Library

[Name] Pheasant. Su Song said: The pheasant flies like an arrow, moving forward and then falling, hence the character "Zhi" (Pheasant) contains "Shi" (Arrow). Nowadays, people place its tail on boats and carts to desire speed. Empress Dowager Lu of Han was named Zhi, so Emperor Gaozu changed "Zhi" to "Yeji" (Wild Chicken). It is actually a type of chicken. Li Shizhen said: Huang's *Yunhui* states: "Zhi" means reason/pattern. Pheasants have patterns. Thus, it is called "Huachong" (Flowery Insect/Bird) in the *Book of Documents*, and "Shuzhi" (Slit-toed) in the *Book of Rites*. There are many types of pheasants, distinguished by their colors and shapes. *Qin Jing* (Classic of Birds) says: Pheasants are armored birds. Those with white base color and complete five colors are called Zhi; those with green base color and complete five colors are called Yaozhi; red-yellow ones are Zhi; white ones are Zhaozhi (pronounced zhào); black ones are Haizhi. *Erya* says: Yaozhi has a green base and complete five colors. Zhaozhi calls itself yellow. Dizhi is a mountain pheasant with a long tail. Zhi has a long tail, runs and crows. Zhizhi is the sea pheasant. *Fan Shu*...

[Explanation] Li Shizhen said: Pheasants are found in both north and south. They are large as chickens, with spotted colors and embroidered wings. Males have bright patterns and long tails; females have dull patterns and short tails. They are fond of fighting. Their cry is "KT" (KT pronounced yǎo). They do not mate again. Eggs are brownish. When laying eggs, the female hides from the male; otherwise, the male eats the eggs. *Yueling* (Monthly Ordinances) states that in late winter, pheasants begin to crow, saying that when Yang moves, pheasants crow and hook their necks. In early winter, pheasants enter large waters and transform into Shen (giant clams). Shen are giant clams. Lu Tian's *Piya* says: Snakes mating with pheasants produce Shen. Shen are a type of Jiao (dragon-like creature). *Leishu* says: Snakes and pheasants mate to produce offspring called Shen, which are water insects. Lu Deming's *Xu Shuijing* says: Snake-pheasant eggs left on the ground turn into dragons or snakes after a thousand years, resembling snakes with four legs, capable of harming people. Lu Zhigang's *Junling Jiyao* says: In the first month, snakes and pheasants mate and lay eggs; encountering thunder, they bury themselves several feet underground, taking snake form, and after two or three hundred years become Jiao and fly. If the egg does not enter the soil, it remains a pheasant. Ren Fang's *Shuyou Ji* says: In Jianghuai, there is a beast called Nai (pronounced nài), which is also this kind. These are all different species sharing similar feelings, changes of creation, which cannot be guessed.

Meat
[Properties] Sour, slightly cold, non-toxic. Su Gong said: Warm. *Rihua Bencao* said: Neutral, slightly toxic. Beneficial in autumn and winter, toxic in spring and summer. People with dysentery should not eat it. Su Song said: *Zhou Li* (Rites of Zhou) provides six kinds of poultry, one of which is the pheasant; it is also a precious food. However, it has slight toxicity and should not be eaten frequently; it causes more harm than good. Chen Cangqi said: Long-term consumption makes people thin. From September to December, it has slight tonifying effects; in other months, it triggers hemorrhoids and various sores/eczema. Do not eat with walnuts, as it triggers wind-head dizziness and heart pain. Eat with mushrooms or wood ear fungus, and it triggers hemorrhoids, causing immediate bloody diarrhea. Eat with buckwheat flour foods, and it produces fat worms. Eggs eaten with scallions produce tapeworms. Self-dead pheasants with unextended claws kill humans.

[Correction] Sun Simiao said: The Yellow Emperor's book says: Do not eat chicken or pheasant meat on Bingwu days. Men will burn to death and go blind; women will die of blood stasis and see hallucinations. Eating wild chicken meat together with domestic chicken eggs causes Dunshi (escaping corpse disease), where corpse ghosts entangle the body. Tao Hongjing said: Pheasants do not belong to the Chen branch; they are exactly Li birds (Fire). One should not eat them on Bingwu days, clearly associated with Fire for Kings. Li Shizhen said: Pheasants belong to Li Fire, chickens belong to Xun Wood. Thus, when boiled, chicken combs change color, while pheasant combs turn red, proving they belong to Fire. They should not be eaten in spring and summer because they eat insects and ants, and mate with snakes, resulting in transformational toxicity. They trigger hemorrhoids and sores, and make people thin and sick because they generate worms, just like chicken meat. Vulgar people falsely attributed these sayings to the Yellow Emperor, claiming one should not eat on Bingwu days or that it causes Dunshi; these are absurd rumors. Tao Hongjing agreed, and Sun Simiao adopted them, both being mistaken. Now correcting these errors.

