赤箭，即今天麻也。后人既误出天麻条，遂指赤箭别为一物。既无此物，乃取天麻苗为
之。滋为不然，《本草》明称。采根阴干，安得以苗为根。草药上品。除五芝之外，赤箭为
第一。此神仙补理养生上药，世人惑于天麻之说，遂止用之治风，良可惜哉！或以谓其茎如
箭。既言赤箭，疑当用茎，此犹不然。至如鸢尾牛膝之类，皆谓茎叶有所似。用则用根尔，
何足疑哉？
地菘，即天名精也。世人既不识天名精，又妄认地菘为火蔹。《本草》又出鹤虱一条，
都成纷乱。今按地菘即天名精也。其叶似松，又似蔓荆，（名精即蔓荆也）故有二名。鹤虱
即其实也。世间有单服火蔹法，乃是服地菘尔，不当服火蔹。火蔹本草名 蔹，即是猪膏莓。
后人不
南烛草木记，传《本草》所说多端。今少有识者为其作青精饭，色黑，乃误用乌臼为之，
全非也，此木类也。又似草类，故谓之南烛草木。今人谓之南天烛者是也。南人多种于庭槛
之间。茎如蒴 。有节高三四尺，庐山有盈丈者。叶微似楝而小，至秋则实赤如丹，南方至
多。
太阴元精，生解州盐泽大卤中，沟渠土内得之。大者如杏叶，小者如鱼鳞，悉皆六角，
端正似刻，正如龟甲。其裙袖，小堕其前则下剡，其后则上剡，正如穿山甲。相掩之处，全
是龟甲，更无异也。色绿而莹彻，叩之则直理而析，莹明如鉴。析处亦六角，如柳叶，火烧
过则悉解。析薄如柳叶，片片相离，白如雪，平洁可爱，此乃禀积阴之气凝结，故皆六角，
今天下所用元精，乃绛州山中所出绛石尔，非元精也。楚州盐城县，古盐仓下土中，又有一
物，六棱如马牙硝，清莹如水晶，润泽可爱，彼方亦名太阴元精，然喜暴润如盐卤之类，惟
解州出者为正。
赤箭，就是今天的天麻。后人既然错误地列出了天麻条目，于是将赤箭单独列为另一种药物。既然没有这种独立的“赤箭”物，便取天麻的苗来充当。这更加不对，《本草》明确记载：采集根部并阴干，怎么能用苗当作根呢？它属于草药上品。除了五芝之外，赤箭排名第一。这是神仙用来补益调理、养生的上药，世人被天麻的说法迷惑，于是只把它用来治疗风病，实在令人惋惜！有人称它的茎像箭。既然叫赤箭，怀疑应该用茎，这也不对。至于像鸢尾、牛膝这类植物，都是说茎叶有相似之处，但用药时用的却是根，有什么可怀疑的呢？
地菘，就是天名精。世人既不认识天名精，又错误地把地菘认作火蔹。《本草》中又列出鹤虱一条，导致更加混乱。现在考证，地菘就是天名精。它的叶子像松树，又像蔓荆（名精即蔓荆），所以有两个名字。鹤虱就是它的果实。世间有单服火蔹的方法，其实是服用地菘罢了，不应当服用火蔹。火蔹在《本草》中的名字叫藜（注：原文此处似有脱漏或异体，通常指藜芦或类似植物，依文意译为藜），就是猪膏莓。后人……
南烛草木记，流传的《本草》说法很多。现在很少有人懂得制作青精饭，颜色黑，却错误地使用乌臼木来做，完全不对，这是木本植物。又有点像草本植物，所以称为南烛草木。现在人所说的南天烛就是这个。南方人多在庭院栏杆间种植。茎像蒴藋，有节，高三四尺，庐山有长达一丈的。叶子微像楝树但较小，到秋天果实红得像丹砂，南方非常多。
太阴元精，产于解州盐泽的大卤水中，从沟渠的土里得到。大的像杏叶，小的像鱼鳞，全都是六角形，端正像雕刻过一样，正如龟甲。它的裙边袖口，前面下垂则下端尖锐，后面上扬则上端尖锐，正如穿山甲。相互重叠的地方，完全是龟甲的样子，更没有不同。颜色绿而晶莹透彻，敲击则顺着纹理裂开，明亮如镜子。裂开的地方也是六角形，像柳叶，火烧过后全部散开。裂片薄如柳叶，片片分离，白如雪，平整洁净可爱，这是禀受积聚的阴气凝结而成，所以都是六角形。现在天下所用的元精，乃是绛州山中出产的绛石罢了，不是真正的元精。楚州盐城县，古盐仓下的土中，又有另一种东西，六棱像马牙硝，清澈晶莹如水晶，润泽可爱，当地也称之为太阴元精，但它喜欢暴晒后湿润像盐卤之类，只有解州出产的才是正宗的。
Chi Jian (Rhizoma Gastrodiae, commonly known as Tianma/Gastrodia) is what we now call Tianma (Gastrodia elata). Later authors, having erroneously listed Tianma as a separate entry, consequently classified Chi Jian as a distinct substance. Since this independent "Chi Jian" does not exist, people took the seedling of Tianma to substitute for it. This is even more incorrect; *Bencao* (Materia Medica) explicitly states: harvest the root and dry it in the shade. How can the seedling be used as the root? It belongs to the upper grade of herbal medicines. Apart from the Five Mushrooms (Wuzhi), Chi Jian ranks first. It is a superior herb for immortals to tonify, regulate, and nourish life. People are confused by the concept of Tianma and thus only use it to treat wind disorders, which is truly regrettable! Some say its stem resembles an arrow. Given the name Chi Jian (Red Arrow), one might suspect the stem should be used, but this is also incorrect. Consider plants like Iris tectorii (Yuwei) and Achyranthes bidentata (Niuxi); their names refer to similarities in stems or leaves, yet the roots are used. What is there to doubt?
