（本经中品）
【气味】辛平，有毒。
【主治】主恶疮头秃痂疥，杀毒虫虱，身痒，邪气诸毒。充四肢，通溪骨，炼之，久服
轻身
【核】曰∶出武都仇池者，曰仇池黄，色小赤。出扶南林邑者，曰昆仑黄，色如金。舶
上来，如 血者为上，湘南者次之。似云母甲错，层层可拆，软如烂金者尤佳。雌雄二品同
生，山之阳生雄，山之阴生雌。雌者金精所熏，一曰金之苗也。雷公云∶修事，勿令妇女，
与新犯淫人，及不男女、非形人，或鸡犬刑狱臭秽之地，犯之色变如铁，损人寿，不堪用矣。
每
在锅底中，遂用东流水猛投于中，如此淘三度，去水拭干，捣研如尘用。雌得芹花，立便成
庾。芹花，一名立起草，形如芍药，煮雌能住火也。又云∶造化黄金，非此不成，亦能柔五
金、干 ，转硫黄，伏粉霜。土宿真君云∶芎 、地黄、独帚、益母草、羊不食草、地榆、
五加皮、瓦松、冬瓜汁，皆可制伏。雌见铅，及胡粉，则色黑。
【 】曰∶雌，羽母，地类也。黄中通理，畅发以为体用者也。老子云∶知其雄，守其
雌，为天下溪，故达溪骨，畅四肢，发肌腠，胜五兵，与雄等也。咸属金精之所钟，唯雌雄
之有别耳。
（本经中品）
【气味】苦平，无毒。
【主治】主下闭血，瘀血疼痛，女子带下血。燔之酒服。髓，气味甘平，主补中，填骨
髓，
【核】曰∶古者牛唯服车。易云∶服牛乘马。书云∶肇牵车牛，其力在肩，其用以角。
抱朴子云∶牛结阵以却虎，环其角外触，虎虽猛，巧不能制也。其类有三∶沈牛、 牛，
牛也。沈牛大， 牛小， 牛尤其卑小者。尔雅谓之 （音悲）牛，会编谓之纨牛，广南谓
之果下牛者是也。 牛色黄、黑、赤、白、驳杂数种。沈牛喜没水中，其状如豕，大腹锐角，
角若担矛，色青苍，亦有白色者，俗谓之水牛，郁林人谓之洲留牛者是也。牝曰 ，曰 ；
牡曰特，曰 ，曰牯，曰 ，曰 。子曰犊，曰 ，曰 。三岁曰 ，四岁曰 ，五岁曰 ，
六岁曰KT 。察其齿以知其岁，其齿有下而无上也。三岁者二齿，四岁者四齿，五岁者六
齿，六岁以后者，岁接骨节一节也。牛之形色，白曰 ；黑曰 ；赤曰 ；驳曰犁，曰荦；
纯色曰 ；纯黑曰牺；白黑杂毛曰 ；黄白曰 ，驳如星曰 ；黄牛虎文曰 ；黄牛黑唇
曰；黑 曰 ；黑耳曰 ；黑腹曰牧；黑脚曰 ；体长曰 ；脊长曰 ；白脊曰KT ，
曰将；领如橐驼曰 ；髀膝尾皆有长毛曰 ；角一俯一仰曰 ；角长二尺有五寸，三色不失
曰载；重千斤，出巴中曰 ；重数千斤，出岷山曰 ，曰 ；去势曰犍，曰 ；无子曰 ；
绝有力曰欣 。项垂曰胡；蹄肉曰 ；百叶曰 ；角胎曰腮；鼻木曰 ；嚼草复出曰 ；腹
草未化曰圣 。相牛者，璧堂欲暗，膺廷欲广，豪筋欲就，隽骨欲垂，插颈欲高，排骨欲密，
尾不用至地，头不用多肉，角欲得细，身欲得圆，眼欲得大，口方易饲，鼻广易牵，倚欲如
绊马，行欲如麟趾，蹄欲如八字，形欲如卷悬。乱睫好触，龙颈突目善跳。毛拳角冷有疾；
毛少骨多有力；岐胡有寿；尝鸣有黄；目脉且赤而体瘦也。牛之为物，病则耳燥，安则温润
而泽，故古之视牛者以耳。诗云∶尔牛来思，其耳湿湿；湿湿，言润泽也。牛耳无窍，以角
