《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 4

Expanded Meaning of the Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica, juan 4, section 4

Compiled by Kou Zongshi, Selection Attendant of the Song dynasty and official responsible for examining medicinal materials

Revised by Xu Hong, Assistant Instructor at the Imperial Medical Academy of the Song dynasty and official responsible for examining medicinal materials

Minerals, Middle Grade

Magnetite

Its flavor is pungent and salty; its nature is cold, and it is non-toxic. It mainly treats Zhoubi (a painful obstruction disorder in which pathogenic influences travel with the blood vessels, preventing the body from moving freely up and down or from side to side). It can treat pain caused by wind and dampness invading the limbs and joints, inability to grasp objects with the hands, and “washing soreness” (the text reads this way, but the precise meaning is unclear). It can dispel severe internal heat, agitation, and deafness; nourish the kidneys; strengthen the bones; replenish Jing (essence); relieve agitation; open the joints; and eliminate abscesses, scrofula (a disorder involving swollen lymph nodes in the neck), neck lumps, and sore throat. For childhood convulsions, magnetite may be boiled in water and taken. It can also aid fertility.

Magnetite is also known as Xuanshi and Chushi. It grows in the valleys of Mount Tai and on the north-facing slopes of Cishan. Where iron ore is found, magnetite grows on the mountain’s south-facing slopes. It may be harvested at any time. Bupleurum enhances its medicinal effects; magnetite neutralizes iron toxicity. It is incompatible with peony root and Langcao, and counteracted by yellow stone fat.

The Illustrated Classic says: Magnetite grows in the valleys of Mount Tai and on the north-facing slopes of Cishan. Where iron ore is found, magnetite grows on the mountain’s south-facing slopes. Today it is also produced in the mountains of Cizhou and Xuzhou, as well as those near the South Sea. The annual tribute from Cizhou is of the finest quality. It can attract iron objects, drawing up a chain of a dozen or more needles. Some pieces can hold a knife weighing one or two jin, which spins without falling. These are especially genuine. There is no fixed season for harvesting it. Some magnetite has holes that are yellowish red inside and fine hairs growing on the surface. This kind is warm in nature and more potent.

The Record of Strange Things in the Southern Regions states that the waters around the reefs in the Rising Sea are shallow and contain abundant magnetite. Large foreign ships sheathed in iron plates often cannot pass through this area. This suggests that Hainan produces magnetite in especially great quantities.

On examination, magnetite is also called Xuanshi. Yet a separate entry for “Xuanshi” appears later in this materia medica: it says that this stone grows on the southern side of Mount Tai, where copper ore is found on the northern side. Copper is female and iron is male. Their indications are broadly similar, but their properties of cold and heat, and the substances with which they are incompatible or by which they are counteracted, differ. Su Gong considered Xuanshi to be iron that had melted and congealed. This stone has no holes and is found among magnetite; it is uniformly glossy black, less effective than magnetite, and cannot suspend needles. Today, northern peoples use magnetite as a gift. The stones they send are mostly bright and lustrous, but have little power to attract needles; they may be this kind. Medical prescriptions rarely use it.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicines says: Magnetite is a ministerial ingredient. Its flavor is salty and it is slightly toxic. It can replenish men’s …

Magnetite can be used to treat bodily stiffness caused by deficiency of the kidneys or vital energy, as well as discomfort in the lower back. It is used in elixir formulas.

Tao Hongjing said that fine-quality magnetite is now found in the south. Only the superior grade can suspend a needle in midair and hold three or four needles in succession. Magnetite can counteract the harmful effects of iron and assist in refining the Golden Elixir. It is used in the Daoist Immortals’ Scripture and in arts for refining elixirs and transmuting metals.

Chen Cangqi said that magnetite fibers taste salty, are warm in nature, and are non-toxic. They can restore a damaged body and strengthen Yang, treat frequent, pale urination and discomfort in the lower back and legs, and be used for sores and fistulas. They can also promote the growth of skin and aid fertility. Magnetite fibers are best processed with wine and come from the northern mountains of Xiangzhou. They are the “mother” of iron, attracting it as a mother draws her child. The Bencao Jing mentions magnetite but says nothing about magnetite fibers; the two differ in their effects and appearance. The text also says magnetite is cold in nature, which is wrong.

Rihua Zi said that magnetite tastes sweet and astringent and is neutral in nature. It can treat blurred vision and weakness of the sinews and bones, replenish the body after the Five Taxations and Seven Injuries, ease agitation, and dispel swollen toxins. If a child accidentally swallows an iron needle, grind magnetite into a fine powder and administer it, taking care that the needle does not pierce the flesh; then have the child swallow the needle along with the magnetite.

Lei Gong said not to mistake Xuanzhong stone or Zhongma stone for magnetite. These two stones resemble magnetite, but only magnetite attracts iron. Zhongma stone is red inside, has a rough outer surface, and comes from iron mines; swallowing it by mistake can cause malignant sores that are difficult to heal. To identify magnetite, weigh one jin and observe how much iron it can attract: a stone that attracts one jin of iron from all four sides is called “Yan Nian Sha”; one that attracts eight liang is called “Xu Wei Shi”; only a stone that attracts five liang or less is called “magnetite.”

The Shenghui Formula records that to treat a child who has accidentally swallowed a needle, take a piece of magnetite the size of a date pit, polish it, and bore a hole through it. Thread a cord through the hole and have the child hold it in the mouth; the needle will then be drawn out.

The Wai Tai Mi Yao records that to treat a boil, pound magnetite into powder, mix it with strong vinegar, and apply it to the affected area. The root of the sore will quickly be drawn out, and the illness will improve.

The Guiyi Formula records that to treat wounds caused by metal objects and cases where the intestines have prolapsed, grind three liang each of magnetite and talc into powder. Mix one square-inch spoonful—a small unit of measure used in antiquity—with white rice water, and take it twice daily.

The Yan Yi says that magnetite is pale purple and rough on the surface, and can attract needles and iron objects linked together. Among the common people it is called “Xie Tie Shi.” It can replenish kidney Qi and fill the marrow, and can treat deafness and blurred vision caused by kidney deficiency. Before using it as medicine, heat it until red, then quench it in vinegar. “Xuanshi” refers to magnetite that is black in color and usually smoother on the surface. Its medicinal effects are the same as those of magnetite.

