（本经中品）
【气味】甘咸平，无毒。
【主治】主伤中脉绝，阴痿不起，强志，益气，长肌肉，肥健，生子。
【核】曰∶马生云中，白者入药最良。云中，今大同府。东南者弱劣不堪用耳。孕十有
二月而生，应阴以纪阳也。盖阴合于八，八合阳九，八九七十二，二主地，地主月，月精为
马，月数十二，故十有二月而生。月度疾，故善走也。一岁曰 （音还），二岁曰驹，三岁
曰，八岁曰 ，八岁一变，故从八也。欲知其岁，以齿别耳。种类虽多，咸以色取。如尔
雅云∶小领盗骊，绝有力 ，膝上皆白惟 （音志），四 （交膝下也）皆白 ，四蹄皆白
首，前足皆白 ，后足皆白 ，前右足白启，左白 ，后右足白骧，左白 ， （亚鬣色黑）
马白腹 ，骊马白跨（跨髀关） ，白州 （窍也），尾本白 ，尾白 ， 颡白颠，白达
（达鼻茎也）
素县，面颡皆白惟 ，（音庞），回毛在膺宜乘，在肘后减阳，在干（干胁也） 方，在
背阕黄，逆毛居 ， 牝，骊牡，玄驹， 骖。牡曰骘（音质），牝曰 ， 白驳，黄白 。
马黄脊 ，骊马黄脊 。青骊 ，青骊 ，青骊繁鬣 。骊白杂毛 （音褒），黄白杂
毛，阴（阴浅色）白杂毛 ，苍白杂毛骓，彤白杂毛 。白马黑鬣骆，白马黑唇 。黑喙
，一目白 ，二目白鱼。如宗庙齐毫，戎事齐力，田猎齐足，此言所尚，如 ，野马，
如，倨牙，食虎豹， 蹄趼善升 ， 一枝蹄趼善升 ，此属异品。凡相马者，先除
三羸五驽，乃相其余，肝欲得小，耳小则肝小；肺欲得大，鼻大则肺大；脾欲得小， 小则
脾小；心欲得大，目大则心大。又云∶眼欲得有紫艳，口欲得有红光，上唇欲得缓，下唇欲
得急，上齿欲钩，钩则寿，下齿欲锯，锯则怒，脊欲大而抗，额欲方而平，喉欲曲而深，胸
欲直而出，免间欲启，虎口欲开，升肉欲大而明，辅肉欲大而朗，耳欲如劈竹，睛欲如悬铃，
头欲高如剥兔，项欲起如飞龙。又云∶人眼鸟目，鹿背麟腹，虎胸龟尾，擎头如鹰，垂尾如
彗。又云∶望之大，就之小，筋马也。望之小，就之大，肉马也。前视见目，旁视见腹，后
视见足，骏马也。毛束皮，皮束筋，筋束肉，肉束骨，五者兼备，天下之马也。又云∶口中
红白间色者寿，鼻中红色如朱点书者寿，眼中赤色如字形者寿，动则逸，静则殃。起先前足，
卧先后足，尝卧则病，尝立则安。有肝无胆者，畜生于午，禀火气而生者马，火不能生木，
故有肝无胆，胆者木之精，木脏不足，故食其肝者死。修事，取银色无病白马，春月游牝时，
力势正强者，生取阴干百日，用时以铜刀破作七片，将生羊血拌蒸半日，晒干，粗布拭去皮，
及干血，锉
【 】曰∶本经取马以白为良，故五畜以马为金也。盖十二辰午为马，谓阴始生于午，
六阳之化，太阴之属也。是主手太阴肺，足太阴脾，藏真濡于脾，脾藏肌肉之气也。故主长
肌肉而肥健，藏真高于肺，以行营卫阴阳也。故主伤中绝脉而益气，若强志有子，为水藏事，
水以金为母，土为制，制则化生耳。若主阴痿不起，正阴始生于午，自强而不息，应阴以阳
纪也
(Shennong Bencao Jing, Middle Category)
[Flavor and Properties] Sweet and salty, neutral in nature, non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats internal injury leading to the severance of blood vessels, impotence with inability to achieve erection, strengthens the will, tonifies qi, promotes muscle growth, enhances physical robustness, and facilitates procreation.
