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(Recorded in the Lower Grade of *Shennong Bencao Jing*)

[Collected Commentaries] Tao Hongjing stated: The "Six Livestock" refers to cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, chickens, and dogs. Regarding treatment, it is not necessary to limit oneself to these alone.

Li Shizhen stated: This is a single item from *Shennong Bencao Jing*; I retain it here for the sake of historical record.

[Properties and Flavor] Salty, neutral, toxic.

[Indications] Gui Zhu Gu Du (ghostly fixation and gu poison, referring to chronic consumptive diseases caused by evil spirits or parasites), cold and heat with fright and epilepsy (sudden chills and fever accompanied by convulsions), mania and wild running (mental derangement with frenzied behavior). Camel hair is particularly effective (*Shennong Bencao Jing*).

(Recorded in *Bencao Gangmu*)

[Collected Commentaries] Li Shizhen stated: Ancient prescriptions often used the hearts of the six livestock to treat heart diseases, following the principle of treating like with like. However, there are also theories stating that the shock energy from slaughter enters the heart, and anger enters the liver; furthermore, there are sayings such as "eating various animal hearts damages the human heart" and "eating various animal livers damages the human liver," which contradict the former view.

[Indications] Mental confusion and forgetfulness, pain due to heart deficiency, palpitations, fear, and bewilderment (added by Li Shizhen).

[Attached Prescriptions] Two new prescriptions.

For Forgetfulness: When the heart orifices are blocked and confused, leading to frequent forgetting and errors. Take the hearts of cattle, horses, pigs, chickens, sheep, and dogs, dry them, and grind them into powder. Consume one fangcun bi (a square-inch measure) with wine facing the sun, three times a day, to achieve the ability to understand ten points from hearing one (*Waitai Miyao*).

For Ascariasis Heartache: Use the hearts of the six livestock, cut raw into four pieces, score them longitudinally and transversely, place Cinnabar (or Realgar, Musk) inside, and swallow on an empty stomach in the morning. The disease will be cured once the worms die (*Jiyan Fang*).

(Recorded in *Shiyi*)

Cattle with a single liver; black cattle with white heads; cattle or horses dying from carbuncles; sheep with a single horn; black sheep with white heads; pig or sheep hearts/livers with holes; horses growing horns; white-headed sheep with black heads; black meat under horse saddles; horse liver; white horses with black heads; livestock dying naturally with heads facing north; horses lacking night vision; white horses with cyan hooves; livestock dying naturally with mouths unclosed; dog meat; dogs with red feet; rice-grain-like spots in the flesh of various livestock; beasts with joined heads; green livers in birds and beasts; beasts dying from poisoned arrows; jerky contaminated by roof leaks; jerky stored in rice jars; livestock meat where hot blood does not stop flowing; sacrificial meat moving spontaneously; various meats left overnight without cooking; five internal organs of livestock becoming alive after touching grass; livestock meat changing color when exposed to salt or vinegar; meat that fails to cook thoroughly; cooked meat that does not contract water; livestock meat falling to the ground without picking up dust; meat floating in water; meat juice stored in closed containers causing stifling air; livestock meat and dog meat together, refused by dogs; milk and cheese fried with minced meat.

Various animal hearts damage the human heart; various animal brains damage yang qi causing spermatorrhea; the spleen of the six livestock should never be eaten throughout life; various animal livers damage the human liver; various animal bloods ruin human blood and damage yang qi; stinky jerky from summer causes impotence in痿人 (men with sexual dysfunction) and leads to edema; rotting fish and spoiled meat; burning oils from various animals in lamps damages eyesight; eating meat of one's zodiac year disturbs the soul and spirit; do not eat liver in spring; do not eat heart in summer; do not eat lung in autumn; do not eat kidney in winter; do not eat spleen in all four seasons.