知母 지모 (지모)

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · 탕액편 권3

1. 性寒一云平, 味苦一云甘, 無毒.

   성한일운평, 미고일운감, 무독.

   Its nature is cold, though some say neutral. The taste is bitter, though some call it sweet, and it carries no toxicity.

2. 主骨蒸熱勞, 腎氣虛損.

   주골증열로, 신기허손.

   It treats steaming-bone heat and consumptive fatigue, and restores depleted kidney qi.

3. 止消渴, 療久瘧黃疸,

   지소갈, 료구학황달,

   It quenches the unrelenting thirst of wasting-thirst disease and resolves chronic malaria and jaundice.

4. 通小腸, 消痰止嗽, 潤心肺,

   통소장, 소담지수, 윤심폐,

   It clears the small intestine, dissolves phlegm and stops coughing, and moistens the heart and lungs.

5. 治産後蓐勞.

   치산후욕로.

   It also treats postpartum bed-confinement exhaustion.

6. 生原野,

   생원야,

   It grows wild in open fields.

7. 根似菖蒲而甚柔潤,

   근사창포이심유윤,

   The root resembles calamus but is far softer and more moist.

8. 葉至難死, 掘出隨生, 須燥乃止.

   엽지난사, 굴출수생, 수조내지.

   Its leaves are remarkably tenacious—even uprooted, the plant keeps growing back, ceasing only when fully dried out.

9. 四月開靑花如韭花, 八月結實.

   사월개청화여구화, 팔월결실.

   In the fourth month it bears green flowers resembling chive blossoms, and in the eighth month it sets seed.

10. 二月八月採根, 暴, 去鬚,

    이월팔월채근, 폭, 거수,

    The root is harvested in the second and eighth months, sun-dried, and stripped of its fine rootlets.

11. 用黃白滋潤者, 善. 《本草》

    용황백자윤자, 선. 《본초》

    The best specimens are those with a yellow-white hue and a moist, juicy texture. 《Bencao》

12. 入足陽明經ㆍ手太陰經.

    입족양명경·수태음경.

    It enters the Foot Yangming Stomach meridian and the Hand Taiyin Lung meridian.

13. 足少陰腎經本藥,

    족소음신경본약,

    It is the principal medicine for the Foot Shaoyin Kidney meridian.

14. 瀉足陽明火熱, 補益腎水膀胱之寒.

    사족양명화열, 보익신수방광지한.

    It drains fiery heat from the Foot Yangming meridian while replenishing the cool waters of the kidney and bladder.

15. 入補藥鹽水或蜜水, 蒸或炒,

    입보약염수혹밀수, 증혹초,

    For tonifying formulas, it is steamed or stir-fried after being soaked in salt water or honey water.

16. 上行酒炒. 勿犯鐵. 《入門》

    상행주초. 물범철. 《입문》

    To direct its action upward, it is stir-fried with wine, and iron implements must be avoided. 《Rumen》

17. 我國黃海道多産, 品亦好. 《俗方》

    아국황해도다산, 품역호. 《속방》

    In our country it is produced abundantly in Hwanghae Province, and the quality there is also excellent. 《Sokbang》