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Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume VIII: Clothes, Utensils, Worms, Insects, Amphibians, Animals with Scales, Animals with Shells by Li Shizhen
The Ben Cao Gang Mu Series The complete Chinese text translated and annotated by Paul U. Unschuld Vol. I.
Ch. 1 – 4. Introduction, History, Pharmacology, Diseases and Suitable Pharmaceutical Drugs
Vol. II.
Ch. 5 – 11. Waters, Fires, Soils, Metals, Jades, Stones, Minerals, Salts
Vol. III.
Ch. 12 – 14. Mountain Herbs, Fragrant Herbs
Vol. IV.
Ch. 15 – 17. Marshland Herbs, Poisonous Herbs
Vol. V.
Ch. 18 – 25. Creeping Herbs, Water Herbs, Herbs Growing on Stones, Mosses, Cereals
Vol. VI.
Ch. 26 – 33. Vegetables, Fruits
Vol. VII.
Ch. 34 – 37. Woods
Vol. VIII.
Ch. 38 – 46. Clothes, Utensils, Worms, Insects, Amphibians, Animals with Scales, Animals with Shells
Vol. IX.
Ch. 47 – 52. Fowls, Domestic & Wild Animals, Human Substances
Tools The Dictionary of the Ben Cao Gang Mu Vol. I.
Chinese Historical Illness Terminology
Vol. II.
Geographical and Administrative Designations
Vol. III.
Persons and Literary Sources
Vol. IV.
Substance Identification
Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume VIII: Clothes, Utensils, Worms, Insects, Amphibians, Animals with Scales, Animals with Shells by Li Shizhen
16th Century Chinese Encyclopedia of Materia Medica and Natural History
The complete Chinese text translated and annotated by Paul U. Unschuld
university of california press
The generous financial support of the Ben cao gang mu translation project and of the publication of the resulting volumes by Mr. Rong Yumin 荣裕民 is gratefully acknowledged.
University of California Press Oakland, California
© 2021 by The Regents of the University of California
Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress. Library of Congress Control Number: 2020946743 ISBN 978-0-520-37991-6 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-520-97698-6 (ebook)
Manufactured in the United States of America
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CONTENTS 1. 1.1 1.2 1.3 2. 3. 4.
Prolegomena / 25 History of Chinese materia medica literature / 25 Structure and contents of the Ben cao gang mu / 29 Biographical sketch of Li Shizhen (1518 – 1593) / 39 Notes on the Translation / 41 Wang Shizhen’s preface of 1590 / 45 Translation of the Ben cao gang mu 本草綱目. Chapters 38 - 46 / 49
Section Clothes and Utensils. Chapter 38 Group: Clothes and Silk
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38-01 Jin 錦, brocade. / 54 38-02 Juan 絹, thin, tough silk. / 55 38-03 Bo 帛, silk fabric. / 56 38-04 Bu 布, cloth. / 58 38-05 Mian 綿, silk floss. / 60 38-06 Kun dang 褌襠, crotch of underpants. / 63 38-06-A01 Yue jing yi 月經衣, garments worn during menstruation. / 65 38-07 Han shan 汗衫, undershirt. / 65 38-08 Xiao zi shan 孝子衫, shirt worn by a son to display filial piety. / 38-09 Bing ren yi 病人衣, a sick person’s garment. / 67 38-10 Yi dai 衣帶, garment belt. / 67 38-11 Tou jin 頭巾, head scarf. / 68 38-12 Fu tou 幞頭, headdress. / 70 38-13 Pi jin zi 皮巾子, leather scarf. / 71 38-14 Pi yao dai 皮腰袋, leather waist belt. / 71
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Jiao jiao bu 繳脚布, cloth used for footbinding. / 71 Bai tian gong 敗天公, decayed ‘Honorable Heaven’. / 72 Gu suo yi 故蓑衣, old raincoat made from rushes. / 72 Zhan ti 氈屉, felt insole. / 73 Pi xue 皮鞾, leather boot. / 74 Ma xie 麻鞋, hemp shoe. / 75 Cao xie 草鞋, straw shoe. / 78 Lü ti bi sheng 履屉鼻繩, a string from the nose of wooden clogs. / 80 38-23 Zi jing si sheng 自經死繩, a noose used for suicidal hanging. / 38-24 Ling chuang xie 靈牀鞋, shoe from underneath a bier. / 82 38-25 Si ren zhen xi 死人枕蓆, a corpse’s headrest and mat. / 82 38-15 38-16 38-17 38-18 38-19 38-20 38-21 38-22
Group: Utensils and Further Items 38-26 38-27 38-28 38-29 38-30 38-31 38-32 38-33 38-34 38-35 38-36 38-37 38-38 38-39 38-40 38-41 38-42 38-43 38-44 38-45 38-46 38-47
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Zhi 紙, paper. / 84 Qing zhi 青紙, greenish paper. / 88 Yin zhi 印紙, paper with an official seal. / 88 Tong you san zhi 桐油傘紙, paper from an umbrella impregnated with vermicia oil. / 88 Li ri 歷日, calendar. / 89 Zhong kui 鍾馗, [drawing of ] Zhong Kui. / 89 Tao fu 桃符, peachwood talisman. / 91 Tao jue 桃橛, peachwood peg. / 92 Jiu yue zhang 救月杖, the stick used to rescue the moon. / 93 Bo huo zhang 撥火杖, wooden fire poker. / 93 Chui huo tong 吹火筒, a tube to kindle a fire by blowing. / 94 Zao bing mu 鑿柄木, wooden handle of a chisel. / 94 Tie zhui bing 鐵椎柄, handle of an iron hammer. / 95 Chong xie 銃楔, ramrod of a handgun. / 95 Dao qiao 弓鞘, sheath of a knife. / 96 Ma bian 馬鞭, horsewhip. / 96 Jian ke ji cu 箭舘及鏃, arrow shaft and arrowhead. / 96 Gong nu xuan 弓弩弦, bowstring and crossbow string. / 97 Fang che xuan 紡車弦, string of a spinning wheel. / 99 Suo tou 梭頭, shuttle head. / 100 Lian jia guan 連枷關, flail. / 100 Cong dan jian 楤擔尖, tip of a pole. / 100
Contents 38-48 Shu bi 梳篦, comb and fine-toothed comb. / 100 38-49 Zhen xian dai 針綫袋, bag with needles and threads. / 102 38-50 Pu shan 蒲扇, cattail leaf fan. / 103 38-51 Pu xi 蒲席, cattail mat. / 103 38-52 Dian 簟, bamboo mat. / 105 38-53 Lian bo 簾箔, curtain and screen. / 106 38-53-01 Bai mang bo 敗芒箔, rotten screen made of miscanthus reed. / 106 38-53-02 Bo jing shen 箔經繩, string penetrating a screen. / 107 38-53-03 Ce wu hu lian 厠屋户簾, curtain at the door of a lavatory. / 107 38-54 Qi qi 漆器, lacquer utensil. / 107 38-55 Yan zhu shi chui 研朱石槌, stone pestle used to grind cinnabar. / 38-56 Deng zhan 燈盞, uncovered oil lamp. / 109 38-57 Deng zhan you 燈盞油, oil from an uncovered oil lamp. / 109 38-58 Che zhi 車脂, cart grease. / 110 38-59 Bai chuan ru 敗船茹, rotten bamboo shavings used to seal a boat. / 113 38-60 Gu mu zhen 故木砧, old wooden chopping block. / 114 38-60-01 Ji shang xie 几上屑, crumbs on a table. / 114 38-60-02 Zhen shang gou 砧上垢, dirt on a chopping block. / 115 38-61 Shao 杓, wooden ladle. / 116 38-61-01 Hu piao 瓠瓢, gourd ladle. / 116 38-62 Zhu 筯, chopstick. / 116 38-63 Zeng 甑, steamer. / 117 38-63-01 Wa zeng 瓦甑, clay steamer. / 117 38-63-02 Zeng gou 甑垢, residue deposit in a steamer. / 117 38-63-03 Zeng dai 甑帶, string to tie a steamer. / 118 38-63-04 Gu zeng bi 故甑蔽, cover of an old steamer. / 120 38-64 Guo gai 鍋蓋, lid of a cooking pot. / 122 38-65 Fan luo 飯籮, rice basket. / 122 38-66 Zheng long 蒸籠, food steamer made of bamboo. / 122 38-67 Chui dan bu 炊單布, a cloth in a steamer. / 123 38-68 Gu chui zhou 故炊帚, old pot-scouring brush. / 123 38-69 Bi zhou 弊帚, worn broom. / 124 38-70 Bo qi shi 簸箕舌, bottom of a winnowing basket. / 125 38-71 Zhu lan 竹籃, bamboo basket. / 125 38-72 Yu gou 魚笱, bamboo basket for trapping fish. / 126
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu 38-73 Yu wang 魚網, fishnet. / 126 38-74 Cao ma sheng suo 草麻繩索, rope made out of straw or hemp. 38-75 Ma ban sheng 馬絆繩, rope used to trip a horse. / 128 38-76 Fu zhu sheng 縛猪繩, rope used to tie up pigs. / 128 38-77 Niu bi juan 牛鼻牶, wooden stick from an ox nose. / 128 38-78 Ce chou 厠籌, wooden latrine board. / 129 38-79 Niao tong 尿桶, urinal bucket. / 130 38-79-01 Jiu ban 舊板, old board from a urinal bucket. / 130 38-79-02 Jiu gu 舊箍, old hoop [of a urinal bucket]. / 130
Section Worms/Bugs. Chapter 39
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Worms/Bugs I.Born from Eggs Group, First
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39-01 Feng mi 蜂蜜, honey. / 135 39-02 Mi la 蜜蠟, beeswax. / 146 39-03 Mi feng 蜜蜂, honeybee. / 153 39-03-01 Feng zi 蜂子, bee larvae. / 154 39-04 Tu feng 土蜂, ground bee/wasp. / 156 39-04-01 Feng 蜂, bees. / 157 39-04-02 Feng zi 蜂子, bee larvae. / 157 39-04-03 Fang 房, [ground bee/wasp] nest. / 158 39-05 Da huang feng 大黄蜂, hornet. / 159 39-05-01 Feng zi 蜂子, [hornet] bee larvae. / 160 39-06 Lu feng fang 露蜂房, hornet/wasp nest. / 161 39-07 Zhu feng 竹蜂, bamboo bee. / 170 39-07-01 Liu shi mi 留師蜜, honey of liu shi [bees]. / 171 39-08 Chi chi feng 赤翅蜂, red winged hornet. / 171 39-09 Du jiao feng 獨脚蜂, single leg bee. / 173 39-10 Ye weng 蠮螉, solitary wasp. / 174 39-10-01 Tu feng ke 土蜂窠, nest of ground bees. / 178 39-10-A01 Xiong huang chong 雄黄蟲, realgar worm/bug. / 178 39-11 Chong bai la 蟲白蠟, white wax of worms/bugs. / 178 39-12 Zi kuang 紫𨥥, shellac. / 181 39-13 Wu bei zi 五倍子, Chinese sumack gallnut. / 184 39-13-01 Bai yao jian 百藥煎, ferment prepared from Chinese sumac gallnuts and tea leaves. / 201 39-13-A01 Wu bei zi nei chong 五倍子内蟲, worms/bugs from within Chinese sumac gallnuts. / 207
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39-14 Tang lang 螳螂, sang piao xiao 桑螵蛸, mantis larvae. / 207 39-14-01 Tang lang 螳蜋, mantis. / 210 39-14-02 Sang piao xiao 桑螵蛸, mulberry mantis larvae / 211 39-15 Que weng 雀甕, cocoon of the Oriental Moth. / 214 39-16 Can 蠶, silkworm. / 218 39-16-01 Bai jiang can 白殭蠶, white, stiff silkworms. / 219 39-16-02 Wu lan si can 烏爛死蠶, dark, rotten, dead silkworms. / 229 39-16-03 Can yong 蠶蛹, silkworm pupae. / 230 39-16-04 Jian ru zhi 繭鹵汁, silkworm cocoon brine. / 231 39-16-05 Can jian 蠶繭, silkworm cocoons. / 231 39-16-06 Can tui 蠶蜕, silkworm slough. / 234 39-16-07 Can lian 蠶連, silkworm eggshell. / 234 39-16-08 Sao si tang 繅絲湯, water in which silkworm cocoons are boiled for reeling silk. / 239 39-17 Yuan can 原蠶, second generation silkworm. / 240 39-17-01 Xiong yuan can e 雄原蠶蛾, moths of male second generation silkworms. / 241 39-17-02 Yuan can sha 原蠶沙, excrements of second generation silkworms. / 244 39-18 Shi can 石蠶, phryganea larvae. / 249 39-18-A01 Yun shi 雲師, cloud army. / 251 39-18-A02 Yu hu 雨虎, rain tiger. / 251 39-19 Jiu xiang chong 九香蟲, stinkbug. / 252 39-20 Hai can 海蠶, sea silkworm. / 253 39-20-01 Sha 沙, excrements [of sea silkworms]. / 254 39-21 Xue can 雪蠶, snow silkworm. / 254 39-22 Gou qi chong 枸杞蟲, lycium worm/bug. / 255 39-23 Huai xiang chong 蘹香蟲, fennel worm/bug. / 256
Section Worms/Bugs. Chapter 40
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Worms/Bugs II. Born from Eggs. Final Group. 40-01 Qing fu 青蚨, water beetle. / 259 40-01-A01 Pang jiang 龐降, tree beetle. / 40-02 Jia die 蛺蝶, butterfly. / 261 40-03 Qing ling 蜻蛉, dragonfly. / 263 40-04 Chu ji 樗雞, lantern fly. / 265
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40-05 Zao mao 棗貓, zao mao. / 270 40-06 Ban mao 斑蝥, blister beetle. / 271 40-07 Yuan qing 芫青, blister fly. / 281 40-08 Ge shang ting zhang 葛上亭長, (epicauta-)blister beetle. / 40-09 Di dan 地膽, oil beetle. / 286 40-10 Zhi zhu 蜘蛛, spider. / 289 40-10-01 Tui qiao 蜕殻, slough shells [of spiders]. / 299 40-10-02 Wang 網, [spider] web. / 299 40-11 Cao zhi zhu 草蜘蛛, grass spider. / 301 40-11-01 Si 絲, [spider web] silk thread. / 302 40-12 Bi qian 壁錢, spider spec. / 303 40-12-01 Ke mu 窠幕, nest curtain. / 304 40-13 Zhi dang 螲蟷, soil spider. / 305 40-14 Xie 蠍, scorpion. / 307 40-15 Shui zhi 水蛭, leech. / 315 40-16 Yi 蟻, ant. / 321 40-16-A01 Bai yi 白蟻, termite. / 323 40-16-01 Yi die tu 蟻垤土, soil from an anthill. / 323 40-16-02 Bai yi ni 白蟻泥, termite dung. / 323 40-16-03 Du jiao yi 獨脚蟻, single leg ant. / 324 40-17 Qing yao chong 青腰蟲, red ant. / 325 40-18 Qu 蛆, maggot of blow fly. / 325 40-19 Ying 蠅, house-fly. / 329 40-20 Gou ying 狗蠅, dog louse fly. / 330 40-20-A01 Bi shi 壁蝨, bedbug. / 331 40-21 Niu shi 牛蝨, cattle louse. / 332 40-22 Ren shi 人蝨, human louse. / 333
Section Worms/Bugs. Chapter 41
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Worms/Bugs III. Born from Transformation Group. 41-01 Qi cao 蠐螬, scarab larva. / 339 41-02 Ru chong 乳蟲, milk bug. / 345 41-03 Mu du chong 木蠹蟲, carpenter moth larva. / 346 41-04 Sang du chong 桑蠹蟲, mulberry tree grub. / 347 41-04-01 Fen 糞, dung [of mulberry tree grubs] / 349 41-05 Liu du chong 柳蠹蟲, willow tree grub. / 350
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Contents 41-05-01 Fen 糞, dung [of willow tree grubs] / 350 41-06 Tao du chong 桃蠹蟲, peach tree grub. / 351 41-06-01 Fen 糞, dung [of peach tree grubs]. / 352 41-07 Gui du chong 桂蠹蟲, cassia tree grub. / 352 41-07-01 Fen 糞, dung [of cassia tree grubs]. / 353 41-08 Zhe du chong 柘蠹蟲, cudrania tree grub. / 353 41-08-01 Shi 屎, dung [of cudrania tree grubs]. / 353 41-09 Zao du chong 棗蠹蟲, date tree grub. / 353 41-09-01 Shi 屎, dung [of date tree grub.] / 354 41-10 Zhu du chong 竹蠹蟲, bamboo grub. / 354 41-10-01 Zhu mo 蛀末, dung of [bamboo] grubs. / 355 41-11 Lu du chong 蘆蠹蟲, rush grub. / 356 41-12 cang er du chong 蒼耳蠹蟲, xanthium grub. / 356 41-13 Qing hao du chong 青蒿蠹蟲, wormwood grub. / 358 41-14 Zao jia du chong 皂莢蠹蟲, gleditsia grub. / 359 41-15 Cha zhu chong 茶蛀蟲, camellia grub. / 360 41-15-01 Zhu xie 蛀屑, dung of [camellia] grubs. / 360 41-16 Zha chan 蚱蟬, cicada. / 360 41-16-01 Zha chan 蚱蟬, cicada. / 363 41-16-02 Chan tui 蟬蜕, cicada nymph shell. / 365 41-17 Chan hua 蟬花, cicada fungus. / 370 41-18 Qiang lang 蜣螂, dung beetle. / 371 41-18-A01 Fu you 虸蝣, click beetle. / 373 41-18-01 Qiang lang 蜣螂, dung beetle. / 373 41-18-02 Xin 心, [dung beetle] heart. / 381 41-18-03 Zhuan wan 轉丸, pills rolled [by dung beetles]. / 381 41-18-A02 Tian she chong 天社蟲, worms/bugs of heavenly working. / 382 41-19 Tian niu 天牛, longicorn beetle. / 382 41-19-A01 Fei sheng chong 飛生蟲, bugs that fly and give life births. / 386 41-20 Lou gu 螻蛄, mole cricket. / 386 41-21 Ying huo 螢火, glowworm. / 392 41-22 Yi yu 衣魚, silverfish. / 396 41-23 Shu fu 鼠婦, pill bug. / 401 41-23-A01 Dan jian 丹戬, armadillidium type. / 405 41-24 Zhe chong 䗪蟲, wingless cockroach. / 405 41-25 Fei lian 蜚蠊, flying cockroach. / 409
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41-26 Xing ye 行夜, ground beetle. / 411 41-27 Zao ma 竈馬, house cricket. / 412 41-27-A01 Cu zhi 促織, field cricket. / 412 41-28 Fu zhong 䘀螽, Chinese grasshopper. / 413 41-28-A01 Ji ding chong 吉丁蟲, auspicious pin bug. / 415 41-28-A02 Jin gui zi 金龜子, golden tortoise. / 415 41-28-A03 Tian ke chong 腆顆蟲, abundant grain bug. / 416 41-28-A04 Kou tou chong 叩頭蟲, elata beetle. / 416 41-28-A05 Mei die 媚蝶, grasshopper. / 417 41-29 Mu meng 木蝱, snipe-flies. / 417 41-30 Fei meng 蜚蝱, horse-fly / 419 41-30-A01 Bian qian 扁前, bian qian. / 422 41-30-A02 Wen zi 蚊子, mosquito. / 422 41-30-A03 Rui zi 蚋子, horse fly. / 423 41-31 Zhu shi 竹蝨, whitefly. / 424
Section Bugs Worms/Bugs. Chapter 42 Worms/Bugs IV. Born from Moisture Group.
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42-01 Chan chu 蟾蜍, toad. / 428 42-01-01 Tou 頭, a [toad’s] head. / 438 42-01-02 Chan su 蟾酥, toad butterfat. / 442 42-02 Ha ma 蝦蟆, small toad. / 446 42-02-01 Gan 肝, [small toad] liver. / 446 42-02-02 Dan 膽, [small toad] gall bladder/bile. / 447 42-02-03 Nao 腦, [small toad] brain. / 447 42-03 Wa 鼃, frog. / 447 42-04 Ke dou 蝌斗, tadpole. / 452 42-04-01 Luan 卵, [frog] egg. / 453 42-05 Xi gou 溪狗, newt. / 454 42-06 Shan ge 山蛤, mountain frog. / 454 42-07 Tian fu 田父, bullfrog. / 455 42-08 Wu gong 蜈蚣, centipede spec. / 456 42-09 Ma lu 馬陸, millipede. / 465 42-10 Shan gong chong 山蛩蟲, centipede spec. / 469 42-10-A01 You yan 蚰蜒, common house centipede. / 470 42-10-A02 Qu sou 蠼螋, earwig. / 470
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42-11 Qiu yin 蚯蚓, earthworm. / 472 42-11-01 Bai jing qiu yin 白頸蚯蚓, earthworms with a white neck. / 474 42-11-02 Qiu yin ni 蚯蚓泥, earthworm excrements. / 485 42-12 Wo niu 蝸牛, land snails. / 485 42-12-01 Wo ke 蝸殻, land snail shell. / 491 42-13 Kuo yu 蛞蝓, slug. / 492 42-14 Yuan sang luo 緣桑蠃, amber snail. / 496 42-15 Xi gui chong 溪鬼蟲, rivulet demon bug. / 497 42-15-A01 Shui hu 水虎, water tiger. / 499 42-15-A02 Gui dan 鬼彈, demon bullet. / 500 42-15-A03 Jiao 角, the horns [of the rivulet demon bug]. / 500 42-16 Sha shi 沙蝨, caddis fly. / 501 42-16-A01 Sha chong 沙蟲, sand bug. / 503 42-17 Shui min 水黽, water strider. / 503 42-18 Chi chong 豉蟲, Gyrinus beetle. / 504 42-19 Sha nuo zi 砂挼子, antlion. / 505 42-20 Hui chong 蚘蟲, human roundworm. / 506 42-21 Feng lü du nei chong huo 風驢肚内蟲, bugs/worms in the stomach of wind-speed donkeys. / 510 42-22 Gu chong 蠱蟲, gu bug. / 510 42-23 Jin can 金蠶, tapestry moth. / 511 42-A01 Sha la chong 唼臘蟲, corpse beetle. / 514 42-A02 Hui yao 灰藥, ash medication. / 514 42-A03 Huang chong 黄蟲, yellow bug. / 515 42-A04 Di fang 地防, earth dyke. / 515 42-A05 Geng ji 梗雞, unwavering chicken. / 515 42-A06 Yi fu 益符, beneficial tally. / 515 42-A07 Fei li 蜚厲, a crop-eating bug’s malignancy. / 515
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Section [Animals with] Scales. Chapter 43. [Animals with] Scales I. Dragon Group. . 43-01 Long 龍, dragon. / 520 43-01-01 Long gu 龍骨, dragon bones. / 522 43-01-02 Bai long gu 白龍骨, white dragon bones. 43-01-03 Long chi 龍齒, dragon teeth. / 529
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43-01-04 Long jiao 龍角, dragon horn. / 530 43-01-05 Long nao 龍腦, dragon brain. / 530 43-01-06 Long tai 龍胎, dragon fetus. / 531 43-01-07 Long xian 龍涎, dragon saliva. / 531 43-02 Diao 弔, diao. / 532 43-02-01 Diao zhi 弔脂, diao fat. / 534 43-02-02 Zi shao hua 紫稍花, fresh water sponges. / 535 43-03 Jiao long 蛟龍, flood dragon. / 536 43-03-A01 Zhen 蜃, zhen 蜃, zhen-variety of flood dragons. / 537 43-03-01 Jing 精, [flood dragon] essence/sperm. / 538 43-03-02 Sui 髓, [flood dragon] marrow. / 538 43-04 Tuo long 鼉龍, Chinese alligator. / 538 43-04-01 Tuo jia 鼉甲, alligator scales/armor. / 540 43-04-02 Rou 肉, [alligator] meat. / 542 43-04-03 Zhi 脂, [alligator] fat. / 543 43-04-04 Gan 肝, [alligator] liver. / 543 43-05 Ling li 鯪鯉, pangolin; i.e., chuan shan jia 穿山甲 / 543 43-05-01 Jia 甲, [pangolin] scales. / 544 43-05-02 Rou 肉, [pangolin] meat. / 551 43-06 Shi long zi 石龍子, Chinese lizard; i.e., xi yi 蜥蜴 / 551 43-06-01 Gan 肝, [lizard] liver. / 556 43-07 Shou gong 守宫, gekko. / 556 43-07-A01 Shi er shi chong 十二時蟲, Emma Gray’s forest lizard. / 43-07-01 Fen 糞, [gekko] feces. / 564 43-08 Ge jie 蛤蚧, toad headed lizard. / 564 43-09 Yan long 鹽龍, Asian water monitor. / 569
[Animals with] Scales II. Snake Group.
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43-10 She tui 蛇蜕, snake slough. / 570 43-11 Ran she 蚺蛇, python. / 578 43-11-01 Dan 膽, [python] gall bladder/bile. / 580 43-11-02 Rou 肉, [python] meat. / 583 43-11-03 Gao 膏, [python] fat. / 585 43-11-04 Ya 牙, [python] teeth. / 586 43-12 Lin she 鱗蛇, scaly snake. / 586 43-12-01 Dan 膽, [scaly snake] gall bladder/bile. / 587 43-13 Bai hua she 白花蛇, the embroidered pit-viper. / 587
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Contents 43-13-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the embroidered pit-viper]. / 590 43-13-02 Tou 頭, head [of the embroidered pit-viper]. / 598 43-13-03 Mu jing 目睛, eyeball [of the embroidered pit-viper]. / 598 43-14 Wu she 烏蛇 black grass snakes. / 599 43-14-01 Rou 肉, meat [of black grass snakes]. / 600 43-14-02 Gao 膏, [black grass snake] fat. / 603 43-14-02 Dan 膽, [black grass snake] gall bladder/bile. / 603 43-14-04 Pi 皮, [black grass snake] skin. / 604 43-14-05 Luan 卵, [black grass snake] egg. / 604 43-15 Jin she 金蛇, golden snakes. Yin she 銀蛇, silver snakes. / 605 43-15-01 Rou 肉, meat [of golden/silver snakes]. / 605 43-16 Shui she 水蛇, fresh-water snakes. / 606 43-16-01 Rou 肉, meat [of fresh-water snakes]. / 607 43-16-02 Pi 皮, [fresh-water snake] skin. / 607 43-17 She po 蛇婆, sea snakes. / 608 43-18 Huang han she 黄頷蛇, chicken snakes. / 609 43-18-01 Rou 肉, meat [of chicken snakes]. / 611 43-18-02 She tou 蛇頭, head of the [chicken] snake. / 612 43-18-03 Gu 骨, bones [of chicken snakes] / 613 43-18-04 Xian 涎, saliva [of chicken snakes]. / 613 43-18-05 She tun shu 蛇吞鼠, mice/rats swallowed by a [chicken] snake. / 613 43-18-06 She tun wa 蛇吞鼃, frog swallowed by a [chicken] snake. / 614 43-19 Fu she 蝮蛇, breficaude pit viper. / 615 43-19-A01 Qian sui fu 千歲蝮, pit vipers of a thousand years. / 617 43-19-01 Dan 膽, gall bladder/bile [of pit vipers]. / 618 43-19-02 Rou 肉, meat [of pit vipers]. / 618 43-19-03 Zhi 脂, [pit viper] fat. / 620 43-19-04 Pi 皮, [pit viper] skin. / 620 43-19-05 Tui 蜕, [pit viper] slough. / 620 43-19-06 Gu 骨, [pit viper] bone. / 620 43-19-07 Shi 屎, [pit viper] excrements. / 621 43-19-08 Fu zhong si shu 腹中死鼠, dead mouse/rat from within the abdomen [of a pit viper]. / 621 43-20 Wan 蚖, bamboo snakes. / 621 43-21 Lan she 藍蛇, blue snakes. / 623 43-22 Liang tou she 兩頭蛇, two-headed snake. / 623
15
16
The Ben Cao Gang Mu
43-22-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the two-headed snake]. / 623 43-23 Tian she 天蛇, celestial snake. / 625 43-24 Gou yin 苟印, gou yin. / 626 43-24-01 Gao 膏, [gou yin] fat. / 626 43-25 She jiao 蛇角, the rhinoceros viper; i.e., gu duo xi 骨咄犀 / 43-26 Zhu she 諸蛇, all kinds of snakes. / 627
Section [Animals with] Scales. Chapter 44 [Animals with] Scales III.
/
/
626
636
636
44-01 Li yu 鯉魚, carp. / 639 44-01-01 Rou 肉, [carp] meat. / 640 44-01-02 Zha 鮓, preserved [carp] meat. / 644 44-01-03 Dan 膽, [carp] gall bladder/bile. / 645 44-01-04 Zhi 脂, [carp] fat. / 646 44-01-05 Nao sui 腦髓, [carp] brain marrow. / 646 44-01-06 Xue 血, [carp] blood. / 647 44-01-07 Chang 腸, [carp] intestine. / 647 44-01-08 Zi 子, [carp] eggs/roe. / 647 44-01-08 Mu 目, [carp] eye. / 647 44-01-09 Chi 齒, [carp] teeth. / 648 44-01-10 Gu 骨, [carp] bone. / 648 44-01-11 Pi 皮, [carp] skin. / 648 44-01-12 Lin 鱗, [carp] scale. / 649 44-02 Xu yu 鱮魚, silver carp. 即 i.e., lian yu 鰱魚. / 650 44-02-01 Rou 肉, [silver carp] meat. / 650 44-03 Yong yu 鱅魚, bleak. / 651 44-03-01 Rou 肉, meat [of bleaks]. / 652 44-04 Zun yu 鱒魚, Eastern barbel; i.e., chi yan yu 赤眼魚 / 652 44-04-01, rou 肉, [Eastern barbel] meat. / 652 44-05 Huan yu 鯇魚, grass carp. 即 i.e., cao yu 草魚. / 653 44-05-01 Rou 肉, [grass carp] meat. / 653 44-05-02 Dan 膽, [grass carp] gall bladder/bile / 654 44-06 Qing yu 青魚, black carp. / 654 44-06-01 Rou 肉, meat [of black carps]. / 655 44-06-02 Zha 鮓, minced meat [of black carps]. / 655 44-06-03 Tou zhong zhen 頭中枕, the occipital bone in the head [of black carps]. / 655
Contents 44-06-04 Yan jing zhi 眼睛汁, juice from the eyeballs [of black carps]. / 656 44-06-05 Dan 膽, gall bladder/bile [of black carps]. / 656 44-07 Zhu yu 竹魚, bamboo fish. / 658 44-07-01 Rou 肉, [bamboo fish] meat. / 658 44-08 Zi yu 鯔魚, grey mullet. / 658 44-08-01 Rou 肉, [grey mullet] meat. / 659 44-09 Bai yu 白魚, culter. / 659 44-09-01 Rou 肉, [culter] meat. / 660 44-10 Zong yu 鯼魚, long spiky-head carp. / 661 44-11 Gan yu 鱤魚, false salmon. / 662 44-11-01 Rou 肉, meat [of false salmon]. / 663 44-12 Shi shou yu 石首魚, yellow croaker, maigre. / 663 44-12-A01 Mo tou yu 墨頭魚, black-headed maigre. / 664 44-12-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the yellow croaker]. / 665 44-12-02 Xiang 鮝, dried yellow croaker. / 665 44-12-03 Tou zhong shi shen 頭中石魫, bone of stone in the head [of the yellow croaker]. / 666 44-13 Le yu 勒魚, long-finned herring. / 667 44-13-01 Rou 肉, meat [of long-finned herrings]. / 667 44-13-02 Sai 鰓, gill [of long-finned herrings]. / 668 44-14 Ji yu 鱭魚, long-tailed anchovy. / 668 44-14-01 Rou 肉, meat [of long-tailed anchovys]. / 669 44-14-02 Zha 鮓, minced meat [of long-tailed anchovys]. / 669 44-15 Shi yu 鰣魚, Hilsa herring. / 670 44-15-01 Rou 肉, meat [of Hilsa herrings]. / 671 44-16 Jia yu 嘉魚, char. / 671 44-16-01 Rou 肉, [char] meat. / 673 44-17 Chang yu 鯧魚, pomfret. / 674 44-17-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the pomfret]. / 674 44-17-02 Fu zhong zi 腹中子, eggs/roe from within the abdomen [of the pomfret]. / 675 44-18 Ji yu 鯽魚, golden carp. / 675 44-18-A01 Jie yu 䲙魚, false carp. / 676 44-18-01 Rou 肉, meat [of golden carps]. / 677 44-18-02 Kuai 鱠, minced [golden carp]. / 686 44-18-03 Zha 鮓, preserved [golden carp]. / 686 44-18-04 Tou 頭, head [of a golden carp]. / 687
17
18
The Ben Cao Gang Mu
44-18-05 Zi 子, eggs/roe [of golden carps]. / 687 44-18-06 Gu 骨, bones [of golden carps]. / 687 44-18-07 Dan 膽, gall bladder/bile [of golden carps]. / 688 44-18-08 Nao 腦, brain [of a golden carp]. / 689 44-19 Fang yu 魴魚, Chinese bream; i.e., bian 鯿. / 689 44-19-01 Rou 肉, meat [of a Chinese bream]. / 689 44-20 Lu yu 鱸魚, Japanese sea bass. / 690 44-20-01 Rou 肉, [ Japanese sea bass] meat. / 691 44-21 Gui yu 鱖魚, mandarin fish. / 692 44-21-A01 Teng yu 鰧魚, teng yu. / 693 44-21-01 Rou 肉, meat [of a mandarin fish]. / 693 44-21-02 Wei 尾, tail [of a mandarin fish]. / 694 44-21-03 Dan 膽, gall bladder/bile [of a mandarin fish]. / 694 44-22 Sha yu 鯊魚, goby. / 695 44-22-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the goby]. / 696 44-23 Du fu yu 杜父魚, roughskin sculpin. / 696 44-24 Shi ban yu 石斑魚, bass. / 697 44-25 Shi bi yu 石鮅魚, pale chub. / 698 44-26 Huang gu yu 黄鯝魚, false culter. / 698 44-26-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the false culter]. / 699 44-26-02 You 油, oil [of the false culter]. / 699 44-27 Tiao yu 鰷魚, hemiculter. / 699 44-28 Kuai can yu 鱠殘魚, Chinese icefish; i.e., yin yu 銀魚, silver fish. / 700 44-29 Zhen yu 鱵魚, garfish. / 701 44-30 Yu yu 鱊魚, rhodeus. / 702 44-31 Jin yu 金魚, goldfish. / 703 44-31-A01 Dan yu 丹魚, cinnabar-red [gold]fish. / 704 44-31-01 Rou 肉, [goldfish] meat. / 704 [Animals with] Scales IV. Fish without Scales.