Magnetite and Dark Stone are similar but differ slightly, and should not be treated as the same substance. When magnetite is ground, it can attract iron needles and make them point roughly south, though they often veer east and do not point due south. The ancients tested the needles in two ways. In one method, they took a fine strand from fresh cotton wadding, attached it with a little wax to the middle of the needle, and suspended it in a windless place. In the other, they passed the needle through a lamp wick and set it on the surface of water. Both methods made the needle point south, but it often veered east. The ancients believed this was because Bing belongs to Fire, while Geng and Xin belong to Metal; Metal is controlled by Fire, so this deviation occurs. They regarded it as an instance of things responding to one another.

Dark Stone tastes salty, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat convulsions and epilepsy in adults and children, as well as female infertility, cold pain in the lower abdomen, scant Jing (essence), and a heavy sensation in the body. It is said to help a person conceive. Dark Stone is also called Dark Water Stone and Chu Stone, and is found in the mountains south of Mount Tai. There are copper deposits on the mountain’s northern side; copper is female, while Dark Stone, which is black, is male. Dark Stone is incompatible with pine resin, arborvitae seeds, and cassia bark. The related illustrated materia medica entry appears under Magnetite.

Tao Hongjing said that the Bencao Jing calls magnetite Dark Stone, whereas the Bielu treats magnetite and Dark Stone as two separate substances. On examination, Chu Stone has the same uses as magnetite and a similar appearance, but the two differ in whether they are cold or warm, in their copper and iron content, and in the substances with which they are incompatible. Later, folk prescriptions ceased to use Chu Stone, and no one knew what it looked like, so it was impossible to determine whether it resembled magnetite.

The Tang Ben Zhu says that Dark Stone is formed from molten iron, but cannot lift a needle and is less effective as medicine than magnetite. Magnetite has tiny cavities, yellow-red inside. A high-quality piece, when freshly broken, can hold ten needles in a row and even make an iron knife weighing one jin turn. A stone without cavities, with a bright surface and a pure black color, is Dark Stone and cannot attract needles.

Condensed Water Stone tastes pungent and sweet, is cold in nature, extremely cold, and non-toxic. It is used to treat fever, accumulations in the abdomen, pathogenic Qi, and a burning sensation and restlessness in the skin, as if it had been scorched by fire. Taken with water, it is used for seasonal febrile illnesses, hidden heat in the Five Viscera, heat and restlessness in the stomach, thirst, edema, and numbness in the lower abdomen. It is said that prolonged use can remove the sensation of hunger. Condensed Water Stone is also called White Water Stone, Cold Water Stone, and Ice Water Stone. The best quality resembles mica and can be split into layers. The ancients believed it to be the essence of salt. It is found in the valleys of Changshan and in Zhongshui County. It can counteract the toxicity of croton seeds and is incompatible with Sanguisorba root.

The Yaoxing Lun says that Cold Water Stone can suppress the toxicity of elixir minerals, treat illnesses caused by pathogenic wind, and relieve inner heat, thirst, and chest oppression. It can also be used when cold damage relapses after an illness or worsens through fatigue.

Tao Hongjing said that Changshan belonged to Bingzhou, while Zhongshui County belonged to Hejian Commandery.

Handan (modern-day Hebei province) was historically part of Ji Province's Zhao Commandery, where the saline soil produced salt-bearing minerals. The described mineral (ningshui stone) appears like crude saltpetre when broken, with the finest quality being stones that naturally form ice in summer without added water.

Tang dynasty medical texts clarify: This stone has two vein patterns—vertical and horizontal. Clear, luminous specimens are superior. Some scholars distinguish vertically-veined stones as hanshui stone while horizontally-veined ones are called ningshui stone. Specimens from Hancheng in Tongzhou (modern Shaanxi) with yellowish-green hues and mica-like veining are premium, while the diagonally-veined white stones from Chengcheng are inferior.

The Song dynasty Wu's Materia Medica records: Ancient physicians like Shennong and Qibo considered it pungent and non-toxic. Li Shizhen documented its intensely cold nature, primarily sourced from Handan with no seasonal harvest restrictions, appearing similar to mica.

Processing method: Must be thoroughly boiled with ginger juice and ground into fine powder. For every ten liang of ningshui stone, one yi (ancient weight measure) of ginger juice is required.

Medical applications:

• Treats meat jaundice with whitish urine
• Addresses erysipelas in children (formula: half liang hanshui stone with two fen white clay, applied externally with vinegar)
• Alleviates wind-heat symptoms with high fever, restlessness, and delirium (Dragon Brain Sweet Dew Pill formula: calcined hanshui stone with licorice, bamboo yellow, etc. made into honey pills)

Alchemical uses:

Used for waterproofing cloth and occasionally ingested. In alchemy (neidan/waidan), it processes cinnabar when combined with mystery essence stone.

Identification key:

Authentic ningshui stone has translucent veins, sometimes carved into summer cooling implements. Medicinal use requires calcination, but beware of counterfeit versions mixed with talc powder. Tao Hongjing's standard of "summer ice-forming stones being best" may be overly stringent for practical acquisition.

Appendix: Yang-rising Stone

Flavor: salty; Nature: slightly warm; Non-toxic. Treats gynecological disorders including metrorrhagia, uterine stasis, abdominal masses, cold-heat abdominal pain, and infertility; also addresses male impotence, genital frostbite with itching, body odor, and promotes diuresis.

(Note: "Ningshui stone" refers to ancient mineral classifications with disputed modern equivalents; "yi" was an ancient weight unit approximating 20 liang)

When taken over a long period, this mineral can keep people from feeling hungry and can enable them to conceive. It is also called White Stone, Stone Growth, and Goat-Rising Stone; it is the root of mica. It grows in the valleys of Mount Qi and around Langya. Some say it comes from Mount Qi in Shanyang. It can be mined at any time of year. The egg case of the mantis can counteract its medicinal properties. It is incompatible with Alisma, cassia bark, Leiwan, and snake slough, and is weakened by dodder seed.

The Illustrated Classic says: Yang-Rising Stone grows in the valleys of Mount Qi and around Langya. Some say it comes from Mount Qi in Shanyang. Today it is found only in Qi Prefecture; other places no longer produce it. Some say it is also found on Magpie Mountain in Xing Prefecture, but the quality is poor. Nowadays, west of the city of Qi Prefecture, there is only one earthen hill where this stone is found. Local people call it “Yang-Rising Mountain.” Warm air often rises from the hill. Even in the depths of winter, when heavy snow covers the surrounding land, the hill alone remains free of snow. People believe this is caused by heat emitted from the stone. There is only one mine shaft in the hill, and the authorities usually keep it sealed. At the start of winter, the prefecture requisitions laborers and sends officials to supervise the mining. Over the years, the shaft has grown deeper, and other rocks must be chiseled through to reach the Yang-Rising Stone, making it difficult to obtain. The best kind is pure white, bright and lustrous, and shaped like a wolf’s tooth. Stone mixed with other minerals or formed into clumps is unusable. Each year, the finest pieces are selected and offered in tribute, while the rest are sold locally; otherwise, merchants would have no way to obtain any. Although plenty of it appears in the market, truly fine specimens are still hard to find.

