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[Properties and Actions] Light in nature, it disperses wind-heat.

The cicada shell (Chantui) is transformed from the residual qi of earth and wood; the cicada drinks wind and dew without eating solid food. Its nature is clear and empty, its taste is sweet and cold, thus it eliminates wind-heat; its body is light and floating, thus it promotes the eruption of smallpox and chickenpox rashes; its nature is good at shedding skin, thus it reduces corneal opacity (nebula), facilitates the delivery of the placenta; its exuviae forms a shell, thus it treats skin sores and urticaria (mix equal parts with Bohe/Menthae Haplocalycis Herba, grind into powder, take with wine); its voice is clear and resonant, thus it treats aphonia due to wind-stroke; furthermore, it cries during the day and rests at night, thus it stops nocturnal crying in infants. There are many species of cicadas, but only those that are large and black are used in medicine. They must be washed to remove soil, wings, and legs, boiled in starch water, dried, and then used (use raw for expelling toxins).

The grasshopper cicada (Zha Chan) treats infantile convulsions and nocturnal crying, kills intestinal parasites and clears heat, and assists in fetal delivery and expulsion of the placenta (Shizhen said: For treating skin sores and wind-heat, use Chantui/Cicada Slough; for treating zang-fu organs and meridians, use Zhachan/Cicada Body. This follows the principle of using each according to its kind).

[Properties and Actions] Astringent, it consolidates the Lung.

Taste is salty and sour. Its nature is astringent, capable of consolidating the Lung Qi; its energy is cold, capable of descending fire. It generates fluids, transforms phlegm, stops coughing and bleeding, arrests sweating (Zheng Zanhuan said: Calcine and grind to an extremely fine powder, mix with one's own mouthwash, apply to the umbilicus; this cures night sweats miraculously), resolves alcohol toxicity, treats Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst syndrome), diarrhea and dysentery, tinea, five types of hemorrhoids, hematochezia with rectal prolapse, purulent discharge and moist rotting, procidentia (prolapse of the intestine), dissipates heat toxins, and reduces eye swelling (decoct for washing), closes wound openings (once heat dissipates, wounds close naturally). Its color is black, capable of dyeing hair (Danxi said: Beizi/Five-Gallnut belongs to Metal and Water; holding it in the mouth effectively gathers stubborn phlegm and resolves heat toxins. Evening cough arises from floating fire in the Lung; cooling herbs are inappropriate here. Instead, use Beizi/Five-Gallnut and Wuweizi/Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus to astringe and descend. The *Medical Outline* records: Wang Yuangui was deficient and suffered from seminal emission; repeated treatments with Jiawei Siwu Tang, Hejian Mizhen Wan, and Zhenzhu Fen Wan failed to stop the symptoms. Later, he took pills made of 1 liang of Beizi/Five-Gallnut and 2 liang of Fuling/Poria, which cured him. My note: Any astringent herb requires prior unblocking to achieve effective retention. In this prescription, Poria is used twice the amount of Five-Gallnut; one drains while the other astringes, thus achieving its efficacy.) Contraindicated for coughs caused by external pathogens and diarrhea not due to deficiency collapse. It grows on Rhus chinensis (Yanshumu), formed when small insects feed on sap and deposit eggs between leaves, forming galls (therefore, its therapeutic indications share the same function as the leaves of Yanshizi/Rhus chinensis).

The shell of the Five-Gallnut is light, brittle, and hollow inside; it can be used to dye soap, either raw or stir-fried.