[Examination] It is said: Horses are born in the Yunzhong region; those that are white are best for medicinal use. Yunzhong refers to present-day Datong Prefecture. Horses from the southeast are weak and inferior, unsuitable for use. Gestation lasts twelve months, aligning with yin to record yang. Generally, yin combines with eight, and eight combines with yang nine; eight times nine equals seventy-two. Two governs the earth, and earth governs the moon. The essence of the moon transforms into horses. The lunar cycle is twelve, hence gestation lasts twelve months. The moon moves swiftly, therefore horses are good at running. A one-year-old horse is called "Tao" (pronounced huan), a two-year-old is called "Ju", a three-year-old is called "Xi" (pronounced zhi, note: original text may have missing characters or variants, retaining context), an eight-year-old is called "Liu" (note: original text may have missing characters, retaining context). They undergo a change every eight years, thus following the number eight. To determine age, one examines the teeth. Although there are many breeds, they are distinguished by color. As stated in *Erya*: A "Daoli" horse has a small neck; one with great strength; a "Yin" (pronounced zhi) has white above the knees; a "Qi" has white on all four fetlocks (below the carpus/tarsus); a "Zhui" has white on all four hooves and head; a "Liu" has white on all front legs; a "Yin" has white on all hind legs; white on the right front hoof is called "Qi", left is "..."; white on the right hind hoof is called "Xiang", left is "..."; (with black mane) is called "Luo"; a horse with a white belly is called "Yin"; a black horse with white flanks (flank refers to hip joint) is "..."; a horse with white genitals (orifice) is "..."; a horse with a white tail root is "..."; a horse with a white tail is "..."; a horse with a white forehead is "Dian"; a horse with a white nose bridge is "Da" (Da refers to nasal stem); a horse with white cheeks and forehead is "...". A horse with a whorl on the chest is suitable for riding; a whorl behind the elbow reduces yang energy; a whorl on the flank (flank refers to ribs) is square-shaped; a whorl on the back is yellow; adverse whorls reside in... Female horses are called "Pin", male horses are called "Mu"; a dark foal is called "Ju"... is called "Can". Male horses are called "Zhi" (pronounced zhi), female horses are called "...". A piebald horse is called "Bo"; a yellow-and-white mixed coat is "...". A horse with a yellow spine is "..."; a black horse with a yellow spine is "...". A blue-black horse is "..."; a blue-black horse is "..."; a blue-black horse with a luxuriant mane is "...". Black-and-white mixed hair is called "Bao"; yellow-and-white mixed hair is "..."; light-colored white mixed hair is "..."; pale white mixed hair is "Zhui"; red-and-white mixed hair is "...". A white horse with a black mane is "Luo"; a white horse with a black muzzle is "...". A black muzzle is "..."; one white eye is "Yu". If uniform like sacrificial horses in ancestral temples, equal in strength for military affairs, equal in speed for hunting, these are the standards of preference. Like wild horses, like..., like..., protruding teeth, capable of eating tigers and leopards, hooves with calluses good at climbing, single-hoofed with calluses good at climbing, these belong to exceptional varieties. Horse examiners first exclude three types of emaciation and five types of dullness, then examine the rest. The liver prefers small size; small ears indicate a small liver. The lungs prefer large size; a large nose indicates large lungs. The spleen prefers small size; a small mouth indicates a small spleen. The heart prefers large size; large eyes indicate a large heart. It is also said: Eyes should have a purple luster; lips should have a red glow; the upper lip should be relaxed; the lower lip should be tight; upper teeth should be hooked, indicating longevity; lower teeth should be saw-like, indicating anger-proneness. The spine should be large and upright; the forehead should be square and flat; the throat should be curved and deep; the chest should be straight and prominent; the interorbital space should be open; the corners of the mouth (tiger's mouth) should be wide; the rising flesh (upper cheek) should be large and bright; the auxiliary flesh (lower cheek) should be large and clear; ears should resemble split bamboo; eyes should resemble hanging bells; the head should be high like a skinned rabbit; the neck should rise like a flying dragon. It is also said: Human eyes, bird eyes, deer back, qilin abdomen, tiger chest, turtle tail; holding the head like an eagle, drooping the tail like a broom. It is also said: Large when viewed from afar, small when viewed up close, it is a sinew horse. Small when viewed from afar, large when viewed up close, it is a flesh horse. Seeing the eyes when looking forward, seeing the abdomen when looking sideways, seeing the feet when looking backward, it is a fine horse. Hair binds the skin, skin binds the sinews, sinews bind the flesh, flesh binds the bones. Possessing all five makes it a horse of the world. It is also said: Red and white mixed color in the mouth indicates longevity; red color in the nose like cinnabar dots indicates longevity; red color in the eyes like character shapes indicates longevity. Movement leads to dissipation, stillness leads to disaster. Rising, it lifts the front feet first; lying down, it places the hind feet first. Frequent lying down indicates illness; frequent standing indicates health. Having a liver but no gallbladder: Born at Wu (noon), horses are born endowing fire qi. Fire cannot generate wood, so they have a liver but no gallbladder. The gallbladder is the essence of wood. Insufficiency of the wood organ means consuming its liver causes death. Processing method: Select a silver-colored, disease-free white horse during the spring mating season, when its strength and momentum are strongest. Freshly extract the penis, dry it in the shade for one hundred days. When using, cut it into seven pieces with a copper knife, steam it for half a day mixed with fresh sheep blood, dry it, wipe off the skin and dried blood with coarse cloth, and grind it.
[Commentary] It is said: *Bencao Jing* considers white horses superior, thus among the five domestic animals, the horse corresponds to Metal. In the twelve earthly branches, "Wu" corresponds to the horse, signifying that yin begins to generate at Wu. This is the transformation of six yangs, belonging to Great Yin. It primarily enters the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian and Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian. True yin moistens the spleen, which stores the qi of muscles. Thus, it promotes muscle growth and physical robustness. True yin rises above the lung to circulate Ying and Wei qi and yin-yang. Thus, it treats internal injury and severed pulses while tonifying qi. Regarding strengthening the will and facilitating procreation, this pertains to the Water organ. Water takes Metal as its mother, and Earth controls it; only through control can transformation and generation occur. Regarding the treatment of impotence, this precisely reflects yin beginning to generate at Wu, self-strengthening without ceasing, responding to yin recorded by yang.