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Rhinoceros Horn (Xijiao), originates from the valleys of Yongchang and Yizhou. Those currently sourced from the South Sea region are considered superior, while those from Qian and Shu regions are secondary. The rhinoceros resembles an ox, with a pig-like head, a large abdomen, and atrophied legs; its feet have three hooves and are black in color. It prefers to eat thorny plants. Each pore on its skin produces three hairs. It has one horn on the top of its head, though some say it has two horns, or even three horns. Carefully consulting Guo Pu's commentary on *Erya* states: "The rhinoceros has three horns, one on the crown, one on the forehead, and one on the nose." The one on the nose is the feeding horn (Shijiao), which is small and not oval-shaped; there are also rhinoceroses with only one horn. *Lingbiao Luyi* records that rhinoceroses have two horns: the one on the forehead is called Si Xi (Sì Xī, female rhinoceros or single-horned rhinoceros), and the one on the nose is called Hu Mao Xi (Hú Mào Xī). Male rhinoceroses (Gu Xi) also have two horns, both belonging to the hairy rhinoceros category, whereas nowadays people mostly propagate the theory of having only one horn. All these varieties possess millet-like patterns, with value determined by the coarseness or fineness of the pattern. The most prized rhinoceros horns feature "Tongtian Flower Patterns" (Tongtian Huawen); rhinoceroses possessing such horns supposedly hate their own shadows and often drink muddy water to avoid seeing their reflections. Those with exceptionally perfect textures may display shapes resembling myriad objects. Some claim that the Tongtian pattern indicates illness, but the rationale remains unknown. Patterns can be inverted-inserted, upright-inserted, or drum-waist inserted. Inverted-inserted patterns connect through the lower half; upright-inserted patterns connect through the upper half; drum-waist inserted patterns are interrupted in the middle. There are extremely many types, sufficient to be termed奇异 (qí yì, extraordinary/strange). Therefore, Persians refer to ivory as "White Dark" and rhinoceros horn as "Black Dark," implying difficulty in distinction. The largest type is called Duoluo Xi (Duō Luó Xī), with specimens weighing seven or eight jin, reportedly the frontal horn of a male rhinoceros. Its patterns often resemble scattered bean spots; those with deep colors are suitable for belt buckles, while those with scattered spots and light colors are merely suitable for making vessels. Some say Si refers to female rhinoceroses, but it is unknown if this is true. For medicinal use, there are black and white rhinoceros horns, with black being superior, and the horn tip being the best part. Medical texts often mention using raw rhinoceros horn (Sheng Xi), traditionally understood as unprocessed by fire or water, though others disagree. Generally, rhinoceros horn obtained by hunting and killing is called raw horn, while shed horns are called retreated horn (Tui Xi), similar to the usage of deer antlers. Wu Shigao, a physician under the Tang Dynasty Chancellor Duan Wenchang, stated during his tenure in the South Sea that he heard ship captains describe the method of capturing rhinoceroses: first, trees are planted densely along mountain paths like pens for pigs or sheep. Rhinoceroses rest against these trees with their front legs straightened. After years, the trees rot; when a rhinoceros leans against them, the tree breaks, causing the rhinoceros to fall and become unable to rise, leading to its death and subsequent horn extraction. It is also said that rhinoceroses naturally shed their horns and bury them in baked soil. Locals who know the location secretly replace the shed horn with a wooden replica housed in a wooden container, repeating this process without the animal leaving the area; occasionally, these replaced horns are retrieved. If taken directly, the rhinoceros flees to other mountains to hide, making it impossible to track. It is unknown whether current methods of obtaining rhinoceros horn truly follow this practice.