气味甘平，无毒。主治伤中，劳绝，腰痛，羸瘦，补中，益气，妇女血闭无子，止
痛，安胎。久服轻身延年。
（鹿角胶原名白胶，以鹿角寸截，米泔浸七日令软，再入急流水中浸七日，刮去粗皮，
以东流水，桑柴火者七日，旋旋添水，取汁沥净，加无灰酒熬成膏，冷则胶成矣。）
鹿茸形如萌栗，有初阳方生之意。鹿角形如剑戟，具阳刚坚锐之体，水熬成胶，故气味
甘平
，不若鹿茸之甘温也。主治伤中劳绝者，中气因七情而伤，经脉因劳顿而绝。鹿胶甘平滋润
，故能治也。治腰痛羸瘦者，鹿运督脉，则腰痛可治矣。胶能益髓，则羸瘦可治矣。补中者
，补中焦。益气者益肾气也。治妇人血闭无子者，鹿性纯阳，角具坚刚，胶质胶润下，故能
启生阳，行瘀积，和经脉而孕子也。止痛安胎者，更和经脉而生子也。久服则益阴助阳，故
轻身延年。
气味咸温，无毒。主治恶疮痈肿，逐邪恶气，留血在阴中，除少腹血痛，腰脊痛，折
伤恶血，益气。（《别录》附。）
鹿角功力与茸、胶相等，而攻毒破泄，行之瘀逐邪之功居多，较茸、胶又稍锐焉。
气味苦平，有小毒。主治惊痫寒热，热盛狂 ，除邪逐鬼。
（牛黄生陇西及晋地之特牛胆中，得之须阴干百日使燥，无令见日月光。出两广者，不
甚佳。出川蜀者，为上。凡牛有黄，身上夜视有光，眼如血色，时时鸣吼，恐惧人。又好照
水，
人以盆水承之，伺其吐出，乃喝而迫之，黄即堕下水中。大者如鸡子黄，小者如龙眼核，重
叠可揭，轻虚气香，有宝色者佳，如黄土色者下也。人喝取者为上，杀取者次之。李时珍曰
∶牛之黄，牛之病也。因其病在心及肝胆之间凝结成黄，故能治心及肝胆之病。但今之牛黄
皆属杀取，苦寒有毒，虽属上品，服之无益也。）
牛黄，胆之精也。牛之有黄，犹狗之有宝，蚌之有珠，皆受日月之精华而始成。无令见
日月
光者，恐复夺其精华也。牛属坤土，胆具精汁，禀性皆阴，故气味苦平，而有阴寒之小毒。
主治惊痫寒热者，得日月之精而通心主之神也。治热盛狂 者，禀中精之汁而清三阳之热也
。除邪者，除热邪，受月之华，月以应水也。逐鬼者，逐阴邪，受日之精，日以应火也。牛
黄有毒，不可久服，故不言也。
李东垣曰∶中风入脏，始用牛黄，更配脑麝，从骨髓透肌肤，以引风出。若风中于府，
及中
经脉者，早用牛黄，反引风邪入骨髓，如油入面，不能出矣。愚谓∶风邪入脏，皆为死证，
虽有牛黄，用之何益。且牛黄主治皆心家风热狂烦之证，何会入骨髓而治骨病乎？脑麝从骨
髓透肌肤，以引风出，是辛窜透发之药。风入于脏，脏气先虚，反配脑麝，宁不使脏气益虚
而真气外泄乎？如风中腑及中经脉，正可合脑而引风外出，又何致如油入面而难出耶。东垣
好为臆说，后人不能参阅圣经，从而信之，致临病用药畏首畏尾，六腑经脉之病留而不去，
次入于脏，便成不救，斯时用牛黄、脑麝，未见其能生也。李氏之说恐贻千百世之祸患，故
不得不明辩极言，以救其失。
[Lutiao Jiao (Deer Antler Glue)]
The flavor is sweet and the nature is neutral, non-toxic. It treats damage to the middle jiao (middle burner), exhaustion of essence and qi, lower back pain, emaciation and weakness, tonifies the middle, benefits qi, treats amenorrhea due to blood stasis leading to infertility in women, stops pain, and calms the fetus. Long-term consumption makes the body light and prolongs life.
(Deer antler glue was originally named Baijiao. Cut deer antlers into inch-long segments, soak them in rice washing water for seven days until soft, then soak them in fast-flowing water for another seven days. Scrape off the rough outer skin, use east-flowing water, boil with mulberry wood fire for seven days, continuously adding water, extract the juice and strain it cleanly. Add unfermented wine and boil into a paste; it solidifies into glue upon cooling.)
