气平，味苦。苦，微寒，气味俱轻，阴中阳也，无毒。
手足少阳经、阳明经药。
《象》云∶治寒热瘰 ，诸恶疮肿，除心中客热，去胃虫，通五淋。
《心》云∶泻心经客热，诸家须用，疮家圣药也。
《珍》云∶诸经客热，非此不能除。
《本草》云∶主寒热鼠 ，瘰 ，痈肿瘿瘤，结热蛊毒，去寸白虫。
《液》云∶手、足少阳。治疮、疡、瘤、气瘿起、结核，有神。与柴胡同功，但分气血
之异耳。与鼠粘子同用，治疮疡别有神功。
气寒，味苦。
《本经》不见所注，但仲景古方所注云，即连翘之根也。方言熬者，即今之炒也。
气温，味甘。甘而微苦，微寒，气味俱轻，阳也。阳中微阴，无毒。
《象》云∶治脾肺阳气不足，及能补肺。气促，短气、少气。补而缓中，泻脾肺胃中火
邪，善治短气。非升麻为引用，不能补上升之气，升麻一分、人参三分，为相得也。若补下
焦元气，泻肾中火邪，茯苓为之使。
《心》云∶补气不足而泻肺火，甘温而补阳利气。脉不足者，是亡血也，人参补之。益
脾，与干姜同用，补气，里虚则腹痛，此药补之，是补不足也。
《珍》云∶补胃，喘嗽勿用，短气用之。
《本草》云∶主补五脏，安精神，定魂魄，止惊悸，除邪气，明目，开心益智。疗肠
胃中冷，心腹鼓痛，胸胁逆满，霍乱吐逆，调中，止消渴，通血脉，破坚积，令人不忘。
《液》云∶味既甘温，调中益气，即补肺之阳、泻肺之阴也。若便言补肺，而不论阴阳
寒热何气不足，则误矣。若肺受寒邪，宜此补之；肺受火邪，不宜用也。肺为天之地，即手
太阴也，为清肃之脏，贵凉而不贵热，其象可知。若伤热则宜沙参。沙参味苦、甘微寒，无
毒，主血积惊气，除寒热，补中、益肺气，疗胃痹、心腹痛，结热邪气，头痛，皮间邪热。
安五脏，补中。人参补五脏之阳也，沙参苦，微寒，补五脏之阴也。安得不异。
易老云∶用沙参代人参，取其味甘可也。
葛洪云∶沙参，主卒得诸疝，小腹及阴中相引，痛如绞，自汗出，欲死。细末。酒调服
方寸匕，立瘥。
《日华子》云∶治恶疮疥癣及身痒，排脓，消肿毒。
海藏云∶今易老取沙参代人参，取其甘也。若微苦则补阴，甘者则补阳，虽云补五脏
，亦须各用本脏药相佐使，随所引而相辅一脏也，不可不知。
连翘：
气味平和，味苦。苦，微寒，气味都很轻，属于阴中有阳的性质，无毒。
是手足少阳经、阳明经的药物。
《汤液本草·象》说：治疗寒热瘰疬，各种恶疮肿毒，清除心中的客热，去除胃中寄生虫，通利五种淋证。
《汤液本草·心》说：泻除心经的客热，各家方剂都必须使用，是治疗疮疡的圣药。
《汤液本草·珍》说：各经的客热，不用此药不能清除。
《神农本草经》说：主治寒热、鼠瘘、瘰疬、痈肿、瘿瘤，结聚的热毒蛊毒，去除寸白虫。
《汤液本草·液》说：归手、足少阳经。治疗疮疡、肿瘤、气瘿发作、结核，效果显著。与柴胡功效相同，只是分别针对气和血的差异罢了。与牛蒡子同用，治疗疮疡有特殊的功效。
连轺（连翘根）：
气味寒，味苦。
《神农本草经》中没有注明，但张仲景的古方注释中说，它就是连翘的根。方言中说的“熬”，就是现在的炒制。
人参：
气温，味甘。甘而微苦，微寒，气味都很轻，属阳。阳中微带阴，无毒。
《汤液本草·象》说：治疗脾肺阳气不足，并且能补肺。对于气促、短气、少气的症状，通过补益来缓和其中焦之气，泻除脾、肺、胃中的火邪，善于治疗短气。如果不以升麻为引经药，就不能补益上升的气，升麻一分、人参三分，配合得当。如果要补下焦元气，泻除肾中的火邪，则以茯苓为使药。
《汤液本草·心》说：补气不足并泻除肺火，甘温而补阳利气。脉象不足的，是亡血所致，用人参补之。补益脾气，与干姜同用，可以补气；里虚则腹痛，此药可以补益，这是补其不足。
《汤液本草·珍》说：补胃，喘嗽时不要用，短气时用之。
《神农本草经》说：主要补益五脏，安定精神，定魂魄，止惊悸，除邪气，明目，开心益智。治疗肠胃中冷，心腹鼓胀疼痛，胸胁逆满，霍乱吐逆，调和中焦，止消渴，通血脉，破除坚积，使人不忘事。
