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(Song Dynasty *Kaibao Bencao*)

[Names] Xinshi (Cinnabar Stone), Renyan (Human Speech) (*Bencao Gangmu*). The raw form is called Pi Huang (Arsenic Yellow), and the refined form is called Pi Shuang (Arsenic Frost).
Li Shizhen stated: "Pi" derives its name from its fierce nature, resembling the Pi beast. It is only produced in Xin Zhou, hence people call it Xin Shi (Xin Stone), and by hiding the character "Xin," it is referred to as Renyan (Human Speech).

[Collection and Explanation] Su Song stated: The origin of Pi Shuang (Arsenic Frost) is not recorded in specific commanderies or counties. Currently, it is also found near Tong Shan, but those from Xin Zhou are of the best quality. The lumps can be very large, with a color like goose egg yolk, bright, clear, and unadulterated. This type of substance is rare locally; a true lump weighing one liang is highly prized by people, worth more than a thousand gold pieces. Ancient prescription for longevity also records its use, requiring this specific type for medicinal application. The flakes sold in markets, which resemble fine dust, often contain earth and stones; using them medicinally causes significant harm.
Chen Cheng stated: There are arsenic wells in Yushan County, Xin Zhou, which are strictly sealed by the government. Raw arsenic free from stone impurities is redder than realgar. When ground with cold water, it resolves heat toxicity; approaching fire causes death, which explains why it is said to be worth more than gold. Current market goods are obtained by burning arsenic-bearing sandstone from mountains, causing smoke to fly and condense into white frost, forming fragments with sharp edges. Those with high fire exposure form large, slightly yellow blocks, described as clear like goose egg yolk. Ancient prescriptions did not use it medicinally; only alchemists used it for refining cinnabar and stones. Recently, many people use it to treat malaria. Since malaria originates from summerheat injury, and raw arsenic can resolve heat toxicity, some employ it. However, contemporary quacks fail to investigate the principles and directly administer the refined frost, inevitably causing severe vomiting and purging. Due to occasional lucky recoveries, this became a standard method, resulting in numerous subsequent injuries. One must exercise extreme caution. During initial smelting, standing ten zhang upwind causes vegetation downwind to die. Poisoned rice bait kills rats; if cats or dogs eat these dead rats, they also die. Its toxicity far exceeds that of She Wang (Aconite poison). A variety from Heng Shan is inferior in potency to that from Xin Zhou.
Kou Zongshi stated: Currently, Xin Zhou mines arsenic from sealed pits containing turbid green water. The water is first wrung out before descent. Raw arsenic is called Pi Huang, colored like beef flesh, sometimes with pale white veins. It is neither stone nor soil. Ground in wine and drunk, it treats fixed masses and qi stagnation. Fire implies toxicity; it must not be taken casually. Collection method: Place raw arsenic on fire, cover with a vessel to collect ascending smoke condensate. Dripping forms resembling teats are superior for medicine; flat/short ones are secondary; large chunks are inferior; fine dust is the lowest grade.
Li Shizhen stated: This is the "seed" of tin. Hence, new tin vessels holding wine for long periods can be lethal due to arsenic toxicity. For raw Pi Huang, red is superior; for refined Pi Shuang, white is superior.

[Processing] Lei Xiao stated: For use, store in a small porcelain bottle. Add Zi Bei Tian Kui (Ophiopogon japonicus var. bulbifer? *Note: Traditionally interpreted as specific herbs for processing, here kept as proper noun*) and Shi Long Rui (Batrachium scabrum). Calcine from Si hour to Shen hour. Then soak in Licorice root water from Shen hour to Zi hour. Remove, dry, place back in bottle, calcine again, and grind thirty thousand times before use.
Li Shizhen stated: Physicians claim raw arsenic becomes extremely toxic upon slight heating. However, Lei Xiao’s method uses fire calcination. Most current usage involves sublimated arsenic, likely seeking rapid effects regardless of toxicity. Is it not better to use the raw form?

[Flavor and Toxicity] Bitter, sour, warm, toxic. Li Shizhen stated: Pungent, sour, extremely hot, highly toxic.
Tang Shenwei stated: Feared by Mung bean, cold water, and vinegar. In medicine, boil with vinegar to neutralize toxicity.
Tu Su Zhen Jun stated: Arsenic processed with herbs can yield golden flowers and melt copper and quicksilver. Green salt, Crane Top Grass, Niter, Garlic, Water Pepper, Oldenlandia, Motherwort, Du Zhou, Mu Lv, Acorus, Triangle Acid, Elephant's Foot Herb, Spinach, Lettuce can all suppress arsenic.

[Indications] Pi Huang: Treats malaria affecting kidney qi; wearing it repels fleas and lice (Tang Shenwei). Ground with cold water and taken, it resolves heat toxicity and treats phlegm obstruction (Chen Cheng). Ground and taken, it treats fixed masses and qi stagnation (Kou Zongshi). Removes cold asthma, accumulated dysentery, putrefies flesh, and corrodes stagnant腐 tissue and scrofula (Li Shizhen). Pi Shuang: Treats various malarial fevers, wind-phlegm in chest/diaphragm; can be used as an emetic. Do not take long-term as it harms the body (*Kaibao Bencao*). Treats women’s blood/qi rushing heart pain; induces abortion (Tang Shenwei). Corrodes carbuncle ulcers and necrotic flesh; dries hemorrhoids and kills parasites; lethal to humans and animals (Li Shizhen).

