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She Tui (Ophidium, Snake Slough) is collected on the Dragon Boat Festival. Remove the epidermis until it is clear and bright like eyes. It stops vomiting and counterflow qi, wards off various evils, treats adult intestinal hemorrhoids and gu poison, pediatric convulsions, fright, and epilepsy. When roasted over fire and applied externally, it can cure sores and rashes.

Main Indications (Combined Analysis of Smallpox and Rashes): For any case of smallpox or rashes that fails to erupt regardless of cold, heat, deficiency, or excess, roast this herb until dry and combine it with herbs that promote eruption to assist the process.

Among the three hundred and sixty types of shelled creatures, the turtle is their leader. It inherits the qi of Metal and Water. Its taste is salty and sweet, its nature is neutral with slight toxicity. Its character is spiritual and capable of transformation. When used in medicine, do not allow it to become damp; if it becomes damp, it will enhance its transformative nature and form masses (jia, 瘕) in the abdomen, which is why it is said to be toxic. Both flavor and nature are Yin, entering the Foot Shaoyin Meridian. Physicians often include it in formulas for tonifying the Heart, utilizing the principle that the Heart stores the Spirit (Shen). The turtle has a specific lineage nature, borrowing its qi to resonate, and embodying the concept of Water and Fire having achieved harmony (Ji Ji). However, it is not truly a primary herb for tonifying the Heart. It mainly treats cold and heat in the bones, recurrence of fatigue after typhoid fever, severe chills and fever resembling death, soreness and pain in the waist and back, heaviness and weakness in the hands and feet, five types of hemorrhoids, erosion of the yin, head sores from damp-bi, cough, and malaria. These are all diseases caused by Yin deficiency with pathogenic heat. It also treats heart and abdominal pain caused by fright and anger, which is also due to Yin deficiency with excessive Yang qi. Inability to stand for long periods and failure of the fontanelle to close are both due to Kidney Qi deficiency and insufficient Bone Qi. The Yin nature can eliminate great heat, causing various symptoms to recede. With its salty, cold, softening-hardness, and moistening-purging properties, one need not worry about the non-healing of masses (jia) and metrorrhagia. However, some people today prefer using Bie Jia (Tartar Testudinis) and dislike Gui Ban (Carapax et Plastrum Testudinis), while others prefer Gui Ban and dislike Bie Jia; these are all biased views. Both are substances of extreme Yin. Bie Jia moves to the Liver, benefits the Kidney, and eliminates heat. Gui Ban connects the Heart and enters the Kidney to nourish Yin. Bie Jia is non-toxic and can be used in larger doses. Gui Ban is toxic unless it is from a turtle that died naturally after a thousand years. Therefore, the "decayed turtle shell" recorded in formula books is valued because its longevity allows it to absorb the deepest Yin qi, thus possessing the merit of benefiting Yin. Freshly split shells are toxic and should not be used lightly. Pregnant women should not take it, nor should patients who are deficient without heat. When used in medicine, it must be ground into an extremely fine powder and kept dry; otherwise, it will stagnate in the intestines and stomach and transform into masses (jia).

Gui Ban (Carapax et Plastrum Testudinis) should be avoided in the twelfth lunar month. It specifically tonifies Yin decline, benefits Kidney damage, restores the true Yuan Qi of the feet, and treats five types of hemorrhoids, yin erosion, damp-bi head sores, fright and anger qi, heart and abdominal pain, cold and heat in the bones, inability to stand for long, leukorrhea and metrorrhagia, masses (jia), malaria, recurrence of fatigue after typhoid fever, severe chills and fever resembling death, soreness and pain in the waist and back, heaviness and weakness in the hands and feet making them difficult to lift, and unclosed fontanelles in children. For women, it treats damp itching and yin sores, expels blood stasis and accumulation, reconnects severed tendons and bones. Because of its spiritual nature, it is used to tonify the Heart and benefit intelligence, relying on its extreme Yin, soft, and smooth qi. It can subdue hyperactive fire, uses coldness to nourish essence, and through extreme stillness, controls movement. Its nature is similar to Bie Jia, but Bie Jia is green, corresponds to Wood, moves to the Liver, benefits the Kidney, and eliminates heat. Gui Ban is black, corresponds to Water, connects the Heart, and enters the Kidney to nourish Yin. However, both are extreme Yin and greatly cold; excessive use will inevitably damage Spleen Earth. Turtle meat boiled and eaten removes wind-bi and body swelling, counters miasma, and when made into wine, treats wind-pain, spasms, and paralysis.

Main Indications (Combined Analysis of Smallpox and Rashes): Gui Ban is used in smallpox cases because of its significant merit in tonifying Yin.

Commentary: The turtle inherits the extreme Yin of the North, and its brilliance resides in its shell. Using it to tonify the Heart, Blood, and Kidney is all for the purpose of nourishing Yin. Those who investigate things say: Heaven has thunder in early spring; mountains have many turtles that die naturally. When a turtle hears the sound of thunder, the hibernating matter in its mouth is expelled, and it raises its head. At this time, the season is too early for insects to be available for food, leading to starvation and death. The flesh and blood rot and seep into the lower shell; this is the true "decayed turtle shell." The shell of a Yang turtle is round and white; the shell of a Yin turtle is long and yellow. Yin persons should use Yang turtles, and Yang persons should use Yin turtles.