《汤液本草·液》说：味道既甘温，调中益气，就是补肺之阳、泻肺之阴。如果只说补肺，而不讨论阴阳寒热哪种气不足，那就错了。如果肺受寒邪，适宜用此药补之；肺受火邪，不适宜使用。肺是天之盖，即手太阴经，是清肃的脏腑，贵在凉而不在热，其形象可知。如果伤于热邪，适宜用沙参。沙参味苦、甘微寒，无毒，主治血积惊气，除寒热，补中、益肺气，治疗胃痹、心腹痛，结聚的热邪气，头痛，皮间邪热。安五脏，补中。人参补五脏之阳，沙参苦，微寒，补五脏之阴。怎么能不同呢？
易老说：用沙参代替人参，取其味甘的缘故。
葛洪说：沙参，主治突然得的各类疝气，小腹及阴部相互牵引，痛如绞割，自汗出，欲死。研成细末。用酒调服一方寸匕，立即痊愈。
《日华子本草》说：治疗恶疮疥癣及身体瘙痒，排脓，消肿毒。
海藏（张元素）说：现在易老取沙参代替人参，是取其味甘。如果微苦则补阴，甘者则补阳，虽然说是补五脏，但也必须各用本脏的药作为佐使，随着引导而辅助一脏，不可不知道。
Forsythiae Fructus (Lianqiao, 连翘):
Qi is neutral, taste is bitter. Bitter, slightly cold; the qi and taste are both light, belonging to yin containing yang, non-toxic.
It is a herb for the Hand-Shaoyang, Foot-Shaoyang, and Yangming meridians.
Xiang states: Treats chills and fever, scrofula (luoli, 瘰疬), various malignant sores and swellings, removes guest-heat from the heart, eliminates stomach parasites, and unblocks the five types of stranguria (wulin, 五淋).
Xin states: Drains guest-heat from the Heart meridian; it is essential in various formulas and is the sacred medicine for treating sores and ulcers.
Zhen states: For guest-heat in all meridians, this herb is indispensable for removal.
Bencao states: Primarily treats chills and fever, rat-fistula (shulou, 鼠瘘), scrofula, carbuncles and swellings, goiter and tumors, accumulated heat and gu-poison, and removes Taenia saginata (cunbai, 寸白虫).
Ye states: Enters the Hand and Foot Shaoyang meridians. It is effective in treating sores, ulcers, tumors, goiter onset, and tubercles. Its efficacy is comparable to Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), differing only in that one addresses Qi and the other Blood. When used with Niubangzi (Arctii Fructus), it exerts special merit in treating sores and ulcers.
Forsythiae Radix (Lianyao, 连轺):
Qi is cold, taste is bitter.