听也。易林云∶牛龙耳聩，龙亦聋者矣。牛，畜之有力而顺者。但有竖瞳，而无横瞳，见一
物，辄长造天，故童子得而制之。声曰牟，音曰宫。管子云∶凡听宫如牛鸣， 中，牛含宫
声，故柳子以为黄钟在 也。牛夜鸣则 。 ，久屋朽木也。古称牛膏曰香，故其臭朽，则
不可食矣。
造化权舆云∶干为马，坤为牛。干，阳物也，马故蹄圆；坤，阴物也，牛故蹄坼。阳病
则阴胜，故马疾则卧，阴病则阳胜，故牛疾则立。马，阳物也，故起先前足，卧先后足；牛，
阴物也，故起先后足，卧先前足。马尝立，马病则卧；牛尝卧，牛病则立。牛走风顺，马走
风逆，牛马风逸，往往不相及也。山海经云∶稷后曰叔均，是始耕。郭氏云∶用牛犁也。许
叔重以为牛者所植谷，谷者民之命，是以王法禁杀牛，民犯禁，杀之者诛。周官牛人掌国之
公牛，以待政令；祭祀供享牛、求牛；宾客供 牛、膳牛，飨食供膳羞牛；军士供犒牛；丧
事供奠牛；军旅供兵军之牛。祭礼云∶一元大武，祭天地之牛，角茧栗。宗庙之牛，角握；
宾客之牛，角尺；帝牛不吉，以为 牛，帝牛必在涤三月，稷牛唯具也。又云∶天子以牺牛，
诸侯以肥牛，大夫以索牛。周礼云∶牧人掌六牲，凡阳祀用 牲，阴祀用 牲，望祀各以
其方之色，外祭毁事用 可也。周礼疏云∶牛宜 。 ，土谷，牛土畜，故牛宜 。藏器云
∶牛自死者，血脉已绝，骨髓已竭，不可食。病死者，令人 癖洞下。白首者、独肝者，有
大毒。啖蛇者杀人。仲景云∶啖蛇牛，毛发白而后顺者是也。时珍云∶角腮，角内坚骨也。
角为筋之精，骨之余，腮为角之粹也。故腮在角中，一名角胎。
【 】曰∶牛者，稼穑之资，五畜之土，脾藏之畜也。律书冬至曰牵牛，言阳气牵同万
物出之也。故本经取用在角，腮则又为角木之胚兆耳。盖土爰稼穑，稼穑作甘，所以俾全土
化之体用者也。经云∶脾统血，闭瘀，则具体失用，带血，则显用无体，咸忘所统，而体用
分之。燔之以火，转藉母气，功力始备。髓填髓者为象形；胆丸药者，为十一脏，皆取决于
胆也。
(Shennong Bencao Jing, Middle Category)
[Flavor and Nature] Pungent, Neutral, Toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats malignant sores, baldness of the head, scabs, and scabies; kills toxic insects and lice; treats body itching, evil qi, and various toxins. It fills the four limbs, unblocks the bones of the valleys (crevices), and when refined, long-term use makes the body light and agile.
