《圖經衍義本草》Vol. 6

White chalk is bitter and pungent in flavor, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It is mainly used to treat women’s alternating chills and fever, abdominal masses, absent menstruation, accumulations and gatherings, swelling and pain in the genital area, persistent uterine bleeding, infertility, diarrhea, and dysentery. It must not be taken for a long time, or it will harm the five organs and cause wasting. White chalk is also called “White Shan.” It grows in mountain valleys around Handan and can be collected at any time.

The Illustrated Classic says that the detailed account appears under “Daizhe.”

The Treatise on the Nature of Medicinals says: As an auxiliary medicine, white chalk is sweet in flavor and neutral in nature. It chiefly treats blood stasis in women and obstructed menstruation. It can also astringe the intestines, stop dysentery, and provide warmth.

Tao Hongjing says: This is the white chalk commonly used for painting today. It is very common and inexpensive. Folk prescriptions rarely use it, and it is not needed in the scriptures of the immortals.

The Rihuazi Materia Medica says: White Shan is sweet in flavor. It can treat diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, fistulas, seminal emission, coldness of the uterus in women and of the kidneys in men, as well as nosebleeds and vomiting blood. It is also called white chalk, and must be calcined before being used as medicine.

Lei Gong says: Do not choose white chalk that is bluish in color and white underneath. First pound it finely on its own and sift it three times, then grind it in a mortar. Next, refine it by levigation with salt water—that is, suspend the powder in liquid and separate impurities through settling—and then filter out the powder and let it dry. For every one liang of white chalk, use one fen of white salt in clean water. Boil the water more than ten times in a copper vessel, then use it to refine the white chalk by levigation. This prevents the medicine from binding and obstructing the intestines.

Yuxi says: According to the Tang Ben, Hu Jushi said that White Shan is produced in Jinyang Township, Xiaogui County, Xingshi.

Green Langgan

Green Langgan is pungent in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It is used to treat itching of the body, burns, abscesses and swelling, injuries, white scalp ringworm (hair loss with scaling), scabies and ringworm, dead tissue on the skin, and spreading rashes. It is said that taking it after boiling and refining can strengthen Yin energy, and that it can also be refined into an elixir. Green Langgan is also called Stone Pearl or Green Pearl. It grows in the level marshlands of Shu Commandery and can be collected at any time. It neutralizes tin toxicity and is more potent when mercury is present; it is incompatible with chicken bone.

The Illustrated Classic says: Green Langgan is produced in the level marshlands of Shu Commandery. Su Gong’s commentary says that there are several kinds of Langgan, which are precious stones resembling glass. Langgan comes in five colors, of which the green variety is the best for medicinal use. Green Langgan is produced among the Wubai Man people west of Suizhou, and also in the kingdom of Khotan. Among the books now held in the Secretarial Library is the Illustrated Record of Strange Fish …

Records say that langgan (a jade-like gemstone) is blue-green and grows in the sea. People living by the shore can lower nets to the seabed and catch it. When first brought out of the water, it is red; only after a long time does it turn blue-black. Its branches resemble coral, with holes in them as though eaten by worms. When struck, it makes a sound like metal or stone. It resembles coral, but accounts of it are inconsistent, so people cannot identify it with certainty. After carefully examining the sources, I conclude that the “Tribute of Yu” chapter in the Book of Documents records that among the goods presented by Yongzhou were qiu-lin and langgan.

Tao Hongjing says this is what the Rhapsody on the Capital of Shu calls blue pearls and yellow rings. Yellow rings are actually a kind of herb: the name is similar, but the species is entirely different. Langgan is also the name of a tree on Mount Kunlun, and the name of a great elixir in the Scripture of the Nine Truths. This stone has no particular use today. I have only heard that it can treat skin on the hands and feet that has become raised, rough, and hard. As for claims that it can be refined into an elixir, I have never seen a reliable method.

The commentary in the Tang Materia Medica says that there are several kinds of langgan, in different colors. They belong to the category of liuli and are precious gems. Langgan comes in five colors, of which the blue-green variety is best for medicinal use. Today it is found west of Suizhou, in the lands of the Bai Man, as well as in the kingdom of Khotan.

The Materia Medica of Master Rihua says that glass is cold in nature and non-toxic. It can calm the spirit, stop palpitations, brighten the eyes, and be used to grind away eye opacities.

Yuxi says that, according to Chen Cangqi, liuli can be used for fever and red eyes: soak it in water until it cools, then apply it to the affected area. The Rhyme Collection says that liuli is the same as huoqi pearls. The Account of Strange Things from the Southern Regions says that liuli is originally stone, which can be worked into vessels using natural ash. Tridacna shell and agate also belong to the category of jade-like stones and are prized treasures in Western countries. The seven treasures mentioned in Buddhist scriptures are gold, silver, liuli, tridacna shell, agate, glass, and pearls. Some also say that the intricate designs carved on agate bowls are made using natural ash and Kunwu knives. Today, imitations are made with glue from raw hide; these are not genuine products made with natural ash.

