Library

(Recorded in the Lower Category of *Bie Lu*)

[Names] Water Dog.
Li Shizhen states: Wang Zhu's *Zi Shuo* records that in the first and tenth months, the otter sacrifices fish twice, indicating it knows how to repay its roots and return to its origin; it is the most benevolent among beasts. Its shape resembles a dog, hence the character includes the radical for dog (Quan); furthermore, it relies on fish for survival, hence the phonetic component Lai. The larger ones are called "Bin" (pronounced Bin), and the smaller ones are called "Pian" (pronounced Pian). Additionally, Huan Kuan's *Yan Tie Lun* refers to solitary ones as "Bin" and gregarious ones as "Ta", similar to the distinction between apes and solitary creatures.

[Collected Explanations] Tao Hongjing states: Otters are mostly found on the banks of streams. There are two types: only those that sacrifice fish to heaven are used for medicine; another type is the "Pian" otter, which has a large body and a head like a horse, with a body resembling a bat, and is not used for medicinal purposes.
Su Song states: They are abundant in rivers and lakes. Kou Zongshi states: The otter has four short legs, a flat head, body, and tail, and its fur color resembles old purple silk. The larger ones have a body and tail length exceeding three chi. They eat fish, live in water, and rest on trees. Once tethered in a large water jar, it rotated inside like wind, creating whirlpools in the water. The Western Regions use its skin to decorate the collars and cuffs of woolen garments, claiming that dirt does not stain them. If eyes are obscured by wind and sand, wiping with it removes the obstruction.
Li Shizhen states: The otter resembles a fox but is smaller, with blackish-green fur like a dog, skin like a bat (Fuyi), a long tail, and four feet; it lives in water and eats fish. It can predict water levels to dig burrows, and villagers use it to forecast floods or droughts, just as magpie nests predict wind. Ancient sayings include "bears die from eating salt, otters die from drinking wine," reflecting their nature. Nowadays, fishing boats in Sichuan and Mianyang often tame otters to catch fish very swiftly. There are also white ones. Some say the "Bin" otter has no females and takes apes as mates, hence the saying "when apes cry, otters wait."

Meat
[Flavor and Toxicity] Sweet, cold, non-toxic. Sun Simiao states: Sweet, warm.
Tao Hongjing states: Do not consume together with rabbit meat.
[Therapeutic Actions] Boiled juice taken internally treats epidemic febrile diseases and seasonal illnesses in cattle and horses (*Bie Lu*). Treats edema and fullness due to water retention, and heat-toxic wind pathogens (*Rihua Bencao*). Treats bone-steaming consumptive fever, blocked blood vessels, deficiency and fullness of Ying and Wei, as well as blocked meridians in women, blood heat, and constipation of the large and small intestines. It depletes male Yang Qi and should not be eaten in excess (Su Song).
[Elucidation] Chen Cangqi states: For those suffering from heat-toxic wind-water vacuous distension: Take one otter, remove the skin, and dry-roast the internal organs, bones, head, and tail until brittle, then powder them. Take one cun bi (a square-inch measure) with water, twice daily, for ten days until recovery. If taken for vacuous distension caused by cold qi, it will worsen the swelling. It only treats heat patterns, not cold patterns, because its nature is cold.
[Attached Formulas] One old formula.
Fractures and injuries: Dissect one otter, place it in a jar, seal tightly, calcine until preserved, and powder. Cook millet porridge, spread it on the injured area, sprinkle the otter powder on the porridge, and wrap with cloth. Pain stops immediately. (*Experience Later Formulas*)