[Elucidation] Kou Zongshi stated: When physicians use Pi Shuang for malaria, overdose causes simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea. One must decoct Mung bean juice mixed with cold water to antidote.
Liu Chun stated: Malaria pills often use Pi Shuang, a highly toxic drug. Materia Medica states it treats wind-phlegm in chest/diaphragm as an emetic because its nature is extremely fierce and strongly dries phlegm. While effective at drying phlegm, it severely damages chest qi. Those with weak spleen/stomach must strictly avoid it.
Li Shizhen stated: Arsenic is extremely hot and highly toxic; Pi Shuang is particularly potent. Rats and birds die from a tiny amount; cats/dogs eating poisoned rodents are endangered; humans die from approximately one qian. Although Gou Wen (Gelsemium) and She Wang have similar lethality, Song dynasty pharmacopoeias understated its toxicity. Why? It is a type of ancient mineral drug. If ingested with wine or distilled spirits, it rots the intestines/stomach, killing instantly; even Mung beans and cold water cannot save the victim. Some wine merchants fumigate bottles with arsenic smoke to prevent spoilage, acting greedily and ruthlessly. Drinkers unknowingly absorb the toxin and blame the wine. This substance is not used in decoctions, only in pills. For phlegmatic malaria and cold asthma, it has immediate, drastic efficacy. Swallow with cold water without food/drink; rest quietly for a day or night to avoid vomiting. Small amounts induce vomiting. Its pure hot nature aligns with distilled spirits and saltpeter; it forcibly opens blockages in cold-dampness and phlegm. Pyrotechnicians use small amounts for louder explosions, demonstrating its violent nature. This drug suits only rugged, rural individuals. Those indulging in rich foods/alcohol should not use it, lest disease recur due to dietary indiscretion. Do not use on head sores or bleeding wounds; toxin entering meridians is fatal. Li Lou’s *Qi Fang* records: A woman suffered heart pain for years. A physician administered half a fen of Renyan and one fen of tea powder with warm water. She vomited a clot of stagnant blood and was cured. This aligns with *Ri Hua Zi*’s principle for treating women’s blood/qi heart pain.

[Attached Prescriptions] Five old, ten new.
Stroke with phlegm obstruction, limbs flaccid, confusion like drunkenness: Grind Pi Shuang to size of mung beans. Mix with fresh well water, take a small amount, follow with hot water. Profuse vomiting leads to cure. Repeat if no vomiting occurs. (*Shenghui Fang*)
Cold-heat malaria: Sun Zhenzong’s *Mibao Fang*: Use 2 liang Xin Pi (powdered), 3 liang Han Shui Shi (cold water stone, powdered separately). In a cast iron pot, layer stone powder, then arsenic, then cover with stone powder. Seal tightly with vinegar-paste paper strips (over ten layers). Cover with a thick cup. Calcine with 1 jin charcoal until paper turns black. Remove, cool, scrape arsenic powder, grind fine, mix with millet paste to make pills size of mung beans. Coat with Cinnabar. Take 3-4 pills (1-2 for children) early on attack day with aged tea liquor. Avoid hot food for one day.
For male malaria patients, female holds pill in mouth; for female patients, male holds pill in mouth. (*Benshi Fang*): 1 qian Renyan, 1 liang Mung bean powder. Mix, pellet with well water (no root water), coat with Red Lead. Dry in shade. Take 5-7 pills at dawn on attack day with cold water. (*Weisheng Baojian*) Yi Jian Jin: Equal parts Renyan (vinegar-boiled), Sulfur, Mung bean. Powder. Wrap bean-sized amount in red silk, tie with thread. Cut off one grain, swallow empty stomach with fresh water. Holy medicine for malaria. (*Yilei Yuanrong*) Jiu Zhuan Ling Sha Dan: 1 qian each of Pi Shuang, Red Lead, Placenta (Zi He Che). Powder. Soak 100 Black Soybeans overnight, grind to paste, mix with powders. Make pills size of wu zi, mung beans, or millet grains. Dosage based on age/condition. Take 1-3 pills at dawn on non-attack days facing east with rootless water. Placenta, Mung bean, Black soybean all detoxify arsenic. (*Bencao Quandu*) Bu Er San: 1 qian Arsenic, 2 liang Flour. Mix. Fry in 1 jin Sesame oil until yellow. Press oil out with grass paper. Add 3 liang Tea. Powder. Take 1 qian early on attack day with cold tea.
All types of accumulated dysentery: Equal parts Pi Shuang, Red Lead. Mix with wax, pellet size of mung beans. Take 3 pills with rice drink. (*Pujifang*)
Relapsing dysentery lasting 1-2 years, emaciated and weak: 0.5 liang Pi Shuang (lump form powdered), 0.5 liang Yellow Wax. Melt wax, add arsenic, stir with willow twig. Replace twig when charred, repeat seven times. Collect. Pellet size of wu zi (children: millet size). Take with cold water. (*Heji Jufang*)
Spleen/Lower back pain: Same formula above, take with cold water.
Women’s blood/qi heart pain: See Elucidation section.
Rapid gangrenous stomatitis/malignant sores: Equal parts Arsenic stone, Verdigris. Powder. Spread on paper and apply. Effect miraculous. Another method: 0.5 liang Pi Shuang. Mix with vinegar to paste. Store in bowl until dry. Scrape off. Size of millet grain, wrap in cotton, place in gum line. Remove next day; worms die naturally. Chronic cases heal within three days. (*Pujifang*)
Scrofula on neck: Grind Xin Zhou Pi Huang. Mix with thick ink juice to make pills size of wu zi. Dry-fry in pot. Store in bamboo tube. Puncture with needle, apply half-pill to lesion. Lesion falls off naturally after corrosion completes. (*Lingyuan Fang*) Phlegm-Asthma: See Grain Section, under Fermented Soybean.
All fistulas with openings: Use Xin Shi, fire-calcine on new tile, grind to powder. Mix with saliva, apply to paper twist, insert into fistula to corrode bad tissue. Do not fill completely if discharge is heavy. Most excellent. (*Jijiu Liangfang*)