白芨 대왐풀 (백급)

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

1. 性平一云微寒, 味苦辛, 無毒.

   성평일운미한, 미고신, 무독.

   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.

   주옹종, 악창패저, 발배나력, 장풍치루, 도전박손상, 탕화창.

   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.

   근사릉미, 유삼각, 백색.

   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》

   이월팔월구월채근, 폭건. 《본초》

   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,

   백렴ㆍ백급, 고금복이방소용,

   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》

   다견어렴창방중, 이물다상수이행. 《입문》

   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.