The Extended Meaning of the Materia Medica says: “Blue langgan. The Book of Documents records: ‘The Three Perilous Mountains were settled; these are the mountains on the western frontier of Sanwei. Their tribute included qiu, lin, and langgan.’” Kong Yingda considers langgan a stone resembling jade. The New Book also says it comes from the regions of the Sanmiao and the Western Rong. The Record of the Western Regions states that this substance is found in the mountains of India. Tao Hongjing calls it the name of a “great elixir.” Since “great elixir” is the name of an elixir, how can the materia medica say that langgan can be decocted and taken? The text also says it can be refined into an elixir. Tao Hongjing seems to have conflated different accounts, which is probably mistaken; these records do not refer to the same kind of langgan.

Natural copper.

Natural copper has a pungent taste and a neutral nature. It is non-toxic and can treat fractures and injuries from falls or blows, disperse blood stasis, relieve pain, and eliminate accumulations.

Natural copper occurs in mountain rocks in Yongzhou, in what is now the Guangxi region. Wherever copper ore is found, it can be collected from mines or cracks in the rocks. Its shape varies: some pieces are square, others round. It is blue-green and yellow, like copper. Since it is not smelted from ore, it is called “natural copper.”

The Illustrated Classic says that natural copper occurs in the mountain rocks of Yongzhou and can be found wherever there is copper ore. Today it is also produced in Xinzhou, in what is now the Jiangxi region, and in Huoshan Army, a place-name from the Song dynasty. It can be collected in copper mines or cracks in the rocks. Its shape varies, and it is blue-green and yellow, like copper. Because it is not smelted from ore, it is called natural copper.

A kind of natural copper produced today in Xinzhou is shaped like tangled copper wire. It is said to grow in copper mines, where it is steamed by the vapors of the mountains and flows out naturally. It also looks like “living silver,” and sometimes resembles an old man’s beard. This kind is best suited for medicinal use. The natural copper produced in Huoshan Army comes in grains or lumps. It looks like copper, but is as hard and heavy as stone. Physicians call it “hou stone.” Its medicinal effect is weaker, and there is no set time for collecting it.

Physicians in the south today say that natural copper comes in two or three forms. One is the size of hemp seeds or millet grains; some pieces have many corners and are joined in layers, with the largest as big as a dou measure. Its color is bright and dazzling, like gold or arsenopyrite. Another form occurs in lumps of varying sizes. It is also bright, but tinged with red. A third looks like ginger or iron filings.

Some also say that hou stone is now often sold in markets as natural copper. These stones all emit blue flames when burned, like sulfur, and come in two or three forms. One has an outer crust like “surplus-grain stone”; when broken open, its inside shines like a mirror and is yellow, like arsenopyrite. Another is blue-green and yellow, with wall-like patterns or markings like a bundle of needles. A third has fine, scattered markings, like clustered grains of sand. All these stones are very bright, usually blue-white and rarely red. When burned, they smoke and catch fire, then burn away completely in a short time. Today, pharmacies often mistake these stones for natural copper and sell them as such; what is sold in the market is often this kind. Genuine natural copper is routinely forged before use. It is vulnerable to fire, so it should not be identified by its shape and color alone: whether it can withstand forging in a fire distinguishes it from these stones.

Lei Gong said, “‘Stone-marrow lead’ is natural copper. Do not substitute fang-jinya when using it. Fang-jinya does indeed look very much like stone-marrow lead, but if taken by mistake, it can cause vomiting and even death. Stone-marrow lead is the color of dried-up silver paste and tastes slightly sweet. After collecting it, first pound it into pieces, then boil it with licorice-root decoction for one fu period, about a day. The next morning, take it out and spread it…”

After drying it in the sun, pound it in a mortar and sift it. Soak it in vinegar overnight, until … Seal a porcelain container with Liuyi clay, a kind of clay used to seal vessels. The container should hold about two sheng. Alternate a gentle fire with a strong fire for three days and three nights. Once it is dry, put on the lid and seal it with clay. Fire it for two fu periods, an ancient unit of time whose exact duration varies by account. Remove the clay, lift the lid, and grind the material into powder for use. For every five liang processed, use two yi of vinegar; both are ancient units of weight.

Yuxi says: According to the Rizihua, natural copper is cool in nature. It can expel pus, disperse stagnant blood, and mend tendons and bones. It also treats harmful blood conditions after childbirth, calms the spirit, and stops palpitations and fright. It may be ground and taken with wine.

The Yanyi says: Someone fed natural copper to a goose with a broken wing, and later the goose flew away. Today, natural copper used for injuries from falls and blows is ground very finely, then processed by water levigation—a method of grinding with water, allowing the material to settle, and collecting the fine powder. Mix it with half a qian each of danggui and myrrh, take it mixed with wine, and massage the painful area by hand.

