Library

(Shu Bencao)

[Names] Xiashé Gui (Snake-swallowing Turtle, written as "Jiashé" in Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao), Ling Gui.
Li Gong said: The Yang turtle's abdomen is broken; when it sees a snake, it swallows and eats it, hence the Chu people call it Xiashé Gui. The Jiangdong region calls it Ling Gui because it dwells in hilly areas.
Li Shizhen said: Since it is named after swallowing snakes, then "She" is also a phonetic shift of "She" (snake), and " " is also a phonetic shift of "Yang".

[Collection and Explanation] Tao Hongjing said: Yang refers to small turtles, found everywhere. They are narrow and long-tailed. Used for divination of good or bad fortune.
Kou Zongshi said: She Gui has a small abdomen, a transverse break in the center, can open and close itself, and likes to eat snakes.

Meat
[Flavor and Nature] Sweet, Cold, Toxic.
Meng Shen said: This creature eats snakes; its meat is inedible, and its shell is not suitable for use.

[Therapeutic Actions] Freshly ground and applied externally to treat tendon and vessel injuries from falls and blows (Shi Liang). Freshly mashed and applied to treat snake bites, because it feeds on snakes (Tao Hongjing).

Tail
[Therapeutic Actions] Wearing it repels snakes. For snakebites, scrape the powder from the tail and apply it topically, leading to recovery (Baopuzi).

Shell
[Therapeutic Actions] For human bite wounds that have ulcerated and rotted, burn to ash and apply topically (Li Shizhen. From Zhai Xuan Fang).

(Pronounced Ben. Gangmu)

[Names] Sanzu Gui (Three-legged Turtle, Erya).

[Collection and Explanation] Li Shizhen said: According to Shan Hai Jing: Kuang River flows southwest into Yi River, where there are many three-legged turtles.
(Text fragment missing: "Yi yi zhong"). Tang Shu records: Jiangzhou presented six-eyed turtles. Da Ming Hui Dian records: Siam presented six-footed turtles. Song Shi records: Zhao Ting presented two-headed...

Meat
[Flavor and Nature]
[Therapeutic Actions] Eating it repels epidemic diseases and reduces swelling (Shan Hai Jing).

(Ben Jing, Middle Grade)

[Names] Tuan Yu (Common Name), Shenshou (Divine Guardian). (Li Shizhen said: Because the softshell turtle walks with a stumbling gait, it is called Bie. Huainanzi says: The turtle has no ears but guards the spirit. Hence the name Shenshou. Lu Tian said: When fish reach 3,600, dragons lead them to fly; placing a turtle to guard prevents disaster. Thus the turtle is named Shenshou.) Hebo Congshi (River God's Attendant, Gujin Zhu).

[Collection and Explanation] Li Shizhen said: Bie is a type of carapace-bearing insect/animal. It lives in water and on land, with a convex back connected to ribs, similar to turtles. It has fleshy skirts around the four edges, hence the saying: "Gui" means shell outside, meat inside; "Bie" means meat outside, shell inside. It has no ears and hears with its eyes. It is purely female without males, pairing with snakes and large softshell turtles. Thus Wan Bi Shu says: Burning the fat of Yuan can attract Bie. They reproduce in summer through shadow mating. Pi Ya says: Eggs hatch thinking of embracing. Their shape turns with the sun's shadow. In water, clouds must be above, said to be the essence of dried water. It fears mosquitoes. A live Bie dies if bitten by a mosquito; a dead Bie rots if boiled with mosquitoes; yet those who fumigate mosquitoes reuse Bie shells. Such mutual retaliation is strange! Huainanzi says: Fat kills Bie; this is inherent incompatibility that cannot be deduced.