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: Yang-Rising Stone is incompatible with Stone-Mallow and must not be taken with sheep’s blood. It tastes sweet and is neutral in nature. It treats insufficiency of Kidney Qi, depletion of Jing, lower back pain, cold knees, and damp impediment, in which dampness causes numbness and pain in the limbs. It warms the womb and is used for chronic cold, cold masses in the abdomen caused by congealed cold, and irregular menstruation.

Tao Hongjing says: The Yang-Rising Stone described here is found in the same place as mica. It looks much like mica, but is denser. The Yang-Rising Stone used today, however, comes from Yizhou and is found alongside alum stone; it is yellowish-black. It is unclear whether this is alum stone or the root of mica. It is rarely used among the people, though texts on immortality also record its use.

The Tang Materia Medica Commentary says: The best kind of this stone is pure white, with markings like Yin Nie, a mineral, and streaks of green, lustrous mica. For this reason, the Classic of Materia Medica calls it by another name, “White Stone.” Those who now use stones that are uniformly black as charcoal are mistaken. The entry on mica has already explained that black mica is called “Cloud Gall” or “Earth Dripping,” and that taking it harms the body. Black Yang-Rising Stone must likewise be inferior. The Classic says it comes from Mount Qi, which lies five or six li northwest of Licheng in Qi Prefecture. On investigation, no Yang-Rising Stone is found there. In fact, Yang-Rising Stone is from Qi…

Mount Lu lies six or seven li northwest of the mountain and produces this medicinal material. The Bencao Jing says it is sometimes also called “Yunshan.”

“Yunlu” is a corruption of the written form. Today, Mount Tai and Yizhou produce only the black variety; the white variety is found only in Qizhou.

Yuxi says that, according to Mr. Wu, yangqi stone is described by Shennong and Bian Que as sour in taste and nontoxic, and by Tong Jun, Lei Gong, and Qibo as salty in taste and nontoxic. Ji says it is slightly cold in nature. Some of it grows on Mount Tai.

The Nanhai Yaopu says that the yellow variety of yangqi stone from Mount Tai is the finest. The white variety from Que Mountain in Xingzhou is also good.

The Yanyi says that the best kind of yangqi stone resembles a wolf’s tooth. Its surface is not white but looks like ginger stone. Large pieces are white inside as well. To treat deficiency and cold in the lower body of men and women, weakened Kidney Qi, and chronic coldness of the uterus, it should be ground by the water-levigation method before use. All mineral medicines, whether cold or hot in nature, may be toxic, so their use should be carefully judged.

This medicine is pungent in taste, warm in nature, and nontoxic. It treats food stagnation and indigestion, pathogenic Qi that has become bound, malignant sores, abscesses, fistulas, and hemorrhoids. It opens and clears the nine orifices and promotes the flow of breast milk. It is also used for sores on men’s genitals, ulceration of women’s genitals, and a tendency to feel sleepy because of food stagnation. It is also called “Tongshi” and is the root of Yinnie. It is blue-yellow and grows in the valleys of Mount Liang. Magnolia serves as its envoy herb; it is incompatible with asarum.

The Tujing says: For details, see the entry on “stone breast.”

The Yaoxing Lun says: Konggong Nie is incompatible with sheep’s blood. It tastes sweet and is slightly toxic. It treats coldness in the lower back, numbness in the knees, toxic Wind, and ulceration of the genitals in men and women. It also treats persistent drowsiness and can make the voice in the throat clear and resonant.

Tao Hongjing says: Mount Liang lies in Fengyi Commandery. The Konggong Nie mentioned here is what is now called a “stalactite bed.” It is also produced in Shixing, where the pieces are all large. When these are broken open, all minerals of the stalactite kind appear in three forms, arising from the same rock. The liquid that drips from the ceiling of a stone cavern and gradually accumulates and coils into shape over a long period is called a stalactite bed, or Konggong Nie. A smaller form that protrudes from the rock is called Yinnie. People today use Konggong Nie, Yinnie, and Fuliu interchangeably. The light, high-quality form is called stalactite. Though all three belong to the same class, their medicinal effects differ, as do their quality and price.

Konggong Nie and Yinnie are unsuitable for making into pills or powders. People commonly pound them into powder, steep them in wine, and drink the infusion; this is very effective for weakness in the feet. The other uses mentioned above are probably better suited to decoction. The three minerals seen today grow from the same root, yet come from different places. Their varying qualities are likely due to the local soil.

The Rihua Zi says: Konggong Nie tastes sweet and is warm in nature. It treats abdominal masses and accumulations; it is the bed of Yinnie.

Liu Yuxi, citing the Shu Materia Medica, says that there are five kinds of medicines in the stalactite group: first, stalactite; second, Yin Nie; third, Konggong Nie; fourth, stone bed; and fifth, stone flower. Although they belong to the same group, their medicinal effects and indications differ. Yin Nie and Konggong Nie are suitable for soaking in wine, but not for taking in the form of pills or powders. They are, however, highly effective for weak legs and beriberi. For details on stone flower and stone bed, see the entries below.

Qingxiazi says that Nie-type medicines can make the body light and strong and can stave off hunger.

Nie has a pungent taste, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats suppurating wounds, blood stasis, diarrhea and dysentery, alternating chills and fever, scrofula (a disease resembling tuberculous lymph-node infection), abdominal masses, Qi stagnation, and cold, painful, or weak legs. It is also called Jiangshi and is the root of stalactite. It grows in the valleys of Zhao, as well as around Mount Liang and the South Sea, and may be gathered at any time. It is incompatible with Fangji and is counteracted by Zhu (traditional terms for possible interactions between medicines used together).

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: For details, see the entry “Stone Stalactite.”

Tao Hongjing says: Zhao was in the ancient province of Ji. This is what people today call Konggong Nie. It resembles an ox horn or a sheep’s horn and can reach one or two chi in length. It is also found in Shixing.

A note in the Tang Materia Medica says: This medicine is called “Konggong Nie from beneath the stone chamber”; it is the root of Konggong Nie. It twists and knots together in a shape resembling ginger, hence the name Jiangshi. It is a mistake for ordinary people to call Konggong Nie Jiangshi.

