汤散丸各有所宜。古方用汤最多，用丸散者殊少。煮散古方无用者，惟近世人为之。大
体欲达五脏四肢者莫如汤，欲留膈胃中者莫如散。久而后散者莫如丸，又无毒者宜汤，小毒
者宜散，大毒者宜用丸。又欲速用汤，稍缓用散，甚缓者用丸，此大概也。近世用汤者全少，
应汤者全用煮散。大率汤剂气势完壮，力与丸散倍蓰。煮散，多者一啜，不过三五钱极矣。
比功效
古方采草药，多用二八月，此殊未当。二月草已芽，八月苗未枯。采掇者易识别耳，在
药则未为良时。大率用根者，若有宿根，须取无茎叶时采，则津泽皆归其根。欲验之，但取
芦菔地黄辈，观无苗时采，则实而沉；有苗时采，则虚而浮。其无宿根者，即候苗成而未有
花时采，则根生定，而又未衰，如今紫草。未花时采，则根色鲜泽；花过而采，则根色黯恶，
此其效也。用叶者，取叶初长足时取；（用芽者亦从本说）用花者，取花初敷时采；用实者，
取成实时采，皆不可限以时月。缘气有早晚，天时有愆伏。如平地三月花者，深山中须四月
花。白乐天游大林寺诗云∶人间四月芳菲尽，山寺桃花始正开。盖常理也。此地势高下之不
同也。如 竹笋，有二月生者，有三四月生者，有五月方生者，谓之晚 。稻有七月熟者，
有八九月熟者。有十月熟者，谓之晚稻。一物同一畦之间，自有早晚，此物性之不同也。岭
峤微草，凌冬不凋，并汾乔木，望秋先殒。诸越则桃李夏实，朔漠则桃李夏荣，此地气之不
同也。同亩之稼，则粪溉者先芽。一丘之禾，则后种者晚实。此人力之不同也，岂可一切拘
以定月哉？
汤剂、散剂和丸剂各有其适宜的用途。古方中使用汤剂最多，使用丸剂和散剂的很少。煮散法在古方中并没有应用，只有近世的人才开始使用。大体上，想要药力通达五脏四肢的，没有比汤剂更好的；想要药力留滞在膈膜和胃中的，没有比散剂更好的。需要药效缓慢持久释放的，没有比丸剂更好的。另外，无毒的药物适宜用汤剂，有小毒的药物适宜用散剂，有大毒的药物适宜用丸剂。又如果想要药效迅速，就用汤剂；稍缓的用散剂；非常缓慢的用丸剂，这是一般的大致原则。近世使用汤剂的全很少，凡是应该用汤剂的，全都改用煮散法。大体上汤剂的药势气势完备壮盛，效力是丸散的数倍。煮散法，每次服用量多的不过三五钱而已。比较功效
古方采集草药，多选择在二月和八月，这其实很不恰当。二月时草已经发芽，八月时植株尚未枯萎。采药的人容易识别罢了，但对于药材来说并不是好的时机。大体上使用根部的药物，如果有宿根（多年生植物的地下部分），必须选取没有茎叶的时候采集，这样津液和精华都会汇聚到根部。想要验证这一点，只要取萝卜、地黄这类植物观察，在没有苗的时候采集，质地就坚实沉重；在有苗的时候采集，质地就空虚轻浮。那些没有宿根的植物，就等待苗长成就还没有开花的时候采集，这样根才生长定型，而且还没有衰退，就像现在的紫草一样。在花还没开的时候采集，根的颜色鲜艳润泽；花谢后再采集，根的颜色就会暗淡恶劣，这就是效果的区别。使用叶片的，选取叶片刚刚充分长成的时候采集；（使用芽的也遵循这个原则）使用花朵的，选取花朵刚刚开放的时候采集；使用果实的，选取果实成熟的时候采集，都不能限定在固定的月份。因为药气有早晚之分，天时气候有异常变化。比如平地在三月开花的，深山中要到四月才开花。白居易《游大林寺》诗中说：“人间四月芳菲尽，山寺桃花始正开。”这是常理。这是因为地势高低不同造成的。比如竹笋，有的二月生出，有的三四月生出，有的五月才生出，称为晚笋。稻谷有七月成熟的，有八九月成熟的，有十月成熟的，称为晚稻。同一物品在同一田畦之间，自有早晚之分，这是物性的不同。岭南地区的微小草木，度过冬天也不凋谢；并州、汾州的高大乔木，望着秋天就先凋零。诸越地区桃李夏天结果，北方沙漠地区桃李夏天茂盛，这是地气的不同。同一亩地的庄稼，施肥灌溉的先发芽。同一丘的禾苗，后播种的后结果。这是人力的不同，怎么能一概拘泥于固定的月份呢？
Decoctions (Tangji), powders (Sanji), and pills (Wanji) each have their appropriate indications. In ancient prescriptions, decoctions were used most frequently, while the use of pills and powders was quite rare. The method of "boiled powder" (Zhusan) was not employed in ancient prescriptions; it is a practice introduced only in recent times. Generally speaking, if the aim is to allow medicinal efficacy to reach the five zang organs and four limbs, nothing is superior to decoctions. If the aim is for the medicine to remain in the epigastrium and stomach, nothing is better than powders. For effects that are slow and sustained, nothing is more suitable than pills. Furthermore, non-toxic herbs are best suited for decoctions, slightly toxic herbs for powders, and highly toxic herbs for pills. Additionally, for rapid action, use decoctions; for moderate slowness, use powders; for very slow action, use pills. This is the general principle. In recent times, the use of decoctions has become extremely rare; almost all cases requiring decoctions are now treated with boiled powder methods. Generally, the therapeutic momentum and potency of decoctions are complete and robust, being several times greater than those of pills or powders. With boiled powder, the maximum single dose rarely exceeds three to five qian. Comparing Efficacy
