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(Song Dynasty *Kaibao Bencao*)

[Names] Wuhui Mu (See below).

[Collected Explanations] Song said: Buhui Mu originates from Shangdang, and is now found in the mountains of Zezhou and Luzhou; it is likely a type of stone. Its color is white, resembling rotten wood, and it does not burn when fired, hence its name. Some say it is the root of Talcum (Huashi), and is found wherever Talcum is produced. It can be harvested at any time.

Zangqi said: To calcine it into ash, one merely needs to chop it open, boil it in cow's milk, and then burn it with yellow cow dung, whereupon it becomes ash.

Shizhen said: Buhui Mu comes in two varieties: wood and stone. The stone variety has a solid and heavy texture; some wrap it in paper, dip it in naphtha oil, and use it as a lamp wick that burns all night without turning to ash. People often use it to make handles for small knives. *Kaishan Tu* states: "Xuwu Mountain produces wood that does not turn to ash and stones that generate fire." This mountain is located northeast of Yutian County, Shuntian Prefecture. *Gengxin Yuce* states: "Buhui Mu is a yin stone. It grows in the southwestern barbarian regions; those from Lizhou and Maozhou are superior, needle-shaped, with complete grain resembling wood, and produce no smoke when burned." These descriptions refer to the stone variety. *Fushen Qidi Ji* states: "Dongwucheng has Shenghuo Mu (Fire-Defeating Wood); this wood survives wild fires unburned, and is called Buhui Mu." Yang Shen's *Danqian Lu* cites *Taiping Huanyu Ji*: "Common people often shape Buhui Mu into ingots; when burned, it turns to charcoal rather than ash, and originates from Jiaozhou."

The variety whose leaves resemble cattail grass is currently bundled by people to serve as torches, called Wannian Huoba (Ten-Thousand-Year Torch). These descriptions refer to the wood variety. Shizhen often obtained such torches, which were made by bundling grass leaves with pine resin or similar materials inside, burning only one or two inches in a single night.

[Flavor and Toxicity] Sweet, extremely cold, non-toxic. Dugu Tao said: It can process mercury, form cinnabar sand, counteract the three yellows (Sanhuang), and contain the five metals.

[Indications] Heat-induced prickly heat sores; mixed with jujube leaves and calcined alum powder, applied externally (*Kaibao Bencao*).

Eliminates vexation, heat, and yang jue (cold extremities due to excessive internal heat) (Shizhen).

[Elucidation] Shizhen said: Although Buhui Mu is cold in nature, it is used alongside various hot herbs to treat yin du (yin toxicity). Liu Hejian's *Xuanming Fang* uses it in Zhenjin Wan (Golden Needle Pill) to treat yang jue with chest and abdominal fullness and pain. This represents the combined use of cold and hot properties to harmonize yin and yang.

[Attached Prescriptions] Four new prescriptions.

For lung heat cough, worsening during sleep: Buhui Mu 1.5 liang, Taiyin Xuanjing Shi 2 liang, Gancao (roasted) 0.5 liang, Beimu 1.5 liang, Tiannanxing (boiled in alum water) 0.5 liang. Grind into powder. Take half a qian each time, washed down with ginger decoction (*Shengji Lu*).

For sore throat and swelling, with five-palm heat: Buhui Mu (calcined red with cow dung) 4 liang, Taiyin Xuanjing Shi (calcined red) 4 liang, Pearl 1 qian.

Grind into powder, pill with rice porridge paste to the size of a Chinese quince seed. Take one pill each time, dissolved and taken with juice of fresh Rehmannia Root (Shengdihuang) and millet rinse water, twice daily (*Shengji Lu*).

For cholera with vexation and fullness, qi rebellion with abdominal distension, and cold extremities: Buhui Mu, Yangqishi (calcined), Asafoetida (Wei) each 0.5 liang, Croton Seed (Baodou, heart removed), Apricot Kernel (Xingren, skin removed) each 25 pieces. Grind into powder, pill with millet rice to the size of a cherry, piercing a hole through each. Take one pill each time, burn on a lamp until smoke ceases, grind to powder, and wash down with rice and ginger decoction, stopping when bowel movement occurs (*Shengji Lu*).

Yin du abdominal pain: Huiyang Dan (Return Yang Pill): Use Buhui Mu (calcined), Oyster Shell (Muli, calcined), Galangal Rhizome (Gaoliangjiang, stir-fried), Aconite Root (Chuan Wutou, processed), White Peony Root (Baishaoyao) each 1 qian. Grind into powder, add a small amount of Moschus (Shexiang). For males, take 1 qian, mix with female saliva, and apply externally to the external genitalia; for females, mix with male saliva and apply to the breasts. Recovery occurs upon sweating (*Yuji Wei Yi*).

[Appendix] Songshi (Pine Stone) Song said: Currently, Chuzhou produces a type of Songshi, resembling pine trunks but actually being stone. Some say old pines transform into stone. People often use it to decorate mountain pavilions or carve it into pillows. Although not used in medicine, it is similar to Buhui Mu, so it is appended here.