Golden Tooth

Golden Tooth tastes salty and is non-toxic. It chiefly treats ghost possession, poisonous gu afflictions, and various other possession disorders. It is produced in Shu Commandery; specimens resembling gold in color are considered best.

The Tujing says: Golden Tooth is produced in Shu Commandery and is also found today in Yongzhou. Ancient materia medica texts consider the gold-colored specimens superior. This mineral occurs in stream valleys and is mined from among the rocks along the banks of the rivers in Shu and Han. When freshly mined, its interior is golden; if the bank rocks collapse into the water and it remains there for many years, it generally turns black. Ge Hong used large and small Golden Tooth wines to treat wind-toxin paralysis: only the medicinal liquid was infused and drunk. Some ancient prescriptions also call for heating Golden Tooth and quenching it in water to remove its toxicity before using it as medicine. For wind-toxin, ghost possession, southern miasma, and corpse-transmission disease, Sun Simiao recorded various prescriptions, including the large and small Golden Tooth powders.

Tao Yinjü says: Golden Tooth comes from Shu and Han. It resembles coarse gold, is about the size of a chess piece, and has a roughly square shape. There is another kind, called Copper Tooth, that looks similar but is black on the outside and lighter in color within; it must not be used as medicine. Golden Tooth is used only in wine preparations and powders. Tang commentators say that freshly mined Golden Tooth is golden inside, but after lying in water for many years following the collapse of bank rocks, it turns black. Specimens from the stream valleys around the Southern Mountains, as well as those from Maozhou and Weizhou, are considered good.

The Rizihua says: Golden Tooth tastes sweet and is neutral in nature. It can treat various wind disorders caused by cold, warm the lower back and knees, strengthen the kidneys, and treat palpitations and convulsions in children. Before using it as medicine, heat it and quench it in water to remove the coarse material and its liquid.

Yuxi says: According to the Yaoxing Lun, Golden Tooth stone is a chief medicinal ingredient. It treats various wind disorders, contraction of the sinews and bones, and impaired movement of the lower back and legs. It works best when heated and then infused in liquid for drinking.

The Yanyi says: Nowadays, physicians who use prescriptions rarely use Golden Tooth, and so merchants and travelers …

Physicians consider these medicinal materials unprofitable, so merchants are unwilling to trade in them, and doctors have consequently set them aside. Only small quantities are produced in Shu Commandery, suggesting that output is limited. For other details, see the Jing.

Gold-Star Stone

Gold-Star Stone is cold in nature and non-toxic. It treats obstructive toxic heat in the Spleen and Lungs, and can also be used for coughing or vomiting blood after lung damage, for hot phlegm and saliva (phlegm and saliva produced by heat), and to counter various poisons. Today, it is produced mostly in Haozhou. There is also Silver-Star Stone, whose uses are broadly similar to those of Gold-Star Stone.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Gold-Star Stone is produced in Bingzhou and Haozhou. It is cold in nature and non-toxic, and treats obstruction and toxins in the Spleen and Lungs, bleeding due to lung damage, coughing blood, and hot phlegm and saliva. It can also counter various poisons. Silver-Star Stone is similar in nature to Gold-Star Stone. There is no fixed season for mining either stone.

The Expanded Meaning says: Gold-Star Stone and Silver-Star Stone also have a method of use for treating severe wind disease, an ancient term for certain serious skin conditions; they must first be fired. Gold-Star Stone has gold-colored, bran-like markings inside and on its surface, while Silver-Star Stone has silver-colored markings. There is another stone, deep blue-green in color, hard and lustrous in texture, with gold-colored, bran-like markings inside. It is not used as medicine. Jade workers grind it into objects, and some people use it to make women’s ornaments. For other details, see the Jing.

Meng Stone

Meng Stone is used to treat food accumulation that does not resolve, food retained in the viscera, and longstanding food accumulation that forms masses. It is also used for children who become emaciated from food accumulation, and for women with food accumulation lasting many years that causes stabbing pain in the chest and abdomen. It combines well with Niter, Croton Seed, Rhubarb, and Sparganium Rhizome, among other ingredients, and can be made into pills for oral use. It is used after being ground into a fine powder. It is also called Blue-Green Meng Stone; this is a recently established name for the medicine.

Ginger Stone

Ginger Stone is salty in flavor, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats hot pea-like sores, furuncles, and other swollen sores. It grows among soil and stones and resembles ginger. It comes in five colors, of which white is best, and is found in many places. The preferred kind is friable and not coarse or gritty. The best is produced east of Licheng in Qizhou.

The Essential Secrets of the Outer Platform records: For emergency treatment of breast abscesses, if the swelling is as large as a bowl and extremely painful, take one to two sheng of white Ginger Stone, pound it into powder, mix it with egg white into a thick paste, and apply it to the swollen area. Replace it when dry. This prescription has been tried many times and proved effective. If there is concern that using egg white may interfere with treatment, elm inner bark may instead be pounded together with Ginger Stone and applied; the swelling will subside quickly.

