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Lu Rong (Deer Antler Velvet), with a sweet, salty, bitter, and pungent taste, is warm in nature and non-toxic. It benefits Qi and nourishes Yin, supports emaciated limbs, strengthens willpower and teeth, stops soreness and pain in the lower back and knees, breaks up lingering blood causing dull pain, drives away deficiency labor manifesting as chills like malaria, treats uterine bleeding and spotting in women, cures pediatric fevers, chills, convulsions, and epilepsy, stops hematuria and seminal emission, and disperses stone strangury and carbuncles.

Lu Jiao (Deer Antler), with a bland taste and warm nature, drives away evil spirits and dispels malignancy, lightens the body and benefits Qi, reconnects severed injuries, strengthens sinews and bones, eliminates carbuncles and sores, heals malignant ulcers, stops dreams of sexual intercourse with ghosts in women, and causes patients to attract real ghostly talk.

Lu Jiao Jiao (Deer Antler Glue), stops pain and calms the fetus, greatly tonifies deficiency and emaciation, treats traumatic injuries from falls and blows, and manages hematemesis, epistaxis, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea.

Lu Jiao Shuang (Deer Antler Ash) specifically stops slippery diarrhea.

Lu Shen (Deer Kidney) tonifies the middle Jiao to nourish the Yuan Qi of the Kidney.

Lu Xue (Deer Blood) regulates the blood vessels and stops lower back pain. It should be mixed with boiling hot wine and taken warm; taking it raw is a mistake.

The entire deer benefits humans, but Lu Rong (Deer Antler Velvet) is the most superior. For those with impotence lacking firmness, only Lu Rong can restore firmness; it cannot be compared to herbal plants that boost Yang. However, using Lu Rong is essential. If Lu Rong is unavailable, hair-covered antlers three cun long are also good, still surpassing Lu Jiao Jiao. The deer is a Yang animal, yet people ridicule Su Dongpo's error, which shows they do not know how to read properly. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* stating that Mi (Elk) belongs to Yang is a transcription error. Saying Mi is the small deer and Deer is the large elk is also incorrect. Although Mi and Deer have similar shapes, their species are distinct. Distinguishing them by size (Mi small, Deer large) is superficial. Mi are born small and remain small even when old, whereas Deer grow larger with age. Su Dongpo's claim that Deer live in mountains and Mi live in marshes is also wrong; Mi actually inhabit mountains. The shedding of Deer antlers at Summer Solstice and Mi antlers at Winter Solstice does not signify the retreat of Yang or Yin. Deer are Yang animals; at the Summer Solstice, one Yin emerges. Yang, generating newness through Yin, sheds the old, hence Deer antlers shed at the Summer Solstice. Mi are Yin animals; at the Winter Solstice, one Yang emerges. Yin, generating newness through Yang, finds the old difficult to retain, hence Mi antlers shed at the Winter Solstice. The Way of Heaven and Earth involves Yin and Yang rooting each other; Yang generates through Yin, and Yin grows through Yang. Why would the shedding of Mi and Deer antlers be an exception? Only due to the transcription error in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* did people confuse Deer with Mi. I must clarify this, though people may not believe me. I have another method to distinguish Mi: Mi appear to have four eyes. This does not mean extra eyes on the head, but two eye-like spots between the outer sides of the front legs. Presence indicates Mi, absence indicates Deer; it is very easy to distinguish. Lu Rong benefits Yin but has limited efficacy, so it need not be used medicinally. Some people combine Mi and Deer to make glue for treating dual deficiency of Yin and Yang, which is acceptable. However, making glue from Mi and Deer is inferior to using Lu Tai (Deer Fetus). Adding Ren Shen (Ginseng), Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root), Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus Fruit), Shan Yao (Dioscorea Rhizome), Fu Ling (Poria), Niu Xi (Achyranthes Root), Bai Zi Ren (Biota Seed), Ba Ji Tian (Morinda Root), Rou Cong Rong (Cistanche Stem), Chao Zao Ren (Fried Sour Jujube Seed), Gan Cao (Licorice Root), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes Rhizome), Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber), Sha Shen (Glehnia Root), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra Fruit), Du Zhong (Eucommia Bark), Po Gu Zhi (Cibotium Rhizome), Huang Qi (Astragalus Root), and Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis) to form Quan Lu Wan (Whole Deer Pill) is even more excellent. Using adult Deer for Quan Lu Wan is a mistake. Lu Tai pills greatly generate Pre-Heaven Qi, benefit the Mother of Post-Heaven (Spleen/Stomach), strengthen the Spleen to generate Essence, boost Yang and supplement Fire. It is a miraculous pill, merely unrecognized by the world.

Some doubt whether white Lu Rong is not Deer Antler Velvet but Mi Antler Velvet, claiming purple ones are best. Is this true? The answer is: Lu Rong quality does not depend on purple or white color. Generally, antlers with short hair are Lu Rong, while those with hair half a cun long are Mi Antler Velvet. The finest and hairiest ones are rare. In fact, Lu Rong is abundant while Mi Antler Velvet is scarce. This is because the Mi species has very few males and many females, mating with Deer when encountered. People are unaware of this, so I record it to distinguish Deer from Mi, which is easiest to identify.