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(Cited from *Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao*)

[Names] Quan (Spring/Money), Kong Fang Xiong (Brother Square Hole), Shang Qing Tong Zi (Pure Youth Boy, cited from *Ben Cao Gang Mu*), Qing Fu.

Li Shizhen stated: The book *Guanzi* records that Yu the Great used metal from Lishan to cast currency to relieve people's distress; this marks the beginning of money. During the Zhou Dynasty, the Duke of Zhou established the Nine Offices Currency Law. The currency was round with a square hole inside, weighed in units of zhu, and circulated widely, resembling flowing water; hence it was called "Quan" (Spring). It later evolved into "Qian" (Money). Lu Bao wrote in *Qian Shen Lun* (Discourse on the Spirit of Money): "It is a divine treasure of the world, loved like a brother, named Kong Fang." Legend has it that there was a spirit of money calling itself "Shang Qing Tong Zi." Applying the blood of Qing Fu insects to mother-and-child coins is described in the Insect section.

[Collection and Explanation] Su Song said: In casting copper objects, tin is often alloyed. The *Kaogong Ji* (Artificers' Record) states that artisans working with metals use six specific alloys. Medicinal ancient coins and bronze crossbow triggers contain tin, so their medicinal properties are similar.

Kou Zongshi said: Ancient coins have scorched red copper which is toxic and can corrode flesh, not merely because they contain tin. This view is incorrect. One should select coins such as Da Quan Wu Shi and Bao Huo from King Jing of Zhou, Ban Liang from Qin, Jia Qian and Da/Xiao Wu Zhu from Han, Da Quan Wu Bai and Da Qian Dang Qian from Wu, Si Zhu and Er Zhu from Song, and Si Zhu and Chang Ping Wu Zhu from Liang and Northern Qi for medicinal use.

Li Shizhen said: Ancient coins over five hundred years old can be used. The Kai Yuan Tong Bao cast by Emperor Gaozu of Tang, being moderate in weight and size, is particularly valued throughout history. Qi Wu Shi in *Qian Shen Lun* stated: Gold is the father, silver is the mother, lead is the eldest son, and tin is the legitimate wife. Their nature is hard and rigid, requiring water for final shaping; the round shape corresponds to Heaven, and the square hole corresponds to Earth. This is the method of casting coins. Casting coins during the Sanfu (Dog Days) results in unclear melt, commonly called "Lu Dong" (Furnace Freeze), due to Fire overcoming Metal. Tang people casting mirrors in river centers on Dragon Boat Festival followed this principle.

[Flavor and Properties] Pungent, Neutral, Toxic.

Li Shizhen said: When chewed together with walnuts, they crumble easily, demonstrating mutual restriction.

[Indications] Treats eye cataracts and obstructions, improves vision, treats wind-heat red eyes (soaked in salt brine). Boiling Da Qing Qian (Large Green Coins) and drinking the juice unblocks the five types of Lin syndrome (dysuria); grinding into juice and applying to eyes treats blindness and redness; boiling with Yiyi Gen (Coix Root) stops heart and abdominal pain (Chen Cangqi).

[Elucidation] Kou Zongshi said: Ancient coins are toxic; they treat eye obstructions and stasis by corroding bad flesh, and are used for difficult labor and Lin syndrome. I once suffered from red, swollen, painful eyes for days. A guest taught me to take a piece of ginger, peel it, and scrape juice using an ancient bronze coin to apply to the eyes. It was initially bitter, causing tears to flow, but caused no harm. Later patients doubted this advice, but those who trusted it were cured instantly without needing repetition. However, it should not be used for open sores.

Li Shizhen said: Chewing two or three walnuts can eliminate Bi Du (groin abscesses). Bi Du belongs to the Liver meridian; this treatment uses Metal (coin) to subdue Wood (Liver).

[Attached Prescriptions] One old prescription, twenty-one new prescriptions.

Shi Qi (Seasonal Miasma) critical condition: 100 large coins boiled in one dou of water until reduced to eight sheng. Add three fen of Moschus powder. Drink slowly until finished; cure occurs via vomiting or purging (*Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang*).

