气味苦、平，无毒。主诸暴风湿偏痹，强骨髓，杀三虫，去伏尸。久服轻身
、益气、延年、不饥。
【参】 天门冬禀寒水之气，而上通于天，故有天冬之名。主治诸暴风湿偏痹者，言风
湿之邪暴中于人身，而成半身不遂之偏痹。天冬禀水天之气，环转营运，故可治也。强骨髓
者，得寒水之精也。三虫伏尸皆湿热所化，天冬味苦可以祛湿，气平可以清热，湿热下逐，
三尸伏虫皆去也。太阳为诸阳主气，故久服轻身，益气。天气通贯于地中，故延年不饥。
张隐庵曰∶天、麦门冬，皆禀少阴水精之气。麦门冬，禀水精而上通于阳明；天门冬，
禀水精而上通于太阳。夫冬主闭藏，门主开转，咸名门冬者，咸能开转闭藏而上达也。后人
有天门冬补中有泻，麦门冬泻中有补之说，不知何处引来，良可叹也。
气味甘、平，无毒。主心腹结气，伤中伤饥，胃脉绝，羸瘦短气。久服轻身不
老，不饥。
张隐庵曰∶麦冬，本横生，根颗联系。有十二枚者，有十四枚者，有十五、六枚者，盖
合于人身十二络。加任之屏翳，督之长强，为十四络；又加脾之大络名大包，共十五络；又
加胃之大络名虚里，共十六络。唯圣人能体察之，用之以通脉络，并无“去心”二字。后人
不详经义，不穷物理，相沿去心久矣，今特表正之。《经》云∶主心腹结气，伤中伤饥，胃
络脉绝者，以麦冬根颗联系不断，能通达上下四旁，令结者解，伤者复，绝者续，皆借中心
之贯通也。又主羸瘦短气者，补胃自能生肌，补肾自能纳气也。久服轻身不老、不饥者，先
天与后天俱足，斯体健而耐饥矣。（《崇原》曰∶“麦冬气味甘平，质性柔润，凌冬青翠，
盖禀少阴冬水之精，与阳明胃土相合。）”又曰∶凡物之凉者，其心必热，热者阴中之阳也。
人但知去热，而不知用阳，得其阳而后能通阴中之气。
【天门冬】
气味：苦，平，无毒。主治各种突发的风湿导致的半身不遂（偏痹），强壮骨髓，杀灭三虫，去除伏尸。长期服用可使人身体轻健、益气、延年益寿、不感饥饿。
【参注】天门冬禀受寒水之气，且向上通达于天，因此得名“天冬”。主治各种突发风湿导致的偏痹，是指风湿邪气突然侵袭人体，导致半身不遂的偏痹证。天门冬禀受水和天的气机，环转运行营运，所以能够治疗此病。强壮骨髓，是因为获得了寒水的精气。三虫和伏尸都是由湿热所化生，天门冬味苦可以祛除湿邪，气平可以清除热邪，湿热向下驱逐，三尸伏虫便都能去除。太阳经是诸阳经的主气，所以长期服用能使人身体轻健、益气。天气贯通于地中，所以能延年益寿、不感饥饿。
张隐庵说：天门冬和麦门冬，都禀受了少阴肾水的精气。麦门冬，禀受水精之气而向上通达于阳明经；天门冬，禀受水精之气而向上通达于太阳经。冬季主闭藏，门主开转，都命名为“门冬”，都是因为能够开启并转动闭藏之气而上达。后人有关于天门冬“补中有泻”、麦门冬“泻中有补”的说法，不知道是从哪里引来的，实在令人叹息。
【麦门冬】
气味：甘，平，无毒。主治心腹部的结聚之气，内伤及饥饿导致的损伤，胃脉断绝，形体消瘦、呼吸短促。长期服用可使人身体轻健、不老、不感饥饿。
张隐庵说：麦冬，原本是横向生长的，根部颗粒相互联系。有的有十二枚，有的有十四枚，有的有十五、六枚，这大概对应人身体的十二络脉。加上任脉的屏翳穴、督脉的长强穴，成为十四络；再加上脾的大络名为大包，共成十五络；再加上胃的大络名为虚里，共成十六络。只有圣人能够体察这一点，使用麦冬来疏通脉络，并没有“去心”这一说法。后人不明晓经典义理，不探究事物物理，沿袭去掉麦冬心的做法已经很久了，现在特别予以纠正。《神农本草经》说：主治心腹结气，内伤及饥饿导致的损伤，胃络脉断绝，是因为麦冬根颗联系不断，能够通达上下四方，使结聚的得以解开，受伤的得以恢复，断绝的得以接续，都是借助中心贯通的作用。又主治形体消瘦、呼吸短促，是因为补胃自然能生肌，补肾自然能纳气。长期服用使人身体轻健、不老、不感饥饿，是因为先天之本与后天之本都充足，这样身体健壮且耐饥饿。（《崇原》说：“麦冬气味甘平，性质柔润，凌驾寒冬依然青翠，大概是禀受了少阴冬水的精气，与阳明胃土相合。”）又说：凡是性凉的药物，其心必然热，热属于阴中之阳。人们只知道用药物去热，却不知道利用阳气，得到它的阳气之后才能通达阴中之气。
[Tianmendong / Asparagi Radix]
Flavor and Nature: Bitter, Neutral, Non-toxic. It primarily treats various sudden rheumatic hemiplegia (Pianbi), strengthens the bone marrow, kills the three parasites, and eliminates Fu Shi (hidden corpses/parasitic diseases). Long-term consumption makes the body light, benefits Qi, prolongs life, and prevents hunger.