The Expanded Meaning says: Ginger Stone is found in many places and should be collected before it has been exposed to sunlight. Slightly whitish specimens are preferable and are especially effective for treating furuncles.

Well-Spring Stone

Well-Spring Stone is extremely cold in nature and non-toxic. It treats various heat disorders, relieves red, swollen, painful eyes, clears heat accumulation in the Heart, and reduces toxic swellings. It is also used for children’s heat-induced malnutrition, night blindness, and so-called blue blindness, a type of visual impairment. When obtained…

Rhubarb and gardenia can be used to treat swollen eyelids. Cassia seeds and chrysanthemum are highly effective for treating the thin film that clouds children’s eyes, and can also be used for heat cough caused by internal heat. This medicinal substance can be found throughout the surrounding region, though the kind produced in Raoyang Commandery is considered superior. It grows beneath the fields; dig down a little more than one zhang to find it. Its color resembles earth, and its shape may be round or square, long or short, with sizes varying. It is solid inside, while the outer layers overlap one upon another. It can be collected at any time of year. When using it, grind it carefully into a fine powder; otherwise, it may cause persistent dribbling urination. There is also a substance shaped like ginger stone, which people at the time often mistook for Well-Spring Stone, though it is not the same.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Well-Spring Stone, a medicinal stone found where underground spring water flows, occurs in the spring at Jujia Village, twenty li west of the city of Shenzhou. It lies about one zhang underground. Its color resembles earth, and it may be round or square, long or short, and of varying sizes. It is solid inside, while the outer layers curve around it and overlap in interlocking folds. It is extremely cold in nature and non-toxic. It can relieve heat bound in the heart, disperse swelling and toxins, and treat childhood heat gan, a form of malnutrition caused by internal heat. It may be collected in any month or season.

Flower-Nipple Stone

Flower-Nipple Stone, a medicinal mineral used to stop bleeding, treats bleeding from wounds such as knife cuts. It can also treat blood fainting after childbirth and the failure to expel stagnant blood completely. It is produced around Shanzhou and Huazhou. It is pure yellow, with shapes and sizes that vary; some pieces are square, others round. For internal use, it must be heated over a strong fire. To stop bleeding from a knife wound, scrape off the stone powder and apply it directly; the wound will heal without suppurating or ulcerating. It is also called Flower-Bud Stone and may be collected at any time of year.

The Illustrated Materia Medica says: Flower-Bud Stone is produced in Wenxiang County, Shanzhou. It is hard and heavy, with a color like sulfur. Its pieces vary in size, and some are very large; people carve them into objects. It is not mentioned in ancient prescriptions. In recent times, people have heated it together with sulfur and ground it into powder to apply to knife wounds, with excellent results. When someone is wounded by a sword or knife in haste and has no time to prepare it by heating, they simply scrape off the stone powder and apply it directly.

The Supplement says: The Illustrated Materia Medica records a Flower-Bud Stone among the middle-grade jade and stone medicines, giving it the same indications as the substance described here. This shows that the two are one and the same.

The Elaborations on Materia Medica says: Flower-Nipple Stone resembles sulfur in color. It was already recorded in the fifth volume of the Classic of the Materia Medica, which states that it is produced around Shanzhou and Huazhou. Pale white spots are sometimes interspersed in the yellow stone, which is why it is called “Flower-Nipple Stone.” The Flower-Nipple Stone Powder used today by the Huimin Bureau is made from this very stone. People in Shanzhou also carve it into objects. In the second volume, the Illustrated Materia Medica changed its name to “Flower-Bud Stone,” apparently drawing on the idea of its yellow color. The name “Flower-Nipple Stone” later fell out of use. Since the passage of time might cause people to confuse the two, this point is recorded here deliberately.

Incombustible Wood

Incombustible Wood is cold in nature and can treat prickly heat, sores, and rashes. Grind it into powder with jujube leaves and lime, then apply it to the body.

This substance comes from Shangdang. It looks like rotten wood, but it does not catch fire when burned; in fact, it is a kind of stone.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that Incombustible Wood comes from Shangdang and is now also found in the mountains of Zezhou and Luzhou. It belongs to the category of stones. It is blue-white in color and shaped like rotten wood, and it does not burn when put to the fire, hence its name. Some say it is the root of talc: wherever talc is found, Incombustible Wood is often found too. It is also called “Ashless Wood” and can be gathered in any season.

A substance called “Pine Stone” is now found in the mountains of Chuzhou. It looks like a pine trunk, but is made of stone. Some say it is a stone formed from a pine tree after many years. People often use it to decorate mountain pavilions, and also carve it into pillows. Although Pine Stone is not used as medicine, it resembles Incombustible Wood, so it is recorded here.

Chen Cangqi says that to burn Incombustible Wood into ash, first split it open, boil it in cow’s milk, and then burn it. If it is burned with yellow ox dung, it can be reduced to ash. In the second year of the Zhonghe era, he saw this method at Li Zong’s place.

