Library

(From *Shi Jian*)

[Names] Li Shizhen states: The ancient character for mule is written as "𩢱". It consists of the radical "horse" (mǎ) and the phonetic component "𩢱", forming a phono-semantic compound.

[Collected Explanations] Li Shizhen states: The mule is larger than a donkey and stronger than a horse, with its strength concentrated in the waist. Its hindquarters possess clavicles that cannot move.
If born from the mating of a male donkey and a female horse, it is called a mule;
If born from the mating of a male horse and a female donkey, it is called Ju Ti (jué tí);
If born from the mating of a male ox and a female donkey, it is called Biao Liu (biāo liú);
If born from the mating of a male ox and a female horse, it is called Bo. Currently, the common term used is mule.

[Flesh]
[Properties and Flavors] Pungent, bitter, warm, slightly toxic.
Ning Yuan states: Mules have a stubborn nature, and their flesh offers no benefit to humans; pregnant women who consume it may experience difficult labor.
Li Shizhen states: Ancient medical formulas do not record the use of mule flesh, though some modern minor texts occasionally include prescriptions for it. According to *Lüshi Chunqiu*: Duke Jian of Zhao had a white mule which he cherished greatly. His minister, Yangcheng Xuqu, fell ill. The physician stated, "If you obtain the liver of the white mule, he will live; otherwise, he will die." Upon hearing this, Duke Jian said, "To kill an animal to save a human—is this not benevolence?" He then slaughtered the mule, extracted the liver, and administered it to Xuqu. Xuqu recovered. This also reflects the sentiment of sacrificing personal treasures to aid meritorious officials. Recorded here as a medical case for reference.

[Hooves]
[Therapeutic Actions] Difficult labor. Burn to ash, add a small amount of Moschus (shèxiāng), and take one qian dissolved in wine (from *Pu Ji Fang*).

[Feces]
[Therapeutic Actions] Traumatic injuries, various sores, tetanus with swelling and pain. Charcoalize by frying, wrap in cloth, and apply as a hot compress; replace when cool (Li Shizhen).

(From Song Dynasty *Kaibao Bencao*)

[Names] Tuotuo (from *Han Shu*), camel.
Li Shizhen states: The camel is named so because it can carry bags and sacks. The pronunciation has been corrupted in dialects to "luotuo".

[Collected Explanations] Ma Zhi states: Wild camels and domestic camels inhabit the regions north of the Great Wall and Hexi. Their fat is located within the two humps, and both are used in medicine.
Su Song states: Wild camels exist only in the northwest border regions today. Domestic camels are raised and bred by households in the central plains; those used in medicine are inferior to wild camels.
Li Shizhen states: The camel resembles a horse but has a head like a sheep, a long neck, and drooping ears. Its legs have three joints, and its back features two fleshy humps shaped like saddles. They come in colors such as grayish-brown, dark brown, yellow, and purple. Their call sounds like "ao," and their exhaled breath rises straight up like smoke from wild wolf fires. They possess great strength, capable of carrying loads up to a thousand jin, traveling two or three hundred li per day. They can also detect water sources, underground streams, wind, and weather conditions. Wherever they stamp their feet over unknown subterranean flows, water is found. In the flowing sands during summer, people consider this a reliable method. When resting, they lie with their bellies off the ground, kneeling on their legs, capable of traveling a thousand li a day. The Tibetan regions have single-humped camels. *Xiyu Ji* refers to them as Feng Niu or Tuotuo. *Nan Shi* records that the state of Hua had two-humped camels, which was unheard of by previous scholars.

[Camel Fat]
Refers to the hump. The fat inside the hump is called "hump oil." For medicinal use, fat from wild camels is superior.
Kou Zongshi states:
[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, warm, non-toxic. *Jing Yuan* states: It can soften the five metals.
[Therapeutic Actions] Stubborn bi-syndrome (painful obstruction), wind-induced pruritus, malignant sores, toxic swellings, necrotic tissue, tendon and skin contraction, and bone/tendon injury. Heat by fire and massage to allow warmth to penetrate the flesh. It can also be mixed with rice flour to make pancakes for treating hemorrhoids (*Kaibao Bencao*). Treats all types of wind pathogens (Daming). For deficiency-wind syndromes with cold accumulation, mix with burning wine and ingest (*Zhengyao*).
[Attached Prescriptions] One new prescription.
Take one cup, melt and ingest, increasing to one spoonful, taken three times daily (*Shengji Zonglu*).

[Flesh]
[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, warm, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Disperses various wind pathogens, directs qi downward, strengthens bones and tendons, moistens skin, treats malignant sores (Daming).

[Milk]
[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, warm, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Tonifies the middle and boosts qi, strengthens bones and tendons, prevents hunger (*Zhengyao*).

[Bile]
[Properties and Flavors] Bitter, neutral, slightly toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Wind-heat convulsive disorders (Li Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Li Shizhen states: Camel bile resembles bovine calculus (niuhuang) but lacks fragrance. People from the frontier regions use it to adulterate bovine calculus, but its efficacy is inferior.

[Hair]
[Therapeutic Actions] Best for leukorrhea (red and white discharge) in women (Su Gong). Chin hair: Treats hemorrhoids; burn to ash, take one fangcun bi (square-inch measure) with wine (Li Shizhen, from Cui Xinggong's *Zuanyao*).
[Attached Prescriptions] One new prescription.
Genital chancre: Burn camel wool to ash, clarify with water, mix with equal parts of calcined red lead (huangdan), apply as powder for immediate effect (Gong Tingxian).

[Feces]
[Therapeutic Actions] Grind dry into powder and insufflate into the nose to stop epistaxis (Kou Zongshi). Burning smoke kills...