Library

[Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica)]
[Ji Jie (Collected Explanations)] Li Shizhen said: Shi Mian (Stone Flour) does not grow frequently; it is also considered an auspicious object. Some say it grows during times of famine. In the third year of Tianbao era under Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (744 AD), Liquan Spring gushed out in Fanhe County, Wuwei Commandery, and stones turned into flour, which poor people collected and ate. In the fourth year of Yuanhe era under Emperor Xianzong of Tang (809 AD), in the valleys of Yunzhou, Weizhou, and Daizhou in Shanxi, stones turned into flour, and people collected them to eat. In the fifth month of Xiangfu era under Emperor Zhenzong of Song (1012 AD), the people of Cizhou were starving, and in Xianning County, stone grease resembling flour grew on mountains, which could be made into cakes and pastries. In the seventh year of Jiayou era under Emperor Renzong of Song (1062 AD), in March, flour grew on the ground in Pengcheng; in May, flour grew on the ground in Zhongli County. In the fifth month of Yuanfeng era under Emperor Zhezong of Song (1080 AD), in Linqu and Yidu of Qingzhou, stones all turned into flour, and people collected them to eat. These are collected here for those who need to eat them to investigate and verify.

[Qi Wei (Flavor and Nature)] Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.

[Zhu Zhi (Main Indications)] Tonifies Qi and harmonizes the middle jiao; eating it stops hunger (Li Shizhen).

[Ri Hua Bencao (Daily Life Materia Medica)]
[Jiao Zheng (Correction)] Merged into "Shi Yi" (Supplementary Records) as Shui Hua (Water Flower).

[Shi Ming (Names)] Hai Shi (Sea Stone) [Bencao Gangmu], Shui Hua (Water Flower).

[Ji Jie (Collected Explanations)] Li Shizhen said: Fu Shi (Floating Stone) is formed by the aggregation of fine sand and water foam in rivers and seas over a long period. Its shape resembles water foam and stalactites, with fine holes like insect burrows, white in color, empty and light in texture. It is now used by leather craftsmen to polish leather dirt, which is very effective. Those from the sea taste salty and are better for medicinal use.
Baopuzi states: Burning clay makes tiles, burning wood makes charcoal, and water foam becomes floating stone; these all remove softness and brittleness, transforming into hardness and rigidity. Jiaozhou Ji states: There are floating stones in the sea, light and hollow, which can be used to file feet; boiling water to drink quenches thirst. This refers to this substance.

[Qi Wei (Flavor and Nature)] Salty, neutral, non-toxic. Li Shizhen said: Slightly cold.

[Zhu Zhi (Main Indications)] Boil juice to drink, quench thirst, treat Lin syndrome (strangury), kill wild beast poison (Meng Shen). Stop cough (Tao Hongjing). Remove nebula (Ke Zongshi). Clear Metal and descend fire, eliminate accumulations, resolve old phlegm (Zhu Zhenheng). Eliminate tumors, goiters, tubercles, and hernias, direct Qi downward, eliminate sores and swellings (Li Shizhen).

[Fa Ming (Elucidation)] Chen Cangqi said: Shui Hua (Water Flower) treats thirst when traveling far without water; combined with bitter Gua Lou (Trichosanthes fruit) into pills, taken twenty pills every morning, one will never feel thirsty again.
Zhu Zhenheng said: Hai Shi (Sea Stone) treats old phlegm and accumulations because saltiness can soften hardness.
Li Shizhen said: Fu Shi (Floating Stone) is formed from water foam, white in color and light in body, with a porous texture, corresponding to the image of the Lung. The flavor is salty and cold, possessing the function of moistening and descending. Therefore, it enters the Lung to clear heat-phlegm in the Upper Jiao, stop coughing, and soften hardness. By clearing its upper source, it also treats various types of Lin syndrome (strangury). According to Yu Yan's "Xi Shang Fu Tan": Liver belongs to Wood, which should float but sinks instead; Lung belongs to Metal, which should sink but floats instead. Why? Because the Liver is full/excess and the Lung is empty/deficient. Thus, stones sink in water, yet there are floating stones in the South Sea; wood floats in water, yet there are sunken fragrant woods in the South Sea. Such is the reversal of excess and deficiency.