[Commentary] Tianmendong inherits the Qi of Cold Water and communicates upward to Heaven, hence its name "Tian" (Heaven) Dong. Its primary treatment of sudden rheumatic Pianbi refers to wind-dampness pathogens suddenly attacking the human body, resulting in hemiplegic Bi syndrome. Tianmendong inherits the Qi of Water and Heaven, circulating and operating in a ring, thus it can treat this condition. Strengthening the bone marrow is achieved by obtaining the essence of Cold Water. The Three Parasites and Fu Shi are all transformed from Damp-Heat; Tianmendong's bitter flavor can dispel Dampness, and its neutral nature can clear Heat. As Damp-Heat is driven downward, the Three Corpses and hidden parasites are all eliminated. The Taiyang (Greater Yang) meridian is the master Qi of all Yang meridians; therefore, long-term consumption makes the body light and benefits Qi. Heavenly Qi penetrates into the Earth; therefore, it prolongs life and prevents hunger.
Zhang Yin'an stated: Both Tianmendong and Maidong inherit the essence of Shaoyin (Lesser Yin) Kidney Water. Maidong inherits the essence of Water and communicates upward to the Yangming (Yang Brightness) meridian; Tianmendong inherits the essence of Water and communicates upward to the Taiyang (Greater Yang) meridian. Winter governs storage and closure, while "Men" (Door) governs opening and rotation. Both are named "Dong" (Winter Door) because they can open and rotate the stored and closed Qi to ascend. Later generations have theories that Tianmendong has "dispersing within tonifying" and Maidong has "tonifying within dispersing," but it is unknown where these were derived from, which is truly lamentable.
[Maidong / Ophiopogonis Radix]
Flavor and Nature: Sweet, Neutral, Non-toxic. It primarily treats knotting Qi in the heart and abdomen, internal injury due to malnutrition or hunger, exhaustion of the Stomach pulse, emaciation, and shortness of breath. Long-term consumption makes the body light, prevents aging, and prevents hunger.
Zhang Yin'an stated: Maidong originally grows horizontally, with root tubers connected to each other. Some have twelve tubers, some fourteen, some fifteen or sixteen. This likely corresponds to the twelve Luo (Connecting) vessels of the human body. Adding the Pingyi point of the Ren (Conception) vessel and the Changqiang point of the Du (Governing) vessel makes fourteen Luo vessels; adding the large Luo vessel of the Spleen, named Dabao, makes fifteen; and adding the large Luo vessel of the Stomach, named Xuli, makes sixteen. Only sages can perceive this. Using it to unblock the Luo vessels does not involve the instruction to "remove the heart." Later generations, failing to understand the scriptural meaning and not exploring the physical principles, have followed the practice of removing the heart for a long time. I hereby specifically correct this. The Classic states: It treats knotting Qi in the heart and abdomen, internal injury due to malnutrition or hunger, and exhaustion of the Stomach Luo vessels. This is because Maidong's root tubers are continuously connected, capable of communicating up, down, and to the four sides, allowing knots to untie, injuries to heal, and severed connections to resume, all relying on the central penetration. Furthermore, treating emaciation and shortness of breath works because tonifying the Stomach naturally generates flesh, and tonifying the Kidney naturally grasps Qi. Long-term consumption making the body light, preventing aging, and preventing hunger occurs because both the Congenital Foundation (Xiantian) and the Acquired Foundation (Houtian) are sufficient, resulting in a robust body capable of enduring hunger. (Chongyuan stated: "Maidong has a sweet and neutral flavor, a soft and moist nature, remains green through winter, inheriting the essence of Shaoyin Winter Water, combining with Yangming Stomach Earth.") He also said: For all things that are cool, their hearts must be hot; heat belongs to Yang within Yin. People only know how to use drugs to remove heat, but do not know how to utilize Yang. Only by obtaining its Yang can one penetrate the Qi within Yin.