圆者名子芩。新根内实。其直者条芩。破者名宿芩。乃旧根。中空外黄内黝。即今片
芩。
气寒。味苦平。可升可降。阳中阴也。入手太阴气分。并入手少阴少阳太阳阳明经。亦
入足少阳经。本经治诸热黄胆。肠 泻痢。逐水。下血闭。恶疮疽蚀火疡。（凡诸疮痛不可
忍者。宜芩连苦寒之药。详上下。分身梢及引经药用之。）泻肺火。清上部。除天表风热。
皮肤间风热风湿。目中赤肿。利胸中气。消上膈痰热。及头痛。并火逆肺咳肺痿喉腥。并失
血证，瘀血壅盛。非此不除。上部积血。假之消散。（上行用酒炒）疗热毒骨蒸。（肺主气。
终始三焦。三焦以肾与膀胱为气之资始。故有热毒骨蒸之证治也。）寒热往来。除脾经诸湿。
胃中热。肠胃不利。小腹挟热 痛。利小肠。益膀胱寒水。愈五淋。及女子血闭淋露。下血
安胎。（能降上中二焦之火使之下行故也）产后养阴退阳。（诸本草）中空而烂者名腐阳。泻
肺受火邪气逆。消膈上痰热。及胃中湿热黄胆。中破而飘者名宿芩。泻肺利气。除时行风湿。
热邪在表。寒热往来。诸疮乳痈背发。疔肿火疡。用之排脓。一切上部湿热。痰热积血。假
此降散。细实直而坚者名条芩。泻大肠火。逐水消谷。止热泻。下痢脓血。腹痛后重。养阴
退阳。圆而坚者子芩。去膀胱热。利小肠。治五淋小腹绞痛。及女子血闭下血。（门）肺主
气。热伤气。故身体麻木。又五臭入肺为腥。黄芩之苦寒。能泻火补气而利肺。故治喉中辛
臭。（天益）骨蒸发热。肤如火燎。六脉浮洪。烦躁引饮而昼盛者。此气分热也。宜泻肺。
用一味黄芩汤。片芩一两。水二钟。煎一钟。顿服愈。（濒湖）片芩泻肺火。须用桑白皮佐
之。若肺虚者。多用则伤肺。必先以天冬保定肺气而后用之。（丹溪）得川芎调。平心血。
心平而热自退。血不妄行。得白术。为安胎圣药。俗以黄芩为寒而不敢用。不知胎孕宜清热
凉血。血不妄行。乃得养胎。（丹溪）下痢脓血。腹痛后重。身热久不能止者。与芍药甘草
同用之。（洁古）风热有痰。眉眶作痛。用酒浸黄芩同白芷天麻等分。为末。每服二钱。茶
调下。同芍药炙草黄连升麻防风车前子。治湿热作泄。腹痛。同芍药黄连炙草升麻滑石。治
滞下腹痛。同芍药麦冬白术。能安胎清热。
〔论〕 罗天益云。肺主气。热伤气。黄芩能泻火益气而利肺。则其为肺经气分药无疑。
本经首言治诸热。是举其功之大概也。次即承以黄胆肠 泄痢。是就诸热之中。举其病于湿
热者而言也。又次承以逐水下血闭。则其功专于湿热明矣。第湿热与气分之热。是一是二欤。
曰。黄芩专主上焦之阳。阳中之阴药也。人生阴阳生化之机。在下焦阴中有阳而气生。在上
焦阳中有阴而气化。使阳不得阴以化。则热能化湿。是湿热之治。正气化之所以得行耳。惟
从阳实之初证而言。则为气分之热。从阳实阴虚以致气不能化之后证而言。则为湿热。虽治
稍有别。而其病于气者。无二义也。大抵肺热除。则肺阴下降入心。以和于孕坎之离。膻中
（心主之宫城）之气自降而入胃。以和胃阳而与脾阴表里。手太阳小肠。心之腑也。固与肺
同司上焦之气化者。即皆相因以及之。是黄芩治肺气分之热为专功。而大肠即次之。清心胃
之热则由肺而及。（未有肺热而心胃能清者）利小肠膀胱。又由心胃之治而及也。（未有心胃
留热而血能和。血不和而水道能清者。）能治心胃小肠。则并入血分而治血。盖肺阴下降于
心胃。即气之所以化血者。（心主血。而胃阳合于脾阴。鼓煽阴阳。即其使液化血者也。又
小肠为气化之腑。心胃因肺阴降而气中之血赖以资生。能生即能化。小肠之气化。即资之以
行。如所治上部瘀积。及女子血闭淋露下血。固皆气化之自应者。盖阳中阴化。而气化乃行。
气化行而水道乃畅。水与血是二是一。斯义固可参也。其又能疗失血诸证者。总因阴得育于
阳中耳。）又足三阴并至于肺。肺阴下降。即是还返其真阴之元。故能滋化原而补膀胱寒水
。但此味惟治三焦之实热。若三焦火郁而为病。则以升为治。不宜投苦寒降剂。即肺热属气
虚者。亦未可妄投。以气属阳。阳主升。若奉上者微而反降之。是虚其虚也。（是以老人慎
用）夫人身湿热之症。类居强半。芩与连虽俱治湿热。而黄芩治由热而化湿者。黄连则治由
湿而化热者。内经谓治病必求其本。是芩连两味未可滚同而施用也。至于芩之治湿热。又云
疗风湿者。以其味苦寒而色乃黄。本由胃至肺之用。且黄中有绿。实寓震坤相见妙理。合于
由胃至肺。而肝实达之。（后天之气。本于胃中谷气以至肺。而谷气能合于膻中宗气以至肺
者。乃属于肝。此正所谓元气。胃气。风升之气。合而为一者。）又虽苦多甘少。实则自苦
归甘。胃资于肝。举其苦寒者。上而效用于肺。以清其气分之热。是在中土中而有风木之用。
故谓其能除表热。又曰除风热。且曰除风湿也。试参小柴胡汤之除寒热。芩岂专属胆药者。
固为胆之至于胃以上达肺者。热郁而不清耳。肝胆清热之剂。须分气血。如栀子为血分药。
入厥阴肝。薛立斋每同丹皮用之。犹黄芩之入胆而并柴胡。其义正可相参尔。
缪氏云。能损胃气而伤脾阴。脾肺虚热者忌。凡中寒泄泻腹痛。法并禁用。
〔修治〕寻常生用。或水炒去寒性亦可。上行。酒浸切炒。下行。便浸炒。除肝胆火。
猪胆汁拌炒。更有用吴萸制芩者。欲其入肝散滞火也。
圆形的称为子芩。新的根部内部坚实。笔直的称为条芩。破损的称为宿芩，是旧的根部，外部黄色内部黑褐色，就是现在的片芩。
气味寒凉，味道苦而平，药性既可上升也可下降，属于阳中之阴。它进入手太阴肺经的气分，并进入手少阴心经、手少阳三焦经、手太阳小肠经、手阳明大肠经，也进入足少阳胆经。《本经》记载它能治疗各种热症引起的黄疸，肠澼（肠道病变导致的痢疾），逐水饮，通下血闭，治疗恶疮、疽蚀和火疡。（凡是各种疮痛不可忍受的，适宜使用黄芩、黄连等苦寒药物，需详细辨别病位上下，区分身体部位及引经药来使用。）它能泻肺火，清上部热邪，祛除体表风热，皮肤间的风热风湿，眼睛红肿，疏通胸中气机，消除上膈痰热，以及头痛，还有因火逆引起的肺咳、肺痿、喉中有腥臭味，以及失血证、瘀血壅盛之证，非此药不能清除。对于上部的积血，借助它能消散。（上行使用时需用酒炒）治疗热毒骨蒸。（肺主气，终始于三焦，三焦以肾与膀胱为气的起始来源，所以有热毒骨蒸的证候需要治疗。）寒热往来，祛除脾经的各种湿邪，胃中的热邪，肠胃不利，小腹挟热疼痛，利小肠，益膀胱寒水，治愈五淋，以及女子血闭、淋露、下血、安胎。（能降上、中二焦之火使其下行，所以有此功效）产后养阴退阳。（诸本草著作）中空且腐烂的称为腐阳，泻肺受火邪气逆，消除膈上痰热，以及胃中湿热黄疸；中间破裂且轻飘的称为宿芩，泻肺利气，祛除时行风湿，热邪在表，寒热往来，各种疮疡、乳痈、背发、疔肿、火疡，用它来排脓，一切上部湿热、痰热积血，借助它来降散。细实笔直而坚硬的称为条芩，泻大肠火，逐水消谷，止热泻，治疗下痢脓血、腹痛后重，养阴退阳。