鹿茸鹿胶腽肭脐海马韭子川仙茅黄狗茎川椒雀卵鸡肾鹿茎远志五味子菟丝子沙苑蒺藜锁阳鹿跑草淫羊藿秋石黄精
命门司水火。两肾绾精神乃生身之根蒂阴阳之橐 也寒热偏胜。病斯睹矣。故麋茸石枣
苁蓉诸品。虽能填补真阴。尚须君以熟地。又鹿茸肭脐韭子诸品。亦善益助元阳必惟佐以桂附。
若五味菟丝蒺藜诸品。则通益两肾之要药也但纯阴无以生长宜兼参 归术以阳为用孤阳又妨
独炽必主熟地石枣以阴为体盖肾虚则诸脏俱虚故补肾勿靳补脾。脾旺而诸脏俱旺。乃补脾政
以补肾。法不能舍参苓归术而独疗阳光之左水又不能舍熟地石枣而专温阴翳之右火也然以上众
味。皆列上品。纯补无泻。可任久饵。而肾主闭藏者宜之。再推其本。百病皆生于寒热。寒
热总由于水火。水火统归于元气舍此不究。何处觅宗问谁明气化之义。识草木之蕴。洋洋大
海。落落晨星。前有隐凡庄子。后有湛一唐君。学通古今。识迈常流。余幸得此。差可与商
耳。每见时师大率徇标。且昧药性。治男二陈疗女四物。补水仅投芡实石斛。至熟地石枣。
视为泥膈敛邪。益土则用扁豆薏苡。将参 归术。目为增饱结气。甚至青皮槟朴。忍耗天真
。甘遂大黄。任臆攻伐。虚阳上越。认作实火。真气下脱。误为宿积。频将存亡呼吸之重恙
。缓施隔靴搔痒之轻剂。坐失机权。因循陷命。如此庸盲。发难缕指。反不知愧。妄诋名手
。曾闻庄唐二子。不免嚣声暗吠。是亦调高寡和。行高谤多者也。故先哲有云本草者固医
家之 锄弓矢也。洪纤动植。最为烦杂散于山泽而根于脏腑名不核则误取性不明则误施经不
辨则误入误者在几微之间而人之生死寿夭系焉故得其精者可以保身可以养亲可以济世可以穷
万物之颐可以识造化之妙而见天地之心而余是集也第就其常用者。或专见。或合见。发明病
机治法宜忌之要。使观者神而明之。触类而通之。其他则濒湖之纲目已悉。故不赘。
命门主管水与火。两肾维系着精神，这是生命的根本，也是阴阳的枢纽。寒热偏盛，疾病就显现了。所以麋茸、石枣、肉苁蓉等药物，虽然能填补真阴，但仍需以熟地黄为君药（主药）。另外鹿茸、肭脐、韭菜子等药物，也善于辅助元阳，必须佐以肉桂、附子。至于五味子、菟丝子、蒺藜等药物，则是通补两肾的要药。但纯阴之品无法生长，应当兼用人参、当归、白术，以阳气为用；孤阳又妨碍独自炽盛，必须以熟地黄、石枣作为阴的形体。大概肾虚则五脏都虚，所以补肾不要吝惜补脾。脾旺则五脏都旺，这正是通过补脾来补肾的道理。治疗方法不能舍弃人参、茯苓、当归、白术而单独治疗属阳的左肾之水；也不能舍弃熟地黄、石枣而专门温补属阴的右肾之火。然而以上众多药物，都列为上品，纯补无泻，可以长期服用，适合肾主闭藏的特性。再推究其根本，百病都生于寒热，寒热总由于水火，水火统归于元气。舍此不探究，到哪里去寻找宗旨？向谁阐明气化的意义？认识草木的蕴藏。浩瀚如海，寥若晨星。前有隐凡庄子，后有湛一唐君，他们学通古今，见识超越常人。我有幸得到这些，差不多可以与之商讨罢了。
常常看见当时的医生大多只遵循表面症状，并且不明白药性。治疗男子只用二陈汤，治疗女子只用四物汤。补水仅仅投用芡实、石斛，对于熟地黄、石枣，却视为阻碍膈膜、收敛邪气。益土则使用扁豆、薏苡仁，将人参、当归、白术，看作增加饱胀、结滞气机。甚至使用青皮、槟榔、厚朴，忍心耗损天真之气；甘遂、大黄，任意攻伐。将虚阳上越，认作实火；真气下脱，误认为是宿食积滞。频繁地将关乎存亡呼吸的重症，迟缓地施用隔靴搔痒般的轻剂，坐失治疗时机，因循拖延导致丧命。像这样庸碌盲从的医生，难以一一列举，反而不知羞愧，妄自诋毁名医。曾听说庄、唐二位先生，不免受到喧嚣之声和暗中诽谤。这也是曲高和寡、行高谤多的缘故。所以先哲有云：《本草》固然是医家的锄头、弓矢。洪大细小、动物植物，最为繁杂，散布于山泽而根源于脏腑。名称不核实就会误取，性质不明确就会误施，经典不辨别就会误入。错误发生在细微之间，而人的生死寿夭系于此。所以得其精粹者，可以保全自身，可以奉养双亲，可以济世救人，可以穷尽万物的养育之道，可以认识造化的奥妙，从而见到天地之心。而我这部集子，只是就其常用者，有的专见，有的合见，发明病机、治法、宜忌的要领，使观看者神而明之，触类旁通。其他内容则李时珍的《本草纲目》已经详尽，所以不再赘述。
The Gate of Life (Mingmen) governs Water and Fire. The two Kidneys bind the Spirit (Shen), serving as the root of life and the bellows (橐, tuó) of Yin and Yang. When Cold or Heat becomes excessive, diseases manifest. Therefore, substances such as Deer Antler Velvet (Lurong), Stone Jujube (Shizao), and Cistanche (Congrong), although capable of replenishing True Yin, still require Prepared Rehmannia Root (Shudi) as the Sovereign herb (Jun). Furthermore, substances like Deer Antler Velvet, Fossa (A'qi), and Chive Seed (Jiu Zi), which are good at assisting Primordial Yang, must be assisted by Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) and Aconite Root (Fuzi). As for Schisandra Berry (Wuweizi), Dodder Seed (Tusizi), and Tribulus Fruit (Jili), these are essential herbs for benefiting both Kidneys. However, pure Yin substances cannot promote growth; they should be combined with Ginseng (Renshen), Angelica Sinensis (Danggui), and Atractylodes Macrocephala (Baizhu), utilizing Yang for function. Isolated Yang hinders independent flourishing; thus, one must rely on Prepared Rehmannia Root and Stone Jujube to provide the substance of Yin. Generally, when the Kidney is deficient, all Zang organs are deficient; therefore, tonifying the Kidney should not spare tonifying the Spleen. When the Spleen is robust, all Zang organs become robust; this is precisely the method of tonifying the Spleen to benefit the Kidney. Therapeutic methods cannot discard Ginseng, Poria (Fuling), Angelica Sinensis, and Atractylodes Macrocephala to treat only the Water of the Left Kidney (associated with Yang); nor can they discard Prepared Rehmannia Root and Stone Jujube to exclusively warm the Fire of the Right Kidney (associated with Yin). However, all the aforementioned substances are classified in the Upper Grade (Shangpin), being purely tonifying without purgative effects, suitable for long-term consumption, fitting the Kidney's nature of closure and storage.
