Library

The Spleen belongs to Earth, favoring dryness and disliking dampness. Therefore, earth from the east wall exposed to the sun is selected to guide the ascending Qi of True Fire, tonifying Earth to overcome dampness, thereby naturally stopping vomiting and diarrhea. When used in pharmaceuticals, this earth serves merely as a guiding herb for the Spleen and Stomach. In ancient times, people mixed earth from the east wall with water to treat pica (geophagia) in children, utilizing the Earth element to enter the parasite's mouth and expel it downwards. Hot earth from the middle of roads can treat summer heat stroke (apparent death), utilizing its warmth to dissipate internal heat. If cold water is poured on it, the deficient Yang will vanish instantly, leading to death that cannot be saved. Kaolin (White Acre Earth) is bitter, warm, and non-toxic. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats chills and fever, mass formations, amenorrhea, and abdominal accumulations in women, taking the intermediate Qi of Earth to dispel accumulated filth from women who frequently work in latrines. The *Qianjin Fang* uses it to treat leukorrhea and other diseases in women because Earth can overcome dampness, and white color enters the Qi level; the variety from Handan is considered superior. Yellow Earth is sweet, neutral, and non-toxic. It is the correct color of the Center, unsoiled by filth, hence not black. It treats cold and hot dysentery, red and white discharge, severe abdominal cramping, hematochezia, and detoxifies various drug poisons, closed-mouth pepper poison, and wild mushroom poison. Earthworm soil treats scrotal heat swelling in children, utilizing its cold nature to detoxify. For febrile diseases presenting with delirium and mania without dry stool accumulation requiring purgation, earthworm soil mixed with cool water is taken orally. Dung beetle rolling soil treats retroflexion, vomiting and diarrhea, and cholera; it is administered by steeping in decoction, squeezing out the juice, and drinking. Mixed with vinegar and applied to the neck, it treats goiters. Fine earth from termite mounds treats head wind, swelling, toxicity, and bee/wasp stings; mixed with vinegar and applied externally. "Hu Yan Wo" earth treats wind-induced urticaria, malignant thorn sores, and oozing sores; mixed with water and applied externally. The *Duanju Fang* uses it for wet eczema and ringworm; the *Waitai Mi Yao* for ureteral insect bite sores; the *Qianjin Fang* for carbuncles and erysipelas. Rat burrow earth promotes Kidney Qi and detoxifies evil pathogens, utilizing its ability to search for wind and open orifices. Ant hill earth expels the placenta and dead fetus; when heated and applied to the epigastrium, the placenta passes spontaneously. Earth from burnt corpse grounds treats frequent nightmares; placed in the pillow and applied to Guanyuan (CV4) and the umbilicus. Snail mud treats retroflexion and vomiting; one dou of snails are soaked in water, the mud extracted and dried, then one qian is taken per dose, mixed with fire wine. Dog feces mud treats pregnancy complicated by Cold Damage; applied to the abdomen to protect the fetus. Mud from the bottom of wells treats febrile diseases during pregnancy; applied to the chest, umbilicus, and Dantian to protect the child, and also treats burns and scalds. Fulonggan (Dragon's Liver / Red Earth at the Bottom of the Cooking Stove) is red earth from the center of the stove. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states: pungent, slightly warm, treating metrorrhagia and hematemesis in women. The *Qianjin Fang* calls it "Fuzhou Xia Tu" (Earth under the cauldron), referring to the earth directly beneath the center of the pot. However, only earth from stoves used daily for cooking rice is effective; earth from stoves used for boiling soup is too salty and unsuitable for medicine. It stops coughing with inverted Qi and hematemesis, and resolves carbuncle swelling and toxic vapors. Since excessive blood loss inevitably damages Middle Qi, its slightly warm nature is used to harmonize the blood vessels. Its ability to resolve carbuncle swelling and toxic vapors relies on its pungent dispersing and softening-hardening properties. *Ri Hua Zi* records its use in inducing labor, taking advantage of its warming and heavy-descending nature. For threatened miscarriage and postpartum diarrhea, it should be boiled, clarified, filtered, and used as water to decoct other herbs, to warm the Spleen and harmonize Ying and Blood. The *Qianjin Fang* treats stroke with locked jaw and mania with amnesia by administering clarified water prepared from it. It is also effective for chronic dysentery, breech presentation, dystocia, and retained placenta when mixed with vinegar and applied to the abdomen. For infant double tongue, apply with vinegar. For back carbuncles, apply thickly with wine; change when dry until healed. For beating injuries with swelling and pain, apply with sesame oil. For moxibustion wounds with swelling and pain, wash with hot decoction; these are methods of Sun Simiao. The *Waitai Mi Yao* treats all carbuncles by applying with garlic paste; change when dry. Baicaoshuang (Black Dust from Hundred Herbs) is the soot from burning hundred herbs; it stops bleeding and disperses stasis, treating bleeding from all parts of the body. It also treats yang toxin causing macules, using its warmth to detoxify and dissipate fire. Fuqi Mo (Ink from Cauldron Rim) treats yang toxin causing mania and is used in Heinu Wan. The *Qianjin Fang* treats sudden stroke, acute heart pain, and sudden tongue swelling. Another formula for expelling dead fetus uses two qian of Baicaoshuang and five qian of Fulonggan ground into fine powder, taken with wine and child's urine; after a short while, take three more qian, and the fetus will pass. Dust from roof beams, also called Wulongwei (Black Dragon Tail), treats fetal movement, breech presentation, traumatic nosebleeds, carbuncles and malignant sores, and infant erysipelas, utilizing its light and floating nature to dissipate long-standing stagnant Qi. Clear smoke ink ash stops upward reversal of vomiting and nasal bleeding; mixed with fresh lotus root juice, radish juice, or fresh Rehmannia natural juice and ground for oral administration, it stops bleeding immediately. However, the ink must be burned to ash to remove fire toxicity before use; do not use dried Rehmannia mixed with water for grinding. Leaf of Biota juice and banana juice are unsuitable, often leaving residual stasis after bleeding stops. For flying silk or any dust entering the eyes, grind strong ink and apply to the eye to extract the object, or frequently roll the eye with a rush dipped in ink juice. Sand pots made over many years of cooking are ground fine and processed by water levigation; treated yellow edema and mass formations are cured by taking five qian with wine; the variety from Luzhou is best. Haiercha (Child Tea), also called Udini, is astringent and convergent, stopping bleeding and absorbing dampness; it is an essential herb for stopping pain and generating flesh in traumatic injuries. Ground white porcelain processed by water levigation is applied to carbuncles, serving as an alternative to acupuncture and lancet. It can also be applied to the eyes to remove nebula. Mud from the bottom of cesspits treats back sores, carbuncles, and toxic swellings; dried in shade, ground into powder, and applied with fresh water, pain stops immediately. Mixed with cicada slough and full scorpion powder to make cakes, fried in boiling sesame oil, taken warm internally, and the dregs applied around the carbuncle, the carbuncle will emerge spontaneously.