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(Recorded in the Lower Grade of *Bie Lu*)

[Flavor and Property] Salty, slightly cold, toxic.

[Indications] Primarily treats frightful crying and sorrow caused by the "Five Evils" (pathogenic factors). Burn the scales to ash and ingest, one *cun* square spoonful per dose.

[Examination] It is stated: Lingli (Pangolin) is also known as Longli, Shiling fish, or Chuanshanjia (Pangolin Scales). Its shape resembles a crocodile but is smaller; its back resembles a carp but is broader; its head resembles a rat but is larger. It has hair on its chest and abdomen, no teeth in its mouth, a pointed beak, and a long tongue. It has four feet with five claws each, and its tail is equal in length to its body. All internal organs are complete, with the stomach wall being particularly thick. It dwells in earth burrows and feeds on ants. At noon, it spreads its scales appearing dead-like; the odor emitted is extremely fishy, used to lure ants into them. It places the scales in water, takes them out, and eats the ants attracted. The meat texture is fine, and people in Fujian use it for culinary purposes. *Yongzhou Ji* states: Do not kill it near embankments, lest its blood seep into the soil and cause leakage. *Duoneng Bishi* states: Whenever an oil container leaks, peeling off the inner membrane and throwing it into the leak will cause it to automatically reach the leak point and seal it. Processing methods include burning to ash, roasting with butter, treating with vinegar, treating with urine/feces, frying in oil, stir-frying with earth, or stir-frying with clam powder, according to specific prescriptions. Use the caudal scales; those at the tail have a triangular cross-section and possess the strongest efficacy.

[Commentary] It is stated: The body surface is covered with armor-like scutes, and the spine rises like a carp traversing a shell path, hence named Lingli. It lives in burrows like beasts, can penetrate hills, and cross rivers; it is a creature of the testudineous class possessing spiritual properties. There exists another type, the boat-swallowing Ling, which belongs to the scaled class. Lung parasites are called "Jie" (shell/testudo); "Jie" represents the flourishing aspect of the Liver and the surplus of sinews. This animal embodies Wood but is controlled by Metal; Metal and Wood interact, resulting in stiff hairs and hard scales that attach specifically to the body surface. The body surface is the exterior correspondence of the Lung; therefore, the drug enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. With the Taiyin Lung Meridian as the beginning of meridian entry and the Jueyin Liver Meridian as the end of the meridian cycle, it can exit Yin and enter Yang, penetrate meridians, enter zang-fu organs, and reach the location of the disease. For obstructions, apply draining methods; for leakage, apply tonifying methods. Conditions such as diarrhea, excessive weeping, leakage, and metrorrhagia represent harms caused by leakage; conditions such as bi-syndrome, carbuncles, and galactostasis represent harms caused by obstruction. Frightful crying and sorrow caused by the Five Evils belong to the deficiency of Lung Qi transformation, leading to erratic release of Lung sound (voice), and lack of Liver control, causing the Hun (Ethereal Soul) to lose stability. In terms of form and storage, this relates to leakage; in terms of the Five Evils, it relates to obstruction. Draining is used to tonify, and tonifying is used to drain. Treatment is applied based on etiology, utilizing interactive controlling relationships, ensuring neither approach causes harm.