The Mirror of the Elixir Chamber records that Incombustible Wood can be used to boil mercury.

Yuxi says that Incombustible Wood is extremely cold in nature and non-toxic.

Pengsha

Pengsha is bitter and acrid in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It can transform phlegm, stop coughing, disperse concretions, and treat throat obstruction. It can also be used to solder gold and silver. It is also called “Peng Sha.” This is a newly added entry, from the Rihuazi Materia Medica.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that details are given under “Niaosha.”

The Extended Meaning of Materia Medica says that Pengsha can treat a swollen, painful throat and phlegm-heat above the chest and diaphragm when it is held in the mouth and swallowed gradually with saliva. Use it as soon as symptoms are noticed to prevent the illness from developing into throat obstruction. Even if throat obstruction has already formed, taking it slowly can still be effective.

Pengsha from the southern regions beyond China is dark brown in color, milder in taste, and works quickly. That from the western frontier is white, sharply acrid, and slower to work; it is also unsuitable for soldering lead.

Lead Frost

Lead Frost is cold in nature and non-toxic. It can transform phlegm, relieve palpitations and fright, counteract alcohol toxicity, treat distress in the chest and diaphragm and wind-stroke with abundant phlegm, and stop thirst. This is a newly added entry, from the Rihuazi Materia Medica.

The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica says that details are given under “Lead.”

The Comprehensive Guide to Remedies records a treatment for nosebleeds: grind white lead frost into powder and take a dose the size of two Chinese characters mixed with freshly drawn water.

The Concise Prescriptions for Saving the People records a treatment for unmarried women with obstructed menstrual flow and a troubled, unsettled mind: finely grind white lead frost into powder and take one qian mixed with one he of warm fresh rehmannia juice. It may also be taken with a decoction of fresh rehmannia.

The Extended Meaning of Materia Medica says that the method for making Lead Frost is given in the Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica. It can treat heat and phlegm congesting the area above the chest and diaphragm. Applying Lead Frost to a quince can make it lose its sour taste; this is explained by the Five Phases, in which Metal overcomes Wood.

Snake Fat is used to treat heart pain, sudden acute illness, urinary pain caused by stones, difficult childbirth, and convulsions in children. It is boiled in water, then ground, and the resulting liquid is taken. Snake Fat is produced in Lingnan and is said to be found inside snakes. It is round and heavy like tin, with yellow, black, and green coloring mixed together.

The Illustrated Canon says: Snake Fat is produced in Lingnan and is now also found in Yuezhou and Xinzhou. The original classic says it comes from inside a snake, and describes it as round and heavy like tin, with yellow, black, and green coloring mixed together. Commentators add that Snake Fat is often red; some pieces are spat out by snakes and are occasionally found by country people.

The Snake Fat used by physicians today is about the size of a pellet and hard as stone, yellow on the outside and black within. It is collected in the second month. Some say it is earth held in a snake’s mouth while it hibernates in winter, which it spits out when it emerges in spring. This differs from the old account, and it is not clear which explanation is correct.

Snake Fat is sometimes red, and some pieces are spat out by snakes and occasionally found by country people. This account was already included in the Tang-dynasty Newly Revised Materia Medica.

Yuxi says: I consulted the Daily Record of the Sun, which states that Snake Fat is cold in nature, non-toxic, and can calm the heart. For medicinal use, first heat it until red-hot, quench it repeatedly in vinegar three or four times, then levigate it—that is, grind it with water and let it settle to collect the fine powder—before using it.

Ancient coins can treat films in the eyes and improve vision, as well as red eyes caused by wind-heat. Soak them in salt brine before use. They are also used for difficult childbirth, pain in the heart and abdomen, irregular menstruation, and the five kinds of painful urination. To treat these conditions, heat the coins and quench them in vinegar.

The Illustrated Canon says: For related information, see the entry on “Lead.”

Chen Cangqi says: “Large coins” means the kind mentioned in the note on coins. Tao Hongjing says that these coins are not used as medicine. On examination, green-colored coins are the large coins: a decoction treats the five kinds of painful urination; powder made by grinding them, applied to the eyes, treats blindness, cloudy films, and redness; boiled together with coix root and taken, it treats pain in the heart and abdomen. When boiling the coins, use the amount indicated by the size of their rims, then pour the liquid into freshly drawn well water and drink it. Green coins can also treat seasonal epidemic illness and may be held in the mouth. If heat sores develop inside the mouth, heat twenty coins until red-hot, drop them into wine, and drink it; this is said to work quickly. They can also treat difficult childbirth.

