（《本经》下品）
【释名】白鱼（《本经》）、
蠹鱼。
宗 曰∶衣鱼生久藏衣帛中，及书纸中。其形稍似鱼，其尾又分二岐，故得鱼名。
时珍曰∶白，其色也；壁，其居也； ，其状态也；丙，其尾形也。
【集解】《别录》曰∶衣鱼生咸阳平泽。
颂曰∶今处处有之，衣中乃少，而书卷中甚多。身白有浓粉，以手触之则落。段成式云
∶补阙张周封见壁上瓜子化为壁鱼，因知《列子》“朽瓜化鱼”之言不虚也。俗传壁鱼入道
经
中
瓶中，取壁鱼投之，冀其蠹食而不能得，遂致心疾。书此以解俗说之惑。
时珍曰∶衣鱼，其蠹衣帛书画，始则黄色，老则有白粉，碎之如银，可打纸笺。按段
成式言∶何讽于书中得一发长四寸，卷之无端，用力绝之，两端滴水。一方士云∶此名脉望，
乃衣鱼三食神仙字，则化为此。夜持向天，可以坠星，求丹。又异于吞鱼致仙之说。大抵谬
妄，宜辩正之。
【气味】咸，温，无毒。甄权曰∶有毒。
大明曰∶畏芸草、莽草、莴苣。
【主治】妇人疝瘕，小便不利，小儿中风项强，背起，摩之（《本经》）。疗淋涂疮，灭
瘢堕
（苏
（时
珍
【发明】时珍曰∶衣鱼乃太阳经药，故所主中风项强，惊痫天吊，目翳口 ，淋闭，皆
手、
明帝病笃，敕台省求白鱼为药。此乃神农药，古方盛用，而今人罕知也。
【附方】旧五，新七。
小儿胎寒，腹痛汗出∶用衣中白鱼二七枚，绢包，于儿腹上回转摩之，以愈为度。（《圣
惠
小儿撮口∶壁鱼儿研末。每以少许涂乳，令儿吮之。（《圣惠》）。
小儿客忤，项强欲死∶衣鱼十枚，研敷乳上，吮之入咽，立愈。或以二枚涂母手中，掩
儿脐，得吐下愈，外仍以摩儿顶及项强处。《食医心镜》。
小儿天吊，目睛上视∶并口手掣动用壁鱼儿干者十个，湿者五个，用乳汁和研，灌之。
（《圣惠方》）
小儿痫疾∶白鱼酒∶用衣中白鱼七枚，竹茹一握，酒一升，煎二合，温服之。（《外台》）
偏风口 ∶取白鱼摩耳下，左 摩右，右 摩左，正乃已。（《孙真人》）。
小儿重舌∶衣鱼烧灰，敷舌上。（《千金翼》）
目中浮翳∶书中白鱼末，注少许于翳上，日二。（《外台》）
沙尘入目不出者∶杵白鱼，以乳汁和，滴目中，即出。或为末，点之。（《千金》）
小便不通∶滑石白鱼散∶用白鱼、滑石、乱发（烧）等分，为散。饮服半钱匕，日三。
（《金匮要略》）
小便转胞不出∶纳衣鱼一枚于茎中。（《千金方》）
妇人尿血∶衣中白鱼三十枚，纳入阴中。（《子母秘录》）
(Recorded in the Lower Grade of *Shennong Bencao Jing*)
**[Names]** Baiyu (White Fish, from *Shennong Bencao Jing*), Duyu (Bookworm).
Su Song stated: "Yiyu" (Silverfish) lives in clothes and silk fabrics stored for a long time, as well as in books and paper. Its shape is somewhat similar to a fish, and its tail is bifurcated into two branches, hence the name "Fish".
Li Shizhen stated: "Bai" (White) refers to its color; "Bi" (Wall) refers to its dwelling place; [character missing in original text, referring to state] refers to its condition; "Bing" refers to the shape of its tail.
**[Collection and Explanation]** *Bielu* stated: Yiyu grows in the flat marshes of Xianyang.
Su Song stated: It is now found everywhere, but is rare in clothes and very abundant in scrolls. The body is white with thick powder, which falls off when touched by hand. Duan Chengshi said: Zhang Zhoufeng, a Buque (official title), saw melon seeds on the wall transform into wall fish, thus knowing that the words in *Liezi* "rotten melons transform into fish" are not false. Folk tradition holds that if wall fish enter bottles containing Daoist scriptures, taking the fish and throwing them into the bottle is hoped to cause the fish to gnaw the texts without succeeding, thereby inducing heart disease. This is written to dispel confusion regarding such folk sayings.