[Indications] Tonifies the middle, boosts Qi and strength, stops dysentery, removes worm masses (*Bielu*).

[Elucidation] Li Shizhen said: Various schools say pheasant meat triggers hemorrhoids and should not be eaten by those with dysentery, yet *Bielu* uses it to treat dysentery. Why? Presumably, pheasants correspond to Stomach Earth among birds, thus tonifying the middle; and since they eat insects and ants, they treat worm masses, utilizing their controlling nature. If eaten for a long time or at improper times, they generate worms and toxicity, hence unsuitable.

[Attached Formulas] Three old, one new.
Spleen deficiency with dysentery, day and night without stopping: One wild pheasant, prepared as food, add tangerine peel, scallion, pepper, and five-flavor berry, mix and cook as wontons, eat on an empty stomach. (*Shiyi Xinjing*) Dysentery postpartum: Use one wild pheasant, make into wontons and eat. (Same source) Xiaoke (wasting-thirst) drinking water and frequent urination: Use one wild pheasant, boil with five flavors to obtain juice and drink. Meat can also be eaten, very effective. (Same source) Heart and abdominal fullness: One wild pheasant (male or female), fennel (stir-fried), horse radish seeds (stir-fried), Sichuan pepper (stir-fried), tangerine peel, fresh ginger equal parts. Use vinegar and steamed cake overnight, mix with pheasant meat as filling, wrap in dough skin to make wontons, cook thoroughly and eat. Also take Jiahe San early in the morning, take this at Chen hour (7-9 AM), and Daoqi Zhike Wan at Wu hour (11 AM-1 PM). (*Zhu Shi Jiyan Fang*)

Brain
[Indications] Apply to frostbite (Li Shizhen).

Beak
[Indications] Treat worm masses (Sun Simiao).

Tail
[Indications] Burn to ash, mix with sesame oil, apply to erysipelas (Li Shizhen).

Feces
[Indications] Treat chronic malaria (Li Shizhen).

[Attached Formula] One new.
Chronic malaria not stopping: Male wild pheasant feces, bear gallbladder, Tussilago Farfara (Wulingzhi), Polygala Root (Hengshan), grind into powder equally, make pills with vinegar paste size of black beans. When attacking, swallow with cold water.

Dizhi (Pronounced Di. *Shiliao*)
[Name] Di (*Qin Jing*), Mountain Chicken (Same), Mountain Pheasant.
Li Shizhen said: Di refers to beautiful plumage. Pheasants dwell in plains and fields, Di dwells in mountains and forests, hence the name mountain. Large ones are Di.

[Explanation] Su Song said: In Yifangluo and Jianghuai regions, there is a type of pheasant, small with a long tail, called Mountain Chicken, often kept in pens by people, which is what *Erya* calls "Di, mountain pheasant." Li Shizhen said: There are four types of mountain chickens, same name but different objects. Resembling pheasants with tails three to four chi long are Di-zhi. Resembling Di with tails five to six chi long, able to run and crow, are Zhi, commonly called Di by vulgar people. The other two are Di-zhi and Jinji (Brocade Chicken). Di and Zhi are both brave and self-loving of their tails, not entering dense forests. In rain or snow, they hide in rocks or perch on trees, dare not come down to eat, and often starve to death. Thus, Sikuang said: Snow seals barren plains, patterned birds die much. Southern servants often insert their tails into their caps. Their meat is all better than pheasant. *Zhuan* says: Among four-footed beauties is Qianyang; among two-footed beauties is Quyu.

Meat
[Properties] Sweet, neutral, slightly toxic.
Chen Cangqi said: Triggers hemorrhoids, long-term consumption thins people. Mixed with buckwheat flour foods, generates fat worms. Eaten with fermented soybeans, harms people. Eggs eaten with scallions generate tapeworms. Rest is same as pheasant.

[Indications] For asthma and panting due to five organs, make into soup and eat (Meng Shen). Roasted and eaten, tonifies middle and boosts Qi (Li Shizhen).