Bie Jia (Softshell Turtle Shell)
[Processing] Bie Lu says: Bie Jia grows in the ponds and marshes of Danyang. Collection time is unrestricted.
Su Song says: Currently...
Tao Hongjing says: Upon collection, fresh raw shells are unusable.
Chen Cangqi says: For use, select green, nine-ribbed, skirt-rich, weighing seven liang as superior grade. Fix the bottom of a bottle with Liu Yi Ni (Six-One Mud), prop up the shell. If treating mass-fixation heart-calming medicines, add first-run vinegar to the bottle, boil over high fire until three sheng of vinegar remains. If treating consumptive heat-clearing medicines, do not use vinegar; use child's urine, boil until one dou two sheng of urine remains, then remove the skirt and keep the bone, pound into powder in a stone mortar, wrap in chicken skin, take...
Li Shizhen said: According to Weisheng Baojian: Generally... using lacquer is better. Mulberry wood ash is especially excellent.

[Flavor and Nature] Salty, Neutral, Non-toxic.
Xu Zhicai said: Adversely affected by Mingfan (Alum Stone) and Lishi (Calcite).

[Therapeutic Actions] Epigastric and abdominal masses (Zhijia), hard accumulations with alternating cold and fever, removing痞疾 (痞疾 - stagnation diseases) and polyps, genital erosion, hemorrhoids, and foul flesh (Ben Jing). Treats warm malaria, blood masses, lower back pain, hardness under the hypochondrium in children (Bie Lu). Retained food, mass formations, obstruction, promotes Qi descent, leukorrhea of five colors in women, expels stasis (Zhen Quan). Traumatic blood stasis (Ri Hua). Tonifies Yin and Qi (Zhenheng). Removes chronic malaria, malarial spleen enlargement (Nuomu), Yin toxicity abdominal pain, relapse due to fatigue or diet, irritability and panting from pox, pediatric convulsions. Menstrual obstruction, difficult labor, postpartum uterine prolapse, male genital ulcers and strangury, consolidates ulcerating carbuncles (Li Shizhen).

[Elucidation] Kou Zongshe said: Ben Jing does not mention treating consumption; only Yaoxing Lun mentions treating consumption emaciation and bone heat, so it is often used for deficiency consumption. However, it is well-founded, just do not overdose.
Li Shizhen said: Bie Jia is a medicine entering the Blood aspect of the Jueyin Liver Meridian, as the Liver governs Blood. Consider this: Turtles and Softshell Turtles each have specific therapeutic focuses. Bie is green and enters the Liver, thus governing malaria, consumptive fevers, masses, convulsions, menstrual disorders, carbuncles, and genital ulcers—all Jueyin Blood aspect diseases. Dai Mao enters the Heart, thus governing wind-heat palpitations, mania from cold damage, pox toxins, and swelling—all Shaoyin Blood aspect diseases. Qin Gui is yellow and enters the Spleen, thus governing stubborn wind-damp bi syndrome, heavy body, and gu poison—all Taiyin Blood aspect diseases. Water Turtle is black and enters the Kidney, thus governing Yin deficiency, essence weakness, lower back and leg...