Di Song (Lamium amplexicaule) is Tianningjing (Lamium amplexicaule). People neither recognize Tianningjing nor mistakenly identify Di Song as Huolian (Rubia cordifolia or similar). *Bencao* further lists Heshi (Herba Pedaliorum), causing further confusion. Current examination confirms that Di Song is Tianningjing. Its leaves resemble those of Pine (Song) and Vitex rotundifolia (Manjing; note: Tianningjing refers to Manjing here). Hence, it has two names. Heshi (Crabgrass fruit/Herba Pedaliorum) is its fruit. There is a method in the world for single-administration of Huolian, which actually involves consuming Di Song, not Huolian. Huolian is named Li (Chenopodium album or related species) in *Bencao*, which is Pig Fat Berry (Rubia cordifolia). Later generations...
Nanzhu Caomu Ji (Record of Nanzhu Plant), various theories in circulated *Bencao*. Few people today understand how to prepare Qingjing Fan (Black Rice). The color is black, yet they mistakenly use Cornus alba (Wujiu) to make it, which is entirely wrong, as this is a woody plant. It somewhat resembles a herbaceous plant, hence called Nanzhu Caomu (Southern Candle Plant). What people call Nantianzhu today is this. In the south, it is often planted between courtyard railings. The stem resembles Physalis (Shuolu), with nodes, three to four chi high; in Mount Lu, some reach over one zhang. The leaves slightly resemble Melia azedarach (Lian) but are smaller. By autumn, the fruits are red like cinnabar, very abundant in the south.
Taiyin Yuanjing (Mineral Salt Crystals), produced in the large salt marshes of Jiezhou, obtained from the soil within ditches. Large pieces are like apricot leaves, small ones like fish scales, all hexagonal, upright as if carved, just like turtle shells. Its skirt-like edges, if drooping forward, taper downwards; if rising backward, taper upwards, just like Pangolin scales. Where they overlap, it is entirely like turtle shells, with no difference. The color is green and crystal clear; when struck, it splits along the grain, bright as a mirror. The split surfaces are also hexagonal, like willow leaves. After burning, they disintegrate completely. The split flakes are thin as willow leaves, separating piece by piece, white as snow, flat, clean, and lovely. This is formed by the condensation of accumulated Yin Qi, hence all are hexagonal. The Yuanjing used throughout the world today is actually Jiangshi (Jiang Stone) from the mountains of Jiangzhou, not true Yuanjing. In Chuzhou, Yancheng County, under the soil of ancient salt warehouses, there is another substance, hexagonal like Mayanxiao (Sodium Nitrate crystals), clear and crystalline like rock crystal, moist and lovely. The local area also calls it Taiyin Yuanjing, but it tends to become damp after exposure to sun, resembling salt brine. Only those produced in Jiezhou are authentic.