[Fu Fang (Attached Prescriptions)] Twelve new prescriptions.
Persistent cough: Take Fu Shi (Floating Stone) powder with decoction, or take honey pills (Emergency Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold).
Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst) with excessive drinking: Ben Shi Fang: Equal parts of Fu Shi (Floating Stone) and Bo Shang Qing Dai (Imported Indigo Naturalis), with a small amount of She Xiang (Musk), powdered. Take one qian with warm water. Another prescription: Equal parts of Bai Fu Shi (White Floating Stone), Ge Fen (Concha Meretricis), and Chan Qiao (Periostracum Cicadae), powdered. Mix with seven carp bile drops, take three qian, miraculous effect.
Blood Lin and Gravel Lin with painful, difficult urination: Use yellow, rotten Fu Shi (Floating Stone) powdered. Take two qian each time, mixed with decoction of raw Gan Cao (Licorice Root) (Directing the Source Formula).
Stone Lin with blood in urine: A handful of Fu Shi (Floating Stone), powdered. Add three sheng of water and one sheng of vinegar, boil down to two sheng, clarify, take one sheng each time (Prescription for Transmission and Application).
Small intestine hernia, retracted penis and scrotal swelling:
Zhi Zhi Fang: Use Fu Shi (Floating Stone) powdered. Take two qian each time, mixed with decoction of Mu Tong (Akebia Caulis), Chi Fu Ling (Poria with Red Sandalwood), and Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber). Danxi Formula: Equal parts of Hai Shi (Sea Stone) and Xiang Fu (Cyperus Rhizome), powdered. Take two qian each time, mixed with ginger juice.
Head nodules and brain bi, phlegm nodules growing behind the head: The central one is called Nao (Brain), the lateral one is called Bi (Bi Syndrome). Use light, hollow, white Fu Shi (Floating Stone), calcined until carbonized (preserving nature), powdered, add a small amount of Qing Fen (Calomel), mix with sesame oil, and apply/scrape onto the area. Do not press with hands, or it will swell. Adding dried, roasted yellow cow dung is even better. Also treats head [diseases] (Directing the Source Formula).
Ear base with pus: Hai Fu Shi (Sea Floating Stone) one liang, Mo Yao (Myrrh) one qian, She Xiang (Musk) one zi. Powdered. Clean thoroughly and blow into the ear (Universal Effective Prescriptions).
Guan Chuang (Infantile malnutrition sores) not healing: Hai Fu Shi (Sea Floating Stone) [calcined red, quenched in vinegar several times] two liang, Jin Yin Hua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos) one liang, powdered. Take two and a half qian each time, decocted in water. For diseases in the upper part, take after meals; for diseases in the lower part, take before meals. One-year duration heals in half a year (The Human Realm Specialty Treatments).
Ding Chuang (Carbuncle) and Fa Bei (Back abscess): Bai Fu Shi (White Floating Stone) half liang, Mo Yao (Myrrh) two and a half qian. Powdered, made into pills the size of wutong seeds with vinegar paste. Take six or seven pills each time before sleep, with cold wine (Universal Effective Prescriptions).
Various malignant sores: Same formula as above.

[Fu Lu (Appendix)] Yun Shi (Ringed Stone) [Shi Yi]. Cangqi said: Grows at the bottom of the sea, shaped like Jiang Shi (Ginger Stone), purple-brown, extremely tight like stone, formed by saline water condensation, naturally having rings. Salty, cold, non-toxic. Mainly treats Stone Lin (Gravel Strangury); grind into juice to drink, or heat red and throw into wine to drink.