[Attached Prescriptions] Twelve old, seven new.
Chronic Malaria / Consumptive Malaria: Use Bie Jia roasted with vinegar and powdered, taken with wine in a fangcun bi dose. Take once the night before, once early morning, once at onset; all are cured. Adding a little Xionghuang is better (Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang).
Ben Tun Qi Pain, Qi rushing to chest and abdomen: Bie Jia (vinegar-roasted) 3 liang, Jing Sanleng (roasted) 2 liang, pounded to powder. Taoren (skin and tip removed) 4 liang, soaked in water, pounded for juice (3 sheng), decocted to 2 sheng. Add powder while stirring constantly, decoct for a long time, add 1 sheng vinegar, decoct to syrup consistency, store in a bottle. Take half a spoonful with warm wine on an empty stomach (Sheng Ji Zong Lu).
Blood Masses / Mass Formations: Zhen Quan said: Use equal parts Bie Jia, Hupo, and Dahuang made into powder, taken with wine, 2 qian. Stasis will pass shortly. If blood in the small intestine of women is fully expelled...
Mass Accumulation: Zhen Quan said: Use Bie Jia vinegar-roasted yellow and powdered, mixed with 1 he of cow milk, take one spoonful every morning.
Women's Leukorrhea: Zhen Quan said: Bie Jia vinegar-roasted and powdered, taken with clear wine, fangcun bi dose, twice daily. Also use Ganjiang, Bie Jia, Helilepi in equal parts, powdered...
Difficult Labor: Bie Jia burned to retain nature, powdered. Taken with wine, fangcun bi dose, delivers immediately (Mei Shi).
Relapse due to Fatigue or Diet: After severe illness begins, suffering from fatigue/diet injury causing relapse near death. Bie Jia burned and powdered, taken with water, fangcun bi dose (Zhou Hou Fang).
Pediatric Epilepsy: Roast and powder Bie Jia, taken with milk, 1 qian, twice daily. Can also be made into honey pills (Zimu Mi Lu).
Sudden Lower Back Pain Unable to Bend or Straighten: Roast and powder Bie Jia, taken with wine, fangcun bi dose, twice daily (Zhou Hou Fang).
Sand-Stone Strangury Pain: Nine-rib Bie Jia vinegar-roasted and powdered, taken with wine, fangcun bi dose, three times daily. Cured when stones pass (Zhou Hou Fang).
Yin Deficiency Nocturnal Emission: Nine-rib Bie Jia burned and powdered. Use one zi amount, decoct with half cup wine, half cup child's urine, and seven cun scallion white. Remove scallion, take at dusk. Cured when foul sweat appears (Yi Lei Yuan Rong).
Unremitting Hematemesis: Bie Jia, Gafen each 1 liang (stir-fried together until yellow), Shudihuang 1.5 liang (sun-dried). Powdered. Take 2 qian after meals with tea (Sheng Ji Zong Lu).
Pox Irritability and Panting with Dysuria: Use Bie Jia 2 liang, Dengxin 1 bundle, water 1.5 sheng, decoct to 6 he, divide into two doses. Those with hematuria in this condition are deteriorating. Black lesions without pus, ten...
Carbuncles and Ulcers Not Healing: Regardless of back carbuncles or any sores. Burn Bie Jia to retain nature, powder...
Intestinal Abscess Internal Pain: Bie Jia burned to retain nature, powdered, taken with water, 1 qian, three times daily (Chuan Xin Fang).
Ulcers on Glans Penis Untreatable by Others: One Bie Jia burned and powdered, mixed with egg white for topical application (Qian Jin Yi Fang).
Lip Tightness and Fissures: Burn Bie Jia and head to powder, apply (Lei Yao).
Human Bite Finger Rotting, Long-term Desiccation: Bie Jia burned to ash, apply (Ye Shi Zhai Xuan Fang).

Meat
[Flavor and Nature] Sweet, Neutral, Non-toxic.
Su Song said: Long-term consumption causes cold damage to the body.
Chen Cangqi said: Liji says "remove ugliness when eating Bie," referring to the cartilage under the neck shaped like a turtle. Eating it causes edema. Any Bie with three legs, red feet, single eye, non-retractable head/feet, sunken eyes, characters 'Wang' or 'Bu' on belly, snake patterns on belly (snake transformation), or living on mountains (named Han Bie) are toxic and kill humans; do not eat.
Tao Hongjing said: Do not eat with eggs or Amaranth. Once someone chopped Bie, wrapped it with red amaranth, placed it in a damp place, and after ten days it became a live Bie. Another case: Bie shell fragments wrapped, after five months became a Bie.
Sun Simiao said: Do not eat with pork, rabbit, or duck meat; damages the body. Do not eat with mustard seeds; raw...
Li Shizhen said: Case: Sanyuan Canzan Shu states: Bie is cold-natured, induces edema. Those with cold consumption qi or masses should not eat it. Shengsheng Bian states: Bie is hot-natured. Dai Yuanli states: Bie's Yang gathers in the upper shell; long-term consumption causes back carbuncles. This seems contrary to cold nature... The nature is not originally hot; eating it with too much pepper, ginger, and other hot foods loses its true nature. Bie fears scallion and mulberry ash. When eating Bie, take small Shahe river Bie, decapitate and drain blood, cook thoroughly in mulberry ash water, remove bones/shell, change water and boil again. Add scallion and soy sauce to make soup/dish, which is good. Its gall is spicy; break it into soup to replace pepper and remove fishy smell. Li Jiuhua said: Bie meat gathers, Bie Jia disperses. When eating Bie, add a little crushed shell to balance. Also says: Mint boiled with Bie harms humans. These are unknown to people.

