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(Song Dynasty *Kaibao Bencao* Record)

[Names] Brain Cover Bone (*Bencao Gangmu*), Immortal Cover (*Bencao Gangmu*), Skull Bone. The *Zhi* book states: This refers to the top bone of a corpse sawed in a cross shape; this is merely a euphemistic name given by practitioners of esoteric arts.

Li Shizhen said: The human head is round like a cover, domed like the sky, and is the Palace of Niwan (the brain), where spirits gather. Daoist cultivators employ the method of "extracting Kan to supplement Li" to restore pure Yang (Qian trigram). When the sacred embryo is fully formed, they open the cranial fontanelle for the spirit to enter and exit, hence the names Tianlinggai (Heavenly Spirit Cover) and others.

[Preparation] Zangqi said: Those that are thoroughly decayed are best. Take a piece about three fingers wide, and smolder it with ash fire for one night. Once the fishy and foul odor is gone, boil it in a porcelain pot using urine from an intact boy for one shichen (two hours), then strain it out. Dig a pit one chi deep under the eaves, place the bone inside for one shichen, so that the spiritual essence of the medicine returns to its miraculous state. Yang utilizes Yin, and Yin utilizes Yang. Hao Gu said: Practitioners sometimes wash it with Tanxiang decoction (Sandalwood Decoction), roast it with Su (animal fat or clarified butter), or burn it until only its nature remains (Cunxing). Male bones are not red, while female bones are red, which distinguishes them.

[Flavor and Properties] Salty, neutral, non-toxic. Li Shizhen said: Toxic.

[Indications] Treats Chuanshen (consumptive disease such as tuberculosis), Shizhu (infectious phthisis), Guiqi Fulian (lingering illness resembling possession), Jiu zhang laonue (chronic malaria leading to consumptive weakness), and cases with irregular chills and fever. Burn it until black, grind into fine powder, and take with plain water. It can also be made into pills or powders (*Kaibao Bencao*). Treats Feiwei (pulmonary fibrosis/atrophy), fatigue and emaciation, bone-steaming tidal fever, and night sweats; use after roasting with Su (*Daming Bencao*). Resolves cold qi accumulated in the Heart meridian (*Bencao Quandu*).

[Elucidation] Yang Shiying said: Tianlinggai treats Shizhu. Shizhu is ghostly qi. It lies dormant without rising, causing lingering缠绵 (entanglement). Using the occipital bone of a dry corpse to treat it causes the soul's qi to fly away and no longer attach to humans, thus achieving recovery. Chen Cheng said: In the *Shennong Benjing*, within the Human category, only Hair (Famen) appears. The rest originate from later physicians or exorcists, representing strange theories. Recently, I have seen physicians using Tianlinggai to treat Chuanshen disease, with zero efficacy. It is cruel and damages the divine spirit, certainly not the intention of a benevolent person. If there are alternatives, a benevolent person should strive to find them. If absolutely unavoidable, one should select bones that are old, soaked and rotten, and completely devoid of corpse qi.

[Attached Formulas] Eleven new formulas.

Tianlinggai San (Heavenly Spirit Cover Powder): Used to pursue and eliminate Laochong (labor worms/pathogenic factors). Tianlinggai two finger-widths large (washed with Tanxiang decoction, roasted with Su, while chanting seven times: "Lei Gong Shen, Dian Mu Sheng; Feng Chuanshen, Bian Xu Ding; Ji Ji Ru Lü Ling"), Jian Binglang (Areca Seed) five pieces, Awei (Asafoetida) 2 fen, Shexiang (Musk) 3 fen, Chensha (Cinnabar) 1 fen, Anxi Xiang (Benzoin) 3 fen, Gansui (Kansui Root) 3 fen. Grind into powder. Take 3 qian per dose. Use four sheng of child urine, put in a silver or ceramic vessel, add fourteen stems of Congbai (Scallion White) and Xiebai (Allium Macrostemon), two handfuls of Qinghao (Artemisia Annua), two stems of Gancao (Licorice Root, 5 cun long), two handfuls each of Taozhi (Peach Twig), Liuzhi (Willow Twig), Sangzhi (Mulberry Twig), and Suanliuzhi (Pomegranate Twig, 7 cun long). Decoct together until one sheng remains. Divide into three cups. At the beginning of Wugeng (3-5 AM), mix with the previous medicine and take one dose. If the worms do not pass, wait until a person walks ten li, then take another dose. Take again at dawn. The expelled worms vary in shape and name; catch them quickly and fry them in oil. Worms with green-red-yellow mouths are treatable; those with black-white mouths are difficult to treat, but transmission can still be cut off. Before preparation, one must fast and purify oneself in a distant clean room. Do not let the patient smell the medicine, nor allow chickens, dogs, cats, mourners, women, or any unclean objects to see it. After the worms pass, replenish with white rice porridge. After several days, dreaming of people crying farewell is a sign of efficacy (*Shangqing Ziting Xianfang*).