/
705
44-32 Li yu 鱧魚, snakehead fish. / 705 44-32-01 Rou 肉, meat [of snakehead fishes]. / 706 44-32-02 Chang ji gan 腸及肝, intestines and liver [of a snakehead fish]. / 708 44-32-03 Dan 膽, gall bladder/bile [of a snakehead fish]. / 708 44-33 Man li yu 鰻鱺魚, Japanese eel. / 709 44-33-01 Rou 肉, meat [of Japanese eels]. / 710
Contents
19
44-33-02 Gao 膏, fat [of the Japanese eel]. / 712 44-33-03 Gu ji tou 骨及頭, bones and head [of the Japanese eel]. / 713 44-33-04 Xue 血, blood [of the Japanese eel]. / 713 44-34 Hai man li 海鰻鱺, marine eel. / 714 44-35 Shan yu 鱓魚, Asian swamp eel. / 714 44-35-01 Rou 肉, meat [of an Asian swamp eel]. / 715 44-35-02 Xue 血, blood [of an Asian swamp eel]. / 717 44-35-03 Tou 頭, head [of an Asian swamp eel]. / 718 44-35-04 Pi 皮, skin [of an Asian swamp eel]. / 718 44-36 Qiu yu 鰌魚, pond loach. / 719 44-37 Zhan yu 鱣魚, huso sturgeon; i.e., 黄魚 / 721 44-37-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the huso sturgeon]. / 722 44-37-02 Ban 肝, liver [of the huso sturgeon]. / 723 44-38 Xun yu 鱘魚, beaked sturgeon. / 723 44-38-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the beaked sturgeon]. / 724 44-38-02 Bi rou 鼻肉, meat from the nose [of the beaked sturgeon]. / 725 44-38-03 Zi 子, eggs [of the beaked sturgeon]. / 725 44-39 Niu yu 牛魚, sea-cow. / 725 44-39-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the sea-cow]. / 726 44-40 Wei yu 鮠魚, catfish; i.e., hui yu 鮰魚 / 726 44-40-01 Rou 肉, meat [of a catfish]. / 728 44-41 Ti yu 鮧魚, sheatfish; i.e., nian yu 鮎魚 / 728 44-41-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the sheatfish]. / 729 44-41-02 Yan 涎, saliva/slime [of the sheatfish]. / 731 44-41-03 Mu 目, eye [of the sheatfish]. / 731 44-41-04 Gan 肝, liver [of the sheatfish]. / 732 44-42 Ti yu 䱱魚, newts; i.e., hai er yu 孩兒魚 / 732 44-43 Ni yu 鯢魚, Chinese giant salamander. / 733 44-44 Huang sang yu 黄顙魚, yellowhead catfish. / 735 44-44-01 Xian 涎, saliva/slime [of the yellowhead catfish] / 737 44-44-02 Jia gu 頰骨, cheekbone [of a yellowhead catfish]. / 738 44-45 He tun yu 河豚魚, globefish. / 738 44-45-01 Gan ji zi 肝及子, liver and eggs [of the globefish]. / 741 44-46 Hai tun yu 海豚魚, dolphin. / 742 44-46-01 Rou 肉, meat [of a dolphin]. / 743 44-46-02 Fang 肪, fat [of a dolphin]. / 743 44-47 Bi mu yu 比目魚, flounders. / 744
20
The Ben Cao Gang Mu
44-48 Shao yu 鮹魚, cornet fish. / 745 44-49 Jiao yu 鮫魚, shark; i.e., sha yu 沙魚. / 745 44-49-01 Rou 肉, [shark] meat. / 747 44-49-02 Pi 皮, [shark] skin. / 747 44-49-03 Dan 膽,[shark] gall bladder/bile. / 749 44-50 Wu zei yu 烏賊魚, cuttlefish. / 749 44-50-A01 Rou yu 柔魚, squid. / 751 44-50-01 Rou 肉, [cuttlefish] meat. / 751 44-50-02 Gu 骨, [cuttlefish bone]. / 752 44-50-03 Xue 血, [cuttlefish] blood. / 760 44-50-04 Fu zhong mo 腹中墨, ink from within the abdomen [of a cuttlefish]. / 760 44-51 Zhang yu 章魚, octopus. / 760 44-52 Hai yao yu 海鷂魚, whip stingray; i.e., shao yang yu 少陽魚. / 761 44-52-01 Rou 肉, meat [of a whip stingray]. / 762 44-52-02 Chi 齒, teeth [of a whip stingray]. / 763 44-52-03 Wei 尾, tail [of a whip stingray]. / 763 44-53 Wen yao yu 文鰩魚, Japanese flying fish. / 763 44-53-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the Japanese flying fish]. / 764 44-54 Yu hu 魚虎, long-spined porcupinefish. / 764 44-55 Yu shi 魚師, fish army. / 765 44-56 Hai zhe 海䖳, jellyfish. / 765 44-57 Xia 鰕, freshwater shrimp. / 767 44-58 Hai xia 海鰕, lobster. / 770 44-58-01 Zha 鮓, preserved lobster meat. / 771 44-59 Hai ma 海馬, sea horse. / 771 44-60 Bao yu 鮑魚, fish prepared for food; i.e., hao yu 薧魚. / 774 44-60-01 Rou 肉, meat of fish prepared for food. / 776 44-60-02 Tou 頭, head of fish prepared for food. / 777 44-60-03 Ye yu 䱒魚, salted fish. / 778 44-60-04 Chuan bao sheng 穿鮑繩, the rope used to penetrate abalone [fish when they are hung up to dry]. / 778 44-61 Zhu ti 鱁鮧, fish swim bladder; i.e., biao jiao 鰾膠. / 779 44-61-01 Biao 鰾, fish swim bladder. / 780 44-61-02 Biao jiao 鰾膠, glue made of fish swim bladders. / 780 44-62 Yu kuai 魚鱠, fish cuts. / 783 44-63 Yu zha 魚鮓, preserved fish. / 785 44-64 Yu zhi 魚脂, fish fat. / 786
Contents 44-65 44-66 44-67 44-68
21
Yu shen 魚魫, head bone of fishes. / 787 Yu lin 魚鱗, fish scales. / 788 Yu zi 魚子, fish roe. / 788 Zhu yu you du 諸魚有毒, all poisonous fish. /
790
Section [Animals with] Shells. Chapter 45 Shells I. Tortoises and Tortoises Group.
/ /
791 793
45-01 Shui gui 水龜, tortoise. / 794 45-01-01 Gui jia 龜甲, tortoise shell/carapace. / 796 45-01-02 Ni 溺, [tortoise] urine. / 800 45-01-03 Ge 殻, [tortoise] shell. / 800 45-01-04 Ban 版, [tortoise] plate. / 800 45-01-05 Xia jia 下甲, [tortoise] lower carapace. / 800 45-01-06 Rou 肉, [tortoise] meat. / 804 45-01-07 Xue 血, [tortoise] blood. / 806 45-01-08 Dan zhi 膽汁, [tortoise] bile. / 807 45-01-09 Ni 溺, [tortoise] urine. / 807 45-02 Qin gui 秦龜, Qin tortoise. / 808 45-02-01 Jia 甲, carapace/plastron [of the Qin tortoise]. / 810 45-02-02 Tou 頭, head [of the Qin tortoise]. / 811 45-03 Yi gui 蠵龜, yi tortoise. / 811 45-03-A01 Mi ma 𪓬𪓹, chao 鼂. / 814 45-03-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the yi tortoise]. / 814 45-03-02 Xue 血, blood [of the yi tortoise]. / 815 45-03-03 Gui tong 龜筒, carapace of the [yi] tortoise. / 815 45-04 Dai mei 瑇瑁, tortoise-shell turtle. / 816 45-04-A01 Sa ba er 撤八兒. / 817 45-04-01 Jia 甲, carapace [of a tortoise-shell turtle]. / 818 45-04-02 Rou 肉, meat [of a tortoise-shell turtle]. / 820 45-04-03 Xue 血, blood [of a tortoise-shell turtle]. / 820 45-05 Lü mao gui 緑毛龜, green hair tortoise. / 820 45-06 Nue gui 瘧龜, ague tortoise. / 822 45-07 E gui 鶚龜, fish hawk tortoise. / 822 45-07-A01 Xuan gui 旋龜, revolving tortoise. / 823 45-08 She gui 攝龜, snake-eating tortoise. / 823 45-08-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the snake-eating tortoise]. / 824
22
The Ben Cao Gang Mu
45-08-02 Wei 尾, tail [of the snake-eating tortoise]. / 824 45-08-03 Jia 甲, carapace [of the snake-eating tortoise]. / 824 45-09 Ben gui 賁龜, valiant tortoise. / 825 45-09-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the valiant tortoise]. / 825 45-10 Bie 鼈, Chinese soft shell tortoise. / 825 45-10-01 Bie jia 鼈甲, soft-shell tortoise carapace. / 827 45-10-02 Rou 肉, meat [of a soft-shell tortoise]. / 834 45-10-03 Zhi 脂, [soft-shell tortoise] fat. / 838 45-10-04 Tou 頭, [soft-shell tortoise] head. / 838 45-10-05 Tou xue 頭血, blood from the head [of a soft shell tortoise]. / 839 45-10-06 Luan 卵, [soft-shell tortoise] egg. / 841 45-10-07 Zhao 爪, [soft-shell tortoise] claw. / 841 45-11 Na bie 納鼈, na-soft-shell tortoise. / 841 45-11-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the na-soft-shell tortoise]. / 841 45-11-02 Jia 甲, carapace [of the na-soft-shell tortoise]. / 841 45-12 Nai bie 能鼈, three-footed turtle. / 842 45-12-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the three-footed turtle]. / 842 45-13 Zhu bie 朱鼈, the vermilion turtle. / 843 45-14 Zhu bie 珠鼈, pearl tortoise. / 844 45-15 Yuan 黿, large sea turtle. / 844 45-15-01 Jia 甲, carapace [of the large sea turtle]. / 845 45-15-02 Rou 肉, meat [of the large sea turtle]. / 846 45-15-03 Zhi 脂, fat [of the large sea turtle]. / 846 45-15-04 Dan 膽, gall bladder/bile [of the large sea turtle]. / 846 45-16 Xie 蟹, crab. / 847 45-16-01 Qiu mou 蝤蛑, qiu mou. / 852 45-16-02 Peng qi 蟛蜞, brackish water crab. / 852 45-16-03 Shi xie 石蟹, stone crabs. / 853 45-16-04 Xie zhao 蟹爪, crab claw. / 854 45-16-05 Qiao 殻, [crab] shell. / 855 45-16-06 Yan xie zhi 鹽蟹汁, salted crab juice. / 856 45-17 Hou 鱟, king crab. / 856 45-17-01 Rou 肉, [king crab] meat. / 858 45-17-02 Wei 尾, [king crab] tail. / 858 45-17-03 Dan 膽, [king crab] gall bladder/bile. / 859 45-17-04 Qiao 殻, [king crab] shell. / 859
Contents
23
Section [Animals with} Shells. Chapter 46 Shells II. Clams Group.
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/
861
861
46-01 Mu li 牡蠣, oyster. / 863 46-01-01 Rou 肉, [oyster] meat. / 872 46-02 Bang 蚌, fresh-water mussel. / 872 46-02-01 Rou 肉, meat [of a freshwater mussel]. / 873 46-02-02 Bang fen 蚌粉, freshwater mussel powder. / 874 46-03 Ma dao 馬刀, razor clam. / 877 46-03-01 Qiao 殻, [razor clam] shell. / 876 46-03-02 Rou 肉, meat [of razor clams]. / 879 46-04 Xian jin 𧍧䗯, fan mussel. / 879 46-04-01 Qiao 殻, [fan mussel] shell. / 880 46-04-02 Rou 肉, [fan mussel] meat. / 880 46-05 Xian 蜆, corbicula. / 880 46-05-01 Rou 肉, [corbicula] meat. / 881 46-05-02 Lan qiao 爛殻, decayed shell [of corbiculas] / 882 46-06 Zhen zhu 真珠, genuine pearl. / 883 46-07 Shi jue ming 石决明, abalone. / 889 46-07-01 Qiao 殻, [abalone] shell. / 891 46-08 Hai ge 海蛤, sea shell. / 893 46-09 Wen ge 文蛤, venus shell. / 999 46-10 Ge li 蛤蜊, trough clam. / 901 46-10-01 Rou 肉, meat [of the trough clam]. / 902 46-10-02 Ge li fen 蛤蜊粉, trough clam powder. / 903 46-11 Cheng 蟶, razor shell. / 906 46-11-01 Rou 肉, meat [of a razor shell]. / 907 46-12 Dan luo 擔羅, Korean clam. / 907 46-13 Che ao 車螯, che ao giant clam. / 907 46-13-01 Rou 肉, meat [of che ao giant clams]. / 909 46-13-02 Qiao 殻, the shell [of a che ao giant clam]. / 909 46-14 Kui ge 魁蛤, ark shell; i.e., wa long zi 瓦壟子 / 911 46-14-01 Rou 肉, meat [of an ark shell]. / 913 46-14-02 Qiao 殻, shell [of an ark shell]. / 913 46-15 Che qu 車渠, scallop. / 914 46-15-01 Qiao 殻 The shell [of a scallop] / 916 46-16 Bei zi 貝子 cowrie shell. / 916 46-17 Zi bei 紫貝, purple cowrie; i.e., gui jiao 龜脚, tortoise leg. /
921
The Ben Cao Gang Mu
24
46-18 Ke 珂, surf clam. / 923 46-19 Shi jie 石蜐, sea anemone. / 924 46-20 Dan cai 淡菜, sea mussel. / 925 46-21 Hai luo 海蠃, sea snail. / 927 46-21-01 Rou 肉, meat [of sea snails] / 929 46-21-02 Jia xiang 甲香, operculum [of sea snails]. / 929 46-22 Jia jian 甲煎, shell fry. / 931 46-23 Tian luo 田蠃, river snail. / 931 46-23-01 Rou 肉, [river snail] meat. / 932 46-23-02 Qiao 殻, shell [of a river snail]. / 938 46-24 Wo luo 蝸蠃, water snail. / 939 46-24-01 Rou 肉, [water snail] meat. / 940 46-24-02 Lan qiao 爛殻, decayed shell [of a water snail]. / 941 46-25 Liao luo 蓼蠃, top shell. / 944 46-25-01 Rou 肉, meat [of a top shell]. / 944 46-26 Ji ju chong 寄居蟲, hermit crab. / 944 46-27 Hai yue 海月, windowpane oyster. / 945 46-27-A01 Hai jing 海鏡, sea mirror. / 946 46-28 Hai yan 海燕, starfish. / 947 46-29 Lang jun zi 郎君子, crown moon turban snail. / 948
Appendix
/
949
5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4
Weights and measures. / 949 Measures of capacity. / 949 Measures of weight. / 949 Measures of length. / 950 Measures of the size of pills. / 950
6.
Appendix Pharmaceutical Substances of Plant Origin mentioned in BCGM ch 38 – 46 in passing. By Ulrike Unschuld. / 951
1. Prolegomena This book offers, together with the original Chinese text, the first complete philological and annotated English translation of chapters 38 through 46 of the Ben cao gang mu 本草綱目, the 16th century Chinese Encyclopedia of Materia Medica and Natural History by Li Shizhen 李時珍 (1518 – 1593), devoted to the natural history and pharmaceutical application of clothes, utensils, worms, insects, amphibians, spiders, snails and slugs, as well as animals with scales and animals with shells. It opens up an almost two-millennia-long panorama of wide-ranging observations and sophisticated interpretations, ingenious manipulations and practical applications of natural substances for the benefit of human health. As Prof. Zheng Jinsheng 郑金生, the pre-eminent Ben cao gang mu expert of present day China, has characterized it: “Some of the pharmaceutical substances gathered in this book have already left the platform of their clinical application. However, the data associated with them offer abundant material to study the customs of the people and the culture of the past. While he gathered data related to pharmaceutical substances, Li Shizhen never hesitated to extend his investigations and collection to all possible realms. That is, while [the Ben cao gang mu] appears to be a book on materia medica, it is in fact an encyclopedia of natural science and has become a treasure house for today’s researchers of many fields of science.” 1
1.1 History of Chinese materia medica literature The Ben cao gang mu is the culmination of a 1600-year history of Chinese materia medica literature. This history began at some time during the Han dynasties when, between the 2nd century BCE and the 2nd century CE, two hitherto in China undocumented genres of medical-therapeutic works appeared. Stimulated by impulses 1
Zheng Jinsheng 郑金生 and Zhang Zhibin 张志斌, Ben cao gang mu dao du 本草綱目 导读, “Guide to Reading the Ben cao gang mu,” Beijing, Ke xue chu ban she 科學出版社, 2016, 35.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu
whose origin and nature remain enigmatic today, the new therapeutic approach of needling 365 “holes” spread over the human body, on the one hand and a first detailed description of 365 individual pharmaceutical substances on the other, marked the onset of two traditions of health care. They conceptually remained separate for one thousand years. Why the number of days in a solar year, 365 – rather unusual in the history of Chinese categorization of natural phenomena – was chosen as a starting point of both traditions is unclear. Needling therapy, or so-called acupuncture, remained an isolated facet of Chinese medical culture until the 11th/12th century. Its seminal texts, the Yellow Thearch classics, 2 were either lost during the first millennium or survived only through a rather tenuous tradition, supported by a few members of the social elite.3 Apparently, the Yinyang and Five Phases doctrines of systematic correspondences, which legitimated and guided needle therapy from its beginning, failed to achieve the status of a world view widely acknowledged by broad segments of the population. In contrast, pharmaceutical therapy, as evidenced by published recipe collections and works focusing on the description of individual substances, constituted the mainstay of medical practice from the first millennium to the present day. Since the early 1970s, recipe manuscripts with data on the therapeutic properties of combinations of herbal, mineral and animal substances have been recovered from late Zhou and early Han era tombs.4 The list of therapeutic indications and a highly developed pharmaceutical technology outlined in these texts evidence a long development of pharmaceutical therapy prior to the compilation of works with descriptions of the properties of individual substances. The earliest of these works known is the Shen nong ben cao 神農本草, “Shen nong’s materia medica.” Historians agree that it was written at some time between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE.5 Even though at that time Chinese civilization recognized and documented in bibliographies and catalogues individual authorship of literary works, the authors of 2
Including the Huang Di nei jing su wen 帝內經素問, Huang di nei ling shu 帝內經靈 樞, and a late sequel, the Nan jing 難經. For philological translations of these classics, see Paul U. Unschuld and Hermann Tessenow, Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen. An Annotated Translation of Huang Di’s Inner Classic, 2 vols. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2011. Paul U. Unschuld, Huang Di Nei Jing Ling Shu. The Ancient Classic on Needle Therapy. University of California Press, Oakland, 2016. Paul U. Unschuld, Nan jing. The Classic of Difficult Issues. Oakland 2016.
3
Paul U. Unschuld, 2016, 1 – 4.
4
Donald Harper, Early Chinese Medical Literature. The Mawangdui Medical Manuscripts. Kegan Paul International, London and New York, 1997.
5
For details on the Shen nong ben cao and the subsequent history of Chinese materia medica literature, see Paul U. Unschuld, Medicine in China. A History of Pharmaceutics. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London, 1986.
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the seminal texts of both the needling and the pharmaceutical traditions remained anonymous. Their origins were traced to legendary culture heroes, that is, Huang Di 黃帝, the Yellow Thearch, and Shen Nong 神農, the divine husbandman. Shen Nong, also known as Yan Di 炎帝, the Fiery Thearch, was said in the Huai nan zi 淮南子 to have pitied the suffering of mankind. Hence he tasted all kinds of herbs and “discovered 100 with poison per day.” From the very beginning, for a natural substance “to have poison” (you du 有毒) or “to be nonpoisonous” (wu du 無毒) was seen as an important criterion for assessing its acute or long-term therapeutic potential. The Shen nong ben cao, closely associated with the tripartite world view of Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒 (179-104) and a political structure antagonistic to the hierarchy of the young empire, distinguished among three “ranks” (pin 品) of pharmaceutical substances. The upper rank, associated with heaven, included substances identified as jun 君, “rulers.” These were considered nonpoisonous and capable of helping extend life. A lower rank, associated with the earth, was assigned to substances “with poison.” These were given the status of zuo 佐and shi 使, that is, “helpers” and “messengers,” and they helped eliminate the disease. A middle rank of chen 臣, “officials,” associated with mankind, was positioned between the upper and lower ranks. Some of these “officials” were considered “nonpoisonous,” while others were known to “have poison.” They acted as intermediaries between the rulers above and their helpers and messengers below. The substances described, arranged according to a preface into groups of 120, 120 and 125 respectively,6 were mostly herbal. This may be the reason behind the naming of the first materia medica work and henceforth the entire literature genre ben cao 本草, which possibly meant “based on herbs.” Tao Hongjing 陶弘景 (452-536), a Daoist naturalist, was the first author to revise and expand the “original classic,” Ben jing 本經, as he called the Shen nong ben cao. In a first work, titled Shen nong ben cao jing 神農本草經, “Shen nong’s classic on materia medica,” he retained the original division into three chapters, but added 365 “additional records [on pharmaceutical substances recorded earlier] by renowned physicians,” ming yi bie lu 明醫別錄. In a second work shortly thereafter, the Shen nong ben cao jing ji zhu 神農本草經集注, “Various annotations to Shen nong’s classic on materia medica,” Tao Hongjing significantly expanded his annotations to the 730 substances listed and divided the text into seven chapters. Tao Hongjing initiated a “main tradition” of ben cao works, which would be continued by subsequent authors until the early 13th century. This tradition was charac6
The Shen nong ben cao versions accessible today are based on reconstructions by Chinese and Japanese researchers since the 17th century. They have identified 141 substances as “upper rank,” 111 substances as “middle rank,” and 103 substances as “lower rank,” totaling 365.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu
terized by an expansion of the “original classic” with ever more data on the nature, origin, therapeutic effects and pharmaceutical processing of natural and man-made substances. This data was often adopted from an increasing number of materia medica works published outside of the main tradition whose authors did not feel committed to the structure and contents of the Ben jing. They focused on regional knowledge, their own experience, substances used as both medication and food, substances enabling survival in times of famine, pharmaceutical processing and other such special aspects of pharmaceutical lore. In the middle of the seventh century, an official named Su Jing 蘇敬 (fl. 657) suggested that the emperor support a new edition of the “original classic” to correct older data regarded since as erroneous, and include more recent knowledge of the therapeutic potential of natural substances. The result, the Xin xiu ben cao 新修本草, “Newly revised materia medica,” of 659, combining 850 substance entries in 54 chapters, was the first government-sponsored and illustrated ben cao work in China. The main tradition came to a halt in the 13th century for at least two reasons. The lengthy title of one of the final works of this tradition, published in 1249 and describing 1746 substances in 30 chapters, offers a clear indication of one of these reasons: Chong xiu zheng he jing shi zheng lei bei yong ben cao 重修正和經史證類 備用本草, “Newly revised materia medica of the zheng he reign period, based on data from the classics and historical annals, based on evidence and ordered on the basis of groups, prepared for clinical application.” The main tradition was stifled by the abundance of its data and the perpetuation of its claim to be merely extending the original classic. The last works were extremely unwieldy. More recent data was added to previous statements, without comments on contradictions or earlier errors. Readers were left abandoned with ever longer sequences of quotes from a wide range of sources of varying quality. We see a second reason for the end of the main tradition in a completely new genre of materia medica texts initiated by Kou Zongshi’s 寇宗奭 Ben cao yan yi 本草衍意, “Extended ideas on materia medica,” in 1119 and exemplified by Wang Haogu’s 王好古 Tang ye ben cao 湯液本草, “Materia medica of decoctions” in the mid 13th century. With the rise of Song Neo-Confucianism, the more than one-millennium-old schism was bridged between the therapeutic approaches of needling and pharmaceutical therapy. Needling, i.e. acupuncture, was based on the Yinyang and Five Phases doctrines of systematic correspondences. Ben cao literature and recipe collections were based on empirical knowledge and magic correspondences. The convergence of these two separate approaches resulted in a first pharmacology of systematic correspondences. Authors committed to this new perspective categorized each pharmaceutical substance according to its presumed association with
Prolegomena
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certain kinds of flavor and qi. As these kinds of flavor and qi were associated, in turn, with certain yin and yang qualities, as well as with the Five Phases, a link appeared possible to pathologies also defined in terms of yin and yang and the Five Phases. The main tradition was unable to integrate the ideas published by the various authors of the so-called Song-Jin-Yuan epoch of ben cao literature. As a result, the publication of comprehensive materia medica texts ended. Each of these works claimed to offer all available pharmaceutical knowledge, old and new. It was only three centuries later, in the 16th century, that two authors introduced a new structure to the contents of comprehensive materia medica works, leading to a brief revival of the tradition. The first result was the Yu zhi ben cao pin hui jing yao 御製本 草品彙精要, “Materia medica, written on imperial order, containing essential data arranged in systematic order,” in 1505. The second and more successful of these newer ben cao works was the Ben cao gang mu 本草綱目 of 1593 compiled by Li Shizhen 李時珍 (1518-1593).
1.2 Structure and contents of the Ben cao gang mu It is not known whether Li Shizhen saw the Yu zhi ben cao pin hui jing yao before he set out to compile the Ben cao gang mu. In his own personal interest, Qiu Jun 邱 濬 (1420 – 1495), a scholar official, had devised a scheme to overcome the unwieldy nature of the final texts of the main tradition of ben cao literature. By restructuring the individual substance monographs, he removed the decisive obstacle to practical use of the ben cao texts. He dismissed the idea that newer ben cao works were mere emendations of the “original classic,” with whatever new knowledge had become available being added to the substance of earlier works. Qiu Jun divided each monograph in accordance with 13 characteristics of individual substances that he extracted from former texts.7 As a result, a reader interested in the origin, the pharmaceutical processing or the therapeutic indications of a particular substance found relevant data collected under a respective heading. To find the information they sought, users of the new text were no longer required to read through all the historical layers that had accrued among the texts of the main tradition of ben cao works. Qiu Jun died when he had finished writing only one chapter. After hectic intrigue and conflicts of interest, Liu Wentai 劉文泰 (fl. 1503), an official in the Imperial Medical Office and a team of collaborators were ordered by Emperor Xiao zong 孝宗 (1470 – 1505) in 1503 “to prepare a new ben cao edition, to simplify the consultation of these works.” They took 7
Paul U. Unschuld, 1986, 140-141.
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30
over the structural proposals of Qiu Jun but expanded the number of subheadings of each substance monograph from 13 to 24. The new work was completed only two years later. Pleased, the emperor personally gave it the title “The Essentials of Materia medica with the Data on Items Arranged According to their Similar Nature, compiled on Imperial Order.” Soon afterward, the emperor died. The manuscript was never published, possibly because of the exquisite color illustrations added to each entry. No technology was available in the 16th century to print such a work. Several manuscript copies were prepared and a few have ended up in libraries in Japan, Rome and Berlin. In 1701 a revised and amended version without the illustrations was prepared, by order of Emperor Kang xi 康熙. It was published by Shanghai Commercial Press in 1937.8 Li Shizhen chose a structure for his Ben cao gang mu entries similar to that of the Yu zhi ben cao pin hui jing yao substance monographs. However, rather than separating the data of each entry into 24 categories, he decided to limit their subheadings, where required, to the following ten: xiao zheng 校正: Editorial Correction shi ming 釋名:
Explanation of Names
ji jie 集解:
Collected Explanations
xiu zhi 脩治:
Pharmaceutical Preparation
bian yi 辯疑:
Discussion of Uncertain Issues
zheng wu 正誤:
Correction of Errors
qi wei 氣味:
Qi and Flavor
zhu zhi 主治:
Therapeutic Control
fa ming 發明:
Explication
fu fang 附方:
Added Recipes
Li Shizhen also conceptualized a new order of the entries. The “original classic,” within the three groups of “upper,” “middle,” and “lower rank,” had listed substances following their identification as mineral, herbal, and animal-human – i.e. proceeding from dead and immobile to living and immobile, and on to living and mobile substances. A fourth and final group consisted of victuals. Later works of the main 8
Ibid., 142-143.
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tradition omitted the “upper,” “middle,” and “lower rank” divisions, but retained the mineral, herbal, and animal-human classifications. Li Shizhen introduced a different order. Based on the sequence of the Five Phases, he began, after four introductory chapters, the subsequent 48 chapters with a list of waters, followed by fires, soils, and metals, which included salts and minerals (chapters 5-11) and then herbal substances (chapters 12 through 37). Separated by chapter 38, listing “fabrics and utensils,” he then devoted chapters 39 through 50 to animals, ranging from “tiny” to “large,” that is, from worms/bugs through fowl to four-legged creatures. Again separated by a chapter on “strange items,” he eventually reached the pinnacle of his scale, human substances suitable for a medicinal application. In all, Li Shizhen wrote down ca. 1.9 million characters to describe 1892 pharmaceutical substances. The entries in the final 48 chapters were divided into 16 sections, for 13 of which Li Shizhen identified subsections. These serve to point out related items within broader groups such as waters, herbs and worms/bugs. For example, the section on worms/bugs is subdivided into those born from eggs, those generated through transformation, and those originating from moisture. Each section is introduced by a general statement explicating the special nature of the substances grouped in it. Each individual substance is given a heading stating its earliest name documented in pharmaceutical literature and, if this was the “original classic,” the upper, middle or lower rank it had been assigned to. Where required, Li Shizhen began an entry by pointing out a formerly erroneous listing of the substance in question. Whenever he found identical substances listed in previous ben cao works twice under different names, he justified the combination of these names in one entry. The length of documented Chinese pharmaceutical history, the sheer size of the country with its many regional cultures and languages, and the different kinds of sources quoted by Li Shizhen led him to list and discuss the names of the substances he described. Not infrequently, Li Shizhen saw a need to explain different names in the North and South of China assigned to an identical substance. For example, in chapter 09, he went into an extensive discussion to end an apparently millennia-old confusion concerning the substance gypsum. It was known as shi gao 石膏, “stone fat,” xi li shi 細理石, “finely structured stone/mineral,” and han shui shi 寒水石, “cold water stone/mineral.” Some authors identified it as fang jie shi 方解石, “stone/ mineral that splits into rectangular pieces,” and as chang shi 長石, “lengthy stone/ mineral.” But these names had also been applied to other minerals. Li Shizhen brought all relevant quotes together and eventually offered his conclusion.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu
Li Shizhen titled the relevant subheading shi ming 釋名, “Explanation of Names,” because he went beyond simply enumerating alternative names. Wherever possible he added philological explanations taking into account, for example, local dialects and the composition of characters. Substances imported from foreign countries often were given names in China transcribing the pronunciation of their original foreign pronunciation. Wherever feasible, Li Shizhen included information on the origin of such names, for example, reflecting a Sanskrit term. Furthermore, many names were written with characters possibly unfamiliar to the Ben cao gang mu’s readers. Hence Li Shizhen explained their pronunciation by either adducing homophones or resorting to the split-reading approach. And when he felt at his wits’ end, he freely acknowledged his inability to explain a certain name. While this explanation of names suggests an awareness of certain limits of understanding among future readers and users of the Ben cao gang mu, Li Shizhen rarely explained a central feature of each substance described: its therapeutic indications. The quotes on the ability of substances to “control” disease are taken from sources spanning more than 1500 years. The Ben cao gang mu lists more than 4500 key disease terms; by the time of Li Shizhen, perhaps most of them were still self-explanatory or could be understood by experts from their context. In today’s China, many of the disease names referred to in these quotes are no longer easily understood. Similarly, for readers of the Ben cao gang mu outside China, the therapeutic indications are often given with rather enigmatic disease names written in single, unfamiliar characters or using metaphors that are no longer easily grasped. The first volume of the Dictionary of the Ben cao gang mu traces each of the 4500 disease terms to its earliest appearance. It identifies its meaning in that early context and, where applicable, at the time of Li Shizhen. 9 Another central feature of descriptions of pharmaceutical substances is their place of origin. From early on it was known among Chinese experts that one and the same herb was endowed with different therapeutic powers depending on where it grew in the country. The climate and the nature of the soil varied from North to South and from East to West, and so did the “qi” a plant was exposed to. Hence where considered necessary, substance entries of the Ben cao gang mu include related information. This is mostly comparative, that is, Li Shizhen provided a ranking of the substances from different regions in accordance with the presumed strength of their therapeutic effects. All the dynasties that followed each other during the imperial age regularly rearranged administrative structures. As a consequence, place names and the names of administrative structures were assigned new names. Hardly 9
See Zhang Zhibin and Paul U. Unschuld, Dictionary of the Ben cao gang mu. Vol. I: Chinese Historical Illness Terminology. University of California Press, Oakland, 2015.
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any location kept one and the same name throughout history. Li Shizhen regularly explained the location in his time of places mentioned in an ancient quote under a name no longer in use. Today, the current location of even more places can no longer be easily identified by their ancient names. The second volume of the Dictionary of the Ben cao gang mu traces each of the place names and those of administrative structures mentioned in the Ben cao gang mu to their current location. More importantly, the Dictionary offers the history of each name and each administrative structure so that a quote from a specific time period may be compared to the existence of a name and administrative structure at that time. This is of particular relevance if one identical name was given to different locations in the course of history, or if the borders of an administrative structure were moved to a degree that may have had a significant impact on the climate or nature of soil suggested by its name.10 No materia medica text prior to the Ben cao gang mu was based on a comparable range of literary and non-literary material. It should come as no surprise that Li Shizhen exploited the Zheng he ben cao 正和本草of 1249, the final work of the former main tradition of ben cao works, as his major source. Apparently, Li Shizhen intended to continue this tradition, but he went far beyond it. In a bibliography at the very beginning of the Ben cao gang mu, he listed more than 868 titles he had consulted. The number of titles quoted or mentioned in passing in the main text by far exceeds these 868 texts. Li Shizhen may not have held all of them in original editions in his hands. Many texts were quoted second- or third-hand from quotes in later encyclopedias. In addition to drawing his data from all kinds of literary genres, Li Shizhen personally travelled to places all over the country where he expected to access data available nowhere else. This way, he also was able to record valuable data on substances not mentioned in ben cao literature or publicly documented elsewhere before. For example, san qi 三七, identified today as Gynura segetum (Lour.) Merr., is one of the most common herbs in Chinese medicine. Li Shizhen was the first to learn of its therapeutic potential from “locals,” and introduced it with the following lines: “This medication was discovered for the first time only recently. The people in the South use it in their military as an important medication for wounds caused by metal objects/weapons. It is said to have an extraordinary [therapeutic] potential. It is also said: For all injuries resulting from flogging and blows, when stagnating blood is set free, it should be chewed until it is pappy. Once this is applied [to the 10 See Hua Linfu, Paul D. Buell and Paul U. Unschuld, Dictionary of the Ben cao gang mu. Vol. II: Geographical and Administrative Designations. University of California Press, Oakland, 2017.
