桔梗 Balloon Flower Root (Doraji)

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 2

1. 性微溫一云平, 味辛苦, 有小毒.

   Its nature is slightly warm — one account says neutral — its taste pungent and bitter, and it is slightly toxic.

2. 治肺氣喘促, 下一切氣, 療咽喉痛, 及胸脇諸痛, 下蠱毒.

   It treats hurried, panting breath from lung qi, sends down every kind of qi, heals sore throat and the various pains of the chest and flanks, and drives out godok (蠱毒, poisoning ascribed to venomous creatures).

3. 處處有之, 生山中.

   It is found everywhere, growing in the mountains.

   HomiclubA perennial of the bellflower family, it opens star-shaped purple or white flowers in summer. What is dug and used is the thick root.

4. 二月八月採根, 暴乾. 《本草》

   In the second and eighth months the root is dug and dried in the sun. 《Boncho》

5. 桔梗能載諸藥, 使不下沈, 升提氣血, 爲舟楫之劑.

   Gilgyeong (桔梗) can carry the other medicines so that they do not sink downward, and it lifts qi and blood upward; it is a medicine that serves as boat and oar.

6. 手太陰引經藥也. 《丹心》

   It is an ingyeongyak (引經藥, channel-guiding medicine) for the Hand Taeeum (手太陰, hand greater yin) channel. 《Dansim》

7. 今人作菜茹, 四時長食之物也. 《俗方》

   People today make it into namul (나물, a dressed vegetable dish) and eat it all year round. 《Sokbang》

   HomiclubThis is the doraji served as namul or as a raw seasoned salad. Because a bitter taste remains, the root is rubbed with salt and rinsed, or soaked in water, before being dressed.