Jinji (Pronounced Bi, Die. *Shayi*)
[Name] Mountain Chicken (*Qin Jing*), Brocade Chicken (Same), Golden Chicken (*Gangmu*), Caiji (*Zhou Shu*), Junyi (Pronounced Junyi). Li Shizhen said: Jin is stubborn and upright, hence the name. Junyi means handsome appearance. Zhou had Di mian (cap), Han had Junyi guan (hat), both taken for the meaning of handsome attire and culture. Jin and Di share the name Mountain Chicken; Jin is large, Di is small; Jin and Di share the name Brocade Chicken; Jin has patterns on the ribbon, Di has patterns on the body, using this as difference, generally all belong to Pheasant category. According to *Qin Jing*: Head has colored feathers called Mountain Chicken; belly has colored patterns called Brocade Chicken; neck has colored pouch called Bizhu. Thus Mountain Chicken and Brocade Chicken are slightly distinct, but vulgarly called one. They are one class, not far apart.

[Explanation] Chen Cangqi said: Jin resembles pheasant with five colors. *Shanhai Jing* says "Xiao Hua Mountain has many red Jin, raising them wards off fire disasters," this is it. Li Shizhen said: Mountain chickens come from southern Yue mountains, Hunan and Hubei also have them. Shape like small chicken, comb also small, back has yellow-red patterns, green neck, red belly, red beak. Sharp spurs, good at fighting, if fought against domestic chickens, can win. This is what *Erya* calls "Di, mountain chicken." *Yi Zhou Shu* calls it Caiji. Jinji is smaller than Di, back patterns raise red, chest front five colors shine like peacock feathers. This is what *Erya* calls "Jin, Tianji." *Yi Zhou Shu* calls it Wenhan (Pronounced Han). Two types are generally similar, but Jinji patterns are especially brilliant like brocade. Some say Jinji is the male, also acceptable. Liu Jingshu's *Yiyuan* says: Mountain chickens love their feathers, dance when reflecting in water, eyes dazzle and often die, reflecting in mirrors is the same. And Di chickens starving to death loving tails, both are burdened by their patterns.

Meat
[Properties] Sweet, warm, slightly toxic.

[Indications] Eating makes people intelligent (Wang Ying). Raising them wards off fire disasters (Chen Cangqi).

[Appendix] Tu Shou Ji (Curtain-spitting Chicken) Li Shizhen said: Comes from Ba Gorge and Min-Guang mountains, many people keep them for play. Large ones like domestic chickens, small ones like mynas. Head and cheeks resemble pheasants, feather colors mostly black, mixed with yellow-white round spots like pearl spots. Neck has crop, inside hides flesh curtain, usually not seen, every spring and summer sunny days, faces sun and waves it. Top of head first grows two green horns, about two cun, then slowly extends the curtain under chin, length and width nearly one chi, red and green alternating, colors brilliant, after time all retract and unseen. Or dissect to view, nothing seen. This bird also feeds parents when born. Walks avoiding grass and trees, thus *Qin Jing* calls it Bizhu. *Shipin Bencao* calls it Tu Jinji, *Gujin Zhu* calls it Jin Nang, Cai's *Shihua* calls it Zhenzhu Ji, *Juan You Lu* calls it Xiao Niao. *Shijing* calls it E ("Qiong you zhi E" is correct).

Chunji (Pronounced He, Ke. *Shayi*)
[Name] Li Shizhen said: Its feather colors are black, yellow, and brown, hence Chun. Blue-black ones are named Jie (Pronounced jie), nature is upright. Qing Feng is also named Jie, taking image from this.

[Explanation] Chen Cangqi said: Chunji comes from Shangdang. Wei Wudi's fu says: Chunji fierce spirit, its fight expects certain death. Nowadays people use Chun as cap, imitating this. Li Shizhen said: Chun shape resembles pheasant but larger, yellow-black, head has hair horns like comb. Nature loves its party, if invaded, goes straight to fight, even if dead still does not give up. Thus ancient Huaben wore Chun caps. *Qin Jing* says: Chun, Yi bird, Yi does not know death, this is so. Nature is also rough and violent, whenever grabbing, crushes with hand. Shangdang is now Luzhou.

Meat
[Properties] Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.

[Indications] Roasted and eaten, makes people brave and strong (Chen Cangqi). Roasted and eaten, makes people fat and moist (Wang Ying).