Liver
Su Song states: The lobes of various domestic animal livers have fixed numbers. Only the otter liver grows one lobe per month, totaling twelve lobes in twelve months, including regressed lobes. Verification requires observing the morphology; otherwise, many are counterfeit.
[Flavor and Toxicity] Sweet, warm, toxic. Zhen Quan states: Salty, slightly hot, non-toxic. Su Song states: Meat and five viscera.
[Therapeutic Actions] Treats Gui Zhu (ghostly infection) and Gu poison, stops chronic cough, removes fish bones stuck in the throat; all should be burnt to ash and taken with wine (*Bie Lu*). Treats ascending Qi cough and consumptive emaciation (*Yaoxing Lun*). Treats Chuan Shi (transmitting corpse) severe consumption, spontaneous sweating with pathogenic heat, cold malaria of the four limbs, and postpartum exhaustion (Su Song). Kills parasites (Li Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Kou Zongshi states: Otter liver is effective in treating consumption diseases.
Su Song states: Zhang Zhongjing used Otter Liver Pill to treat cold consumption; Cui Shi used Otter Liver Pill to treat ninety-nine types of Gu Zhu, Chuan Shi bone-steaming, Fu Lian, and various ghost toxins and epidemics. Both formulas are excellent.
Chen Cangqi states: For Zhu disease affecting an entire family, roast one liver over fire, powder it, and take one cun bi with water, twice daily.
Ge Hong states: Shi Zhu and Gui Zhu are one of the Five Corpses, compounded by various evil spirits. The disease manifests in thirty-six to ninety-nine variations. Generally causing chills and fever, lethargy, unknown source of pain, and aversion everywhere. Accumulating over months and years, it leads to death. After death, it transmits to others, potentially wiping out a clan. Upon sensing these symptoms, use one otter liver, dry in shade, powder it, and take one cun bi with water, three times daily, until cured.
Li Shizhen states: According to *Chaoye Qian Zai*: On the fifth day of the fifth month at noon, quickly chop a bamboo shoot; there must be divine water in the nodes. Extract this water and mix with otter liver to make pills; highly effective for heart and abdominal accumulation diseases.
[Attached Formulas] Two old formulas, one new formula.
Ghost possession: Otter liver powder, take one cun bi with water, three times daily. (*Qianjin Yi Fang*)
Intestinal hemorrhoids with blood: Otter liver burnt to ash, take one qian with water. (*Zhouhou Beiji Fang*)
Chronic hemorrhoids with continuous bleeding: Boil one pair of otter livers, add five flavors, and eat on an empty stomach for best results. (*Yinshan Zhengyao*)

Kidney
[Flavor and Toxicity] Same as meat.
[Therapeutic Actions] Benefits men (Su Song).

Gallbladder
[Flavor and Toxicity] Bitter, cold, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Treats eye nebula and dark spots, flying flies before the eyes, and blurred vision. Also used in eye drops (Su Song).
[Correction of Errors] Kou Zongshi states: An ancient saying goes: "Toad grease softens jade, otter gall separates cups." This means applying gall to a bamboo knife or rhino horn comb causes wine drawn across it to separate. Attempts prove this false; it is likely a wild rumor. It merely coats the cup rim, making the wine level slightly higher than the bowl surface. This must be corrected.
[Attached Formulas] One new formula.
Amenorrhea: Otter Gall Pill: Use one dried otter gall, one part dried dog gall, Nao Sha (Ammonium Chloride), Chuan Jiao (Sichuan Pepper, stir-fried to remove sweat and eyes), and ten fried leeches (stir-fried yellow). Powder them, bind with vinegar paste into pills the size of mung beans. Take five pills before meals, washed down with Dang Gui wine, three times daily. (*Shenghui Fang*)

Marrow
[Therapeutic Actions] Removes scars (Li Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Li Shizhen states: According to *Ji Yi Ji*: Lady Deng, wife of the King of Wu, was scratched on the cheek by a Ruyi scepter, bleeding and crying. The Imperial Physician said: "Obtain white otter marrow, mix with jade and amber, and apply to eliminate this scar." Thus, a hundred gold pieces were spent to purchase white otter compound ointment, leading to recovery. However, due to excessive amber, red spots like moles remained.

Bone
[Therapeutic Actions] Hold in mouth to dislodge fish bones (Tao Hongjing). Boiled juice taken internally treats persistent vomiting and hiccups (*Yaoxing Lun*).

Feet
[Therapeutic Actions] Treats cracked hands and feet (Su Gong). Boiled juice taken internally treats fish bones stuck in the throat, and claws are used to scratch under the throat (*Bencao Shiyi*). Powdered and taken with wine kills tuberculosis parasites (Li Shizhen).

Skin and Fur
[Therapeutic Actions] Boiled juice taken internally treats water diseases. Also used for mattresses and shoe soles (Text implies usage for bedding/footwear).

Feces
[Therapeutic Actions] Fish navel ulcer: Powder mixed with water applied externally; pus drains and pain stops (Cangqi states: Also treats donkey/horse throat worms and cattle epidemics, ground with water and灌/injected). Treats dysentery: Burnt to ash, drink one small cup with clear morning water; three doses cure. Red dysentery uses red feces, white dysentery uses white feces (Li Shizhen. From *Gujin Luyan*).