Library

Yu Jiashi's Miaoying Prescription: Treats *pi kuai* (abdominal masses). Collect the dew from the tips of glutinous rice plants after the White Dew solar term in August. Take two doses in the evening; upon ingestion, the masses will dissipate immediately.

Note: All herbs and trees require heavenly dew to become moistened. Only rice, when it reaches the You hour (5 PM–7 PM), sees its root moisture gradually rise, reaching the leaf tips at night, and returning to the roots by dawn. Therefore, on nights without dew, rice leaves remain uniquely moist. This aligns with Chen Cuixu’s verse: "A few drops of pearl dew, who carries them up to the rice flower heads?"

Clouds are formed from the vaporization of mountain and marsh qi; they belong to the Water category. Thus, they are classified under the Water section. Clouds come in five colors; only white clouds can treat diseases. Tang Shoushi stated: "All high mountains and great rivers have cloud qi; the Five Sacred Mountains produce much cloud." Shan once collected cloud qi to offer to guests. His method for collecting clouds was as follows: use a gold-lacquered box with a hole drilled in the lid, plugged with wood. Wait for clear weather, go to the rocksides of the mountain at dawn, and look for white clouds on the ground that resemble threads or bamboo shoots emerging from the soil; these are "cloud seedlings." Quickly place the box cover over the hole to capture the qi, filling the box completely, then plug the mouth with wood. One must collect white clouds that are snow-white in color and possess a fragrance like plum blossoms and orchids to be suitable for use. Other mixed-color clouds often carry grassy or earthy odors; black clouds are particularly fishy and may contain monstrous elements, making them unsuitable for collection in boxes. The method for releasing cloud qi: select a clean room with windows on all four sides, paste paper over the openings to prevent leakage, then place the cloud box in the center of the room and remove the plug. The cloud qi will naturally emerge, drifting gracefully and dispersing, surrounding the space with fragrance. It can awaken the spleen, soothe liver depression, harmonize meridians, and inspire thoughts of transcending the mundane world.

Treats *ya zhang* (aphonic miasma). Yu Dan'an said: In the mountainous regions of Yunnan and Guangdong, there is a type of miasma that causes individuals to lose their voice permanently, known as aphonic miasma. Merely inhaling the scent of white clouds over time will naturally draw the toxin out of the body, leading to complete recovery.

For *xue gu* (blood distension) and edema, inhaling cloud qi leads to gradual resolution.

Ku Jian (Bitter Alkali) is non-toxic. It treats severe heat, eliminates thirst and irritability, expels pathogenic factors and downward-disperses gu poison, softens the skin, removes damp-heat, resolves phlegm, and grinds down accumulations and greasy deposits. However, excessive consumption damages the human body. (*Shi Zuan*)

*Bencao Gangmu* mentions Yan Dan Shui (Salt Gall Water), which is the bitter brine obtained by leaching salt that has already been fired, also known as Lu Shui (Brine). This refers to brine extracted from saline land for the purpose of firing salt, which is different from Yan Dan Shui.