\r石胆\ph7.bmp\r,生羌道山谷羌里句青山,今惟信州铅山县有之。生于铜坑中,采
得煎炼而成。又有自然生者,尤为珍贵。并深碧色。入吐风痰药用最快。二月庚子辛丑日采。
苏恭云∶真者,出蒲州虞乡县东亭谷窟及薛集窟中,有块如鸡卵者为真。今南方医人多使之。
又着其说云∶石
风久则绿,击破,其中亦青也。其次出上饶、曲江铜坑间者,粒细有廉棱,如钗股米粒。本
草注言∶伪者以醋揉青矾为之。今不然,但取粗恶石胆合硝石销溜而成。今块大色浅,浑浑
无脉理,击之则碎无廉棱者,是也。亦有挟石者,乃削取石胆床,溜造时投消汁中,及凝则
相着也。
\r云母\ph8.bmp\r,生泰山山谷、齐卢山及琅琊北定山石间。今兖州云梦山及江州、
濠州、杭越间亦有之
堪入药。二月采,其片绝有大而莹洁者,今人或以饰灯笼,亦古屏扇之遗事也。谨按∶方书
用云母,皆以白泽者为贵,惟中山卫叔卿单服法,云母五色具者。盖《本经》所谓一名云华
者,是一物中而种类有
以向日看其色,详占视之,乃可知正尔,于阴地视之,不见其杂色也。五色并具而多青者,
名云英,宜以春服之;五色并具而多赤者,名云珠,宜以夏服之;五色并具而多白者,名云
液,宜以秋服之;五色并具而多黑者,名云母,宜以冬服之;但有青、黄二色者,名云砂,
宜以季夏服之; 纯白者,名磷石,四时可服也。然则医方所用正白者,乃磷石一种耳。
古之服五云之法甚多,陶隐居所撰《太清诸石药变化方》言之备矣。今道书中有之,然修炼
节度,恐非文本可详,诚不可轻饵也。又西南天竺等国出一种石,谓之火齐,亦云母之类也,
色如紫金,离析之。
Bianqing (Mineral Azurite), its detailed description is listed under the entry for Lvqing (Green Azurite).
Shidan (Chalcanthite / Copper Sulfate), originally produced in Qiangdao Valley, Qiangliju Qingshan, but currently only found in Yanshan County, Xinzhou. It grows in copper mines and is obtained through mining followed by boiling and refining processes. Naturally occurring specimens are also available and are considered particularly precious. All exhibit a deep emerald-green color. It acts most rapidly when used in medicines intended to induce vomiting of wind-phlegm. It should be harvested on Gengzi or Xinchou days in the second lunar month. Su Gong stated: Genuine Shidan comes from Dongting Valley caves and Xueji Caves in Yuxiang County, Puzhou; those with lumps resembling chicken eggs are genuine. Physicians in the southern regions frequently use it today. He further explained: Over time, Shidan turns green; when broken open, its interior is also blue-green. The next best quality comes from between the copper mines of Shangrao and Qujiang; these are fine-grained with sharp edges, resembling hairpin shafts or rice grains. The commentary on Bencao states that counterfeit versions are made by knealing Qingfan (Green Alum) with vinegar. This is no longer the case; nowadays, inferior Shidan is simply mixed with Nixiao (Saltpeter) and melted together. Those that are large in size, pale in color, lacking distinct texture, and shatter into fragments without sharp edges upon impact are such counterfeits. Some may contain embedded stones; this occurs when the bedrock supporting Shidan formation is shaved off and added to the molten mixture during production, causing them to adhere upon solidification.
Yunmu (Muscovite Mica), grows among the rocks in the valleys of Mount Tai, Qilu Mountain, and Beiding Mountain in Langya. Currently, it is also found in Yunmeng Mountain in Yanzhou, as well as Jiangzhou, Haozhou, Hangzhou, and Yuezhou, and can be used in medicine. It is harvested in the second lunar month. Among the flakes, those that are exceptionally large and crystal clear are sometimes used by people today to decorate lanterns, which is a remnant of the ancient practice of using them for screens and fans. According to careful examination: Medical texts value white Yunmu above all others. However, the method described by Wei Shuqing of Zhongshan for single-substance ingestion specifies Yunmu possessing all five colors. This likely refers to what the *Benjing* calls "Yunhua," indicating that while they are the same substance, there are different varieties. One must observe their colors facing the sun and examine them carefully to determine their true nature; viewed in shade, impurities are not visible. Those possessing all five colors but predominantly blue are named Yunying and are suitable for consumption in spring; those predominantly red are named Yunzhu and are suitable for summer; those predominantly white are named Yunye and are suitable for autumn; those predominantly black are named Yunmu and are suitable for winter; those possessing only blue and yellow colors are named Yunsha and are suitable for late summer; pure white ones are named Linshi and can be taken in any season. Therefore, the pure white Yunmu used in medical prescriptions is actually just one type, namely Linshi. There were many ancient methods for ingesting the five types of Yunmu, thoroughly discussed in Tao Hongjing's *Taiqing Zhu Shi Yao Bianhua Fang*. These are recorded in Daoist scriptures, but the specific protocols and degrees of refinement cannot be fully detailed in text, so they should certainly not be taken lightly. Additionally, countries in the southwest such as Tianzhu (India) produce a stone called Huoji, which is also a type of Yunmu; it has a color resembling purple gold and can be separated and analyzed.