李时珍曰∶石者，气之核，土之骨也。大则为岩岩，细则为砂尘。其精为金为玉，其毒
为为砒。气之凝也，则结而为丹青；气之化也，则液而为矾汞。其变也∶或自柔而刚，乳
卤成石是也；或自动而静，草木成石是也；飞走含灵之为石，自有情而之无情也；雷震星陨
之为石，自无形而成有形也。大块资生，鸿钧炉 ，金石虽若顽物，而造化无穷焉。身家攸
赖，财剂卫养，金石虽曰死瑶，而利用无穷焉。是以禹贡、周官列其土产，《农经》、轩典详
其性功，亦良相、良医之所当注意者也。乃集其可以济国却病者一百六十一种为金石部，分
为四类∶曰金，曰玉，曰石，曰卤。
（旧本玉石部三品，共二百五十三种。今并入二十八种，移三十二种入水部，三十九种
入土部，三种入服器部，一种入介部，一种入人部）
《神农本草经》四十一种（梁陶弘景注）
《名医别录》三十二种（同上） 《唐本草》一十四种（唐苏恭） 《本草拾遗》一十
七种
（唐陈藏器） 《药性本草》一种（唐甄权） 《开宝本草》九种（宋马志） 《嘉 本草》
八种
（宋掌禹锡） 《图经本草》三种（宋苏颂） 《日华本草》八种（宋人大明） 《证类本
草》一种（宋唐慎微） 《本草纲目》二十七种（明李时珍）
【附注】魏李当之《药录》 《吴普本草》 宋雷 《炮炙》 齐徐之才《药对》 唐
孙思邈《千金》 李 《海药》 唐杨损之《删繁》 萧炳《四声》 蜀韩保升《重注》 宋
寇宗 《衍义》 陈承《别说》 金张元素《珍珠囊》 元李杲《法象》 王好古《汤液》
朱震亨《补遗》 明汪机《会编》 徐用诚《发挥》 王纶《集要》
Li Shizhen stated: Stones are the core of Qi (vital energy) and the bone of Earth. Large ones become rocks, while small ones become sand and dust. Their essence becomes metal and jade; their toxicity becomes arsenic. When Qi condenses, it forms cinnabar and azurite; when Qi transforms, it liquefies into alum and mercury. Its variations include: becoming hard from soft, such as brine turning into stone; becoming static from dynamic, such as plants and trees turning into stone; flying creatures and walking beings with spirit turning into stone, representing a transformation from sentient to insentient; stones formed by lightning strikes or meteorites falling, representing a transformation from formless to formed. The Great Mass nourishes all things, and the Heavenly Potter acts like a furnace. Although metals and stones seem like stubborn objects, the creative power of nature is infinite. They are relied upon for the body and home, and used in wealth and medicine to protect and nourish life. Although metals and stones are said to be dead jade, their utility is infinite. Therefore, *Yu Gong* (Tribute of Yu) and *Zhou Li* (Rites of Zhou) list their local products, while agricultural classics and ancient Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) texts detail their properties and functions. These are matters that capable ministers and skilled physicians should pay attention to. Thus, I have collected one hundred and sixty-one species that can benefit the nation and cure diseases, forming the Section on Metals and Stones, divided into four categories: Metal, Jade, Stone, and Brine/Salt.
(The old editions' sections on Jade and Stone contained three grades, totaling two hundred and fifty-three species. Now, twenty-eight species are merged into this section, thirty-two are moved to the Water section, thirty-nine to the Earth section, three to the Vessels and Utensils section, one to the Shellfish section, and one to the Human section.)
*Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica): 41 species (Annotated by Tao Hongjing of Liang)
*Mingyi Bielu* (Record of Famous Physicians): 32 species (Same as above)
*Tang Bencao* (Tang Materia Medica): 14 species (Su Gong of Tang)
*Bencao Shiyi* (Supplement to Materia Medica): 17 species (Chen Cangqi of Tang)
*Yaoxing Bencao* (Materia Medica of Drug Properties): 1 species (Zhen Quan of Tang)
*Kaibao Bencao* (Kaibao Materia Medica): 9 species (Ma Zhi of Song)
*Jia You Bencao* (Jiayou Materia Medica): 8 species (Zhang Yuxi of Song)
*Tujing Bencao* (Illustrated Materia Medica): 3 species (Su Song of Song)
*Rihua Bencao* (Rihua Materia Medica): 8 species (Ren Daming of Song)
*Zhenglei Bencao* (Classified Materia Medica): 1 species (Tang Shenwei of Song)
*Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica): 27 species (Li Shizhen of Ming)
[Appendix Notes] Li Dangzhi's *Yaolu* (Wei); Wu Pu's *Bencao*; Lei Xiao's *Paozhi* (Song); Xu Zhicai's *Yaodui* (Qi); Sun Simiao's *Qianjin Fang* (Tang); Li Xun's *Haiyao Bencao* (Song); Yang Sunzhi's *Shanfan* (Tang); Xiao Bing's *Sisheng Bencao*; Han Baosheng's *Chongzhu* (Shu); Kou Zongshi's *Yanyi* (Song); Chen Cheng's *Bieshuo*; Zhang Yuansu's *Zhenzhunang* (Jin); Li Gao's *Faxiang* (Yuan); Wang Haogu's *Tangye Bencao*; Zhu Zhenheng's *Buyi*; Wang Ji's *Huibian* (Ming); Xu Yongcheng's *Fahui*; Wang Lun's *Jiyao*.