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Woodpecker: This bird varies in size. Brown ones are female, spotted ones are male. There is also a black variety with red feathers on the head, about the size of a magpie, with a beak like an awl, several inches long, often pecking through wood to eat insects, hence its name. Nature: Neutral. Non-toxic. Mainly treats hemorrhoids with fistulas and continuous pus discharge. Take one bird, burn to ash, take 2 qian with wine. For dental caries (dental decay) and toothache from蛀牙 (tooth decay), burn to powder, apply into the tooth cavity; not exceeding three times. Alternatively, wrap cotton on the tip of the tongue and bite the painful area. Best obtained on the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Day).

Lianque (Magpie): Sweet flavor, neutral nature, non-toxic. Mainly tonifies Qi, treats various wind diseases. Capture in winter, remove feathers, stir-fry until fragrant, store in a silk bag, soak in clear wine for one month, drink warm daily.

Bashengniao (Myna Bird): Mainly treats insect bites, heart and stomach pain, roast and eat. Also treats children's prolonged mutism.

Buguniao (Cuckoo): Eating it promotes love between husband and wife. Collect one claw and one head on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, wear them, men on the left hand, women on the right hand.

Quyu (Starling/Crested Myna): Meat is cold, inedible. Kept in households, it is most averse to fire disasters.

Dujuan (Cuckoo): According to *Bencao*: Hearing its call first indicates separation. Mimicking its sound causes hematemesis (vomiting blood); bleeding from the mouth stops only when the calling stops, hence the association with hematemesis.

In general, meat of birds and beasts tonifies Yang Qi. However, birds originate from Heaven and belong to Yang within Yang; those with Yin deficiency should exercise caution.

Turtle, Soft-shelled Turtle, Cuttlefish, Pangolin: All mentioned in previous volumes.

Carp: Stops thirst, reduces edema. Not suitable for consumption if there are abdominal masses (Jia). Bones treat uterine bleeding and leukorrhea (red and white discharge) in women. Gallbladder is particularly effective for cataracts (Qingmang) and white opacities.

Carp implies "reasoning". It has thirty-six scales, with clear patterns. Flesh: Sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Stops thirst, reduces edema, jaundice, and Hong Kong foot (podagra/foot swelling), treats cough with wheezing and shortness of breath. Calms fetus. Treats pregnancy-related edema by boiling into soup. Breaks cold qi, eliminates mass-like accumulations (Pi), Hengguan Fuliang (abdominal masses), eaten as soup with garlic paste. Contraindicated for those with chronic abdominal masses or after epidemic diseases; re-consumption can be fatal. Those taking Asparagus cochinchinensis (Tiandong) should not consume it long-term. Carps from streams and rocks contain toxins, mainly in the brain; heads should not be eaten. When preparing, remove two tendons on the spine; black blood is toxic. Bones near the eyes shaped like the character 'Yi' cause choking if eaten. Fish flesh conflicts with Okinawa spinach (Kuicai); roe conflicts with pig liver; intestines conflict with bean leaves; combined consumption harms humans. *Yanyi* states: Carp is a substance of extreme Yin; when Yin reaches its limit, Yang returns. Thus, *Suwen* says: Fish causes heat in the middle; excessive consumption induces wind-heat. *Rihua* states: Wind patients eating fish invite endless disaster. Bones treat leukorrhea and vaginal erosion. Gallbladder: Bitter. Long-term use strengthens the body and willpower; applied to eyes treats heat-red pain, cataracts, and white opacities; dropped into ears treats deafness; applied to infant heat swelling and throat obstruction with furnace soil brings immediate cure. Shukui is the guiding herb. Fat treats various epilepsy and infant convulsions; consumption is beneficial. Brain marrow treats sudden deafness; boiled in porridge. Blood treats infant erysipelas and sores; application brings cure. Eyes treat foreign bodies in flesh, stroke, and edema pain; burned to ash and applied to sores induces sweating and cure; all fish eyes are good. Teeth treat lithiasis (stone strangury); burned to ash taken with wine. Intestines treat intestinal abscesses and infant skin sores; cut into five segments, roasted fragrant, cleaned, and applied; change when cool; cure when itching occurs and worms exit. Scales treat postpartum blood stasis and abdominal pain; burned to ash taken with wine; also treats Qi and Blood disorders, used with other herbs. Skin treats urticaria.

Li Fish: Li fish is non-toxic, sweet and cold flavor, descends water, reduces edema and bi-syndrome, calms five types of hemorrhoids via roasted intestine inserted into anus, gallbladder treats throat obstruction effectively like a pill.