圆而坚硬的称为子芩，去膀胱热，利小肠，治疗五淋、小腹绞痛，以及女子血闭、下血。（门天益注：肺主气，热伤气，所以身体麻木。又五种气味入肺化为腥臭，黄芩的苦寒之性，能泻火补气而利肺，所以治疗喉中辛臭。）骨蒸发热，皮肤如火燎，六脉浮洪，烦躁引饮且白天加重，这是气分热，宜泻肺，用一味黄芩汤。片芩一两，水两钟，煎成一钟，顿服即愈。（濒湖注：片芩泻肺火，须用桑白皮辅助。若肺虚者，多用则伤肺，必须先以天冬保定肺气后再使用。）（丹溪注：得川芎调和，可平心血，心平则热自退，血不妄行。得白术，成为安胎圣药。俗人认为黄芩寒凉而不敢用，不知胎孕宜清热凉血，血不妄行，才能养胎。）（丹溪注：下痢脓血，腹痛后重，身热久不能止的，与芍药甘草同用。）（洁古注：风热有痰，眉眶作痛的，用酒浸黄芩同白芷、天麻等分，研为末，每服二钱，茶调下。同芍药、炙甘草、黄连、升麻、防风、车前子，治湿热作泄、腹痛。同芍药、黄连、炙甘草、升麻、滑石，治滞下腹痛。同芍药、麦冬、白术，能安胎清热。）
〔论〕 罗天益说：肺主气，热伤气，黄芩能泻火益气而利肺，那么它是肺经气分药无疑。《本经》首先说治疗各种热，是概括其功效的大概。接着承接说黄疸、肠澼、泄痢，是在各种热中，举出病在湿热方面的而言。又接着说逐水、下血闭，那么它的功效专于湿热就很明白了。只是湿热与气分之热，是一个还是两个呢？回答说：黄芩专主上焦之阳，是阳中之阴药。人生阴阳生化之机，在下焦阴中有阳而气生，在上焦阳中有阴而气化。如果阳得不到阴来化，则热能化湿，这就是湿热治疗的原理，正气得以运行的原因。只从阳实之初证来说，则为气分之热；从阳实阴虚以致气不能化的后证来说，则为湿热。虽然治疗稍有区别，但其病在于气，没有两样。大抵肺热除，则肺阴下降入心，以和于心肾相交之离，膻中（心主的宫城）之气自然降而入胃，以和胃阳而与脾阴表里。手太阳小肠，是心的腑，本来与肺同司上焦的气化，因此都相关联而波及到它。这是黄芩治疗肺气分之热为专长，而大肠随即次之，清心胃之热则由肺而波及。（没有肺热而心胃能清的）利小肠膀胱，又由心胃的治疗而波及到。（没有心胃留热而血能和，血不和而水道能清的。）能治心胃小肠，就并入血分而治血。盖肺阴下降于心胃，即是气之所以化血的原因。（心主血，而胃阳合于脾阴，鼓煽阴阳，即是使液化血者也。又小肠为气化之腑，心胃因肺阴降而气中之血赖以资生，能生即能化，小肠之气化，即资之以行，如所治上部瘀积，及女子血闭淋露下血，固皆气化之自应者。盖阳中阴化，而气化乃行，气化行而水道乃畅。水与血是二是一，这道理固然可以参详。其又能治疗失血诸证，总因阴得育于阳中耳。）又足三阴并至于肺，肺阴下降，即是还返其真阴之元，所以能滋化原而补膀胱寒水。但这味药只治三焦之实热，若三焦火郁而为病，则以升为治，不宜投苦寒降剂。即肺热属气虚者，也不可妄投，因为气属阳，阳主升，如果奉上者微而反降之，是虚其虚也。（所以老人慎用）。人身湿热之症，类居半数以上，芩与连虽都治湿热，但黄芩治由热而化湿者，黄连则治由湿而化热者。《内经》谓治病必求其本，是芩连两味不可混同施用。至于芩之治湿热，又说疗风湿者，因为其味苦寒而色乃黄，本由胃至肺之用，且黄中有绿，实寓震坤相见妙理，合于由胃至肺，而肝实达之。（后天之气，本于胃中谷气以至肺，而谷气能合于膻中宗气以至肺者，乃属于肝，此正所谓元气、胃气、风升之气，合而为一者。）又虽苦多甘少，实则自苦归甘，胃资于肝，举其苦寒者，上而效用于肺，以清其气分之热，是在中土中而有风木之用，故谓其能除表热，又曰除风热，且曰除风湿也。试参小柴胡汤之除寒热，芩岂专属胆药者？固为胆之至于胃以上达肺者，热郁而不清耳。肝胆清热之剂，须分气血，如栀子为血分药，入厥阴肝，薛立斋每同丹皮用之，犹黄芩之入胆而并柴胡，其义正可相参尔。
缪氏说：能损胃气而伤脾阴，脾肺虚热者忌。凡中寒泄泻腹痛，法并禁用。
〔修治〕寻常生用，或水炒去寒性亦可。上行，酒浸切炒。下行，便浸炒。除肝胆火，猪胆汁拌炒。更有用吴茱萸制芩者，欲其入肝散滞火也。
The round ones are named *Ziqin* (Radix Scutellariae, Round Type). The new roots are solid inside. The straight ones are named *Tiaokin* (Radix Scutellariae, Strip Type). The broken ones are named *Suqin* (Radix Scutellariae, Old Root Type), which are old roots, hollow inside with yellow exterior and dark interior, i.e., the current *Pianqin* (Radix Scutellariae, Slice Type).
It has a cold qi and bitter, neutral taste. Its action can ascend and descend; it is Yin within Yang. It enters the Qi aspect of the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, and also enters the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian, Hand-Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian, Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, and Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian. It also enters the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats various heat-induced jaundice, intestinal dysentery (*Changpi*), expels fluid retention, promotes menstruation in cases of blood obstruction, and treats malignant