[Analysis] Says: Those from Qiuchi in Wudu are called "Qiuchi Huang," with a slightly reddish color. Those from Linyi in Funan are called "Kunlun Huang," with a color like gold. Those imported by ship, resembling blood, are superior grade; those from southern Xiang are secondary. They resemble mica, with scales-like textures that can be peeled off layer by layer; those soft like rotten gold are especially good. Male and female varieties grow together; males grow on the sunny side of the mountain, females on the shady side. The female variety is infused with the essence of metal, also known as the sprout of metal. Lei Gong says: During processing, do not allow women, men who have recently committed sexual misconduct, hermaphrodites, or physically incomplete persons, nor places contaminated by chicken/dog feces or prisons, to touch it. If contaminated, the color turns black like iron, shortens life, and becomes unusable. Each time, place it in the pot bottom, then violently throw East-flowing water into it. Wash three times this way, remove water, dry, crush, and grind into dust for use. When the female variety meets Celery Flower (Qin Hua), it immediately turns to powder. Celery Flower, also named Liqi Cao, resembles Peony (Shaoyao); boiling the female variety with it can control the fire. It is also said: Gold created by nature cannot be formed without this; it can also soften the five metals, dry mercury, transform realgar, and subdue white lead powder. Tusu Zhenjun says: Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix), Duzhou (Atractylodes lancea), Motherwort (Leonuri Herba), Grass not eaten by sheep, Sanguisorba (Sanguisorbae Radix), Eucommia (Eucommiae Cortex), Selaginella (Selaginellae Herba), Wintergreen (Dendrobii Caulis), and Winter Melon Juice can all restrain it. The female variety turns black when encountering Lead (Plumbum) and White Lead Powder (Cerussa).
(Shennong Bencao Jing, Middle Category)
[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, Neutral, Non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats lower obstruction of blood, painful blood stasis, and leukorrhea with blood in women. Burn to ash and take with wine. Ox Marrow (Niu Sui), Flavor and Nature: Sweet, Neutral. Primarily tonifies the middle, fills bone marrow.
[Analysis] Says: In ancient times, oxen were only used for pulling carts. The I Ching says: "Harness oxen and ride horses." The Book of Documents says: "Begin to pull carts and oxen"; its strength lies in the shoulders, its utility in the horns. Baopuzi says: Oxen form arrays to repel tigers; surrounding them, they touch outward with their horns. Though fierce, tigers cannot overcome them with cunning. There are three types: Shen Niu (Submerged Ox), Ran Niu (Ran Ox), and Guoxia Niu (Guoxia Ox). Shen Niu is large, Ran Niu is small, and Guoxia Niu is particularly tiny. Erya calls it "Bei" Niu, Huibian calls it Wan Niu, and Guangnan calls it Guoxia Niu. Ran Niu comes in yellow, black, red, white, and mixed colors. Shen Niu likes to submerge in water, resembling a pig, with a large belly and sharp horns, horns like spears, color dark green/blue, some white; commonly known as Water Ox, and Yulin people call it Zhouliu Niu. Females are called Pin or Mou; Males are called Te, Mou, Gu, Mou, or Mou. Calves are called Du or Mou. Three years old is called Mou; four years, Mou; five years, Mou; six years, KT. Age is determined by teeth, which exist only on the lower jaw. Three-year-olds have two teeth; four-year-olds, four teeth; five-year-olds, six teeth; after six years, one joint per year. Colors: White is Mou; Black is Mou; Red is Mou; Mixed is Li or Luo; Pure color is Mou; Pure black is Xi; Black and white mixed is Mou; Yellow and white is Mou; Mixed like stars is Mou; Yellow ox with tiger stripes is Mou; Yellow ox with black lips is Mou; Black Mou is Mou; Black ears is Mou; Black belly is Mu; Black feet is Mou; Long body is Mou; Long spine is Mou; White spine is KT or Jiang; Neck like camel is