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affected region, the bleeding] ends. Greenish swelling is dissolved. If one is to be flogged, let him ingest beforehand one or two qian and his blood will not rush to his heart. After a flogging it is even more advisable to ingest it. To ingest it after a birth is good, too. Generally speaking, this medication has warm qi and a sweet and slightly bitter flavor. Hence it is a medication for the blood section of the yang brilliance and ceasing yin [conduits] and can serve to cure all kinds of blood diseases, similar to qi lin jie (Daemonorops draco Bl.) and shellac.”11 In this manner the Ben cao gang mu refers to hundreds of texts and their authors, in addition to individuals (including Li Shizhen’s own extended family) unassociated with any literary genre. Many of the persons quoted or referred to as authors, patients, healers or actors in some anecdote have remained nameless to posterity. In bibliographical and biographical reference works today’s readers of the Ben cao gang mu may easily find the more prominent book titles, authors and historical personalities encountered in the Ben cao gang mu. But an identification of numerous titles and many more persons requires extensive research. It is here that one wonders how many collaborators Li Shizhen may have had. Wang Shizhen, the author of a preface to the first edition of the Ben cao gang mu, quotes Li Shizhen verbatim with a statement that he had rewritten the entire manuscript three times12. A question arises here whether he had failed to notice numerous inconsistencies in the references to book titles and authors quoted. Not infrequently, one book is quoted with either its complete title or several different abbreviations. Similarly, one identical author is quoted by his full name, by his first or last name, by his style, or other possible designations. Such diversity appears plausible if one imagines a larger team around Li Shizhen supplying him with data without prior agreement on how to quote a text or refer to a person. If this diversity makes it difficult enough for readers to immediately identify a text or author quoted, the hardship is further aggravated by numerous quotes misleadingly ascribed to source texts they were never part of. Not much later, Zhao Xuemin 趙學敏 (ca. 1730 – 1805), author of the Ben cao gang mu shi yi 本草綱目拾遺, suggested with the title of his book “to make up for omissions in the Ben cao gang mu” not only his intention to list pharmaceutically useful substances Li Shizhen had failed to include. He was also the first to point out 30 substantial errors in the description of substances recorded. In recent years, with a steep rise in Ben cao gang mu research, many more such errors and misleading data have been identified, as for instance in Mei Quanxi’s 梅全喜(1962 - ) Ben cao 11 Ben cao gang mu, chapter 09, entry 09. See also, Zheng Jinsheng 郑金生 and Zhang Zhibin 张志斌, Ben cao gang mu dao du 本草綱目导读, 2016, 175 - 177. 12
See below p. 45-48
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gang mu bu zheng 本草綱目補正, “Supplementing omissions and correcting errors of the Ben cao gang mu.”13 A comparison of numerous quotes in the Ben cao gang mu with their original sources often enough shows significant divergence. It is not always clear whether these are intentional modifications, perhaps adapting an ancient wording to usages preferred at the time of Li Shizhen, or errors due to careless copying. The third volume of the Dictionary of the Ben cao gang mu, devoted to “Persons and Literary Sources,” offers biographical and bibliographical data on all the texts and persons encountered in Li Shizhen’s encyclopedia, with a few exceptions for sources and people that appear undocumented elsewhere. This volume of the Dictionary includes the different versions of titles and names assigned by Li Shizhen or his collaborators to quotes and anecdotes. It also points out where quotes ascribed in the Ben cao gang mu to a specific text or author originated, in fact, elsewhere. 14 Ever since Tao Hongjing’s Shen nong ben cao jing ji zhu of 500 CE and throughout the history of the main tradition, authors introduced their materia medica works not only with at least one preface to inform readers of their motives, aims and (where relevant) the history of their texts. They also offered more general information associated with the origin, gathering, pharmaceutical processing, contra-indications, synergies and applications of pharmaceutical substances. Here, too, Li Shizhen extended the introductory sections to four voluminous chapters occupying one eighth of the entire text. In chapter one he enumerated 40 earlier ben cao works with brief commentaries by other authors and himself. This list is followed by another, already mentioned above, of all the literary sources he had taken into account, divided into two groups: 277 older and more recently published medical and pharmaceutical works, and 591 classics, historical annals and others. Next, Li Shizhen went into more detail informing readers of all earlier ben cao works he had taken drug descriptions from. Li Shizhen paid homage to the beginning of the main tradition by quoting the preliminary sections of the “original classic, ” including commentaries by Tao Hongjing and others. He eventually switched to the Song-Jin-Yuan understanding of health and pharmaceutical therapy by first quoting a passage from the Huang Di nei jing su wen 黃 帝內經素問concerning the influence of climatic factors on drugs. This is followed by a section on “The seven ways of compiling a recipe,” with commentaries by the legendary Qi Bo 岐伯, the 8th century commentator of the Su wen Wang Bing 王 冰, and various Song-Jin-Yuan authors. Next is a section on “The effects of the ten 13 Zheng Jinsheng and Zhang Zhibin, 2016, 70. 14 Zheng Jinsheng, Nalini Kirk, Paul D. Buell and Paul U. Unschuld, Dictionary of the Ben cao gang mu, Vol. III: Persons and Literary Sources, University of California Press, Oakland, 2018.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu
kinds of recipes, ” with commentaries by Xu Zhicai 徐之才 (ca. 510 – 590), several Song-Jin-Yuan authors again and Li Shizhen himself. The first chapter ends with ten treatises on the medical-theoretical teachings of the Song-Jin-Yuan period. Chapter 2 begins with an enumeration of pharmaceutical substances known by up to five alternative names. It continues with an enumeration of pharmaceutical substances according to their reciprocal, synergistic effects when ingested together, an enumeration of foods whose consumption is forbidden during an ingestion of specific pharmaceutical substances, an enumeration of substances that must not be taken by pregnant women, and an enumeration of beverages and foods that must not be consumed together. Also in chapter 2, Li Shizhen quoted from Li Gao 李杲 (1180 – 1251), one of the main authors and theoreticians of the Song-Jin-Yuan era, whose treatise acknowledged that the treatment of certain illnesses escaped theorization. Hence he simply listed certain pathological signs and the pharmaceutical substances suitable for their treatment – without reference to the Yin-Yang and Five Phases doctrines of systematic correspondences. Similarly, the next treatise is an “enumeration of all pharmaceutical substances that, according to Chen Cangqi 陳藏器 (8th century), are used in the treatment of depletions.” From another core theoretician of the Song-Jin-Yuan era, Zhang Zihe 張子和 (1156-1228), Li Shizhen took over the treatise “The three processes of sweating, vomiting and purging.” Chapter 2 ends with a section from a Yao dui 藥對, a work allegedly predating the “original classic,” and the tables of contents of the Ben jing and the Jing shi zheng lei bei ji ben cao 經史證類備急本草 by Tang Shenwei 唐慎微 (fl.1082), one of the final works of the main tradition, written between 1080 and 1107. Chapters 3 and 4 of the Ben cao gang mu include lists of all diseases, and where necessary a detailed description of their pathological conditions, with the appropriate pharmaceutical substances and information concerning their pharmacological function, preparation and administration. Despite their prominence in chapter 2, the references to the Song-Jin-Yuan doctrines of pharmacology appear isolated. Further hints at their relevance for pharmaceutical therapy are rarely encountered in the Ben cao gang mu. Li Shizhen may have felt it suitable to pay lip service to a development that had lost its creative momentum prior to his lifetime. By the end of the Song-Jin-Yuan era, several authors had suggested combinations of empirical pharmaceutical knowledge with the Yinyang doctrines of systematic correspondences without reaching an agreement on one pharmacology accepted by all. Too many contradictions remained between the assessment of the properties in terms of yin and yang qualities on the one hand and their assumed and observed effects on the human body on the other. Eventually, this
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development found no further creative naturalists. By the time of Li Shizhen, carrying through to the very present, a status quo had emerged within which any author interested in a theoretical foundation of pharmaceutical treatment was free to pick from any of the Song-Jin-Yuan authors, whomever he felt or feels appropriate. Li Shizhen’s attitude toward a theoretical legitimation of pharmaceutical therapies may be called fragmented. Only in very few instances did he feel compelled to refer to the preference of a specific substance to enter one or more of the yin and yang conduits. Li Shizhen did not neglect magic argumentation, and he seems to have had a special inclination toward the number seven. It dominates suggestions for the length of periods and number of frequencies of ingestions as well as quantities in which pharmaceutical substances are to be taken. Categorizations of items according to their yin or yang status, or their affiliation with one of the Five Phases, are rarely seen in the Ben cao gang mu. Occasionally Li Shizhen resorts to a concept of cong qi lei 從其類, “group correspondence” to explain correspondences between items and their properties that appear to exist outside the realm of Yinyang and Five Phases correspondences. For example, in chapter 41, entry 16, “cicadas,” he writes: Generally speaking, to cure [diseases affecting] the long-term depots and shortterm repositories, the bodies of cicadas are to be used. To cure dermal sores and ulcers, wind and heat, the nymph shells of cicadas are to be used. This is always based on their group correspondences. Similarly, in chapter 43, entry 19-02, “breficaude pit viper”: When poisonous items are used to attack poison diseases, then this is always based on their group correspondences. Perhaps Li Shizhen’s reluctance to support his therapeutic advice with theoretical reasoning may be traced back to a perception of himself as primarily being a practitioner not interested in burdening other practitioners with a request to indulge in the complicated doctrines of systematic correspondences as a precondition of pharmaceutical therapy. If we are right to assume that a central motivation underlying Li Shizhen’s compilation of the Ben cao gang mu was to offer a handy work to a wide public of healers, we then also grasp two more of his encyclopedia’s great innovations. Li Shizhen’s Ben cao gang mu is the first truly inclusive encyclopedia of natural history and pharmacotherapy in China. Nothing comparable existed in the medical literature elsewhere. Ben cao literature had hitherto been dedicated to the descrip-
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu
tion of individual substances. Li Shizhen integrated medical case histories. These are meant to illustrate, more vividly than would have been possible with theoretical statements, the therapeutic potential of certain substances. Medical case histories have been published in China ever since Sima Qian included examples of treatments performed by Chunyu Yi 淳於意 (205 – 150 BCE) in the biography of this physician in his Shi ji 史記 of 90 BCE. Beginning with the Yuan dynasty, an increasing number of physicians chose to publish characteristic (and successful) examples of their treatments to propagate their own understanding of medicine and health care.15 Li Shizhen included case histories from his own medical practice and others quoted from earlier collections. In this way, he certainly prevented any suspicion of promoting only his personal interpretation of generally accepted theoretical premises. A common feature of his case histories is the emphasis on flexibility. That is, the flexibility required to sometimes abandon seemingly irrefutable principles and adapt a substance’s application to the specific challenge confronting the healer. An example is his own treatment, recorded in chapter 35, of “an old woman over 60 years old” who had suffered from viscous outflow, i. e., some form of diarrhea, for an extended period of time. No established therapy had been able to end her suffering. Li Shizhen followed a recommendation by the Tang physician Wang Bing 王冰 who had traced viscous outflow to an excessive accumulation of cold. He resorted to croton seeds, known in China as ba dou 巴豆, to counteract the cold responsible for that particular patient’s illness. Since antiquity, though, ba dou had been described in Chinese ben cao literature not only as an extremely “hot” substance but also as one of the most violent purgatives. Li Shizhen had also read the Yuan era author Wang Haogu 王好古, who had pointed out, for the first time, that given an appropriate pharmaceutical processing croton seeds can also be applied to stop diarrhea. Hence Li Shizhen counted on the extreme heat of croton seeds to attack the accumulated cold in the old woman. He treated her with pills prepared with croton seeds and coated with beeswax, and achieved a cure.16 Li Shizhen not only offered examples of his own reading of a patient’s specific needs but also provided details of earlier physicians’ creative approaches to difficult therapeutic situations. The implicit message underlying most such case histories was to promote flexibility rather than stubborn adherence to superficial principles. Hence he praised previous healers for their ingeniously individualized therapies. 15 Christopher Cullen, “Yi’an (case statements): the origins of a genre of Chinese medical literature,” in Elisabeth Hsü (ed.), Innovation in Chinese Medicine. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2001, 297-323. 16
Zheng Jinsheng and Zhang Zhibin, 2016, 202 – 206.
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Li Shizhen was also the first author in the tradition of comprehensive works to combine the genres of ben cao and recipe literature. With very few exceptions, he added to every substance a list of recipes with the information he may have considered essential for its application in actual clinical practice. One or more therapeutic indications, mostly down-to-earth without theoretical embellishment or legitimation, are followed by the recipe’s ingredients with brief data on their raw or processed states. The recipes further include concise data on their preparation, on the external or internal mode of their application and on the number and required time span of their applications. A source is given for each recipe. For each list of recipes added to the entry of a specific substance, Li Shizhen also specifies how many of them were recorded in previous recipe collections and how many he recorded for the first time. The perhaps most notable innovation introduced by Li Shizhen was a transition from earlier ben cao works that had merely propagated alleged facts as statements to an encyclopedia based on argumentation. Li Shizhen was the first to collect in a materia medica work the statements of earlier authors and systematically discuss them in search of what he considered as facts and truth. Earlier writers had contradicted views they failed to agree with. But Li Shizhen made this approach his basic principle. Also, simply contradicting earlier views and statements is not identical with Li Shizhen’s approach of presenting several points of view. He discussed their origins and shortcomings, and eventually decided who is right and who is wrong, or presented his own dissenting perception. This is a ubiquitous principle followed throughout the Ben cao gang mu. It is not the least because of this feature of the Ben cao gang mu that Li Shizhen deserves a most prominent place in the history of Chinese natural science.
1.3 Biographical sketch of Li Shizhen (1518 – 1593) Li Shizhen, style Dongbi 東璧, assumed name Binhu 濒湖, was born in Qi zhou 湖 北蕲州, today’s Qi chun county 蘄春縣, province Hu bei 湖北, to a family of physicians. His grandfather is known to have practiced as an itinerant healer. His father, Li Yanwen 李言聞, rose to a more respected class of physicians and was engaged for a while as medical secretary, li mu 吏目, in the Imperial Medical Office. For his therapeutic skills he was praised as Li xian 李仙, “immortal Li.” He is remembered as author of monographs on ginseng and mugwort, a plant used for moxibustion. He also wrote texts on smallpox and pulse diagnosis.
40
The Ben Cao Gang Mu
Li Shizhen was supposed to rise even higher on the social scale. He was trained to be an official and entered the sequence of government exams. At the age of 14, having studied the Confucian and other classical texts, he passed the county level exams and was granted the degree of xiu cai 秀才, “outstanding talent.” However, even though he continued his studies for the next ten years, he failed to pass exams on the next higher level and eventually turned to the occupation of his father and grandfather. Over time, based on experience and knowledge learned from his father and his own literate knowledge and dedication to understand the principles underlying natural processes, Li Shizhen became widely known as a competent practitioner. He was invited to noble and other high ranking families and his successful cures in 1543 eventually led to an invitation by the King of Chu 楚, Zhu Xianrong 朱顯榕, 1506 – 1545, a regional prince, to manage his palace medical office. Details of the following years are unclear. We know that Li Shizhen was offered a position in the Imperial Medical Office but returned to his hometown after only a year. The date of this journey to Beijing and the reasons why he left so soon are not known. From the contents of the Ben cao gang mu, though, it is obvious that he returned from the North having accumulated much new knowledge. In Beijing he also encountered practices he considered highly objectionable. Among the elite, a practice was widespread to “cure human ills with human substances,” yi ren bu ren 以人補人. Based on a notion that a reverse flow of menstrual blood left the body as breast milk, practitioners advocated to knead the breasts of child girls until they released some liquid. This liquid was termed pan tao jiu 蟠桃 酒, “flat peach wine,” allegedly an elixir granting immortality. Li Shizhen recorded this practice in chapter 52, entry 15, on “human milk,” clearly condemning it as “deceitful rhetoric to make a profit, aimed at those who are ignorant. It is voiced by fraudulent persons, and punished by royal law. The gentleman is to denounce it.” In Beijing he also learned of the use of opium as an aphrodisiac and considered this as a therapy not to be applied by a proper healer. Back home, in 1552, at the age of 34, Li Shizhen began to compile the Ben cao gang mu. 27 years later, in 1578, he concluded his manuscript. To compile a work of 1.9 million characters, based not only on extensive reading of earlier literature but also on the results of repeated short and long distance travelling, is an enormous achievement. Li Shizhen mentions family members and disciples as assistants, but the size of his team is not known. His achievement is even more astonishing given that during these 27 years he wrote and published several books. Two of these, the Binhu mai xue 濒湖脉學, “[Li] Binhu’s study of vessel movements,” a book on pulse diagnosis, and the Qi jing ba mai kao 奇經八脉考, “Research of the eight extraor-
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41
dinary conduit vessels,” survive to this day. Others, like a collection of his medical cases, Binhu yi an 濒湖醫案, a “collection of [Li] Binhu’s simple to use recipes,” Binhu jian fang 濒湖集簡方, and an “illustrated study of the five long-term depots,” Wu zang tu lun 五藏圖論, have been lost as individual texts. None of these books became as influential as the Ben cao gang mu. Initially, the completed manuscript of the Ben cao gang mu did not meet enthusiasm either. It took Li Shizhen ten years, knocking at doors here and there, until eventually Hu Chenglong 胡承龍 in Jinling 金陵, today’s Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu province, agreed to print the text. It was published in 1593 with a preface by the famous scholar Wang Shizhen 王世貞 (1526 – 1590) and supplemented by two chapters of 1109 illustrations rather hastily made by his sons Li Jianyuan 李建元 and Li Jianmu 李 建木. Whether Li Shizhen ever saw this “Jinling edition” is not known. He died that same year.17 Today eight complete copies of the first edition and four fragments are known to exist in China, in Japan and in the USA. A second edition, supported by a local government office, was published by Xia Liangxian 夏良心 and Zhang Dingsi 张 鼎思 in neighboring Jiangxi 江西 province in 1603. Even though some errors crept into the text, the print and the illustrations were executed excellently. The widespread dissemination and the fame of the Ben cao gang mu began with this “Jiangxi edition.”18 In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) certified the inscription of the Ben cao gang mu on the Memory of the World International Register.
2. Notes on the Translation This translation of chapters 38 through 46 of the Ben cao gang mu is based on a most remarkable critical edition of the text prepared and published by Zheng Jinsheng 郑金生and Zhang Zhibin 张志斌. Zheng Jinsheng and Zhang Zhibin have traced all quotes to their original source text. Wherever the first 1593 Jinling print of the 17 Ibid., 3 – 7. 18 Ibid. 230. For a most detailed scholarly account of Li Shizhen’s life and the further history of the Ben cao gang mu, see Wang Jian 王剑梅全喜and Mei Quanxi 梅全喜, Li Shizhen Ben cao gang mu, 500 nian da shi nian pu 李时珍本草纲目500年大事年谱, “Li Shizhen’s Ben cao gang mu – a chronicle of related major events of the past 500 years,” Ren min wei sheng chu ban she 人民衛生出版社, Beijing, 2018.
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dinary conduit vessels,” survive to this day. Others, like a collection of his medical cases, Binhu yi an 濒湖醫案, a “collection of [Li] Binhu’s simple to use recipes,” Binhu jian fang 濒湖集簡方, and an “illustrated study of the five long-term depots,” Wu zang tu lun 五藏圖論, have been lost as individual texts. None of these books became as influential as the Ben cao gang mu. Initially, the completed manuscript of the Ben cao gang mu did not meet enthusiasm either. It took Li Shizhen ten years, knocking at doors here and there, until eventually Hu Chenglong 胡承龍 in Jinling 金陵, today’s Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu province, agreed to print the text. It was published in 1593 with a preface by the famous scholar Wang Shizhen 王世貞 (1526 – 1590) and supplemented by two chapters of 1109 illustrations rather hastily made by his sons Li Jianyuan 李建元 and Li Jianmu 李 建木. Whether Li Shizhen ever saw this “Jinling edition” is not known. He died that same year.17 Today eight complete copies of the first edition and four fragments are known to exist in China, in Japan and in the USA. A second edition, supported by a local government office, was published by Xia Liangxian 夏良心 and Zhang Dingsi 张 鼎思 in neighboring Jiangxi 江西 province in 1603. Even though some errors crept into the text, the print and the illustrations were executed excellently. The widespread dissemination and the fame of the Ben cao gang mu began with this “Jiangxi edition.”18 In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) certified the inscription of the Ben cao gang mu on the Memory of the World International Register.
2. Notes on the Translation This translation of chapters 38 through 46 of the Ben cao gang mu is based on a most remarkable critical edition of the text prepared and published by Zheng Jinsheng 郑金生and Zhang Zhibin 张志斌. Zheng Jinsheng and Zhang Zhibin have traced all quotes to their original source text. Wherever the first 1593 Jinling print of the 17 Ibid., 3 – 7. 18 Ibid. 230. For a most detailed scholarly account of Li Shizhen’s life and the further history of the Ben cao gang mu, see Wang Jian 王剑梅全喜and Mei Quanxi 梅全喜, Li Shizhen Ben cao gang mu, 500 nian da shi nian pu 李时珍本草纲目500年大事年谱, “Li Shizhen’s Ben cao gang mu – a chronicle of related major events of the past 500 years,” Ren min wei sheng chu ban she 人民衛生出版社, Beijing, 2018.
42
The Ben Cao Gang Mu
Ben cao gang mu differed from the original texts because of intentional abbreviations, they have added a note with the original wording. Divergences interpreted as unintended errors, such as omissions or mistakenly written single characters, as well as erroneous ascriptions of quotes to original texts and authors, were corrected in the main text with a note added to explain such modifications. The complete text of chapters 38-46 presented here together with its translation includes these corrections. Readers interested in all the details, both of the errors corrected and the original wordings that were abbreviated or otherwise modified by Li Shizhen and his collaborators, are advised to consult the text critical edition by Zheng Jinsheng and Zhang Zhibin.19 I am most grateful to both of them for supplying me with a pre-publication version of their work. I wish to especially express my thanks to Prof. Zheng Jinsheng for helping me to understand passages and single characters my own research had been unable to clarify. Almost all philological notes accompanying my translation are based on the text edition prepared by Zheng Jinsheng and Zhang Zhibin. I have also greatly benefitted from consulting the Japanese translation of the Ben cao gang mu published in 1965.20 In particular, secondary quotes within primary quotes have been marked based on the Japanese edition. In 2003, Foreign Language Press in Beijing published a first complete English version of the Ben cao gang mu. The approach chosen differed significantly from the one adopted here. This is most obvious in the translation of historical Chinese illness terms. Luo Xiwen and his collaborators have attempted to identify as many diseases, ailments and signs of illness as possible encountered in the Ben cao gang mu in terms of modern Western medical concepts.21 The Ben cao gang mu is an encyclopedia compiled in the 16th century based on literary and non-literary data of the preceding 1800 years. It quotes authors of varying expertise and offers today’s readers an incomparable view of almost two millennia of the development of pharmaceutical science and related realms of knowledge and more general aspects of culture. The translation of chapters 38 through 46 of the 19 Zheng Jinsheng 郑金生 and Zhang Zhibin 张志斌, Ben cao gang mu yin wen ni yuan, yi, 本草綱目引文溯源 一, “Tracing the quotations in the Ben cao gang mu to their sources. Vol. 1.” A volume of the Ben cao gang mu yan jiu ji cheng 本草綱目研究集成, “Collection of research on the Ben cao gang mu,” edited by Zhang Zhibin and Zheng Jinsheng, Ke xue chu ban she 科学出版社, Beijing, 2019. 20 Kimura Kouichi 木村康 (ed.), Suzuki Shinkai 鈴木真海 (transl.), Shinchu Koutei Kokuyaku Honzou Koumoku 新註校定國本草綱目譯, “A translation of the Ben cao gang mu. Newly annotated and checked against the original text.” Shunyoudou Shoten 春陽 堂書店, Tokyo 1965. 21 Compendium of Materia Medica. (Bencao Gangmu). Compiled by Li Shizhen. Translated and Annotated by Luo Xiwen 罗希文.Foreign Language Press, Beijing, 2003. This edition does not include the original Chinese text.
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Chinese text honors the authors of bygone days not be telling them what they should have said if they had had the knowledge of the 20th and 21st century, but rather by illuminating as clearly as possible their thoughts and their wisdom as formed by the conceptual, social, economic and natural environment of their time. The translation offered here has resisted a temptation to make ancient views appear modern and agreeable with today’s biomedical reality. Such an approach, not infrequently met in recent renderings of ancient Chinese medical texts in Western languages, is not only a sign of disrespect for the intellectual integrity of ancient experts. It is also an obstacle blocking a recognition and appreciation of the never ending historical process of understanding nature and the management of human life as part of nature in China, since antiquity. Hence I have pursued here the same approach that has guided my translations of the ancient Chinese medical classics Huang Di nei jing su wen, Huang Di nei jing ling shu and Nan jing. Authors from previous centuries and millennia relied on metaphors and allegories to elucidate their understandings of human physiology and pathology. Modern pathology and physiology are no different. Such fields of science need to draw on metaphors and allegories to illustrate their findings.22 Disease names are a case in point. The Ben cao gang mu includes quotes with about 4500 core terms to specify all kinds of pathological conditions. Prior to the translation presented here, Prof. Zhang Zhibin and I traced them to their first appearance. Vol. I of the Dictionary of the Ben cao gangmu lists all of them with an explanation of their original meaning. The translation of chapters 38 through 46 provides, where appropriate, the literal meaning of disease terms. Occasionally, ancient single characters keep their meaning secret; in such cases, they are given in pinyin transcription. Notes are added to all occurrences of historical disease terms that are not self-explanatory, and readers are led to the relevant pages of Vol. I of the Dictionary. The heading of each entry repeats the numbers assigned to it in the table of contents, followed by the name, in Chinese characters and pinyin, of the substance discussed and the title of the earliest work on materia medica identified as its FE, i. e., “first evidence.” The translation of the names offers English colloquial names wherever available, a literal translation where meaningful, and scientific identifications where possible. Place names, designations of administrative structures, names of persons and book titles appear in the translation without additional notes. Readers interested in further details should consult volumes II and III of the Dictionary of the Ben cao
22 Cynthia Taylor and Bryan M. Dewsbury, On the Problem and Promise of Metaphor Use in Science and Science Communication. J Microbiol Biol Educ. 2018; 19(1): 19.1.46.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu
gang mu, which respectively provide information on the geographic and administrative designations and on the persons and literary sources mentioned. A challenging feature of translating an ancient text on materia medica is the identification of natural substances recommended for medicinal use. In chapters 38 through 46 of the Ben cao gang mu, this applies to substances identified as utensils, worms, insects, amphibians, and animals with scales - which are discussed in entries of their own - as well as to numerous herbal substances mentioned in recipes or in passing elsewhere. European scientists have been eager to identify herbal and mineral substances they have encountered in China since the 17th century. From the beginning, this has proved to be a difficult endeavor. Different names were used for identical substances in different parts of the country; different pronunciations of an identical name in the dialects of different regions led to different writings. One and the same substance has been recorded with varying names in the course of history. An herb listed in an eighth century materia medica text might not have been available at a later time and was substituted by another herb sold under the same name. The marketing of fakes as substitutes was sufficiently widespread at any time for Li Shizhen to caution his readers in the first chapter of the Ben cao gang mu. In his descriptions of individual substances he devoted much space to such issues. The fact is, despite all the many attempts published over the past three centuries, an uncertainty remains as to the true identity of quite a few of the herbs and minerals recorded in historical Chinese materia medica works. This translation offers – with a caveat – identifications of the substances recorded in chapters 38 through 46 of the Ben cao gang mu based on the most reliable reference works available today. They include:
Editing commission for Materia Medica of China, bian wei hui 中华本草编委会, National Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy Administration, Guo jia zhong yi yao guan li ju 国家医药管理中局, Materia Medica of China, Zhong hua ben cao 中华本草, 10 vols. Shanghai 1999. Francine, Fèvre and Georges Métailié, Dictionnaire RICCI des plantes de Chine. Association Ricci – Les Éditions du Cerf, Paris 2005. Hu Shiu-ying, An Enumeration of Chinese Materia Medica, The Chinese University Press, Hongkong 1980. Needham, Joseph and Lu Gwei-Djen, Science and Civilisation in China, Vol 5, part 2. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1972.
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Read, Bernard E., Chinese Materia Medica,, Dragon and Snake drugs, Shanghai 1934, repr. Taipei 1977 Read, Bernard E., Chinese Materia Medica, Fish drugs, Shanghai 1939, repr. Taipei 1977 Read, Bernard E., Chinese Materia Medica, Turtle and Shellfish drugs, Peking Natural History Bulletin 1937, repr. Taipei 1977. Read, Bernard E., Chinese Materia Medica, Insect drugs, Shanghai 1941, repr. Taipei 1977 Read, Bernard E., Chinese Medicinal Plants from the Pen Ts’ao Kang Mu, 3rd edition. Peking Natural History Bulletin 1936, repr. Taipei 1977. Smith, F. Porter, Chinese Materia Medica - Vegetable Kingdom, rev. by G. A. Stuart, Shanghai 1911. 2nd revised edition Ku T’ing Book House, Taipei 1969. Note: Chinese names of worms/bugs/insects, animals and plants may refer to different species and substances in different geographical regions of China. Also, a species or substance indicated by a name centuries ago may no longer be the species or substance identified today. The translation offered here provides only the most likely equations. Readers interested in more detailed information are advised to consult the literature listed above. Wherever a commonly known English name was available, such as “ginger” and “ginseng [root],” it was used in the translation. All other translations refer to the Latin name of a substance. For a tentative botanical identification of herbs mentioned in recipes and elsewhere in passing, see the list at the end of this volume.
3. Wang Shizhen’s preface of 1590 《本草綱目》原序 紀稱望龍光知古劍,覘寳氣辨明珠。故萍實商羊,非天明莫洞。厥後博 物稱華,辯字稱康,析寳玉稱倚頓,亦僅僅晨星耳。楚蘄陽李君東璧,一 日過予弇山園謁予,留飲數日。予窺其人,晬然貌也,癯然身也,津津然 譚議也,真北斗以南一人。解其装無長物,有《本草綱目》數十卷。謂予 曰:時珍,荊楚鄙人也。幼多羸疾,質成鈍椎。長耽典籍,若啖蔗飴。遂
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Read, Bernard E., Chinese Materia Medica,, Dragon and Snake drugs, Shanghai 1934, repr. Taipei 1977 Read, Bernard E., Chinese Materia Medica, Fish drugs, Shanghai 1939, repr. Taipei 1977 Read, Bernard E., Chinese Materia Medica, Turtle and Shellfish drugs, Peking Natural History Bulletin 1937, repr. Taipei 1977. Read, Bernard E., Chinese Materia Medica, Insect drugs, Shanghai 1941, repr. Taipei 1977 Read, Bernard E., Chinese Medicinal Plants from the Pen Ts’ao Kang Mu, 3rd edition. Peking Natural History Bulletin 1936, repr. Taipei 1977. Smith, F. Porter, Chinese Materia Medica - Vegetable Kingdom, rev. by G. A. Stuart, Shanghai 1911. 2nd revised edition Ku T’ing Book House, Taipei 1969. Note: Chinese names of worms/bugs/insects, animals and plants may refer to different species and substances in different geographical regions of China. Also, a species or substance indicated by a name centuries ago may no longer be the species or substance identified today. The translation offered here provides only the most likely equations. Readers interested in more detailed information are advised to consult the literature listed above. Wherever a commonly known English name was available, such as “ginger” and “ginseng [root],” it was used in the translation. All other translations refer to the Latin name of a substance. For a tentative botanical identification of herbs mentioned in recipes and elsewhere in passing, see the list at the end of this volume.
3. Wang Shizhen’s preface of 1590 《本草綱目》原序 紀稱望龍光知古劍,覘寳氣辨明珠。故萍實商羊,非天明莫洞。厥後博 物稱華,辯字稱康,析寳玉稱倚頓,亦僅僅晨星耳。楚蘄陽李君東璧,一 日過予弇山園謁予,留飲數日。予窺其人,晬然貌也,癯然身也,津津然 譚議也,真北斗以南一人。解其装無長物,有《本草綱目》數十卷。謂予 曰:時珍,荊楚鄙人也。幼多羸疾,質成鈍椎。長耽典籍,若啖蔗飴。遂
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu
漁獵羣書,摉羅百氏。凡子史經傳,聲韻農圃,醫卜星相,樂府諸家,稍 有得處,輒著數言。古有《本草》一書,自炎、皇及漢、梁、唐、宋,下 迨國朝,註解羣氏舊矣。第其中舛繆差譌遺漏,不可枚數,廼敢奮編摩之 志,僭纂述之權。歲歷三十稔,書考八百餘家,稿凡三易。複者芟之,闕 者緝之,譌者繩之。舊本一千五百一十八種,今增藥三百七十四種,分爲 一十六部,著成五十二卷。雖非集成,亦麤大備,僭名曰《本草綱目》, 願乞一言,以託不朽。予開卷細玩,毎藥標正名爲綱,附釋名爲目,正始 也。次以集解、辯疑、正誤,詳其土産形状也。次以氣味、主治、附方, 著其體用也。上自墳典,下及傳奇,凡有相關,靡不備採。如入金谷之 園,種色奪目 ; 如登龍君之宫,寳藏悉陳 ; 如對冰壺玉鑑,毛髮可指數 也。博而不繁,詳而有要,綜核究竟,直窺淵海。茲豈僅以醫書覯哉,實 性理之精微,格物之通典,帝王之秘籙,臣民之重寳也。李君用心加惠何 勤哉。噫!碔玉莫剖,朱紫相傾,弊也久矣。故辯專車之骨,必竢魯儒; 博支機之石,必訪賣卜。予方著《弇州巵言》,恚博古如《丹鉛》、《巵 言》後乏人也,何幸覩茲集哉。茲集也,藏之深山石室無當,盍鍥之以共 天下後世味《太玄》如子雲者。 時萬曆歲庚寅春上元日,弇州山人鳳洲王世貞拜撰。 Preface by Wang Shizhen of 1590 Historical annals speak of an ancient double-edged sword that was identified for its “dragon luster,” and of a shiny pearl that was discovered for its precious radiance. That is, [the delicious and auspicious nature of ] the fruit ping [seen growing on a river by the ruler of Chu] and [the significance of the appearance in the court of the Duke of Qi of ] the [one-legged bird] shang yang [as an omen of imminent rain] could not have been recognized [by Confucius] without an enlightenment bestowed on him by heaven. In later times, [Zhang] Hua (232-300), who was known for [compiling the encyclopedia] Bo wu [zhi], [ Ji] Kang (223-262), [the poet] who is recorded to have carefully chosen the characters he wrote down, and Yi Dun (of the Warring States period), who [was wealthier than his king and] knew how to distinguish [genuine and fake] precious stones, they were as rare as stars in the morning sky. One day, Mr. Li Dongbi from Qi [zhou] in Chu came to see me in my seclusion in Shan yuan, and he stayed with me as a guest for several days. I saw a man of gentle disposition with an excessively thin body. What he said was interesting and meaningful. He truly was a unique person south of the dipper! When he opened his bag, it contained nothing valuable, but tens of volumes of the Ben cao gang mu. He said to me: “[I am Li] Shizhen, a man from Jing chu. In my youth I often suffered from a wasting disease. Despite a modest
Prolegomena
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intelligence, I was fascinated by reading the ancient canons and various kinds of literature, as if I were eating the sweetness of sugarcane. Hence I went fishing and hunting for all kinds of books, and I collected the works of hundreds of authors. Wherever among all the experts for philosophy and history, the classics and biographies, in music and poetry, agriculture and gardening, medicine, divination, astronomy and physiognomy, and collections of tunes I found something even of only slight value, I wrote it down in many words. In ancient times there was a ben cao work [on materia medica]. From the times of Yan [di, i.e., Shen nong] and Huang [di] through the Han, the Liang, the Tang, and the Song [dynasty] down to our present dynasty, it has long been commented upon and provided with explanations. However, it was stained by innumerable errors, inconsistencies, contradictions and omissions. I felt encouraged to take the will to study [this field] and edit [this work], and I exceeded my legitimate limits when I engaged in a compilation based on a new narrative. For more than 30 years I have examined the books of more than 800 authors. I have rewritten the manuscript three times. Where there were repetitions, I eradicated them. Where there were omissions, I filled them up. Where there were mistakes, I corrected them. The old editions included 1518 kinds [of pharmaceutical substances]; here now 374 kinds are added. [The entries] are divided into 16 sections, written up in 52 volumes. Even though [my work] may not be complete, it is quite comprehensive and hence I dared to give it the title Ben cao gang mu.23 It is my deepest desire to entrust it to you so that it will not be lost.” When I opened the volumes I was pleased to see that they were written in a meticulous manner. Each pharmaceutical substance is given a name as its label, that is, as its gang, to which are added explanations of [this and additional] names as mu. This is a proper beginning. Next follow “collected explanations,” “discussions of ambiguities,” “corrections of errors,” and detailed accounts of the places of origin and physical appearances. This is followed by [data on] “qi and flavors,” “control and therapy,” and “added recipes,” indicating the concrete usage [of the substances named]. Whether [these data] had been gathered from ancient landmark and later canonical texts above, and from legends and unusual sources below, all were relevant and nothing was chosen without thinking. [Reading these volumes] was like entering the Golden Valley Garden where all kinds of colors dazzle one’s eyes. It was like entering the palace of the Dragon Sovereign where all types of treasures are displayed. It was like standing in front of a crystal flask and a jade mirror clearly showing each [detail like an individual] hair. [The contents] are broadly arranged but not overabundant. They 23 Li Shizhen may have considered this title daring because he seemed to put his encyclopedia on a par with the, Tong jian gang mu 通鑑綱目, which was compiled by the wellknown song philosopher Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130 – 1200)
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are detailed with a focus on what is important. They have summed up the results of careful studies. They allow a view into the depth of the sea. How could anyone consider this as a work dedicated exclusively to medicine! In fact, it offers the essential subtleties of natural principles. It is a comprehensive work on the investigation of things. It is a work kept secret by emperors and kings. It is a treasure highly valued by officials and the people. The diligence and the passion devoted to it by Mr. Li are extraordinary! The failure to distinguish common stones and jade, and the confusion of red and purple colors, such malpractice has lasted for long. Hence to debate the reason for the carts loaded with one bone, one had to wait for the scholar [Confucius] from Lu.24 To recognize the stone from below the loom,25 it was essential to enquire with a fortune teller. I myself have written the Yan zhou zhi yan. What a pity that in future only a few people will be as acquainted with antiquity as are the authors of Dan qian and Zhi yan. So, I am all the more happy to see this collection! This collection must not be stored deep in the mountains in a stone chamber! It must be carved/printed to make it available for later generations all over the world like the work Tai xuan [jing] by Ziyun [(i. e., Yang Xiong) on the Yi jing]. Date: Wan li reign period. Year: Geng yin. On New Year’s Day. Respectfully written by Yan zhou shan ren Wang Shizhen in Feng zhou.
