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According to the *Records of the Grand Historian* (*Shiji*): The woman Bo Wu from Linzi was severely ill. All physicians believed it was a severe condition of alternating cold and heat, predicting death. I (Cang Gong) diagnosed her illness, saying: This is a "Nao Jia" (Ascaris/Parasitic Mass) disease. The symptoms include abdominal distension, yellowish and rough skin on the abdomen, and a dry, coarse sensation upon palpation. I administered one tuacuo (a small measure) of *Kansui Radix* (Yuanhua powder). Immediately afterwards, several sheng (ancient volume unit) of ascarides were expelled, and the illness was cured; thirty days later, she returned to normal. Nao parasites arise from cold-dampness; when cold-damp qi stagnates and fails to disperse, it transforms into worms. I knew Bo Wu's condition by palpating her pulse and observing the skin at the Chi position. Her Chi pulse was string-taut, prickly, and rough, and her hair was withered yet fluffy, which are signs of parasitic qi. Her complexion was lustrous, indicating no pathogenic qi or severe disease in the zang-fu organs.

Yu Zhen's commentary: The differentiation of this case is excellent. "Yellowish and rough upper skin" refers to abdominal distension with yellowish, rough skin on the abdomen. "Coarse sensation upon palpation" resembles touching the dry bark of an old pine tree. "String-taut, prickly, and rough Chi pulse" also indicates a dry, withered state. However, Cang Gong observed that her hair was moist and beautiful, and her complexion was lustrous, thus identifying it as a parasitic disease. Regarding the case of Pan Manru, Chancellor of Qi, who suffered from lower abdominal pain termed "Yi Ji Jia" (Residual Accumulation Mass), caused by alcohol consumption and internal injury, leading to hematuria and death—that entry discusses only the pulse without elaborating on symptoms. Its archaic language is difficult to comprehend, so I dare not record it merely for its discussion of pulse diagnosis.

In the Sui Dynasty, a patient swallowed food while hungry but vomited it up upon reaching the chest. Physicians treated him for dysphagia (Ye Ge) or regurgitation (Fan Wei) with no effect. An old physician, Ren Du, examined him and said: This is not one of these three diseases. It is caused by undigested snake meat. One can confirm this by palpating the area above the heart and abdomen for a snake-like shape. The patient replied: He had previously suffered from wind disease and often ate snake meat. As the wind disease subsided, this ailment appeared. He was cured by administering a decoction of *Rhei Radix et Rhizoma* (Dahuang) and *Natrii Sulfas* (Mangxiao). This is called Snake Jia.

[Appendix] In spring and summer, snake essence and fluids may contaminate vegetables. If ingested accidentally, snakes may form in the abdomen. Treatment requires one red-headed centipede (*Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans*), roasted and powdered, divided into two doses, taken with wine.

Xu Wenbo was skilled in medicine. A palace lady under Emperor Ming of Song suffered from low back pain radiating to the heart, with episodes of breathlessness. Physicians diagnosed it as Rou Jia (Flesh Mass). Wenbo observed: This is Fa Jia (Hair Mass). Oil was instilled down her throat, expelling a substance resembling hair. Upon gentle traction, it measured three chi in length, with a head formed like a snake, capable of movement. It was hung on a pillar until the moisture drained, leaving only a single hair strand, after which she recovered.

[Appendix] The *Book of Tang* records that Zhen Quan's younger brother, Li Yan, was proficient in medicine. A nun named Ming Lü, over sixty years old, suffered from abdominal distension and emaciation for two years. Li Yan diagnosed: There are parasites in the abdomen, likely formed from ingested hair. He prescribed *Realgar* (Xionghuang). Soon after, she vomited a snake-sized finger, possessing only eyes; burning it emitted the smell of hair, and the illness resolved. Another individual who enjoyed drinking oil, consuming four or five sheng per time to feel satisfied, had actually swallowed hair into the stomach, where blood enveloped it to form a parasite. He was also cured using five qian of *Realgar* mixed with water.

