草豆蔲 Katsumada's Cardamom

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

1. 性熱, 味辛, 無毒.

   Its nature is hot, its taste pungent, and it is non-toxic.

   HomiclubChodugu is the seed of a plant in the ginger family, close kin to the cardamoms used as spice. Small seeds sit packed in rows inside the fruit's husk.

2. 主一切冷氣. 溫中下氣, 止心腹痛, 及霍亂嘔吐, 去口臭氣.

   It governs all manner of cold qi. It warms the centre and sends qi downward, stops pain of the chest and abdomen and vomiting from gwallan (霍亂), and removes foul breath.

3. 若龍眼子而銳, 皮無鱗甲. 中子若石榴瓣, 味辛烈者爲好. 《本草》

   It is like the seed of yongan (龍眼, longan) but pointed, and its husk has no scales. The seeds within are like pomegranate arils, and those pungent and fierce in taste are reckoned good. 《Boncho (本草)》

   HomiclubThe description points to the small seeds packed inside the split fruit like pomegranate arils. It is still used as a spice in Chinese cooking and sold in herb shops under the same name.

4. 治風寒客邪在胃口之上, 善治脾胃客寒, 及心與胃痛. 《湯液》

   It treats wind-cold visiting evil lodged above the mouth of the wi (胃, stomach), and it treats well the visiting cold in the bi and wi (脾胃, spleen and stomach) and pain of the heart and stomach. 《Tangaek (湯液)》

5. 治胃脘冷痛, 入足太陰經ㆍ陽明經. 麪包裹煨熟, 去麪用. 《入門》

   It treats cold pain of the wiwan (胃脘, stomach duct) and enters the foot taeeum and yangmyeong channels. Wrap it in dough, roast it in embers until done, remove the dough, and use it. 《Ipmun (入門)》