貝母 Paemo (패모)

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

1. 性平一云微寒, 味辛苦, 無毒. 消痰, 潤心肺, 治肺痿咳嗽, 肺癰, 唾膿血, 除煩止渴, 療金瘡惡瘡.

   Its nature is neutral, though one account calls it slightly cold; its taste is pungent and bitter, and it is non-toxic. It dissolves phlegm and moistens the sim (心, heart) and pye (肺, lung); it treats coughing from pyewi (肺痿, lung atrophy) and the spitting of pus and blood in pyeong (肺癰, lung abscess); it removes vexation and quenches thirst, and treats wounds from metal blades and malignant sores.

   HomiclubPaemo is the bulb of a lily-family perennial (Fritillaria). It bears nodding bell-shaped flowers in spring, and its underground bulb consists of a few white scales clasping one another.

2. 與連翹同, 主項下瘤癭疾.

   Used together with yeongyo (連翹, forsythia fruit), it governs yuyeong (瘤癭, goitrous lumps) below the neck.

3. 一名莔. 根有瓣子, 黃白色, 形似聚貝子, 故名貝母. 八月十月採根, 暴乾. 《本草》

   It is also called maeng (莔). The root is made of scales, yellowish-white in colour, shaped like a cluster of cowrie shells, and so it is named paemo (貝母, the shell-mother). Dig the root in the eighth or tenth month and dry it in the sun. 《Boncho (本草)》

   HomiclubWhen lifted, the bulb shows white scales stacked like shells laid together — the source of the character bae (貝, shell) in its name.

4. 貝母, 能散心胸鬱結之氣, 殊有功. 《本事》

   Paemo can scatter qi that is knotted and stagnant in the heart and chest, and in this it has singular merit. 《Bonsa (本事)》

5. 柳木灰炮過, 去心用. 一云, 薑汁炮用. 《入門》

   Roast it buried in willow-wood ash, remove the core, and use it. One account says to roast it moistened with ginger juice. 《Immun (入門)》