Li implies "ritual". It wears seven stars on its head and bows to the Big Dipper at night. *Yanyi* states: It is the current black carp. Daoists consider the star on its head as an earth taboo; knowledgeable people often dare not eat it. Treats damp-bi syndrome, facial swelling, blockage of urination and defecation. For hemorrhoidal bleeding and pain, make into soup with garlic paste. Suitable for Hong Kong foot and wind conditions. Danxi used this fish instead of flower snake to treat leprosy, which also dispels wind. Ancient formulas use it alone to calm the fetus. Excessive consumption may trigger chronic diseases. Intestines treat five types of hemorrhoids; roasted with five flavors until fragrant, wrapped in cotton, inserted into anus; worms should exit within a meal time. Among fish gallbladders, only this one is sweet and edible, which is unique. Collected in the twelfth lunar month, dried in shade, ground to powder; for acute throat obstruction, apply a small amount to the affected area for immediate cure; severe cases administered with water.

Crucian Carp: Crucian carp regulates stomach, sweet and warm flavor, stops bleeding from intestinal wind by brewing alum, suitable for chronic dysentery with red and white discharge as soup, burns to powder for bad sores coated with sauce.

Danxi stated: All fish belong to Fire, only crucian carp belongs to Earth, thus entering Yangming to regulate stomach and solidify intestines. Excessive consumption generates fire. Also stated: Fish never stops moving in water, thus stirring fire; caution advised! Combined with chives as soup treats weak stomach and poor appetite. Regulates middle, directs Qi downward, tonifies deficiency, benefits five Zang organs. Alum brewed and burned to ash treats intestinal wind bleeding. Made into soup, treats intestinal dysentery, indigestion, and chronic red-white dysentery. For Hong Kong foot, hemorrhoids, and various bad sores, burn to ash mixed with sauce or fried in lard. Also treats intestinal abscesses; open belly, add salt, roast, treats toothache. With garlic adds slight heat; with ginger sauce adds slight cold; summer heat dysentery benefits greatly; winter mid-dysentery does not treat. Combined with sugar, garlic, mustard, pig liver, or pheasant meat causes worm infestation. Head burned to ash treats cough and applies to infant malnutrition sores, face sores, head sores, mouth sores, double tongue, and eye opacities. Pregnant women with cold damage, head burned to ash taken with wine induces sweating and cure. Gallbladder treats infant brain malnutrition, nasal itching, hair tufts, sallow emaciation; juice dropped into nose for 3-5 days is very effective. Roe regulates middle and benefits Liver Qi. Single prescription: Treats labor syndrome in men and women with fever and cough unresponsive to decoctions; take one live crucian carp, remove scales and intestines, clean, insert castor beans equal to patient's age inside, wrap in six layers of wet paper, roast in fire, eat at night. Three tails within ten days show effect.

Black Carp: Black carp flesh is sweet, neutral, non-toxic, treats foot damp-bi, benefits heart strength, gallbladder with smelted stone treats bad sores, blown into throat or dropped in eyes.

Common name Wuliu fish. Treats damp-bi, Hong Kong foot, weakness and irritability, benefits heart strength. Boiled with garlic sprouts or made into soup; opposite to those taking minerals. Avoid garlic and okinawa spinach; those taking Atractylodes should not eat. Gallbladder treats bad sores, mixed with smelted stone for application. Throat obstruction and swelling, mix with dried alum powder, blow少许 into throat. Dim vision, drop juice into eyes. Fish bone stuck in throat, hold少许 and swallow for cure. Best collected in the twelfth lunar month. Pillow from head, steamed until vapor passes, sun-dried, can substitute amber; rubbed with vinegar and taken treats water qi, blood qi, and heart/abdominal pain.

White Fish: White fish sweet and neutral assists stomach and spleen, regulates Qi and benefits Blood making one fat, tonifies Liver and brightens eyes removing water qi, eating with sores expels skin.

Suspected to be Silver Carp. Non-toxic. Opens stomach, assists spleen, aids digestion, directs Qi downward, regulates Five Zang Qi, benefits blood vessels, makes one robust, tonifies Liver and brightens eyes, removes water qi; best steamed with five flavors. Fresh is best; overnight causes cold stomach disease; pickled or fermented is acceptable. Those with carbuncles should avoid as it promotes pus; roasted sores that do not suppurate will burst when eaten as soup.

