(原禽)治蚁 下痢然终有毒害人
雉(专入心。兼入胃)。由异气所感。灵蛇所变。不得山川之气。遂其飞腾。则得沧溟
之气
。恣其吞吐。是与虹 出没无异。时珍云。雉属离。鸡属巽。故凡鸡煮则冠变。雉煮则冠红
。飞必先鸣。食多虫蚁。此虽食品之贵食。可补中益土。(雉应胃土。)及治蚁 下痢。然终
性热有毒。故书言其八九两月可食。春夏不可食者。以其雉食虫蚁。及与蛇交变化有毒也。
发痔发疮发痢。与家鸡子同食。令人发疰。周身疼痛者。谓其雉食虫蚁有毒。兼性暴烈有火
也
。但书既言发痢发痔。而书又曰可治蚁 与痢。亦以雉素好食蚁。故可以制蚁 而治其毒耳
。
(水禽)通利血气
雁(专入肺。兼入肝肾)。状考之时珍。谓有苍白二种。今人以白而小者为雁。大者为
鸿。苍
者为野鹅。亦曰 鸟。尔雅谓之 也。雁有四德。寒则自北而南。止于衡阳。热则自南而
北。归于雁门。其信也。飞则有序。而前鸣后和。其礼也。失偶不再配。其节也。夜则群宿
而一奴巡更。昼则衔芦以避绘缴。其智也。而捕者豢之为媒。以诱其类。是则一愚矣。故
雁谓之信鸟。人不宜食。道家谓之天厌。味甘气平。其性通利血气。故能补痨瘦。逐风挛。
(取肉炙熟以贴。)多服长毛发生须。久服壮筋骨助气。昔黄帝制指南。于雁胫骨空中制针。
取其能定南北。但觅之不易。后人于鲤鱼脑中制之。以其性专伏土。定南北不移。可定水土
之方向也。(今又传用午时稻花水煮。子时荷花水煮以定南北。)取雁。南来时瘦不可食。北
向时乃肥。可取之。
(Raw Poultry) Treats ant-fistula (a type of chronic fistula often associated with tuberculosis infection) and dysentery, yet ultimately possesses toxicity harmful to humans.
Pheasant (Zhi) (Specifically enters the Heart Meridian, additionally enters the Stomach Meridian). It arises from the influence of anomalous Qi and transformation by spiritual snakes. Lacking the pure Qi of mountains and rivers, it achieves flight by absorbing the Qi of vast oceans. Its indiscriminate inhalation and exhalation are no different from the emergence and disappearance of rainbows. Li Shizhen stated: The pheasant corresponds to the Li trigram, while the chicken corresponds to the Xun trigram. Therefore, when boiled, a chicken's comb changes color, whereas a pheasant's comb turns red. Before flying, it must crow first, consuming many insects and ants. Although this is a precious food that can tonify the Middle Jiao and benefit Earth (the pheasant corresponds to Stomach Earth), and treat ant-fistula and dysentery, its nature is ultimately hot and toxic. Hence, texts state it may be eaten in the eighth and ninth lunar months but not in spring and summer, because pheasants eat insects and ants, and acquire toxicity through interaction with snakes. Consumption can trigger hemorrhoids, sores, and dysentery; eating it together with domestic chicken eggs causes "Zhu" disease (a contagious, chronic wasting condition), leading to generalized body pain. This is attributed to the toxicity of the insects and ants it consumes, combined with its fierce nature containing Fire toxin. However, although texts mention it induces dysentery and hemorrhoids, they also claim it treats ant-fistula and dysentery. This is because the pheasant naturally favors eating ants, thus it can counteract the toxicity of ants and treat diseases arising from them.
(Waterfowl) Promotes the free flow of Blood and Qi.
Wild Goose (Yan) (Specifically enters the Lung Meridian, additionally enters the Liver and Kidney Meridians). Regarding its morphology, Li Shizhen noted there are two types: white and greyish-green. Currently, people identify the smaller white one as the Yan (goose), the larger one as the Hong (swan), and the greyish-green one as the wild goose, also called E. The *Erya* refers to it as Yi. The wild goose possesses four virtues: In cold weather, it flies south from the north and stops at Hengyang; in heat, it flies north from the south and returns to Yamen. This demonstrates its Trustworthiness (Xin). When flying, it maintains order, with those ahead calling and those behind responding. This demonstrates its Propriety (Li). If it loses its mate, it does not pair again. This demonstrates its Integrity/Jie (Jie). At night, they roost in groups with one on watch duty; during the day, they carry reeds in their beaks to avoid arrows. This demonstrates its Wisdom (Zhi). However, hunters domesticate some to act as decoys to lure their kind, which renders them foolish. Thus, the wild goose is called the Bird of Trust, and humans should not consume it. Daoists call it "Heaven's Abomination." Its taste is sweet, and its nature is neutral. Its property promotes the free flow of Blood and Qi, thereby treating consumptive emaciation and expelling wind-induced spasms (by applying roasted meat topically). Frequent consumption promotes hair and beard growth; long-term use strengthens sinews and bones and boosts Qi. In ancient times, when the Yellow Emperor invented the South-pointing chariot, needles were made from the hollow bones of wild goose legs, utilizing their ability to determine North and South. However, these bones were hard to find. Later, people made them from carp brains, as carp nature is specifically rooted in Earth, remaining fixed in direction, thus capable of determining the orientation of water and earth. (Currently, it is also transmitted that boiling rice flowers at noon and lotus flowers at midnight can determine North and South.) When hunting geese, those arriving from the south are thin and inedible; only those returning north are fat and suitable for capture.