24 During the Warring States period, when Wu invaded Yue, they took home from the city of Kuai ji a collection of huge bones, with one of them filling one cart. Back home they enquired with Confucius about the origin of these bones and the “scholar from Lu” explained their origin. 25 A traveller once brought back a stone he had been given by a woman he had met when he tried to reach the source of a certain river. He approached the famous fortune-teller Yan Junping who told him that this was the stone forming the foundation of the loom of a celestial fairy.
4.本草綱目 Ben Cao Gang Mu Chapters 38 - 46 Translation
本草綱目 Ben cao gang mu 服器部目録 Section Clothes and Utensils, Contents 第三十八卷 Chapter 38 李時珍曰:敝帷敝蓋,聖人不遺;木屑竹頭,賢者注意,無棄物也。中流 之壺拯溺,雪窖之氈救危,無微賤也。服帛器物,雖屬尾瑣,而倉猝值 用,亦奏奇功,豈可藐視而漫不經神耶? 舊本散見草、木、玉石、蟲魚、人 部。今集其可備醫用者,凡七十九種,爲服器部。分爲二部:曰服帛,曰 器物。草部十六種,木部十九種,玉石部二種,蟲魚部五種,人部一種, 共四十三種。 Li Shizhen: Worn-out curtains and covers were not overlooked by the sages. Wooden scraps and bamboo tips were paid attention to by the virtuous. Nothing was neglected. A kettle floating in a stream may save a drowning person. The felt used to cover snow in a pit might rescue someone in a critical situation. Nothing is to be considered despicable. Clothes, silk and utensils, as petty and trivial as they are, in situations of unexpected turmoil they may be of good use and offer extraordinary results. So, why should they be looked down upon instead of being appreciated! In the old [Ben cao] editions, they appeared scattered among herbs, trees, jade and stones/minerals, worms/bugs, fish and human [substances]. Here now 79 varietes are gathered together in a “clothes and utensils section” to make them available for
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu
medicinal use. [This section] is further divided in two sections again, namely clothes and silk, and utensils and further items. 16 kinds are grouped as herbs. 19 kinds are grouped as woods/trees. Two kinds are grouped as jade and stones/minerals. Five kinds are grouped as worms/bugs and fish. One kind is a human substance. Together these are 43 kinds. [The items recorded below are adopted from the following sources:] Ming yi bie lu 名醫别録: 3 kinds, during Liang 梁, commented by Tao Hongjing 陶弘景. Tang ben cao 唐本草, 3 kinds, during Tang 唐, by Su Gong 蘇恭. Ben cao shi yi 本草拾遺, 35 kinds, during Tang 唐, by Chen Cangqi 陳藏器. Yao xing ben cao 藥性本草, 1 kind, during Tang 唐, by Zhen Quan 甄權. Kai bao ben cao 開寶本草, 1 kind, during Song 宋, by Ma Zhi 馬志. Jia you ben cao 嘉祐本草, 1 kind, during Song 宋, by Zhang Yuxi 掌禹錫. Ben cao gang mu 本草綱目, 35 kinds, during Ming 明, by Li Shizhen 李時珍. 【附註】: Additional comments [are based on the following sources]: Wei 魏 [dynasty]: Wu Pu 吴普 Ben cao 本草 Tang 唐 [dynasty]: Li Xun 李珣, Hai yao 海藥 Shu 蜀 [dynasty]: Han Baosheng 韓保昇, Chong zhu 重注 Song 宋 [dynasty]: Su Song 蘇頌, Tu jing 圖經 Tang Shenwei 唐慎微, Zheng lei 證類 Kou Zongshi 寇宗奭, Yan yi 衍義 Yuan 元 [dynasty]: Zhu Zhenheng 朱震亨, Bu yi 補遺
Chapter 38
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服器之一 Clothes and Utensils I 服帛類二十五種 Clothes and Silk Group, 25 kinds. 38-01 Jin 錦, brocade. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-02 Juan 絹, thin, tough silk. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-03 Bo 帛, silk fabric. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-04 Bu 布, cloth. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-05 Mian 綿, silk floss. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-06 Kun dang 褌襠, crotch of underpants. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-06-A01 Yue jing yi 月經衣, garments worn during menstruation. 38-07 Han shan 汗衫, undershirt. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-08 Xiao zi shan 孝子衫, shirt worn by a son to display filial piety. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-09 Bing ren yi 病人衣, a sick person’s garment. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-10 Yi dai 衣帶, garment belt. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-11 Tou jin 頭巾, head scarf. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-12 Fu tou 幞頭, headdress. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-13 Pi jin zi 皮巾子, leather scarf. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-14 Pi yao dai 皮腰袋, leather waist belt. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-15 Jiao jiao bu 繳脚布, cloth used for footbinding. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-16 Bai tian gong 敗天公, decayed ‘Honorable Heaven’. FE Shi yi 拾遺; i.e., Li 笠, wide-brimmed straw hat. 38-17 Gu suo yi 故蓑衣, old raincoat made from rushes. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-18 Zhan ti 氈屉, felt insole. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-19 Pi xue 皮鞾, leather boot. FE Gang mu 綱目 38-20 Ma xie 麻鞋, hemp shoe. FE Tang ben 唐本 38-21 Cao xie 草鞋, straw shoe. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-22 Lü ti bi sheng 履屉鼻繩, a string from the nose of wooden clogs. FE Tang ben 唐本 38-23 Zi jing si sheng 自經死繩, a noose used for suicidal hanging. FE Shi yi 拾遺 38-24 Ling chuang xie 靈牀鞋, shoe from underneath a bier. FE Shi yi 拾 38-25 Si ren zhen xi 死人枕蓆, a corpse’s headrest and mat. FE Shi yi 拾遺
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上附方舊七,新六十三。 Recipes added to the entries above: Seven of old, 63 newly [recorded].
服器之二 Clothes and Utensils II 器物類五十四種 Utensils and Further Items, 54 kinds 38-26 38-27 38-28 38-29 38-30 38-31 38-32 38-33 38-34 38-35 38-36 38-37 38-38 38-39 38-40 38-41 38-42 38-43 38-44 38-45 38-46 38-47 38-48 38-49 38-50
Zhi 紙, paper. FE Gang mu 綱目 Qing zhi 青紙, greenish paper. FE Gang mu 綱目 Yin zhi 印紙, paper with an official seal. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Tong you san zhi 桐油傘紙, paper from an umbrella impregnated with vermicia oil. FE Gang mu 綱目 Li ri 歷日, calendar. FE Gang mu 綱目 Zhong kui 鍾馗. [drawing of ] Zhong Kui. FE Gang mu 綱目 Tao fu 桃符, peachwood talisman. FE Yao xing 藥性 Tao jue 桃橛, peachwood peg. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Jiu yue zhang 救月杖, the stick used to rescue the moon. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Bo huo zhang 撥火杖, wooden fire poker. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Chui huo tong 吹火筒, a tube to kindle a fire by blowing. FE Gang mu 綱目 Zao bing mu 鑿柄木, wooden handle of a chisel. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Tie zhui bing 鐵椎柄, handle of an iron hammer. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Chong xie 銃楔, ramrod of a handgun. FE Gang mu 綱目 Dao qiao 弓鞘, sheath of a knife. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Ma bian 馬鞭, horsewhip. FE Gang mu 綱目 Jian ke ji cu 箭舘及鏃, arrow shaft and arrowhead. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Gong nu xuan 弓弩弦, bowstring and crossbow string. FE Bie lu 别録 Fang che xuan 紡車弦, string of a spinning wheel. FE Gang mu 綱目 Suo tou 梭頭, shuttle head. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Lian jia guan 連枷關, flail. FE Gang mu 綱目 Cong dan jian 楤擔尖, tip of a pole. FE Gang mu 綱目 Shu bi 梳篦, comb and fine-toothed comb. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Zhen xian dai 針綫袋, bag with needles and threads. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Pu shan 蒲扇, cattail leaf fan. FE Shi yi 拾遺
Chapter 38 38-51 38-52 38-53 38-54 38-55 38-56 38-57 38-58 38-59 38-60 38-61 38-62 38-63 38-64 38-65 38-66 38-67 38-68 38-69 38-70 38-71 38-72 38-73 38-74 38-75 38-76 38-77 38-78 38-79
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Pu xi 蒲席, cattail mat. FE Bie lu 别録 Dian 簟, bamboo mat. FE Gang mu 綱目 Lian bo 簾箔, curtain and screen. FE Jia you 嘉祐 Qi qi 漆器, lacquer utensil. FE Gang mu 綱目 Yan zhu shi chui 研朱石槌, stone pestle used to grind cinnabar. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Deng zhan 燈盞, uncovered oil lamp. FE Gang mu 綱目 Deng zhan you 燈盞油, oil from an uncovered oil lamp. FE Gang mu 綱 目 Che zhi 車脂, cart grease. FE Kai bao 開寶 Bai chuan ru 敗船茹, rotten bamboo shavings used to seal a boat. FE Bie lu 别録 Gu mu zhen 故木砧, old wooden chopping block. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Shao 杓, wooden ladle. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Zhu 筯, chopstick. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Zeng 甑 , steamer. FE Tang ben 唐本 Guo gai 鍋蓋, lid of a cooking pot. FE Gang mu 綱目 Fan luo 飯籮, rice basket. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Zheng long 蒸籠, food steamer made of bamboo. FE Gang mu 綱目 Chui dan bu 炊單布, a cloth in a steamer. FE Gang mu 綱目 Gu chui zhou 故炊帚, old pot-scouring brush. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Bi zhou 弊帚, worn broom. FE Gang mu 綱目 Bo qi shi 簸箕舌, bottom of a winnowing basket. FE Gang mu 綱目 Zhu lan 竹籃, bamboo basket. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Yu gou 魚笱, bamboo basket for trapping fish. FE Gang mu 綱目 Yu wang 魚網, fishnet. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Cao ma sheng suo 草麻繩索, rope made out of straw or hemp. FE Gang mu 綱目 Ma ban sheng 馬絆繩, rope used to trip a horse. FE Gang mu 綱目 Fu zhu sheng 縛猪繩, rope used to tie up pigs. FE Gang mu 綱目 Niu quan 牛牶, wooden stick from an ox nose. FE Gang mu 綱目 Ce chou 厠籌, wooden latrine board. FE Shi yi 拾遺 Niao tong 尿桶, urinal bucket. FE Gang mu 綱目
上附方舊十六,新六十六。 Recipes added to the entries above: 16 of old, 66 newly [recorded].
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本草綱目 Ben cao gang mu 服器部 Section Clothes and Utensils 第三十八卷 Chapter 38
服器之一 Clothes and Utensils I 服帛類二十五種 Clothes and Silk Group, 25 kinds 38-01 錦拾遺 Jin, FE Shi yi Brocade. 【釋名】【時珍曰】錦以五色絲織成文章,故字從帛從金,諧聲,且貴之 也。《禹貢兖州》厥篚織文是也。 Explanation of Names. [Li ] Shizhen: The ornamental design of brocade is woven from silk threads of all five colors. Hence the character jin 錦 is composed of [the two characters] bo 帛, “silk,” and jin 金, “gold.” It is a pictographic character with one element indicating meaning and the other sound. It also serves to reflect its value. The Yu gong, Yan zhou, [says:] “This is the design of woven baskets.” 【主治】故錦:煮汁服,蠱毒。燒灰,傅小兒口中熱瘡。藏器。燒灰,主 失血、下血、血崩,金瘡出血,小兒臍瘡濕腫。時珍。 Control. Old brocade boiled and the [resulting] juice ingested [serves to cure] gu poison. Burned to ashes it is applied to heat sores in a child’s mouth. [Chen] Cangqi. Burned to ashes it controls blood loss, discharge with blood, blood collapse,26 bleeding wounds caused by metal objects/weapons, and sores at the navels of children, with moisture and swelling. [Li] Shizhen.
26 Xue beng 血崩, “blood collapse,” is excessive vaginal bleeding. BCGM Dict I, 594.
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【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 吐血不止:紅錦三寸燒灰,水服。《聖惠方》。 Unending spitting of blood. Burn three cun of red brocade to ashes and ingest them with water. Sheng hui fang. 上氣喘急:故錦一寸燒灰,茶服神效。《普濟方》。 Rising qi with hectic panting. Burn a one cun long piece of brocade to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with tea. Divinely effective. Pu ji fang. 38-02 絹綱目 Juan, FE Gang mu. Thin, tough silk. 【釋名】【時珍曰】絹,疏帛也。生曰絹,熟曰練。入藥用黄絲絹,乃蠶 吐黄絲所織,非染色也。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: Juan 絹 is a type of loose silk. Raw it is called juan 絹. Processed it is called lian 練. Juan-silk made from yellow silk threads is added to medication. It is woven from yellow threads spat out by silkworms. Its color is not the result of dyeing. 【主治】黄絲絹:煮汁服,止消渴,産婦脬損,洗痘瘡潰爛。燒灰,止血 痢、下血、吐血、血崩。時珍. 緋絹:燒灰,入瘧藥。時珍。 Control. Boiled in water, and the [resulting] juice ingested, it serves to stop melting with thirst27 and to heal the bladder of women that has been injured during childbirth. It is used to wash festering smallpox sores. Burned to ashes, it ends blood free-flux illness,28 discharge with blood, blood spitting, and blood collapse.29 [Li] Shizhen. Red juan silk: Burned to ashes it is added to malaria medication. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 婦人血崩:黄絹灰五分,棕櫚灰一錢,貫衆灰、京墨灰、荷葉灰各五分, 水、酒調服,即止。《集簡方》。 27 Xiao ke 消渴, “melting with thirst,” most likely including cases of diabetes. BCGM Dict I, 567. 28 Li 痢, “free-flux illness,” a diarrhea-type ailment. BCGM Dict I, 311. 29 Xue beng 血崩, “blood collapse,” is excessive vaginal bleeding. BCGM Dict I, 594.
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Blood collapse of women. Five fen of yellow juan silk ashes, one qian of charred trachycarpus [stipule fiber], and five fen each of aspidium ashes, capital inkstick ashes, and lotus leaf ashes ingested mixed with water or wine will end it. Ji jian fang. 産婦脬損:小便淋瀝不斷,黄絲絹三尺,以炭灰淋汁,煮至極爛,清水洗 净。入黄蠟半兩,蜜一兩,茅根二錢,馬勃末二錢。水一升,煎一盞,空 心頓服。服時勿作聲,作聲即不效。名固脬散。 Urinary bladder of women injured during childbirth, with an unending dripping of urine. Boil three chi of yellow thread juan silk in water poured on the ashes of charcoal until it has turned extremely pappy. Wash [the silk] clean with clear water. Add half a liang of yellow beeswax, one liang of honey, two qian of imperata root and two qian of puffball powder. Boil this in one sheng of water down to one small cup, and [let the patient] ingest it on an empty stomach all at once. While she ingests no one must speak. If someone speaks, [the treatment] will have no effect. This is called the “powder that solidifies the urinary bladder.” 又方:産時傷脬,終日不小便,只淋濕不斷,用生絲黄絹一尺,白牡丹根 皮末、白及末各一錢,水二碗,煮至絹爛如餳,服之。不宜作聲。《婦人 良方》。 Another recipe. For a urinary bladder harmed during childbirth. [The woman] is unable to urinate all day long but suffers from an unending dripping of moisture instead. Boil one chi of raw yellow thread juan silk, and one qian each of paeonia root bark powder and common bletilla [root] powder in two bowls of water until the silk has turned pappy like malt-sugar and [let the patient] ingest it. Nobody must speak. Fu ren liang fang. 38-03 帛拾遺 Bo, FE Shi yi. Silk fabric. 【釋名】【時珍曰】素絲所織,長狹如巾,故字從白巾。厚者曰繒,雙絲 者曰縑。後人以染絲造之,有五色帛。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: It is woven from raw silk threads, and long and narrow like a towel. Hence the character [bo 帛] is composed of [the two characters] bai 白, “white,” and 巾 jin, “a piece of cloth.” A thick silk fabric is called zeng 繒. One made out of doubled silk threads is called jian 縑. In later times the people used dyed silk threads to produce silk fabrics in all the five colors. 【主治】緋帛:燒研,傅初生兒臍未落時腫痛,又療惡瘡疔腫,諸瘡有根
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者,入膏用爲上。仍以掌大一片,同露蜂房、棘刺鈎、爛草節、亂髮等分 燒研,空腹服方寸匕。藏器。主墜馬及一切筋骨損。好古。燒研,療血 崩,金瘡出血,白駁風。時珍。 Control. Red silk fabric. Burned and ground [to powder] it is applied to the swollen, painful navel of newborns if [the umbilical cord] has not fallen off. Also, to heal malign sores and pin-illness30 swelling, and all kinds of sores with a root, it is best when added to an ointment. One may also ingest on an empty abdomen the amount held by a square cun spoon of [a powder prepared from] a piece of [red silk fabric] the size of a palm, and of equal amounts of paper wasp nests, thorns with a hook-shaped end, decayed herb nodes, and disheveled human hair, all burned [to ashes] and ground. [Chen] Cangqi. It controls injuries resulting from a fall from a horse and all [injuries affecting] sinews and bones. [Wang] Haogu. Burned [to ashes] and ground [to powder] it serves to heal blood collapse,31 bleeding wounds caused by metal objects/weapons and white variegation wind.32 [Li] Shizhen. 五色帛:主盗汗,拭乾訖,棄道頭。藏器。 Silk fabric of all five colors. To control robber sweat,33 wipe [the affected region] completely dry and throw [the fabric] away on the road. [Chen] Cangqi.
【附方】新一。 Added Recipes. One newly [recorded]. 肥脈癮疹:曹姓帛拭之愈。《千金方》。 Fat vessels and dormant papules. Wipe [the affected region] with a silk fabric [produced] by the Caos and [the illness] will be cured. Qian jin fang. 38-04 布拾遺 Bu, FE Shi yi. Cloth. 【釋名】【時珍曰】布有麻布、絲布、木綿布。字從手從巾,會意也。 30 Ding 丁, “pin[-illness],” also ding 疔, “pin-illness,” refers to a deep-reaching and festering hardness in a tissue, eventually rising above the skin like a pinhead. BCGM Dict I, 127129. 31 Xue beng 血崩, “blood collapse,” is excessive vaginal bleeding. BCGM Dict I, 594. 32 Bai bo feng 白駁風, “white variegation wind,” a vaguely identifiable skin disease. BCGM Dict I, 45. 33 Dao han 盗汗, “robber sweat,” a profuse sweating during sleep that ends when one wakes up. BCGM Dict I, 122.
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Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: Cloth may refer to hemp cloth, silk cloth and cotton cloth. The character [bu 布] is a combination of the meanings of [the two characters] shou 手, “hand,” and jin 巾, “a piece of cloth.” 【主治】新麻布:能逐瘀血,婦人血閉腹痛、産後血痛。以數重包白鹽一 合,煅研,温酒服之。 Control. New hemp cloth. It is able to eliminate stagnant blood. [To cure] blocked menstruation of women with a painful abdomen and painful bleeding after childbirth, wrap one ge of salt in several layers [of new hemp cloth], calcine it, grind it [to powder] and [let the patient] ingest it with warm wine. 舊麻布:同旱蓮草等分,瓶内泥固煅研。日用揩齒,能固牙烏鬚。時珍。 Old hemp cloth. Fill it with an equal amount of eclipta herb into a jar, seal it firmly with mud, calcine it and grind it [to powder]. Rub your teeth with it daily. It can strengthen the teeth and blackens beards. 白布:治口唇緊小,不能開合飲食。不治殺人。作大炷安刀斧上,燒令汗 出,拭塗之,日三五度。仍以青布燒灰,酒服。時珍。 White cloth. It is used to heal a small mouth with tight lips that cannot be opened for beverages and food. If this is not cured, it will kill that person. Form a big lampwick [of white hemp cloth] and place it on a knife or axe. Heat it until it releases sweat and apply [the liquid to the patient’s mouth], three to five times a day. Also, burn a piece of greenish cloth to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with warm wine. [Li] Shizhen. 青布:解諸物毒,天行煩毒,小兒寒熱丹毒,並水漬取汁飲之。浸汁和生 薑汁服,止霍亂。燒灰,傅惡瘡經年不瘥者,及灸瘡止血,令不傷風水。 燒煙,熏嗽,殺蟲,熏虎狼咬瘡,能出水毒。入諸膏藥,療疔腫、狐尿等 惡瘡。藏器。燒灰酒服,主唇裂生瘡口臭。仍和脂塗之,與藍靛同功。時 珍。 Greenish cloth. It resolves the poison of all kinds of items, epidemic poison associated with vexation, and cinnabar poison34 of children associated with alternating sensations of cold and heat. Soak it in water and [let the patient] drink the resulting juice. The juice resulting from soaking [greenish cloth in water] ingested with fresh ginger ends cholera. Burned to ashes [greenish cloth] is applied to malign sores that have not been cured for years and also to sores resulting from cauterization. It ends bleeding and prevents [open sores] from being harmed by wind and water. Burned to generate fumes, it serves to steam [patients suffering from] cough. It kills 34 Dan du 丹毒, “cinnabar poison,” a skin ailment with red rashes. BCGM Dict I, 118.
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worms/bugs. It is used to steam wounds caused by the bites of tigers and wolves, and it is able to extract water poison. Added to all kinds of medicinal ointments, it serves to heal malign sores such as those associated with pin-illness35 swelling and those caused by fox urine. [Chen] Cangqi. Burned to ashes and ingested with wine, it controls sores developing on chapped lips, and malodorous mouth stench. Applied together with fat its [therapeutic] potential is identical with that of indigo. [Li] Shizhen
【附方】舊二,新六。 Added Recipes. Two of old. Six newly [recorded]. 惡瘡防水:青布和蠟燒煙筒中熏之,入水不爛。陳藏器《本草》。 To protect malign sores against [harm caused by] water. Burn greenish cloth with beeswax and steam [the affected region] with the fumes channeled through a tube. When water enters [the sores], they will not fester. Chen Cangqi, Ben cao. 瘡傷風水:青布燒煙於器中,以器口熏瘡。得惡汁出,則痛癢瘥。陳藏器 《本草》。 Sores harmed by wind and water. Burn greenish cloth and collect the fumes in a vessel. Steam the sores by placing the opening of the vessel [on the affected region]. Once a malign juice is released, the pain and the itch will be cured. Chen Cangqi, Ben cao. 臁瘡潰爛:陳艾五錢,雄黄二錢,青布卷作大炷,點火熏之。熱水流數次 愈。鄧筆峰《雜興方》。 Festering shank sores. Make a big lampwick roll of five qian of long-stored common mugwort leaves, two qian of realgar and greenish cloth, light it and steam the [affected region]. Hot water will flow [out of the sores]. After several [such applications] a cure is achieved. Deng Bifeng, Za xing fang. 交接違禮:女人血出不止。青布同發燒灰,納之。僧坦《集驗方》。 Unending bleeding of women following an unseemly sexual intercourse. Burn greenish cloth with hair to ashes and insert them [into the vagina]. Sengtan, Ji yan fang. 霍亂轉筋:入腹,無可奈何者。以酢煮青布,搽之。冷則易。《千金方》。 35 Ding 丁, “pin[-illness],” also ding 疔, “pin-illness,” refers to a deep-reaching and festering hardness in a tissue, eventually rising above the skin like a pinhead. BCGM Dict I, 127129.
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Cholera with contorted sinews. When [the resulting spams] have entered the abdomen and nothing else can help. Boil greenish cloth in vinegar and wipe the [affected region]. When [the cloth] has cooled down, replace it [with a hot cloth]. Qian jin fang. 傷寒陽毒:狂亂甚者。青布一尺,浸冷水,帖其胸前。《活人書》。 Harm caused by cold associated with yang poison.36 When [patients] are extremely mad and bewildered, soak one chi of greenish cloth in cold water and apply it to the [patient’s] chest. Huo ren shu. 目痛磣澀:不得瞑。用青布炙熱,以時熨之。仍蒸大豆作枕。《聖惠》。 Painful eyes with gritty roughness, making it impossible to close the eyes. Heat a piece of greenish cloth and from time to time press it on [the affected eye]. Also, fill a pillow with steamed soybeans. Sheng hui. 病後目赤:有方同上。千金方用冷水漬青布掩之,數易。 Red eyes following a disease episode. The recipe is identical with the one above. The Qian jin fang [recommends to] soak greenish cloth in cold water and cover [the affected eyes with it. When the cloth has turned warm it is] to be replaced [with a cold cloth] several times. 38-05 綿拾遺 Mian, FE Shi yi. Silk floss. 【集解】【時珍曰】古之綿絮,乃繭絲纏延,不可紡織者。今之綿絮,則 多木綿也。入藥仍用絲綿。 Collected Explanations. [Li] Shizhen: In antiquity, silk floss wadding consisted of tied-up threads from a cocoon. They could not be used for weaving. The silk floss waddings of today are often made out of cotton. For medication, those made out of silk threads are used. 【主治】新綿:燒灰,治五野鷄病,每服酒二錢。 Control. New silk floss. Burned to ashes it serves to cure the five kinds of piles. Each time ingest with wine two qian. 衣中故綿絮:主下血,及金瘡出血不止,以一握煮汁服。藏器。 36 Yang du 陽毒, “yang poison,” is harm caused by cold resulting in a flourishing of yang qi and a diminution of yin qi. BCGM Dict I, 616.
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Ancient silk floss wadding recovered from garments. It controls discharge with blood, and unending bleeding of wounds caused by metal objects/weapons. Boil a handful in water and ingest the [resulting] juice. [Chen] Cangqi. 綿灰:主吐血衄血,下血崩中,赤白帶下,疳瘡臍瘡,聤耳。時珍。 Silk floss ashes. They control blood spitting and nosebleed, discharge with blood and collapsing center,37 red and white discharge from below the belt, gan-illness38 sores and navel sores, and festering ears. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新十。 Added Recipes. Ten newly [recorded]. 霍亂轉筋:腹痛。以苦酒煮絮裹之。《聖惠方》。 Cholera with contorted sinews. Abdominal pain. Boil [silk floss] wadding in bitter wine and cover [the abdomen] with it. Sheng hui fang. 吐血咯血:新綿一兩,燒灰,白膠切片炙黄一兩,每服一錢,米飲下,《 普濟方》。 Blood spitting. Burn one liang of new silk floss to ashes and [grind it together with] white [deer horn] glue, cut to slices and roasted until it has turned yellow, and [grind the two substances to powder]. Each time ingest one qian, to be sent down with a rice beverage. Pu ji fang. 吐血衄血:好綿燒灰,打麵糊,入清酒調服之。《普濟方》。 Blood spitting and nosebleed. Burn good quality silk floss to ashes and form with wheat flour [and water] a paste. Add clear wine and ingest this mixture. Pu ji fang. 腸風瀉血:破絮燒灰、枳殼麩炒等分,麝香少許,爲末。每服一錢,米飲 下。《聖惠方》。 Intestinal wind with outflow and bleeding. Burn a worn out [silk floss] wadding to ashes and grind them with an equal amount of fried bitter orange bran and a small amount of musk to powder. Each time ingest one qian, to be sent down with a rice beverage. Sheng hui fang.
37 Beng zhong 崩中, “collapsing center,” excessive vaginal bleeding outside of a menstruation period. BCGM Dict I, 58. 38 Gan 疳, “gan-illness,” also: “sweets-illness,” involves several complaints that affect children and adults, with causes and conditions too different to fall into a known disease category. BCGM Dict I, 180-188.
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血崩不止:好綿及婦人頭髮共燒存性,百草霜等分,爲末。每服三錢,温 酒下。或加棕灰。 Unending blood collapse.39 Burn good quality silk floss and a woman’s hair with their nature retained and grind this with an equal amount of soot taken from a chimney where herbs were burned to powder. Each time [let the patient] ingest three qian, to be sent down with warm wine. It is also advisable to add charred trachycarpus [stipule fiber]. 東垣方:用白綿子、蓮花心、當歸、茅花、紅花各一兩,以白紙裹定,黄 泥固濟,燒存性,爲末。每服一錢,入麝香少許,食前好酒服。 The Dongyuan fang [recommends to] wrap one liang each of white silk floss, lotus flower seed germs, angelica sinensis [root], floss grass and safflower tightly in white paper, seal it firmly with yellow mud, burn it by retaining its nature, and grind it to powder. Each time ingest one qian, with a little musk added, prior to meals with good wine. 《乾坤秘韞》用舊綿絮去灰土一斤,新蠶絲一斤,陳蓮房十個,舊炊箅一 枚,各燒存性。各取一錢,空心熱酒下,日三服。不過五日愈。 The Qian kun mi yun [recommends to] use ten jin of old silk floss wadding, with dust removed, one jin of new silkworm silk threads, ten long-stored lotus seedpods and one old food steamer. These ingredients are all to be burned with their nature retained. For each application send down on an empty stomach with hot wine one qian. To be ingested three times a day. A cure is achieved after no more than five days. 氣結淋病:不通。用好綿四兩,燒灰,麝香半分。每服二錢,温葱酒連進 三服。《聖惠方》。 Qi nodes and [urinary] dripping disease. When the passage [of urine] is blocked. Burn four liang of good quality silk floss to ashes, add half a fen of musk, and each time ingest two qian. To be consecutively ingested three times with warm onion wine. Sheng hui fang. 臍瘡不乾:綿子燒灰,傅之。《傅氏活嬰方》。 Navel sores that fail to dry. Burn silk floss to ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. Fu shi huo ying fang. 聤耳出汁:故綿燒灰,綿裹塞之。《聖惠方》。 Festering ears releasing a juice. Burn old silk floss to ashes, wrap them in silk floss and insert them [into the affected ears]. Sheng hui fang. 39 Xue beng 血崩, “blood collapse,” is excessive vaginal bleeding. BCGM Dict I, 594.
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38-06 褌襠拾遺 Kun dang, FE Shi yi. Crotch of underpants. 【釋名】褲《綱目》犢鼻《綱目》觸衣《綱目》小衣【時珍曰】褌亦作 裩,褻衣也。以渾復爲之,故曰褌。其當隱處者爲襠,縫合者爲褲,短者 爲犢鼻。犢鼻,穴名也,在膝下。 Explanation of Names. Ku 褲, “pants,” Gang mu. Du bi 犢鼻, “calf nose,” Gang mu. Du yi 觸衣, “close contact garment,” Gang mu. Xiao yi 小衣, “little garment.” [Li] Shizhen: Kun 褌 is also written kun 裩, an “indecent garment.” As it is repeatedly soiled, hun 渾, it is called kun 褌. Where it meets, dang 當, what is to be concealed, this is the dang 襠, “crotch.” When it is sewed up, it is called ku 褲, “pants.” Short ones are called “calf nose.” Du bi 犢鼻 is the name of a [needle insertion] hole below the knees. 【主治】洗褌汁,解毒箭並女勞復。《别録》。陰陽易病,燒灰服之。並 取所交女人衣裳覆之。藏器。主女勞疸,及中惡鬼忤。時珍。 Control. The juice obtained by washing underpants resolves arrow poison and diseases recurring after a [sexual] exhaustion with women. Bie lu. For the disease of yin yang exchange [of harm caused by cold between sexual partners] burn it to ashes and ingest them. Also, cover [the male] with garments worn by the woman with whom he had intercourse. [Chen] Cangqi. It controls dan-illness40 caused by [sexual] exhaustion with women, and also being struck by the malign and demon hostility. [Li] Shizhen. 【發明】【時珍曰】按張仲景云:陰陽易病,身體重,少氣,腹裏急, 或引陰中拘急,熱上冲胸,頭重不欲舉,眼中生花,膝脛拘急者,燒裩散 主之。取中裩近隱處燒灰,水服方寸匕,日三服。小便即利,陰頭微腫則 愈。男用女,女用男。成無己解云:此以導陰氣也。童女者尤良。 Explication. [Li] Shizhen: According to Zhang Zhongjing, “the disease of yin yang exchange [of harm caused by cold between sexual partners lets one suffer from the following]: a heavy body. Short [breath] qi. Tension in the abdomen, or cramps drawn into the yin [(i. e., the genital) region], heat rushing upward into the chest, a heavy head that one does not wish to lift, flowers developing in the eyes, and cramps affecting knees and shanks. The “powder with burned pants” will control this. Remove from the pants the part that meets what is usually concealed and burn it to ashes. Ingest with water the amount held by a square cun spoon. To be ingested 40 [Huang] dan [黄]疸, “[yellow] dan-illness, most likely including cases of jaundice. BCGM Dict I, 225.
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three times a day. This will free the flow of urine. Once the glans penis is slightly swollen, a cure is achieved. Males use [the underpants of ] women; women use [the underpants of ] males.” In an explanation, Cheng Wuji states: “This is so because they guide yin qi. Those of virgin females are especially good.”
【附方】新四。 Added Recipes. Four newly [recorded]. 金瘡傷重:被驚者。以女人中衣舊者,炙襠熨之。李筌《太白經注》。 Severe harm associated with wounds caused by metal objects/weapons, when the [patients] are frightened. Roast a used old underwear of a woman and apply it as a hot compress to [the affected region]. Li Quan, Tai bai jing zhu. 胞衣不下:以本婦裩覆井上。或以所着衣籠竈上。《千金方》。 Failure of the placenta to descend. Cover the well with the pants of that woman. Or use her underwear to cover the kitchen stove. Qian jin fang. 房勞黄病:體重不眠,眼赤如朱,心下塊起若瘕,十死一生。宜烙舌下, 灸心俞、關元二七壯。以婦人内衣燒灰,酒服二錢。《三十六黄方》。 Jaundice following [sexual] exhaustion with a woman. The body feels heavy and one cannot sleep. The eyes are red like cinnabar. A mass ascends from below the heart as if there were a conglomeration-illness. Ten patients will die; one will survive. [To cure this disease] one must brand below the tongue and cauterize the heart transportion [needle insertion point] as well as the guan yuan [needle insertion point] with 20 cones. Also, burn the underwear of that woman to ashes and have [the patient] ingest with wine two qian. San shi liu huang fang. 中鬼昏厥:四肢拳冷,口鼻出血。用久污溺衣燒灰。每服二錢,沸湯下。 男用女,女用男。趙原陽真人《濟急方》。 Demon stroke with clouding and recession. The four limbs are [twisted into] fists and are cold. The mouth and the nose bleed. Take a diaper soiled with urine over a long time and burn it to ashes. Each time ingest two qian, to be sent down with water boiled to bubbling. Males use [the diaper of ] females; females use [the diaper of ] males. Zhao Yuanyang zhenren. Ji ji fang.