[Therapeutic Actions] Nourishes the middle, benefits Qi, supplements insufficiency (Bie Lu). Heat-type damp-bi, intense heat in abdomen, cooked with five flavors, slightly... (Chen Cangqi).
Women's leukorrhea of five colors, emaciation, suitable for regular consumption (Meng Shen). Women's vaginal discharge, blood masses, lower back pain (Ri Hua). Remove... deficiency. Long-term consumption makes it cold (Su Song). Tonifies Yin (Zhenheng).
Make porridge to treat chronic dysentery, promote growth of beard/mustache. Make pills to treat consumption masses and gout (Li Shizhen).

[Attached Prescriptions] Three new.
Mass Formation: Use one large Bie, Douce Sand (silkworm excrement) 1 dou, Mulberry Ash 1 dou, leach juice five times, cook together until mud-like, remove bones, cook again into paste, pound into pills size of wutong seeds. Take 10 pills, three times daily (Sheng Hui Fang).
Cold-Damp Gout, Vinegar... Half jin each, decoct to 7 sheng, strain. Steam in basin, soak when warm, miraculous effect (Qiankun Shengyi).
Bone-steaming Cough with Tidal Fever: Tuan Yu Wan: Use one Tuan Yu, Chaihu, Qianhu, Beimu, Zhimu, Xingren each 5 qian, cook together. When cooked, remove bones, shell, skirt, cook again. Eat meat and drink broth. Dry remaining herbs, powder, mix with broth from bones/shell/skirt, pill size of wutong seeds. Take 30 pills with yellow wine on empty stomach, twice daily. After finishing, regulate with Ginseng and Astragalus medicines (Qi Xiao Fang).

Fat
[Therapeutic Actions] Removes daily growing white hair; apply fat into follicle, hair will not grow. To regrow, apply white dog milk.

Head (Air-dried)
[Therapeutic Actions] Burned to ash, treats various pediatric diseases, postpartum female genital... (Ri Hua).

[Attached Prescriptions] One old, two new.
Pediatric Corpse Transmission Consumption Emaciation, intermittent cold/fever: One Bie head burned to ash, taken with fresh drawn water, half qian, once daily (Sheng Hui Fang).
Postpartum Uterine Prolapse: Qian Jin: Five Bie heads burned and powdered, taken with well-water, fangcun bi dose, three times daily. Lu Yan adds Genki 2 liang, taken with wine. Powder applied to rectal head (Qian Jin).

Head Blood
[Therapeutic Actions] Apply to rectal prolapse (from Zhen Quan). Wind invading vessels, facial paralysis.

[Elucidation] Li Shizhen said: According to Qian Jin Fang: Eye twitching, lip movement, mouth deviation, all caused by wind invading vessels, urgently treat with Xiao Xuming Tang orally. Externally, use Bie blood or cockcomb blood, mixed with Fulonggan powder for application. Reapply when dry, very effective. Bie blood's nature contracts quickly and moves blood... Rectal prol disease.

[Attached Prescriptions] Two new.
Wind-stroke Mouth Deviation: Mix Bie blood with Aconite powder, apply. Remove once corrected (Zhou Hou Fang).
Pediatric Gan Consumption: Treats tidal fever, restlessness in five centers, night sweats, cough. Main treatment is Bie Blood Pills.
Huanglian, Huyuelian each 2 liang (soak overnight in 1 cup Bie blood, 1 liang Wuzhuyu, stir-fry dry, remove Wuzhuyu, powder with blood). Add Chaihu, Chuanxiong, Wuyi each 1 liang, Renshen 0.5 liang, Shijunzi kernels 21, powder. Paste with millet flour, pill size of millet seeds. Take appropriate dose with warm water, three times daily (Quanyou Xin Jian).

Egg
[Therapeutic Actions] Salt-preserved and baked/roasted, stops pediatric dysentery (Li Shizhen).

Claw
[Therapeutic Actions] Collect on the fifth day of the fifth month, store in collar, prevents forgetfulness (Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang).