半夏 반하 (끼무릇) (반하)

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

1. 性平生微寒熟溫, 味辛, 有毒.

   성평생미한숙온, 미신, 유독.

   Its nature is neutral, slightly cold when raw and warm when prepared; the taste is pungent and it is toxic, so it must always be processed before use.

2. 主傷寒寒熱.

   주상한한열.

   It treats the alternating chills and fever of cold-damage disease, calming the swings between cold and heat caused by external pathogens.

3. 消心腹痰熱滿結, 咳嗽上氣, 消痰涎.

   소심복담열만결, 해수상기, 소담연.

   It dissolves phlegm-heat lodged in the chest and abdomen, eases cough and rising qi, and clears away phlegm and saliva, making it a classic remedy for phlegm disorders.

4. 開胃健脾, 止嘔吐, 去胸中痰涎, 療瘧, 墮胎.

   개위건비, 지구토, 거흉중담연, 요학, 타태.

   It opens the stomach and strengthens the spleen, stops vomiting, removes phlegm from the chest, and treats malaria; however, it can induce miscarriage, so it must be avoided during pregnancy.

5. 處處有之, 生田野中.

   처처유지, 생전야중.

   It grows commonly everywhere, found mainly in fields and open ground; in Korea it is known as kkimuruk and can often be spotted along field edges and grassy plots.

6. 五月八月採根, 暴乾.

   오월팔월채근, 폭건.

   The root is gathered in the fifth and eighth lunar months and dried thoroughly in the sun, since tubers harvested at these times are considered to hold the fullest medicinal strength.

7. 以圓白陳久者, 爲勝. 《本草》

   이원백진구자, 위승. 《본초》

   Tubers that are round, white, and well-aged are considered the finest quality, as recorded in the Bencao.

8. 湯浸切片, 淋洗七遍, 去涎盡, 以生薑汁浸一宿, 焙乾用. 《本草》

   탕침절편, 임세칠편, 거연진, 이생강즙침일숙, 배건용. 《본초》

   It is soaked in hot water, sliced thin, rinsed seven times until all the sticky sap is gone, then steeped overnight in ginger juice and gently dried over low heat, the traditional method recorded in the Bencao for taming its toxicity.

9. 入足陽明ㆍ太陰ㆍ少陽經.

   입족양명·태음·소양경.

   It enters the foot-yangming, foot-taiyin, and foot-shaoyang meridians, thereby regulating the stomach, spleen, and gallbladder together.

10. 臘月泡洗, 置露天氷過, 又泡共七次, 留久極妙. 《入門》

    납월포세, 치노천빙과, 우포공칠차, 유구극묘. 《입문》

    In the twelfth lunar month it is rinsed, left outdoors to freeze, and re-soaked seven times in all; aged this way for a long while, its potency becomes exceptional, as taught in the Yimen.

11. 三消及血虛者, 乾咽痛者, 腸燥大便難者, 汗多者, 皆勿用. 《丹心》

    삼소급혈허자, 건인통자, 장조대변난자, 한다자, 개물용. 《단심》

    It must not be given to those with the three wasting disorders, blood deficiency, dry and painful throat, dry intestines with difficult stools, or excessive sweating, since its warming and drying nature can further deplete bodily fluids, as warned in the Danxin.