Mou; Long hair on thighs, knees, and tail is Mou; One horn down, one up is Mou; Horns 2 chi 5 cun long, three colors intact is Zai; Weighs 1000 jin, from Bazhong is Mou; Weighs thousands of jin, from Minshan is Mou or Mou; Castrated is Jian or Mou; Childless is Mou; Extremely strong is Xin. Drooping neck is Hu; Hoof flesh is Mou; Rumen (omasum) is Mou; Horn fetus is Sai; Nose wood is Mou; Re-chewed grass is Mou; Undigested stomach grass is Sheng. Ox physiognomy: Round and dark hall walls, broad chest, straight tendons, drooping fine bones, high neck insertion, dense ribs, tail not touching ground, head not too fleshy, thin horns, round body, large eyes, square mouth easy to feed, wide nose easy to lead, stance like a tied horse, gait like Qilin hooves, hooves like character 'Ba', shape like hanging scroll. Messy eyelashes prone to irritation, dragon neck and protruding eyes jump well. Curled hair and cold horns indicate illness; less hair and more bone indicates strength; forked whiskers indicate longevity; yellowish sound indicates health; red eye veins and emaciated body indicate illness. As an animal, sick oxen have dry ears; calm oxen have moist, lustrous ears. Thus ancients judged oxen by ears. Shi Jing says: "Your ox comes, its ears are moist," meaning lustrous. Ox ears have no apertures; they hear via horns. Yi Lin says: "Ox dragon ears deaf," dragons are also deaf. Oxen are powerful and docile livestock. They have vertical pupils, no horizontal ones; seeing something, they look up to heaven, thus children can control them. Sound is Mou, pitch is Gong. Guanzi says: "Listening to Gong sounds like ox bellowing"; ox contains Gong tone, hence Liu Zongyuan believed Huangzhong is in Gong. Night-blowing oxen produce [unclear]. [Unclear], refers to rotting wood in old houses. Anciently, ox fat was called fragrant, so if it smells rotten, it is inedible.
Zaohua Quanyu says: Qian represents Horse, Kun represents Ox. Qian is Yang, so horse hooves are round; Kun is Yin, so ox hooves are split. Yang disease leads to Yin excess, so sick horses lie down; Yin disease leads to Yang excess, so sick oxen stand. Horse is Yang, rises front first, lies back first; Ox is Yin, rises back first, lies front first. Horses usually stand, lie when sick; Oxen usually lie, stand when sick. Oxen walk with the wind, horses against it; oxen and horses fleeing wind rarely catch each other. Shan Hai Jing says: Shujun, descendant of Ji, started plowing. Guo Pu says: Using oxen to plow. Xu Shen considers oxen for planting grain; grain is people's life, so royal law forbids killing oxen; violators are executed. Zhou Li: Niu Ren manages state public oxen for orders; sacrifices offer Xiang Niu and Qiu Niu; guests offer [unclear] Niu and Shan Niu; banquets offer Shanxiu Niu; soldiers offer Kao Niu; funerals offer Dian Niu; military offers Bingjun Niu. Sacrificial rites say: Yuan Yi Da Wu, ox for Heaven/Earth sacrifice, horns like mulberry buds. Ancestral temple oxen, horns fit hand; guest oxen, horns one chi; Emperor's ox if unlucky becomes [unclear] Niu, must stay in purification palace for three months; Ji Niu just needs to be available. Also: Emperor uses Xi Niu, Feudal lords use Fei Niu, Ministers use Suo Niu. Zhou Li: Mu Ren manages six livestock; Yang sacrifices use [unclear] victims, Yin sacrifices use [unclear] victims, Wang sacrifices use colors of directions, external/destroying sacrifices use [unclear]. Zhou Li Shu says: Ox suits [unclear]. [Unclear] is Earth Grain; Ox is Earth Livestock, so Ox suits [unclear]. Cangqi says: Naturally dead oxen, blood vessels closed, marrow exhausted, inedible. Sick-dead cause accumulation and diarrhea. White-headed or single-livered oxen are highly toxic. Snake-eating oxen kill humans. Zhongjing says: Snake-eating oxen have white hair growing later is the type. Shizhen says: Jiao Sai is the hard bone inside the horn. Horn is essence of sinew, remainder of bone; Sai is essence of horn. Thus Sai is in the horn, also named Jiao Tai.
