《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 2

Talc is sweet in flavor, cold or extremely cold in nature, and non-toxic. It is mainly used to treat fever, diarrhea and dysentery, as well as blocked milk flow in women and urinary retention or difficulty urinating. It promotes urination, disperses pathogenic accumulations in the stomach, regulates cold and heat, replenishes Jing and Qi, opens the nine orifices—the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and other openings—and the six bowels—the gallbladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, bladder, and Triple Burner—so that fluids circulate freely. It also relieves thirst. Taken for a long time, it is said to make the body light and nimble, ward off hunger, and prolong life. Talc is also known as Liquid Stone, Common Stone, Shedding Stone, and Fan Stone. It is found in the valleys of Zhuyang, north of Mount Tai, and at White Mountain north of Ye and Mount Juan, and may be gathered at any time. Pyrola may be used with it; do not use it together with Cengqing.

The Illustrated Classic says: Talc is found in the valleys of Zhuyang and north of Mount Tai, as well as at White Mountain north of Ye and Mount Juan. Today it is also produced in Daozhou, Yongzhou, Laizhou, and Haozhou. There are two kinds of this medicine. The kind from Daozhou and Yongzhou is white and smooth, like congealed fat. The kind from Nanyue is suitable for absent menstruation and difficulty urinating, and can also disperse blood stasis. It may be added in measured amounts for patients who are weak but have pronounced signs of heat.

The following passages turn to Rehmannia and are separate from the preceding entry on talc.

Tao Hongjing says: Xianyang is Chang’an. The Rehmannia produced in Weicheng bears fruit resembling wheat. The Seven Essences Powder of Huainan uses Rehmannia, with dried Rehmannia from Pengcheng considered the best, followed by that from Liyang. Today, the kind from Banqiao in Jiangning is considered superior.

Chen Cangqi says: The Classic of the Materia Medica does not specify whether Rehmannia should be used fresh, sun-dried, or steamed and dried. Fresh Rehmannia and prepared Rehmannia have different effects in prescriptions: steamed and dried Rehmannia tends toward warming and replenishing, while fresh-dried Rehmannia is neutral in nature and promotes circulation. Use them according to this distinction.

Rihua Zi says: Dried Rehmannia replenishes the Qi of the heart and gallbladder and calms the Hun and Po souls. It treats palpitations, deficiency fatigue, and the vomiting of blood or nosebleeds caused by damage to the heart and lungs. It also treats uterine bleeding in women and dizziness caused by blood loss.

He also says: Soak fresh Rehmannia in water to assess its quality by whether it floats or sinks. The kind that floats is called Heaven Rehmannia; the kind that is half afloat and half submerged is called Human Rehmannia; and the kind that sinks to the bottom is called Earth Rehmannia. The one that sinks has the strongest medicinal effect, the half-submerged one is next, and the floating one is the weakest. Avoid iron utensils when preparing Rehmannia.

The Baopuzi says: After taking Rehmannia for eight years, Chu Wenzi could see light in the dark at night and lift a crossbow mounted on a cart with his hands.

The Huainanzi says: Rehmannia is associated with the bones.

The Dietetic Therapy says: Rehmannia is slightly cold in nature. It may be prepared with honey by boiling or soaking, eaten as food, or taken as a decoction.

Whether taken with wine or stir-fried before use, this medicine is cold in nature. It is used mainly for toothache, spitting blood, and injuries from falls or blows. Its leaves can be made into soup and eaten.

A formula recorded in the Waitai Miyao for steaming-bone disorder, attributed to Zhang Wenzhong: Take one sheng of fresh Rehmannia root, pound it and squeeze out the juice. Pound it three times, squeezing out all the juice each time. Divide it into two doses and drink them. If it causes diarrhea, reduce the amount; take enough for the body to feel cool.

A formula in the Qianjin Fang for loose tooth roots and teeth about to fall out: Finely chop fresh Rehmannia root, wrap it in cotton cloth, and hold it against the teeth, sucking on it so the juice soaks into the roots. Do this three or four times a day, swallowing the juice as well. Continue for ten days; the results are said to be excellent.

A formula in the Zhouhou Fang for persistent ringing in the ears: Cut a piece of fresh Rehmannia root and place it in the ear, replacing it frequently until the condition is cured. Another version says to wrap the fresh Rehmannia root in paper, warm it over a low flame, and then use it; this is said to work well.

A formula in the Baiyi Fang for bleeding during pregnancy: Take one sheng of fresh Rehmannia juice, add it to four he of wine, and bring it to a boil three to five times before drinking. If the bleeding has not stopped, take another dose. Another formula for a bite from a rabid dog: Pound Rehmannia root and drink the juice, then apply it to the wound. Use it repeatedly until the wound stops bleeding.

A formula in the Meishi Fang for injuries from falls, dislocated or broken bones, and damage to the sinews: Pound fresh Rehmannia root, apply it warm to the injured area, and wrap it in place. Continue for three days and nights, replacing it several times during that period. If blood has pooled, prick the area with a needle to let the blood out. Another formula for vomiting blood: Place one sheng and two he of fresh Rehmannia juice and two liang of white resin in a porcelain vessel. Put the vessel in a steamer and steam it until the resin melts, then take it. Another formula for breast abscess: Pound fresh Rehmannia root, squeeze out the juice, and apply it to the affected area. Replace it when it becomes hot; it is said to be unfailingly effective.

A formula by Sun Zhao for nosebleeds and excessive heat in the upper chest and diaphragm: Grind equal amounts of dried Rehmannia root, borneol, and mint into a fine powder. Mix it with cold water and take it.

Boil the medicine for a full day and night, then remove the moutan bark. Keep the talc, rinse it with flowing water from the east, and dry it in the sun. Set it aside for later use.

Yuxi says: According to the Yaoxing Lun, talc is classified as an assistant ingredient and is also called “Xileng.” It treats the five types of painful, difficult urination and is used for difficult childbirth. Take powdered talc, or mix it with Salvia root, honey, and pig fat to make an ointment. Starting in the month when childbirth is expected, take one pill the size of a pellet with wine on an empty stomach each day. At the time of labor, double the dose. It is said to help the baby be delivered smoothly. Talc also clears vexing heat and agitation of the heart, and is especially used for stone strangury, painful urination caused by urinary stones.

A formula in the Shenghui Fang for agitation, burning heat, and unquenchable thirst after taking mineral medicines such as stalactite: Take half a liang of talc, grind it finely, mix it evenly into a medium-sized bowl of water, and drink it all at once. If there is no improvement, take another dose. Another formula for a woman who has held in her urine too long…

Finely powdered talc can be used to treat “womb obstruction” (urinary retention during pregnancy caused by a blocked fetal position or womb). Mix two qian with scallion broth and take by mouth.

The Wai Tai Mi Yao records a treatment for urinary retention during pregnancy: mix powdered talc with water into a paste and apply it two inches below the navel.

The Yang Shi Chan Ru says that to treat urinary retention, mix powdered talc with plantain juice and apply it over a square area four inches across around the navel. Replace the medicine when the application becomes hot. Water may also be used for mixing.