sores, carbuncles, ulcerations, and fire burns. (For any sore causing unbearable pain, bitter-cold herbs like Huangqin and Huanglian should be used, carefully distinguishing upper/lower locations, body parts, and employing guiding herbs.) It purges Lung Fire, clears upper burner heat, removes wind-heat from the exterior, wind-heat and damp-heat in the skin, redness and swelling of the eyes, benefits Qi in the chest, eliminates phlegm-heat in the upper diaphragm, as well as headache, lung cough due to fire reversal, lung atrophy (*Feiwu*), and foul odor in the throat. It treats hemorrhagic syndromes and excessive stagnation of blood stasis, which cannot be removed without this herb. For accumulated blood in the upper body, it aids in dissipation. (When acting upwards, stir-fry with wine.) It treats bone-steaming fever caused by toxic heat. (The Lung governs Qi, extending through the Sanjiao. The Sanjiao takes the Kidney and Bladder as the origin of Qi generation; thus, there are conditions of bone-steaming fever requiring treatment.) It resolves alternating chills and fever, removes various dampness in the Spleen Meridian, heat in the Stomach, gastrointestinal dysfunction, lower abdominal pain with heat, benefits the Small Intestine, nourishes the cold water of the Bladder, cures the five stranguries (*Wulin*), and addresses female menstrual obstruction, leukorrhea, bleeding, and calms the fetus. (This is because it descends Fire from the Upper and Middle Burners.) It nourishes Yin and retreats Yang postpartum. (Various Materia Medica texts). Those that are hollow and rotten are named *Fuyang*; they purge rebellious Qi due to Fire pathogen invading the Lung, eliminate phlegm-heat above the diaphragm, and damp-heat jaundice in the Stomach. Those that are broken in the middle and light/floaty are named *Suqin*; they purge the Lung and benefit Qi, remove epidemic wind-damp, exterior heat pathogens, alternating chills and fever, various sores, mastitis, back abscesses, carbuncles, and fire burns, using them to drain pus. For all upper burner damp-heat, phlegm-heat, and accumulated blood stasis, it aids in descending and dissipating. Those that are fine, solid, straight, and hard are named *Tiaokin*; they purge Large Intestine Fire, expel fluids, digest food, stop hot diarrhea, treat dysentery with pus and blood, abdominal pain, and tenesmus, nourish Yin, and retreat Yang. Those that are round and hard are named *Ziqin*; they clear Bladder heat, benefit the Small Intestine, treat the five stranguries and severe lower abdominal colic, and female menstrual obstruction or bleeding. (Men Tianyi notes: The Lung governs Qi; heat injures Qi, causing body numbness. Also, the five odors enter the Lung