[Elucidation] Says: Ox, Yu Mu, belongs to Earth category. Yellow through center regulates logic, flourishing as substance and function. Laozi says: Know the male, keep the female, be the stream of the world, thus unblocking valley bones, smoothing limbs, opening muscle interstices, surpassing five weapons, equal to male. All belong to Metal Essence concentration, differing only in male/female.
(Shennong Bencao Jing, Middle Category)
[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, Neutral, Non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats lower obstruction of blood, painful blood stasis, and leukorrhea with blood in women. Burn to ash and take with wine. Ox Marrow (Niu Sui), Flavor and Nature: Sweet, Neutral. Primarily tonifies the middle, fills bone marrow.
[Analysis] Says: In ancient times, oxen were only used for pulling carts. The I Ching says: "Harness oxen and ride horses." The Book of Documents says: "Begin to pull carts and oxen"; its strength lies in the shoulders, its utility in the horns. Baopuzi says: Oxen form arrays to repel tigers; surrounding them, they touch outward with their horns. Though fierce, tigers cannot overcome them with cunning. There are three types: Shen Niu (Submerged Ox), Ran Niu (Ran Ox), and Guoxia Niu (Guoxia Ox). Shen Niu is large, Ran Niu is small, and Guoxia Niu is particularly tiny. Erya calls it "Bei" Niu, Huibian calls it Wan Niu, and Guangnan calls it Guoxia Niu. Ran Niu comes in yellow, black, red, white, and mixed colors. Shen Niu likes to submerge in water, resembling a pig, with a large belly and sharp horns, horns like spears, color dark green/blue, some white; commonly known as Water Ox, and Yulin people call it Zhouliu Niu. Females are called Pin or Mou; Males are called Te, Mou, Gu, Mou, or Mou. Calves are called Du or Mou. Three years old is called Mou; four years, Mou; five years, Mou; six years, KT. Age is determined by teeth, which exist only on the lower jaw. Three-year-olds have two teeth; four-year-olds, four teeth; five-year-olds, six teeth; after six years, one joint per year. Colors: White is Mou; Black is Mou; Red is Mou; Mixed is Li or Luo; Pure color is Mou; Pure black is Xi; Black and white mixed is Mou; Yellow and white is Mou; Mixed like stars is Mou; Yellow ox with tiger stripes is Mou; Yellow ox with black lips is Mou; Black Mou is Mou; Black ears is Mou; Black belly is Mu; Black feet is Mou; Long body is Mou; Long spine is Mou; White spine is KT or Jiang; Neck like camel is Mou; Long hair on thighs, knees, and tail is Mou; One horn down, one up is Mou; Horns 2 chi 5 cun long, three colors intact is Zai; Weighs 1000 jin, from Bazhong is Mou; Weighs thousands of jin, from Minshan is Mou or Mou; Castrated is Jian or Mou; Childless is Mou; Extremely strong is Xin. Drooping neck is Hu; Hoof flesh is Mou; Rumen (omasum) is Mou; Horn fetus is Sai; Nose wood is Mou; Re-chewed grass is Mou; Undigested stomach grass is Sheng. Ox physiognomy: Round and dark hall walls, broad chest, straight tendons, drooping fine bones, high neck insertion, dense ribs, tail not touching ground, head not too fleshy, thin horns, round body, large eyes, square mouth easy to feed, wide nose easy to lead, stance like a tied horse, gait like Qilin hooves, hooves like character 'Ba', shape like hanging scroll. Messy eyelashes prone to irritation, dragon neck and protruding eyes jump well. Curled hair and cold horns indicate illness; less hair and more bone indicates strength; forked whiskers indicate longevity; yellowish sound indicates health; red eye veins and emaciated body indicate illness. As an animal, sick oxen have dry ears; calm oxen have moist, lustrous ears. Thus ancients judged oxen by ears. Shi Jing says: "Your ox comes, its ears are moist," meaning lustrous. Ox ears have no apertures; they hear via horns. Yi Lin says: "Ox dragon ears deaf," dragons are also deaf. Oxen are powerful and docile livestock. They have vertical pupils, no horizontal ones; seeing something, they look up to heaven, thus children can control them. Sound is Mou, pitch is Gong. Guanzi says: "Listening to Gong sounds like ox bellowing"; ox contains Gong tone, hence Liu Zongyuan believed Huangzhong is in Gong. Night-blowing oxen produce [unclear]. [Unclear], refers to rotting wood in old houses. Anciently, ox fat was called fragrant, so if it smells rotten, it is inedible.
