气寒，味苦平，气浓味薄，无毒，可升可降，阴也。主治诸经实热。中枯而飘者，泻肺
火，清痰利气。细实而坚者，泻大肠火，养阴退阳。又枯者除寒湿，去热于肌表。坚者滋化
源，退热于膀胱。见柴胡则寒，为少阳之妙剂。君白术则和，乃安胎之圣药。若以猪胆炒之，
又能泻肝胆之火也。如以麦冬汁浸之，又能润肺家之燥也。酒炒则清头目，盐制则利肾邪。
大都治热宜寒，泄实宜苦。黄芩气味寒苦，必真有黄芩症，而后可用。若妄投之，则向为几
席，今为 矣。
气寒，味苦辛，无毒，气味俱薄，升也，阳之阳也。主治心热，破瘿瘤。经曰，诸肿疮
疡，皆属心火。惟翘性凉而轻辛，故能散诸经之客热，而消诸经之痈肿也。君节草、同麻油、
臣蜂蜜，能治发背诸毒。主麻黄、同山甲、入牛子，善快痘疮未发。同黄连，则入心解热。
同片芩，则入肺泻火。从栀子，则引热内降。从麻黄，则引热外散。又曰为外科圣药者，得
非以苦泄热，以辛散火之谓乎。
气寒，味苦，无毒。气薄味浓，气浮味降，沉也，阴之阳也。主心烦懊 不得眠，心神
颠倒欲绝。利五淋，通小便。除胸中之热甚，止胃脘之热痛。留皮去热于肌表，去皮劫热于
心胸。酒炒上行，盐浸下降。入手太阴一脏，因轻浮象肺，因赤色象火，故治至高之气，而
泻肺中之火也。本经不能作吐，仲景用为吐药者，为邪气在上，拒而不能纳食，令其上吐，
邪始得出。经曰，在高者因而越之，此之谓也。亦不能利小便，易老用为利小便者，实非利
小便，乃清肺也，肺气清而化，则小便从此气化而出。经曰，膀胱为津液之府，气化则能出
者，此之谓也。本经又谓治大小肠热、及胃中热者，此因辛与庚合，又与丙合，又能泄戊，
其先于中州故焉。加生姜陈皮，治呕哕不止。加浓朴枳实，除腹满而烦。加茵陈，治湿热发
黄。加甘草，治心气虚满。倘除烦躁于心内，须加香豉而建功，盖烦者，气也。躁者，血也。
气主肺，血主肾，故用栀子治肺烦，用香豉治肾躁也。若加生姜汁，尤治心腹久疼。上焦客
热善驱，五肿黄病竟解。去目赤作障，止霍乱转筋。赤白癞疮，酒 鼻，五内邪气，悉能
除之。又能解热郁，行结气，其性屈曲下行，驱诸火邪从小便中出，解毒汤用此，取其引诸
药从膀胱中出也。研末吸鼻，能止衄血。炒黑入药，能止吐血。
黄芩：气味寒凉，味道苦平，气浓味薄，无毒，既能上升又能下降，属阴。主治各经的实热证。质地枯瘦而轻飘的黄芩，能泻肺火，清化痰浊，利顺气机；质地细实而坚硬的黄芩，能泻大肠之火，滋养阴液，消退阳亢。又，枯者能祛除寒湿，清除肌表的热邪；坚硬者能滋生化之源（脾胃），清除膀胱的热邪。若与柴胡同用，则显寒性，是治疗少阳病的妙方；若以白术为君药，则药性和缓，是安胎的圣药。如果用猪胆汁炒制，又能泻肝胆之火；如果用麦冬汁浸泡，又能润肺家之燥渴。酒炒则能清头目之热，盐制则能利肾中邪气。大抵治疗热证宜用寒药，泄实热宜用苦药。黄芩气味寒苦，必须确有黄芩证候，方可使用。如果妄加投用，原本舒适的几席，如今却变成了祸患之地。
连翘：气味寒凉，味道苦辛，无毒，气味都较淡薄，主升，属于阳中之阳。主治心热，破除瘿瘤（甲状腺肿等）。医经说，各种肿胀疮疡，都属于心火所致。只有连翘性质凉而轻辛，所以能疏散各经的客热，消除各经的痈肿。以节草（甘草）为君药，配合麻油、臣药蜂蜜，能治疗发背等各种毒疮。主要配伍麻黄，同穿山甲、牛蒡子一起，善于促进痘疮顺利发出。同黄连配合，则入心经解热；同片芩（黄芩）配合，则入肺经泻火；跟随栀子，则引导热邪向内下降；跟随麻黄，则引导热邪向外发散。又说它是外科圣药，难道不是因为它能以苦味泄热，以辛味散火的意思吗？
栀子：气味寒凉，味道苦，无毒。气薄味浓，气浮味降，主沉降，属于阴中之阳。主治心烦懊恼不得睡眠，心神颠倒欲绝。通利五淋，通畅小便。清除胸中的严重热邪，停止胃脘部的热痛。保留果皮可清除肌表的热邪，去掉果皮可劫夺心胸的热邪。酒炒则药力上行，盐浸则药力下行。入手太阴肺脏一脏，因为质地轻浮象肺，因为颜色赤色象火，所以治疗至高之气，而泻肺中之火。《本经》不能使其作吐，张仲景用它作为吐药，是因为邪气在上焦，拒纳饮食，让它向上呕吐，邪气才能排出。医经说，病位在高处的，因势利导使之越出，说的就是这个道理。也不能通利小便，易老（李东垣/王好古等后世医家泛指）用它来利小便，其实并非直接利小便，而是清肺，肺气清肃则气化正常，小便便由此气化而出。医经说，膀胱是津液的府库，气化功能正常才能排出尿液，说的就是这个道理。《本经》又说治疗大小肠热及胃中热，这是因为辛与庚合，又与丙合，又能泄戊土，它先作用于中州（脾胃）的缘故。加入生姜、陈皮，治疗呕吐呃逆不止；加入厚朴、枳实，消除腹部胀满和烦闷；加入茵陈，治疗湿热发黄；加入甘草，治疗心气虚导致的胀满。如果要除去心中的烦躁，必须加入香豉才能建功，大概烦是气分的问题，躁是血分的问题。气主肺，血主肾，所以用栀子治肺烦，用香豉治肾躁。如果加入生姜汁，尤其治疗心腹久痛。上焦客热善于驱除，五种肿胀黄疸病竟能解除。去除目赤生翳，停止霍乱转筋。赤白癞疮，酒渣鼻，五脏内的邪气，都能清除。又能解热郁，行结气，它的性质屈曲下行，驱赶诸火邪从小便中排出，解毒汤中使用此药，就是取它引导诸药从膀胱排出的意思。研成粉末吸入鼻腔，能止鼻出血；炒黑入药，能止吐血。
Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix): The qi is cold, the flavor is bitter and neutral. The qi is dense while the flavor is thin; it is non-toxic, capable of ascending and descending, and belongs to Yin. It primarily treats excess heat in all meridians. Those that are withered and floating clear Lung fire, resolve phlegm, and promote the smooth flow of Qi; those that are fine, solid, and hard purge Large Intestine fire, nourish Yin, and subdue Yang. Furthermore, the withered variety dispels cold-dampness and clears heat from the muscle surface; the hard variety nourishes the source of transformation and digestion (Spleen and Stomach) and clears heat from the Bladder. When combined with Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), its cold nature is enhanced, making it an excellent formula for Shaoyang disorders. When used as the sovereign herb with Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), it harmonizes and serves as a sacred medicine for calming the fetus. If stir-fried with pig bile, it can purge Liver and Gallbladder fire; if soaked in Ophiopogonis Juice, it can moisten dryness in the Lungs. Wine-processing directs its action upward to clear the head and eyes; salt-processing facilitates the expulsion of pathogenic factors from the Kidney. Generally, treating heat requires cold herbs, and purging excess requires bitter herbs. Huangqin has cold and bitter properties; it should only be used when there is a genuine Huangqin syndrome. If administered recklessly, what was once a comfortable seat becomes a place of disaster.
Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus): The qi is cold, the flavor is bitter and acrid; it is non-toxic. Both its qi and flavor are thin; it ascends and belongs to Yang within Yang. It primarily treats Heart heat and breaks up goiters (thyroid swellings). The classics state: "All swelling, sores, and ulcers belong to Heart fire." Only Lianqiao possesses a cool and light-acrid nature, thus it can dissipate wandering heat from all meridians and eliminate carbuncles and swellings in all meridians. When used as the sovereign herb with Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), along with sesame oil and honey as ministering agents, it can treat back carbuncles and various toxic sores. Primarily paired with Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba), together with Shanjiā (Manis Squama) and Niuxi (Arctii Fructus), it effectively promotes the eruption of smallpox/rashes. Combined with Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), it enters the Heart to clear heat; combined with Pianqing (Scutellariae Radix), it enters the Lung to purge fire; following Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus), it guides heat downward internally; following Mahuang, it guides heat outward externally. It is also said to be a sacred medicine for external diseases, does this not refer to its ability to purge heat through bitterness and disperse fire through acridity?
Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus): The qi is cold, the flavor is bitter; it is non-toxic. Its qi is thin and its flavor is dense; its qi floats while its flavor descends, making it sinking, and belonging to Yin within Yang. It primarily treats mental restlessness, vexation, insomnia, and extreme mental agitation. It benefits five types of strangury (dysuria) and unblocks urination. It removes severe heat from the chest and stops hot pain in the epigastrium. Retaining the peel clears heat from the muscle surface; removing the peel aggressively clears heat from the chest and heart. Wine-processing directs the action upward; salt-soaking directs the action downward. It enters the Taiyin Lung organ alone. Because it is light and floating, it resembles the Lung; because it is red, it resembles Fire. Thus, it treats high-located Qi and purges fire in the Lungs. The *Shennong Benjing* does not describe it as emetic, but Zhang Zhongjing used it as an emetic because when pathogenic factors are located superiorly and reject food intake, inducing vomiting allows the pathogen to exit. The classics say: "For conditions located high, use the method of evacuation upwards," which refers to this principle. It does not directly benefit urination; however, later physicians like Li Dongyuan used it to benefit urination. In reality, it is not directly promoting diuresis but clearing the Lungs. When Lung Qi is clear and transforms properly, urine is excreted through Qi transformation. The classics say: "The Bladder is the residence of body fluids; only through Qi transformation can they be excreted," which refers to this mechanism. The *Benjing* also states it treats heat in the Large and Small Intestines and Stomach. This is because Acrid combines with Geng (Metal), and Bing (Fire); it can also drain Wu Earth, acting first on the Central Region (Spleen/Stomach). Adding Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens) and Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) treats persistent vomiting and hiccups. Adding Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) and Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus) eliminates abdominal fullness and vexation. Adding Yinchen (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba) treats damp-heat jaundice. Adding Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) treats fullness due to Heart Qi deficiency. To remove internal vexation and restlessness, adding Jiangchi (Fermented Soybean) achieves success. Vexation (Fan) relates to Qi; restlessness (Zao) relates to Blood. Qi governs the Lung, and Blood governs the Kidney. Therefore, Zhizi treats Lung-related vexation, and Jiangchi treats Kidney-related restlessness. Adding fresh ginger juice particularly treats chronic heart and abdominal pain. It effectively drives away wandering heat in the Upper Jiao and resolves various types of swelling and jaundice. It reduces redness and opacity in the eyes, stops cholera with muscle cramps, and eliminates red-white leprous sores, rhinophyma (wine nose), and pathogenic factors within the five viscera. It can also resolve heat stagnation and move constrained Qi. Its nature curves and descends, driving various fire pathogens out through urination. In Jiedu Tang (Detoxification Decoction), it is used to guide other herbs out through the Bladder. Ground into powder and insufflated into the nose, it stops epistaxis; charred and added to decoctions, it stops hematemesis.