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(Blood residue [Renfa, human hair]): Decoct Poria (Fuling) and Picrorhiza (Huhuanglian), drink the decoction to be cured. (From Xia Ziyi's *Qiji Fang*).
Edema with difficult urination: Take equal parts of Poria skin (Fulingpi) and Pepper seed (Jiaomu), decoct in water, drink daily for effect. (From *Puji Fang*).

(Recorded in *Bencao Jing Jizhu*, Upper Grade)
[Names]: Jiangzhu.
Li Shizhen said: When a tiger dies, its essence and soul enter the earth and transform into stone; this substance resembles it, hence called "Hu Po" (Tiger Amber). The common character uses the jade radical because it resembles jade.
In Sanskrit, it is called Asmakaja.
[Collection and Explanation]: *Bencao Jing Jizhu* states: Amber is produced in Yongchang.
Tao Hongjing said: Old theories say it is formed from pine resin sinking into the ground for a thousand years. Burning it now also produces a pine scent. Some contain a bee inside, with color and form as if alive. *Bowuzhi* claims it is "made by burning beehives," which is likely incorrect. Perhaps a bee was stuck by pine resin and fell into the ground to sink. Others are forged by boiling chicken eggs or green fish pillows, which are not genuine. Only those that can attract grass seeds when rubbed warm between the palms are true. Currently, they mostly come from foreign countries, and where Poria is produced, there is no amber; I do not know if places producing amber also have Poria?
Su Song said: Amber is the sap of the sea pine tree, initially like peach gum, later solidifying. There is also Southern Amber, inferior to the former.
Bao Sheng said: Maple resin turns into amber after a thousand years in the ground, not just pine resin. Generally, tree resins transform after a millennium in the earth, but fewer trees have rich resin and endure such long periods. If a beehive is burned, how could the bee's shape remain intact?
Cheng Cheng said: Now in the Western Regions, there is also amber, with a lighter and clearer color. Southern amber is darker and turbid; locals often grind it into various shapes. To say it transforms from a thousand-year-old Poria is unreasonable, as bees and ants attached to it would not remain intact. *Dili Zhi* says: Lin Yi in Hainan produces much amber, formed from pine resin sinking into the ground. Where amber exists, there are no surrounding plants. It lies five chi shallowly, or eight to nine chi deeply. Large ones are as big as a hu measure; only after peeling them do they take shape. This explanation is superior. However, land has suitable and unsuitable conditions, so some transform and others do not. The theory of burning beehives lacks basis.
Kou Zongshi said: Various schools discuss Poria and Amber, noting minor differences but agreeing they originate from pine resin. However, Poria and Fushen form when large pines break or are felled, root scars remain immortal, sap flows down and solidifies, thus treating the heart and kidney and unblocking fluids. Amber forms when pine branches are flourishing, scorched by hot sun, causing resin to flow out of the trunk, thickening over time, falling into the soil, moistened for years, seeped by the earth, leaving only the lustrous body. It can still attract grass seeds, showing stickiness. Thus, insects and ants are those stuck before entering the soil. Both substances come from pines but differ in their endowments. Poria is born in Yin and completes in Yang; Amber is born in Yang and completes in Yin. Thus, both regulate Ying Qi, calm the mind, and promote diuresis.
Su Song said: In usage, distinguish Red Pine Resin, Stone Amber, Water Amber, Flower Amber, Object-Image Amber, Mixed Amber, and Amber. Red Pine Resin resembles amber but is turbid, brittle, with horizontal grain. Water Amber is mostly non-red, pale yellow, wrinkled. Stone Amber is heavy like stone, yellow, unusable. Flower Amber has grains like new Masson pine heart, alternating red and yellow. Object-Image Amber contains living creatures inside, miraculous in use. Mixed Amber is the leader of ambers. Amber looks like blood color; rubbing it with cloth until hot allows it to attract mustard seeds if genuine. Li Shizhen said: "Attracting grass seeds" refers to weeds, i.e., cereal grasses. Lei Xiao erred in saying "mustard seeds." *Book of Tang* records pine wood in Kangqian River, Western Regions, turning to stone after one or two years in water, same logic as pine/maple wood sinking into earth to become amber. Now found in Jinchi and Lijiang. The theory of "Poria transforming into amber after a millennium" is also a misinterpretation. According to Cao Zhao's *Ge Gu Lun*: Amber comes from Western and Southern Barbarians, transformed from maple sap over many years. Yellow and clear is named Wax Amber; red-like rosin and yellow is named Bright Amber; fragrant is named Fragrant Amber; from Goryeo and Japan is deep red. Those containing bees, ants, or pine branches are especially good.
