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(25 varieties, plus 1 attached)

Produced in Mengmian, over a month's journey from Kunming, Yunnan, this is the sap of a vine. Locals collect this sap, similar to tapping lacquer trees; after filtering, it is deep red, resembling chicken blood, and is of best quality when made into a gelatinous form. Recently, it is also produced in Yunnan Province. Its vines are long and sprawling, covering the ground or cliffs, with a single stem extending for dozens of li. When locals harvest it, they cut the stem with a knife, causing sap to flow out like blood; each stem yields several sheng of sap. It is sold in local shops at an affordable price. The dried product closely resembles goat blood. To verify authenticity, a small amount is dropped into boiling water; if a thread-like stream disperses like chicken blood, it is genuine. *Yunnan Zhi* records: Jixueteng (Spatholobus Stem) is produced in Shunning Prefecture; boiled into a paste, it can treat blood disorders. *Dian You Za Ji* records: In Aduli, Shunning Prefecture, Yunnan, there is a mountain stretching for dozens of li, producing unusual vines. Thick ones resemble cart axles, thin ones resemble reeds, hollow inside like bamboo. When cut, the flowing sap is red as blood, hence the local name Jixueteng (Chicken Blood Vine). Every year on the Dragon Boat Festival, people carry pots and steamers into the mountains to chop and collect them, refining them into a paste. Drinking it soaked in wine greatly tonifies Qi and Blood, especially benefiting the elderly and women; those who do not drink wine can take it dissolved in hot water morning and evening with good effect. (Note: The medicine list published in Shunning states that this is produced at Awu Mountain, Shunning County, Shunning Prefecture. It also states that it is produced at Longtan Qing near Wanmingshan Temple in Aduli Li, recorded in the prefectural gazetteer. There are two types; the one harvested by "Gu Ding" pricking is particularly good. Some grow coiled on the ground, others cling to trees. When felled, they have fine internal pores, the sap solidifies like fat, and those with fragrance when boiled are genuine. Some say: among the two types, the glutinous one is female, and the non-glutinous one is male. Note by Ying Chang.)

It strengthens sinews and bones, relieves soreness and pain, and is most suitable for the elderly when taken with wine. It treats conditions such as Qi and Blood deficiency in the elderly, leading to numbness and paralysis of the hands and feet. For men with deficiency damage resulting in infertility, as well as spermatorrhea and white turbidity; for men and women with cold-pain in the stomach. For women with irregular menstruation, red and white leukorrhea. For women with dry blood consumption (Ganxue Lao), and uterine coldness preventing conception. Lu Xiangxian said: He once saw a woman taking a compound medicine containing this substance; those who had been infertile for many years subsequently gave birth. *Dian Zhi* records: Jixueteng Jiao (Chicken Blood Vine Gel) treats wind-pain and damp-bi syndromes. Its nature activates blood and relaxes sinews. For ailments in the upper body, take after a full meal; for ailments in the lower body, take on an empty stomach with wine. Those who do not drink wine should take it mixed with boiling water. Its color has a slight green tint and possesses a clear fragrance. Taken with wine, it can also promote yang function. You Mingfu (Peilian) stated: This gel is miraculous for treating traumatic injuries. His Grandmother once accidentally sprained her arm, suffering unbearable pain. Treatment with Goat Blood and Sanqi (Notoginseng Root) was largely ineffective. A guest advised taking this gel, washed down with wine in one dose, and the ailment vanished instantly. This shows its nature is swift in moving through the blood level.

Locals in Shunning boil Jixueteng Paste with added medicinal ingredients. During the boiling process, it is taboo for pregnant women to witness it, otherwise it will fail to set; it is indeed a miraculous substance. It governs a hundred diseases, capable of generating, harmonizing, tonifying, and breaking blood; it can also open the seven orifices, traverse the five zang organs, and unblock meridians and collaterals. For treating irregular menstruation in women, modify Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction), using Bazhen Tang (Eight Treasures Decoction) modified with Yuanhusuo (Corydalis Rhizome) as a guiding herb. For women with labor-induced Qi and Blood injury, soreness and pain in sinews and bones, and muscle spasms, use Niuxi (Achyranthes Root), Duzhong (Eucommia Bark), Chenxiang (Agarwood), Guizhi (Cinnamon Twig), Foshou (Buddha's Hand), Gan Mugua (Dried Chaenomeles Fruit), Chuanshanjia (Pangolin Scales), Wujia Pi (Acanthopanax Bark), Sharen (Amomum Fruit), and Huixiang (Fennel) as guiding herbs. For lower intestinal bleeding, take it with decoction of Chun Genpi (Toona Root Bark). For male weakness, use Bawei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) modified as a guide. Taking this gel requires avoiding sour and cold foods.

Governor Gong of Wuhang brought Jixueteng back to his hometown while serving in Yunnan. I saw it personally; its bark was fine and clean, pale yellow. When cut open, the center formed six angular ridges, resembling a chrysanthemum, red in color, surrounded by white. Upon drying, the red parts often protruded two or three fen, forming a red chrysanthemum flower, a truly strange object. It is heard that this vine strongly activates blood, warms the waist and knees, and cures wind-paralysis. In the Wushen year, my eldest son Jingyan was in Xuzhou Prefecture, Sichuan, bordering Zhaotong, Yunnan. I instructed him to seek this vine. The specimen he sent had no difference in external appearance, but the center only showed small red dots and did not protrude upon drying. According to his letter, it was indeed obtained from the mountains of the Jinsha River Tusi (Chieftain), yet it was completely unlike what Governor Gong brought. Could there be two types of this vine? I record this here awaiting verification. In the Xinhai year, I suffered from arm pain in Lin'an. Hu Chunxi, Magistrate of Mingfu, whose eldest son named Shen served in southern Yunnan before returning home, kindly gifted me Jixueteng Jiao. It came in square blocks, varying from one to two taels each. The exterior was coated with shell ash to appear white. Cutting into it revealed a black interior like medicinal plaster gel, claimed effective for wind-paralysis and bi-pain. The outer ash washes off with water. He stated the vine is produced outside Tongbi Pass in Tengyue Zhou, Xinjie jurisdiction, growing throughout valleys. The Xinjie garrison officer annually ordered soldiers to chop and refine it. After gifting superiors and colleagues, the remainder was sold to merchants for trade inland, yielding slight profit for maintenance. The stock he possessed was sold directly from that place. The exterior must be decorated with shell ash to prevent deterioration during long-term storage. Bringing it back to show my son Jingyan, it was entirely different from what he had seen. Jingyan had previously taught at the residence of Sima Bai of Daguan, Zhaotong, where he saw stored Jixueteng Jiao: bright scarlet blocks, resembling red jade, lustrous and lovely. The Jixueteng Jiao gifted by Mr. Hu now has a black interior. Perhaps the color darkened due to age, or perhaps the Xinjie production differs from the Daguan variety. Regrettably, I cannot visit the site personally to verify in detail. I record this here for future scholars to investigate.