce delivery. For retained placenta, swallow seven beans with flowing water from the east. According to the classics on pregnancy, each month nourishes the fetus, but the Hand-Shaoyin (Heart) and Hand-Taiyang (Small Intestine) meridians do not primarily govern this. If there is no pregnancy, it becomes menstruation; if pregnant, it becomes breast milk. Thus, it is not categorized under fetal nourishment. The initial sign of embryo formation begins with receiving essence of water to form structure, which then transforms into Qi. From this, we can understand why *Chi Xiao Dou* can abort fetuses, reduce lactation, and treat difficult labor.
[Discussion] *Chi Xiao Dou* is sown after the Summer Solstice, flowers and bears fruit in autumn, and should be harvested in late autumn when old and red for medicinal use. Its nature originates from Blood. Blood originates from Metal and Water but is formed by Wood and Fire. When Qi completes its formation and exerts the function of Fire, it is indeed due to Heavenly Qi. However, if Yang Qi cannot perform transformation without Yin assistance, the Qi of Fire may stagnate. This may manifest as difficulty in urination or acute dysentery, even leading to damp-heat accumulation. The principle is thus. Various texts state that *Chi Xiao Dou* is the "Heart object of the Kidney" (medicinal substance associated with the Heart within the Kidney system). Li Shizao called it the kidney's heart-substance, while Li Shizhen (Binhu) called it the "grain of the Heart." This refers to Yang being transformed by Yin, and Yin following Yang's transformation, thereby allowing the function of Water to operate. Therefore, the *Shennong Ben Cao Jing* first indicates its use for water disorders, such as lower GI bleeding, Hong Xiang Jiao (Hong Kong Foot, referring to gouty arthritis or severe leg swelling), and He Xi Feng. These benefits derive from the Qi transformation of the Heart and Small Intestine. Li Shizao said "condense Qi and move Wind," meaning that once human Qi transformation spreads, Water transformation proceeds. If Lung Qi is insufficient to reach these areas, it is termed insufficiency of Water Yuan, leading to heat-toxin formation. All heat syndromes transform through this mechanism. Seeking the truth in this principle, although it must be stated that it transforms Yin via Yang, it is essentially because it benefits the Qi transformation of the Water Zang (Kidney). Qi movement facilitates Water movement; is it merely for promoting diuresis? (Moreover, its efficacy is most prominent in the Heart and Kidney.) For example, Fu Shen San (Poria Spirit Powder) treating delirium is specifically for Heart disease, using *Chi Xiao Dou* to move Water, which is not unsuitable for Yin-Water syndromes. Use *Chi Xiao Dou* and discontinue once the illness resolves; do not overdose. (Zhongchun) Long-term use causes excessive descending action, leading to leakage of Jin-Ye (Body Fluids) and Blood, causing emaciation and heavy body sensation. (Binhu)
[Supplementary Discussion] The Upper Jiao is dominated by Yang. Without Yin, Yang cannot transform, so Heavenly Qi cannot descend and faces exhaustion in its descending phase. Harmonizing Yin to transform Yang is a temporary measure. Only by allowing Metal Qi to reach Yin is also a temporary measure, aiming ultimately for the harmonization of Water and Fire, as stated...