Zaohua Quanyu says: Qian represents Horse, Kun represents Ox. Qian is Yang, so horse hooves are round; Kun is Yin, so ox hooves are split. Yang disease leads to Yin excess, so sick horses lie down; Yin disease leads to Yang excess, so sick oxen stand. Horse is Yang, rises front first, lies back first; Ox is Yin, rises back first, lies front first. Horses usually stand, lie when sick; Oxen usually lie, stand when sick. Oxen walk with the wind, horses against it; oxen and horses fleeing wind rarely catch each other. Shan Hai Jing says: Shujun, descendant of Ji, started plowing. Guo Pu says: Using oxen to plow. Xu Shen considers oxen for planting grain; grain is people's life, so royal law forbids killing oxen; violators are executed. Zhou Li: Niu Ren manages state public oxen for orders; sacrifices offer Xiang Niu and Qiu Niu; guests offer [unclear] Niu and Shan Niu; banquets offer Shanxiu Niu; soldiers offer Kao Niu; funerals offer Dian Niu; military offers Bingjun Niu. Sacrificial rites say: Yuan Yi Da Wu, ox for Heaven/Earth sacrifice, horns like mulberry buds. Ancestral temple oxen, horns fit hand; guest oxen, horns one chi; Emperor's ox if unlucky becomes [unclear] Niu, must stay in purification palace for three months; Ji Niu just needs to be available. Also: Emperor uses Xi Niu, Feudal lords use Fei Niu, Ministers use Suo Niu. Zhou Li: Mu Ren manages six livestock; Yang sacrifices use [unclear] victims, Yin sacrifices use [unclear] victims, Wang sacrifices use colors of directions, external/destroying sacrifices use [unclear]. Zhou Li Shu says: Ox suits [unclear]. [Unclear] is Earth Grain; Ox is Earth Livestock, so Ox suits [unclear]. Cangqi says: Naturally dead oxen, blood vessels closed, marrow exhausted, inedible. Sick-dead cause accumulation and diarrhea. White-headed or single-livered oxen are highly toxic. Snake-eating oxen kill humans. Zhongjing says: Snake-eating oxen have white hair growing later is the type. Shizhen says: Jiao Sai is the hard bone inside the horn. Horn is essence of sinew, remainder of bone; Sai is essence of horn. Thus Sai is in the horn, also named Jiao Tai.
[Elucidation] Says: Ox is the resource for farming, the Earth element among five domestic animals, the animal associated with the Spleen organ. Lü Shu at Winter Solstice mentions "Leading the Ox," meaning Yang energy leads all things out. Thus Bencao Jing utilizes the horn; Sai is the embryo omen of Wood within the Horn. Earth governs sowing and reaping; sowing and reaping produce sweetness, thereby enabling the full transformation of Earth's substance and function. Classic says: Spleen controls blood. Obstruction of stasis causes loss of specific function; presence of blood shows function without substance, forgetting what is controlled, separating substance and function. Burning it transfers reliance to maternal Qi, completing efficacy. Filling marrow with marrow is pictographic; Gallbladder pills are used because all eleven organs depend on the Gallbladder.