Li Shizhen stated: Yiyu gnaws clothes, silk, paintings, and books. Initially yellow, it develops white powder when old. Crushed, it looks like silver and can be used to size paper. According to Duan Chengshi: He Feng found a hair four cun long in a book, which had no beginning or end when rolled up. When broken with force, water dripped from both ends. A Daoist practitioner said: This is named "Maiwang" (Pulse Hope), formed when a silverfish eats the characters of immortals three times. Holding it towards the sky at night can make stars fall and aid in seeking elixirs. This differs from the theory of becoming immortal by eating fish. Generally, this is absurd and should be corrected.
**[Nature and Flavor]** Salty, Warm, Non-toxic. Zhen Quan stated: Toxic.
Ma Zhi (Da Ming) stated: Averse to Artemisia argyi (Yuncao), Polygonum multiflorum var. acuminatum (Mangcao), and Lactuca sativa (Wojú).
**[Indications]** Treats women's hernia masses (Shenjia), difficulty in urination, infantile wind-stroke causing neck stiffness and back arching; apply by rubbing (from *Shennong Bencao Jing*). Treats strangury, applies to sores, eliminates scars, and induces abortion (from Su Gong, Li Shizhen).
**[Elucidation]** Li Shizhen stated: Yiyu is a medicine for the Taiyang Meridian. Therefore, the conditions it treats—wind-stroke with neck stiffness, convulsions, "Tiandiao" (infantile convulsion with upward gaze), eye nebulae, mouth deviation, strangury, and urinary retention—are all diseases of the Hand and Foot Taiyang meridians. When Emperor Ming was critically ill, he ordered the Taisheng Bureau to seek Baiyu as medicine. This was a divine herb widely used in ancient prescriptions, but rarely known today.
**[Attached Prescriptions]** Five old prescriptions, seven new prescriptions.
Infantile fetal coldness, abdominal pain with sweating: Use fourteen Baiyu from inside clothes, wrapped in silk, and rub back and forth on the infant's abdomen until cured. (*Taiping Shenghui Fang*)
Infantile clenched-mouth syndrome: Grind wall fish into powder. Apply a small amount to the nipple for the infant to suck. (*Taiping Shenghui Fang*)
Infantile alien qi invasion, severe neck stiffness: Ten Yiyu, ground and applied to the nipple for the infant to suck into the throat, curing immediately. Alternatively, apply two to the mother's hand, cover the infant's umbilicus, inducing vomiting and diarrhea for cure. Also, rub the infant's crown and stiff neck area externally. (*Shiyi Xinjing*)
Infantile Tiandiao syndrome, eyes looking upward: Combine ten dried wall fish and five fresh wall fish with milk, grind, and administer. (*Taiping Shenghui Fang*)
Infantile epilepsy: Baiyu Wine: Use seven Baiyu from inside clothes, one handful of bamboo shavings (Zhuru), and one sheng of wine. Decoct to two ge, and take warm. (*Waitai Miyao*)
Hemifacial paralysis: Take Baiyu to rub below the ear. If the left side is affected, rub the right; if the right, rub the left, until symmetry is restored. (*Sun Simiao's Manual*)
Infantile double tongue: Burn Yiyu to ash and apply to the tongue. (*Qianjin Yifang*)
Floating nebula in the eye: Powder the Baiyu from books, instill a few drops onto the nebula twice daily. (*Waitai Miyao*)
Dust in the eye that will not come out: Pound Baiyu, mix with milk, and drip into the eye to expel the dust. Or use as powder for instillation. (*Qianjin Fang*)
Urinary retention: Huashi Baiyu San: Equal parts of Baiyu, Talcum (Huashi), and burnt disordered hair. Make into a powder. Take half a qianbi with water, three times a day. (*Jingui Yaolue*)
Urinary retention due to bladder torsion: Insert one Yiyu into the urethra. (*Qianjin Fang*)
Hematuria in women: Thirty Baiyu from inside clothes, inserted into the vagina. (*Zimu Milu*)