becoming fishy/foul. The bitter-cold nature of Huangqin purges fire, benefits Qi, and benefits the Lung, thus treating pungent-foul odor in the throat.) Bone-steaming fever, skin feeling like burning, floating and surging pulse in all six positions, irritability, thirst, and worsening during the day indicates Heat in the Qi aspect. Purge the Lung using a single-herb Decoction of Huangqin. Use one tael of *Pianqin*, two cups of water, decoct to one cup, take in one dose for cure. (Benhu notes: To purge Lung Fire with *Pianqin*, use Bai Xuepi as an assistant. If the Lung is deficient, excessive use damages the Lung; first stabilize Lung Qi with Tiandong before using it.) (Danxi notes: Combined with Chuanxiong, it harmonizes Heart Blood; when the Heart is harmonized, heat naturally subsides, and blood does not flow recklessly. Combined with Baizhu, it becomes the sacred medicine for calming the fetus. Laypeople dare not use Huangqin due to its cold nature, unaware that pregnancy requires clearing heat and cooling blood; if blood does not flow recklessly, the fetus is nourished.) (Danxi notes: For dysentery with pus and blood, abdominal pain, tenesmus, and prolonged fever unrelieved, use together with Shaoyao and Gancao.) (Jiegu notes: For wind-heat with phlegm causing pain in the eyebrows and orbits, use wine-soaked Huangqin mixed equally with Baizhi and Tianma, powdered. Take two qian per dose, washed down with tea water. Combined with Shaoyao, Zhi Gancao, Huanglian, Shengma, Fangfeng, and Cheqianzi, it treats diarrhea due to damp-heat with abdominal pain. Combined with Shaoyao, Huanglian, Zhi Gancao, Shengma, and Huashi, it treats bloody dysentery with abdominal pain. Combined with Shaoyao, Maidong, and Baizhu, it calms the fetus and clears heat.)
[Discussion] Luo Tianyi stated: The Lung governs Qi; heat injures Qi. Since Huangqin purges fire, benefits Qi, and benefits the Lung, it is undoubtedly a herb for the Qi aspect of the Lung Meridian. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* first mentions treating various heats, summarizing its general efficacy. It then follows with jaundice, intestinal dysentery, and diarrhea, specifying diseases involving damp-heat among various heats. Next, it mentions expelling fluids and resolving blood obstruction, clarifying that its efficacy is specifically directed at damp-heat. However, are damp-heat and Heat in the Qi aspect the same or different? The answer is: Huangqin specifically governs the Yang of the Upper Jiao; it is a Yin herb within Yang. The mechanism of life's Yin-Yang transformation occurs where Yang exists within Yin in the Lower Jiao generating Qi, and Yin exists within Yang in the Upper Jiao facilitating Qi transformation. If