蓬莪荗 Bongachul (봉아출)

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

1. 性溫, 味苦辛, 無毒. 治一切氣, 通月經, 消瘀血, 止心腹痛, 破痃癖, 療奔豚.

   Its nature is warm, its taste bitter and pungent, and it is non-toxic. It treats all qi disorders, frees the menses, disperses stagnant blood, stops pain in the chest and abdomen, breaks hyeonbyeok (痃癖, cord-like masses), and treats bundon (奔豚, running piglet qi).

   HomiclubBongajul is the rhizome of a Curcuma species, the same group as ganghwang and ulgeum, and is known in the West as zedoary. Its cut surface is a pale grey, which sets it apart by eye from the yellow flesh of turmeric.

2. 根如雞鴨卵, 大小不常. 九月採, 蒸熟暴乾.

   Its root is like a hen's or duck's egg, though the size is not constant. It is dug in the ninth month, steamed through, and dried in the sun.

3. 此物極堅硬難搗, 熱灰火中煨令透熟, 乘熱入臼中搗之, 卽碎如粉. 《本草》

   This material is extremely hard and difficult to pound, so bake it in hot ashes until cooked through, then put it into a mortar while still hot and pound it, whereupon it crumbles like powder. 《Boncho (本草)》

4. 破痃癖氣, 最良. 色黑, 破氣中之血. 《湯液》

   For breaking the qi of hyeonbyeok it is best of all. Its colour is black, and it breaks the blood within the qi. 《Tangaek (湯液)》

5. 卽蓬朮也. 陳醋煮熟, 剉, 焙乾用之. 或火炮, 醋炒用, 得酒良. 《入門》

   This is bongchul (蓬朮). Boil it through in aged vinegar, chop it, and dry it over gentle heat for use. Or roast it in fire, or parch it with vinegar; it fares well with liquor. 《Immun (入門)》