The Dan Fang Jing Yuan says that talc can be used to refine realgar and orpiment, as an outer furnace vessel—the outer container or wrapping used to hold medicines during alchemical firing.

The Guang Li Fang records a treatment for obstructed Qi flow, with blockage above and below, dribbling or blocked urination, and distending pain below the navel: take eight fen of talc, grind it into a fine powder, mix it with five da of water, and drink it all at once.

The Yan Yi says that talc is now called “painting stone” because it is soft and smooth and can be used for writing and painting. It is often used by people with strangury, in which urination is painful, difficult, or dribbles. If someone suddenly vomits and cannot eat, they may take two qian of finely powdered raw talc with warm water, then promptly eat half a bowl of hot noodles to suppress the medicine’s effects.

Stone Gall

Sour and acrid in taste, cold in nature, and toxic. It is used chiefly to brighten the eyes and treat eye pain, wounds caused by metal, various epileptic and convulsive disorders, and corrosive pain in the female genitals. It also treats stone strangury, alternating chills and fever, flooding and spotting, and various pathogenic influences. It is said to help people conceive, disperse abdominal masses, and treat coughing with rebellious Qi, shortness of breath, scrofula (a disease resembling tuberculosis of the lymph nodes in the neck), and malignant sores. Taken after processing, it can prevent aging; taken over a long period, it can prolong life and bring about transcendence to immortality. It can also turn iron into copper and be refined into gold and silver. It is also known as bi-stone, black stone, chess stone, and copper harness. It is found in the mountain valleys of Qiangdao and at Qiangli Gouqing Mountain. Gather it on the gengzi and xinchou days of the second month. Water essence can serve as its assistant herb, helping the principal medicine take effect when used in combination. It is incompatible with peony, cinnamon, cassia bark, daphne, magnolia bud, and white gentian.

Tao Hongjing says: The Immortals’ Scripture includes uses for Stone Gall, but it is rarely used in folk prescriptions, and the medicine has almost disappeared. Now and then someone finds it: it is blue-green, resembles glass, has white streaks, and breaks easily. It is no longer found in Liangzhou or Xindu, and people do not use it in folk practice.

The Baopuzi says: Beneath dodder grows the root of hidden hare; without this root, dodder cannot grow upon it. In fact, however, the two are not connected. The Inner Chapters of the Baopuzi also say: When dodder first puts down roots, they look like a rabbit. Dig up the root, extract its juice, mix it with elixir medicines, and take it; transformation will follow.

The Book of Childbirth records a treatment for a fetus presenting crosswise: grind dodder seeds into powder and mix one qian with wine to take by mouth. Rice water may also be used.

The Zhouhou Fang records a treatment for sudden generalized edema and facial swelling: take dodder seeds, one…

Soak the herbs in five sheng of wine for two or three nights. Take one sheng each time, three times a day.

Another formula treats pimples on the face. Crush dodder, squeeze out the juice, and apply it to the affected area; it will heal.

The Experience-Based Formula for Later Generations says: To treat men’s lower back and knees when they are chilled and painfully cold, or numb and weak, wash one liang of dodder and measure out one liang of achyranthes root. Place both herbs together in a silver vessel and soak them for five days. Remove them, dry them in the sun, and grind them into a fine powder. Pour the original soaking wine back in, add a little strong wine, and heat until it forms a paste. Mix the paste evenly with the powdered herbs and shape into pills the size of parasol tree seeds. On an empty stomach, take twenty pills with wine.

Another formula, called “Yang-Fortifying Elixir,” uses two liang of dodder soaked in wine for ten days, then rinsed with water, dried by roasting, and ground into a fine powder. Take one liang of eucommia bark, roast it with honey, and crush it. Cook yam powder with wine to make a paste, mix it with the powdered herbs, and shape into pills the size of parasol tree seeds. On an empty stomach, take fifty pills with wine.

The Formula for Cultivating Reality records a “Formula of the Immortals,” which says that taking this medicine gives the complexion a healthy glow. It is said that an elderly person who takes it for three years will become young again. The medicine treats problems of the lower back and knees and dispels wind. Taken over a long period, it can prolong life. Dissolve one pill in cold water and drink it; this, too, can bring about a cure.

The Tan Family Formula for Children says: To treat a child just struck by wind-stroke, with limp hands and feet, finely grind copperas (a copper-bearing mineral used as a medicine in ancient times). Take one zi each time (an ancient unit of measure, about one-quarter qian) with warm vinegar broth. The child will immediately vomit up phlegm and saliva.

Kongqing

Kongqing tastes sweet and sour, and is cold—extremely cold in nature—and non-toxic. It treats blindness and deafness; brightens the eyes, clears the nine orifices, opens the blood vessels, nourishes the spirit, and strengthens Liver Qi. It can treat red, swollen, painful eyes, remove eye films, and stop tearing. It also promotes urination and the flow of breast milk, opens the joints, and disperses hard accumulations. Taken over a long period, it can make the body light and healthy, prolong life, delay aging, strengthen memory, and elevate one’s aspirations to an immortal-like state. It can also transform copper, iron, lead, and tin into gold. Kongqing is found in the mountain valleys of Yizhou and in places with copper deposits in Yuexi. It is said to form when the vital essence of copper deposits rises as vapor. It is hollow inside. It is gathered around the middle of the third lunar month, though it may also be collected at any time.

The Illustrated Classic says: Kongqing is found in the mountain valleys of Yizhou and in places with copper deposits in Yuexi, where it is said to form from the vapor rising from the vital essence of copper deposits. It can now sometimes be collected in Xinzhou as well. Its shape resembles a yangmei berry, so it is also called “Yangmei Qing.” Kongqing is hollow inside; specimens that contain juice when split open are extremely rare. Large specimens are the size of an egg, small ones the size of a bean. The text records that it is gathered around the middle of the first lunar month, but also says it may be collected at any time. Ancient formulas rarely used Kongqing, but today it is considered the most important medicine for treating films and obstructions in the eyes.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says: Kongqing is a chief medicine and is incompatible with dodder, so the two should not be combined. It treats wind disorders of the head and has a calming effect.

Those with damage to the liver or pupils may regain their sight after taking it. Xiao Bing says that Kongqing with a hollow center and a shape like a yangmei berry is more potent.

Tao Hongjing says: Kongqing from Yuexi, an ancient place name in Yizhou, is now most vividly and deeply colored when it comes from Tongguan. That from Shixing is inferior to the Yizhou variety. Kongqing is no longer produced in the other commanderies of Yizhou, perhaps because no one has mined it for a long time. Xiping Commandery in Liangzhou has a mountain called Kongqing Mountain, where Kongqing is also abundant. Most of the Kongqing seen today is solid and round, like iron pellets, with no hollow center; it is all quarried from soil and rock. Kongqing can also be used to refine elixirs, and it is said that once refined it can turn lead into gold. Of all mineral medicines, Kongqing is the most precious. Yet medical prescriptions rarely use it, while it is often used as a pigment—a great pity.

Rihua Zi says: Large pieces of Kongqing are like eggs, while small ones are like xiangsi beans (red beans). The blue layer is as thick as a lychee rind, and the inside contains liquid with a sweet-and-sour taste. It treats longstanding night blindness, internal eye obstructions, and nebulae that cloud the vision, and it nourishes Jing and Qi. The outer shell of Kongqing can also be rubbed against a nebula.