Yang lacks Yin to transform it, Heat generates Dampness. Thus, the treatment of damp-heat allows the righteous Qi to function. Regarding initial signs of Yang excess, it is Heat in the Qi aspect; regarding subsequent signs of Qi failure to transform due to Yang excess and Yin deficiency, it is damp-heat. Although treatment differs slightly, the pathology lies in Qi, with no difference in principle. Generally, once Lung Heat is cleared, Lung Yin descends into the Heart to harmonize with Li (Fire) in the heart-kidney intersection. The Qi in Danzhong (the palace city governed by the Heart) naturally descends into the Stomach to harmonize with Stomach Yang and interact with Spleen Yin. The Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine, the fu-organ of the Heart, originally shares the governance of Upper Jiao Qi transformation with the Lung, thus being affected consequently. This shows Huangqin’s specialty is treating Heat in the Lung Qi aspect, followed by the Large Intestine. Clearing Heat in the Heart and Stomach spreads from the Lung. (There is no case where Lung Heat is cleared while Heart and Stomach Heat remain clear.) Benefiting the Small Intestine and Bladder spreads from the treatment of the Heart and Stomach. (There is no case where Heart and Stomach retain heat while Blood harmonizes, or Blood fails to harmonize while Water passages clear.) Being able to treat the Heart, Stomach, and Small Intestine allows it to enter the Blood aspect to treat Blood. Since Lung Yin descends to the Heart and Stomach, this is how Qi transforms into Blood. (The Heart governs Blood, and Stomach Yang combines with Spleen Yin, stirring Yin and Yang, thereby transforming fluids into Blood. Furthermore, the Small Intestine is a fu-organ of Qi transformation. Due to the descent of Lung Yin, the Qi-blood relies on generation; what is generated can be transformed. The Qi transformation of the Small Intestine utilizes this. Thus, treating upper body stasis accumulation, female menstrual obstruction, leukorrhea, and bleeding are all natural outcomes of Qi transformation. When Yin transforms within Yang, Qi transformation proceeds; when Qi transformation proceeds, water passages become smooth. Are Water and Blood one or two? This principle can be explored. Its ability to treat various hemorrhagic syndromes stems entirely from Yin being nurtured within Yang.) Additionally, the three Foot-Yin meridians converge at the Lung. The descent of Lung Yin returns to the source of True Yin, thus nourishing the origin of transformation and supplementing the cold water of the Bladder. However, this herb only treats Excess Heat of the Sanjiao. If disease arises from stagnant Fire in the Sanjiao, treatment should