Liu Yuxi, citing the Rihuazi Materia Medica, says: Yin Nie can treat weakness of the sinews and bones, hemorrhoids, fistulas, and other conditions, and can also help milk flow.

Litharge

Litharge has a salty, pungent taste, is neutral in nature, and is slightly toxic. It treats chronic dysentery, the five types of hemorrhoids, and wounds from metal weapons. It can also be used to treat facial scars and added to facial ointments.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Litharge is not recorded in the Classic of Materia Medica, which also gives no information about the prefectures and districts where it is produced. Older annotations say it comes from Persia. Today it can also be found at silver and copper smelting sites in Lingnan and Fujian. It is the lead residue left over from silver refining. After ore is mined, silver and copper are mixed together; they are first smelted with lead, and the silver separates out with the lead. Leaves from mountain trees are then collected and burned to ash. A furnace is built in the ground and packed with the ash; this is called an “ash basin.” The silver-bearing lead is placed on the ash and smelted over a strong fire. The lead seeps into the ash while the silver remains on top. Once the fire is out and the material has cooled, the silver is removed. The ash basin absorbs the essences of lead and silver, and after a long time this medicine forms. Thus, the litharge used today is often made in this way and does not necessarily come from foreign lands. The best kind resembles yellow dragon teeth and is hard and heavy.

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says: Litharge has a sweet taste, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It can calm the heart and nourish the Five Viscera, and treat epilepsy, cough, vomiting, and the expectoration of phlegm.

Lei Gong says: To prepare litharge, first pound it finely and place it in a porcelain pot… The original text ends here.

Place the litharge in a pot with a layer beneath it, then add willow-borer powder packed in a thick paper bag. Roast them together. Next, add water drawn from a stream flowing east until the medicinal ingredients are fully submerged, and boil over a fire for one fu period (about twelve hours). When done, remove the paper bag containing the willow-borer powder and keep the litharge for later use.

Yuxi says: According to the commentary in the Shu Bencao, the “five hemorrhoids” are external hemorrhoids, alcohol-induced hemorrhoids, intestinal hemorrhoids, bleeding hemorrhoids, and qi hemorrhoids.

The Shenghui Fang records a treatment for dark spots on the face: take two liang of litharge, grind it finely, mix it with human breast milk, and apply it to the face every night.

Another prescription treats red-and-white dysentery. If the discharge is scant but the attacks have not become less frequent, take three liang of litharge, heat it until yellow, and grind it to a fine powder. Take one qianbi (about a spoonful) each time, mixed with vinegar tea, three times a day.

The Waitai Miyao records a method for making the complexion clear, smooth, and lustrous: boil litharge in human breast milk, then apply it to the face. It is also said to treat sores and pustules on the nose and face.

The Tan Shi Xiao’er Fang records a treatment for facial scars and black moles left by childhood smallpox: grind litharge finely, mix it with water, and apply it at night. Wash it off the following morning; it is said to flatten the affected area.

The Yanyi says: Litharge is hard and heavy; the variety that is golden yellow when broken is the best. Its nature is mild and slightly warm. It is used to improve eyesight and to transform copper. It can also treat palpitations, calm the heart and mind, and treat childhood wind epilepsy, genital swelling, and rectal prolapse.

The Tujing says: For details, see the entry on “iron.”

Tao Hongjing says: Iron scale is the iron liquor used in dyeing cloth black. “Raw iron” means iron objects that have not been forged, such as pots and cauldrons. “Steel” is iron made by smelting raw and wrought iron together, and is used to make knives and sickles. Iron essence comes from a blacksmith’s forge; it resembles dust and is purple. The lighter kind is best, and it can also be used to polish steel implements.

Chen Cangqi says: Needle sand is mild in nature and nontoxic. It can be used to dye white material black, or combined with gallnuts to dye the beard black. When refined into a powder, its effects are the same as those of iron powder; it is also used in refining iron powder. Only genuine steel sand found in needle sand should be used. Many people mix in other substances, which is incorrect.

He also says: The iron filings that fall when iron is forged or drilled are pungent in taste, neutral in nature, and nontoxic. They can be used to treat ghost attack, ghost possession, and pathogenic influences. Soak the filings in water and stir. When foam appears on the surface, let the water settle, discard the sediment, then warm the water and drink one or two cups.

Rihua Zi says: Iron filings can treat fright caused by malign influences, epilepsy, and childhood keji (sudden fright or acute discomfort in children). They can also aid digestion and treat cold qi. They may be taken as a decoction. Another account says that water obtained by soaking the tip of a plowshare is called “iron essence” and can be used to counteract the toxicity of cinnabar, stone orpiment, and mercury.

The Shenghui Fang records a treatment for genital prolapse: take iron essence and sheep’s fat, stir them until thick, and wrap the mixture in cloth… The original text ends here.

After heating the medicine, apply it to the affected area by pressing, rubbing, and kneading it in; the condition will then improve. Another prescription says: If someone is poisoned by gu after eating, with a hard, painful abdomen, bluish-yellow eyes, progressive weight loss, and symptoms that change unpredictably, grind iron essence (fine particles that fly off when a blacksmith forges iron) into powder. Pound it with chicken liver and form pills the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take five pills at a time with wine, before or after meals.

Cast Iron

Slightly cold in nature. It treats disorders of the lower body and rectal prolapse.

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

Yuxi says: According to the Rihuazi Materia Medica, cast iron can be forged, washed to remove coarse particles, and dried by heating. It can then be used to treat epilepsy, calm the spirit, stabilize the five viscera, darken the beard and hair, and treat ringworm, malignant sores, and scabies. For a spider bite, rub the affected area with garlic, then apply raw oil. Related notes appear under “Iron Essence.”

The Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies records: To treat toxic pain from scratches by a bear or tiger, boil cast iron until the water takes on the taste of iron, then wash the wound with it. Another prescription says: If a blow causes blood stasis around the joints or ribs that does not disperse for a long time, boil one jin of iron in three sheng of wine, reduce it to one sheng, and drink the resulting liquid.

The Experiential Formulas records: To treat rectal prolapse that has persisted for years without healing, boil three jin of cast iron in ten dou of water until five dou of iron-infused water remain. Remove the iron and wash the affected area with the liquid twice a day.

The Secret Records for Children and Mothers records: To treat a sudden outbreak of “blister sores” in children, also called ulcerated sores, plunge red-hot iron into water twenty-one times. Bathe the child in this water two or three times; the fluid of the blister sores will then emerge.