[Preparation]: Su Song said: For medicinal use, mix Cnidium seed powder with water, place in a porcelain pot, put amber inside, boil from Si hour to Shen hour, strange light should appear, crush into powder and sieve.
[Flavor and Toxicity]: Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
[Indications]: Calms the Five Zang organs, stabilizes Hun and Po souls, kills spirits and evil ghosts, dissipates blood stasis, unblocks the Five Stranguries (*Bencao Jing Jizhu*).
Strengthens the Heart, brightens eyes and removes nebula, stops heart pain and mania, treats gu poison, breaks accumulations and masses, treats postpartum blood mass pain (Meng Shen). Stops bleeding and generates flesh, promotes wound healing (Li Xun).
[Elucidation]: Zhu Zhenheng said: Ancient formulas used it to promote urination, as it benefits drying dampness and strengthening Spleen Earth; when Spleen can transport and transform, Lung Qi descends, thus urine flows freely. If deficiency of Blood causes difficulty in urination, it may instead cause bitterness of dryness and urgency.
Tao Hongjing said: Common people often wear it to ward off evil. Scraping and taking the powder is very effective for blood stasis. *Xian Jing* has no formal use. Chen Cangqi said: Mix with Rhubarb and Turtle Shell to make a powder, take one cun cube with wine to expel evil blood and intra-abdominal blood in women, stop when exhausted. During Emperor Gaozu of Song's reign, Ning Prefecture offered an amber pillow, shattered and given to soldiers to apply to metal wounds.
[Attached Formulas]: Four old, five new.
Amber Powder: Stops bleeding, generates flesh, calms heart, brightens eyes, breaks masses and qi blocks, postpartum blood fainting and suffocation, infant pillow pain, all suitable for this formula. Amber 1 liang, Turtle Shell 1 liang, Sanleng 1 liang, Yanhusuo 0.5 liang, Myrrh 0.5 liang, Rhubarb 6 zhu, processed and crushed into powder. Take three qian cubes on an empty stomach with wine, twice daily. Incomparably effective. Reduce Rhubarb dosage postpartum. (*Haiyao Bencao*)
Infant Congenital Fright: Amber and Saposhnikovia each 1 qian, Cinnabar 0.5 qian, powdered. Mix with pig milk to a size of "yi character," place in mouth, best effect. (*Zhimi Fang*)
Infant Congenital Epilepsy: Small amounts of Amber and Cinnabar, one whole Scorpion. Powdered. Take one "yi character" mixed with Ophiopogon soup. (*Zhizhi Fang*)
Urinary Retention (Zhuanbao): Genuine Amber 1 liang, powdered. Use 4 sheng water, 10 stalks of white onion part, decoct to 3 sheng juice, add 2 qian Amber powder, take warm. Effective for gravel and other stranguries after three doses. (*Shenghui Fang*)
Dribbling Urination: Amber powder 2 qian, Musk a little. Take with plain boiled water, or Daylily decoction. For elderly or deficient persons, take with Ginseng soup. Can also be made into honey pills, taken with Red Poria soup. (*Puji Fang*)
Hematuria: Amber powder. Take 2 qian per dose, with Nymphoides cordata (Dengxincao) soup. (*Zhizhi Fang*)
Fall from height with internal blood stasis: Scrape Amber powder, take one cun cube with wine. Or add Polygonatum multiflorum (Puhuang) 2-3 cubes, take 4-5 times daily. (*Waitai Miyao*)
Metal wound causing fainting and unconsciousness: Grind Amber into powder, mix with boy's urine 1 qian. Three doses cure. (*Guiyi Fang*)
Fish bone stuck in throat for 6-7 days: Use a string of Amber beads, push into the stuck area, pull to extract. (*Waitai Miyao*)