The Qianjin Fang says: To treat blurred or dim vision, take a small amount of Kongqing, soak it in dew overnight, then put drops of the resulting liquid into the eye.

The Zhouhou Fang says: To treat numbness in the arm and a crooked mouth after windstroke, put a bean-sized amount of powdered Kongqing in the mouth and let it dissolve and be swallowed gradually; it is said to bring recovery.

The Yanyi says: Kongqing is especially effective for eye diseases. During the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, the Imperial Pharmacy was ordered to find hollow Kongqing containing water, which the emperor intended to bestow on close relatives. After a long search, they found a kind called Yangmei Qing, which was very effective for treating eye nebulae. It sometimes contained water as well, and was used in the same way as Kongqing, though the medicines differed in potency. Today this mineral is mined from mountain caves in Xinzhou, an ancient place name, and is commonly called “Yangmei Qing.” It is extremely difficult to obtain.

Zengqing

Zengqing tastes sour, is slightly cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats eye pain, tearing, and wind-induced impediment marked by numbness and pain. It helps the joints move freely, opens the nine orifices, disperses nodules and accumulations, regulates the liver and gallbladder, dispels alternating chills and fever, kills intestinal parasites, treats wind disorders of the head and coldness in the brain, relieves vexing thirst, replenishes deficiencies, and strengthens Yin. Long-term use is said to make the body light and prevent aging; it can also transform gold and copper. Zengqing grows in mountain valleys in Shu and around Yuexi, and can be gathered at any time. It is counteracted by tusizi (Cuscuta seed, a Chinese medicinal herb).

The Tujing says: For descriptions of Zengqing’s appearance and places of origin, see the entry on “Kongqing.”

Tao Hongjing says: The accounts of Zengqing are the same as those of Kongqing, and their properties and effects are similar. Tongguan no longer produces Zengqing; it is found only in Shixing. The local Zengqing occurs in joined clusters resembling huanglian (goldthread), with color and markings somewhat like Kongqing. It is difficult to obtain and very precious. The Immortals’ Scripture…

Use it sparingly. Its method of transmuting it into gold is the same as that used for Kongqing.

Lei Gong says: Do not use stone impurities or copper rust. To process one liang of Zengqing, use three medicinal ingredients: purple-backed Tian Kui, licorice, and Qingzhi grass. Take one yi each of the dried and fresh ingredients (yi was an ancient unit of weight). Chop them finely and place them in a ceramic pot. Add the Zengqing, two yi of water flowing from the east, and the medicinal ingredients. Simmer slowly for five days and nights, taking care to regulate the water and fire properly. When done, remove the ingredients and rinse them with water flowing from the east. Then put them in a mortar and grind them into powder for use.

The Mirror of the Origins of the Elixir Chamber says: Zengqing can cause mercury to coagulate and can also be used to refine cinnabar. It is where the Qi of Metal comes into being.

The Treatise on Treasures says: When Zengqing is refined over a fire until it coagulates into a paste, it can quickly subdue mercury and turn it into silver. Further transformation yields the Eight Minerals.

Yu Yuliang: Sweet in taste, cold yet balanced in nature, and non-toxic. It treats coughs with rebellious Qi, alternating chills and fever, oppressive discomfort in the chest and abdomen, red and white dysentery, absent menstruation, abdominal masses, and high fever. It can also treat knotting pain in the lower abdomen. Refined and taken, it can remove hunger, make the body light and vigorous, and prolong life. It is also called “White Yu Yuliang.” It grows in ponds and marshes and on mountain islands around the Eastern Sea; some also grows in ponds and marshes.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: Yu Yuliang grows in ponds and marshes and on mountain islands around the Eastern Sea; some also grows in ponds and marshes. Today this medicine is found only around Zezhou and Luzhou. Earlier accounts say it resembles a goose egg or duck egg, with layers of outer shell and a fine yellow powder within, like cattail pollen. Yet the illustrations available today all depict it as a mountain rock, unlike an egg, differing somewhat from the earlier accounts. It can be gathered throughout the year.

The Classic of Materia Medica also records “Taiyi Yu Yuliang.” According to Tao Hongjing’s Secrets of Ascending to Transcendence, a formula called the Pill of the Four Stabilizers for Long Life says: “Taiyi Yu Yuliang stabilizes the six viscera and guards the five organs.” The commentary explains that, according to the Materia Medica, Taiyi Yu Yuliang and Yu Yuliang are two different medicines with similar effects. But today only Yu Yuliang is found in the world, and no one can identify Taiyi Yu Yuliang. Formulas therefore group the two names together, making it impossible to tell which one was actually used. Some later formulas list only “Yu Yuliang”; it may be used accordingly.

Yu Yuliang is produced mainly among the mountain slopes of Dongyang, and fine-quality specimens are also found on Mount Mao. It resembles ox bezoar, with layers crossed over one another on the outside. The finest kind is purple and has a texture as fine as flour; it feels free of grit when bitten. Before use, grind it carefully, then wash it with water and let its liquid settle. Make sure no sand or soil remains in it.

Tao Hongjing says: Today Yu Yuliang is produced mainly in Dongyang. It resembles a goose egg or duck egg, with an outer layer…

The best quality has a layered outer shell and contains a fine yellow powder as delicate as bulrush pollen, with no grains of sand.

In recent years, people digging in the ground on Mount Mao have found large quantities of Yu Yu Liang of exceptionally fine quality, some of it with a purple sheen.

The Mimi Xian Jing says this substance is used in dietary practice. People in the south also call a vine that grows in open, level marshland Yu Yu Liang. Its leaves resemble those of Smilax china; its root forms a tuber with nodes, also resembling Smilax china in shape, but reddish in color. Its root looks like Chinese yam. People call it “Yu Yu Liang” and say that when the Great Yu traveled through the mountains and ran short of provisions, he gathered it to stave off hunger, then threw what remained onto the ground. The “White Yu Yu Liang” mentioned here grows in ponds and marshes. There is another, similar-looking substance that some suspect is the mineral now called “Shi” (Stone) of Taiyi.

Zhang Hua says that wherever knotweed grows abundantly, Yu Yu Liang is sure to be found; the area around Lujiang is one such place. By chance, while people were mining azurite at Tongguan, they found many yellow-red stones in a quarry. They closely resembled the Yu Yu Liang known today, but were redder and more attractive. Some suspected they were Taiyi, and local people called them “female realgar.” When tested as a pigment, their color did indeed resemble realgar.

Rihua Zi says Yu Yu Liang can treat pathogenic influences, joint pain, numbness in the limbs, hemorrhoids, and fistulas. Taken over a long period, it can help the body withstand cold and heat. It is also known as “Taiyi Yu Yu Liang.”