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【附録】 Appendix. 38-06-A01 月經衣。Yue jing yi Garments worn during menstruation. 月經衣見人部天癸下。 See the section “Humans,” under tian gui. (52-16) 38-07 汗衫綱目 Han shan, FE Gang mu. Sweatshirt. Undershirt. 【釋名】中單《綱目》裲襠,羞袒【時珍曰】古者短襦爲衫,今謂長衣亦 曰衫矣。王睿《炙轂子》云:漢王與項羽戰,汗透中單,改名汗衫。劉熙 《釋名》云:汗衣,《詩》謂之澤衣,或曰鄙袒,或曰羞袒。用六尺裁, 足覆胸背。言羞鄙於袒,故衣此爾。又前當胸,後當背,故曰裲襠。 Explanation of Names. Zhong dan 中單, “inner unlined garment,” Gang mu. Liang dang 裲襠, “garment attached to both [front and back],” xiu tan 羞袒, “[garment to cover] the upper part of the body one feels ashamed to display.” [Li] Shizhen: In ancient times, an unlined short garment, ru 襦, was called shan 衫. Today long garments, too, are called shan 衫. Wang Rui in his Zhi gu zi states: “When King Han fought with Xiang yu, the sweat seeped through his zhong dan 中單, ‘inner unlined garment.’ Hence its name was changed to ‘sweat shirt,’ han shan 汗衫.” Liu Xi in his Shi ming states: “The ‘sweat garment,’ han yi 汗衣, was called ze yi 澤衣, ‘moist garment,’ in the Shi, and also bi tan 鄙袒 and xiu tan 羞袒. It is prepared from a piece of [fabric of ] six chi, and this is sufficient to cover the chest and the back. [The names bi tan 鄙袒 and xiu tan 羞袒] are to say that [this shirt] covers the upper part of the body, tan 袒, one feels ashamed to display, xiu bi 羞鄙. Hence [this garment covers] this region. Also, in the front it lies close, dang 當, to the chest; and behind it lies close, dang 當, to the back. Hence it is also called liang dang 裲襠.” 【主治】卒中忤惡鬼氣,卒倒不知人,逆冷,口鼻出清血,或胸脅腹内絞 急切痛,如鬼擊之狀,不可按摩,或吐血衄血。用久垢汗衫燒灰,百沸湯 或酒服二錢。男用女,女用男。中襯衣亦可。時珍。 Control. For being suddenly struck by the qi of the hostile and of malign demons, for someone who suddenly falls and does not recognize other people, with cold [resulting from qi] counterflow and clear blood released from mouth and nose, or
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when a twisting cramp and a cutting pain is felt in chest, flanks and abdomen, as if one had been struck by a demon, with [the pain so severe that the region affected] cannot be touched or massaged, or when [the patient] spits blood and suffers from nosebleed, burn a sweat shirt that has been soiled for a long time to ashes, and [let the patient] ingest two qian with a decoction boiled to bubbling a hundred times or with wine. Males use [a shirt of ] females; females use [a shirt of ] males. Underclothes may be used, too. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新一。 Added Recipes. One newly [recorded]. 小兒夜啼:用本兒初穿毛衫兒,放瓶内,自不哭也。《生生編》。 Children crying during the night. Give the very first unlined wool shirt worn by the child into a jar and it will stop crying. Sheng sheng bian. 38-08 孝子衫拾遺 Xiao zi shan, FE Shi yi. Shirt worn by a son to display filial piety. 【釋名】【時珍曰】粆麻布所爲者。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: It is made of coarse sackcloth. 【主治】面䵟,燒灰傅之。藏器。 Control. For facial gloom. Burn it to ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. [Chen] Cangqi. 帽:主鼻上主瘡,私竊拭之,勿令人知。時珍。 A cap [worn to display filial piety during a period of mourning]. It controls sores developing on the nose. Secretly rub it yourself [with your filial piety cap]. No one else must know this. [Li] Shizhen. 38-09 病人衣綱目 Bing ren yi, FE Gang mu. A sick person’s garment. 【主治】天行疫瘟。取初病人衣服,於甑上蒸過,則一家不染。時珍。
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Control. Epidemics. Steam the garments of the very first person affected by the disease above a jar and it will not spread to any further member of the household. [Li] Shizhen. 38-10 衣帶拾遺 Yi dai, FE Shiyi. Garment belt. 【主治】婦人難産及日月未至而産。臨時取夫衣帶五寸,燒爲末,酒服 之。裩帶最佳。藏器。療小兒下痢客忤,妊婦下痢難産。時珍。 Control. Women with difficult birth, and childbirth prior to the due date. As soon as the birth is imminent, burn five cun of a garment belt of the husband to ashes and [let the woman] ingest them with wine. The belt of an underpant it best. [Chen] Cangqi. It serves to heal discharge with free-flux illness41 and children affected by a visitor’s hostility,42 and also discharge with free-flux illness and difficult childbirth of women. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新五。 Added Recipes. Five newly [recorded]. 小兒客忤:卒中者。燒母衣帶三寸,并髮灰少許,乳汁灌之。《外臺秘 要》。 Children affected by a visitor’s hostility. When this is a sudden stroke. Burn three cun of a garment belt of the child’s mother together with a small amount of ashes of human hair and force-feed the ashes mixed with nursing mother’s milk [to the child]. Wai tai mi yao. 小兒下痢:腹大且堅。用多垢故衣帶切一升,水五升,煮一升,分三服。 《千金方》。 Discharge with free-flux illness of children, with an enlarged, hard stomach. Boil one sheng cut from an old, manifold soiled garment belt in five sheng of water down to one sheng, and [let the child] ingest it divided in three portions. Qian jin fang. 妊娠下痢:中衣帶三寸燒研,水服。《千金》。 41 Li 痢, “free-flux illness,” a diarrhea-type ailment. BCGM Dict I, 311. 42 Ke wu 客忤, “visitor‘s hostility.” A sudden twisting pain, encountered outside one’s home, in the heart and abdomen thought to result from the hostile acts of demons “visiting” the human body. BCGM Dict I, 282.
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Discharge with free-flux illness of pregnant women. Burn a three cun long piece of an inner garment belt [to ashes] and grind them [to powder], to be ingested with water. Qian jin. 金瘡犯内:血出不止。取所交婦人中衣帶三寸燒末,水服。《千金方》。 Wounds caused by metal objects/weapons during unseemly [sexual intercourse] in the inner quarters, with unending bleeding. Burn a three cun long piece of the inner garment belt of the woman [the patient] had intercourse with to ashes and let him ingest them with water. Qian jin fang. 令病不復:取女中下裳帶一尺燒研,米飲服,即免勞復。《肘後方》。 To prevent a relapse into a disease [acquired during sexual intercourse]. Burn a one chi long section of the belt of the woman’s inner and lower garment [to ashes], grind them [to powder] and [let the patient] ingest it with a rice beverage. This will prevent the relapse [into a disease] resulting from exhaustion [during sexual intercourse]. Zhou hou fang. 38-11 頭巾綱目 Tou jin, FE Gang mu. Head scarf. 【釋名】【時珍曰】古以尺布裹頭爲巾。後世以紗、羅、布、葛縫合,方 者曰巾,圓者曰帽,加以漆製曰冠。又束髮之帛曰𢄼,覆髮之巾曰幘,罩 髮之絡曰網巾,近制也。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: In ancient times a piece of cloth of one chi length was wrapped around the head, tou 頭, to serve as scarf, jin 巾. In later times, tulle and gauze, bast fibers and grass-cloth were sewed together. When the [headgear] is rectangular, it is called jin 巾, “scarf.” When it is round, it is called mao 帽, “cap.” When it is lacquered, it is called guan 冠, “crown.” Also, silk fabric used to fasten the hair is called xu 𢄼. The scarf used to cover the hair is called ze 幘. A net spread over the hair is called wang jin 網巾, “net scarf.” Such products are of recent origin. 【主治】故頭巾。治天行勞復後渴。取多膩者浸汁,暖服一升。時珍。《 千金方》。 Control. Old head scarf. It serves to cure thirst following a relapse into an epidemic illness because of exhaustion. Soak a very greasy [head scarf in water] and ingest one sheng of the resulting juice warm. [Li] Shizhen, [quoted from the] Qian jin fang.
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【附方】新四。 Added Recipes. Four newly [recorded]. 霍亂吐利。偷本人頭繒,以百沸湯泡汁,服一呷,勿令知之。《集玄方》。 Cholera with vomiting and free flux. 43 Secretly boil that person’s head silk in water one hundred times to bubbling and let [the patient] sip the resulting juice. Do not disclose what it is. Ji xuan fang. 卒忽心痛。三年頭𢄼,沸湯淋汁飲之。以盌覆𢄼于閑地。周時即愈。《聖 惠方》。 Sudden pain in the heart. Pour boiling hot water over a three-year-old head silk fabric used to fasten the hair and drink the [resulting liquid]. Cover the fabric with a pot and place it on a fenced-in ground. A cure is achieved after one full day. Sheng hui fang. 惡氣心痛。破網巾燒灰一錢,猫屎燒灰五分,温酒服。馬氏方。 Pain in the heart caused by malign qi. Ingest one qian of a net scarf, torn and burned to ashes, and five fen of cat feces, burned to ashes, with warm wine. Ma shi fang. 下蝕疳瘡。破絲網燒存性、孩兒茶各五分,研末。以濃茶洗净,擫之,三 五次效。忌生酒、房事、發物。《集簡方》。 Erosion in the lower [part of the body] and gan-illness44 sores. Grind five fen each of a torn silk net, burned by retaining its nature, and catechu to powder. Wash [the affected region] with a densely brewed tea and then press [the powder to the affected region]. This will be effective after three to five times. [During this treatment] the following are forbidden: fresh wine, sexual intercourse and items that stimulate [qi]. Ji jian fang. 38-12 幞頭綱目 Fu tou, FE Gang mu. Headdress. 【釋名】【時珍曰】幞頭,朝服也。北周武帝始用漆紗製之,至唐又有紗 帽之制,逮今用之。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: Fu tou 幞頭 is a court dress. During the Northern Zhou, Emperor Wu was the first to have them produced from lacquer 43 Li 利, also li 痢, “free-flux [illness],” a diarrhea-type ailment. BCGM Dict I, 311. 44 Gan 疳, “gan-illness,” also: “sweets-illness,” involves several complaints that affect children and adults, with causes and conditions too different to fall into a known disease category. BCGM Dict I, 180-188.
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and gauze. By the time of the Tang, gauze caps were made, too. They have remained in use to this day. 【主治】燒烟,熏産後血運。燒灰水服,治血崩及婦人交腸病。時珍。 Control. Burned, the fumes serve to steam [a woman] with blood[-induced brain] movement following childbirth. Burned and the ashes ingested, it serves to cure blood collapse45 and the disease of communicating bowels46 of women. [Li] Shizhen. 【發明】【時珍曰】按陳總領方,治暴崩下血,琥珀散用漆紗帽灰,云取 陽氣冲上之義。又夏子益《奇疾方》云:婦人因生産,陰陽易位,前陰出 糞,名曰交腸病。取舊幞頭燒灰,酒服。仍間服五苓散分利之。如無幞 頭,凡舊漆紗帽皆可代之。此皆取漆能行敗血之義耳。 Explication. [Li] Shizhen: According to a recipe by the Overseer-General Chen, to cure discharge of blood with a sudden collapse, the “powder with amber” includes the ashes of a burned lacquered gauze cap. It is said that “this is based on the idea of making use of yang qi rushing upward.” Also, Xia Ziyi in his Qi ji fang states: “When women give birth, their yin and yang [units] may switch positions, and feces may be released from the frontal yin [(i.e., genital) organ]. This is called the ‘disease of communicating bowels.’ Burn an old headdress to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with wine. In addition, let her ingest the ‘powder with five [ingredients, including zhu ling and fu] ling’47 to free the flow [of proper defecation]. If no headdress is at hand, any old lacquered gauze cap may be used instead.” All these [therapies] are based on the idea that lacquer is able to move rotten blood. 38-13 皮巾子綱目 Pi jin zi, FE Gang mu. Leather scarf. 【主治】下血及大風癘瘡。燒灰入藥。時珍。 Control. Discharge with blood and sores caused by a massive wind48 epidemic. Burn [a leather scarf ] to ashes and add it to medication. [Li] Shizhen. 45 Xue beng 血崩, “blood collapse,” is excessive vaginal bleeding. BCGM Dict I, 594. 46 Jiao chang 交腸, “communicating bowels,” a severe rupture, during delivery, in a woman’s lower abdomen resulting in a discharge of feces through her urinary tract. BCGM Dict I, 247. See also the following recipe. 47 A recipe of the Shang han lun, with polyporus sclerotium, atractylodes [rhizome], poria, alisma [root] and cassia twigs. 48 Da feng 大風, “massive wind,” may refer to sores caused by a massive intrusion of wind evil and also to conditions of leprosy. BCGM Dict I, 111.
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【附方】新一。 Added Recipes. One newly [recorded]. 積年腸風。瀉血,百藥不瘥。敗皮巾子燒灰、白礬燒各一兩,人指甲燒 焦、麝香各一分,乾薑炮三兩,爲末。每服一錢,米飲下。《聖惠方》。 Intestinal wind that has lasted for several years. Outflow with blood that has not been cured by a hundred medications. [Grind] one liang each of decayed leather scarfs, burned to ashes, and burned white alum, one fen each of human fingernails, burned and scorched, and musk, and three liang of dried ginger to powder. Each time ingest one qian, to be sent down with a rice beverage. Sheng hui fang. 38-14 皮腰袋綱目 Pi yao dai, FE Gang mu. Leather waist belt. 【主治】大風癘瘡。燒灰入藥。時珍。 Control. Sores caused by a massive wind epidemic. Burn [a leather waist belt] to ashes and add them to medication. [Li] Shizhen. 38-15 繳脚布拾遺 Jiao jiao bu, FE Shi yi. Cloth used for footbinding. 【釋名】【時珍曰】即裹脚布也。李斯書云,天下之士,裹足不入秦,是 矣。古名行縢。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: This is the piece of cloth used for footbinding. Li Si once stated: “All the scholars in the realm bind their feet and do not enter Qin.” This is [a reference to the habit of footbinding]. The ancient name [of this habit was] “walking bound.” 【主治】無毒。主天行勞復,馬駿風黑汗出者,洗汁服之。多垢者佳。藏 器。婦人欲回乳,用男子裹足布勒住,經宿即止。時珍。 Control. Nonpoisonous. It controls relapse into an epileptic [disease] because of exhaustion. When a steed releases black sweat caused by wind, wash the liquid off [with a cloth used for footbinding] and [let the patient] ingest it. Those [cloths] are fine that have been soiled many times. [Chen] Cangqi. If a woman wishes to [end a period of breast-feeding and] stop production of milk, she should tie [around her
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breasts] a piece of cloth used to bind the feet of a male and after one night [milk production] will end. [Li] Shizhen. 38-16 敗天公别録下品 Bai tian gong, FE Bie lu, lower rank. Decayed ‘Honorable Heaven’. Decayed bamboo hat. 【釋名】笠。【弘景曰】此乃人所戴竹笠之敗者。取竹燒灰用。【時珍 曰】笠乃賤者禦雨之具。以竹爲胎,以箬葉夾之。《穹天論》云:天形如 笠,而冒地之表,則天公之名,蓋取于此。近代又以牛馬尾、椶毛、皂羅 漆製以蔽日者,亦名笠子,乃古所謂褦襶子者也。 Explanation of Names. Li 笠. [Tao] Hongjing: These are decayed large bamboo hats worn by the people. To make [medicinal] use of them the bamboo is burned to ashes. [Li] Shizhen: Bamboo hats are a cheap way to protect one from rain. The frame is made of bamboo; it is fastened with indocalamus leaves. The Qiong tian lun states: “The physical appearance of heaven resembles a large bamboo hat covering the surface of the earth.” Hence its name “the honorable heaven.” In recent times, [large bamboo hats] are made with ponytails, palm tree hair and black cloth and lacquer as protection against the sun. Their name has remained li zi 笠子. These are [the hats] called nai dai zi 褦襶49子 in antiquity. 【主治】平。主鬼疰精魅,燒灰酒服。《别録》。 Control. Balanced. To control demon attachment-illness50 and essence goblins burn it to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with wine. Bie lu. 38-17 故蓑衣拾遺 Gu suo yi, FE Shi yi Old raincoat made from rushes. 【釋名】襏襫音潑適. [Li] Shizhen: 蓑草結衣,禦雨之具。《管子》云:農 夫首戴茅蒲,身服襏襫。即此也。 Explanation of Names. Po shi 襏襫 read po shi 潑適, “raincoat.” [Li] Shizhen: A garment prepared from Chinese alpine rushes; it serves to protect against rain. The 49 The two characters nai dai 褦襶 are composed of characters that may be read as “garment (yi 衣) that can (neng 衣) be worn (dai 戴).” 50 Zhu 疰, also zhu 注, “attachment-illness,” “influx-illnesss,” reflects a notion of a foreign pathogenic agent, originally of demonic nature, having attached itself to the human organism. BCGM Dict I, 688-695.
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Guan zi states: “Peasants wear [hats made of ] mao fu on their head; they wear raincoats woven of rushes on their body.” These are the [raincoats discussed] here. 【主治】蠼螋溺瘡,取故蓑衣結燒灰,油和傅之。藏器。 Control. For sores caused by the urine of earwigs burn an old raincoat woven of rushes to ashes and apply them mixed with oil [to the affected region]. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-18 氈屜音替綱目 Zhan ti, read ti, FE Gang mu. Felt insole. 【釋名】𡲕音替、屧音燮。【時珍曰】凡履中薦,襪下氈,皆曰屜,可以 代替也。 Explanation of Names. Ti 𡲕, read ti 替; xie 屧, read xie 燮. [Li] Shizhen: All kinds of straw in shoes, and felt [placed in shoes] underneath the socks are called ti 屜, “insole.” They can be replaced, dai ti 代替, [with a new insole]. 【主治】瘰癧。燒灰五匕,酒一升和,平旦向日服,取吐良。思邈。 Control. For scrofula pervasion-illness, 51 burn them to ashes, mix the amount held by five spoons with one sheng of wine and ingest this in the early morning facing the sun. When this stimulates vomiting, it is good. [Sun] Simiao.
【附方】新三。 Added Recipes. Three newly [recorded]. 痔瘡初起,痒痛不止。用氈襪烘熱熨之。冷又易。《集玄方》。 Piles sores that have just begun to rise, with an unending itch and pain. Heat felt insoles and press them hot on [the affected region]. Once they have cooled down, replace [them with hot insoles]. Ji xuan fang. 一切心痛。氈襪後跟一對,燒灰酒服。男用女,女用男。《壽域方》。 All kinds of heart pain. Burn the part of the insole facing the heel in the back to ashes and ingest them with wine. Males use [an insole from the shoes of ] a female; females use [one from the shoes of ] a male. Shou yu fang. 51 Luo li 瘰癧, “scrofula pervasion-illness,” when two or more connected swellings of the size of plum or date kernels appear either on the neck or in the armpits, or somewhere else on the body. BCGM Dict I. 329.
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斷酒不飲。以酒漬氈屜一宿,平旦飲,得吐即止也。《千金方》。 To end drinking of wine. Soak a felt insole in wine for one night and drink [the wine] the next morning. Once this stimulates vomiting, [the habit of drinking wine] will end. Qian jin fang. 38-19 皮鞾綱目 Pi xue, FE Gang mu. Leather boot. 【釋名】靴。【時珍曰】鞾,皮履也,所以華足,故字從革、華。劉熙 《釋名》云:鞾,跨也。便於跨馬也。本胡服。趙武靈王好着短靿鞾,後 世乃作長靿鞾,入藥當用牛皮者。 Explanation of Names. Xue 靴, “boot.” [Li] Shizhen: Xue 鞾 are leather shoes. They serve to decorate the feet. Hence the character [xue 鞾] is composed of [the two characters] ge 革, “leather/hide,” and hua 華, “splendor/extravagance.” Liu Xi in his Shi ming states: “Xue 鞾 is kua 跨, ‘to step/stride.’ They make horse riding comfortable. Originally, they were worn by the Hu people. King Wu ling of the Zhao loved to wear short boots. Later on, long boots were made.” For medication, use those made of oxhide. 【主治】癬瘡,取舊鞾底燒灰,同皂礬末摻之。先以葱椒湯洗净。時珍。 Control. Xuan-illness52 sores. Burn the soles of old boots to ashes and apply them mixed with melanterite [to the affected region]. Prior to this, wash them clean with an onion and Chinese pepper decoction. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新五。 Added Recipes. Five newly [recorded]. 牛皮癬瘡。舊皮鞋底燒灰,入輕粉少許,麻油調抹。《直指方》。 Oxhide xuan-illness sores. Burn the soles of old leather shoes to ashes, add a small amount of calomel and rub this mixed with sesame oil [to the affected region]. Zhi zhi fang. 小兒頭瘡。《聖惠方》用皮鞋底洗净煮爛,洗訖傅之。 Sores on the head of children. The Sheng hui fang [recommends to] boil the soles of leather shoes, washed clean, until they have become pappy and apply them to [the affected region] once it has been washed clean. 52 Xuan-illness 癬, skin illness with itching, release of liquid and shedding of scabs. BCGM Dict I, 591.
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又方:舊皮鞋面燒灰,入輕粉少許,生油調傅。 Another recipe. Burn the surface of leather shoes to ashes, add a small amount of calomel and apply this mixed with sesame oil [to the affected region]. 瘰癧已潰。牛皮油鞾底燒灰,麻油調傅之。《集玄方》。 Scrofula pervasion-illness53 that have begun to fester. Burn the soles of an oxhide, oiled boot to ashes and apply them mixed with sesame oil [to the affected region]. Ji xuan fang. 身項粉瘤。舊皮鞋底洗净,煮爛成凍子,常食之。瘤自破如豆腐,極臭。 《直指方》。 Powder tumors54 on the body and the nape. Wash the soles of old leather shoes, boil them until they have become pappy like jelly and eat this regularly. The tumors will break open like bean curd as a result, with an extremely malodorous stench. Zhi zhi fang. 腸風下血。皮鞋底、蠶繭退、核桃殻、紅鷄冠花等分,燒灰。每酒服一 錢。《聖惠方》。 Intestinal wind and discharge with blood. Burn equal amounts of leather shoe soles, silk cocoons, walnut shells, and red celosia flowers to ashes and each time ingest with wine one qian. Sheng hui fang. 38-20 麻鞋唐本草 Ma xie, FE Tang Ben cao. Hemp shoe. 【釋名】履《綱目》、屝音費、靸音先立切。【時珍曰】鞋,古作鞵,即 履也。古者以草爲屨,以帛爲履。周人以麻爲鞋。劉熙《釋名》云:鞋 者,解也,縮其上,易舒解也。履者,禮也,飾足爲禮也。靸者,襲也, 履頭深襲覆足也。皮底曰屝,屝者皮也。木底曰舄,乾腊不畏濕也。入藥 當用黄麻、苧麻結者。 Explanation of Names. Lü 履, “to stride,” Gang mu. Fei 屝, read fei 費, “straw shoe/ sandal.” Xi 靸, split reading xian 先 li 立, “heelless slipper.” [Li] Shizhen: Xie 鞋 in ancient times was written xie 鞵; it means lü 履, “shoes/to stride.” In ancient times 53 Luo li 瘰癧, “scrofula pervasion-illness,” when two or more connected swellings of the size of plum or date kernels appear either on the neck or in the armpits, or somewhere else on the body. BCGM Dict I. 329. 54 Fen liu 粉瘤, “powder tumor,” a mildly red tumor that is soft and, after being opened with a needle, releases a white substance. BCGM Dict I, 157.
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they used straw to make sandals, ju 屨, and they used silk fabric to make shoes, lü 履. The Zhou used hemp to prepare shoes, xie 鞋. Liu Xi in his Shi ming states: “Xie 鞋 is jie 解, ‘to resolve/untie.’ When they are fastened on their top, they are easily untied, shu jie 舒解. Lü 履 is li 禮, ‘etiquette.’ To decorate the feet is part of the ‘etiquette.’ Xi 靸 is xi 襲, ‘to cover.’ The shoes cover the entire foot. [Those with a] leather sole are called fei 屝. The fei 屝 are pi 皮, ‘leather [shoes].’ Those with a wooden sole are called xi 舄. They [keep the feet] dry. Therefore, moisture will not jeopardize them.” For medication, one must use those made of yellow hemp and of ramie. 【主治】舊底洗净煮汁服,止霍亂吐下不止,及食牛馬肉毒,腹脹吐利不 止,又解紫石英發毒。蘇恭。煮汁服,止消渴。時珍。 Control. Old soles washed clean, boiled, and the juice ingested, end incessant vomiting and discharge associated with cholera. It also [serves to resolve food] poisoning following a consumption of beef or horse meat, with an abdominal bloating and vomiting and free flux55 without end. Also, it resolves a poisoning caused by fluorite. Su Gong. Boiled and the juice ingested, it ends melting with thirst.56 [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】舊五,新七。 Added Recipes. Five of old. Seven newly [recorded]. 霍亂轉筋。故麻鞋底燒赤,投酒中,煮取汁服。《陳藏器本草》。 Cholera with contorted sinews. Heat old hemp shoe soles until they have turned red, give them into wine, boil it and ingest the juice. Chen Cangqi ben cao. 瘧疾不止。故鞋底去兩頭燒灰,井華水服之。《千金方》。 Unending malaria. Burn an old shoe sole, with both of its ends discarded, to ashes and ingest them with the first water drawn from a well in the morning. Qian jin fang. 鼻塞不通。麻鞋燒灰吹之,立通。《經驗方》。 Blocked nose. Burn hemp shoes to ashes and blow them [into the affected nostrils]. They will open immediately. Jing yan fang. 鼻中衄血。鞋𩍥燒灰吹之,立效。《貞元廣利方》。
55 Li 利, also li 痢, “free-flux [illness],” a diarrhea-type ailment. BCGM Dict I, 311. 56 Xiao ke 消渴, “melting with thirst,” most likely including cases of diabetes. BCGM Dict I, 567.
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Nosebleed. Burn a hemp shoe to ashes and blow them [into the affected nostrils]. Immediately effective. Zhen yuan guang li fang. 小便遺牀。麻鞋尖頭二七枚,燒灰,歲朝井華水服之。《近效方》。 Bed wetting. Burn two times seven tips of hemp shoes to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with the first water drawn in the morning of New Year’s Day. Jin xiao fang. 大腸脱肛。炙麻鞋底,頻按入。仍以故麻鞋底、鼈頭各一枚,燒研傅之, 按入即不出也。《千金方》。 Anal prolapse of the large intestine. Roast the sole of a hemp shoe and repeatedly press it on [the prolapsed intestine to let it] enter [the body again]. Also burn the sole of an old hemp shoe together with one head of a fresh-water turtle, grind [the residue to powder] and apply it [to the prolapsed intestine]. Exert pressure [on the prolapsed intestine] until it enters [the body], and it will not come out again. Qian jin fang. 子死腹中。取本婦鞋底炙熱,熨腹上下,二七次即下。《集玄方》。 A child has died in the abdomen. Roast the sole of a shoe of that woman and move it as a hot compress up and down her abdomen. After two times seven times [the dead child] will be released. Ji xuan fang. 胎衣不下。方同上。 When the placenta is not discharged. Recipe identical with the one above. 夜卧禁魘。凡卧時,以鞋一仰一覆,則無魘及惡夢。《起居雜忌》。 To end nightmares while lying in bed at night. Whenever [the patient] lies down put one of his shoes upright and the other one upside down, and there will be no more nightmares and malign dreams. Qi ju za ji. 折傷接骨。市上乞兒破鞋一隻燒灰、白麪等分,好醋調成糊,敷患處,以 絹束之,杉片夾定。須臾痛止,骨節有聲,爲效。楊誠《經驗方》。 To rejoin the bones in the case of a fracture. Burn a shoe worn by a beggar on the market place to ashes and form it together with the same amount of white wheat flour and good quality vinegar to a paste. Apply it to the affected region and bandage it with a piece of silk fabric. Fix it on both sides with flat pieces of Chinese fir wood. After a short while the pain will end. When the bones [rejoin there will be a] sound, and this is [proof of ] the effect [of this therapy]. Yang Cheng, Jing yan fang. 白駮癜風。麻鞋底燒灰,擦之。《聖惠》。
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White variegation patches wind.57 Burn the soles of hemp shoes to ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. Sheng hui. 蜈蚣傷螫。麻履底炙熱揩之,即安。《外臺秘要》。 Harm caused by the sting of a centipede. Roast a hemp shoe sole until it is hot and wipe the [affected region] with it. This will ease [the pain]. Wai tai mi yao. 38-21 草鞋拾遺 Cao xie, FE Shi yi. Straw shoe. 【釋名】草屨《綱目》、屩音蹻、不借《綱目》、千里馬。【時珍曰】《 世本》言黄帝之臣始作屨,即今草鞋也。劉熙《釋名》云:屨者,拘也, 所以拘足也。屩者,蹻也,着之蹻便也。不借者,賤而易得,不假借人也。 Explanation of Names. Cao ju 草屨, “straw sandal,” Gang mu. Jue 屩, read jue 蹻, “sandal;” bu jie 不借, “not borrowed,” Gang mu. Qian li ma 千里馬, “a 1000 li horse.” [Li] Shizhen: The Shi ben says: “An official of the Yellow Thearch was the first to make sandals, ju 屨.” These are today’s straw sandals. Liu Xi in his Shi ming states: “Ju 屨 is ju 拘, ‘to restrict/restrain/detain,’ because they detain, ju 拘, the feet. Jue 屩 is jue 蹻, ‘to raise the feet.’ To wear them makes it easy to raise the feet. Bu jie 不借, ‘not borrowed,’ is [to say]: they are cheap and easily obtained. There is no need to request financial assistance from someone else.” 【主治】破草鞋,和人亂髮燒灰,醋調,傅小兒熱毒遊腫。藏器。催生, 治霍亂。時珍。 Control. Burn worn straw sandals with human disheveled hair to ashes, mix them with vinegar and apply this to a roaming swelling of children caused by heat poison. [Chen] Cangqi. It hastens childbirth and serves to cure cholera. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新五。 Added Recipes. Five newly [recorded]. 産婦催生。路旁破草鞋一隻,洗净燒灰,酒服二錢。如得左足生男,右足 生女,覆者兒死,側者有驚,自然之理也。《胎産方》。 To hasten childbirth. Wash a worn straw sandal found at the roadside clean and burn it to ashes. [Let the woman] ingest with wine two qian. If [the sandal] found 57 Bai bo dian feng 白駮癜風, “white variegation patches wind.” Also Bai bo feng 白駮癜風 and Bai dian feng 白駮癜風, white skin patches without pain and itch. BCGM Dict I, 45, 46.
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was for a left foot, [the child to be born] will be male. If it was for a right foot, it will be a girl. If it had lied upside down, the child will be dead. It if had lied on its side, [the child will suffer from] fright. These are the principles of nature. Tai chan fang. 霍亂吐瀉。出路在家應急方:用路旁破草鞋,去兩頭,洗三四次,水煎湯 一盌,滚服之,即愈。《事海文山》。 Cholera with vomiting and outflow. A recipe for urgent situations both on the road and at home. Remove the two ends of a worn straw sandal found at the roadside, wash it three to four times, boil it in a bowl of water and [let the patient] ingest the hot liquid. This will result in a cure. Shi hai wen shan. 渾身骨痛。破草鞋燒灰,香油和,貼痛處,即止。《救急方》。 Aching bones from head to foot. Burn worn straw sandals to ashes, mix them with sesame oil and apply this to the painful regions. This will end [the pain]. Jiu ji fang. 行路足腫,被石墊傷者。草鞋浸尿缸内半日,以磚一塊燒紅,置鞋于上, 將足踏之,令熱氣入皮裏即消。《救急方》。 Swollen feet after walking on the road, with harm caused by an uneven stone pavement. Soak a straw sandal in a urine jar for half a day [and take it out again]. Heat a brick until it is red and put it on the sandal. Then place a foot on it. Once the hot qi has entered the skin [the swelling] will dissolve. Jiu ji fang. 臁瘡潰爛。《海上方》詩云: 左脚草鞋將棒挑, 水中洗净火中燒。 細研爲末加輕粉, 洗以鹽湯傅即消。 Festering shank sores. A poem in the Hai shang fang states: 58 Pick up a straw sandal for the left leg, wash it clean in water, burn it in a fire, grind it to fine powder, add calomel, wash [the sores] with a salt decoction, and apply [the powder to the affected region]. This will dissolve [the sores].
58 The source of this quote remains unclear.
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38-22 屐屧鼻繩唐本草 Ji xie bi sheng, FE Tang ben cao. A string from the nose of wooden clogs. 【釋名】木屐。【時珍曰】屐乃木履之下有齒者,其施鐵者曰 輦,音局。劉熙《釋名》云:屐者,支也,支以踏泥也。【志曰】《别本》 注云:(履)〔屐〕屧,江南以桐木爲底,用蒲爲鞵,麻穿其鼻,江北不 識也。久着斷爛者,乃堪入藥。 Explanation of Names. Mu ji 木屐, “wooden clogs.” [Li] Shizhen: Clogs, ji 屐, are wooden shoes with a toothed sole. When [the toothed sole] is made of iron, they are called ju 亻輦 , read ju 局. Liu Xi in his Shi ming 釋名 states: “Ji 屐 is zhi 支, ‘to raise/support.’ They support, zhi 支, one when walking through mud.” [Ma] Zhi: “The comment to another edition states: In Jiang nan they use the wood of paulownia [trees] to make the soles of wooden clogs. They use cattail to prepare the upper part and they pass a hemp string through its nose. In the Jiang bei region this is unknown. When [such a string] eventually wears out and breaks off, it may be added to medication.” 【主治】(哽咽)〔噎哽〕,心痛胸滿,燒灰水服。《唐本》。 Control. For choking [on a foreign object stuck in the] gullet, heart pain and a sensation of fullness in the chest, burn it to ashes and ingest them with water. Tang ben.
【附方】新七。 Added Recipes. Seven newly [recorded]. 婦人難産。路旁破草鞋鼻子,燒灰,酒服。《集玄方》。 Women with difficult birth. Burn the nose of a worn straw sandal from the roadside to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with wine. Ji xuan fang. 睡中尿牀。麻鞋綱帶及鼻根等,惟不用底,七量,以水七升,煮二升,分 再服。《外臺秘要》。 Bed wetting during sleep. Boil seven liang of the strings and nose of hemp shoes – only the sole must not be used – in seven sheng of water down to two sheng, and [let the patient] ingest [the liquid] divided into two portions. Wai tai mi yao. 口咽痛痒,聲音不出。履鼻繩燒灰,水服之。葛洪《肘後方》。 Pain and itching in the mouth and the throat, with an inability to bring out a sound. Burn the string from the nose of a sandal to ashes and ingest them with water. Ge Hong, Zhou hou fang.
