味咸，寒，无毒。主产难，出肉中刺，溃痈肿，下哽噎，解毒，除恶疮。一名蟪蛄，一
名天蝼，一名 。生东城平
泽，夜出者良，夏至取，曝干。
以自出者，其自腰以前甚涩，主止大小便。从腰以后甚利，主下大小便。若出拔刺，多
用其脑。此物颇协神鬼，昔
人狱中得其蟪力者。今人夜忽见出，多打杀之，言为鬼所使也。
味咸，寒，有毒。主小儿惊痫，螈 ，腹胀，寒热，大人癫疾狂易。手足端寒，肢满贲
豚。一名 蜣。火熬之良。
生长沙池泽。五月五日取，蒸，藏之，临用当炙，勿置水中，令人吐。
畏羊角、石膏。庄子云∶ 蜣之智，在于转丸。其喜入人粪中，取屎丸而却推之，俗名
推丸。当取大者，其类有三、
四种，以鼻头扁者为真。
〔谨案〕《别录》云∶捣为丸，塞下部，引
味辛，寒，有毒。主寒热，鬼疰，蛊毒，鼠 ，疥癣，恶疮，疽蚀，死肌，破石癃，血
积，伤人肌，堕胎。一名龙
尾。生河东川谷。八月取，阴干。
马刀为之使，畏巴豆、丹参、空青，恶肤青。豆花时取之，甲上黄黑斑色，如巴豆大者
是也。
味辛，微温，有毒。主蛊毒，风疰，鬼疰，堕胎。三月取，曝干。
芫花时取之，青黑色，亦疗鼠 。
味辛，微温，有毒。主蛊毒，鬼疰，破淋结，积聚，堕胎。七月取，曝干。
葛花时取之，身黑而头赤，喻如人着玄衣赤帻，故名亭长。此一虫五变，为疗皆相似，
二月、三月在芫花上，即呼
芫青；四月、五月在王不留行上，即呼王不留行虫；六月、七月在葛花上，即呼为葛上亭长；
八月在豆花上，即呼斑蝥；
九月、十月欲还地蛰，即呼为地胆，此
米粒，主疗诸淋结也。
〔谨案〕
今检本草及古今诸方，未见用王不留行虫者，若尔，则四虫专在一处。今地胆出豳州，芫青
出宁州，亭长出雍州。斑蝥
所在皆有，四虫出四处，其虫可一岁周游四州乎？且芫青、斑蝥，形段相似，亭长
儿状大殊。豳州地胆，三月至
十月，草菜上采，非地中取。陶之所言，恐浪证之尔
[Loufu (Mole Cricket)]
Taste: Salty. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Mainly treats difficult labor, extracts thorns from flesh, suppurates carbuncles and swellings, relieves dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing), detoxifies, and treats malignant sores. Also known as Huigu, also known as Tianlou, also known as [missing character]. Grows in the flat marshes of Dongcheng. Those caught emerging at night are superior. Collected on the Summer Solstice, dried in the sun.
The part naturally shed from the anterior waist is very astringent and mainly used to stop diarrhea and urinary retention. The part naturally shed from the posterior waist is very purgative and diuretic, mainly used to promote bowel movements and urination. If used for extracting thorns, its brain is mostly employed. This creature seems to be associated with spirits; in the past, people obtained its power within prisons. Nowadays, if people suddenly see it emerging at night, they often kill it, claiming it is driven by ghosts.
[Ge Shang Tingzhang (1) - likely referring to a specific stage or variant of blister beetle]
Taste: Salty. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Toxic. Indications: Mainly treats pediatric convulsions and epilepsy, spasms, abdominal distension, alternating chills and fever, adult mania and madness. Cold extremities, limb fullness, and Ben Tun (Qi rushing from the lower abdomen to the chest). Also known as [missing character] Qiang. Stir-frying over fire is effective.
Grows in the ponds and marshes of Changsha. Collected on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, steamed and stored. When used, it should be roasted; do not place it in water, as this causes vomiting.
Incompatible with Sheep Horn (Yangjiao) and Gypsum (Shigao). Zhuangzi said: "The wisdom of [missing character] Qiang lies in rolling balls." It likes to enter human feces, taking fecal pellets and pushing them backward, commonly called "Pusher Ball" (Tuiwan). One should select the large ones; there are three or four varieties, with those having a flattened snout being authentic.
[Editor's Note]: *Bielu* states: Grind into pills, insert into the anus, to draw out...
[Ge Shang Tingzhang (2)]
Taste: Pungent. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Toxic. Indications: Mainly treats chills and fever, Gui Zhu (a contagious or mental disorder), Gu poison, Scrofula (Lymphatic Tuberculosis), scabies and tinea, malignant sores, ulceration, necrotic tissue, breaks up stone strangury (urinary calculi), blood stasis, damages muscle, and induces abortion. Also known as Longwei. Grows in the valleys of Hedong. Collected in August, dried in the shade.
Horse Knife (Madacuo) acts as an guiding herb (Shi). Incompatible with Croton Seed (Badou), Salvia Miltiorrhiza (Danshen), and Azurite (Kongqing). Detested by Fuqing. Collected when bean flowers bloom; those with yellow and black spots on the elytra, about the size of a Croton seed, are correct.
[Ge Shang Tingzhang (3)]
Taste: Pungent. Nature: Slightly Warm. Toxicity: Toxic. Indications: Mainly treats Gu poison, Feng Zhu, Gui Zhu, and induces abortion. Collected in March, dried in the sun.
Collected when Genkwa Flower (Yuanhua) blooms; color is dark green/black, also treats Scrofula.
[Ge Shang Tingzhang (4)]
Taste: Pungent. Nature: Slightly Warm. Toxicity: Toxic. Indications: Mainly treats Gu poison, Gui Zhu, breaks up strangury nodules, accumulations (abdominal masses), and induces abortion. Collected in July, dried in the sun.
Collected when Kudzu Flower (Ge Hua) blooms. The body is black and the head red, resembling a person wearing black clothes and a red cap, hence named Tingzhang. This insect undergoes five transformations, and its therapeutic effects are similar across stages:
- February and March on Yuanhua: Called Yuanqing.
- April and May on Immortelle (Wangbuliuxing): Called Wangbuliuxing Chong.
- June and July on Ge Hua: Called Ge Shang Tingzhang.
- August on Bean Flowers: Called Banmao (Blister Beetle).
- September and October preparing to hibernate underground: Called Didan.
This insect is rice-grain sized and mainly treats various strangury conditions.
[Editor's Note]:
Current examination of Materia Medica and ancient and modern prescriptions shows no use of Wangbuliuxing Chong. If so, then these four insects specialize in one location. Currently, Didan comes from Buzhou, Yuanqing from Ningzhou, and Tingzhang from Yongzhou. Banmao is found everywhere. Can these four insects travel among four provinces in one year? Moreover, Yuanqing and Banmao have similar shapes, while Tingzhang and Didan larvae look significantly different. Didan from Buzhou is collected from grass and vegetables between March and October, not from the ground. Tao Hongjing's statements are likely arbitrary speculations.