Ancient prescriptions for collecting herbal medicines mostly specified the second and eighth lunar months, which is actually inappropriate. By the second month, grasses have already sprouted; by the eighth month, the plants have not yet withered. This timing merely makes it easier for collectors to identify them, but it is not the optimal time for medicinal quality. Generally, for roots, if they possess persistent roots (Suogen), they should be harvested when there are no stems or leaves, so that the vital fluids and essence accumulate in the root. To verify this, one may observe radishes (Lufu) or rehmannia (Dihuang): when harvested before sprouting, they are solid and heavy; when harvested after sprouting, they are hollow and light. For plants without persistent roots, harvest when the seedlings have grown but have not yet flowered, ensuring the root is fully formed and not yet depleted, as seen with lithospermum (Zicao). Harvesting before flowering yields roots with fresh and lustrous color; harvesting after flowering results in dark and poor-quality roots. This demonstrates the effect. For leaves, harvest when they have just fully expanded; (for buds, follow the same principle); for flowers, harvest when they have just begun to bloom; for fruits, harvest when they are mature. None of these can be strictly limited to specific months. This is because the qi of herbs varies in timing, and seasonal weather patterns fluctuate. For example, flowers that bloom in March on flatlands may not bloom until April in deep mountains. As Bai Juyi wrote in his poem "Visiting Dalin Temple": "In the human world, all fragrances have faded by April, / While peach blossoms at the mountain temple are just beginning to bloom." This is a common phenomenon caused by differences in elevation. Consider bamboo shoots: some emerge in February, others in March or April, and some not until May, known as late shoots. Rice varieties mature in July, August-September, or even October, known as late rice. Even within the same plot, there are variations in timing due to inherent differences in the nature of the plants. In Lingqiao, small herbs do not wither even through winter; in Bingfen, large trees shed their leaves early in autumn. In Yue regions, peaches and plums bear fruit in summer; in northern deserts, they flourish in summer. These differences arise from variations in local climate (Diqi). Crops on the same field germinate earlier if fertilized and irrigated; grains on the same hill produce fruit later if sown later. These differences result from human intervention. How can one rigidly adhere to fixed months for collection?