The Extended Meaning says: Ancient coins are old copper coins, and they are poisonous when heated until glowing red. They can treat cloudy films and stagnation in the eyes, and can also erode dead flesh. They are also used for difficult childbirth and the five kinds of painful urination. The claim that they are medicinal only because they contain tin is incorrect. Coins selected today are mostly the Great Spring Fifty from the time of King Jing; the Treasure Currency; Qin half-liang coins; Han dynasty clip coins; large and small five-zhu coins; the Wu dynasty Great Spring Five Hundred and Great Spring One Thousand; the Song dynasty four-zhu and two-zhu coins; and the Liang dynasty four-pillar coins and the Northern Qi Ever-Normal five-zhu coins. Many other kinds of coin appeared afterward; only coins of this sort can be used as medicine. For a time in the past, I myself often suffered from acute red eyes: they were swollen and painful for several days…

There is an eye condition that makes it impossible to open the eyes. One remedy taught to patients is to take a piece of fresh ginger, wash and peel it, then use an old bronze coin to scrape out the ginger juice. Dip the edge of the coin into the juice and apply it to the eye. At first it will sting intensely and bring tears streaming down the face, but it will not cause lasting harm. People later taught the same remedy to other patients. Although many were doubtful, those who trusted the advice and tried it all saw results. One application cures the condition; do not apply it again. This method must not be used by anyone with an eye ulcer.

Winter Ash, the ash produced by burning in winter, tastes pungent and is slightly warm in nature. It treats black moles, warts, polyps, ulcerative sores, and itchy scabies. It is also called goosefoot ash and is found in the river valleys and marshes of Fanggu.

Tao Hongjing says: This is the yellow ash now used for washing clothes. It is made by piling up various mugworts and goosefoots and burning them, and its medicinal action is also very strong. Reed ash is especially potent. To remove black moles, warts, or growths, take these three kinds of ash, moisten them with water, steam them, and dab them onto the affected area. They will remove the growths. Do not use them over a large area, however, or they will damage and eat away the flesh.

The Expanded Materia Medica says: The various authorities have explained “ash” but not why it is called “Winter Ash”; this is an omission. Most ashes are made after a short period of burning, but Winter Ash takes three or four months to burn through completely. Exposed to fire day and night, would its medicinal force not become less harsh and drying? Its texture is also heavier. Ash that burns quickly, as is commonly made today, is lighter in texture, probably because it has not been fired long enough, and so is inferior to Winter Ash.

Copper ore tastes sour, is cold in nature, and is slightly toxic. It treats boils, swellings and toxins, malignant sores, sores on the backs of donkeys and horses, and foul odor in the armpits. Grind it with water on a stone, then apply the liquid to the affected area. To treat a boil, it may also be ground into powder and applied to the sore. Another commentary says that copper ore resembles ginger stone and contains flecks of copper; copper can be extracted by smelting it. The Tang Materia Medica was the first materia medica to include it.

The copper trigger of a crossbow treats difficult childbirth in women, blocked blood stasis, obstructed menstruation, and blockage of the Yin and Yang energies.

Tao Hongjing says: This is the part used in crossbows today. Heat it until red-hot, put it into wine, and drink the wine in which it has steeped. The older the copper trigger, the better.

Yuxi says: According to the Rihuazi, the copper trigger is neutral in nature and slightly toxic.

Naturally occurring Arsenolite, a mineral medicine, tastes sweet, is warm in nature, and is toxic. It treats dim vision, impaired hearing, severe cold within the abdomen, hard accumulations, and “mouse fistulas,” a condition like tuberculosis of the lymph nodes in the neck. It can also kill various insects and ferocious beasts. Long-term use can prolong life. It is also called blue Arsenolite or mouse poison. It is found in the Western Regions and can be gathered at any time; its medicinal effect is better after it has been refined by fire. This medicine is harmed by water.

Tao Hongjing says: Arsenolite from old stork nests is the best. Storks often enter the water, and when the water is cold, they surround their eggs with Arsenolite to keep them warm. This kind of Arsenolite is now difficult to obtain, so only Arsenolite from Hanzhong is used today.

(The name of the medicinal substance in the preceding text is missing.) This substance is purplish red on the outside and white as frost within, with a mortar-shaped hollow in the center. Those shaped like teeth are considered the best.

Woxue Yushi (Snow-Gripping Arsenic Stone): Sweet in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It treats longstanding cold illnesses and accumulations within the body. Taking it can make the body feel light and promote longevity, but taking too much causes fever.

The Tang Ben Zhu says: This stone is found in Songli Mountain, west of Xuzhou. It lies more than ten feet underground, growing among decayed earth and stones. It is yellowish white, with a fine, soft texture like flour. It is also called Huagong Stone or Shinao. There are separate methods for refining and taking it. The Tang Ben Zhu was the first materia medica to include it.

Liangshang Chen (Dust from the Roof Beam): Refers to dust on roof beams. It treats abdominal pain, obstruction in the throat, sudden attacks by pathogenic Qi, nosebleeds, and soft sores on children’s skin. The Tang Ben Zhu was the first materia medica to include it. Rihuazi says it is neutral in nature and non-toxic; Yuxi, citing the Yao Dui, says it is slightly cold in nature.