Seasonal warm disease with headache, high fever, and large pulse, on the first day: 157 Bi Lun coins boiled in one dou of water until seven sheng remain. Drink the decoction.

Subsequently, add five sheng of water, boil again to obtain one sheng, mix with the previous three sheng. Remove coins and drink the liquid; toxins will be vomited out (*Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang*).

Heart and abdominal fullness/distress and chest/hypochondriac pain nearing death: 20 Bi Lun coins boiled in five sheng of water until three sheng remain. Divide into three doses (*Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang*).

Acute Heart Qi Pain: One ancient coin (crushed) and three large walnuts stir-fried hot. Mix with one bowl of vinegar and drink (*Yang Cheng Jing Yan Fang*).

Huo Luan with muscle spasms: 49 bronze coins, one liang of Chaenomelis Fructus (Qua Mu), five fried Semen Pruni Mume (Wu Mei). Decoct in two zhan of water and take warm in divided doses (*Sheng Ji Lu*).

Slow Spleen Convulsion (Man Pi Jing Feng), miraculous for phlegm: Use Kai Yuan Tong Bao coins with two crescent marks on the back, pale black in color and small. Place one on an iron spoon, heat edges and top with charcoal until beads form. Cool, pour into a cup. Take as one dose with Nan Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix) decoction or Ren Shen (Ginseng) decoction. Although coins resolve phlegm, they are harsh on the Stomach, so Mu Xiang assists (*Yang Ren Zhai Zhi Zhi Fang*).

Continuous Hematochezia: 400 large ancient coins boiled in three sheng of wine until two sheng remain. Divide into three doses (*Pu Ji Fang*).

Red and White Leukorrhea: 40 copper coins boiled in four sheng of wine until two sheng remain. Divide into three doses (*Qian Jin Fang*).

Qi Lin (Gas Dysuria): 300 Bi Lun coins boiled in one dou of water until three sheng remain. Take warm (*Qian Jin Fang*).

Sha Shi Lin (Sand/Stone Dysuria) pain: Ancient coins, decoct and drink juice (*Pu Ji Fang*).

Water-injury wheezing due to cold drinks and fright in youth: Seven ancient coins (washed) and seven white plums soaked in one zhong of water for three nights. Sip empty stomach; induce vomiting for effect (*Ren Cun Fang*).

Lip swelling, blackness, pain, unbearable itching: Grind four large coins on stone with pig fat juice and apply. Cured in a few applications (*You You Xin Shu*).

Heat sores in mouth: Twenty green coins heated red and thrown into wine. Drink immediately for cure (Chen Cangqi *Ben Cao*).

Red eyes with sores, chronic: One ancient coin and one Qing Jiang Stone. Clean stone, grind honey with coin on stone. Take 3-4 drops thick juice in a cup, cover with tile, moxa-burn tile interior seven times to fumigate honey. Apply drop to eye (*Pu Ji Fang*).

Red eyes with floating cataract: One ancient coin and one cun-bi of salt. Grind, sieve, and apply to eye (*Qian Jin Fang*).

Sudden blindness: Grind coin on stone to make juice, instill into eye (*Pu Ji Fang*).

Pearl tube and skin cataract in eyes: One liang of verdigris from copper coins, half liang of fine ink. Powderize, make pills with vinegar size of white beans. Soak one pill in milk and fresh water, apply to eye (*Sheng Hui Fang*).

Axillary osmidrosis: Ten ancient coins strung with iron wire, burned red, quenched in vinegar ten times. Mix with powdered Moschus and apply (*Ying Ji Liang Fang*).

Traumatic injury: Five Ban Liang coins (quenched in vinegar 49 times), five qian of Tian Gua Zi (Benedictae Semen), two qian of Zhen Zhu (Margarita). Powderize. Take one zi dose mixed with good wine, according to location, before or after meals (*Qing Nang*).

Accidental swallowing of iron coin: Ten ancient copper coins and ten white plum meats. Soak until soft, pound into pills size of mung beans. Swallow one pill with running water; coin will be expelled (*Sheng Ji Lu*).

Insects entering ear: Fourteen green coins fried in two he of lard. Drip sparingly into ear (*Sheng Ji Lu*).

Early stage Bi Du: See [Elucidation].