白芨 대왐풀 (백급)

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

1. 性平一云微寒, 味苦辛, 無毒.

   Its nature is neutral—some say slightly cold—its taste bitter and pungent, and it carries no toxicity, which makes it well suited for broad external use.

2. 主癰腫, 惡瘡敗疽, 發背瘰癧, 腸風痔瘻, 刀箭撲損傷, 湯火瘡.

   It treats abscesses and swellings, malignant sores and festering carbuncles, back boils and scrofulous lumps, intestinal wind and anal fistulas, wounds from blades or arrows, and burns from boiling water or fire—essentially a go-to remedy wherever skin breaks open and suppurates.

3. 根似菱米, 有三角, 白色.

   The root resembles a water-caltrop kernel, has three angles, and is white in colour—this pale tuber is where the herb gets its name.

4. 二月八月九月採根, 暴乾. 《本草》

   The roots are gathered in the second, eighth, and ninth months and dried in strong sun, as recorded in the Bencao—a timing that avoids the extremes of midwinter and midsummer, when the herb's potency is best concentrated.

5. 白斂ㆍ白芨, 古今服餌方少用,

   Both bai-lian and bai-ji, past and present, are rarely used in prescriptions taken internally—they have long settled into the role of external remedies rather than ingested tonics.

6. 多見於斂瘡方中, 二物多相須而行. 《入門》

   Instead they appear often in sore-closing formulas, and the two herbs are typically paired so that each draws out the other's effect, as the Yimen notes—an old physician's wisdom of teaming them for wound care.