Library

[Shangpin (Superior Category) of the Classic of Materia Medica]
The plastron (ventral shell, Yan) of the turtle can be used for divination to manifest omens; this is an emulation of the Earth, hence the ventral shell is selected. *Rihua Bencao* utilizes the turtle shell based on this principle. The turtle circulates through the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), absorbing Heaven's Qi to communicate with the divine spirit.

[Flavor and Properties] Sour in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic.

[Indications] Primarily treats leukorrhea with red and white discharge, breaks up masses and accumulations (Zhengjia) and malaria, five types of hemorrhoids, genital erosion, damp-bi syndrome, heaviness and weakness of the four limbs, and unclosed fontanelle in children. Long-term consumption lightens the body and suppresses hunger.

[Examination] It is stated: Turtles inhabit the pools and marshes of the South Sea, as well as rivers and lakes. Those recently sourced from Jiangzhou, Huzhou, and Jiaozhou have white bones and dense flesh, with distinct colors, making them best for divination and medicinal use. *Lunheng* states: "Waking in spring, hibernating in winter, feeding in clarity and swimming in turbidity—this is the turtle." *Shangshu Weitu* states: "When Emperor Yao sank a jade bi into the Luo River, a black turtle emerged carrying a book, with red characters and green script on its back." *Shiji* states: "When Yu the Great controlled the waters, a divine turtle emerged from the Luo River carrying a book, where all numbers were nine, thus creating the Nine Categories (Jiuchou)." *Shuyi Ji* states: "During Emperor Yao's time, the Yueshang tribe presented a thousand-year-old turtle with tadpole-script on its back, recording events since creation; the Emperor recorded it, calling it the 'Turtle Calendar'." *Guaya* states: "When rulers are not partisan and respect the elderly, black turtles emerge." *Baihu Tongyi* states: "The turtle is a creature of longevity between Heaven and Earth." Hence, one asks the turtle image. *Erya Yi* states: "Among 360 types of shelled creatures, the divine turtle is their leader." *Guaya* states: "The divine turtle has black patterns and five colors, being the essence of spiritual power." *Shuoyuan* states: "The spiritual turtle lives 1,200 years, has five-colored patterns, resembling gold and jade; its back is Yin symbolizing Yang, upper part convex symbolizing Heaven, lower part flat symbolizing Earth, coiled extending symbolizing Mountains, four feet rotating corresponding to Four Seasons, patterns appearing corresponding to the Twenty-Eight Mansions, snake head and dragon wings, left eye essence symbolizing Sun, right eye essence symbolizing Moon." *Boyi* states: "Broad shoulders and large waist, inner flesh and outer bone, male and female tails interlocking, oviparous and fond of embracing." *Bencao Chengya Banji* states: "The turtle circulates the Ren Mai, breathing through its ears; some claim the intestines connect to the head, which is erroneous." *Erya Yi* states: "After a thousand years of transformation, lower Qi connects upward, growing to one chi two cun, floating on lotus leaves or hiding under clumps of yarrow, capable of divining the beginning and end of Heaven and Earth, knowing changes of survival and death, auspiciousness and disaster. When still, it stretches leisurely; when moving, it is conspicuous." *Han Shu* states: "The Yuan Turtle measures one chi two cun in length, worth 1,160 coins, equivalent to ten peng of large shells; Male Turtles over nine cun, worth 500 coins, equivalent to ten peng of strong shells; Marquis Turtles over seven cun, worth 300 coins, equivalent to ten peng of public shells; Son Turtles over five cun, worth 100 coins, equivalent to ten peng of small shells. These are the four treasures. The *I Ching* mentions 'benefited by ten peng of turtles.'" Generally, turtles are objects for resolving doubts. *Han Shu* also states: "Feudal lords treasure turtles, but do not keep them at home." *San Zheng Ji* states: "The Son of Heaven's turtle is one chi two cun long, feudal lords one chi, great officers eight cun, scholars six cun. Turtles are Yin, hence even numbers. This represents the aging of Yin. Why burn turtles with fire? To move Yin with Yang." *Zhou Li* states: "The Turtle Officer manages six types of turtles, each with specific names and characteristics. Heavenly Turtle is called Ling Shu, Earthly Turtle Yi Shu, Eastern Turtle Guo Shu, Western Turtle Lei Shu, Southern Turtle Lie Shu, Northern Turtle Ruo Shu, distinguished by their directional colors and forms. Turtles are harvested in autumn, processed in spring, stored in the turtle chamber with