Wrought Iron

Sweet in flavor and nontoxic. It treats metal-weapon wounds, restlessness and oppressive heat in the chest, internal heat, stagnant Qi between the chest and diaphragm, exposure to cold, and undigested food. It is also called “tiao.” Related notes appear under “Iron Essence.”

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

Iron has the effect of strengthening the muscles and increasing the ability to endure pain.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says: No places of origin are recorded for the various kinds of iron, but presumably they are produced everywhere. Nowadays, iron can be found wherever there are smelting furnaces in Jiangnan and western Shu.

“Iron flakes” are the tiny particles that fall when a blacksmith places red-hot iron on an anvil and hammers it; people commonly call them “iron flowers.” Iron that has just been smelted and had its slag removed, ready for casting objects, is called cast iron. When it is smelted and forged repeatedly until it can be made into thin sheets, it is called wrought iron, or “mature iron.” Iron made by forging cast iron and wrought iron together, used to make the cutting edges of knives and swords, is called steel. The light, purple-colored particles that fly from a forge and are used to polish copper objects are called iron essence. The fine powder obtained by grinding a furnace when making needles is called needle sand. When various iron objects have been soaked in water for a long time, the color of the iron...

Beneath the sea there is a blue substance used to dye cloth, called “iron liquor.” When iron plates are left in vinegar residue for a long time, a layer forms on their surface. Scraped off, it is called iron flower powder. Iron can be calcined and refined in a fire to make iron powder; iron flower powder, however, is made by a special method that will not be described here in detail. Ordinary iron is not used directly in pills or powders; only the liquid produced by boiling it is used as medicine. Iron flower powder must be ground very fine and then mixed with other medicines. Iron objects such as horse bits, scale weights, axle pins, pestles, and saws may also be heated until red and quenched in wine before use. For blades of knives and axes, iron filings are ground off and mixed with water to make a medicinal liquid. These methods are also used among the people and are considered effective, so they are recorded here together.

Coral

Coral tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat stagnant blood that has accumulated inside the body over a long period, as well as films in the eyes. Ground into powder and blown into the nose, it may be used for nosebleeds. Coral grows in the South China Sea.

The Illustrated Classic says: Coral comes from the South China Sea, and some is brought from Persia and the Lion Kingdom, an ancient name for the region around Sri Lanka. Coral is now also found in Guangzhou. It grows on the seabed, shaped like a branch, translucent and lustrous, with the color of red jade. Most pieces have holes, though some do not. Those with many branches are harder to collect, and there is no fixed season for gathering them.

According to the Record of the Sea, to collect coral, iron nets are first lowered to the seabed, allowing coral to grow through their mesh. After several years, when the coral has grown two or three feet tall, with branches but no leaves, the nets are hauled up. Because the coral breaks inside the nets, it is difficult to obtain intact pieces. It is not known whether coral is collected in this way today. In the Han dynasty, a coral tree stood in the palace’s Jicui Pool. It was twelve feet tall, with three main branches and 463 smaller ones. It was said to have been presented by Zhao Tuo, king of Nanyue, and to glow at night. Shi Chong’s household in the Jin dynasty also had coral six or seven feet tall. No coral trees of such great size are heard of today.

The Tang Materia Medica says: Coral is red and lustrous like jade. It often has holes within, though some pieces do not. Coral is also brought from Persia, Si, and the Lion Kingdom. The Tang Materia Medica was the first to include it here.

Chen Cangqi says: Coral grows on rocks, and when it is cut, a bloodlike fluid flows out. If gold is placed in it and made into a pill, the result is called “golden liquor”; if jade is placed in it, the result is called “jade marrow.” It is said that taking these for a long time can bring longevity.

Yuxi says: According to the Records of the Sun and Light, coral calms the spirit, stops convulsions, and brightens the eyes.

The Sea Materia Medica records that Shi Chong had coral trees with interlacing branches and trunks in his Jingu Garden during the Jin dynasty. The medicinal entry included here describes coral as sweet-tasting, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It is used to disperse old, stagnant blood and treat wind epilepsy, among other ailments. Judging by these stated effects, its action is similar to that of gold.

The Record of Strange Things says that coral is produced in the land of Persia and is one of the world’s most precious treasures.

The Prescriptions from Duke Tie’s Case records a treatment for a thin, bran-like film over the eyes of children aged seven or eight. When the film has not yet become hard, medicines should not be applied indiscriminately. Instead, take coral, grind it carefully into a fine powder, and place a small amount in the eye. The condition will then be cured.

The Expanded Discussion says that coral can treat films over the eyes. Some people now make it into an instrument for applying medicine to the eyes. One kind is reddish and glossy, with fine longitudinal lines, and is especially appealing. Another is the color of red lead, without longitudinal lines, and is of inferior quality. The reddish, glossy kind should be selected for medicinal use. I once saw a piece of coral about a foot tall, with two branches growing straight upward and dividing into more than ten smaller branches. Near their tips, the branches joined together like interwoven branches. It remained a lustrous red and had longitudinal lines—a most unusual object.

In the sea off Persia lies a coral reef. Those who gather coral at sea travel in large boats and lower iron nets to the seabed. Coral first grows on a bedrock outcrop, white as a mushroom. After one year it turns yellow, and after three years it turns red; its branches and stems crisscross and grow to three or four feet tall. To harvest it, they dig around the roots with iron tools, fasten it to the net, then haul the net up onto the boat. If it is left too long without being gathered, the coral decays.

Stone Crab

Its taste is salty, its nature cold, and it is non-toxic. It treats blindness, films that obscure the eyes, and small, dot-like opacities within the eye.

Stone crab is produced in the South Sea. Another account holds that it is an ordinary crab which, after a long time, turns to stone as foam clings to it; it is cast ashore whenever the tide rises. There is also a kind of stone crab that forms over many years inside caves. Before use, either kind should be ground carefully and processed by water levigation—grinding with water, allowing the mixture to settle, and collecting the fine powder—then combined with other medicines. It works well when applied to the eyes.

The Illustrated Classic says that stone crab is produced in the South Sea and is now found in coastal prefectures of Lingnan. Its substance is like stone, and its shape resembles a crab. Some say that it is a sea crab turned to stone after foam clings to it over many years; it is cast ashore during tides and storms, and people find it there. Another kind forms over many years in caves. Ground with vinegar and applied to sores and swellings, it can also counteract the toxicity of mineral medicines. It has no fixed harvesting season.

