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In the tenth month of Jia You Year 3 (1058 AD), the Bureau for Correcting Medical Texts memorialized: We have observed that during the Xianqing era of the Tang Dynasty, an edict was issued to revise the Materia Medica. At that time, in addition to revising and annotating the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), various medicinal substances were selected, illustrated into pictures, and a separate "Illustrated Classic" (*Tujing*) was compiled to distinguish among the drugs, which was the most detailed and complete. However, it was later lost, and few complete copies remain. It is requested that orders be sent to all places where medicines are produced, instructing knowledgeable individuals to carefully identify the roots, stems, seedlings, leaves, flowers, and fruits, as well as their colors, shapes, and sizes; also insects, fish, birds, beasts, jade, and stones suitable for medicinal use. Each item should be drawn, and one by one described, including flowering and fruiting times, harvesting months, and therapeutic effects. For substances produced in foreign lands (Fan Yi), inquiries should be made to merchants at border trade markets (Quechang) and maritime trade offices (Shibo), who should also provide such analyses. One or two liang, or one or two pieces of each substance should be sealed in horn containers and dispatched via personnel entering the capital to this bureau for verification and illustration into the *Bencao Tujing* (Illustrated Materia Medica), and a new *Tujing* should be compiled to run parallel with the current *Bencao Jing*, providing a basis for future generations' use of medicines. The imperial decree stated: All transport commissions of the circuits should be ordered to direct subordinate prefectures, commanderies, and monitoring stations to assign Tongpan officials to specifically manage this, reporting to the Bureau for Correcting Medical Texts according to regulations. In the fifth month of Year 6, another memorial was submitted: The *Bencao Tujing* was compiled and edited by Su Song, Taichang Boshi and Scholar of the Jiexuan Academy, and was about to be completed. An edict appointed a Zhizhou (Prefect), and regarding the text of the Illustrated Classic, it was desired that this official complete the compilation on his own. The edict approved this. In the tenth month of that year, the book was completed and sent to the bureau to be revised, engraved on woodblocks, and implemented.

Jade Dust (Yuxie): According to the *Shennong Bencao Jing*, Jade Spring (Yuquan) grows in the valleys of Lantian, and Jade Dust grows in Lantian. Tao Hongjing's annotation states: Good jade comes from Lantian and the Xu Shanting area of Nanyang, from Ruanan and Lucong waters, and from foreign places such as Khotan and Shule, all of which produce excellent jade. Today, jade is not heard of in Lantian, Nanyang, or Ruanan; ritual vessels and imperial carriages and attire mostly use jade from the Kingdom of Khotan. Ping Juhui, Military Defense Judge of Jinzhou during the Jin Dynasty, served as Zhang Ye, Minister of Ceremonies, on a mission to Khotan during the Tianfu era. Upon his return, the judge wrote a "Travel Record," describing the jade mining areas of that country: The Jade River is outside the city of Khotan; its source originates from Kunlun Mountain, flows west for 1,300 li, reaching the Niutou Mountain boundary of Khotan, where it divides into three rivers: one called White Jade River, 30 li east of the city; one called Green Jade River, 20 li west of the city; and one called Black Jade River, 7 li west of the Green Jade River. Although the source is one, the jade changes according to the location, hence its colors differ. Every year in May and June, when heavy rains cause floods, jade arrives with the flow. The quantity of jade depends on the volume of water. In July and August, when the water recedes, it can be collected; the locals call this "fishing for jade." Their law stipulates that before officials mine jade, people are forbidden to approach the riverbanks; thus, utensils and clothing in their country often use jade. What exists in China today mostly comes from there. Tao Hongjing said: Jade Spring is the essence of jade; white ones have clear and transparent texture, which can be dissolved into water, hence named Jade Spring. People no longer recognize them accurately, simply calling them all jade. Jade Dust is merely jade ground into dust, not necessarily a distinct substance. The *Immortal Classics* describe taking jade: some crush it like rice grains, then dissolve it with vinegar-like substances until it becomes paste; some mix it into a liquid. Su Gong said: Jade Spring is the fluid of jade, with that from immortal pools being superior. Those transformed into jade nectar by artificial methods have inferior efficacy compared to natural spring fluid. When ingesting jade, it is best if dissolved into water. Also, taking dust like hemp seeds allows the essence to nourish the Zang-Fu organs, while impurities should pass out completely. If taken as powder, it may cause strangury and obstruction. The *Rites of Zhou* mentions the Jade Treasury supplying food jade for the King's fasting. Zheng Xuan annotated: Jade is the purest yang essence; eating it controls dampness-qi; during the King's fasting, he should eat Jade Dust. The *Zhengyi* commentary states: Jade Dust must be ground before it can be eaten. Thus, Jade Spring does not exist today, and Jade Dust is rarely used in medical prescriptions. During the Xiangfu era, the late Emperor once ordered workers to crush jade into rice or bean-sized grains, preparing it exactly as Tao and Su described, but it was not heard of being used for meals or ingestion. Regarding the claim that it must be ground to be eaten, this seems unlikely to benefit humans; indeed, it should not be lightly ingested. In prescription books, face creams sometimes use Jade Dust; this likely refers to using ground powder externally, which, since it is not ingested, causes no harm. Books record the colors of jade: red like a rooster's comb, yellow like steamed chestnuts, white like cut suet, black like pure lacquer, called the "Jade Symbols." Blue-green jade has no description. Furthermore, its texture is warm, moist, and lustrous, and its sound is clear and prolonged, which is why it is valued. Today, among five-colored jades, white and clear ones are common, black ones appear occasionally, but yellow and red ones are extremely rare; even the six ritual vessels cannot obtain true examples. Currently, Yizhou produces a stone like steamed chestnut color, called Chestnut Jade by locals, or perhaps a type of Yellow Jade, but it lacks luster and its sound is not clear, falling short. However, taking or eating jade values pure white above all; other colors are not accepted.