气味苦、平，无毒。主邪气腹痛，除血痹，破坚积，寒热疝瘕，止痛，利小便，益气
陈修园曰∶芍药气平，是夏花而燥金之气；味苦，是得少阴君火之味。气平下降，味苦
下泄
而走血，为攻下之品，非补养之物也。邪气腹痛、小便不利及一切诸痛，皆气滞之病，其主
之者，以苦平而泄其气也。血痹者，血闭而不行，甚则为寒热不调。坚积者，积久而坚实，
甚则为疝瘕、满痛者，皆血滞之病；其主之者，以苦平而行其血也。又云∶益气者，谓邪气
得攻而净，则元气自然受益，非谓芍药能补气也。今人妄改圣经，
以酸寒二字易苦平，误认为敛阴之品，杀人无算。试取芍药而嚼之，酸味何在乎？
张隐庵曰
气味辛、平，无毒。主除脾胃寒热，通利九窍，血脉，关节，令人不忘，去恶虫。（
木通，《本经》名通草。陈士良撰《食性本草》，改为木通。今复有所谓通草，即古之通脱
木也，与此不同。）
张隐庵曰∶木通藤蔓空通，其色黄白，气味辛平，禀土金相生之气化，而为通关利窍之
药也
。禀土气，故除脾胃之寒热。藤蔓空通，故通利九窍、血脉、关节。血脉通而关窍利，则令
人不忘。禀金气，故去恶虫。
防己、木通，皆属空通蔓草。防己取用在下之根，则其性自下而上，从内而外；木通取
用
在
须
知小便之利，亦必上而后下，外而后内也。
【芍药】
气味苦、平，无毒。主治邪气引起的腹痛，消除血痹，破除坚硬的积块，治疗寒热疝瘕，止痛，通利小便，益气。
陈修园说：芍药气平，是夏季开花而具有燥金之气；味苦，是获得少阴君火的味道。气平则下降，味苦则下泄，且走血分，属于攻下的药物，不是补养的物品。邪气腹痛、小便不利以及一切各种疼痛，都是气滞的病证，芍药之所以能主治这些病，是因为它味苦性平，能够泄降气机。血痹，就是血液闭塞而不运行，严重了就会变成寒热不调。坚积，就是积聚日久变得坚实，严重了就会变成疝瘕、腹部胀满疼痛，这些都是血滞的病证；芍药之所以能主治这些病，是因为它味苦性平，能够行散血瘀。又说“益气”，是指邪气被攻除干净后，元气自然受益，并不是说芍药能直接补气。现在的人胡乱修改《神农本草经》，用“酸寒”二字替换“苦平”，错误地将其认为是收敛阴液的物品，导致杀人无数。试着取芍药咀嚼，酸味在哪里呢？
【木通】
气味辛、平，无毒。主治消除脾胃寒热，通利九窍、血脉、关节，使人不忘事，去除恶虫。（注：木通，在《神农本草经》中名为通草。陈士良撰写《食性本草》时，改为木通。现在所谓的通草，即古代的通脱木，与此不同。）
张隐庵说：木通藤蔓中空通透，颜色黄白，气味辛平，禀受土金相生之气化，成为通关利窍的药物。禀受土气，所以能消除脾胃的寒热。藤蔓中空通透，所以能通利九窍、血脉、关节。血脉通畅而关窍便利，就能使人不忘事。禀受金气，所以能去除恶虫。
防己和木通，都属于中空通透的蔓生草本植物。防己取用下方的根，那么它的药性就是从下往上，从内向外；木通取用……（此处原文似有缺漏或排版问题，结合下文“须知小便之利，亦必上而后下，外而后内也”，推测意指木通作用机理与防己相反或互补，需通过上焦、外周才能到达下焦、内部以通利小便）。
[Shaoyao (Paeoniae Radix)]
The flavor is bitter, the nature is neutral, and it is non-toxic. It primarily treats abdominal pain caused by pathogenic factors, eliminates blood bi (blood stasis obstruction), breaks down hard accumulations, treats cold-heat hernia and mass formations, relieves pain, promotes urination, and benefits qi.
Chen Xiuyuan states: Shaoyao has a neutral nature, indicating it blooms in summer yet possesses the drying-metal qi; its bitter flavor indicates it acquires the taste of the Ministerial Fire of Shaoyin. Its neutral nature causes it to descend, and its bitter flavor causes it to drain downward, entering the blood level. It is an agent for purging and descending, not a substance for tonification and nourishment. Abdominal pain due to pathogenic factors, difficulty in urination, and all kinds of pains are diseases of qi stagnation. Shaoyao treats these because its bitter and neutral properties drain and descend qi. Blood bi refers to blood that is obstructed and fails to circulate; if severe, it leads to disharmony of cold and heat. Hard accumulation refers to masses that have persisted for a long time and become solid; if severe, they manifest as hernia, mass formations, and abdominal fullness with pain. These are all diseases of blood stasis. Shaoyao treats them because its bitter and neutral properties promote the circulation of blood. Furthermore, the statement "benefits qi" means that once pathogenic factors are cleared away, the primordial qi naturally benefits; it does not mean that Shaoyao can directly tonify qi. Modern practitioners recklessly altered the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, replacing "bitter and neutral" with "sour and cold," mistakenly regarding it as an astringent for yin, resulting in countless deaths. Try chewing Shaoyao; where is the sour taste?
[Mutong (Akebiae Caulis)]
The flavor is pungent, the nature is neutral, and it is non-toxic. It primarily eliminates cold and heat in the spleen and stomach, unblocks the nine orifices, blood vessels, and joints, prevents forgetfulness, and expels harmful parasites. (Note: Mutong was named Tongcao in the *Shennong Bencao Jing*. Chen Shiliang renamed it Mutong in his *Shixing Bencao*. The current Tongcao refers to the ancient Tongsuo Wood, which is different from this.)
Zhang Yin'an states: Mutong vines are hollow and permeable, with a yellowish-white color. Its pungent and neutral flavor endows it with the transformative qi of earth generating metal, making it a herb that opens passages and unblocks orifices. Endowing earth qi allows it to eliminate cold and heat in the spleen and stomach. The hollow and permeable nature of the vines allows it to unblock the nine orifices, blood vessels, and joints. When blood vessels are unblocked and orifices are clear, one is prevented from forgetting. Endowing metal qi allows it to expel harmful parasites.
Fangji and Mutong both belong to hollow, permeable vine herbs. Fangji uses the root located lower down, so its nature acts from below upward and from inside outward. Mutong uses... [Text fragment implies contrast]: One must understand that promoting urination also requires acting from above downward and from outside inward.