Yuxi says that, according to the Rihua Materia Medica, stone crab is cool in nature. It can counteract various medicinal and Gu toxins, hasten childbirth and bring down the fetus, treat faintness caused by blood loss, disperse sores and swellings, and treat seasonal febrile illnesses, among other conditions. For these uses, it is ground in hot water and taken by mouth. The Rihua Materia Medica also says that pumice is neutral in nature and non-toxic; it can relieve thirst, treat painful urination, and neutralize the venom of wild animals.

The Expanded Discussion says that stone crab is in fact simply the live crab found today, with no other difference except that mud and coarse stones have become attached to it. Remove the mud and coarse stones before using it.

When crabs are ground together with other medicines for use as an eye application, they must first be processed by the water levigation method. This involves grinding the medicine into a fine powder, stirring it thoroughly with water, then collecting the fine liquid or powder from the surface to remove coarse particles.

Changshi (longstone): It tastes acrid and bitter, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat fever, stagnant Qi in the stomach, and cold, numb limbs, as well as difficulty urinating. It can also promote the flow of the blood vessels, brighten the eyes, remove corneal opacities, and is said to expel intestinal parasites and their toxins, relieve wasting thirst, and lower Qi. It dispels pathogenic influences between the ribs and in the lungs. Taken over a long period, it is said to eliminate the feeling of hunger. It is also called fangshi, tushi, and zhishi. Its markings resemble a horse’s teeth; it is square in shape, lustrous, and jade-colored. It is found in mountain valleys around Changzi, Mount Tai, and Linzi, and may be gathered at any time.

Tao Hongjing says: Changzi County belongs to Shangdang Commandery, and Linzi County to Qingzhou. Neither folk prescriptions nor the scriptures of immortals use this medicine.

A note in the Tang Materia Medica says: This stone resembles gypsum, but is thicker and larger, with long, vertical markings like horse’s teeth. Today it is found on Liaoban Mountain in Junzhou. The local people call it lishi; this is Changshi.

Taohuashi (peach-blossom stone): It tastes sweet, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to treat dysentery with pus and blood caused by deficiency and cold in the large intestine. Taken over a long period, it is said to warm the skin and improve the appetite.

A note in the Tang Materia Medica says: Taohuashi is found in Zhongshan County, Shenzhou. It resembles red ochre, but the genuine kind does not stick to the tongue when licked. The Tang Materia Medica was the first pharmacopoeia to include it.

The Southern Seas Materia Medica says: It also resembles amethyst; its color is like peach blossoms, and it is lustrous, glossy, and rather heavy. It is pleasing to the eye.

The Extended Discourse says: Taohuashi comes in red and white varieties. One has a red ground with pale white spots like peach petals; the other has a pale white ground with light red spots like peach petals. People often carve and polish it into objects. Today, few people take it as a medicine.

Agate: It tastes acrid, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It is used to ward off evil influences and to apply heat to the eyes when they are red, swollen, and ulcerated. Red in color and resembling a horse’s brain, it is a beautiful stone and is also regarded as a precious treasure. Agate from the Western Regions was brought to China along with jade, and people used it to make objects. Some say that agate beads are spat out by horses, but this is mostly a wild tale told by foreigners to inflate its value.

Chen Cangqi says: Agate is found in Japan. The best kind does not become hot when used to polish wooden objects; if it heats up during polishing, it is not genuine.

The Extended Discourse says: Agate is neither an ordinary stone nor jade, but a mineral of its own kind. It comes in red, white, and black, and some varieties have patterns resembling twisted silk. Agate from the Western Regions is of good quality. Local people polish small pieces into exquisite objects for appreciation; larger pieces are polished into …

This substance can be made into implements, and prescriptions from both ancient and modern times consider it suitable for medicinal use. People in the West value it highly, so it is often mentioned in Buddhist scriptures. The claim that a horse spits it from its mouth is already known to be absurd and should not be included in books.

Taiyin Xuanjing (a medicinal substance, also called Taiyin Xuanjing Stone)

It tastes salty, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats pathogenic Wind-Cold and damp impediment (numbness or pain in the limbs caused by dampness), and can replenish Jing and Qi. It is also used for chronic coldness in women, persistent uterine bleeding, accumulations in the chest and abdomen, and cold Qi. It can stop headaches and release the exterior (promoting sweating and relieving disorders at the body surface). The best kind is bluish-white and shaped like a tortoise shell. It is produced in Xie County.

The Illustrated Classic says: Taiyin Xuanjing is produced in Xie County. It is now also found at Xie Salt Lake and in the salt warehouses of Tongzhou and Taizhou. The bluish-white kind shaped like a tortoise shell is best, and it may be gathered at any time of year. Xie Salt Lake also produces salt essence, which tastes even more bitter and salty and is bluish-black. The larger pieces are two or three inches across and shaped like the tip of an iron plowshare; they are gathered in the third and fourth months. This substance can also treat Wind-Cold and is non-toxic. It is also called mud essence and seems to belong to the same class as Xuanjing.

Taiyin Xuanjing does not appear in ancient prescriptions, but in recent times it has often been used in tonifying medicines and formulas for treating Cold Damage. One well-known formula is for headache, high fever, and impaired movement in the limbs three days after the onset of Cold Damage. At the hour of Zhengyang, take two taels each of Taiyin Xuanjing, talc, and sulfur, and one tael of sal ammoniac. Grind the four ingredients very finely and seal them in an earthenware bottle. Surround the bottle with half a jin of charcoal, forming a layer about one inch thick, and heat it for nearly half a day. When the medicine turns bluish-purple, stop the fire. Once it has cooled, remove it and mix it with snow water gathered in the twelfth month, then place it in a porcelain bottle. Leave it in the shade on the north side of a house to dry, then bury it underground for two weeks. Remove it and grind it finely; mix it with flour paste and form pills the size of foxnut seeds. First bathe with salt water, then swallow one pill with mugwort decoction. Cover yourself with clothing and bedding; once you sweat, the symptoms should ease.

The Extended Discourse says: Applied externally in combination with other medicines, Taiyin Xuanjing Stone can treat severe skin disease, for which there is a special method. It may also be used with other medicines for patients with Yin-type Cold Damage whose nails and face have turned bluish-black, whose six pulses are deep, fine, and rapid, and who have distention and hardness below the heart, restlessness, thirst, unceasing spontaneous sweating, and sometimes delirium, cold extremities, throat discomfort, and abdominal pain. The Illustrated Materia Medica gives a relevant method and says that the kind from Jiezhou is best.

It tastes salty, bitter, and pungent, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It treats red, tearing eyes; eye films; excessive discharge from the eyes; and blurred vision.