The Jingyan Fang records a treatment for postpartum agitation: take one piece of Yu Yu Liang, about the size of a sour-dough cake, bury half of it in the ground, and tamp the earth firmly around it. Use one cheng of charcoal to build a fire, concentrating the heat on top, then add one jin of charcoal for roasting. When roasting has reduced its weight to two-thirds of the original, it has reached the proper point. Cover it with damp sandy soil and leave it overnight. Remove it, break away the outer layer, and keep only the inner part. Grind it finely, wash it with water, and let it settle; repeat this five to seven times. Then dry it on paper and grind it again several thousand times. The patient should take two qianbi with a decoction of licorice, according to the text, and a single dose is said to bring results.

The Shengjin Fang records a treatment for women’s white vaginal discharge: use one liang of Yu Yu Liang and one liang of dried ginger. For red discharge, use one liang of Yu Yu Liang and half a liang of dried ginger. Quench the Yu Yu Liang in vinegar, pound it, and grind it into a fine powder. Take two qianbi on an empty stomach, mixed with warm wine.

Yu Yu Liang tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats cough with rebellious Qi, wheezing, abdominal masses, obstructed blood vessels, and uterine bleeding. It can also dispel pathogenic influences and ease restricted movement in the limbs and joints. The text further says that it relieves fatigue and bodily heaviness after overeating. Taken over a long period, it is said to help the body withstand cold and heat, remove hunger, make the body light and vigorous, and even enable one to fly a thousand li and become an immortal. Another name for it is “Stone Brain.” It grows in the valleys of Mount Tai and is gathered in the ninth month. Eucommia serves as its assisting herb; it is incompatible with fritillaria, calamus, and iron filings. Here, an “assisting herb” is an ingredient used alongside others to support their effects, while “incompatible with” reflects the traditional materia medica view that it should not be used together with those substances.

The relevant account in the Tujing has already been given in detail under the entry “Yu Yu Liang.”

Tao Hongjing said: People today group it all together under the name “Taiyi Yuliang,” though in fact the name refers specifically to Yuyu Liang. No one recognizes Taiyi Yuliang anymore. Still, the two have similar medicinal effects. It is often used in the Xianjing, and the Four Stabilizing Pill also groups them together under the name “Taiyi Yuyu Liang.”

Chen Cangqi said: Su Jing believed that Yuyu Liang and Taiyi Yuyu Liang were named according to whether they were fine or coarse. The yellow part of Yuyu Liang turns red with age; those that turn from red to purple are called Taiyi Yuyu Liang, while those with mottled colors are called Yuyu Liang. On examination, Su Jing based his explanation solely on the color purple, without evidence. “Taiyi” means the fundamental source of the Dao: “tai” means vast, and “yi” means the Dao. According to legend, the Great Yu’s teacher was the “Divine Lord of Transformation through Principle.” This teacher often took this substance, which is why it was called “Taiyi”; he also took Hunran, a substance taken as food described in the original text. Zhang Sikong said: “The Soul-Restoring Stone is Zhonghuangzi. Demons, spirits, birds, and beasts guard it, so it cannot be obtained casually.” This shows that it is a numinous substance. Yuliang is produced in a place called Liao in Kuaiji. When local people dig it up, anyone who comes seeking to buy some can obtain the requested amount, provided it is a set quantity. Ask for more at will, however, and none can be obtained. Since this substance itself displays numinous qualities, could it not be Taiyi?

Lei Gong said: When using it, do not mistake it for Shizhonghuang or Luanshihuang. Though their names are similar, and they resemble Yuyu Liang in appearance, they are different substances. Taiyi Yuyu Liang looks like stone, but breaks easily when tapped lightly and crumbles into powder. To prepare four liang, first take five ge of black beans and five ge of yellow essence, add two dou of water, and boil until only five sheng remain. Pour the liquid into a porcelain pot, add Yuyu Liang, and heat it, continually adding the medicinal liquid until it has all been used. The substance will naturally give off a fragrance like freshly harvested rice. Then pound it, grind it ten thousand times, and it is ready to use.

Yuxi said: Taiyi Yuyu Liang is also called “Yu’ai.” Shennong, Qibo, and Lei Gong considered its flavor sweet and its nature neutral; Ji Shi considered its nature slightly cold; Bian Que considered its flavor sweet and said it was non-toxic. It grows on Mount Tai. It has a shell on the outside; inside the shell it is white, and within the white there is yellow. It is shaped like an egg. It is harvested in the ninth month, though it may also be gathered at any time.

White Quartz

Sweet and pungent in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats wasting thirst, insufficient Yin and impotence, coughing with rebellious Qi, and longstanding cold accumulation between the chest and diaphragm. It boosts Qi, dispels wind-damp impediment pain, treats lung atrophy, directs Qi downward, and promotes urination. It also nourishes the five viscera and brightens the eyes. Taken for a long time, it can make the body light and healthy, prolong life, and help one endure both cold and heat. It grows in the valleys of Mount Huayin and Mount Tai. It is as thick as a finger and two or three…

Rock crystal is about one chi and six cun long. Its surface looks as if it had been cut with a knife; it is pure white, translucent, and glistening. A crystal with one yellow end and white facets is called yellow quartz; one with a red end is called red quartz; one with a blue-green end is called blue-green quartz; and one with a black end is called black quartz. Quartz is harvested in the second month, though some say it can be collected in any season. It should not be used together with ma mu du gong.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: White quartz grows in the valleys of Mount Huayin and around Mount Tai. Tao Yinju considered the variety from Xin’an to be of good quality; Su Gong considered the variety from Zezhou superior. It is now also found in Zezhou. In general, the best quartz is long and slender, pure white and lustrous, clear and translucent, with facets that look as if they had been cut with a knife. Those five or six cun long are especially good. A crystal with one golden-yellow end is called yellow quartz; one with a red end and a white rear portion is called red quartz; one with a blue-green end and a red rear portion is called blue-green quartz; and one that is black throughout, lustrous, and shining is called black quartz. Quartz is harvested in the second month, though some say it may be collected at any time. In ancient times, white quartz was the variety chiefly valued for ingestion; purple quartz was used only in the “Powder of the Five Minerals,” an ancient formula containing several mineral medicines. Although the Classic of Materia Medica lists yellow, red, blue-green, and black quartz by name, physicians rarely used these four varieties in practice.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: White quartz is a chief medicine in a formula. It can treat lung abscesses, coughing up pus, rebellious Qi surging upward, and jaundice.

Xiehao, also written xiehao, has a variety that resembles ophiopogon but is shorter. It flowers yellow in the seventh month and grows in Danzhou. Its fruit is blue-green, unlike that of varieties grown elsewhere. Its root is red and resembles peucedanum, but is harder; red hairs grow on the crown, like a mouse’s tail. The best quality grows as a single plant and has a long stalk.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Bupleurum can treat fever due to exhaustion, distressing pain in the joints, and pain in the shoulders and back caused by heat. It helps Qi and blood circulate and treats fatigue, weakness, and emaciation. It can also move Qi downward and aid digestion, and treat persistent internal and external fever caused by seasonal illnesses. It may be decocted and taken on its own.

Tao Yinju says that the Record of Natural History states: The leaves of yinhao resemble those of xiehao. In spring and autumn, tender white shoots four or five cun long appear; they are fragrant, delicious, and edible. This plant is found around Chang’an and Hanoi. The bupleurum described here is the most important medicine for treating cold damage.