Eel: Eel is sweet, neutral, slightly toxic, restores consumptive fever and bone-steaming disease, further treats waist/back/leg wind-bi, hemorrhoids, leukorrhea, and various deficiencies.

Eel implies "spreading"; Li implies "benefit", meaning slippery and beneficial. Those with five-colored patterns have superior efficacy. Treats tuberculosis with bone-steaming fever, infectious wasting gas; cooked in porridge with five flavors. Treats damp-wind bi in waist/back feeling like water washing, damp Hong Kong foot, five types of hemorrhoids, intestinal wind bleeding, and women's leukorrhea; consumption is beneficial. *Rihua* states: Though slightly toxic, it tonifies Five Zang deficiencies, labor injuries, warms waist/knees, boosts Yang, makes one robust, and is delicious. Kills parasites, suppresses herbal/mineral poison. Treats sores, skin wind itching, bad sores, scabies, malnutrition sores, and women's genital worm itching. Smoke burning parts below, felt, bamboo/wood borers, mosquitoes. Bone placed in chest prevents white fish from biting clothes. Single prescription: Treats white patches spreading on neck/face resembling tinea but without sores; slice raw fish, dry in sun, rub gently on white area, heat slightly over fire until oil appears, rub with finger, 5-7 times for cure.

Loach: Loach is sweet, warm, benefits Qi and Blood, head bone burned to ash stops dysentery/thirst, removes cold, eliminates stagnation/digestion, stops postpartum dripping.

Common name Yellow Eel. Non-toxic. Treats deficiency injuries, tonifies middle, benefits Qi and Blood, removes wind-damp-bi from twelve meridians, removes cold qi/bowel sounds, treats pre/post-partum diseases, postpartum dripping, various deficiency emaciation, and Qi/Blood imbalance. Excessive consumption stirs wind, causes cholera-like symptoms, re-triggers epidemic diseases. Head bone stops dysentery, treats diabetes, removes cold qi, eliminates stagnation/digestion; collected on Duanwu Day, burned to ash. Blood treats tinea and scabies; apply broken pieces. Skin treats breast hardness/pain in women; burned to ash taken with wine (2 qian). Loach (small eel): Sweet, warm, non-toxic. Tonifies middle, stops diarrhea. Loach and eel must not be eaten with white dog blood.

Shanming (Tree Frog): Shanming long-legged water frog, tonifies injury, dispels consumption, kills zombie evil, one type Fengha is delicacy, suitable for postpartum and deficient families.

Resembles toad, but green back, thin belly, pointed mouth, long hind legs, vocalizes well, currently consumed. Sweet, cold, non-toxic. Removes fatigue, resolves heat toxicity/consumptive heat, kills zombie/worms. Treats infant red toxic heat sores, umbilical injury/abdominal pain, weak Stomach Qi; marinated with five flavors, roasted, eaten with wine is good. Fengha resembles frog but black, very tasty, tonifies deficiency, suitable for postpartum.

River Snail: River snail non-toxic, cold nature excessive, specifically treats red-hot eyes mostly, flesh applies to heat sores/regurgitation shell, juice wakes alcohol/thirst same category.

Treats eye heat/red pain, insert Coptis powder inside, wait for juice to emerge, apply to eyes. Flesh: Cold. Resolves heat toxicity, treats wine jaundice, promotes urination, reduces sores. Excessive consumption induces cold-dampness/chronic disease. Crushed flesh applies to heat sores. Rotten white shell burned to ash treats regurgitation/cold stomach, removes sudden heart pain, stops seminal emission, resolves phlegm, applies to chancre, use fire. Soaked raw, juice drunk stops diabetes, promotes urination, removes abdominal heat, Hong Kong foot rushing up, limb edema, resolves excessive alcohol, throat/mouth sores, suppresses mineral heat. Do not eat regularly. Snails and sea snails used similarly.

Crab: Crab treats chest evil-heat knot, claws induce abortion/break blood stasis, shell yellow dissolves lacquer/reconnects sinews, digests food/applies to sores same as leg joints.