The Tang Pharmacopoeia commentary says: It is prepared by treating it with luminous salt, sal ammoniac, and copper filings…

Genuine block green, a mineral, is produced in the state of Yanqi. It must be collected from beneath stones in water. Its appearance resembles flat green and hollow green, and it is an important ingredient in eye medicines. The Tang Materia Medica was the first to append an entry on it here.

As for processing iron, Tao Hongjing held that “iron scale” is material produced by heating iron; Su Song disagreed. Consider how iron liquor is prepared: place iron in a vessel and soak it in water for a long time. When the water turns green and foam rises to the surface, it can be used to dye things black and to counteract poisons accidentally swallowed. Drinking iron liquor can also calm the mind and spirit; it is said to be useful for epilepsy, fever, and sudden bouts of frenzied running about. If a person or domestic animal becomes delirious, or is pierced by a venomous snake, dog, tiger, or wolf, or bitten by a poisonous insect, drinking iron liquor is said to prevent the poison from entering the body. (According to Chen Cangqi.)

Iron can also treat “thief wind,” a wind pathogen that suddenly assails the body, and relieve recurrent pain caused by postpartum blood masses—an illness resulting from accumulated blood in the abdomen after childbirth—as well as throat obstruction and heat pathogen congestion. Heat iron until red, plunge it into wine, and drink the wine while it is hot. At the time, people called postpartum blood masses “child’s pillow”: when the condition arose after childbirth, the pain was unbearable. If no iron hammer is available, an axe may be used instead. (Added here.)

Yuxi says: According to Chen Cangqi, the weight on a steelyard tastes pungent, is warm in nature, and is non-toxic. Another account says it tastes salty, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It can calm the mind and spirit, strengthen the marrow, increase resolve and strength, dispel wind pathogens, nourish Qi and blood, prolong life, turn white hair black, and treat many ailments. It may be combined with other medicines according to whether their properties are cold or hot.

To make iron-flower powder, forge iron into thin tablets shaped like a court tablet, or grind it into smooth, flat discs, then polish them until bright and clean. Sprinkle salt water over the iron and place it in a jar of vinegar, which is then buried in a cool place for one hundred days. Iron flowers will form on the surface. Scrape them off, pound them finely, and sift them; then grind them in a mortar until they become powder, and combine the powder with other medicines to make pills or powders. This is the essence of iron, and its effects surpass those of iron filings. (Added here.)

Yuxi says: According to Rihua Zi, iron-derived medicinal powder can stop palpitations and deficiency epilepsy, calm the five viscera, dispel pernicious influences, strengthen resolve and sinews and bones, and treat forgetfulness, cold Qi, heart pain, abdominal masses, hard lumps in the abdomen, rectal prolapse, hemorrhoids and fistulas, and undigested food.

Another account says it tastes salty, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It can calm the mind and spirit, strengthen the marrow, treat many ailments, turn white hair black, moisten the skin, slow aging, strengthen the body, and increase appetite. Long-term use makes the body heavy and fat and darkens the complexion. It may be combined with other medicines, with different effects in each combination.

There is a lengthy method for refining this powder by sublimation, which is not recorded here. People commonly grind scrap iron into filings and refine them into powder by sublimation; powder made this way makes the body heavy, whereas genuine steel does not. The needle sand sold in the market is made by merchants from filings ground from scrap iron…

After cinnabar (called “harmonized sand” in the original) has been refined by volatilization into a powder and put up for sale, even experts in mineral refining—using methods such as sublimation and grinding—cannot tell the difference. Powder made from steel is even more convincing. This entry is an appended note.

Iron filings: Pungent and sweet in taste, neutral in nature, and nontoxic. They chiefly treat wind-heat, malignant sores, abscesses, scabs, and scabies; dispel pathogenic influences in the skin; clear heat between the chest and diaphragm; relieve difficulty swallowing food; calm vexing heat; and remove black moles. They are also called “iron liquid.” They occur in the pastures and level marshlands, as well as in Fangcheng and Xicheng. They may be collected at any time.

Yu Xi says: According to the Lia Huazi, iron liquid treats fright of the heart and possession by evil spirits, as well as sores caused by bites or stings from venomous snakes, insects, silkworms, or lacquer trees. It also treats intestinal wind, hemorrhoids and fistulas, rectal prolapse, seasonal epidemics, and manic heat, and can be used to dye the sideburns. For details, see the entry on “iron essence.”

Stone brain: Sweet in taste, warm in nature, and nontoxic. It chiefly treats wind-cold, debility, and pain or numbness in the lower back and legs; it can calm the five viscera and replenish original Qi. It is also called “stone-syrup cake.” It occurs in the earth and rocks of famous mountains and may be collected at any time.

Tao Hongjing says: Stone brain is also a kind of stalactite. It resembles azurite, but is whitish with black spots, soft in texture, and easily broken. It is found east of Mount Mao and on Mount Xiping, where it must be obtained by digging into the earth and entering caves. Folk prescriptions rarely use it, but Daoist scriptures on immortality include Liu Jun’s “Guide to the Immortals Powder,” which contains it. The Zhenggao also says that Li Zheng gathered and ate stone brain to treat wind impediment and debility, and later attained long life.

(Patterned stone): Pungent and sweet in taste, cold to extremely cold in nature, and nontoxic. It chiefly treats bodily fever, promotes the passage of food through the stomach and intestines, and clears vexing heat. It replenishes Jing and Qi, brightens the eyes, breaks up accumulations, drives out the Three Worms, and clears severe, recurring heat and stagnant heat in the Ying and Wei. It also resolves vexation and toxicity, stops wasting thirst, and treats windstroke, weakness, and numbness. It is also called “standing-control stone” and “muscle stone.” It resembles gypsum, with fine, straight grain. It occurs in the mountain valleys of Hanzhong and on Mount Lu, and may be collected at any time. Talc can be used to assist it; avoid Madong.

Tao Hongjing says: Hanzhong lies in Liangzhou, and Mount Lu lies in Qingzhou. It is now also found in Ningzhou, but is rarely used among the people.

The Yanyi says: Patterned stone resembles feldspar, but its grain is fine and straight like gypsum. Material without this appearance is called feldspar. Their medicinal uses are also much the same.

Horse bit: Nontoxic. It chiefly treats difficult childbirth and childhood epilepsy. During labor, a woman may hold a horse bit in her hand, or boil it in water and drink one cup. A horse bit is the iron fitting on a bridle. The commentary on the “horse” entry in the Bencao Jing already gives a brief explanation. This entry is an appended note.