Tuyin Nie (Earth Yin Nie): Salty in taste and non-toxic. It treats ulceration of the female genital area. It grows on the shaded side of high mountain cliffs. White and glossy like fat, it can be gathered at any time. Tao Hongjing says: This substance resembles Zhongru and Konggong Nie, which is why its name also includes the word “nie”; it simply grows on cliffs. It was still available at the time, but people had stopped gathering and using it.

Che Zhi (Vehicle Grease): Treats sudden heart pain and attacks by pathogenic Qi. Mix it with warm wine, heat the mixture, and take it. It also treats blocked breast milk and breast swelling and pain in women: heat the vehicle grease and apply it externally, or mix it with hot wine and drink it. This entry was added in a later period. Yuxi, citing Chen Cangqi, says: Vehicle grease is pungent in taste and non-toxic. It treats illnesses of the ghost-Qi type. Dissolve it in warm wine and drink it while hot.

Gang Zhong Gao (Grease from the Wheel Hub): Treats breech birth. Applying the grease in strokes to the soles of the fetus’s feet is said to turn the fetus into the correct position. It also treats windstroke with frenzied behavior: take a quantity of grease the size of an egg, dissolve it in hot vinegar, and drink it. This entry was added in a later period. The Qianjin Fang says: For abdominal pain during pregnancy, burn vehicle-hub grease to a powder and take it in wine; it can also be used for coughs.

Duanzao Hui (Ash from a Forging Furnace): Refers to ash from an iron-forging furnace. It treats abdominal masses and hard accumulations, and can dispel malign influences. Tao Hongjing says: This is the ash from the iron-forging furnaces used today. Because it also has the properties of iron, it is very effective for treating sudden attacks of abdominal masses. Chen Cangqi says: Black earth from behind the chimney of a furnace is non-toxic and treats failure to expel the afterbirth following childbirth. Grind it to a powder and take a three-finger pinch with warm water or wine. It is said to work when taken before dawn.

Lin Shi (Urinary Stone): Non-toxic. It treats stone strangury, the painful, difficult urination caused by urinary stones. This is a small stone-like substance that people with stone strangury sometimes pass in their urine. Grind it with water and take it; it is said to break up the stones so they can pass in the urine. This entry was added in a later period.

Liu Yuxi says: “I have carefully consulted the sources. The Rihuazi says, ‘Linfangite is warm in nature.’”

Calcite is bitter and pungent in flavor, extremely cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats accumulated heat in the chest, Qi stagnation, and jaundice; it can also unblock the blood vessels and dispel gu poison. It is also called “yellow stone” and grows on Fang Mountain. It may be gathered at any time. Do not use it together with croton seeds.

Tao Hongjing says: “Consulting the Classic of Materia Medica, I find that feldspar is also called fangshi and has similar effects. I suspect this is the stone being described.”

A note in the Tang Materia Medica says: “This stone is cold in nature, and its effect in treating heat disorders is no less than that of gypsum.”

Cangshi is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and toxic. It treats cold and heat disorders, can direct Qi downward, and may also be used to eat away diseased tissue in fistulas and sores. It can kill birds and beasts. It grows in the Western Regions and may be gathered at any time.

Tao Hongjing says: “People no longer use this medicine, and no one knows what it looks like.”

Stone silkworm is non-toxic. It treats wounds caused by knives, swords, and other metal implements, stopping bleeding and promoting the growth of new flesh. It may also be used for stone lin and blood clots. It is ground and taken orally; it is said to help fragments of stone pass out in the urine. It grows beside coastal rocks, resembles a silkworm, but is actually stone. (Added note: this entry was added in a later period.)

Liu Yuxi says: “I have carefully consulted the Yaojue, which says that stone silkworm is bitter in flavor, hot in nature, and toxic.”

Petroleum treats childhood fright wind, including sudden convulsions and similar disorders. It can resolve phlegm and saliva, and may be mixed with other medicines and made into pills for oral use. It should be kept in a porcelain vessel and must not be placed near gold or silver vessels; the medicine will seep through even if its container is tightly sealed. Daoists often use it, but ordinary folk prescriptions rarely require it. (Newly established: recently confirmed for inclusion.)

White porcelain sherds are neutral in nature and non-toxic. They treat vaginal discharge and profuse white discharge in women, and can stop vomiting. They may be used to disperse stagnant blood and stop bleeding. Mixed with water and applied, they can treat sores and reduce scars. Those produced in Dingzhou are the best; products from other places are inferior. (Already included in the original Tang Materia Medica.)

Old black roof tiles are cold in nature and non-toxic. Boil or soak them in water, then drink the liquid to relieve wasting thirst. Old tiles from rooftops are preferred. (Already included in the original Tang Materia Medica.)

Liu Yuxi says: “According to the Treatise on the Nature of Medicines, old black roof tiles may also be boiled alone and taken as a decoction to dispel intense internal heat.”

