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[Five-Tiger Resin / Wulingzhi]

Also known as Di Bie. This is a type of insect living in damp soil, with a salty taste and cold nature. Having absorbed the qi of darkness, its medicinal property carries slight toxicity. When cut with a knife, white juice flows from within like pulp; upon exposure to air (or wounds), it reconnects, and the insect can walk again. Therefore, it has miraculous effects in treating contusions and traumatic injuries, and in knitting bones and tendons. It is a herb belonging to the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian.

Blood is the true Yin within the body; it irrigates all bones and circulates throughout the meridians. If blood stagnates, the meridians become obstructed, leading to an imbalance where Yin and Yang mutually overact, resulting in alternating chills and fever. Salty and cold substances can enter the blood level and soften hardness. Thus, it primarily treats blood accumulations in the heart and abdomen, masses (Zhang-Jia), and various conditions of amenorrhea due to blood obstruction. When blood harmonizes and Ying and Wei Qi flow smoothly, chills and fever are naturally eliminated, meridians regulate evenly, menstruation arrives on time, enabling women to bear children. Furthermore, it treats "malaria mother" (splenomegaly associated with malaria) and is an essential herb. However, if amenorrhea is caused by blood depletion rather than blood stasis, it should not be taken.

Combined with Pyrite (Ziran Tong), Dragon's Blood (Xuejie), Frankincense (Ruxiang), Myrrh (Moyao), Wu Zhu Qian, Huang Jing Zi, Hemp Husk Ash, and Dog Head Bone, it produces miraculous results for contusions and traumatic injuries. Zhang Zhongjing's formula, Dahuang Zhechong Wan, is used to treat postpartum abdominal pain with dry blood (old blood stasis). The usage involves taking 20 Dahuang Zhechong insects (feet removed), 20 Tao Ren (Peach Kernels), and 2 liang of Da Huang (Rhubarb Root), grinding them into powder, mixing with refined honey, pounding until uniform, and dividing into four pills. Each time, take one pill, boil in 1 sheng of wine until reduced to 2 he, and take warm. Stasis blood will be discharged.

The *Ji Yan Fang* records: For contusions and sprains, use one dried ground beetle (Tu Bie), freshly ground at the time of use, mixed with equal parts of Ruxiang, Moyao, Ziran Tong, and Long Gu, plus a small amount of Shexiang (Musk). Grind into powder. Take 3 fen each time, mixed with the ground beetle powder, administered with wine. Bone dislocations must be set first before administration, otherwise, bone knitting cannot occur. This herb can also substitute for corporal punishment (cane beating) due to its analgesic properties.

Dahuang Zhechong removes blood accumulations, thoroughly searching out and eliminating stasis. It is fastest in repairing fractures and dislocations. Decoction gargled can rapidly resolve "wooden tongue," while oral administration can immediately induce lactation.

[Wulingzhi]

Taste: Sweet. Nature: Warm. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Meridians Entered: Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian, Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Its nature specializes in promoting blood circulation, thus primarily treating female amenorrhea. Due to its sweet and warm nature, it treats cold qi in the heart and abdomen and unblocks Qi and blood vessels. It treats the "Five Kindling Diseases" (Wu Gang) in children because it aids in digesting food and fluids. It treats intestinal wind bleeding by removing stasis in the intestines and stomach. It is an indispensable herb for conditions such as stabbing pain in the chest and heart due to Qi and blood stagnation, postpartum lower abdominal pain from "Erzhen Masses" (retained placenta or lochia), pain caused by phlegm binding with blood forming cysts, and pain from blood coagulation.

Shixiao San (Pain-Relieving Powder) treats cardiac pain, abdominal abscesses, lower abdominal pain, and hernia in the lower abdomen in men and women of all ages, especially when other herbs fail. It can both move and stop bleeding. It is particularly effective for cardiac pain during pregnancy, postpartum cardiac pain, lower abdominal pain, and Qi-blood stabbing pain. Usage: Mix equal parts of Wulingzhi and Puhuang (Pollen Typhae), grind into powder. First, mix the powder with two cups of vinegar, boil into a paste, add one cup of water, and decoct until three-tenths remain. Take the medicine hot with the dregs. If ineffective, take again. Another method substitutes wine for vinegar, or forms pills using vinegar paste. Administer with child's urine or wine. For sudden severe cardiac pain, stir-fry 1 qian 5 fen of Wulingzhi and stir-fry 3 fen of Ganjiang (Dried Ginger), grind into powder, and take with hot wine for immediate relief.

The *Xia Ziyi Qiji Fang* records: A strange disease called "Blood Collapse." Symptoms include cloudy black sclera, abnormal vision, stiff hair standing up like iron rods, ability to eat and drink but inability to speak, resembling drunkenness. Administer Wulingzhi powder, 2 qian, with boiled water for cure.

Wulingzhi specializes in gynecology. Raw form promotes blood circulation; stir-fried form stops bleeding. It is used to unblock amenorrhea and treat prolonged menstruation, relieve cardiac pain, treat Qi-blood stabbing pain, expel bloody dysentery and intestinal wind, drive away cold qi in the heart and abdomen, stabilize postpartum blood syncope, and treat pediatric kindling roundworms. Wulingzhi is the feces of the Cold-War Bird (Hanhao Qin). This bird fears cold and prefers warmth, so its feces are also warm. With strong aroma and flavor, it belongs to "Yin within Yin," entering the blood level. Its nature specializes in moving blood, acting fastest on the Liver Meridian. Various blood-related diseases and parasites belong to Wood of the Liver, as the Liver stores blood and parasites often originate in the Liver. Therefore, it excels in treating blood diseases, parasitic diseases, pain in the heart, abdomen, and hypochondrium, as well as metrorrhagia and obstetric conditions.