Leg joints flex, walk sideways, shed shell late summer/early autumn, hence called Crab. Salty, cold, toxic. Treats chest evil-heat, resolves knots/scatters blood, nourishes sinews/tonifies Qi, regulates meridians, benefits joints, removes five Zang vexation, digests food, excellent food item, most suitable. Must eat after August 1st when crabs eat rice awns; better after frost; earlier consumption is toxic; December consumption harms spirit. Those with wind diseases and pregnant women should not eat. Single claw/single eye, four/six feet, facing eyes all have high toxicity, inedible. If poisoned, lotus root/garlic juice, winter melon juice, Perilla/fermented soybean juice can resolve. Claws induce abortion, break old blood, stop postpartum blood-stagnation abdominal pain; decoct with wine/vinegar water. Shell yellow and leg marrow, roasted to powder, applied to metal wounds reconnects severed sinews/bones; yellow dissolves lacquer into water, thus applies to lacquer sores and chronic ulcers/scabies. Yan bone dried, mixed with Peony root powder equal parts, milk paste applies to infant fontanelle not closing. Claw smoke with dog blood gathers mice in courtyard. Generally many crab types: Wide shell/yellow named Chuan, sharpest claws, eating stirs wind; flat/large named Youmu, resolves heat/infant stagnation; smallest named Pengqi, eating causes vomiting/diarrhea; unequal claws named Yongjian, edible. Other crabs toxic, inedible.

Sturgeon (Stone-head Fish): Stone-head fish sweet treats stone strangury, dried roasted xiang famous, dissolves melon into water relieves distension, tonifies Qi opens stomach makes soup.

Born in East Sea. Sweet, non-toxic. Two stones in brain like chess pieces. Treats stone strangury, burned to ash drunk. Dried named Xiang fish, roasted eats, treats dissolving melon into water, sudden abdominal distension, undigested food, acute dysentery, evil qi unresolved, eaten raw. Combined with chives as soup, opens stomach/tonifies Qi.

Dried Mussel: Dried mussel sweet/warm tonifies Yang, consumption hematemesis change worthy taste, digests food removes stagnation stops chronic dysentery, women metrorrhagia/leukorrhea postpartum good.

Born in South Sea. Resembles pearl oyster, one end sharp, holds little hair inside. Sea vegetables salty, this one sweet/light, non-toxic. Form unorthodox but beneficial, tonifies Yang affairs, tonifies Five Zang deficiency, hematemesis, regulates waist/Hong Kong foot, moistens hair, digests food, removes abdominal cold, breaks Pi/Jia masses, treats postpartum blood-knot cold pain, metrorrhagia/leukorrhea, leakage, men's chronic dysentery; all suitable boiled with five flavors. Excessive consumption causes head stuffiness/blindness, mild purgation stops.

Sea Powder: Sea powder non-toxic vapor cold/salty, treats heat dryness damp stubborn phlegm, further treats lung distension cough/wheeze, sea stone phlegm-fire disease combined.

From Min/Guang. Sea powder and Sea stone same species. Stone is root. Recent manufacturing methods inferior to natural formation. Sea powder treats lung dryness, depression/distension cough/wheeze. Heat phlegm descends, damp phlegm dries, lump phlegm softens, stubborn phlegm eliminates, takes salinity to soften hardness. Only for pills, wash water dry, grind separately. Manufactured ones suitable for decoction/pills. August collect purple-mouth clams, calcined to powder, mix with Trichosanthes peel/seeds, pound into cakes, dry in shade, use next year. Sea stone: Light flavor, neutral vapor. Treats dry phlegm stuck in throat, phlegm lumps, blood lumps, food lumps, phlegm-fire, gout, heart pain, hernia pain, diarrhea, hemoptysis, seminal emission, white turbidity, leukorrhea. Medicinal calcination or vinegar boil, grind.

Clam: Clam cold origin non-toxic, treats Pi resolves intoxication opens stomach/intestines, diabetes women generate blood lumps, shell burned powder applies fire汤 injury.

Li implies benefit, meaning flesh slippery/beneficial. Treats chronic Pi causing chills/fever, boiled/eaten. Resolves alcohol toxicity, opens stomach stops diabetes, treats women's blood lumps. Nature cold, opposite to mineral drugs; those taking minerals eating it causes lower abdominal knotting pain. Shell treats thermal burns, burned to ash powder, oil paste applies, miraculous effect.

Clam (Freshwater): Cold, non-toxic. Brightens eyes, removes dampness, stops diabetes, removes vexation/resolves heat, suppresses mineral drug toxicity, tonifies women's consumption bleeding, hemorrhoids, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea. Insert Coptis powder, extract juice drops into red/dim eyes, good. Also treats malnutrition stops dysentery/regurgitation. Abscesses, vinegar paste applies. Rotten shell, clam powder drunk treats regurgitation/phlegm-fluid.

