淫羊藿 삼지구엽초 (음양곽)

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

1. 性溫一云平, 味辛一云甘, 無毒.

   Its nature is warm—some say neutral—and its taste is pungent, though some say sweet. It carries no toxicity.

2. 主一切冷風勞氣.

   It is chiefly used for all forms of cold wind and depletion-related fatigue of qi.

3. 補腰膝,

   It nourishes the lower back and knees, fortifying a chilled and weakened lower body.

4. 丈夫絶陽不起, 女人絶陰無子,

   It helps men whose yang has failed and who cannot rise, and women whose yin has been cut off so that they bear no child.

5. 老人昏耄, 中年健忘.

   It addresses the dimming of mind in the elderly and the frequent forgetfulness of middle age.

6. 治陰痿, 莖中痛,

   It treats impotence and pain felt within the stalk of the male organ.

7. 益氣力, 堅筋骨,

   It augments vigor and strength while toughening the sinews and bones.

8. 丈夫久服令有子.

   When a man takes it over a long period, he is said to gain offspring.

9. 消瘰癧, 下部有瘡, 洗出蟲.

   It dissolves scrofulous lumps, and where sores appear on the lower body, a wash with its decoction draws out worms.

10. 一名仙靈脾, 俗號爲三枝九葉草, 生山野.

    It is also called seollyeongbi, popularly known as samjigueopcho—three-branch nine-leaf herb—and grows in mountains and open country.

11. 葉似杏, 葉上有子, 莖如粟稈.

    Its leaves resemble apricot leaves and bear seeds upon them, while its stem is slender and straight like a millet stalk.

12. 五月採葉曬乾,

    Gather the leaves in the fifth lunar month and dry them under the sun.

13. 生處不聞水聲者, 良.

    Plants from places where no sound of water reaches are said to be the finest in efficacy.

14. 又云, 得酒良.

    It is also said that handling it with wine brings out its best properties.

15. 服此令人好爲陰陽.

    Taking this herb is said to make a person fond of the affairs of yin and yang.

16. 羊一日百遍合, 盖食此草所致, 故名淫羊藿.

    Goats are said to mate a hundred times in a day after grazing on this plant, and thus it came to be named eumyanggwak—the lustful goat herb.

17. 酒洗細剉焙用. 《本草》

    Wash it in wine, chop it finely, and roast it gently before use. Recorded in the Bencao.