During the Gaide era, in the Jiang-Zhe region, there was a man named Shen Daogong. His muscles were wasted as if from consumption, yet he craved rice exclusively; lacking it, saliva flowed from his mouth, and he appeared melancholic. Eating rice immediately restored his normal state. Physicians could not identify the cause. Later, he met the Shu monk Dao Guang, who prepared a powder from half a he of chicken excrement and half a he of white rice, roasted together. Mixed with one zhan of water and taken in one dose, after a long while, the patient vomited rice-shaped objects, and the illness ceased. Etiological texts classify this as Mi Jia (Rice Mass).

The *Continued Search for Spirits* records that a man and his servant both suffered from Bie Jia (Turtle Mass). The servant died first, and upon dissecting his abdomen, a live white turtle was found. A person riding a white horse came to view the turtle; coincidentally, the horse's urine fell onto the turtle, causing it to retract its head. Subsequently, more horse urine was poured on it, dissolving the turtle into water. The master said: My illness will be cured. He drank the liquid and recovered as predicted.

[Appendix] A patient with Bie Jia experienced intermittent pain, exacerbated by eating turtle meat. One sheng of chicken excrement was roasted until yellow, soaked in wine overnight, dried, and powdered. Taken with the original wine, the patient recovered.

The *Xuan Shi Zhi* records that during the Yonghui era, Cui Shuang would consume three dou of raw fish per meal to feel satisfied. Once, unable to prepare porridge while hungry, he endured the hunger too long and vomited an object resembling a toad. From then on, he could no longer eat porridge.

The *Taiping Yulan* records that during the Yuanjia era, someone developed a Jia disease after eating duck meat. Their chest became red, and they could not eat or drink. The physician prescribed *Sorghum Vulgare* (Sumi). Shortly after, feeling restless, the patient vomited a duckling, fully formed with beak, wings, and back, except for the left foot which still attached to the previously consumed meat. The patient recovered.

The *History of the Southern Dynasties* records Chu Cheng treating Li Daonian, who suffered from a cold disease for five years. Cheng stated: Your illness is due to excessive consumption of boiled eggs. Take one jin of garlic, boil, and administer. The patient vomited an object the size of a sheng, wrapped in saliva, which was a chick, complete with feathers, wings, claws, and spurs. Thirteen heads were expelled, and the illness healed.

Yu Zhen's commentary: Snakes and turtles are toxic; raw consumption indeed causes Jia. But if eating duck meat or boiled eggs produces ducklings or chicks, does eating pork produce piglets, or mutton produce lambs? This is unbelievable.

The *Miscellaneous Records of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang* records a eunuch returning from a mission to Jia-Guang. Zhou Gu told him: You have a Jiaolong (Dragon) in your abdomen. The Emperor asked the eunuch: Do you have an illness? He replied: While riding through Dayu Ridge in intense heat, I drank water due to thirst and felt a hard, stone-like mass in my abdomen. Zhou Gu administered a decoction of *Natrii Sulfas* (Xiaoshi) and *Realgar*. The patient immediately vomited an object several cun long and finger-thick, covered in scales. Placed in water, it grew to several chi. Vinegar was poured on it, but it remained unchanged. Covered with a vessel, by the next day, it had transformed into a dragon. The Emperor was greatly astonished.

[Appendix] The *Guang Yi Ji* records a patient whose diet was normal but who experienced manic episodes, cyan-yellow complexion, and lower abdominal distension resembling pregnancy. Pulse and symptoms did not match standard patterns, making treatment difficult. Suddenly, a mountain dweller said: I heard that in the sixth year of Kaihuang, a person in Ba Bridge suffered this illness after eating celery by the water on the eighth day of the third lunar month. An expert identified it as Jiaolong Jia (Dragon Mass), because dragons swim on celery, and accidental ingestion caused the disease. The patient was given five he of Hanshi Tang (Cold Food Syrup) per dose. After several doses, an object resembling a small dragon with two heads was vomited, and the patient recovered.