Sun Shangyao’s formula uses bupleurum to treat jaundice: Take one liang of bupleurum and remove the shoots, then take one quarter liang of licorice. Chop both finely to make one dose. Add a handful of cogongrass root to one bowl of water and decoct until seven tenths remain. Strain out the herbs and take the liquid at any time, finishing it over the course of a day.

The Extended Meaning says: The Classic of Materia Medica does not contain a single word saying that bupleurum can treat exhaustion disorders, yet few formulas for treating such disorders fail to use it. Alas, this kind of mistaken use and mistaken claim has harmed many people. I once investigated exhaustion disorders…

A person whose internal organs are weak and whose Jing and Qi have been damaged may also be invaded by pathogenic heat. Taking advantage of this weakness, the heat enters and harms the body’s vital energy. This kind of illness is therefore called “taxation.” The term suggests a deep-rooted condition that is difficult to clear. Treatment requires careful consideration of the medicines and should follow prescriptions established through experience.

For fever due to deficiency taxation, it is appropriate to combine Qinghao Decoction Pills with Chaihu. This treatment is usually effective. Once the fever subsides, stop the medicine at once. If there is no fever, then…

The Yanyi says: White Quartz resembles Purple Quartz, but is somewhat larger, six-sided, and as white as crystal. Purple and white quartz may be used to attack disease-causing pathogens: they can be decocted briefly and the resulting liquid taken. But no benefit from prolonged use has been reported. Zhang Zhongjing’s intention was probably for the medicinal material to be cut into pieces rather than ground into a fine powder; perhaps there was a reason for this. Long-term use should therefore be examined with particular caution.

Purple Quartz

Purple Quartz tastes sweet and acrid, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat coughing in the chest and abdomen, rebellious Qi, and pathogenic influences; to replenish deficiency; and to treat women whose menstruation has stopped and who have been infertile for many years because Wind-Cold entered the womb. It is also used for upward surging Qi, pain in the chest and abdomen, alternating chills and fever, and the binding of pathogenic influences. It can replenish deficient Heart Qi, calm palpitations, soothe the hun and po, strengthen the lower burner, relieve thirst, dispel long-standing Cold in the Stomach, and disperse abscesses and swellings. It is said that prolonged use makes the complexion lustrous, warms the Spleen and Stomach, lightens the body, and prolongs life.

Purple Quartz is found in the valleys around Mount Tai and may be gathered at any time of year. Longshi can be used with it as a companion medicine. Combined with Fuling, Renshen, and Shaoyao, it treats Qi binding in the Heart; combined with Tianxiong and Changpu, it treats cholera. It is incompatible with Bianqing and Fuzi, and should not be used together with Tuojia, Huanglian, or Maijoujiang.

The Illustrated Classic says: Purple Quartz grows in the valleys of Mount Tai, and is now also found in Lingnan and the mountains of Kuaiji. Wu Pu’s Bencao records that it comes from Mount Tai and Kuaiji. When selecting it, choose pieces that are purple, have a smooth surface as if cut, are clear in color, and bear markings or shapes like the dice used in the game chupu.

Tao Hongjing says: The best specimens today come from Mount Tai: they are deep in color and clear, with a root at the base. Those from Baoling Mountain are the next best and are also of good quality. Nancheng stone has no root. Qingmian stone is dark black but not clear and bright. Lin Yi stone always has something inside that resembles an eye. Wuxing stone is purple only on its four sides and has no luster. The specimens from Zhuji in Kuaiji resemble Shiyan in shape and color. In earlier times these varieties were all used together, but they are now sorted when making pills and powders, with Mount Tai stone considered the best. Purple Quartz from other places can be made into pills or steeped in wine and taken. It is not used in the Immortals’ scriptures, but is highly valued in folk prescriptions.

The Rihuazi says: Purple Quartz can treat abscesses, poisonous sores, and similar conditions. The method is to quench it in vinegar and pound it to pieces…

The ginger may also be pounded into a powder, boiled in rice vinegar, applied to the affected area, and then massaged.

The Yanyi says: Purple Fluorite is a clear, translucent mineral like crystal. It is purple, though the color is uneven. Zhang Zhongjing used Wind-Attracting Decoction to treat convulsions caused by wind-heat and spasms during epileptic seizures. Wind-Attracting Decoction consists of equal amounts of Purple Fluorite, White Fluorite, Cold Water Stone, Gypsum, dried ginger, rhubarb, dragon teeth, oyster shell, licorice, and talc. Mix and chop the ingredients, then boil them in one sheng of water until one-third has evaporated. After a meal, drink the warm decoction according to the severity of the condition, leaving the dregs behind. It is invariably effective.

Sweet in taste and neutral in nature. It treats jaundice, diarrhea, dysentery, pus and blood in the stool, ulcers of the genital region, blood in the stool, red or white vaginal discharge, abscesses and deep-rooted sores caused by pathogenic influences, hemorrhoids, malignant sores, sores on the head, and itching from scabies and ringworm. Taken over a long period, it nourishes the marrow and original Qi, strengthens the body, reduces hunger, makes the body feel light, and prolongs life. The five kinds of stone resin, each associated with one of the five colors, nourish the five viscera. They grow in valleys south of the southern mountains.

Yuxi says: According to the Shu Bencao, this medicinal substance is now abundant on Yiyang Mountain. Another book says it comes from the valleys of Nanyang.

Sour in taste and neutral in nature; non-toxic. It protects the Qi of the liver and gallbladder and brightens the eyes. It is also used to treat jaundice, diarrhea, dysentery, pus and blood in the stool, vaginal discharge in women and various related conditions, as well as deep-rooted sores, hemorrhoids, and malignant sores. Taken over a long period, it nourishes the marrow and original Qi, reduces hunger, and prolongs life. It grows on the mountains of the Qi region and on coastal cliffs, and can be gathered throughout the year.

Red Stone Resin (a red stone-resin mineral)

Sweet, sour, and pungent in taste; very warm in nature; non-toxic. It protects the Qi of the heart, brightens the eyes, and nourishes Jing (essence). It also treats abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysentery, red or white diarrhea, difficulty urinating, abscesses, sores, and hemorrhoids. It is also used for uterine bleeding in women and for retained placenta after childbirth. Taken over a long period, it nourishes the marrow, improves the complexion, and increases wisdom; it reduces hunger, makes the body feel light, and prolongs life. It grows in Sheyang, Jinan, and north of Mount Tai, and can be gathered throughout the year. Do not use it together with rhubarb; it is incompatible with Genkwa.

The Tujing says: Red Stone Resin grows in Sheyang, Jinan, and north of Mount Tai. Su Gong says that no one has reported this medicine growing in Jinan or around Mount Tai. It is found only in Lushi County, Guozhou; Lingchuan County, Zezhou; and Lüxiang County, Cizhou. It also grows in the mountains of Yizhou. Today, the best comes from Luzhou: it has a bright color and a fine texture. It can be gathered throughout the year.