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燕口吻瘡。木履尾,煻火中煨熱,取拄兩吻,各二七遍。《千金方》。 Swallow’s mouth59 and lip sores. Warm up the heels of wooden shoes until they are hot and use them to prop up the two lips, each of them two times seven times. Qian jin fang. 小兒頭瘡。草鞋鼻子燒灰,香油調,傅之。《聖濟録》。 Head sores of children. Burn the nose of straw sandals to ashes, mix them with sesame oil and apply this [to the affected region]. Sheng ji lu. 手足瘑瘡。故履系燒灰,傅之。《千金方》。 Lair-illness sores60 affecting hands and feet. Burn the strings of old sandals to ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. Qian jin fang. 狐尿刺瘡。麻鞋綱繩如棗大,婦人内衣有血者手大一片,鈎頭棘針二七 枚,并燒研。以豬脂調傅,當有蟲出。《陳藏器本草》。 Sores resulting from being pierced by fox urine. Burn together seven hemp shoe strings as thick as Chinese dates, a blood-stained underwear of a woman the size of a palm and two times seven thorns with a hook-shaped end, and grind [the residue to powder]. Mix it with lard and apply this [to the sores]. This will cause worms/ bugs to come out. Chen Cangqi ben cao. 38-23 自經死繩拾遺 Zi jing si sheng, FE Shi yi. A noose used for suicidal hanging. 【主治】卒發狂顛,燒末,水服三指撮。陳蒲煮汁服亦佳。藏器。 Control. Sudden outbreak of madness and peak[-illness].61 Burn it to ashes and [let the patient] ingest with water as much as can be picked up with three fingers. To ingest this with the juice obtained from boiling cattail is fine, too. [Chen] Cangqi. 【發明】【時珍曰】按張耒《明道志》云:蘄水一富家子遊倡宅,驚走仆 于刑人尸上,大駭發狂。明醫龐安常取絞死囚繩燒灰,和藥與服,遂愈。 觀此則古書所載冷僻之物,無不可用者,在遇圓機之士耳。 59 Yan kou [chuang] 燕口[瘡], “swallow’s mouth [sores],” identical with wen chuang 吻瘡, “lip sores” conditions with swelling, pain and festering of the lips that cannot be cured for an extended period of time. BCGM Dict I, 532, 612. 60 Guo chuang 瘑瘡, “lair-illness sores,” a vaguely defined skin ailment associated with pain, itch and a gradual extension. BCGM Dict I, 203-204. 61 Kuang dian 狂顛, “madness and peak8[-illness],” identical with dian kuang 顛狂, “peak[-illness] and madness.” A mental disturbance. BCGM Dict I, 124, 289.
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Explication. [Li] Shizhen: According to Zhang Lei in his Ming dao zhi, “the son of a rich family in Qi shui once went to a brothel. He was frightened, ran away and fell over the corpse of someone who had been executed. He was shocked and developed madness. The renowned physician Pang Anchang took a noose that had been used to hang a convict, burned it ashes and [let the patient] ingest it mixed with some medication. As a result he was cured.” This shows that even out-of-the-way items recorded in ancient books can all be resorted to. It is important to find an expert who knows how to handle a specific situation. 38-24 靈牀下鞋拾遺 Ling chuang xia xie, FE Shi yi. Shoe from underneath a bier. 原缺。 Missing in the original [edition]. 38-25 死人枕席拾遺 Si ren zhen xi, FE Shi yi. A corpse’s headrest and mat. 【主治】尸疰、石蚘。又治疣目,以枕及席拭之二七遍令爛,去疣。藏 器。療自汗盗汗,死人席緣燒灰,煮汁浴身,自愈。時珍。《聖惠方》。 Control. Corpse [qi] attachment-illness;62 stone roundworms.63 Also, to cure wart eyes rub them with a [corpse’s] pillow and mat two times seven times until they fester. This will remove the warts. [Chen] Cangqi. To heal spontaneous sweating and robber sweat,64 burn the edge of a corpse’s mat to ashes, boil them [in water] and use the resulting juice to bathe the [patient’s] body. This will result in a cure. [Li] Shizhen. Sheng hui fang. 【發明】【藏器曰】有嫗人患冷滯,積年不瘥。宋 徐嗣伯診之,曰:此 尸疰也。當以死人枕煮服之,乃愈。于是往古塚中取枕,枕已一邊腐缺。 嫗服之,即瘥。張景(聲)〔年〕十五歲,患腹脹面黄,衆藥不能治,以 62 Shi zhu 尸疰, “corpse [qi] attachment-illness,” a type of zhu 疰, also zhu 注, “attachment-illness,” “influx-illnesss,” reflecting a notion of a foreign pathogenic agent, originally of demonic nature, having attached itself to the human organism. Here the qi of a corpse. BCGM Dict I, 461. 63 Shi hui 石蚘/蛔, “stone roundworm.” BCGM Dict I, 449. 64 Dao han 盗汗, “robber sweat,” a profuse sweating during sleep that ends when one wakes up. BCGM Dict I, 122.
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問嗣伯。嗣伯曰:此石蚘爾,極難療,當取死人枕煮服之。得大蚘蟲,頭 堅如石者五六升,病即瘥。沈僧翼患眼痛,又多見鬼物。嗣伯曰:邪氣入 肝,可覓死人枕煮服之。竟可埋枕于故處。如其言,又愈。王晏問曰:三 病不同,皆用死人枕而俱瘥,何也?答曰:尸疰者,鬼氣也,伏而未起, 故令人沉滯。得死人枕治之,魂氣飛越,不〔復〕附體,故尸疰自瘥。石 蚘者,醫療既僻,蚘蟲轉堅,世間藥不能遣,須以鬼物驅之,然後乃散, 故用死人枕煮服之。邪氣入肝,則使人眼痛而見魍魎,須邪物以鉤之,故 用死人枕之氣。因不去之,故令埋於故處也。【時珍曰】按謝士泰《删繁 方》:治尸疰,或見尸,或聞哭聲者。取死人席,斬棺内餘棄路上者一虎 口,長三寸,水三升,煮一升服,立效。此即用死人枕之意也,故附之。 Explication. [Chen] Cangqi: An old woman had suffered from cold stagnation for years without cure. Eventually, the Song [era physician] Xu Sibo examined her and said: “This is a corpse [qi] attachment-illness. 65 She must ingest [the liquid obtained by] boiling the pillow of a corpse. This will cure her.” Hence someone went to an old tomb and took a [corpse’s] pillow. The pillow was already rotten on one side. The old woman ingested the [liquid as prescribed] and was cured. Zhang Jingsheng was 15 years old. He suffered from abdominal bloating and his face had become yellow. All kinds of medication were unable to cure him. Eventually he turned to [Xu] Sibo. [Xu] Sibo said: “This is a stone roundworm. It is extremely difficult to heal. You must obtain a corpse’s pillow, boil it and ingest the [resulting liquid.” [As a result of this therapy] five to six sheng of large human roundworms appeared, with heads as hard as a stone, and the disease was cured. Shen Sengyi suffered from pain in his eyes, and he often saw demonic items. [Xu] Sibo said: “Evil qi have entered the liver. A corpse’s pillow is to be boiled and [the resulting liquid] is to be ingested. Then the pillow is to be buried again at its former place.” [The patient] did as he had said and was cured. Wang Yan asked: “These three diseases were all different. How comes that all of them were cured by means of a corpse’s pillow?” The answer is: “Corpse [qi] attachment-illness is caused by demon qi. As long as they lie hidden [in the body] and have not risen they cause [one to suffer from] deep-lying [cold] stagnation. When a therapy is initiated with a corpse’s pillow, the qi of the hun-soul fly away. They do not attach themselves again to the [patient’s] body, and this is why the corpse [qi] attachment-illness is cured. As for the case of stone roundworms, the cures applied by the physicians were incorrect and the roundworms turned ever harder so that commonly used medications were unable to expel them. Hence they had to be driven out with demonic items, and as a result they dispersed. This is why 65 Shi zhu 尸疰, “corpse [qi] attachment-illness,” a type of zhu 疰, also zhu 注, “attachment-illness,” “influx-illnesss,” reflecting a notion of a foreign pathogenic agent, originally of demonic nature, having attached itself to the human organism. Here the qi of a corpse. BCGM Dict I, 461.
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a corpse’s pillow was boiled and ingested [to cure the patient]. When evil qi have entered the liver they cause the eyes of that person to ache and he sees goblins. Demonic items are required to catch them. Hence the qi of a corpse’s pillow were used, but they do not eliminate the [evil qi]. Hence [the pillow] is to be buried [with the evil qi] at the [pillow’s] original place.” [Li] Shizhen: According to Xie Shitai’s Shan fan fang, to cure corpse [qi] attachment-illness, with either visions of corpses, or hearing of wailing sounds, boil a three cun long piece of a corpse’s mattress cut from within a coffin and discarded on the road in three sheng of water down to one sheng and [let the patient] ingest [the resulting liquid]. This will take effect immediately. This is the idea underlying the use of a corpse’s pillow. Hence it is added here.
服器部 Section Clothes 服器之二 Clothes and Utensils II 器物類五十四種 Utensils and other Items, 54 kinds. 38-26 紙綱目 Zhi, FE Gang mu. Paper. 【釋名】【時珍曰】古者編竹炙青書字,謂之汗青,故簡策字皆從竹。至 秦漢間以繒帛書事,謂之幡紙,故紙字從糸,或從巾也。從氏,諧聲也。 劉熙《釋名》云:紙者,砥也,其平如砥也。東漢和帝時,耒陽蔡倫始采 樹皮、故帛、魚網、麻繒,煮爛造紙,天下乃通用之。蘇易簡《紙譜》 云:蜀人以麻,閩人以嫩竹,北人以桑皮,剡溪以藤,海人以苔,浙人以 麥𪌭、稻稈,吴人以繭,楚人以楮爲紙。又云:凡燒藥,以墨塗紙裹藥, 最能拒火。藥品中有閃刀紙,乃摺紙之際,一角叠在紙中,匠人不知漏裁 者,醫人取入藥用。今方中未見用此,何歟? Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: The ancients strung together bamboo slips. They roasted them until they turned greenish and wrote characters on them. Such [bamboo slips] were called “sweat greenish.” Hence the characters jian 簡, “bamboo slip,” and ci 策, “bamboo slip,” were both derived from [the character] zhu 竹, “bamboo.” By the time of the Qin and Han, events were documented on silk fabric, and
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such [silk fabric] was called fan zhi 幡紙, “pennon paper.” Hence the character zhi 紙, “paper,” was derived from [the character] mi 糸, “fine silk,” and from [the character] jin 巾, “cloth.” And also from [the character] shi 氏. That is, it is a character combining elements reflecting sound and meaning. Liu Xi in his Shi ming states: “Zhi 紙, ‘paper,’ is di 砥, ‘whetstone’. It is as flat as a whetstone. By the time of Emperor He of the Eastern Han, Cai Lun of Lei yang was the first to collect tree bark, old silk, fish nets and hemp silk, to boil [these items to create] a pulp and to make paper. This was used throughout the empire.” Su Yijian in his Zhi pu states: “To make paper, the people of Shu use hemp. The people of Min use tender bamboo. The people in the North use mulberry bark. The people at the Shan xi river use rattan. The people living at the sea use liver mosses. The people of Zhe use wheat and rice stalks. The people of Wu use cocoons. The people of Chu use paper mulberry.” He also states: “When medication is heated, it is wrapped in paper covered with ink which makes it very fire resistant. Among medicinal substances is a ‘paper that has escaped the knife.’ When paper is folded, during the folding process a part of the paper may inadvertently be omitted [from the cutting] and discarded by the craftsmen. Physicians take it and use it as medication.” Nowadays, this [type of paper] is no longer seen used in recipes. But, why? 【氣味】諸紙:甘,平,無毒。 Qi and Flavor. All kinds of paper: Sweet, balanced, nonpoisonous. 【主治】 Control. 楮紙。燒灰,止吐血、衄血、血崩,金瘡出血。時珍。 Paper mulberry paper. Burned to ashes it stops vomiting of blood, nosebleed, blood collapse66 and bleeding of wounds caused by metal objects/weapons. [Li] Shizhen. 竹紙。包犬毛燒末,酒服,止瘧。《聖惠》。 Bamboo paper. Wrapped in dog fur, burned, [ground to] powder and ingested with wine it ends malaria. Sheng hui. 藤紙。燒灰,傅破傷出血,及大人小兒内熱,衄血不止,用故藤紙瓶中燒 存性二錢,入麝香少許,酒服。仍以紙撚包麝香,燒烟熏鼻。時珍。 Rattan paper. Burned to ashes it is applied to bleeding injuries. Also for inner heat of adults and children, with unending nosebleed, heat two qian of old rattan paper in a jar by retaining its nature, add a little musk and [let the patient] ingest this with 66 Xue beng 血崩, “blood collapse,” is excessive vaginal bleeding. BCGM Dict I, 594.
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wine. Furthermore, wrap some musk with your fingers in paper to form a role, burn it to develop fumes and steam the [patient’s] nose with them. [Li] Shizhen. 草紙。作撚,紝癰疽,最拔膿。蘸油燃燈,照諸惡瘡浸淫濕爛者,出黄 水,數次取效。時珍。 Herb paper. Form a role to draw [the pus] out of obstruction-illness and impediment-illness.67 This is very effective to extract the pus. Dip [the roles] in oil, ignite them and light up all kinds of malign sores leaking and festering with much moisture. Yellow water will come out. If repeated several times, an effect is achieved. [Li] Shizhen. 麻紙。止諸失血,燒灰用。時珍。 Hemp paper. To end all kinds of blood loss, apply it burned to ashes. [Li] Shizhen. 紙錢。主癰疽將潰,以筒燒之,乘熱吸患處。其灰止血。其烟久嗅,損人 肺氣。時珍。 Paper money. It controls obstruction-illness and impediment-illness that are about to fester. Form a tube, warm it up and suck the affected location as long as it is hot. The ashes end bleeding. When the smoke is inhaled for an extended period of time it will harm one’s lung qi. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新八。 Added Recipes. Eight newly [recorded]. 吐血不止。白薄紙五張燒灰,水服。效不可言。《普濟方》。 Unending vomiting of blood. Burn five sheets of white, thin paper to ashes and ingest them with water. The effects are beyond description. Pu ji fang. 衄血不止。屏風上故紙燒灰,酒服一錢,即止。《普濟方》。 Unending nosebleed. Burn old paper from a screen to ashes and ingest with wine one qian. This will end [the nosebleed]. Pu ji fang. 皮膚血濺出者。以煮酒壜上紙,扯碎如楊花,捏在出血處,按之即止。王 璆《百一選方》。
67 Yong ju 癰疽, “obstruction-illness, impediment-illness.” refers to two vaguely distinguished obstructions/impediments of vessels or other ducts inside the body. Qi rushing against the obstruction may cause a local swelling and eventually break through the surface to cause an abscess. BCGM Dict I, 642.
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Profuse bleeding from the skin. Boil paper that has covered a wine jug, tear it to pieces as small as poplar flowers and place them on the bleeding locations. Then press them and [the bleeding] will end. Wang Qiu, Bai yi xuan fang. 血痢不止。白紙三張,裹鹽一匙,燒赤研末。分三服,米飲下。《聖惠 方》。 Unending blood free-flux illness.68 Wrap a spoonful of salt in three sheets of white paper, heat them until they have turned red, grind them to powder and ingest it in three portions. To be sent down with a rice beverage. Sheng hui fang. 月經不絶,來無時者。案紙三十張燒灰,清酒半升和服,頓定。冬月用煖 酒服之。劉禹錫《傳信方》。 Incessant menstrual bleeding, starting any time. Burn 30 sheets of law case papers to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them mixed with half a sheng of clear wine. This will end [the bleeding]. During winter months [the ashes] are to be ingested with warm wine. Liu Yuxi, Chuan xin fang. 産後血運。上方服之立驗。已斃經一日者,去板齒灌之,亦活。 Blood[-induced brain] movement following birth. To ingest the previous recipe will have an immediate effect. If [the patient] has been dead for a whole day already, remove her front teeth, force-feed [the medication] to her and she will come back to life. 諸蟲入耳。以紙塞耳鼻,留蟲入之耳不塞,閉口勿言,少頃蟲當出也。《 集玄方》。 When any type of worms/bugs have entered an ear. Stuff paper into the [patient’s] ears and nostrils, but do not close the ear that the worm/bug has penetrated. Close the mouth and do not speak. After a short while the worm/bug will come out. Ji xuan fang. 老小尿牀。白紙一張鋪席下,待遺于上,取紙晒燒,酒服。《集簡方》。 Bed wetting by the old and the young. Place one sheet of white paper under the mat. After [urine] was released on it, remove the paper, dry it in the sun, burn it [to ashes and let the patient] ingest it with wine. Ji jian fang.
68 Li 痢, “free-flux illness,” a diarrhea-type ailment. BCGM Dict I, 311.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu 38-27 青紙綱目 Qing zhi, FE Gang mu.
Greenish paper. 【主治】妬精瘡,以唾粘貼,數日即愈,且護痛也。彌久者良。上有青 黛,殺蟲解毒。時珍。 Control. Jealousy spirit sores.69 Attach [greenish paper] with spittle [to the affected region]. A cure is achieved within a few days, and the pain is also averted. The older [the paper], the better. The surface [of the paper] is covered with indigo. [Hence] it kills worms/bugs and resolves poison. [Li] Shizhen. 38-28 印紙拾遺 Yin zhi, FE Shi yi. Paper with an official seal. 【主治】婦人斷産無子,剪有印處燒灰,水服一錢匕,效。藏器。 Control. Women who do not want to give birth anymore and have no more children cut off the part with the seal, burn it to ashes and ingest with water the amount held by a one qian spoon. Effective. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-29 桐油繖紙綱目 Tong you san zhi, FE Gang mu. Paper from an umbrella impregnated with vermicia oil. 【主治】蛀乾陰瘡。燒灰,出火毒一夜,傅之,便結痂。《時珍》。 Control. Dry yin [(i. e., genital) region] sores with worm/bug attachment. Burn [the paper] to ashes, let the fire poison leave during one night and apply [the cold ashes to the affected region]. A scab will form. [Li] Shizhen. 【附方】新一。丁瘡發汗。千年石灰炒十分,舊黑傘紙燒灰一分。每用一 小匙,先以虀水些少,次傾香油些少,入末攪匀。沸湯一盞,調下。厚被 蓋之,一時大汗出也。《醫方捷徑》。 Added Recipes. One newly [recorded]. Pin[-illness] sores70 with sweating. Evenly mix as much as is held by a small spoon of a mixture of ten fen of a thousand years 69 Du jing chuang 妬精瘡, “jealousy spirit sores.” Erosion in the genital region. BCGM Dict I, 133. 70 Ding 丁, “pin[-illness],” also ding 疔, “pin-illness,” refers to a deep-reaching and festering hardness in a tissue, eventually rising above the skin like a pinhead. BCGM Dict I, 127129.
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old lime, roasted, and one fen of old, black umbrella paper, burned to ashes, with a small amount of the juice of fermented vegetables first and then with a small amount of sesame oil. [Let the patient] send this down mixed with a cup of boiling water and cover him warmly. After a while he will sweat a lot. Yi fang jie jing. 38-30 曆日綱目 Li ri, FE Gang mu. Calendar. 【集解】【時珍曰】太昊始作曆日,是有書。《禮記》:十二月天子頒朔 于諸侯。 Collected Explanations. [Li] Shizhen: Tai Hai was the first to prepare a written calendar. Li ji: “In the 12th month, the Son of Heaven issued [a calendar defining] the beginning [of the new year] to all the dukes.” 【主治】邪瘧。用隔年全曆,端午午時燒灰,糊丸梧子大,發日早用無根 水下五十丸。《衛生易簡方》。 Control. Evil malaria. Burn the entire calendar of a past year on the fifth day of the fifth month to ashes and prepare a paste to form pills the size of wu seeds. On the day of an outbreak, early in the morning send down 50 pills with water that has no root.71 Wei sheng yi jian fang. 38-31 鍾馗綱目 Zhong Kui, FE Gang mu. [Drawing of ] Zhong Kui. 【集解】【時珍曰】《逸史》云:唐高祖時,鍾馗應舉不第,觸階而死, 後明皇夢有小鬼盗王笛,一大鬼破帽藍袍捉鬼啖之。上問之。對曰:臣終 南山進士鍾馗也。蒙賜袍帶之葬,誓除天下虚耗之鬼。乃命吴道子圖象, 傳之天下。時珍謹按,《爾雅》云:中馗,菌名也。《考工記》注云:終 葵,椎名也。菌似椎形,椎似菌形,故得同稱。俗畫神執一椎擊鬼,故亦 名中馗。好事者因作《鍾馗傳》,言是未第進士,能啖鬼。遂成故事,不 知其訛矣。 Collected Explanations. [Li] Shizhen: The Yi shi states: “At the time of the Tang [Emperor] Gao zu, Zhong Kui applied to be admitted to the official examinations but was not listed. He struck [his head] against the steps and died. Later, [Emperor] 71 Water emerging from the brick wall of a well that has not yet descended into the bottom of the well, is called “water without root.” See also BCGM 05-15.
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Ming huang dreamed of a small demon stealing the king’s flute. A big demon with a worn cap and a blue robe grasped the [small] demon and devoured it. [When Ming huang asked it for an explanation, the big demon] responded: ‘Your subordinate is the perished Zhong Kui 鍾馗 from Mount Nan shan, a candidate for the imperial examinations. I was granted a funeral with robe and belt, and I vowed to eliminate from the world all the useless demons.’ [The Emperor then] ordered Wu Daozi to draw [Zhong Kui’s] image and distributed it throughout the empire.” [My, Li] Shizhen’s careful comment: The Er ya states: “Zhong kui 中馗 is the name of a mushroom.” A comment in the Kao gong ji states: “Zhong kui 終葵 is the name of a hammer.” The physical appearance of mushrooms resembles that of hammers. Hammers resemble the physical appearance of mushrooms. Hence they have the same name. When on a popular drawing a spirit held a hammer to strike a demon, it, too, was named Zhong Kui. Hence storytellers fabricated a “Zhong Kui biography,” saying that this was a failed examination candidate who devoured demons. This, then, became a story, and nobody knows it is wrong. 【主治】辟邪止瘧。時珍。 Control. It fends off evil and ends malaria. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 婦人難産。鍾馗左脚燒灰,水服。楊起《簡便方》。 Women with difficult birth. Burn the left leg of a Zhong Kui [drawing] to ashes and ingest them with water. Yang Qi, Jian bian fang. 鬼瘧來去。畫鍾馗紙燒灰二錢,阿魏、砒霜、丹砂各一皂子大,爲末。寒 食麪和,丸小豆大。每服一丸,發時冷水下。正月十五日、五月初五日修 合。《聖濟録》。 Demonic malaria that comes and goes. [Grind] two qian of a Zhong Kui paper drawing and as much as a gleditsia seed each of asafetida, arsenic and cinnabar to powder. Mix it with cold dough and form pills the size of small beans. Each time [let the patient] ingest one pill, to be sent down, at the time of an outbreak, with cold water. [The pills are] prepared on the 15th day of the first month, and on the fifth day of the fifth month. Sheng ji lu.
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38-32 桃符藥性 Tao fu, FE Yao xing. Peachwood talisman. 【集解】【時珍曰】《風俗通》云:東海度朔山有大桃,蟠屈千里。其北 有鬼門,二神守之,曰神荼、鬱壘,主領衆鬼。黄帝因立桃板于門,畫二 神以禦凶鬼。《典術》云:桃乃西方之木,五木之精,仙木也。味辛氣 惡,故能厭伏邪氣,制百鬼。今人門上用桃符辟邪,以此也。 Collected Explications. [Li] Shizhen: The Feng su tong states: “In Dong hai, on Mount Du shuo shan are huge peachtrees. They wind around [the mountain] for 1000 li. At their North is a demon gate, guarded by two spirits called Shen Tu and Yu Lei. They control the demons. Huang Di had peach boards erected at the gate and [he ordered] to make a drawing of the two spirits that resist the evil demons.” The Dian shu states: “Peachwood comes from the West. It is the essence of the five kinds of wood. It is the wood of hermits/immortals. Its flavor is acrid and its qi are malign. Hence it is able to subdue evil qi and to control the hundreds of demons.” Based on this, today the people have peachwood talismans above their door to fend off evil. 【主治】中惡,精魅邪氣,煮汁服。甄權。 Control. Struck by the malign, by essence goblins and evil qi. Boil it and ingest the juice. Zhen Quan. 【發明】【時珍曰】錢乙《小兒方》有桃符圓,疏取積熱及結胸,用巴豆 霜、黄蘗、大黄各一錢一字,輕粉、硇砂各半錢,爲末,麪糊丸粟米大。 量大小,用桃符湯下,無則以桃枝代之。蓋桃性快利大腸,兼取厭伏邪惡 之義耳。 Explication. [Li] Shizhen: Qian Yi in his Xiao er fang lists “pills with a peachwood talisman.” They serve to eliminate accumulated heat and bound chest. [Grind] one qian, one zi each of defatted croton seed powder, phellodendron bark and rhubarb root, with half a qian each of calomel and sal ammoniac to powder, and prepare with a wheat flour paste pills the size of wheat grains. They are to be sent down, depending on the age [of the patient], with an appropriate volume of peachwood talisman decoction. If no [peachwood talismans] are available, peach tree twigs may be used instead. The fact is, peach wood is by nature fast and frees the passage through the large intestine. All this is based on the idea that it serves to suppress the evil and the malign.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu 38-33 桃橛拾遺 Tao jue, FE Shi yi.
Peachwood peg. 【釋名】桃杙。【時珍曰】橛,音厥,即杙也,人多削桃木釘于地上,以 鎮家宅。三載者尤良。許慎云:羿死於桃棓。棓,杖也。故鬼畏桃,而今 人以桃梗作杙橛以辟鬼也。《禮記》云:王弔則巫祝以桃茢前引,以辟不 祥。茢者,桃枝作帚也。《博物志》云:桃根爲印,可以召鬼。《甄異 録》云:鬼但畏東南桃枝爾。觀諸説,則桃之辟鬼祟疰忤,其來有由矣。 Explanation of Names. Tao yi 桃杙, “peachwood peg.” [Li] Shizhen: Jue 橛,read jue 厥,means yi 杙, “peg.” Many people cut peachwood to nails and place them on the ground to guard their homes. Those [made from peachwood that is] three years old are especially good. Xu Shen states: [The famous warrior] Yi was struck to death with a peachwood cudgel. Bang 棓, “cudgel,” is zhang 杖, “cane/stick.” This is why demons fear peachwood and the people of today use peachwood trunks to prepare small posts that serve to ward off demons. The Li ji states: “When the king attends a mourning ceremony, sorceres lead the procession and use peachwood brooms, lie 茢, to ward off the inauspicious.” Lie 茢 are brooms prepared from peachtree twigs. The Bo wu zhi states: “With seals made from peachtree roots one can summon demons.” The Zheng yi lu states: “Demons fear only twigs from the southeastern side of peachtrees.” All these statements lead one to conclude that the use of peachwood to ward off demons, evil spirits, attachment illness and the hostile is based on a [meaningful] origin. 【主治】卒心腹痛,鬼疰,破血,辟邪惡氣,脹滿,煮汁服之,與桃符同 功。藏器。風蟲牙痛,燒取汁,少少納孔中,以蠟錮之。時珍。 Control. Sudden pain in the region of heart and abdomen and demon attachment-illness.72 It breaks open blood [stagnation] and wards off evil and malign qi. [It serves to cure] bloating with a sensation of fullness. Boil [peachwood pegs] and ingest the resulting juice. The [therapeutic] potential is identical with that of peachwood talismans. [Chen] Cangqi. For toothache caused by wind and worms/bugs, heat [peachwood pegs], collect the [secreted] juice, fill small amounts of it into the holes [in the teeth] and close them with beeswax. [Li] Shizhen.
72 Zhu 疰, also zhu 注, “attachment-illness,” “influx-illnesss,” reflects a notion of a foreign pathogenic agent, originally of demonic nature, having attached itself to the human organism. BCGM Dict I, 688-695.
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38-34 救月杖拾遺 Jiu yue zhang, FE Shi yi. The stick used to rescue the moon. 【集解】【藏器曰】即月食時,救月擊物木也。 Collected Explanations. [Chen] Cangqi: These [are wooden sticks used] to strike items to rescue the moon at the time of a lunar eclipse.73 【主治】月蝕瘡及月割耳,燒爲灰,油和傅之。藏器。乃治𧏾之神藥。思 邈。 Control. For lunar eclipse74 sores and lunar eclipse ears, burn [a wooden stick that had been used to rescue the moon from being devoured by a big dog] to ashes, mix them with oil and apply this [to the affected region]. [Chen] Cangqi. This is a divine medication to cure [sores associated with] hidden worms/bugs. [Sun] Simiao. 38-35 撥火杖拾遺 Bo huo zhang, FE Shi yi. Wooden fire poker. 【釋名】火槽頭《拾遺》、火柴頭。【時珍曰】撥火之杖,燒殘之柴,同 一理。 Explanation of Names. Huo cao tou 火槽頭, “wooden stick burned on one end.” Shi yi. Huo chai tou 火柴頭, “the end of firewood.” [Li] Shizhen: The [application in therapy of a] wooden stick used to poke fire is based on the same principle as [the application of ] incompletely burned firewood. 【主治】蠍螫,以横井上立愈。其上立炭,刮傅金瘡,止血生肉。帶之, 辟邪惡鬼。帶火納水底,取得水銀着出。藏器。止小兒驚忤夜啼。時珍。 Control. For scorpion stings, place it over a well. This results in an immediate cure. Scrape the charcoal from its surface and apply it to wounds caused by metal objects/ weapons. This ends the bleeding and generates new flesh. Worn [on one’s body] it wards off evil and malign demons. If stuck while it is still burning to the bottom of water, it can be removed with mercury attached to it. [Chen] Cangqi. It ends crying of children during the night because they are frightened by the hostile. [Li] Shizhen. 73 In ancient China, a lunar eclipse proved that the moon was devoured by a large dog. Wooden bars were struck against objects to create a sound that would scare the dog and send the it away. 74 Yue ge 月蝕, “lunar eclipse,” refers to sores developing at the ear. BCGM Dict I, 654.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu 【附方】新一。 Added Recipes. One newly [recorded].
客忤夜啼。用本家厨下燒殘火柴頭一箇,削平焦處。向上朱砂書云:撥火 杖,撥火杖,天上五雷公,差來作神將。捉住夜啼鬼,打殺不要放。急急 如律令。書畢,勿令人知,安立床前脚下,男左女右。《岣嶁神書》。 Crying at night because of a visitor’s hostility.75 Take from the kitchen of the [patient’s] household a piece of firewood partly burned on one side, cut flat the region burned and write on it with cinnbar [the following text]: “Fire poker, fire poker, sent by the five Thunder Lords in heaven to serve as spirit general. Grasp and arrest the demon of nocturnal crying. Hit it dead; do not set it free. Fast, fast. This equals an official order.” When this is written, without letting anyone know this, place it under the front legs of the bed. When [the patient] is a male, under the left [leg]; when [the patient] is a female, under the right [leg]. Gou lou shen shu. 38-36 吹火筒綱目 Chui huo tong, FE Gang mu. A tube to kindle a fire by blowing. 【主治】小兒陰被蚯蚓呵腫,令婦人以筒吹其腫處,即消。時珍。 Control. For a swelling in the yin [(i. e., genital) region] of a child caused by the breath of an earthworm, let its mother blow through the tube into the affected region and [the swelling] dissolves. [Li] Shizhen. 38-37 鑿柄木拾遺 Zao bing mu, FE Shi yi. Wooden handle of a chisel. 【釋名】千椎草《綱目》。 Explanation of Names. Qian zhui cao 千椎草, “thousand hammer herb,” Gang mu. 【主治】難産,取入鐵孔中木,燒末酒服。藏器。刺在肉中,燒末,酒服 二方寸匕。思邈。 For difficult birth, remove the wood from the hole where [the handle] enters the iron [chisel head], burn it, grind it [to powder] and ingest it with wine. [Chen] 75 Ke wu 客忤, “visitor‘s hostility.” A sudden twisting pain, encountered outside one’s home, in the heart and abdomen thought to result from the hostile acts of demons “visiting” the human body. BCGM Dict I, 282.
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Cangqi. For a thorn stuck in the flesh, burn [it and grind the ashes] to powder. Ingest with wine the amount held by two square cun spoons. [Sun] Simiao. 【發明】【時珍曰】女科有千錐草散:用鑿柄承斧處打卷者,燒灰,淋汁 飲。李魁甫言其有驗,此亦取下往之義耳。 Explication. [Li] Shizhen: Gynecology has a “powder with the thousand hammer herb.” Burn the handle of a chisel where it holds the axe and has been battered into a curved shape. Burn it to ashes, pour water over them and drink the [filtered] juice. Li Kuifu says this has been effective. This is based on the idea of [a chisel] being moved downward.
【附方】新一。 Added Recipes. One newly [recorded]. 反胃吐食。千槌花一枚燒研,酒服。《衛生易簡方》。 Turned over stomach throwing up meals. Burn one wooden chisel handle [to ashes], grind [them to powder] and ingest it with wine. Wei sheng yi jian fang. 38-38 鐵椎柄拾遺 Tie zhui bing, FE Shi yi. Handle of an iron hammer. 【主治】鬼打及强鬼排突人中惡者,和桃奴、鬼箭等作丸服之。藏器。【時 珍曰】務成子治瘟疾鬼病,螢火丸中亦用之。 Control. For being hit by demons and for humans assaulted by strong demons and suddenly struck by the malign, prepare [the wooden handle of an iron hammer] with winter weathered peach fruits and euonymus [twigs] to pills and ingest them. [Chen] Cangqi. [Li] Shizhen: When Wu Chengzi cured warmth illness and demon illness with the “pills with fireflies”, he also resorted to it 38-39 銃楔綱目 Chong xie, FE Gang mu. Ramrod of a handgun. 【主治】難産,燒灰酒服,又辟忤惡邪氣。時珍。 Control. For difficult birth, burn it to ashes and [let the woman] ingest them with wine. It also serves to ward off the hostile, and malign and evil qi. [Li] Shizhen.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu 38-40 刀鞘拾遺 Dao qiao, FE Shi yi.