Shi Zangyong, a renowned physician from Shu, was consulted by a scholar who felt something touch his fingernails while washing hands under eaves dripping water. Initially thread-like, it grew line-like over days, unable to move normally, revealing a hidden dragon. Shi Zangyong said: This is not recorded in medical texts; it must be removed by intuition. Grind dung beetles (*Scarabaeus sacer*) into powder and apply to the finger to prevent deep penetration into the thoracic membrane, hoping to avoid future thunder-related disasters. The scholar followed this advice. Later, during a thunderstorm, firelight surrounded him. Fearing disaster, he pricked his finger with a needle. A creature jumped out from the puncture, causing no harm.

The *Record of Famous Doctors* records Wang Shi from Fenzhou, who had sounds in the right hypochondrium resembling frogs, relieved by pressure. Physicians could not diagnose. Zhao Luan, known for diagnosis, was consulted. Zhao said: This is due to shock qi entering the zang-fu, forming a pathology causing sounds. Wang Shi recalled: While traveling near water, a large frog leaped high and croaked, startling him, causing right hypochondriac pain and subsequent frog-like sounds. Zhao cited the *Wang Shi Pulse Classic*: a submerged and knotted pulse at the Right Guan position indicates accumulation disease. Treatment should focus on accumulation. Using *Liushen Dan* to purge green phlegm resembling frog skin, the patient recovered.

The *Qi Xie Ji* states that during the Long'an era, Guo Tan from Anlu County, Jiangxia, developed voracious appetite after a epidemic disease, consuming one dou of rice daily, forcing him to beg. Starving one day, he stole and ate two beds of wild leeks behind a house. He collapsed, vomiting a cage-like object that shrank as it emerged. The owner fed it rice, which turned to water upon contact with the vomit. The illness quickly resolved.

Huan Xuanwu's commander, suffering from deficiency-heat post-epidemic, craved tea, requiring one hu and two dou to feel full. A guest offered five sheng more, triggering massive vomiting of an object the size of a sheng, with a mouth, shriveled like ox spleen. The guest placed it in a basin and poured two hu and two dou of tea over it. It absorbed all the tea, causing slight bloating. Adding another five sheng caused it to gush out from the mouth. The patient recovered. When asked about the disease, the guest replied: This is called Hu Ming Jia (Tea Measure Mass).

The *Yi Jian Zhi* records a man addicted to alcohol since childhood, screaming without wine, refusing food, becoming emaciated. Restraint therapy showed him wine without letting him drink caused him to vomit a liver-like object into the wine, curing his addiction.

Another scholar from Zhenyang drank several dou daily. At midnight, craving became uncontrollable. Drunk one night, he vomited a tongue-like object without orifices. When craving returned, eyes appeared on it, standing upright. Family members poured wine on it, which it drank until his usual amount. Roasted fiercely, it split into dozens of pieces, curing his addiction.

Yu Zhen's commentary: These cases aid conversation but lack diagnostic rigor. However, knowing these disease names is useful. I selected unique cases and deleted common ones. Craving tea or wine is not bizarre. Examples of strange cravings include Xianyu Shuming liking bedbugs, Quan Changru liking human nails, Liu Yong preferring scabs, Zhang Huaisu (Prefect of Shuzhou) and officials Ren Zhengming and Li Dong consuming human essence, Helan Jinming eating dog feces (per *History of Tang*), Monk Zongle eating sesame porridge cooked with feces, Consort Zhao Hui desiring female genital secretions and menstrual blood, Liu Jun (Imperial Academician of Nanjing) eating earthworms, and a woman from Wujiang eating dead intestines. These are all peculiar cravings (Pi Ji). Sadly, none were cured, becoming novels passed down, amusing readers.