The Tang Ben Zhu says: It is said that this mineral does not come from Jinan or Mount Tai. Today it is found in Lushi County, Guozhou; Lingchuan County, Zezhou; and Lüxiang County, Cizhou. It also grows in the mountains of Yizhou. Among the five kinds of stone resin…

Another kind of “stone bone” is shaped like a bone and has a hard, smooth texture like jade. Its medicinal effect is said to surpass that of stalactite.

Liu Yuxi’s note: The Treatise on the Properties of Drugs says that red halloysite, a red, sticky, astringent mineral medicine, is a chief ingredient and is incompatible with pine resin. It can replenish weakness in the Five Zang organs.

The Supplement to the Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold says: People with phlegm-fluid retention may vomit water at any time. The root of the illness is drinking too many cold fluids, which weakens the Spleen and Stomach so they cannot digest food. Whatever enters the stomach turns into cold water and is repeatedly vomited back up. Red halloysite powder can treat this condition. Take one jin of red halloysite, crush and sift it, then take one square-inch spoonful at a time with wine, in any quantity. Gradually increase the dose to three spoonfuls each time. After taking the full jin, it is said that the person will never again vomit clear fluid or have diarrhea. This prescription can also replenish the Five Zang organs and make a person strong and healthy. Someone who had suffered from phlegm-fluid retention for years and found no relief from other medicines was cured with this formula.

The Dumen Classic says: To treat diarrhea in children caused by malnutrition, crush red halloysite and sift it into a fine powder like flour. Mix half a qian with rice gruel and take it; it works immediately. It may also be taken in equal parts with Jingqiong, a medicinal ingredient, for a better effect.

Zhang Zhongjing’s formula for persistent diarrhea with pus and blood after a cold-induced illness is called Sophora Flower Decoction. It uses one jin of red halloysite, half in whole pieces and half ground into powder, along with one liang of dried ginger and half a sheng of polished rice. Boil these in seven sheng of water until the rice is cooked, then strain out the ingredients. Take seven ge of the strained liquid at a time, adding one square-inch spoonful of red halloysite powder. Take it three times a day.

The Expanded Meaning says: Red halloysite is found in many places. Test it with the tongue: the better quality sticks to the tongue. Someone had weakness and cold in the large intestine, with loss of control over the bowels and semen in the urine. After taking a total of twelve sheng of various warming medicines, he saw no clear improvement. Someone then advised him to take one liang each of red halloysite and dried ginger, and half a liang of pepper. Grind them together into powder, mix with vinegar to make a paste, and form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take five, seven, or nine pills on an empty stomach and before meals, with rice water. After completing four courses, the illness was cured.

White halloysite (a white mineral medicine)

It tastes sweet and sour, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to regulate Lung Qi, strengthen intestinal function, and replenish the marrow. It also treats palpitations and unease beneath the heart, abdominal pain, dribbling urination, damp-heat in the Small Intestine, and loose stools or stools containing pus and blood caused by deficiency of the Five Zang organs. It may also be used for uterine bleeding, red or white vaginal discharge, draining pus, and treating abscesses, sores, ulcers, and hemorrhoids. Long-term use can calm the mind and spirit, prevent hunger, make the body light and agile, and prolong life.

White halloysite grows on the northern, shaded slopes of Mount Tai and can be gathered throughout the year. Used with magnolia bark and taken with rice water, it can treat stools containing pus. Swallow droppings may be used as a companion ingredient. White halloysite is incompatible with pine resin and is counteracted by Scutellaria root.

The Illustrated Classic says that white stone fat, a white mineral used medicinally, is found north of Mount Tai. Su Gong says that it occurs in the mountains throughout Cizhou, while none is known from the area west of Mount Tai. Today it is found only in Luzhou. Since Luzhou is near Cizhou, the white stone fat produced there should also be suitable for medicinal use. Ancient prescriptions for treating diarrhea often used it, but physicians today rarely do.

White stone fat can be gathered in any season. Older materia medica texts grouped the five colored stone fats under a single entry, saying they all came from valleys south of the southern mountains and had the same indications. Later authors recorded them separately because their places of origin differed, as did their effects and uses. They should be used according to the separate entries that follow. Today only red stone fat and white stone fat are used; the other kinds are no longer distinguished.

The Treatise on the Nature of Drugs says that white stone fat is also called “white talisman” and should not be used together with horse-eye poison. It tastes sweet, pungent, and astringent, and acts on the large intestine.

The Tang Materia Medica says that white stone fat is now produced in the mountains throughout Cizhou, where its quality surpasses that from other places. None is known from the area west of Mount Tai.

Wei Zhou’s Tang-era Prescriptions for Immediate Use records a treatment for children whose navels ooze fluid continuously and are also red and swollen: grind white stone fat into a fine powder, warm it slightly, and apply it to the navel three times a day. The results are very good.

The Doumen Prescriptions records a treatment for diarrhea and dysentery: pound equal amounts of white stone fat and dried ginger, mix flour with boiling water to make a thin paste, and shape it into pills the size of parasol tree seeds. Dry the pills in the sun and take thirty. If the diarrhea persists, take another thirty. To treat cholera, simmer the pills in fermented rice water and drink the decoction.

The Secret Record of the Mother and Child records a treatment for children with watery diarrhea who are weak and unable to tolerate strong medicines: grind half a liang of white stone fat into a fine powder, mix it into white rice porridge, and give it to the child on an empty stomach.

Malachite

Malachite tastes sour, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It is said to replenish the original Qi, treat nasal congestion and discharge, and stop diarrhea and dysentery. It grows in mineral cavities on the shady side of mountains and is blue and white in color.

Tao Yinju says that this is the green pigment used by painters. It is also found in azurite deposits and commonly occurs alongside azurite. Painters call it “jade green,” but call azurite “malachite”—reversing the names.

The Tang Materia Medica says that malachite is flat malachite, which painters call “stone green.” By contrast, jade green is azurite, which is not used in painting.

The Classified Materia Medica says that malachite is stone green, and the blackish-green variety is the best. Large pieces can be carved into ornaments or made into utensils. It can also be combined with sal ammoniac, a mineral medicine, to make a medicine that induces vomiting and dissolves phlegm and fluids. It is indeed effective, but it can also damage the heart and lungs.

Yellow Core Within Stone

The yellow core within stone tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. Long-term use is said to make the body light and strong, prolong life, and prevent aging.

This is actually the uncondensed, unformed residue inside the outer shell of Yu Yuliang: a turbid yellow liquid. It may be found wherever Yu Yuliang is produced.

Tao Hongjing said it was the same substance as the “Yellow Kernel in Stone” listed in the Bencao. This is incorrect.

The Tujing says: The Bencao Jing does not record which prefectures and counties produce the “Yellow Kernel in Stone”; it says only that it comes from places where Yu Yuliang is found. Today it is produced only in the valleys of Zhongtiao Mountain in Hezhong Prefecture. The old account holds that the Yellow Kernel in Stone is the turbid yellow liquid inside the outer shell of Yu Yuliang, before it has taken shape. Some now say that this stone is shaped like a lump of dough and is purplish black, with a yellow interior beneath its outer layer; this is called “Yellow within.” The two accounts differ somewhat.