Jade spring water is sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It is said that long-term use can make a person immortal, keep the body supple, and turn white hair black. In any place where jade is found, the springs in the mountain valleys contain this water. It nourishes plants and trees, so how much more should it nourish people? Human hair is like the plants and trees of the mountains: where jade lies in the mountains, the vegetation is nourished; where jade lies within the body, the hair turns black. This is an account of how different things resonate with one another.

According to legend, Mount Kunlun has a stone pillar topped by a dew-catching basin, from which jade water flows down to the ground. Anyone in that region who obtains a measure and drinks it can live as long as Heaven and Earth. It is also said that Mount Taihua has jade water, and that those who drink it can live forever. Jade itself is a precious treasure, and jade water too is believed to possess miraculous powers that prolong life.

People’s hope for longevity may therefore have something to do with the fluids contained in jade. Even today, are there not many long-lived people among those who live near the mountains because they come into contact with the fluids of jade? Water is cited here as evidence in support of jade.

Autumn Dew Water tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. Dew on the tips of plants can treat many illnesses and relieve excessive thirst. Taken internally, it makes the body feel light, reduces hunger, and moistens the skin. Dew is also used to grind mica into powder. Before the dew dries in the morning, it can be brushed from cypress leaves; it is said to improve eyesight. Dew gathered from flowers is said to enhance the complexion. Dew is one and the same substance, but its medicinal effects differ according to where it is collected.

Sweet Dew Water tastes sweet and pleasant and is non-toxic. Drinking it moistens the Five Viscera and keeps a person from feeling hungry for years. The ancients believed that sweet dew appeared in response to the immortals and was an auspicious sign of blessings bestowed by Heaven.

Plum Rain Water can be used to wash sores and scabies and to fade scars. Sauces mixed with it ferment and mature readily. When plum rain gets on clothing, the fabric rots easily; washing clothes with plum rain water makes dirt come away as readily as if they had been washed with lye. This water differs from other kinds. South of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, the terrain is low and the climate damp, especially from the beginning to the end of the fifth lunar month. The “soil is moist and the heat sultry” described in the Monthly Ordinances refers to the climate in the fifth month. After this seasonal period, books should be aired in the sun. Cui Shi of the Han dynasty once aired books on the Seventh Night, and Ruan Xian did the same; this was a custom that followed the season. Stains from plum rain on clothing can be washed out with water boiled with plum leaves. Stains left by other kinds of rain cannot be removed this way.

Sweet Spring tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It can treat pain in the heart and abdomen, incursions of pernicious influences, disturbances caused by ghostly influences, and foul vapors. To drink it, go to the spring and drink its water on an empty stomach. The ancients believed that a sweet spring would well up in times of peace and prosperity. Many old books record this; for drinking, freshly drawn spring water is best. Sweet Spring can also clear heat and relieve thirst, and treat regurgitation, abdominal pain, and cholera.

Sweet-Dew Honey tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and is non-toxic. It can treat various forms of heat in the chest and diaphragm, improve eyesight, and relieve thirst. It comes from the distant region of Baxi and has the consistency of malt syrup.

Emperor Wu of Han once built a golden stem and installed a palm-shaped dew-catching tray to collect dew from the clouds. He drank it in the hope of becoming an immortal.

Water Blossoms are neutral in nature and non-toxic, and can relieve thirst. When traveling far into the mountains where water cannot be found, one can make them into pills with bitter trichosanthes and take twenty pills in advance in the morning; it is said this will prevent thirst. They are also used to make poison for killing wild animals. Water Blossoms are ground into powder with langdu, soap pods, and alum, then rubbed onto meat left over from a wild animal’s meal. The animal is said to eat it and no longer feel thirsty. People feared that if the animals drank water, it would neutralize the poison. The “Water Blossoms” described here are milky, stone-like deposits formed from foam that has accumulated for a long time in rivers and seas; those that remain relatively soft are the substance in question.

Salted Hot Water tastes salty and is non-toxic. If salt is heated and then put into water, drinking the mixture can induce vomiting and expel food and poisons lodged in the stomach.

When the qi of harmful substances causes abdominal fullness, with a feeling that cholera is about to strike, take one or two sheng as soon as discomfort is first noticed. This will induce vomiting and clear the contents of the stomach, after which the illness will pass. The method is also used for phlegm malaria, attributed to phlegm-dampness and other factors: in either case, bring up the phlegm and retained food to harmonize the middle burner—the area of the Spleen and Stomach in Chinese medicine—and dispel food accumulation.

In addition, someone who is very drunk or has eaten too much melon or fruit can soak their body in a mixture of cold and boiled water. The Bowuzhi says that when immersed up to the waist, one can still eat fifty melons; immersion up to the calves or neck allows one to eat even more.

Water dripping from a roof can be used to wash dog bites. Pour water over the eaves and collect what runs off, or let it drip beneath the eaves until it wets the soil, then take some of that soil and apply it to the bite. The text says this method can also disperse highly venomous wounds and severe illnesses.

Expanded Materia Medica with Illustrations, juan 6