Sheath of a knife. 【主治】鬼打卒得,取二三寸燒末,水服。腰刀者彌佳。藏器。 Control. For sudden demon stroke, burn a piece of two to three cun length to ashes and ingest them with water. [A sheath of ] a broadsword is best. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-41 馬鞭綱目 Ma bian, FE Gang mu. Horsewhip. 【釋名】馬策。【時珍曰】竹柄編革爲之。故鞭從革便,策從竹朿,會意。 Explanation of Names. Ma ce 馬策, “horsewhip.” [Li] Shizhen: They are made by attaching a bamboo handle to a bundle, bian 編, of leather [strips]. Hence the [character] bian 鞭 is composed of [the characters] ge 革, “leather,” and bian 便. The [character] ce 策 is composed of zhu 竹, “bamboo,” and ci 朿. These are [composite characters] linking meaning [and pronunciation]. 【主治】馬汗氣入瘡或馬毛入瘡,腫毒煩熱,入腹殺人,燒鞭皮末,和膏 傅之。又治狐尿刺瘡腫痛,取鞭稍二寸,鼠屎二七枚,燒研,和膏傅之。 時珍。 Control. When the qi of horse sweat have entered a sore/wound, and when the hair of horses has entered a sore/wound, this results in a swelling with poison, vexation and heat. When [the poison] enters that person’s abdomen, he will die. Burn the leather of a whip [and grind the ashes to] powder. Mix it with fat and apply it [to the affected region]. Also, to cure sores/wounds resulting from being pierced by fox urine, with swelling and pain, burn two cun of the tip of a whip with two times seven pieces of rat/mouse droppings and grind [the ashes to powder]. Mix it with fat and apply it [to the affected region]. [Li] Shizhen. 38-42 箭笴及鏃拾遺 Jian ke ji cu, FE Shi yi. Arrow shaft and arrowhead. 【釋名】【時珍曰】揚雄《方言》云:自關而東謂之矢,自關而西謂之 箭,江淮之間謂之鏃。劉熙《釋名》云:矢又謂之鏑。本曰足,末曰栝。 體曰幹,旁曰羽。
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Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: Yang Xiong in his Fang yan states: “From Guan on toward the East [arrows] are called shi 矢. From Guan toward the West [arrows] are called jian 箭. In the region between Jiang and Huai, [arrowheads] are called zu 鏃.” Liu Xi in his Shi ming states: “Shi 矢 are also called di 鏑. The base [of an arrow] is called zu 足. The end is called gua 栝. The shaft is called gan 幹. The attachments on the side are called yu 羽, ‘feathers’.” 【主治】婦人産後腹中痒,密安所卧席下,勿令婦知。藏器。刺傷風水, 刮箭下漆塗之。又主疔瘡惡腫,刮箭笴茹作炷,灸二七壯。時珍。 Control. For itching felt by a woman in her abdomen following birth, secretly place [an arrow shaft with arrowhead] underneath the mat she lies on. Do not let the woman know. [Chen] Cangqi. For a wound caused by pricking and harmed by wind and water, scratch the lacquer from an arrow and apply it [to the affected region]. Also, to control pin-illness76 sores with a malign swelling, scrape from an arrow shaft the loose parts and form wicks to cauterize [the affected region] two times seven times. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】一。 Added Recipes. One. 婦人難産。《外臺秘要》用箭簳三寸,弓弦三寸,燒末,酒服,方出崔 氏。《小品方》治難産飛生丸用故箭羽。方見禽部鼯鼠下。 Difficult birth of women. The Wai tai mi yao [recommends to] burn a three cun long section of an arrow shaft and a three cun long section of a bowstring, [grind the ashes to] powder, and [let the woman] ingest it with wine. This recipe comes from Mr. Cui. The Xiao pin fang has the “pills to swiftly give birth in the case of a difficult delivery” making use of old arrow feathers. For the recipe, see under “flying squirrels” in the section “Birds.” 38-43 弓弩弦别録下品 Gong nu xuan, FE Bie lu, lower rank. Bowstring and crossbow string. 【釋名】【時珍曰】黄帝時始作弓,有臂者曰弩。以木爲幹,以絲爲弦。
76 Ding 丁, “pin[-illness],” also ding 疔, “pin-illness,” refers to a deep-reaching and festering hardness in a tissue, eventually rising above the skin like a pinhead. BCGM Dict I, 127129.
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Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen. Bows were made for the first time during the time of the Yellow Thearch. Those with arms to the side are called “crossbows.” The trunk is made of wood; the string is made of silk. 【氣味】平,無毒。【權曰】微寒。 Qi and Flavor. Balanced, nonpoisonous. [Zhen] Quan: Slightly cold. 【主治】難産,胞不出。《别録》。鼻衄及口鼻大衄不止,取折弓弦燒 灰,同枯礬等分吹之,即止。時珍。 Control. Difficult birth, when the placenta does not come out. Bie lu. For nosebleed and unending severe nosebleed, burn a broken bowstring to ashes, mix them with an equal amount of alum and blow this [into the patient’s nostrils. The bleeding] will end. [Li] Shizhen. 【發明】【弘景曰】産難,取弓弩弦以縛腰,及燒弩牙納酒中飲之,皆取 發放快速之義。【時珍曰】弓弩弦催生,取其速離也。折弓弦止血,取其 斷絶也。《禮》云:男子生,以桑弧、蓬矢射天地四方。示男子之事也。 巢元方論胎教云:妊娠三月,欲生男,宜操弓矢,乘牡馬。孫思邈《千金 方》云:婦人始覺有孕,取弓弩弦一枚,縫袋盛,帶左臂上,則轉女爲 男。《房(屋)〔室〕經》云:凡覺有娠,取弓弩弦縛婦人腰下,滿百日 解却。此乃紫宫玉女秘傳方也。 Explication. [Tao] Hongjing: For difficult birth, wind a bowstring or crossbow string around [the woman’s] waist. Also, burn the trigger of a crossbow, put it in wine and [let the woman] drink it. All these [therapies] are based on the idea of [the ability of bows and crossbows to] release [their arrows] quickly. [Li] Shizhen: To hasten birth with a bowstring and a crossbow string makes use of their [ability] to quickly send something off. To end bleeding with broken bowstrings makes use of their being ruptured. The Li states: “When a boy is born, shoot with a bow made from mulberry wood arrows made from fleabane into the four cardinal directions to demonstrate the tasks of boys.” Chao Yuanfang in his discourse on how to educate an embryo states: “When a woman is in the third month pregnant and wishes to give birth to a boy she should hold a bow and arrows while riding a male horse.” Sun Simiao in his Qian jin fang states: “When a woman just notices that she is pregnant, she should take a bowstring or a crossbow string, put it in a pouch and wear it on her left arm. This will transform a girl [fetus] into a boy [fetus].” The Fan shi jing states: “Whenever one realizes that a woman is pregnant, take a bowstring or crossbow string and tie it around her waist. After one hundred days untie it again. This is a secretly transmitted recipe of the Jade Girl in the Purple Mansion.”
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【附方】新四。 Added Recipes. Four newly [recorded]. 胎動上逼。弩弦繫帶之立下。《醫林集要》。 A fetus moves and exerts pressure upward. Tie a crossbow string around the [mother’s] waist and [the fetus will] move down immediately. Yi lin ji yao. 胎滑易産。弓弩弦燒末,酒服二錢。《續十全方》。 To stimulate a smooth and easy birth. Burn a bowstring or a crossbow string [and grind the ashes to] powder. [Let the woman] ingest with wine two qian. Xu shi quan fang. 胞衣不出。水煮弓弩弦,飲汁五合。或燒灰酒服。《千金方》。 Failure of the placenta to come out. Boil a bowstring in water and [let the woman] drink five ge of the resulting juice. Or burn it to ashes and [let the woman] ingest them with wine. Qian jin fang. 耳中有物不出。用弓弩弦長三寸,打散一頭,塗好膠。拄着耳中,徐徐粘 引出。《聖惠方》。 Some item is in the ear that fails to come out. Break up one end of a three cun long section of a bowstring or crossbow string, add good glue to it and insert it into the [affected] ear. Slowly pull it out again with [the item] stuck to it. Sheng hui fang. 38-44 紡車絃綱目 Fang che xuan, FE Gang mu. String of a spinning wheel. 【主治】坐馬癰,燒灰傅之。時珍。凡人逃走,取其髮於緯車上逆轉之, 則迷亂不知所適。藏器。 Control. For obstruction-illness77 resulting from horse riding burn it to ashes and apply it [to the affected region]. [Li] Shizhen. Whenever a person has run away, wind some of his/her hair around a spinning wheel contrary to its direction of rotation. This will make him confused and he does not know where to go. [Chen] Cangqi.
77 Yong 癰, “obstruction-illness,”refers to an obstruction of vessels or other ducts inside the body. Qi rushing against the obstruction may cause a local swelling and eventually break through the surface to cause an abscess. BCGM Dict I, 641.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu 38-45 梭頭拾遺 Suo tou, FE Shi yi.
Shuttle head. 【主治】失音不語,病吃者,刺手心令痛即語。男左女右。藏器。 Control. For loss of voice and inability to speak and when someone stutters, pierce the center of his palm to cause pain and he will speak. Of males [pierce] the left [hand]; of females [pierce] the right [hand]. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-46 連枷關綱目 Lian jia guan, FE Gang mu. Flail. 【主治】轉胞,小便不通,燒灰水服。時珍。《千金方》。 Control. For contorted bladder with blocked urination burn it to ashes and ingest them with water. [Li] Shizhen. Qian jin fang. 38-47 楤擔尖綱目 Cong dan jian, FE Gang mu. Tip of a pole from the eaves of a house. 【主治】腸癰已成,取少許燒灰,酒服,當作孔出膿。思邈。 Control. For intestinal obstruction-illness78 that has already created [an opening], burn a small piece to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with wine. This will cause a release of pus through the hole. [Sun] Simiao. 38-48 梳篦拾遺 Shu bi, FE Shi yi. Comb and fine-toothed comb. 【釋名】櫛。【時珍曰】劉熙《釋名》云:梳,其齒疏通也。篦,其齒細 密相比也。櫛,其齒連節也。赫連氏始作之。 Explanation of Names. Zhi 櫛, “comb.” [Li] Shizhen: Liu Xi in his Shi ming states: “A shu 梳 comb has teeth that easily pass through [hair]. A bi 篦 comb has fine 78 Yong 癰, “obstruction-illness,”refers to an obstruction of vessels or other ducts inside the body. Qi rushing against the obstruction may cause a local swelling and eventually break through the surface to cause an abscess. BCGM Dict I, 641.
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teeth that are positioned close to each other. Master He Lian was the first to make such a [comb].” 【主治】虱病,煮汁服之。虱病(及)是活虱入腹爲病成癥瘕者。藏器。 主小便淋瀝,乳汁不通,霍亂轉筋,噎塞。時珍。 Control. For louse disease, boil them and ingest the juice. In the case of louse disease living lice enter the abdomen and cause concretion-illness and conglomeration-illness there. [Chen] Cangqi. They control urinary dripping, blocked passage of a nursing mother’s mild, cholera with contorted sinews, and gullet occlusion with blockage. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新八。 Added Recipes. Eight newly [recorded]. 嚙虱成癥。山野人好嚙虱,在腹生長爲虱癥。用敗梳、敗篦各一枚,各破 作兩分。以一分燒研,以一分用水五升,煮取一升,調服,即下出。《千 金方》。 Conglomeration-illness caused by nibbling lice. The wild people living in the mountains love to nibble lice. In their abdomen this causes the growth of a louse conglomeration-illness. Break one ordinary comb and one fine-toothed comb into two pieces. Burn one piece [of each] and grind [the ashes] and boil the other piece [of each] in five sheng of water down to one sheng. Mix [the ashes with the liquid], ingest this and the [louse conglomeration] is discharged. Qian jin fang. 霍亂轉筋入腹痛。用敗木梳一枚燒灰,酒服,永瘥。《千金方》。 Cholera with contorted sinews [causing spasms that] enter the abdomen and cause pain. Burn a rotten wooden comb to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with wine. He will be cured forever. Qian jin fang. 噎塞不通。寡婦木梳一枚燒灰,煎鑰匙湯調下二錢。《生生編》。 Gullet occlusion with blockage. Burn a wooden comb of a widow to ashes and [let the patient] send down two qian mixed with a decoction of a key. Sheng sheng bian. 小便淋痛。多年木梳燒存性,空心冷水服。男用女,女用男。《救急方》。 Painful urinary dripping. Heat up a many years old wooden comb by retaining its nature and ingest it on an empty stomach with cold water. Males resort to [a comb of ] a female; females resort to [a comb] of a male. Jiu ji fang.
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髮哽咽中。舊木梳燒灰,酒服之。《集玄方》。 Choking on hair. Burn an old comb to ashes and [let the patient] ingest them with wine. Ji xuan fang. 乳汁不行。内服通乳藥,外用木梳梳乳,周回百餘遍,即通。《儒門事 親》方。 Blocked passage of a nursing mother’s milk. Internally ingest medication freeing the flow of milk. Externally comb the teats with a wooden comb, back and forth more than a hundred times. This will free the passage. A Ru men shi qin recipe. 猘犬咬傷。故梳,韭根各二枚,水二升,煮一升,頓服。《外臺秘要》。 Harm caused by a rabid dog’s bite. Boil two old combs and two leek roots in two sheng of water down to one sheng and [let the patient] ingest this all at once. Wai tai mi yao. 蜂蠆叮螫。油木梳炙熱,熨之。《救急方》。 Bee/wasp and scorpion sting. Roast an oily, wooden comb until it is hot and press it hot on [the affected region]. Jiu ji fang. 38-49 鍼線袋拾遺 Zhen xian dai, FE Shi yi. Bag with needles and threads. 【主治】痔瘡,用二十年者,取袋口燒灰,水服。又婦人産中腸痒不可 忍,密安所卧褥下,勿令知之。凡人在牢獄日,經赦得出,就於囚枷上, 取線爲囚縫衣,令人犯罪經恩也。藏器。 Control. For pile sores, take one that has been used for 20 years and burn the opening of the bag to ashes to be ingested with water. Also, when a woman during birth senses an unbearable itching in her intestines, secretly place [such a bag] underneath the mattress she lies on, but do not let her know. Whenever someone is to be released from prison because of a clemency [bestowed by the Emperor], remove a thread from [the lining of ] his wooden collar (the kangue) and use it to sew his garment. This will give him grace again when he commits a crime next time. [Chen] Cangqi.
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38-50 蒲扇拾遺 Pu shan, FE Shi yi. Cattail leaf fan. 【釋名】箑。【時珍曰】上古以羽爲扇,故字從羽。後人以竹及紙爲箑, 故字從竹。揚雄《方言》云:自關而東謂之箑,自關而西謂之扇。東人多 以蒲爲之,嶺南以蒲葵爲之。 Explanation of Names. Sha 箑, “fan.” [Li] Shizhen: In high antiquity they used feathers to make fans. Hence the character fan 扇 includes [the character] yu 羽, “feather.” In later times, fans were made with bamboo and paper. Hence the character [sha 箑] includes [the character] zhu 竹, “bamboo.” Yang Xiong in his Fang yan states: “From Guan on toward the East they call [fans] sha 箑. From Guan on toward the West they call them shan 扇. The people in the East often use cattail to make them. In Ling nan they resort to pu kuai to make them.” 【主治】敗蒲扇灰和粉,粉身止汗,彌敗者佳。新造屋柱下四隅埋之,蚊 永不入。藏器。燒灰酒服一錢,止盗汗,及婦人血崩,月水不斷。時珍。 Control. Rotten cattail fan ashes mixed with powder are used to powder the body to end sweating. The more rotten the better. Bury them in all four corners of a newly built house under the pillars and mosquitoes will never enter it. [Chen] Cangqi. One qian of ashes of a burned [cattail fan] ingested with wine ends robber sweat.79 It also [serves to cure] blood collapse80 of women and unending menstrual bleeding. [Li] Shizhen. 38-51 蒲席别録中下品 Pu xi, FE Bie lu, lower rank. Cattail mat. 【釋名】 薦。【弘景曰】蒲席惟船家用之,狀如蒲帆。人家所用席,皆 是菅草,而(席)〔薦〕多是蒲也。方家燒用。【恭曰】席、薦皆人所 卧,以得人氣爲佳,不論薦、席也。青齊間人謂蒲薦爲蒲席,亦曰蒲篕, 音合,謂藁作者爲薦。山南、〔江〕左機上織者爲席,席下重厚者爲薦。 【時珍曰】席、薦皆以蒲及稻藁爲之,有精粗之異。吴人以龍鬚草爲席。 Explanation of Names. Jian 薦, “straw mat.” [Tao] Hongjing: Cattail mats are used only by boat people; they are formed like cattail sails. Mats used by common people 79 Dao han 盗汗, “robber sweat,” a profuse sweating during sleep that ends when one wakes up. BCGM Dict I, 122. 80 Xue beng 血崩, “blood collapse,” is excessive vaginal bleeding. BCGM Dict I, 594.
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are made of chloranthus herb; while straw mats are mostly made of cattail. Recipe experts burn them for [medicinal] use. [Su] Gong: Mats and straw mats serve as a place for people to lie down. Those are fine that have received human qi, regardless of whether these are straw mats or [cattail] mats. The people in Qing and Qi call cattail straw mats pu xi 蒲席, and they also call them pu he 蒲篕, read he 合. Those made of straw they call jian 薦, “straw mats.” Those woven in Shan nan and Jiang zuo with machines are xi 席, “mats.” If the bottom of mats are doubled and thick, they are jian 薦. [Li] Shizhen: Xi 席 and jian 薦 are all alike made of cattail and rice straw. The difference is whether they are fine or coarse. The Wu people use red algae to make mats. 【主治】敗蒲席:平。主筋溢惡瘡。《别録》。單用破血。從高墜下,損 瘀在腹刺痛,取久卧者燒灰,酒服二錢。或以蒲黄、當歸、大黄、赤芍 藥、朴硝,煎湯調服,血當下。甄權。 Control. Rotten cattail mat. Balanced. It controls sinew copiousness81 and malign sores. Bie lu. Its individual application serves to break open [stagnating] blood. When one has fallen from a high elevation, he may be injured with stagnant [blood] in his abdomen, accompanied by piercing pain. Burn [a mat] on which [a person] has lain for a long time to ashes and [let the patient] ingest with wine two qian. Or [let the ashes be] ingested mixed with a decoction of cattail pollen, angelica sinensis [root], rhubarb root, paeonia [root] and mirabilite. This will stimulate a discharge of the blood. Zhen Quan. 編薦索:燒研,酒服二指撮,治霍亂轉筋入腹。藏器。 Rope made of straw. Burned and [the ashes] ground [to powder], and the amount picked up with two fingers ingested with wine, it serves to cure cholera with contorted sinews with [the spasm] entering the abdomen. [Chen] Cangqi. 寡婦薦:治小兒吐利霍亂,取二七莖煮汁服。藏器。 Straw mat used by a widow. To cure cholera of children with vomiting and free flow, Boil two times seven stalks and [let the patient] ingest the resulting juice. [Chen] Cangqi.
【附方】舊三,新三。 Added Recipes. Three of old. Three newly [recorded]. 霍亂轉筋:垂死者。敗蒲席一握切,漿水一盞煮汁,温服。《聖惠方》。 81 Jin yi 筋溢, “sinew copiousness.” Identical with jin ruan 筋軟, “sinew softness.” BCGM Dict I, 258.
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Cholera with contorted sinews, when [the patient] is about to die. Cut out a handful of a rotten cattail mat, boil it in a small cup of starch water and [let the patient] ingest the [resulting] juice warm. Sheng hui fang. 小便不利:蒲席灰七分,滑石二分,爲散。飲服方寸匕,日三。《金匱要 略》。 Blocked urination. [Grind] seven fen of cattail mat ashes and two fen of talcum to powder and ingest with a beverage the amount held by a square cun spoon. Three times a day. Jin kui yao lüe. 婦人血奔。舊敗蒲席燒灰,酒服二錢。《勝金方》。 Blood hastening [into the four extremities] of women. Burn an old, rotten cattail mat to ashes and [let the patient] ingest with wine two qian. Sheng jin fang. 五色丹遊,多致殺人。蒲席燒灰,和雞子白塗之良。《千金方》。 Roaming cinnabar[-red poison] 82 appearing in all five colors and often ending in that person’s death. Burn a cattail mat to ashes, mix them with egg white and apply this [to the affected region]. Good. Qian jin fang. 癰疽不合。破蒲席燒灰,臘月猪脂和,納孔中。《千金方》。 Obstruction-illness and impediment-illness83 [openings] that fail to close. Burn a broken cattail mat to ashes, mix them with lard obtained in the twelfth month and insert this into the holes. Qian jin fang. 夜卧尿牀。本人薦草燒灰,水服,立瘥。《千金方》。 Bed wetting at night. Burn that person’s straw mat to ashes and let him ingest them with water. This results in an immediate cure. Qian jin fang. 38-52 簟綱目 Dian, FE Gang mu. Bamboo mat. 【釋名】籧篨、筕簹、筍席。【時珍曰】簟可延展,故字從竹、覃。覃, 延長也。
82 Dan du 丹毒, “cinnabar poison,” a skin ailment with red rashes. BCGM Dict I, 118. 83 Yong ju 癰疽, “obstruction-illness, impediment-illness.” refers to two vaguely distinguished obstructions/impediments of vessels or other ducts inside the body. Qi rushing against the obstruction may cause a local swelling and eventually break through the surface to cause an abscess. BCGM Dict I, 642.
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Explanation of Names. Qu chu 籧篨, “coarse bamboo mat;” hang dang 筕簹; sun xi 筍席, “bamboo shoot mat.” [Li] Shizhen: Bamboo mats can be stretched. Hence the character [dian 簟] is composed of [the characters] zhu 竹, “bamboo,” and tan 覃. Tan 覃 means yan chang 延長, “to stretch.” 【主治】蜘蛛尿、蠼螋尿瘡,取舊者燒灰傅之。時珍。 Control. For sores caused by spider urine and earwig urine burn old [bamboo mats] to ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新一。 Added Recipes. One newly [recorded]. 小兒初生吐不止者。用籧篨少許,同人乳二合,鹽二粟許,煎沸,入牛黄 粟許,與服。此劉五娘方也。《外臺秘要》。 When a newborn child vomits without end. Boil a small part of a bamboo mat with two ge of nursing mother’s milk and a little salt, as much as the size of two millet grains, to bubbling, add a small amount of cow bezoar, about the size of a millet grain, and give this [to the child] to ingest. This is a recipe of Liu Wuniang. Wai tai mi yao. 38-53 簾箔宋《嘉祐》 Lian bo, FE Song, Jia you. Curtain and screen. 【釋名】【時珍曰】其形方廉而薄,故曰簾、曰箔,以竹及葦芒編成。其 帛幕曰㡩。【藏器曰】今東人多以芒草爲箔,入藥用彌久着烟者佳。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen. Their physical appearance is upright, fang lian 方廉, and thin, bo 薄. Hence they are named lian 簾 and bo 箔. They are made of bamboo and reed. Curtains made of silk are called luan 㡩. [Chen] Cangqi: Nowadays, the people in the East often use miscanthus reed to prepare screens. For medicinal applications those are fine that have been exposed to fumes/smoke for a long time. 38-53-01 敗芒箔。Bai mang bo. Rotten screen made of miscanthus reed. 【主治】無毒。主産婦血滿腹脹痛,惡露不盡,月閉,下惡血,止好血, 去鬼氣疰痛癥結,酒煮服之。亦燒末,酒服。藏器。
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Control. Nonpoisonous. It controls in women giving birth painful blood fullness with abdominal distension, persistent flow of lochia, and blocked menstruation. It serves to discharge malign blood and ends [the loss of ] good blood. It removes painful demon qi attachment-illness84 and concretion-illness nodes. Boil [a rotten screen] in wine and [let the patient] ingest it. It is also possible to burn [a rotten screen to ashes, grind them to] a powder and ingest it with wine. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-53-02 箔經繩。Bo jing shen. String penetrating a screen. 【主治】癰疽有膿不潰,燒研,和臘豬脂傅下畔,即潰,不須鍼灸。時 珍。《千金方》。 Control. Obstruction-illness and impediment-illness85 with pus but not festering yet. Burn [a screen string to ashes and] grind [them to powder]. Mix it with lard obtained in the twelfth month and apply this to the lower side [of the affected region]. This will stimulate a festering. A treatment with needles and cauterization is unnecessary. [Li] Shizhen, [quoted from the] Qian jin fang. 38-53-03 厠屋户簾。Ce wu hu lian. Curtain at the door of a lavatory. 【主治】小兒霍亂,燒灰,飲服一錢。時珍。《外臺秘要》。 Control. For cholera of children, burn it to ashes and [let the patient] ingest with a beverage one qian. [Li] Shizhen, [quoted from the] Wai tai mi yao. 38-54 漆器綱目 Qi qi, FE Gang mu. Lacquer utensils. 【主治】産後血運,燒烟熏之即甦。又殺諸蟲。時珍。
84 Zhu 疰, also zhu 注, “attachment-illness,” “influx-illnesss,” reflects a notion of a foreign pathogenic agent, originally of demonic nature, having attached itself to the human organism. BCGM Dict I, 688-695. 85 Yong ju 癰疽, “obstruction-illness, impediment-illness.” refers to two vaguely distinguished obstructions/impediments of vessels or other ducts inside the body. Qi rushing against the obstruction may cause a local swelling and eventually break through the surface to cause an abscess. BCGM Dict I, 642.
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Control. For blood [induced brain] movements following birth, burn them and steam [the patient] with the fumes. This will revive her. Also, [these fumes] kill all kinds of worms/bugs. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新三。 Added Recipes. Three newly [recorded]. 血崩不止。漆器灰、椶灰各一錢,柏葉煎湯下。《集簡方》。 Unending blood collapse.86 [Let the patient] send one qian each of lacquer ware ashes and charred trachycarpus [stipule fiber] down with a platycladus [tree] leaf decoction. Ji jian fang. 白秃頭瘡。破朱紅漆器,剥取漆朱燒灰,油調傅之。《救急方》。 White baldness and head sores. Scrape from a cinnabar red, broken lacquer utensil the cinnbar red lacquer and burn it to ashes. Mix them with oil and apply this [to the affected region]. Jiu ji fang. 蠍蠆螫傷。以木盌合螫處,神驗不傳。《古今録驗方》。 Harm caused by a scorpion sting. Cover the location of the sting with a [lacquered] wooden bowl. Divinely effective. [Recipe] not transmitted [to outsiders]. Gu jin lu yan fang. 38-55 研朱石鎚拾遺 Yan zhu shi chui, FE Shi yi. Stone pestle used to grind cinnabar. 【主治】妬乳,煮熱熨乳上,以二鎚更互用之,數十遍,熱徹取瘥。藏器。 Control. For jealousy breast87 boil it [in water] until it is hot and press it on the [affected] breast. Use it alternatingly with a second pestle [to maintain a hot pressure]. After several tens of such [applications the breast] is hot throughout, and this results in a cure. [Chen] Cangqi.
86 Xue beng 血崩, “blood collapse,” is excessive vaginal bleeding. BCGM Dict I, 594. 87 Du ru 妬乳, “jealousy breast,” when milk is blocked following delivery with a painful swelling. BCGM Dict I, 135.
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38-56 燈盞綱目 Deng zhan, FE Gang mu. Uncovered oil lamp. 【釋名】缸。 Explanation of Names. Gang 缸, “jar.” 【主治】上元盗取富家燈盞,置牀下,令人有子。時珍。《韻府》。 Control. On the 15th day of the first month steal an uncovered oil lamp from a rich family and place it under the bed. This will let the people [having intercourse on it] have a child. [Li] Shizhen. Yun fu. 38-57 燈盞油綱目 Deng zhan you, FE Gang mu. Oil from an uncovered oil lamp. 【釋名】燈窩油。 Explanation of Names. Deng hao you 燈窩油, “oil from a lamp nest.” 【氣味】辛,苦,有毒。 Qi and Flavor. Acrid, bitter, poisonous. 【主治】一切急病,中風、喉痺、痰厥,用鵝翎掃入喉内,取吐即效。又 塗一切惡瘡疥癬。時珍。 Control. For all kinds of acute diseases, [such as] wind stroke, throat closure and phlegm recession,88 use a goose feather to sweep [the oil] into the throat. Once [the patient] vomits, [the treatment] is effective. It may also be applied to all kinds of malign sores, jie-illness89 and xuan-illness.90 [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 乳上生癰。脂麻炒焦擣搗爛,以燈盞内油脚調傅,即散。《集玄方》。
88 Tan jue 痰厥, “phlegm recession.” Various ailments thought to be associated with blocked or abounding phlegm. BCGM Dict I, 493. 89 Jie-illness 疥, vaguely identifiable skin ailment. BCGM Dict I, 249. 90 Xuan-illness 癬, skin illness with itching, release of liquid and shedding of scabs. BCGM Dict I, 591.
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An obstruction-illness91 developing on a breast. Fry and scorch sesame seeds and pound [the residue] into pulp. Mix it with the oil sediments from an uncovered oil lamp and apply this [to the affected region]. This will disperse [the obstruction-illness]. Ji xuan fang. 走馬喉痺。詩云:急喉腫痺最堪憂,急取盛燈盞内油。甚者不過三五呷, 此方原是至人留。 Running horse throat blockage.92 The Shi states: An acute swelling and blockage of the throat is extremely worrying. Quickly get some oil from an uncovered oil lamp. In severe cases [a cure is achieved] after no more than three to five sippings. 38-58 車脂宋開寶 Che zhi, FE Song, Kai bao. Cart grease. 【校正】併入釭中膏。 Correction. “Grease from inside a wheel” is combined here with [cart grease]. 【釋名】車轂脂《綱目》、軸脂《綱目》、轄脂《綱目》、(缸)〔釭〕 膏音公。【時珍曰】轂即軸也。轄即(缸)〔釭〕也。乃裹軸頭之鐵也, 頻塗以油,則滑而不濇。《史記》齊人嘲淳于髡爲炙轂輠即此,今云油滑 是矣。 Explanation of Names. Che gu zhi 車轂脂, “cart hub grease,” Gang mu. Zhou zhi 軸 脂, “axle grease,” Gang mu. Xia zhi 轄脂, “axcle cap grease,” Gang mu. Gong gao 釭 膏, read gong 公, “axle cap grease.” [Li] Shizhen: Gu 轂, “hub,” is zhou 軸, “axle.” Xia 轄, “axcle cap,” is gong 釭, “axle cap.” This is the iron closing the head of the axcle. It is often smeared with oil. Hence [the axle rotates] smoothly rather than roughly. Shi ji: When the people of Qi derided Chunyu Kun as being “roasted axle grease,” they meant just this. Nowadays one says: he is smooth like oil. 【氣味】辛,無毒。 Qi and Flavor. Acrid, nonpoisonous. 【主治】卒心痛,中惡氣,以熱酒服之。中風發狂,取膏如鷄子大,熱醋 攪消服。又主婦人妬乳乳癰,取脂熬熱塗之,併和熱酒服。《開寶》。去 91 Yong 癰, “obstruction-illness,”refers to an obstruction of vessels or other ducts inside the body. Qi rushing against the obstruction may cause a local swelling and eventually break through the surface to cause an abscess. BCGM Dict I, 641. 92 Zou ma hou bi 走馬喉痺, “running horse throat blockage,” an acute throat blockage. BCGM Dict I, 704.
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鬼氣,温酒烊熱服。藏器。治霍亂、中蠱、妊娠諸腹痛,催生,定驚,除 瘧,消腫毒諸瘡。時珍。 Control. For sudden heart pain, and being struck by malign qi, ingest it with hot wine. For wind stroke with madness, stir [cart] grease, as much as the size of an egg, in hot vinegar until it has dissolved and [let the patient] ingest this. Also, to control jealousy breast93 and breast obstruction-illness94 of women, simmer grease to a paste and apply it [to the affected region]. Also, [let the patient] ingest it mixed with hot wine. Kai bao. To remove demon qi, dissolve it in warm wine and [let the patient] ingest it hot. [Chen] Cangqi. It serves to cure cholera, gu stroke95 and all kinds of abdominal pain during pregnancy. It hastens birth, settles fright, eliminates malaria, and dissolves all kinds of sores associated with swelling and poison. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】舊七,新十。 Added Recipes. Seven of old. Ten newly [recorded]. 中惡蠱毒。車釭脂如鷄子大,酒化服。《千金方》。 Being struck by malign [qi] and gu poison.96 [Let the patient] ingest cart axle grease, as much as an egg, dissolved in wine. Qian jin fang. 蝦蟆蠱病及蝌斗蠱,心腹脹滿,口乾思水,不能食,悶亂大喘。用車轄脂 半斤,漸漸服之,其蠱即出。《聖惠方》。 Toad gu disease and tadpole gu, with distension and a sensation of fullness in the region of heart and stomach, a dry mouth and a quest for water, an inability to eat, heart-pressure, confusion and massive panting. [Let the patient] gradually eat half a jin of cart axle grease and the gu will come out. Sheng hui fang. 93 Du ru 妬乳, “jealousy breast,” when milk is blocked following delivery with a painful swelling. BCGM Dict I, 135. 94 Yong 癰, “obstruction-illness,”refers to an obstruction of vessels or other ducts inside the body. Qi rushing against the obstruction may cause a local swelling and eventually break through the surface to cause an abscess. BCGM Dict I, 641. 95 Gu 蠱 is an ancient conceptualization of diseases traced to a magic pathogenic agent. Originally it was assumed to be a most poisonous bug, the only creature in a closed jar surviving competition with hundreds of other poisonous bugs. This bug was believed to be instrumentalized by greedy persons to appropriate the belongings of others. The resulting disease was termed gu du 蠱毒, “gu poison(ing).” BCGM Dict I, 191.BCGM Dict I, 191. See BCGM 42-22. 96 Gu du 蠱毒, “gu-poison[ing].” (1) A poison emitted by certain worms/snakes with an ability to cause varying pathological changes in a person who has taken it in by means of wine or food. (2) Abdominal fullness, in some cases with blood spitting, and blood in the stool and urine. BCGM Dict I, 192 - 193.
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霍亂轉筋入腹痛。車轂中脂塗足心。《千金方》。 Cholera with contorted sinews with painful [spasms that] have entered the abdomen. Smear cart axle grease on the soles of the [patient’s] feet. Qian jin fang. 少小腹脹。車轂中脂和輪下土,如彈丸,吞之立愈。《千金方》。 Lower abdominal bloating. Form with cart axle grease mixed with soil from underneath the wheel pills the size of a bullet. To swallow them results in an immediate cure. Qian jin fang. 妊婦腹痛。燒車(缸)〔釭〕脂末,納酒中,隨意飲。《千金方》。 Abdominal pain of a pregnant woman. Burn cart axle grease [and grind the residue to a] powder. Give it into wine and [let the patient] drink it at will. Qian jin fang. 妊婦熱病。車轄脂隨意酒服,大良。《千金方》。 Heat disease of pregnant women. Let them ingest at will cart axle grease with wine. Very good. Qian jin fang. 婦人難産,三日不出。車軸脂吞大豆許二丸。《千金方》。 Difficult birth of women, when [the child] fails to appear for three days. Let them swallow two pills, the size of soybeans, of cart axle grease. Qian jin fang. 婦人逆産。車釭膏畫兒脚底,即正。《開寶本草》。 Women giving birth with a footling presentation. Apply cart axle grease to the soles of the feet of the child and it will assume the correct position. Kai bao ben cao. 産後陰脱。燒車釭頭脂,納酒中服。《子母秘録》。 Prolapse from the yin [(i. e., genital) region]. Burn cart axle grease, put [the residue] into wine and [let the patient] ingest it. Zi mu mi lu. 小兒驚啼。車軸脂小豆許,納口中及臍中良。《千金方》。 Children wailing because of fright. Put cart axle grease, as much as a small bean, into their mouth and on their navel. Good. Qian jin fang. 兒臍不合。車轄脂燒灰,傅之。《外臺秘要》。 The navel of a child does not close. Burn cart axle grease to ashes and apply them [to the navel]. Wai tai mi yao. 瘧疾不止,不拘久近。車軸垢,水洗,下麪和丸彈子大,作燒餅。未發時 食一枚,發時又食一枚。《聖惠方》。 Unending malaria illness, regardless of whether this is an older or a recent [illness]. Wash the dirt from a cart axle, add wheat dough and prepare pills the size of bul-
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lets. Before an outbreak [let the patient] eat one [such cake]. In the moment of an outbreak he is to eat another one. Sheng hui fang. 瘭疽已潰。車釭脂和梁上塵,傅之。《外臺秘要》。 Flaming-heat-illness with impediment-illness.97 Mix cart axle grease with the dust from a beam and apply this [to the affected region]. Wai tai mi yao. 灸瘡不瘥。車釭脂塗之,良。《千金方》。 Wounds caused by cauterization/moxibustion that do not heal. Apply cart grease to them. Good. Qian jin fang. 聤耳膿血。綿裹車轄脂塞之。《外臺秘要》。 Ear shedding pus and blood. Wrap cart axle grease in silk floss and insert it [into the affected ear]. Wai tai mi yao. 諸蟲入耳。車釭脂塗孔中,自出。《梅師方》。 When any worm/bug has entered the ears. Apply cart axle grease into [the affected ears], and it will come out. Mei shi fang. 鍼刺入肉。車脂攤紙上如錢大,貼上。二日一易,三五次即出。《集玄 方》。 When a needle or a thorn has entered one’s flesh. Smear cart axle grease the size of a coin on a piece of paper and apply it [to the location where the needle/thorn has entered]. Replace it once every second day [with a new application]. After three to five times [the foreign object] will come out. Ji xuan fang. 38-59 敗船茹音如别録下品 Bai chuan ru, read ru, Bie lu, lower rank. Rotten [bamboo] shavings used to seal a boat. 【集解】【弘景曰】此是大艑䑳刮竹茹以補漏處者。【時珍曰】古人以竹 茹。今人只以麻筋和油石灰爲之。 Collected Explanation. [Tao] Hongjing: These are bamboo shavings that have been used to seal leaks in large boats. [Li] Shizhen: The ancients used bamboo shavings. Nowadays, the people use only hemp fibers mixed with lime as caulking material.