Deficiency and Bone-Steaming Fever: *Qianjin Fang*: Use Tianlinggai the size of a comb, roast until yellow, add five sheng of water, boil down to two sheng, divide into three doses. It is a miraculous formula that revives the dead. Zhang Wenzhong's *Beiji Fang*: Use human skull bone (roasted) 3 liang, Shexiang (Musk) 10 liang. Grind into powder, mix with honey, pound for a thousand strokes, and form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take seven pills per dose, with rice drink, twice daily. If blue veins appear on the chest, prick with a needle to check blood color; if not black, it heals in seven days.

Pediatric Bone-Steaming, Emaciation, and Restlessness: Tianlinggai (roasted with Su) and Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) in equal parts. Grind into powder. Take half a qian per dose, with rice drink, twice daily (*Shenghui Fang*).

Various Malaria Chills and Fevers: Tianlinggai ground into powder, taken with water in a "yi zi" amount, effective (*Puji Fang*).

Diaphragmatic Qi and Anorexia: Seven pieces of Tianlinggai. For each piece, place 49 Black Beans between layers, seal tightly, and process through fire and water cycles until it turns the color of a bayberry. Cool and remove, discard beans, grind into powder. Take 1 qian per dose, with warm wine (*Sunshi Jixiao Fang*).

Blindness (Qingmang): Tianlinggai (roasted with Su) and Longdan (Gentianae Radix) each 2 liang, Bailongnao (Borneol) 1 qian. Grind into powder. Take 5 sheng of Black Beans, wash cleanly, boil until soft, filter juice, reduce to a syrup, mix with medicine, and form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take 20 pills with warm water, three times daily. Frequently wash head and face with fresh well water. First, have the patient bathe and shave the hair on the crown of the head. Keep in a quiet room, allowing no light day or night, for 100 days. Strictly avoid mutton blood mixed with meat, wind-moving and stagnating hot foods, anger, joy, and sexual intercourse (*Shenghui Fang*).

Inverted Pox (Douchuang Xianfu): Pox ashes are flat and not growing, with irritability and rapid breathing. Use Tianlinggai burned and ground, taken with wine, 3 fen (one variation adds Xionghuang (Realgar) 2 fen). The pox will naturally rise and erupt (*Douzhen Jingyan Fang*).

Lower Body Chan Sores: Tianlinggai ground into powder. First wash with Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex) decoction, then apply powder. Effect is miraculous. Another variation adds Honghe Xiaohongzao (Red Small Dates) in equal parts, burn and grind together (*Liu Shi Jingyan Fang*).

Wet and Ulcerated Sores: Human top bone (burned and ground) 2 qian, Longgu (Fossil Bones) 3 qian, Jinsu Huang (Gold-thread Sulfur) 1 qian. Grind into powder. Dry winter radish sprouts in shade, decoct with water to wash the area, then apply (*Liu Songshi Baoshou Tang Fang*).

Pediatric White Baldness (Tinea Capitis): Soybeans and Skull bones burned to ash in equal parts. Mix with lard from the twelfth lunar month and apply (*Yao Sengt'an Jiyang Fang*).