Lurong (Deer Antler Tip) resembles a budding chestnut, embodying the intent of newly generated Yang Qi. Lu jiao (Deer Antler) resembles swords and halberds, possessing a Yang, rigid, and sharp physical form. Boiled with water into glue, its flavor is sweet and neutral, unlike Lurong which is sweet and warm. It treats damage to the middle jiao and exhaustion of essence/qi because the Middle Qi is damaged by the Seven Emotions, and the meridians are obstructed by overexertion. Deer antler glue is sweet, neutral, and moistening, thus capable of treating these conditions. To treat lower back pain and emaciation: Deer governs the Du Mai (Governing Vessel), so lower back pain can be cured; the glue benefits the marrow, so emaciation can be cured. "Tonifying the middle" refers to tonifying the Middle Jiao. "Benefiting qi" refers to benefiting Kidney Qi. To treat amenorrhea and infertility in women: Deer nature is purely Yang, antlers possess rigidity, and the glue's texture is adhesive and descending. Thus, it can stimulate the generation of Yang Qi, move blood stasis, harmonize the meridians, and facilitate conception. Stopping pain and calming the fetus further harmonizes the meridians to aid conception. Long-term consumption benefits Yin and assists Yang, hence making the body light and prolonging life.
[Lu Jiao (Deer Antler)]
The flavor is salty and the nature is warm, non-toxic. It treats malignant sores and carbuncles, drives out evil Qi, removes retained blood in the Yin aspect, eliminates lower abdominal blood pain, lower back and spine pain, traumatic blood stasis, and benefits qi. (Attached from *Bielu*).
The efficacy of Lu Jiao is equal to that of Lurong and Lutiao Jiao, but it has more functions in attacking toxins, breaking accumulation, moving blood stasis, and driving out pathogens. It is slightly sharper than Lurong and Lutiao Jiao.
[Niu Huang (Calculus Bovis / Cow Bezoar)]
The flavor is bitter and the nature is neutral, with slight toxicity. It treats fright, epilepsy, alternating cold and heat, mania due to excessive heat, dispels pathogenic factors, and expels "ghosts" (referring to mental aberrations).
(Calculus Bovis is found in the gallbladders of special cattle from Longxi and Jin regions. After extraction, it must be dried in the shade for one hundred days until dry, avoiding exposure to sunlight or moonlight. Those from Liangguang are not very good. Those from Sichuan and Shu are superior. Cattle possessing Calculus Bovis often have glowing bodies at night, blood-red eyes, frequent roaring, and fear humans. They also like to gaze at water. Humans place a basin of water before them, wait for the calculus to be expelled, then shout and urge them, causing the calculus to fall into the water. Large ones resemble chicken egg yolks; small ones resemble longan seeds. They are layered and peelable, light, void, fragrant, and those with a precious luster are excellent; those resembling yellow earth are inferior. Extracted by shouting/urging the animal is superior; extracted by slaughter is secondary. Li Shizhen said: Calculus Bovis is a disease of the cow. Because the pathology condenses between the Heart and Liver/Gallbladder forming yellow, it can treat diseases of the Heart and Liver/Gallbladder. However, current Calculus Bovis is obtained by slaughter, is bitter, cold, and toxic. Although listed as a top-grade herb, it offers no benefit when consumed.)
Niu Huang is the essence of the Gallbladder. A cow having Calculus Bovis is like a dog having a treasure or a clam having a pearl; all form after absorbing the essence of the Sun and Moon. Avoiding sunlight/moonlight prevents the re-absorption of this essence. Cows belong to Kun Earth, and the Gallbladder contains refined juices; both possess Yin natures. Hence, the flavor is bitter and neutral, with a slight Yin-cold toxicity. Treating fright, epilepsy, and alternating cold/heat works because it obtains the essence of Sun and Moon to connect with the Spirit of the Heart Master. Treating mania due to excessive heat works because it inherits the refined juice to clear Heat in the Three Yang meridians. "Dispelling pathogens" means clearing Heat pathogens; it receives the brilliance of the Moon, and the Moon corresponds to Water. "Expelling ghosts" means expelling Yin pathogens; it receives the essence of the Sun, and the Sun corresponds to Fire. Niu Huang is toxic and should not be taken for long periods, hence long-term effects are not mentioned.
Li Dongyuan stated: For wind-stroke entering the Zang organs, start using Niu Huang, combined with Musk and Brain (likely referring to Moschus and Cervi Cornu or similar penetrating agents), penetrating from the bone marrow to the skin to draw out Wind. If Wind strikes the Fu organs or meridians, early use of Niu Huang will instead draw Wind pathogens into the bone marrow, like oil entering flour, impossible to remove. I argue: Wind-stroke entering the Zang organs is invariably fatal; even with Niu Huang, what is the benefit? Moreover, Niu Huang primarily treats Heart Wind-Heat, mania, and irritability. How could it enter the bone marrow to treat bone diseases? Brain and Musk are pungent, acrid, penetrating, and dispersing herbs. When Wind enters the Zang, the Zang Qi is first deficient. Combining them with Brain and Musk would surely cause further deficiency of Zang Qi and leakage of True Qi. If Wind strikes the Fu organs and meridians, combining with Brain to guide Wind outward is appropriate; why would it be like oil in flour and difficult to remove? Li Dongyuan liked subjective speculation. Later generations, unable to consult the sacred classics, believed him blindly. This led to hesitation in clinical medication, allowing pathogens in the Six Fu organs and meridians to linger and penetrate inward to the Zang organs, becoming incurable. At such times, using Niu Huang and Brain/Musk is seen to fail to save lives. Li's theory may cause disasters for thousands of years. Therefore, I must clarify and speak frankly to correct his errors.