A passage in Ge Hong’s Baopuzi says that the Yellow Kernel in Stone is found in many places, especially in mountains near water. It lies inside large rocks, which remain damp throughout the year and do not dry out. When a rock is split open, dozens of layers can be seen, along with a reddish-yellow liquid resembling an egg still in its shell. It should be taken immediately, while still uncoagulated; otherwise it will solidify into stone and can no longer be taken.

The Yanyi says: “Yellow Kernel in Stone” is also a mistaken name. The character zi (kernel) should be shui (water). Since this entry describes “turbid yellow water that has not yet condensed into Yu Yuliang,” how could it also be called a “kernel”? Even if zi meant something that had not yet dried, that would not be an appropriate name. There can be no doubt that the character zi was written in place of shui.

It also says that the name “Taiyi Yu Yuliang” refers to the stone itself. What physicians now use as “Yellow within Stone” is only the dried substance inside the stone, or that substance ground into powder. “Yu Yuliang Stone,” by contrast, refers to its outer shell. Therefore, the “stone marrow” (the water inside the stone) described in this entry must be heated over a fire and quenched with vinegar. This shows beyond doubt that the water inside the stone, Yellow within Stone, and Taiyi Yu Yuliang are three different substances.

Nameless Different Substance

Sweet in flavor and neutral in nature. It treats metal-inflicted wounds, fractures, and injuries from falls or blows; it relieves pain and promotes flesh growth.

Nameless Different Substance is produced in the land of Dashi, an ancient name for regions including Arabia. It grows on rocks and looks like black coal. The local people process it with oil until it resembles black jade in color; when chewed, it is like maltose.

The Tujing says: Nameless Different Substance is produced in the land of Dashi and grows on rocks. Today it is also found among the mountain rocks of Guangzhou and on Longji Mountain, eight li south of Yizhou city. It is dark brown, with larger pieces the size of pellets and smaller ones like ink stones, and it can be collected at any time. The Bencao Jing says it is sweet in flavor and neutral in nature, and treats metal-inflicted wounds, fractures, internal injuries, and supports the growth of flesh. More recent records describe it as salty in flavor and cold in nature, and say it disperses swelling, toxins, abscesses, sores, and warts.

Some say the descriptions differ because they refer to another substance. People in Lingnan say that the mineral called Wumingyi is extremely hard to obtain, while the plant called Wumingyi is not much valued locally. Could the Bencao Jing be referring to the mineral, while what is seen today is a plant? To use it, grind it with vinegar and apply it to the affected area.

Liu Yuxi says: According to the Rihuazi, Wumingyi is non-toxic.

The Yanyi says: The Tujing records that the Bencao Jing describes Wumingyi as sweet in flavor and neutral in nature, able to treat wounds caused by weapons and injuries involving broken bones, and to promote the growth of flesh. Today, however, it is said to be salty in flavor and cold in nature, able to reduce swelling and toxins and treat sores and abscesses. This differs from what the Bencao Jing says, so it is suspected to be another substance. Looking closely at the thirty-six characters above, it is unclear where the account following the words “today it is said” comes from.

Bitter in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It is used to nourish the Spleen Qi, calm the Five Organs, and harmonize the Qi in the middle; to treat diarrhea and dysentery in adults and children, as well as pus and blood discharged from the intestines; to expel pinworms, dispel jaundice, and treat abscesses and parasitic diseases. Taken for a long time, it makes the body light and agile and prolongs life. It grows on Mount Songgao, is the color of a young oriole’s feathers, and can be gathered at any time. Its assisting herb is Zengqing. Avoid taking it together with Asarum; it is counteracted by the cockroach.

Lei Gong says: Before use, grind it into powder and place it in a vessel. Stir it continuously with freshly drawn water, then pour it into a basin. Repeat this rinsing three times, discard the settled portion, and use the rinsed portion as medicine. When taking it, there is no limit to the amount, but do not eat eggs.

Salty in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It is used to nourish Kidney Qi and strengthen Yin, and to treat sores in the genital area; to stop dysentery with pus and blood, and to treat mouth sores and sore throat. Taken for a long time, it increases strength, dispels hunger, and prolongs life. It is also called Shinian and Shimo. It comes from Yangcheng in Yingchuan and can be gathered at any time.

Tao Hongjing says: According to the effects recorded in the Bencao Jing, the five kinds of stone minerals called zhi are much alike. The Bielu lists them separately to give a fuller account. Today, among the common people, only Chishizhi and Baishizhi are used.

The Rihuazi says: All five colors of Shizhi are warm in nature and non-toxic; they are counteracted by Scutellaria and rhubarb.

Sweet, salty, and sour in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It is used to improve eyesight, open the nine orifices, and treat deafness and pathogenic Qi below the heart; it can induce vomiting and kill all kinds of toxins and the three worms. Taken for a long time, it opens the spirit, makes the body light and agile, and prolongs life without aging. It can be melted and made into a bronze sword to ward off all kinds of weapons. It grows in the mountain valleys of Yuzhang and can be gathered at any time.

Tao Hongjing says: This medicine is no longer used in prescriptions today, and it is not sold in the marketplace.

The Daoist scripture Thirty-Six Water Formulas sometimes uses copper swords. Their specific use is recorded in The Arts of the Nine Primordials.

The Tang commentary says: The Kongqing described by Tao Hongjing is round like an iron bead and whitish in color, but not hollow inside. It is this substance. When ground, it turns blue-green and is called “green-blue stone”; it is not used for painting. When Kongqing is unavailable, this substance is used instead and is called “fish-eye blue,” because its shape resembles a fish’s eye. The best quality today comes from Jianzhou and Zizhou.

This substance is neutral in nature and non-toxic. It can counter poisoning from medicines and gu toxins, as well as illnesses caused when the effects of mineral medicines take hold. It can also be used for abscesses and sores, thirst, and blood stasis caused by falls and blows. It can stop heat-induced mania and convulsions, regulate menstruation, reduce wind-related swelling, and treat urinary disorders. Ground with water and taken by mouth, it can treat injuries caused by snakes, insects, bees, scorpions, langdu poison, and poisoned arrows. It can also be ground into powder and applied externally, with good results. (This is an added note from the Rihuazi Materia Medica.)

The Expanded Materia Medica says: Pusa stone comes from the mountains of Emei. It is as clear and transparent as crystal, and in sunlight it reflects five-colored rays, like the halo of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra at Mount Emei, which is how it got its name. Physicians today rarely use it.

It treats poisoning from various medicines, miasma illnesses, vexing heat in the chest, and headaches. It is produced in the South Seas and collected by foreigners. The best quality has no spots, contains flecks of gold, and, when ground, can be made into a milky liquid. There is also bean-spotted stone, which can counter poison but is less effective than Pusa stone. Another kind, E-green, has markings; when ground and mixed with warm chicken’s blood, it makes the blood turn to water. This is the stone commonly called Mosa stone.

The Expanded Materia Medica also says: Basuo stone is now mistakenly called Mosa stone. The best kind is pale in color, like malachite, with faint flecks of gold. When ground, it is the color of diluted milk and has a mild taste. Bean-spotted stone is similar, but has black spots and no flecks of gold.

This substance is cool in nature and non-toxic. It can treat throat obstruction, tooth decay caused by worms, mouth sores, malignant sores, and scabies. Fermented together with crucian carp, then burned to ash and taken as a mixture, it can treat intestinal bleeding. (This is an added note from the Rihuazi Materia Medica.)

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: For details, see the entry on alum.

This substance is cold in nature and non-toxic. It can dissolve phlegm, relieve thirst, and nourish the heart and lungs. (This is an added note from the Rihuazi Materia Medica.)

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: For details, see the entry on alum.

The character “Shang” is pronounced like “Bian.” It tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats eye pain and improves vision; treats fractures and injuries from falls and blows, abscesses and swellings, and metal-inflicted wounds that have long failed to heal; and can also disperse accumulations, dispel toxic influences, clear the mind, and drive out alternating chills and fever.

It can treat wind impediment and various disorders of the male genitalia and urethra, and also replenish Jing and Qi. Taken over a long period, it can make the body feel light and agile and slow the onset of aging.

This medicinal substance grows in the valleys of Zhuyai, Wudu, Zhuti, and other places. It has no fixed season for harvesting.

Tao Hongjing said: Neither the scriptures of the immortals nor ordinary prescriptions make use of it. Zhuyai Commandery once belonged to Jiaozhou and lay in the South China Sea; it was abolished during the Jin dynasty. Zhuti Commandery now belongs to Ningzhou.

Yuxi said: According to Wu’s records, Bianqing, a blue-green mineral medicine, was classified by Shennong and Leigong as slightly cold in nature and nontoxic, and was produced in Shu Commandery. It can treat internal injuries in men that cause infertility, enabling them to father children.

The Gazetteer of Guangzhou says: This medicinal substance comes from Persia. It tastes salty, sour, and astringent, and is poisonous. It treats fistulas, hemorrhoids, malignant sores, scabies, and ringworm. When broken open, the kind with golden threadlike markings inside is best. It is often used in refining medicines.

The Record of Guangzhou says: It comes from the kingdom of Daqin. It is bright white, with thornlike patterns inside; it tastes sour and astringent, is warm in nature, and is nontoxic. It treats red or white vaginal discharge, genital sores, diarrhea, and scabies. It can also counter the poisons of various insects and snakes, and relieve eye inflammation and toothache. It is more effective after being refined by fire. It is incompatible with oyster shell and is often used in alchemical preparations. Its medicinal effect surpasses that of the similar substance produced at Shimen in Hexi. Recently, it has also been commonly found in the non-Han regions around Wenzhou, and can be used.

It tastes acrid and is nontoxic. It treats convulsions, malign influences, and various childhood ailments. Simmer it to extract the juice, then decoct it together with other medicines. The older the written records of a variety, the better.

It tastes acrid, is neutral in nature, and is nontoxic. It is said to make people live forever and become immortals; taken over a long period, it is said to turn the intestines golden.

It treats malignant sores and scabies, and can be mixed with oil and applied. For bites from spiders and other insects, grind it with garlic and apply the mixture. This is the coating on iron—that is, rust. Rust formed on iron can be used as medicine.

It can be used to warm the body in treating cholera. Take a container and fill it with ash to a depth of about two inches. Place burning charcoal on top so that the ash becomes gently warm. Lay clothing over the patient’s abdomen and gradually apply the warm ash, warming the abdomen; the condition will then improve.

In the Silver Commentary, Su Jing says that silver vessels can ward off evil and are auspicious objects. The term “auspicious objects,” however, refers to yellow silver. The Illustrated Canon records silver urns and cinnabar tripods that were not made by human hands; but since they can be fashioned into vessels, they cannot be considered auspicious objects. Today there is a kind of black silver said to ward off evil. Artisans make it into objects, and people who cultivate health use it to decoct medicines. Some also boil medicine in such vessels, place them high in the courtyard overnight to collect dew, then pour the dew into another vessel and drink it in the hope of attaining longevity. Today, some people fumigate black silver with sulfur and leave it for two nights before pouring the sulfur away, whereupon the silver turns black. This is actually artificial black silver.

This is not true.

In his note under “Orpiment,” Tao Hongjing writes, “It is generally called yellow stone.” On examination, litharge is what is now called realgar: after breaking it open, the pure, bright portion is taken as realgar, while the black outer layer is called fumigated yellow. Realgar can treat severe sores and kill parasites; it can also be burned to fumigate sores, scabies, and lice. Combined with other medicines, it can be used in fumigation treatments for coughs. Realgar from Wudu gives off no foul smell when burned, whereas fumigated yellow does, which can be used to tell them apart. Su Song says, “It is generally called yellow stone,” though he does not know whether this is correct.

It tastes sweet and is neutral to mildly warm in nature, with no toxicity. It treats fright, bodily fever, and pernicious influences, and has a calming effect on the mind. Taken over a long period, it can brighten the eyes and give the complexion a healthy glow. It grows in mountain valleys around Zichuan and Beihai, and resembles red earth or hematite, a reddish-brown mineral. Another kind, called “Lingling,” is extremely fine in texture and can be ground into powder for use; it looks like hematite earth. Local people use it in place of cinnabar and call it “red stone.” It is probably also a kind of hematite, though people have not yet tried using it.

It tastes pungent and is neutral in nature, with no toxicity. It treats stone strangury, a condition involving urinary stones, and can disperse stagnant blood. It can also be used to treat lochial blood after childbirth. It may be ground into powder and taken, boiled into a decoction, or heated and dropped into wine before being taken. It grows on the seabed, stands over a foot tall, and has a tree-like shape, with holes along its stem. When fishers catch it in their nets, it is faintly red as soon as it leaves the water, then gradually turns blue-green.

It tastes sweet and is warm in nature, with no toxicity. It treats alternating chills and fever, weakness and emaciation, a poor complexion, accumulations, distension in the chest and abdomen, indigestion, dry skin, frequent urination, abdominal masses, intestinal rumbling and diarrhea, and cold, painful lower back and legs. It is also used for men with depleted Yang and for women who are infertile or have imbalances of Qi and blood. Taking it can make a person strong and robust and increase the appetite. Its nature tends to cause stagnation, so it suits people who are cold and thin in constitution. It grows in caves in Huagai Mountain in Linhai. Local people collect it, wash it by settling it in water, and shape it like mud into pellets about the size of a marble. There are white and yellow kinds; the yellow is better.

It tastes sweet and is neutral in nature, with no toxicity. It is used in techniques for prolonging life and seeking immortality. Practitioners take toad paste to soften jade into mud, then dissolve it with bitter wine—that is, vinegar—to make a liquid. This is the method for making jade paste. The method has not been tested. Some say that drinking water from among jade stones can bring longevity and make the body radiant, and that putting jade into the juice of vermilion grass can also turn it into sweet wine. Vermilion grass is an auspicious plant, and relevant accounts have already appeared in the Jinshui Scroll. The Records of the Immortals of the Ten Continents says that Yingzhou has a spring of jade paste whose water is like wine: a few cups can make one drunk and grant long life. Many immortals live on the continent, and they seem much like people from the Wu region. Though accounts of the immortal realms are difficult to trust in full, some claims can be examined, so they are cited here as corroborating evidence.