\r羚羊角\ph404.bmp\r，出石城山谷及华阴山，今秦、陇、龙、蜀、金、商州山中皆
有之。戎人多捕得来货
，其
形似羊也，青而大。其角长一、二尺，有节如人手指握痕，又至坚劲，今人药者，皆用此角
。谨按《尔雅》云∶ （与羚同），大羊。 （音元），如羊。郭璞注云∶ 似羊而大，角圆
锐
，好在山崖间。 似吴羊而大角，角椭，出西方。许慎注《说文解字》云∶ ，大羊而细角
。陶隐居以角多节，蹙蹙圆绕者为羚羊，而角极长，唯一边有节，节亦疏大者，为山羊。山
羊即《尔雅》所谓 羊也。唐注以一边有蹙文，又疏慢者，为山驴角。云时人亦用之。又以
细如人指，长四、五寸，蹙文细者，为堪用。陈藏器云∶羚羊夜宿，以角挂木不着地，但取
角弯中深锐紧小，犹有挂痕者是。观今市货者，与《尔雅》所谓 羊，陶注所谓山羊，唐注
所谓山驴，大都相似。今人相承用之，以为 羊，其细角长四、五寸，如人指，多节蹙蹙圆
绕者，其间往往弯中有磨角成痕处，京师极多，详本草及诸家所出，此乃是真 羊，而世多
不用，不知其所以然者何也？又陈藏器谓真角，耳边听之，集集鸣者良。今牛、羊诸角，但
杀之者，听之皆有声，不必专羚角也，自死角则无声矣。
Lingyangjiao (Horn of Antelope), produced in the valleys of Shicheng and Mount Huayin, is now found in the mountains of Qinzhou, Longzhou, Long Prefecture, Shu region, Jinzhou, and Shangzhou. The Rong people often capture them for trade; its shape resembles that of a sheep, it is greenish and large. Its horn is one to two chi long, with nodes resembling the marks left by a human hand gripping, and is extremely hard and tough. The horns used in medicine today are all of this kind.
According to a careful examination of *Erya* (Classic of Names): "Yang" (same as Ling) refers to a large sheep. "Yuan" (pronounced yuan) refers to a sheep-like animal. Guo Pu's commentary states: It resembles a sheep but is larger, with round and sharp horns, preferring to dwell among mountain cliffs. Another description notes: It resembles the sheep of Wu but has larger horns, which are oval-shaped, produced in the West. Xu Shen's commentary on *Shuowen Jiezi* (Explanations of Simple and Analytical Characters) states: It is a large sheep with fine horns. Tao Hongjing considered horns with many nodes, tightly wrapped around, as Lingyangjiao (Antelope Horn), while those extremely long with nodes only on one side, and nodes being sparse and large, as Shanyangjiao (Mountain Goat Horn). The Mountain Goat is what *Erya* refers to as Yuan Sheep. Tang dynasty commentaries identified horns with wrinkled textures on one side, appearing loose and slow, as Shanlvjiao (Wild Ass Horn), noting they were also used by people at the time. They further stated that horns thin as a human finger, four or five cun long, with fine wrinkled textures, were usable. Chen Cangqi stated: When Lingyang rests at night, it hangs its horn from trees without touching the ground; one should select the curved part where the horn is deep, sharp, tight, and small, retaining hanging marks. Observing current market goods, they are largely similar to the Yuan Sheep mentioned in *Erya*, the Mountain Goat described by Tao, and the Wild Ass noted in Tang commentaries. People currently follow this usage, considering them Yuan Sheep horns—those that are thin, four to five cun long, finger-thick, with many nodes tightly wrapped around. Often, there are traces of rubbing against other objects in the curve. These are very common in the capital. Detailed examination of Bencao (Materia Medica) and various sources indicates that these are actually true Yuan Sheep horns, yet most people do not use them, and the reason for this remains unknown. Additionally, Chen Cangqi claimed that authentic horns, when held to the ear, produce a distinct buzzing sound if genuine. However, horns from cattle and sheep generally make sounds when killed, so it is not exclusive to antelope horns; naturally deceased animals' horns would be silent.