97 Biao ju 瘭疽, “flaming heat impediment-illness,” initially emerges like a bean kernel from which a root reaches into the depth of the tissue. This is associated with extreme pain. It slowly increases in size and generates several tips filled with pus that look like clusters of rice grains. They often develop on the back of hands and feet. BCGM Dict I, 67.
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【主治】平。療婦人崩中,吐血,痢血不止。《别録》。治金瘡,刮敗船 茹灰傅之,功同牛膽石灰。蘇頌。 Control. Balanced. They serve to heal women with collapsing center,98 blood vomiting and unending free-flux illness with blood.99 Bie lu. To cure wounds caused by metal objects/weapons, scrape rotten [bamboo] shavings [used to seal a boat, burn them to] ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. The [therapeutic] potential is identical with that of ox bile mixed with lime. Su Song.
【附方】舊一,新二。 Added Recipes. One of old. Two newly [recorded]. 婦人遺尿。船故茹爲末,酒服三錢。《千金方》。 Bed wetting of women. [Grind] old [bamboo] shavings [used to seal a] boat to powder and [let the patient] ingest with wine three qian. Qian jin fang. 月水不斷。船茹一斤净洗,河水四升半,煮二升半,分二服。《千金方》。 Unending menstruation. Wash one jin of [bamboo] shavings [used to seal a] boat and boil them in four sheng and a half of river water down to two sheng and a half. [Let the patient] ingest [the liquid] divided into two portions. Qian jin fang. 婦人尿血。方同上。 Women urinating with blood. Recipe identical with the one above. 38-60 故木砧拾遺 Gu mu zhen, FE Shi yi. Old wooden chopping block. 【釋名】百味《拾遺》、㭢几。 Explanation of Names. Bai wei 百味, “hundreds of flavors,” Shi yi. Xin ji 㭢几. 38-60-01 几上屑。Ji shang xie. Crumbs on a table. 【主治】吻上嚵瘡,燒末傅之。藏器。
98 Beng zhong 崩中, “collapsing center,” excessive vaginal bleeding outside of a menstruation period. BCGM Dict I, 58. 99 Li 痢, “free-flux illness,” a diarrhea-type ailment. BCGM Dict I, 311.
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Control. For gluttony sores100 on the lips, burn them to ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-60-02 砧上垢。Zhen shang gou. Dirt on a chopping block. 【主治】卒心腹痛。又凡人病後食、勞復,取當時來參病人行止脚下土一 錢許,男左女右,和垢及鼠頭一枚,或鼠屎三七煮服,神效。藏器。乾霍 亂,不吐不利,煩脹欲死,或轉筋入腹,取屠兒几垢一雞子大,温酒調 服,得吐即愈。又主唇瘡、耳瘡、蟲牙。時珍。 Control. Sudden pain in the region of heart and abdomen. Whenever one suffers from the recurrence of a disease because of eating or exhaustion, take a piece of soil, the size of a coin, from underneath the legs of a person who has just visited the patient, if it is a male, [take the soil from his] left [leg], if it is a female [take it from her] right [leg], and mix it with the dirt [from a chopping block] and one rat/ mouse head – or three times seven pieces of rat/mouse droppings, boil this [and let the patient] ingest [the liquid]. Divinely effective. [Chen] Cangqi. For dry cholera, without vomiting and without free flow, with vexation and bloating making one wish to die, or contorted sinews [with spasms] entering the abdomen, take dirt from a chopping block, the size of an egg, and ingest it mixed with warm wine. When [the patient] vomits, a cure is achieved. It also controls lip sores, ear sores, and teeth infested with worms/bugs. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 唇緊瘡裂。屠几垢燒存性,傅之。《千金方》。 Chapped, tight lips with sores. Heat the dirt from a chopping block with its nature retained and apply it [to the affected region]. Qian jin fang. 小兒耳瘡。屠几上垢,傅之。《千金方》。 Sores in the ears of children. Apply the dirt from a chopping block [to the affected region]. Qian jin fang.
100 Chan chuang 嚵瘡, “gluttony sores.” Sores emerging on the lips or to the side of the mouth. BCGM Dict I, 72.
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Wooden ladle. 【釋名】【時珍曰】木曰杓,瓠曰瓢。杓者,勺也;瓢者,漂也。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: Wooden ladles are called shuo 杓. Gourd ladles are called piao 瓢. Shuo 杓is shao 勺, “ladle.” Piao 瓢 is piao 漂, “to float.” 【主治】人身上結筋,打之三下,自散。藏器。 Control. Knotted sinews on a human body. Strike them three times [with a wooden ladle] and they will disperse. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-61-01 瓠瓢。Hu piao. Gourd ladle. 見菜部。 See the section “vegetables.” (28-04. 28-05) 38-62 筯拾遺 Zhu, FE Shi yi. Chopstick. 【釋名】箸。【時珍曰】古箸以竹,故字從竹。近人兼用諸木及象牙爲之 矣。 Explanation of Names. Zhu 箸, “chopstick.” [Li] Shizhen: Ancient chopsticks were made of bamboo, zhu 竹. Hence the characters [zhu 筯 and zhu 箸] include [the character] zhu 竹. Nowadays, the people use wood and ivory to make them. 【主治】吻上燕口瘡,取筯頭燒灰傅之。又狂狗咬者,乞取百家筯,煎汁 飲。藏器。咽喉痺塞,取漆筯燒烟,含嚥烟氣入腹,發欬即破。時珍。 Control. For swallow’s mouth sores101 on the lips, burn the tips of chopsticks to ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. Also, if one was bitten by a mad dog, request from a hundred families their chopsticks, boil them and [let the patient] drink the [resulting] juice. [Chen] Cangqi. For blocked throat, burn lacquered chopsticks to generate fumes. [Let the patient] inhale the fumes to have their qi enter the abdomen. When [the patient] coughs [the blockage] will be broken open. [Li] Shizhen. 101 Yan kou [chuang] 燕口[瘡], “swallow’s mouth [sores],” identical with wen chuang 吻瘡, “lip sores” conditions with swelling, pain and festering of the lips that cannot be cured for an extended period of time. BCGM Dict I, 532, 612.
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38-63 甑唐本草 Zeng, FE Tang ben cao. Steamer. 【校正】併入《拾遺》瓦甑, 故甑蔽。 Correction. Listed here together with wa zeng 瓦甑, “clay steamer,” and gu zeng bi 故甑蔽, “cover of an old steamer,” [that are listed separately in the] Bie lu. 【集解】【時珍曰】黄帝始作甑、釜。北人用瓦甑,南人用木甑,夷人用 竹甑。術家云:凡甑鳴、釜鳴者,不得驚怖。但男作女拜,女作男拜,即 止,亦無殃咎。《感應類從志》云:瓦甑之契,投梟自止。注云:取甑書 契字,置墻上,有梟鳴時投之,自止也。 Collected Explanations. [Li] Shizhen: The Yellow Thearch was the first to make steamers and cauldrons. The people in the North use steamers made of clay. The people in the South use steamers made of wood. The Yi people use steamers made of bamboo. The experts in the art [of making longevity elixirs] state: “When you hear sounds [as if ] from a steamer, or sounds [as if ] from a cauldron, there is no need to be frightened. All that is required is for males to worship in the manner of females, and for females to worship in the manner of males, and [the sounds] will end. There will be no disaster.” The Gan yin lei cong zhi states: “Toss a clay steamer with engravings at an owl and [its hoots] will end.” A comment states: “Take a steamer, write characters on it and place it on a wall. When an owl hoots toss [the steamer] at it, and [the hoots] will end.” 38-63-01 瓦甑。Wa zeng. Clay steamer. 【主治】魘寐不寤,取覆人面,疾打破之。藏器。 Control. For nightmares without waking up, cover the face of that person with [a clay steamer] and quickly strike it to pieces. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-63-02 甑垢。Zeng gou. Residue deposit from a steamer. 一名陰膠 Alternative name: Yin glue.
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【主治】口舌生瘡,刮傅之。時珍。 Control. For sores in the mouth, on the tongue, scrape [the dirt from a steamer] and apply it [to the affected region]. [Li] Shizhen. 【發明】【時珍曰】雷氏《炮炙論·序》云:知瘡所在,口點陰膠。注 云:取甑中氣垢少許於口中,即知臟腑所起,直徹至患處,知痛所在,可 醫也。 Explication. [Li] Shizhen: Mr. Lei in the preface to his Pao zhi lun states: “If one wishes to know the location of a sore [inside a patient’s body], drop residue deposit from a steamer into [the patient’s] mouth.” A comment states: “Put a little of the residue deposit left by the qi in a steamer into [the patient’s] mouth and you will know in which of the long-term depots and short-term repositories [an illness] has emerged. [The residue deposit] will directly move to the location of the affliction and this can be known from the location of a pain. Then a medical therapy will be possible.” 38-63-03 甑帶。Zeng dai. A string to tie a steamer. 【氣味】辛,温,無毒。 Qi and Flavor. Acrid, warm, nonpoisonous. 【主治】煮汁服,除腹脹痛,脱肛,胃反,小便失禁、不通及淋,中惡尸 注。燒灰,封金瘡,止血,止痛,出刃。蘇恭。主大小便不通,瘧疾,婦 人帶下,小兒臍瘡,重舌夜啼,癜風白駁。時珍。 Control. Boiled and the [resulting] juice ingested it serves to remove abdominal bloating and pain, anal prolapse, turned over stomach, uncontrolled, blocked and dripping urination, being struck by the malign and corpse [qi] attachment. 102 Burned to ashes it serves to seal wounds caused by metal objects/weapons, ends bleeding, ends pain, and lets a blade [stuck in one’s body after a fight] come out again. Su Gong. It controls blocked passage of major [defecation] and minor [urination] relief, malaria illness, discharge from below the belt of women, navel sores,
102 Shi zhu 尸疰, “corpse [qi] attachment[-illness],” a type of zhu 疰, also zhu 注, “attachment-illness,” “influx-illnesss,” reflecting a notion of a foreign pathogenic agent, originally of demonic nature, having attached itself to the human organism. Here the qi of a corpse. BCGM Dict I, 461.
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doubled tongue103 and crying during the night of children, as well as patches wind with white variegation.104 [Li] Shizhen. 【發明】【志曰】江南以蒲爲甑帶,取久用敗爛者用之。取其久被蒸氣, 故能散氣也。 Explication. [Ma] Zhi: In Jiang nan they use cattail to prepare the strings to tie steamers. For [medicinal] applications rotten, pappy [strings] that have been in use for a long time are to be used. This is to avail oneself of their being steamed with qi for a long time. Hence they are able to disperse qi.
【附方】舊五,新六。 Added Recipes. Five of old. Six newly [recorded]. 小便不通。以水四升,洗甑帶取汁,煮葵子二升半,分三服。《聖惠方》。 Blocked urination. Wash the strings used to tie a steamer with four sheng of water. Use the [resulting] juice to boil two sheng and a half of malva seeds. [Let the patient] ingest [the resulting liquid] divided into three portions. Sheng hui fang. 大小便閉。甑帶煮汁,和蒲灰末方寸匕服,日三次。《千金方》。 Blocked major [defecation] and minor [urination] relief. Qian jin fang. 五色帶下。甑帶煮汁,温服一盞,日二服。《千金方》。 Discharge from the belt in all five colors. Boil a string [used to tie a] steamer and [let the patient] ingest one small cup of the [resulting] juice. To be ingested twice a day. Qian jin fang. 小兒下血。甑帶灰塗乳上,飲之。《外臺秘要》。 Blood discharge of children. Apply the ashes of strings [used to tie a] steamer to the nursing mother’s teats and let [the child] drink from them. Wai tai mi yao. 小兒夜啼。甑帶懸户上,即止。《子母秘録》。 Children crying during the night. Hang a string [used to tie a] steamer from above the door and it will end. Zi mu mi lu. 小兒重舌。甑帶燒灰,傅舌下。《聖惠方》。
103 Chong she 重舌, “doubled tongue.” A growth under the tongue, mostly in children, similar to a second tongue. BCGM Dict I, 92. 104 Bai bo feng 白駁[風], “white variegation [wind],” a vaguely identifiable skin disease. BCGM Dict I, 45.
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Doubled tongue105 of children. Burn a string [used to tie a] steamer to ashes and apply them to the lower side of the tongue. Sheng hui fang. 小兒鵝口。方同上。 Goose mouth106 of children. Recipe identical with the one above. 小兒臍瘡。甑帶燒灰傅之。《子母秘録》。 Navel sores of children. Burn a string [used to tie a] steamer to ashes and apply them [to the affected region]. Zi mu mi lu. 五色丹毒。甑帶燒灰,鷄子白和,塗之。《衛生易簡方》。 Cinnabar poison107 in all five colors. Burn a string [used to tie a] steamer to ashes, mix them with egg white and apply this [to the affected region]. Wei sheng yi jian fang. 沙芒眯目。甑帶灰,水服一錢。《外臺秘要》。 When sand or an awn has got into one’s eye. [Burn] a string [used to tie a] steamer to ashes and ingest with water one qian. Wai tai mi yao. 草石在咽不出。方同上。 An herb or a stone stuck in the throat and failing to come out again. Recipe identical with the one above. 38-63-04 故甑蔽。《拾遺》或作閉。Gu zeng bi, FE Shi yi. Also written bi 閉, Closure. Cover of an old steamer.
【主治】無毒。主石淋,燒研,水服三指撮。又主盗汗。藏器。燒灰,水 服三撮,治喉閉咽痛及食復,下死胎。時珍。 Control. Nonpoisonous. To control [urinary] stone dripping108 burn it, grind [the ashes to powder] and [let the patient] ingest with water as much as can be picked up
105 Chong she 重舌, “doubled tongue.” A growth under the tongue, mostly in children, similar to a second tongue. BCGM Dict I, 92. 106 E kou 鵝口, “goose mouth,” refers to a white layer covering the mucous membranes and top of the tongue in a child’s mouth making it resemble a goose-mouth. BCGM Dict I, 141. 107 Dan du 丹毒, “cinnabar poison,” a skin ailment with red rashes. BCGM Dict I, 118. 108 Shi lin 石淋, “stone dripping,” a condition of difficult urination, or sudden interruption of urine flow, with an uncomfortable feeling and pain in the urinary tract, and the excreted urine appearing as small stones. BCGM Dict I, 452.
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with three fingers. Also, it controls robber sweat. 109 [Chen] Cangqi. Burned to ashes and the amount that is picked up with three fingers ingested with water, it serves to cure throat blockage and painful throat, as well as [diseases] that recur because of eating. It serves to discharge a dead fetus. [Li] Shizhen. 【發明】【時珍曰】甑蔽通氣,理似優於甑帶。雷氏《炮炙論·序》云: 弊箄淡鹵。注云:常使舊甑中箄,能淡鹽味。此物理之相感也。 Explication. [Li] Shizhen: The cover of a steamer opens the passage of qi. In principle, it surpasses the effects of strings [used to tie a] steamer. Mr. Lei in the preface to his Pao zhi lun states: “A rotten cover lets brine taste less [salty].” A comment states: “The covers of old steamers are regularly resorted to to minimize the flavor of salt.” This is how the principles innate in items affect each other.
【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 胎死腹中,及衣不下者。取炊蔽,户前燒末,水服即下。《千金方》。 When a fetus has died in the [mother’s] abdomen, and when the placenta fails to be discharged, burn the cover of a steamer in front of the door, [grind the ashes to] powder and [let the woman] ingest it with water. This will cause the discharge [of the dead fetus/the placenta]. Qian jin fang. 骨疽出骨。愈而復發,骨從孔中出,宜瘡上灸之。以烏雌雞一隻,去肉取 骨,炒成炭,以三家甑蔽、三家砧木刮屑各一兩,皆燒存性,和導瘡中, 碎骨當出盡而愈。《千金方》。 Bone impediment-illness110 with bones coming out [of the skin]. When this was cured and [the disease] breaks out again, with the bone having come out of a hole, apply a cauterization to the wound. Take a black rooster, remove its meat and keep the bones. Fry them to generate charcoal. Then heat one liang each of the covers of steamers of three families, and of crumbs scratched from the wooden chopping blocks of three families and heat these items with their nature retained. Mix all of this and apply it to the sores. The bone is broken to pieces and comes out completely. This is the cure. Qian jin fang.
109 Dao han 盗汗, “robber sweat,” a profuse sweating during sleep that ends when one wakes up. BCGM Dict I, 122. 110 Ju 疽, “impediment-illness,” refers to an obstruction of vessels or other ducts inside the body. Qi rushing against the impediment may cause a local swelling and eventually break through the surface to cause an abscess. BCGM Dict I, 277.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu 38-64 鍋蓋綱目 Guo gai, FE Gang mu.
Lid of a cooking pot. 【主治】牙疳、陰疳,取黑垢,同雞䏶胵黄皮灰、蠶繭灰、枯礬等分爲 末,米泔洗後頻傅之。時珍。 Control. For dental gan-illness111 and gan-illness112 affecting the yin [(i. e., genital) region]. [Grind] black dirt [from the lid of a cooking pot] with equal amounts of the ashes of the yellow skin of a chicken gizzard, ashes of silk cocoons and prepared alum to powder, and after washing [the affected region] with water in which rice was washed repeatedly apply [the powder to the affected region]. [Li] Shizhen. 38-65 飯籮拾遺 Fan luo, FE Shi yi. Rice basket. 【釋名】筐。【藏器曰】以竹爲之,南方人謂之筐。 Explanation of Names. Kuang 筐, “basket.” [Chen] Cangqi: They are made of bamboo. The people in the South call them kuang 筐. 【主治】時行病後食、勞復,燒取方寸匕,水服。藏器。 Control. For a recurrence of seasonally epidemic diseases because of eating and exhaustion, burn it [to ashes] and ingest with water the amount held by a square cun spoon. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-66 蒸籠拾遺 Zheng long, FE Shi yi. Food steamer made of bamboo. 【主治】取年久竹片,同弊帚紥縛草、舊麻鞋底繫及蛇蜕皮燒灰,擦白癜 風。時珍。《聖惠方》。 Control. Burn bamboo strips from [a food steamer] used for many years, the straw bundle of a worn broom, the sole of an old hemp shoe, and snake slough to ashes 111 Ya gan 牙疳, “dental gan-illness,” with teeth and the gums festering and emitting a bad stench, the teeth aching and becoming lose, and the appearance of pus and blood. BCGM Dict I, 605. 112 Gan 疳, “gan-illness,” also: “sweets-illness,” involves several complaints that affect children and adults, with causes and conditions too different to fall into a known disease category. BCGM Dict I, 180-188.
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and apply this to [the region affected by] white patches wind. [Li] Shizhen, [quoted from the] Sheng hui fang. 38-67 炊單布綱目 Chui dan bu, FE Gang mu. A cloth in a steamer. 【主治】墜馬,及一切筋骨傷損,張仲景方中用之。時珍。 Control. For [injuries resulting from] a fall from a horse, and all other kinds of harm and injury, Zhang Zhongjing in his recipes resorts to it. [Li] Shizhen. 【發明】【時珍曰】按王璆《百一選方》云:一人因開甑,熱氣蒸面,即 浮腫眼閉。一醫以意取久用炊布爲末,隨傅隨消。蓋此物受湯上之氣多, 故用此引出湯毒。亦猶鹽水取鹹味,以類相感也。 Explication. [Li] Shizhen: According to Wang Qiu in his Bai yi xuan fang, once someone opened a steamer and his face was steamed by the hot qi. It swelled up and his eyes were closed. A physician thoughtfully had a long used cloth from a steamer [ground to] powder. As it was applied [to the affected region, the swelling] dissolved. The fact is, this item had received many qi rising from hot water. Hence it was used to lead away the poison of hot water. This is similar to resort to salt water to eliminate the salty flavor of salt. Those that are of one group affect each other. 38-68 故炊帚拾遺 Gu chui zhou, FE Shi yi. Old pot-scouring brush. 【主治】人面生白駁,以月食夜,和諸藥燒灰,苦酒調傅之。藏器。 Control. When someone has developed white variegation [wind],113 in the night of a lunar eclipse mix [an old pot-scouring brush] with all kinds of further medication and burn all this to ashes, to be applied, mixed with bitter wine, [to the affected region]. [Chen] Cangqi.
113 Bai bo feng 白駁[風], “white variegation [wind],” a vaguely identifiable skin disease. BCGM Dict I, 45.
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The Ben Cao Gang Mu 38-69 弊帚綱目 Bi zhou, FE Gang mu.
Worn broom. 【釋名】篲。【時珍曰】許慎《説文》云:帚,從手持巾,以掃除也。竹 帚曰篲。凡竹枝、荆苕、黍秫、茭蒲、芒草、落帚之類,皆可爲帚也。 Explanation of Names. Hui 篲, “broom.” [Li] Shizhen: Xu Shen in his Shuo wen states: [The character] zhou 帚 is composed as a hand, shou 手, holding a piece of cloth, jin 巾, to wipe something down.” Bamboo brooms are called hui 篲. Brooms can be made from any of the following: bamboo twigs, the fine twigs of chaste trees, broomcorn millet and sorghum, zizania reed, miscanthus reed and kochia fruit. 【主治】白駁癩風,燒灰入藥。時珍。 Control. For white variegation114 and repudiation-illness wind115 burn it to ashes to be added to a medication. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 白駁風。弊帚、弊帛、履底、甑帶、脯腊、蟬頸、蛇皮等分,以月食時合 燒爲末。酒服方寸匕,日三服。仍以醇醋和塗之。忌食發風物。此乃徐王 方也。《古今録驗》。 White variegation wind. At the time of a lunar eclipse mix a worn broom, a worn piece of silk, a sole from a shoe, the string [used to tie a] steamer, preserved meat, cicada neck slough and snake skin, burn them [and grind the residue to] ashes. [Let the patient] ingest with wine the amount held by a square cun spoon. To be ingested three times a day. In addition, mix [the ashes] with pure vinegar and apply this [to the affected region]. [During the treatment] it is forbidden to consume items stimulating a wind. This is a recipe of Prince Xu. Gu jin lu yan fang. 身面疣目。每月望子時,以秃帚掃疣目上,三七遍。《聖惠方》。 Warts eyes on the body and the face. Every month on the 15th day around midnight wipe the warts eyes with a broom that has hardly any [straw left], three times seven times. Sheng hui fang. 114 Bai bo feng 白駁[風], “white variegation [wind],” a vaguely identifiable skin disease. BCGM Dict I, 45. 115 Lai feng 癩風, “repudiation-illness wind,” identical with feng lai 風癩, “wind repudiation-illness,” most likely referring to leprosy, “Aussatz.” BCGM Dict I, 293-294.
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38-70 簸箕舌綱目 Bo qi she, FE Gang mu. Bottom of a winnowing basket. 【釋名】【時珍曰】簸揚之箕也。南人用竹,北人用杞柳爲之。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: This is a basket used for winnowing. The people in the South make them out of bamboo. The people in the North use willows to make them. 【主治】重舌出涎,燒研,酒服一錢。又主月水不斷。時珍。《千金》、 《聖惠》。 Control. For a doubled tongue116 releasing saliva burn it and grind [the ashes to powder]. [Let the patient] ingest with wine one qian. Also, it controls unending menstruation. [Li] Shizhen, [quoted from the] Qian jin and the Sheng hui.
【附方】新一。 Added Recipes. One newly [recorded]. 催生。簸箕淋水一盞,飲數口。《集玄方》。 To hasten birth. Let a small cup of water drip on a winnowing basket and [let the mother] drink several mouthful [of the resulting juice. Ji xuan fang. 38-71 竹籃拾遺 Zhu lan, FE Shi yi. Bamboo basket. 【釋名】【藏器曰】竹器也。 Explanation of Names. [Chen] Cangqi: This is a bamboo utensil. 【主治】取耳燒灰,傅狗咬瘡。藏器。 Control. Burn the ear[-like handles] to ashes and apply them to wounds caused by a dog bite. [Chen] Cangqi.
116 Chong she 重舌, “doubled tongue.” A growth under the tongue, mostly in children, similar to a second tongue. BCGM Dict I, 92.
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38-72 魚笱綱目 Yu gou, FE Gang mu. Bamboo basket for trapping fish. 【釋名】【時珍曰】歐陽詢《初學記》云:取魚之器,曰笱,音苟;曰⺮ 留, 音留;曰罛,音孤;曰篧,音罩;曰(𥲀)〔罺〕,音抄也。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: Ouyang Xun in his Chu xue ji states: “The utensils to catch fish are called gou 笱, read gou 苟; they are called liu ⺮ 留 , read liu 留; they are called gu 罛, read gu 孤; they are called zhao 篧, read zhao 罩; they are called chao 罺, read chao 抄.” 【主治】舊笱鬚。療魚骨哽,燒灰,粥飲服方寸匕。時珍。〇《肘後方》。 Control. Fibres of an old bamboo basket for trapping fish. To heal choking on a fish bone, burn them to ashes and ingest [mixed] with a gruel beverage the amount held by a square cun spoon. [Li] Shizhen, [quoted from the] Zhou hou fang. 38-73 魚網拾遺 Yu wang, FE Shi yi. Fishnet. 【釋名】罟。【時珍曰】《易》云:庖犧氏結繩而爲網罟,以田以魚,蓋 取諸離。 Explanation of Names. Gu 罟, “fishnet.” [Li] Shizhen: The Yi states: “Pao xi shi tied strings to make nets to hunt [animals on the] fields and fishnets to catch fish. The fact is, for all [the things he initiated,] he was guided by the [30th trigram] li.” 【主治】魚骨哽者,以網覆頸,或煮汁飲之,當自下。藏器。亦可燒灰, 水服,或乳香湯服。甚者併進三服。時珍。 Control. When someone chokes on a fish bone, cover his neck with a net, or boil [a fishnet] and let him drink the [resulting] juice. This will bring [the bone] down. [Chen] Cangqi. It is also possible to burn it to ashes and ingest them with water, or to ingest it with a frankincense decoction. In severe cases [let the patient] ingest three doses one after another. [Li] Shizhen.
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38-74 草麻繩索綱目 Cao ma sheng suo, FE Gang mu. Rope made out of straw or hemp. 【釋名】【時珍曰】小曰索,大曰繩。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: Small ropes are called suo 索; large ropes are called sheng 繩. 【主治】大腹水病,取三十枚去皮,研水三合,旦服,日中當吐下水汁。 結囊若不盡,三日後再作。未盡更作。瘥後,禁水飲、鹹物。時珍。 Control. For the disease of abdominal water, grind 30 pieces, with their skin removed, in water and [let the patient] ingest three ge at dawn. During the day he will vomit and discharge a watery juice. If [the water] is not discharged from the [abdominal] sac completely, apply [the treatment] after three days again. If it is still not discharged completely, apply it again. Once a cure is achieved, [the patient] must not drink water and consume salty items. [Li] Shizhen.
【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 斷瘟不染。以繩度所住户中壁,屈繩結之,即不染也。《肘後方》。 To avoid being infected by a warmth-illness [epidemic]. Knot ropes together and hang them in your home from one wall to another. This will prevent an infection. Zhou hou fang. 消渴煩躁。取七家井索近瓶口結處,燒灰。新汲水服二錢,不過三五服 效。《聖惠方》。 Melting with thirst,117 vexation and restlessness. Burn that part of a rope used to hoist water from a well with a jar that is tied around the opening [of that jar] to ashes and ingest with newly drawn water two qian. This is effective after three to five ingestions. Sheng hui fang.
117 Xiao ke 消渴, “melting with thirst,” most likely including cases of diabetes. BCGM Dict I, 567.
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38-75 馬絆繩綱目 Ma ban sheng. FE Gang mu. Rope used to trip a horse. 【主治】煎水,洗小兒癎。蘇恭。燒灰,摻鼻中瘡。時珍。 Control. Boiled in water, the liquid serves to wash children suffering from epilepsy. Su Gong. Burned to ashes it is applied to sores in the nose. [Li] Shizhen. 38-76 縛豬繩綱目 Fu zhu sheng. Rope used to tie up pigs. 【主治】小兒驚啼,發歇不定,用臘月者燒灰,水服少許。藏器。 Control. Children who are frightened and cry at irregular intervals. Burn [a rope] obtained during the twelfth month to ashes and let them ingest with water a small amount. [Chen] Cangqi. 38-77 牛鼻牶音綱目 Niu bi juan, read juan, FE Gang mu. Wooden stick from an ox nose. 【釋名】【時珍曰】穿牛鼻繩木也。 Explanation of Names. [Li] Shizhen: This is a wooden stick pierced through the nose of oxen to fasten a rope. 【主治】木牶主小兒癎。草牶燒研,傅小兒鼻下瘡。《别録》。草牶灰吹 喉風有效。木牶煮汁或燒灰酒服,治消渴。時珍。 Control. Wooden sticks from an ox nose control epilepsy of children. Ropes from an ox nose made from [hard] plants, burned and ground [to ashes], are applied to sores below the nose of children. Bie lu. The ashes of ropes from an ox nose made from [hard] plants guarantee an effective [treatment] when they are blown into the throat [of patients affected by throat] wind. Wooden sticks from an ox nose, boiled and the [resulting] juice ingested, or burned and the ashes ingested, serve to cure melting with thirst.118 [Li] Shizhen.
118 Xiao ke 消渴, “melting with thirst,” most likely including cases of diabetes. BCGM Dict I, 567.
Chapter 38
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【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 消渴飲水。牛鼻木二箇,男用牝牛,女用牡牛者,洗剉,人參、甘草〔 各〕半兩,大白梅一箇,水四盌,煎三盌,熱服,甚妙。《普濟方》。 Melting with thirst and [a desire] to drink water. Wash and cut to pieces two wooden sticks from an ox nose, for males use those of cows, for females use those of bulls, and boil them together with half a liang each of ginseng [root] and glycyrrhiza [root] and one pickled plum in four bowls of water down to three bowls, and [let the patient] ingest [the resulting liquid] hot. Very wondrous. Pu ji fang. 冬月皸裂。牛鼻繩末,和五倍子末,填入薄紙,貼之。《救急方》。 Chapped skin cracks during winter months. Spread the powder of a rope from an ox nose mixed with Chinese sumac gallnut powder on a thin paper and attach it [to the affected region]. Jiu ji fang. 38-78 厠籌拾遺 Ce chou, FE Shi yi. Wooden latrine board. 【主治】難産,及霍亂身冷轉筋,於牀下燒取熱氣徹上,亦主中惡鬼氣。 此物最微,其功可録。藏器。 Control. For difficult birth, and cholera with a cold body and contorted sinews. Burn it underneath the [patient’s] bed and let its qi rise to pass through [the patient]. Also, it serves to control being struck by the malign and demonic qi. This item is very insignificant, but its [therapeutic] potential is worth to be recorded. [Chen] Cangqi.
【附方】新二。 Added Recipes. Two newly [recorded]. 小兒驚竄。兩眼看地不上者,皂角燒灰,以童尿浸刮屎柴竹,用火烘乾, 爲末,貼其顖門,即甦。《王氏小兒方》。 [Eyeballs of ] children scurrying with fright. When both eyes are staring on the ground and do not move up. Chinese honeylocust burned to ashes and bamboo that has been soaked with boys’ urine, with the feces scraped off, and is used now as firewood, are heated over a fire until they are dry. This is then [ground to] powder and applied to the [child’s] fontanel. This will revive [the child]. Wang shi xiao er fang.
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小兒齒遲。正旦,取尿坑中竹木刮塗之,即生。《聖惠方》。 Belated growth of a child’s teeth. On New Year’s Day take the bamboo or wooden [board] from a urine pit, scrape [a powder from it] and apply this [to the child’s gums]. This stimulates the growth [of teeth]. Sheng hui fang. 38-79 尿桶綱目 Niao tong, FE Gang mu. Urinal bucket. 38-79-01 舊板。Jiu ban. Old board from a urinal bucket. 【主治】霍亂吐利,煎水服。山村宜之。時珍。《如宜方》。 Control. For cholera with vomiting and free flow, boil it in water and ingest [the resulting juice]. This is an appropriate [therapy to be resorted to] in mountain villages. [Li] Shizhen, [quoted from the] Ru yi fang. 38-79-02 舊箍。Jiu gu. Old hoop [of a urinal bucket]. 【主治】脚縫搔痒,或瘡有竅,出血不止,燒灰傅之。年久者佳。時珍。 Control. For itching between the toes and open sores/wounds bleeding incessantly, burn it to ashes and apply them [to the affected region. A hoop] that is many years old is fine. [Li] Shizhen.
本草綱目 Ben cao gang mu 蟲部目録 Section Worms/Bugs, Contents 第三十九卷 Chapter 39 李時珍曰:蟲乃生物之微者,其類甚繁,故字從三虫會意。按攷工記云: 外骨、内骨、却行、仄行、連行、紆行,以脰鳴、注咮同鳴、旁鳴、翼 鳴、腹鳴、胸鳴者,謂之小蟲之屬。其物雖微,不可與麟、鳳、龜、龍爲 伍;然有羽、毛、鱗、介、倮之形,胎、卵、風、濕、化生之異,蠢動含 靈,各具性氣。録其功,明其毒,故聖人辨之。况蜩、𧍙、蟻、蚳,可供 饋食者,見于禮記;蜈、蠶、蟾、蠍,可供匕劑119,載在方書。周官有庶氏 除毒蠱,剪氏除蠹物,蟈氏去鼃黽,赤犮氏除墻壁貍蟲——蠼螋之屬,壺 涿氏除水蟲——狐蜮之屬。則聖人之于微瑣,罔不致慎。學者可不究夫物 理而察其良毒乎?於是集小蟲之有功、有害者爲蟲部,凡一百零六種。分 爲三類:曰卵生,曰化生,曰濕生。舊本蟲魚部三品,共二百三十六種。 今析出鱗、介二部,併入六種,移八種入禽、獸、服器部,自有名未用移 種,木部移入二種 Section worms/bugs. Li Shizhen: Worms/bugs are small creatures; there are very many kinds of them. Hence the character chong 蟲is based on the idea of “three worms/bugs, chong 虫.” According to the Kao gong ji, those with their bones outside, those with their bones inside, those moving backward, those moving sideways, those moving one linked to another, those moving in curves, those chirping from their neck, those chirping from their beak >> the character zhu 注 has the same meaning as the character zhou 咮,” beak,”[The character] guai 喎, “[facial] wryness,” is split read ku 苦 and guai 乖; it means “distorted mouth.” [The character] die 軼 is read die 跌; it means “overturned cart.” >[the character da 眨] is read da 剳