Ark Shell: Born in sea. Shell like tile house, hence named Wa Long Zi. Warm nature, non-toxic. Tonifies middle/boosts Qi, treats heart/abdominal cold qi, waist/spine cold wind, benefits Five Zang, improves blood color, digests food/strengthens stomach, enables eating. After eating, press with dry rice, otherwise causes dry mouth. Shell, red hot, quenched in vinegar three times, buried to rot, vinegar paste pills, treats all blood/qi/phlegm accumulations, Pi/cold qi.

Clam (Small): Smaller than clam, black, born in mud/water, waits for wind/rain to fly with shell as wings. Flesh: Cold, non-toxic. Removes sudden heat, brightens eyes, promotes urination, directs down heat/Qi, Hong Kong foot, damp toxin, opens stomach, resolves alcohol toxicity, jaundice. Excessive consumption induces cough/cold qi, consumes Kidney. Decocted juice drinks treat seasonal qi, suppress mineral drugs, promotes lactation. Raw soaked juice stops diabetes, washes carbuncles. Old rotten shell: Warm. Burned to ash drunk treats regurgitation/vomiting, removes chest/heart phlegm-water, persistent cough, stops dysentery/seminal emission, treats genital sores.

Knife Shell: Present everywhere. Length 3-4 cun, width 5-6 fen, small/sharp head, shape like horse-beheading knife, mostly in sand/mud, type of clam. Pungent, slightly cold, toxic. Breaks stone strangury, treats leukorrhea/chills-fever, kills animals/rats, removes heat between Five Zang, rat-fistula in muscle, stops vexation/fullness, tonifies middle, removes Jue-bi, benefits joints. When used, refine to get water, rots human intestinal flesh, can be bait, but induces wind-phlegm. Danxi stated: Knife shell similar to clams/ark shells/small clams/snails, large similarity small difference, belongs to Metal with Water/Wood/Earth. *Yanyi* says cold but not damp; excessive consumption induces disease because damp contains fire, long term Qi rises not descends, disease generates heat, then generates wind, how cold? Now clam powder all made from this type.

Shrimp: Neutral, small toxicity. Eating not beneficial. Treats five hemorrhoids, draws wind/stirs Qi induces scabies. Children eating causes bent legs unable to walk, wind disease/cough disease contraindicated. Infant red-white wandering swelling, raw crushed juice applies. Born in paddy/ditches, small ones small toxicity. Sea shrimp length 1 chi,腥味 toxic kills humans. No whiskers/boiled white color inedible.

Jellyfish: Common name Hai Zhe. Salty, non-toxic. Boosts Qi, women's consumption blood stasis, infant wind disease erysipelas.

Pufferfish: Sweet, warm, great toxicity. Treats tonifies deficiency, removes two Qi, regulates Hong Kong foot, removes hemorrhoids, kills parasites. Flavor extremely beautiful, liver especially toxic, however improper preparation kills humans; olive, reed root, fecal juice resolve. Thick raw ones not eat also good.

Dolphin Fish: Born in great sea. Waits for wind/tide to emerge, shape like dolphin, salty, non-toxic. Treats flying corpse gu poison, malarial fevers, made into jerky eats, taste like water buffalo meat, infant ear skin fat paste rubs bad sores/scabies/hemorrhoids/dog horse scabies kills parasites.

Mandarin Fish: Sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Tonifies consumption, benefits Spleen/Stomach, treats intestinal wind bleeding, removes abdominal evil blood/small worms, boosts Qi strength, makes one robust. Gallbladder, twelfth lunar month dried in shade, treats all bone splinters or bamboo/wood sticks stuck in throat not coming down, take少许 decocted in wine sip, if vomit, bone exits with saliva; if not vomit, take again. Those yellow/thin from long residence in Zang/Fu also suitable.

Seasonal Fish: Neutral, tonifies consumption, slightly induces malnutrition/chronic disease.

Sturgeon: Born in rivers. Back like dragon, length 1-2 zhang. Sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Treats tonifies Qi/deficiency, makes one robust. Decocted juice drinks stops strangury bleeding. Nose meat made into jerky, tonifies deficiency directs Qi down. However flavor sweet/beautiful, induces all drug poisons and sores/scabies, stirs wind. Eaten with dried bamboo shoots induces paralysis wind; those taking minerals eating causes Qi deficiency; children eating causes Pi/Jia masses and cough; adults long-term eating causes sudden heart/waist pain. Roe, like small beans, eating fat/beautiful, kills abdominal small worms.