即桑树上螳螂子也。一生九千九子,用一枚,便伤百命,勿轻用之。禀秋金之阴
气,得桑上之津液,味甘咸,气平无毒,气薄味浓,阴也,入足少阴,太阳经,盖人以
肾为根本,男子肾经虚损,则五脏气微,或阴痿,梦寐失精遗尿,咸味属水,内合于
肾,肾得之而阴气生长,故能愈诸疾及益精生子也。肾与膀胱为表里,肾得所养,则膀
胱自固,气化则能出,故利水通淋也。女子属阴,肝肾用事,疝瘕血闭腰痛,皆二经为
病,咸能益阴,入血软坚,是以主之。甘能补中,故主伤中益气,肾足则水自上升,克
与心交,故能养神也。二月三月采蒸之,当火炙用,否则,令人泻。
桑螵蛸,治男子虚损肾衰,五脏气散,疝瘕阴痿,作中腰痛,精遗白浊,益精强
用,补中固肾,通淋利水,复禁小便自遗,为梦遗方之要药。久服益气养神,益精生
子,女子血闭腹痛,及胎前产后溺遗不禁。酒炒为末,白汤调服即止,故俗名禁尿窠,
即螳螂子也。必以桑树上者为佳。
得土中阴水之气,禀土得而星应轸水,味咸,性寒,无毒。大寒能去热邪,除大
热,故主伏尸鬼疰,伤寒伏热狂谬。咸主下走利小便,故治大腹黄胆虫瘕,皆属湿热之
痛。昔人之热病发狂,用白颈蚯蚓十数条,同荆芥穗捣汁饮之,得臭汗而解。其治寒伏
热、狂谬之验也。近世用酒煎汁、以救打跌伤损垂危者,则筋骨无伤,瘀血自去,真神
方也。血热痘疮,斑多紫黑者,亦所重焉。取其入土钻锐之能,走筋入络之势,味咸软
坚润下处湿,而入湿为功,血热血瘀,遇之皆化,停 蓄水,触着皆消,凡阴柔能制亢
烈也。瘰 溃烂流串者,用荆芥根下段,煎汤温洗,久良,看疮破紫黑处,以针刺血
去。再洗三四次,用韭菜地上蚯蚓一把。五更时收取,碳火上烧红为末,每一匙入乳
香、没药、轻粉各半钱,穿山甲九片,炙为末,麻油调敷神效。耳卒聋闭,蚯蚓入盐。
安葱管内,化水点之,立效。
白颈蚯蚓,伤寒温病大热发狂,小水不通,黄胆行湿,跌扑损伤神效。痘疮斑紫奇功。
This refers to the egg cases of mantises on mulberry trees. A single mantis produces 9,900 offspring; using one case harms hundreds of lives, so it should not be used lightly. It inherits the Yin Qi (Yin Energy) of autumnal Metal and absorbs the fluids from mulberry leaves. Its taste is sweet and salty, its nature is neutral and non-toxic, with a thin Qi and strong flavor, belonging to the Yin category. It enters the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian and the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian. Generally, humans regard the Kidney as the root. When men suffer from deficiency and damage in the Kidney Meridian, the Qi of the Five Zang Organs becomes weak, leading to impotence, nocturnal emission during sleep, or bedwetting. The salty flavor corresponds to Water and internally connects with the Kidney. When the Kidney receives this, Yin Qi grows, thus curing various diseases and benefiting essence for procreation. The Kidney and Bladder are interior-exteriorly related. When the Kidney is nourished, the Bladder naturally secures itself; when Qi transformation occurs, urine can be excreted, hence it promotes urination and relieves strangury. Women belong to Yin, and the Liver and Kidney meridians govern their physiology. Conditions such as hernia, mass formations (Zheng Jia), blood obstruction, and lower back pain are all diseases of these two meridians. Salty flavors benefit Yin, enter the Blood level, and soften hardness, thus treating these conditions. Sweet flavors tonify the Middle Jiao, thus treating damage to the middle Qi and boosting energy. When Kidney Qi is sufficient, water naturally ascends and interacts with the Heart, thus nourishing the Spirit. Collected in the second and third lunar months, steamed, and must be roasted over fire before use; otherwise, it causes diarrhea.
Sangpiaoxiao (Mantis Egg Case) treats male deficiency and decline of Kidney function, dispersion of Qi in the Five Zang Organs, hernia, mass formations, impotence, central lower back pain, seminal emission, white turbidity, benefits essence and strengthens utility, tonifies the middle and secures the Kidney, unblocks strangury and promotes diuresis, restores control over spontaneous urination, and is an essential herb in formulas for nocturnal emission. Long-term consumption boosts Qi and nourishes the Spirit, benefits essence for procreation, and also treats female blood obstruction, abdominal pain, and uncontrollable urinary incontinence before and after childbirth. Stir-fried with wine, ground into powder, and taken with warm water, it stops symptoms immediately, hence commonly known as "Jin Niao Ke" (No-Urine Nest), referring to the mantis egg case. Those from mulberry trees are best.
Baijing Qiuyin (Earthworm), inheriting the Yin Water Qi of the earth, corresponds to the Zhen Star of Water. Its taste is salty, its nature is cold, and it is non-toxic. Its profound coldness removes pathogenic heat and clears severe heat, thus treating latent corpses and ghostly infections (chronic infectious diseases), and mania/delirium caused by latent heat in Shanghan (Cold Damage). Salty flavors descend and promote urination, thus treating abdominal distension, jaundice, and parasitic masses, which are all painful conditions due to Damp-Heat. In ancient times, for febrile diseases causing mania, dozens of Baijing Qiuyin were crushed together with Jingjie Sui (Schizonepeta Spike) and the juice drunk, resulting in recovery through foul sweating. This verifies its efficacy in treating cold-lodging heat and mania. In recent times, decocted in wine, it is used to save those critically injured by falls or blows, ensuring bones and sinews remain uninjured and blood stasis resolves spontaneously—a truly miraculous formula. For blood-heat acne where spots are mostly purple-black, it is also valued. It utilizes the worm's ability to drill sharply into the earth and its momentum to travel through sinews and collaterals. Its salty flavor softens hardness, moistens downward, and dispels dampness. Entering dampness to exert its effect, blood heat and blood stasis dissolve upon contact, and accumulated fluid dissipates. This demonstrates how Yin-soft substances can restrain hyperactive Yang. For scrofula that has ulcerated and spread, wash with a decoction of the lower part of Jingjie roots; long-term use is beneficial. Where ulcers break open showing purple-black blood, prick with a needle to release blood. Wash three or four more times. Take a handful of earthworms from under leek beds at dawn (Wu Geng), roast red over charcoal carbon, grind to powder. Mix one spoonful with half a qian each of Rush Xiang (Frankincense), Mo Yao (Myrrh), Qing Fen (Calomel), and nine slices of Chuan Shan Jia (Pangolin Scale), roasted and ground. Apply mixed with sesame oil for miraculous effects. For sudden deafness and blockage of the ear, place earthworms in salt inside a scallion tube, let them melt into water, and instill drops for immediate effect.
Baijing Qiuyin treats severe heat and mania in Shanghan and Warm Diseases, inability to urinate, jaundice with dampness discharge, and traumatic injuries with miraculous efficacy. It also has remarkable effects on purple-black spots in smallpox/chickenpox.