appropriate materials. In early spring, cracks are made in the shells, managed by the Grand Diviner's契 (contracts/records), awaiting divination matters." *Guice Zhuan* states: "There are eight named turtles: 1. Big Dipper; 2. Southern Stars; 3. Five Planets; 4. Eight Winds; 5. Twenty-Eight Mansions; 6. Sun and Moon; 7. Nine Provinces; 8. Jade Turtle. For these eight types, there are patterns on the underside. Such turtles need not be full one chi two cun; those seven or eight cun long are also treasures." It further says: "Turtles have five colors, used according to season. Green Spiritual Turtle is suitable for Spring, sitting West facing East; Red Spiritual Turtle for Summer, sitting North facing South; White Spiritual Turtle for Autumn, sitting East facing West; Black Spiritual Turtle for Winter, sitting South facing North; Yellow Spiritual Turtle for the last month of each season, sitting Central facing the changing direction." *Guishu* states: "Spring divination looks at rear-right, Yin-Mao Wood omen; Summer divination looks at front-right, Si-Wu Fire omen; Autumn divination looks at front-left, Shen-You Metal omen; Winter divination looks at rear-left, Hai-Zi Water omen." *Bencao Chengya Banji* states: "The Son of Heaven divines the tripod ear, called Earth Omen, following the Imperial domain. Feudal lords divine the assistants, called Wood Omen, as humans are born in Yin. Divining seasons and heavenly enclosures is also called Wood Omen, as the Emperor emerges from Zhen." Each has fixed acupoints, do not exceed positions, then observe images and examine changes, count the past to know the future. Patterns appearing along the bone structure of apertures are called 'Shimo' (Eating Ink); patterns appearing against the bone structure are called 'Weimo' (Dangerous Ink). The five omens of rain clearing and continuity reveal Zhen and Hui here. Alternating the five directions of corners, positioning birth and control. The addition of Six Spirits Master and Guest, the trial of triple forms, the weighing of left and right lightness and heaviness, the appropriateness and taboos of the main event's source, further distinguishing colors and listening to sounds, must be fasted and respectful, so that auspiciousness and disaster can be judged, and responses verified. Some say: Turtles crouch upon hearing iron sounds; boiling with old mulberry makes them rot easily. Su Song states: "Head square, legs short, shell round, base white—Yang Turtle; Head pointed, legs long, shell elongated, base yellow—Yin Turtle. Yin people use Yang Turtles, Yang people use Yin Turtles." The Canon states: "Do not let turtle shell become damp internally." Tao Hongjing says the plastron is for divination, the carapace for medicine. Ancients used both upper and lower shells; Rihua only used the plastron, and later generations followed this. Li Shizhen states: "According to Tao's method, using raw turtle roasted to obtain [the shell], and Rihua using heavily burned ones, both attribute it to having vital energy and spirit. What is called 'decayed' refers to drilling and burning old material until it appears decayed. Wu Shi reversed this, using self-dead, withered, decayed plates, and claiming burned ones lose their nature, which is very erroneous." Processing: Must use divine turtles. The best divine turtle plastron has a spot in front of the heart, transparent on four sides like amber color. Saw off the four edges, grind clean on stone, process with ash, coat with suet, roast until yellow for use. There are also wine-roasted, vinegar-roasted, lard-roasted, and ash-calcined methods, each suitable for different purposes. Adversely interacts with Sanden (Glehniae Radix) and Feilian. Fears Quren and Shouyin.

[Commentary] It is said: The turtle circulates the Ren Mai, which connects to the head, not the intestines; it meets the Du Mai (Governing Vessel) at the vertex and intersects the Du Mai at the Weilü point. Just as the deer meets the Ren Mai at Weilü and intersects it at the vertex. Therefore, meeting Ren via Du implies Yang outside and Yin inside; meeting Du via Ren implies Yang inside and Yin outside. Indeed, the turtle's form corresponds to Li (Fire), while its spirit resides in Kan (Water). Leukorrhea and masses, five hemorrhoids and genital erosion, are diseases of the Ren Mai, meaning Kan loses its central firmness and Li loses its central emptiness. Malaria involves crisscrossing meridians, causing Ren and Du to fail to maintain the meridians; damp-bi with heavy and weak limbs involves slackened meridians, causing them to fail to follow Ren and Du; unclosed fontanelle in children means Ren fails to meet Du at the vertex. The turtle, taking bone as its exterior, naturally closes the fontanelle.