involve ascending, and bitter-cold descending agents are inappropriate. Even if Lung Heat is due to Qi deficiency, it should not be administered rashly, because Qi belongs to Yang, and Yang governs ascending. If the ascending force is weak and one instead uses descending agents, it further depletes deficiency. (Therefore, elderly people should use it cautiously.) In the human body, damp-heat syndromes account for more than half. Although both Qin (Huangqin) and Lian (Huanglian) treat damp-heat, Huangqin treats dampness arising from heat, whereas Huanglian treats heat arising from dampness. The *Neijing* states that treating disease must seek its root; thus, these two herbs should not be used interchangeably. Regarding Huangqin’s treatment of damp-heat and wind-damp, because its taste is bitter-cold and color is yellow, it originates from the function moving from Stomach to Lung. Moreover, yellow contains green, embodying the subtle principle of Zhen (Wood) and Kun (Earth) meeting, aligning with the path from Stomach to Lung, facilitated by the Liver. (Postnatal Qi originates from grain Qi in the Stomach reaching the Lung. Grain Qi combining with Zong Qi in Danzhong to reach the Lung belongs to the Liver. This is precisely the unity of Yuan Qi, Wei Qi, and Wind-ascending Qi.) Although it is mostly bitter with little sweet, essentially bitterness returns to sweetness. The Stomach benefits from the Liver; taking its bitter-cold nature, it ascends to exert effect on the Lung, clearing Heat in the Qi aspect. This represents the function of Wind-Wood within Central Earth, hence it is said to remove exterior heat, wind-heat, and wind-damp. Considering Xiaochaihu Tang’s removal of alternating chills and fever, can Huangqin be exclusively a Gallbladder herb? It serves the Gallbladder’s path to the Stomach and upward to the Lung, where Heat stagnates and is not cleared. Agents clearing Heat in the Liver and Gallbladder must distinguish between Qi and Blood. For example, Zhizi is a Blood-aspect herb entering the Jueyin Liver; Xue Lizhai often uses it with Danpi, similar to Huangqin entering the Gallbladder combined with Chaihu; their principles are indeed comparable.
Mou Shi stated: It can damage Stomach Qi and injure Spleen Yin; it is contraindicated for Spleen-Lung deficiency-heat. All cases of cold-damp diarrhea and abdominal pain are strictly prohibited.
[Processing] Usually used raw, or stir-fried with water to reduce its cold nature. For ascending action, soak in wine, slice, and stir-fry. For descending action, soak in urine and stir-fry. To clear Liver-Gallbladder Fire, stir-fry with pig bile. Some use Wuyu (Evodia fruit) to process it, intending to enter the Liver and disperse stagnant Fire.