The Benjing does not specify its notes, but ancient prescriptions by Zhang Zhongjing note that it is the root of Forsythiae Fructus. The dialect term "ao" refers to what is now known as stir-frying.
Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen, 人参):
Qi is warm, taste is sweet. Sweet with slight bitterness, slightly cold; the qi and taste are both light, belonging to yang. Yang containing slight yin, non-toxic.
Xiang states: Treats insufficiency of Spleen and Lung Yang, and can tonify the Lung. For symptoms of panting, shortness of breath, and insufficient qi, it tonifies and gently harmonizes the middle jiao, drains fire-pathogens from the Spleen, Lung, and Stomach, and is excellent for treating shortness of breath. Without Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma) as a guiding herb, it cannot tonify the ascending Qi. A ratio of one part Shengma to three parts Renshen achieves harmony. To tonify the Yuan-Qi of the Lower Jiao and drain Kidney fire, Fuling (Poria) serves as an assistant herb.
Xin states: Tonifies Qi insufficiency and drains Lung fire; sweet-warm nature tonifies Yang and benefits Qi. Insufficient pulse indicates loss of blood, which Renshen tonifies. It tonifies the Spleen; when combined with Ganjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma), it tonifies Qi. Interior deficiency causes abdominal pain, which this herb tonifies, thereby addressing insufficiency.
Zhen states: Tonifies the Stomach; do not use for wheezing and coughing, but use for shortness of breath.
Bencao states: Primarily tonifies the Five Zang organs, calms the Spirit (Shen), stabilizes the Hun and Po, stops palpitations and fright, expels evil pathogens, brightens the eyes, opens the mind, and enhances intelligence. It treats cold in the intestines and stomach, drum-like pain in the heart and abdomen, fullness and rebellion in the chest and hypochondrium, cholera with vomiting and regurgitation, harmonizes the middle, stops thirst, unblocks the vessels, breaks up firm accumulations, and prevents forgetfulness.
Ye states: Since its taste is sweet and warm, harmonizing the middle and benefiting Qi constitutes tonifying Lung Yang and draining Lung Yin. If one merely states "tonify the Lung" without discussing whether the insufficiency lies in Yin or Yang, cold or heat, it is erroneous. If the Lung is affected by cold pathogens, this herb is suitable for tonification; if affected by fire pathogens, it should not be used. The Lung is the canopy of heaven, corresponding to the Hand-Taiyin meridian, a clear and descending organ that values coolness over heat, as its nature implies. If injured by heat pathogens, Shashen (Adenophorae Radix) is suitable. Shashen tastes bitter and sweet, slightly cold, and is non-toxic. It primarily treats blood stasis and frightful qi, removes chills and fever, tonifies the center and benefits Lung Qi, treats gastric obstruction and heart/abdominal pain, accumulated heat pathogens, headache, and pathogenic heat in the skin. It calms the Five Zang organs and tonifies the center. Renshen tonifies the Yang of the Five Zang organs, whereas Shashen, being bitter and slightly cold, tonifies their Yin. How can they be the same?
Yi Lao states: Using Shashen to replace Renshen is done because of its sweet taste.
Ge Hong states: Shashen primarily treats sudden onset of various hernias, where the lower abdomen and genitalia pull each other in pain like twisting, accompanied by spontaneous sweating and a sensation of impending death. Grind into fine powder. Mix with wine and take one fangcun bi (a square-inch measure); recovery is immediate.
Rihuazi states: Treats malignant sores, scabies, tinea, and body itching; promotes pus discharge, and reduces swelling and toxicity.
Haizang (Zhang Yuansu) states: Currently, Yi Lao uses Shashen to replace Renshen due to its sweetness. If slightly bitter, it tonifies Yin; if sweet, it tonifies Yang. Although it is said to tonify the Five Zang organs, one must still use herbs specific to each Zang organ as assistants and guides, assisting specific organs according to their guidance. This must be understood.