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Non-toxic: Fuzi Rou (Flesh of *Enoploteuthis*), Rouru (Soft squid), Zhangju, Shiju.

Cuttlebone (*Sepiae Endoconcha*) (from *Shennong Bencao Jing*): Primarily treats women with leukorrhea mixed with blood or white discharge, amenorrhea, erosion and swelling-pain in the yin region, alternating cold and fever, mass formations (Zhengjia), and infertility. (The above is annotated in vermilion ink, sourced from *Shennong Bencao Jing*).

The characters in black indicate the name.

Its nature favors eating cuttlefish. Whenever birds fly over the water surface, it pretends to be dead; when a bird pecks its abdomen, it curls up and swallows the bird. Hence the name, meaning "the thief/harmful one to crows." Its shape resembles a leather bag, with the mouth located under the abdomen. Eight feet cluster around the mouth, containing only one bone, about three to four fen thick, resembling a small boat, light, hollow, and white. It has two feelers like ribbons that can be used for self-anchoring, hence the alias "Lanyu" (Cable Fish). *Nan Yue Zhi* records: "When encountering wind and waves, the cuttlefish coils one feeler like an anchor to stay put; 'Ding' also means cable." The blood and gallbladder inside are black like ink, suitable for writing and making high-quality ink. People say the cuttlefish holds ink and knows propriety, so it is colloquially called a minor official serving the Sea Deity. Its meat is beneficial for human consumption. Those without bones are called Rouru (Soft squid). There are two other species, Zhangju and Shiju, similar to this but slightly larger, with more exquisite taste, highly valued as food, but not used in medicine, thus briefly omitted. [Growth] No specific season. [Harvest] No specific season. [Medicinal Parts] Bone and flesh. [Color] White. [Taste] Salty. [Nature] Slightly warm. [Qi/Taste] Qi is stronger than taste, belonging to Yin within Yang. [Odor] Fishy. [Functions] Stops seminal emission/slippage, removes corneal opacities. [Incompatibilities] Adversely affected by Bai Lian (*Ampelopsis Radix*), Bai Ji (*Bletillae Rhizoma*), and Fuzi (*Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata*). [Processing] Leigong states: "For use, select those following the description above. Soak in brine and boil for one shichen (2 hours). Remove and place under the eaves. Dig a pit capable of holding the quantity of cuttlebone. Burn out the pit to remove charcoal ash, then place the medicine inside overnight. Retrieve it the next morning for use; the efficacy is doubled. Alternatively, roast until yellow and peel off the skin." [Therapeutics] [Treatment] [*Suwen* states]: Flesh primarily treats female blood exhaustion (Xueku). [*Tangben Zhu* notes]: Removes visual obstructions/opacities in cattle and horses. [*Yaoxing Lun* states]: Bone stops uterine bleeding and deafness. [*Rihua Zi* states]: Flesh unblocks meridians. ○ Bone treats metrorrhagia and kills parasites. [Chen Cangqi states]: Powdered bone taken with water treats pediatric dysentery and female blood masses (Xuexia), killing small parasites. [Meng Shen states]: Powdered bone treats hot tears in the eyes. [*Mingyi Bielu* states]: Powdered bone applied externally effectively treats ulcers on the male glans. [Combined Therapies]: Powdered bone mixed with honey applied to eyes removes all floating opacities. ○ One qian of powdered bone mixed with a small amount of Longnao (Borneolum Syntheticum) applied to eyes treats red and white opacities caused by heat-toxin from typhoid attacking the eyes. ○ Bone ground with vinegar applied to treat leprosy-like skin diseases (Li Yang Feng) lasting three years or more: first rub the lesion with cloth until red, then apply; effective. ○ Bone mixed with egg yolk applied to throat and under tongue treats infant macroglossia (Chongshe). ○ Ink from the abdomen mixed with vinegar and taken orally treats stabbing pain due to blood stasis. [Adulterants]: Shark cartilage/bone is counterfeit.