柏實 Cheukbaengnamu Ssi (측백나무 씨)

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 3

1. 性平, 味甘, 無毒. 主驚悸. 安五藏, 益氣.

   Its nature is neutral, its taste sweet, and it is non-toxic. It governs fright palpitations. It settles the five jang (五藏, five viscera) and augments qi.

   HomiclubBaeksil is the kernel inside the cone of the oriental arborvitae, an evergreen still widely planted for hedges and gardens. Its foliage splays into flat, fan-like sprays held edgewise.

2. 治風, 潤皮膚, 除風濕痺, 虛損吸吸, 興陽道, 益壽.

   It treats wind, moistens the skin, removes pungseupbi (風濕痺, wind-damp impediment) and the shortness of breath of vacuity detriment, rouses the yang faculty, and adds to the lifespan.

3. 此側葉子也. 九月結子, 候成熟收採, 蒸乾, 去殼用. 《本草》

   This is the seed of the flat-leaved cypress. It sets seed in the ninth month; wait until it ripens, gather it, steam and dry it, remove the husk, and use it. 《Boncho (本草)》

4. 令人潤澤, 美顔色, 耳目聰明, 則澤腎之藥也. 《湯液》

   It makes a person lustrous, fine in complexion, and keen of ear and eye; thus it is a medicine that moistens the sin (腎, kidney). 《Tangaek (湯液)》

5. 萬木向陽, 惟柏西向, 故字從白, 稟金之正氣, 木之最堅者.

   All trees turn toward the sun, but only the baek (柏) turns west, and so the graph takes baek (白, white) as its element; it receives the correct qi of geum (金, metal) and is the hardest of trees.

   HomiclubThis is an old graphic gloss reading the character baek (柏) as wood plus white and tying it to the west and to metal. The arborvitae does hold its flattened sprays edgewise, which likely prompted the observation.

6. 實去殼取仁, 微炒, 去油用. 《入門》

   For the fruit, remove the husk, take the kernel, parch it lightly, remove the oil, and use it. 《Ipmun (入門)》