Further tracing to the root, all diseases arise from Cold and Heat; Cold and Heat stem from Water and Fire; Water and Fire are unified under Primordial Qi (Yuanqi). If one neglects this, where can one seek the principle? To whom can one ask about the meaning of Qi transformation? To recognize the essence of herbs. Vast as the ocean, sparse as morning stars. In the past, there was Zhuanzi (Zhuang Yinfan); later, there was Tang Jun (Tang Zhanyi). They mastered past and present, their insight surpassing ordinary people. I am fortunate to have obtained this, and can barely discuss it with them. Often, contemporary physicians merely follow superficial symptoms and fail to understand drug properties. For men, they use Er Chen Tang (Two-Old Decoction); for women, Si Wu Tang (Four-Substance Decoction). To tonify Water, they only administer Euryale Seed (Qianshi) and Dendrobium (Shihu), regarding Prepared Rehmannia Root and Stone Jujube as obstructing the diaphragm and retaining pathogenic factors. To benefit Earth, they use Coix Seed (Yiyiren) and Amomum Fruit (Bian Dou), viewing Ginseng, Angelica Sinensis, and Atractylodes Macrocephala as causing fullness and qi stagnation. Even using Green Citrus Peel (Qingpi), Areca Nut (Binglang), and Magnolia Bark (Houpo), they ruthlessly deplete innate vitality; using Kansui Root (Gansui) and Rhubarb (Dahuang), they arbitrarily attack. They mistake floating Deficient Yang for Excess Fire, and misinterpret sinking True Qi as food retention. Frequently, they apply mild remedies that scratch an itch through a boot to critical conditions hanging by a thread, missing opportunities and delaying treatment until death. Such mediocre and blind physicians are too numerous to list; yet they do not feel ashamed, instead falsely slandering renowned experts. It has been heard that even Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Tang were subject to noisy barking and secret slander. This is indeed the case where high tunes find few singers, and high conduct invites much blame. Thus, ancient sages said: "Bencao" (Compendium of Materia Medica) is undoubtedly the plow and bow of physicians. Whether large or small, animal or plant, it is most complex, scattered in mountains and marshes but rooted in the Zang organs. If names are not verified, errors occur in selection; if properties are unclear, errors occur in application; if classics are not distinguished, errors occur in entry. Errors lie in subtle details, yet human life, death, longevity, and premature death depend on them. Therefore, those who grasp its essence can preserve themselves, support their parents, aid the world, exhaust the nurturing ways of all things, recognize the wonders of creation, and perceive the heart of Heaven and Earth. My collection here only addresses commonly used substances, either singly or in combination, elucidating the essentials of disease mechanisms, therapeutic methods, and indications/contraindications, so that readers may understand them spiritually and apply them by analogy. Other contents are already fully detailed in Li Shizhen's Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), so no further elaboration is needed.