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Biejia (Tartaric Shell)
Its nature is salty and cold. It enters the Liver channel and reaches the collaterals. Its function is to resolve blood stasis and masses, reduce fever, and subdue yang. (Biejia has a bluish-black color and enters the Liver; it is salty, cold, and non-toxic. It unblocks meridians and dissipates blood stasis, serving as a medicine for the Blood aspect of the Jueyin channel. All creatures belonging to the aquatic shellfish class can nourish Yin and subdue Yang; their salty and cold nature is the same, though the specific areas they enter differ.)

Jiyu (Crucian Carp)
Its attribute belongs to Earth, making it suitable for the Spleen and Stomach. Because its flavor is sweet, its nature is warm. Its diuretic effect is inferior to that of Liyu (Common Carp) and Wuyu (Black Fish). However, it can stir up wind and provoke toxins. (Jiyu has a sweet flavor and warm nature, preferring to nestle in mud, thus its attribute belongs to Earth. It harmonizes the Spleen and nourishes the Stomach. Therefore, for those who are weak after illness, only Jiyu is suitable for consumption. Aquatic fish generally promote urination; fish with a fishy odor can trigger wind, which is also a common principle. As for external application to reduce swelling and detoxify, one reason is its Earth attribute's ability to detoxify, and the other is its dynamic nature's ability to dissipate.)

Zhenzhu (Pearl)
It is born from absorbing the essence and qi of Taiyin (Lung/Moon). It clears heat, benefits Yin, and specializes in detoxification. It possesses the properties of sweet, bland, salty, and cold. It calms the Heart, settles palpitations, and can treat manic disorders. It treats phlegm confusion caused by convulsive epilepsy. Entering the Liver channel, it brightens the eyes, generates flesh, and causes nebulae to recede, moisturizing the face and enhancing appearance. (Pearls are produced within large mussels, formed by sensing the essence of the Taiyin moon. Hence, there is a saying: "If there is no moon on Mid-Autumn Day, the mussel has no fetus." Sweet, salty, cold, and non-toxic, benefiting Yin and detoxifying is its fundamental function. Although formed from Yin essence qi, its substance is hard and rigid, and its nature contains spiritual treasure qualities. Thus, it can calm the Heart, settle phlegm, stabilize the soul, and anchor the spirit. Regarding removing nebulae, treating smallpox lesions, generating flesh, and moisturizing the face, all rely on the power of its spiritual treasure quality and salty-cold moistening properties.)

[Oushejiao / Cuttlebone]
Enters the Liver channel to treat diseases of the Blood aspect. For leukorrhea and metrorrhagia, examinations exist in classic formulas. [It removes damp-turbidity; its flavor is salty, nature is warm, and it is astringent. It treats insect-related malnutrition and dysentery; treatment should follow syndrome differentiation.] Applied to the eyes, it removes nebulae like polishing stars; applied to sores, it dries pus and collects fluids. (Oushejiao, also known as Haipiaoxiao, is the bone inside the cuttlefish. Its flavor is salty and nature is warm; it is a medicine for the Blood aspect of the Liver channel. Although it is a Blood medicine, its texture is dry, so it can treat women's metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, strangury, turbidity, and all lower-orifice diseases involving insects, malnutrition, and foul discharges. Although the *Neijing* mentions treating blood deficiency, reviewing the full context of the text, it ultimately refers not to Liver blood deficiency, but to Liver damp-turbidity. Thus, it can also be used to apply to the eyes to remove nebulae and dry pus in sores; its functions can be inferred from this.)