大黃 대황 (대황)

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

1. 性大寒, 味苦, 無毒一云有毒.

   Its nature is intensely cold and its flavor bitter, with no toxicity—though some sources say it is mildly toxic.

2. 主下瘀血血閉,

   It chiefly drives out stagnant blood and unblocks suppressed menstruation.

3. 破癥瘕積聚,

   It breaks up hardened abdominal masses and long-accumulated lumps.

4. 通利大小腸,

   It clears and frees both the large and small intestines.

5. 除溫瘴熱疾,

   It dispels warm-epidemic and miasmic heat disorders.

6. 療癰疽瘡癤毒腫,

   It treats abscesses, boils, sores, and toxic swellings.

7. 號爲將軍.

   For this reason it has long been called the “General.”

8. 在處有之.

   It grows commonly in many places.

9. 二月八月採根, 去黑皮, 火乾, 錦紋者佳. 《本草》

   Dig the root in the second or eighth lunar month, peel off the black skin, and dry it over fire; pieces with brocade-like patterning are best. (Bencao)

10. 蕩滌實熱, 推陳致新,

    It washes away excess heat, pushing out the old and ushering in the new.

11. 謂如戡定禍亂, 以致太平,

    It is likened to quelling chaos and restoring peace to the realm.

12. 所以有將軍之名. 《湯液》

    Hence the name “General.” (Tangye)

13. 入手足陽明經,

    It enters the hand and foot Yangming meridians.

14. 酒浸入太陽,

    Soaked in wine, it reaches the Taiyang meridian.

15. 酒洗入陽明,

    Rinsed with wine, it enters the Yangming meridian.

16. 餘經不用酒.

    For other meridians, wine is not used.

17. 盖酒浸良久, 稍薄其味,

    Long wine-soaking slightly tempers its bitter flavor.

18. 而借酒力上升至高之分,

    Borrowing the lifting power of wine, the medicine rises to the body’s uppermost regions.

19. 酒洗亦不至峻下.

    Wine-rinsing also keeps its purgative force from being too violent.

20. 故承氣湯俱用酒浸,

    For this reason, the Chengqi decoctions all use wine-soaked rhubarb.

21. 惟小承氣生用,

    Only in Minor Chengqi Decoction is it used raw.

22. 或麪裹煨熟,

    Sometimes it is wrapped in dough and roasted in embers until cooked.

23. 或酒浸蒸熟,

    Or it is wine-soaked and then steamed until done.

24. 量虛實用. 《入門》

    Use it according to whether the patient’s condition is deficient or excess. (Rumen)

25. 酒炒上達頭頂,

    Stir-fried with wine, it ascends all the way to the crown of the head.

26. 酒洗中至胃脘,

    Wine-rinsed, it reaches the middle, down to the stomach.

27. 生用則下行. 《回春》

    Used raw, it travels downward. (Huichun)