覆盆子 복분자 (복분자)

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · 탕액편 권2

1. 性平一云微熱, 味甘酸, 無毒.

   성평일운미열, 미감산, 무독.

   Its nature is neutral (some say slightly warm), the taste is sweet and sour, and it carries no toxicity.

2. 療男子腎精虛竭, 女人無子.

   료남자신정허갈, 여인무자.

   It treats men whose kidney essence has been exhausted and helps women who struggle to conceive.

3. 主丈夫陰痿, 能令堅長.

   주장부음위, 능령견장.

   It addresses male impotence and is said to restore firmness and length.

4. 補肝明目, 益氣輕身, 令髮不白.

   보간명목, 익기경신, 영발불백.

   It tonifies the liver, brightens the eyes, replenishes qi to lighten the body, and keeps the hair from turning grey.

5. 五月採, 處處有之.

   오월채, 처처유지.

   It is harvested in the fifth month and can be found growing almost anywhere.

6. 收時, 五六分熟, 便可採, 烈日中暴乾.

   수시, 오륙분숙, 변가채, 열일중폭건.

   Pick the berries when only fifty to sixty percent ripe, then dry them thoroughly under strong sunlight.

7. 用時, 去皮蔕, 酒蒸用之.

   용시, 거피체, 주증용지.

   Before use, remove the skin and stem, then steam the fruit with wine to mellow it.

8. 益腎精, 止小便利, 當覆其尿器, 故如此取名. 《本草》

   익신정, 지소변리, 당복기뇨기, 고여차취명. 《본초》

   It bolsters kidney essence and curbs frequent urination so effectively that one could overturn the chamber pot, which is exactly where the name 'overturned vessel' comes from. (Bencao)

9. 蓬藟 멍덕기

   봉류 (멍덕딸기)

   What follows is a note on Bongryu, the wild bramble known in Korean as meongdeok-ttalgi.

10. 性味功用, 與覆盆子同.

    성미공용, 여복분자동.

    Its nature, taste, and medicinal effects are regarded as identical to those of bokbunja.

11. 蓬藟, 非覆盆也. 自別是一種.

    봉류, 비복분야. 자별시일종.

    Even so, Bongryu is not the same as bokbunja; it stands on its own as a separate species.

12. 作藤蔓生者, 蓬藟也. 作樹條者, 覆盆也.

    작등만생자, 봉류야. 작수조자, 복분야.

    The one that spreads as a creeping vine is Bongryu, while the one that grows up as woody branches is bokbunja.

13. 皆宜取子用.

    개의취자용.

    For both plants, it is the fruit that should be gathered and used.

14. 覆盆早熟而形小, 蓬藟晩熟而形大.

    복분조숙이형소, 봉류만숙이형대.

    Bokbunja ripens earlier with smaller berries, while Bongryu ripens later and bears larger ones.

15. 其形大同小異, 終非一物也. 《本草》

    기형대동소이, 종비일물야. 《본초》

    They look broadly similar from afar yet differ on closer inspection, so in the end they cannot be considered one and the same plant. (Bencao)

16. 俱能縮小便, 黑白髮. 《日用》

    구능축소변, 흑백발. 《일용》

    Both fruits help reduce frequent urination and restore darkness to greyed hair. (Riyong)