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[Shennong Bencao Jing, Middle Category]
[Properties and Flavors] Salty, slightly warm, toxic.
[Indications] Evil blood (pathogenic blood stasis), blood stasis (stagnation of blood circulation), Bi qi (obstruction of Qi in collaterals), traumatic bleeding, hardness, fullness, and pain in the hypochondrium, amenorrhea, yin fu (epicanthal folds or pterygium-like growths) in the eyes, cyan cataracts (blueish corneal opacities), and white membranes (corneal leukoma).
[Nuclear Analysis] It is said: Siqiao lives in the plains and marshes of He River, as well as among accumulated feces, rotting grass, and decaying wood in human dwellings. It is as large as a toe, with a short body and compact segments, long hairy legs, and moves by rolling on its back, which is more agile than walking with feet. After a long time, it transforms into a cicada and departs. Those living in mulberry tree roots are called Mudu (wood-boring larvae) or Sangchong (mulberry worms), with long bodies and short legs, black mouths without hair. They are harvested in spring, processed at any time, dried in the shade, stir-fried with glutinous rice until the rice turns black, then the hairy flesh and mouth parts of the insect, along with black dust, are removed. The body is divided into three or four sections and ground into powder for use; it can also be used raw to extract juice. When used to promote lactation, mixed with pig trotters to make soup, the effect is indistinguishable from that of pig trotters alone.
[Commentary] It is said: "Si" harmonizes with "Qi"; Qi refers to the damp slopes on both sides of walls and houses. "Cao" harmonizes with "Cao"; Cao refers to the thorny soil on the east side of courtyard pavilions. Therefore, Siqiao is born from dampness without a mother, mostly found between accumulated soil and decaying wood in walls, houses, courtyards, and pavilions. This is what Er Ya calls Siqiao, and what Liezi calls the root of Wu Zu. Its color is black-brown, some are yellow outside and black inside, less than one inch long, with abdominal patterns resembling scorpions or cicadas, hence another name is Xie (scorpion). It transforms into Fuyu (cicada nymph), then into Xuan Chan (black cicada), leaving behind filth, aligning with purity, feeding on wind and drinking dew, fond of singing and reproducing. It crawls on its back, faster than using feet; Fuyu crawls on its belly, while Xuan Chan crawls on its feet. The Materia Medica erroneously equates the white-internal and white-external Mudu/Sangchong, the gray-internal and gray-external Di Can (earthworms), and Youqi. This is incorrect. Generally, Mudu and Sangchong crawl on their bellies, Di Can move like Hu (inchworms) stretching and contracting, and Youqi jump like crickets; none crawl on their backs. However, the vessel running along the back is the Du Mai (Governing Vessel), originating from Xiaji Shu, ascending along the spine, entering the brain via Fengfu, and meeting the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) at the vertex. The efficacy of Siqiao primarily focuses on unblocking the Du Mai rather than just the Ren Mai. If there is stagnation in the Ren Mai, it leads to evil blood, blood stasis, Bi qi, traumatic bleeding causing hardness and pain in the hypochondrium, seven types of hernia in men, and blood closure and mass accumulation in women. Ultimately, it facilitates communication between Ren and Du meridians, circulating to the extreme point. The Liver opens into the eyes. The Liver is a Wood organ; Siqiao feeds on wood. Conditions like yin fu and cataracts are residual ailments of the eyes, similar to fungi growing on cypress trees. Since Siqiao consumes these residues, how could it cause eye diseases? Moreover, Wood connects to Fengfu, following the Du Mai to meet the Ren Mai, thus its function is particularly prominent. In the past, Zhongzi (Zhang Zhongjing) ate half a plum containing leftover Siqiao, resulting in clear hearing and vision, which is indeed true.