Yu Xi says: According to the Bencao Jing, the horse bit is a generally used remedy for difficult childbirth.

This stone is non-toxic. It mainly breaks up blood stasis that has built up inside the body, treats stone strangury (conditions involving sand or stones in the urine and painful urination), disperses abdominal masses, and can also drive away hidden ghosts and evil influences. It is also called “grinding stone.” Heat the stone until red hot, then drop it into wine and drink the wine. The sediment scraped from the grinding stone can be applied to sores said to be caused by earwig urine; this is reportedly effective. It is also said that no one should step on this stone, or they may develop a disorder involving vaginal discharge and related symptoms, though the book does not explain why.

There is also “Yue whetstone,” which is extremely fine in texture. It can be ground into a liquid and dripped into the eyes to clear dimness and blurred vision. Heated until red hot and dropped into wine, it is also said to relieve pain caused by blood concretions—abdominal masses formed from blood stasis—and to work like the grinding stone described above. Since the two have the same name and a similar shape, they seem to be whetstones used for sharpening knives. The “Tribute of Yu” records that a whetstone is finer than a sharpening stone; both are used for grinding. (Newly added; see Chen Cangqi.)

Sweet in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. Soaked in wine and taken, it treats wind-cold affecting the waist and legs. It is the same substance as Yin Nie and is also called “milk flower.”

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: This substance is collected in the third and ninth months. When drops of its milky fluid fall onto water, they spread out like frost or snow. It is found in the chambers of milk-stone caves. The Tang Materia Medica was the first to append it to this book.

The Classified Materia Medica says: The stone flower is white and rounded, like a large ladle turned upside down. It has more than a hundred branches, each branching and crossing like a deer’s antlers, with fine lines across the surface. When flicked with a finger, it makes a clear, ringing sound. This is the stone flower. It often grows on rocks in the sea and is rarely seen. There was once a piece in my home, and later I saw another in the Daxiangguo Palace. It is very brittle and cannot withstand being touched. The comments under the original entry do not describe this stone flower correctly.

Salty and sweet in taste, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats various wind disorders of the head and face, red and painful eyes, excessive discharge from the eyes, and tearing. It is found beneath the salt ponds of Wuyuan in Yanzhou and is obtained by digging it out. Large pieces can be as big as a sheng or dou measure; they are regular in shape and clear and translucent. It is also called “rock salt.” (First appended to this book by the Tang Materia Medica.)

Yuxi says: According to the Shu Materia Medica commentary, this substance is also called “sacred stone.”

Sweet in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. Soaked in wine and taken, it has the same effects as Yin Nie. It is also called “milk bed” or “reversed stone.”

The Tang Materia Medica commentary says: Tao Hongjing’s claim that Kong Gong Nie is the same as the milk bed is incorrect. Ru Nie and Kong Gong Nie grow above, while the milk-bed flower grows below. Their properties and forms are similar, but they differ in position. Drops of stalactite water fall and solidify into bamboo-shoot-like shapes. These gradually grow larger and, over time, join the stalactites above to form stone pillars. The substance is found in stalactite caves and can be collected at any time. The Tang Materia Medica was the first to append it to this book.

Pungent and salty in taste, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It treats Gu poison, as well as illnesses caused by snake venom, plant poisons, meat poisons, and other toxins; it also treats malignant sores. It should not be taken for a long time, or it will make a person grow thin. It is also called “Tuiqing” or “Tui stone,” and is found in the mountain valleys of Yizhou.

Tao Hongjing says: Neither ordinary medical prescriptions nor the Immortals’ scriptures make use of this substance, and no related knowledge has been passed down. As a result, people today no longer recognize it.

This substance is non-toxic. It can treat throat obstruction—when the throat is blocked and swallowing is difficult—as well as cold and heat symptoms in the throat. Heat it until it glows red, put it into wine, and drink the wine while it is still hot. It is included here for reference.

This substance is non-toxic. It can treat palpitations, madness, and similar conditions, calm the spirit and settle the soul, and strengthen resolve. It is also said to make people fearless when entering official service, and to help when meeting high-ranking officials, arranging a marriage, or doing business. People consider jade the most suitable material for sealing earth, while Five-Colored Earth—soil representing the five directions and used in ceremonies such as sacrifices—is regarded as a second choice. These are its medicinal uses; for other purposes, it is kept as a treasured object.

When a local official takes office, they may personally collect this soil and smear it on the gate. It is said to prevent thieves from entering the jurisdiction. Nowadays, every prefecture and county has an altar to the local earth deity.

The yellow earth used in casting bells is non-toxic. It can treat sudden heart pain and “zhu wu,” an illness that comes on abruptly and was attributed to malign influences, and can also dispel foul influences. Put it in wine, warm the wine, and drink it; this is more effective.

Fine earth from the nest of a ground-nesting wasp can treat swelling and sores. Mix it with vinegar into a paste and apply it. It can also be used for spider bites. “Ground-nesting wasp” here means a wasp that builds its nest in the soil.

Collect the earth from beneath the horns of the spring ox and place it above the door. It is said to make people well suited to farming.

Dig up the earth beneath a mulberry tree’s roots and knead it into a mud cake. Apply it to swelling caused by wind, then perform twenty or thirty moxibustion cones. Another account says that when someone develops whole-body edema from exposure to harmful wind, moxibustion with an earthen bowl for two hundred cones will cure the illness once yellow fluid is discharged.

The earth in a swallow’s nest is non-toxic. It can treat itching and hives caused by pathogenic wind. Grind the earth into powder, mix it with water, and apply it. The grass in the nest, burned to ash and taken as medicine, can treat the sudden onset of bloody urine. It can also be used for sores caused by a harmful thorn and for spreading ulcers. If such sores spread over the whole body and reach near the heart, they are said to be fatal; the nest grass can be used to treat them as well.

The earth beneath a pillar is non-toxic and can treat sudden abdominal pain. Grind it into a fine powder and take one square-inch spoonful at a time.

Take seven grains of rice-sized clumps of earth from an anthill, mix them evenly with vinegar, and apply the mixture to “fox-thorn sores,” the name given in the source to a kind of sore.

Dust from an old thatched roof is non-toxic and can treat a chronic cough. Grind together dust accumulated over many years from smoke, realgar, coltsfoot flowers, and grime from a woman’s menstrual belt. Mix the powder with water and smear it onto thatch. Once it has dried, put it into a bamboo tube and light one end. Suck the smoke in through the other end, drawing it into the throat and swallowing it repeatedly. The source claims that this remedy never fails.