Library

(From *Bencao Shayi* / Supplement to Materia Medica)

**Names:** Jiao Chi (Horned Owl, from *Shuowen Jiezi*), Guai Chi (Strange Owl, from *Erya*), [Wan], Lao Tu (Old Rabbit, from *Erya*), Gou [Ge], [Jiqi], Guluying (called by people in Shu), Hu [Ying] (called by people in Chu), Yeshiying (Night-eating Eagle, called by people in Wu).

Li Shizhen said: This bird resembles the Chi (owl-like birds) but has feathered horns on its head, hence it is called Chi and Jiao. The character [Wan] depicts the shape of the bird's head and eyes with horns. "Lao Tu" describes the shape of its head and eyes. "Xiu" and "Guai" both imply inauspiciousness. Gou [Ge], Guluy, Hu [Ying]...

**Collected Explanations:** Chen Cangqi said: Gou [Ge] is the same as [KT] in *Erya*, and is called Gou [Ge] in the Jiangdong region. Its appearance resembles a Chi with horns; it is a strange bird.

It flies at night and hides during the day. If it enters a city, the city seems empty; if it enters a house, the house seems empty. If it stays in one place for a long time, it causes no harm. However, if its cry sounds like laughter, one should leave quickly. In the northern regions, there is a bird called "Xunhu" (Teaching Fox). These two creatures are similar but belong to different categories. Xunhu calls out its own name, has eyes like a cat, is larger than a thrush, makes laughing sounds, and this portends the death of someone. There is also another bird called "Xiu [ ]", which belongs to the same category. It is small and yellow, can enter houses at night, and picks human fingernails to predict good or bad fortune. When captured, its crop often contains nails. Therefore, those who remove nails bury it inside the door for this reason.

Li Shizhen said: There are two types of this animal: One is the Chixiu, size comparable to an owl-eagle, with yellow and black spotted plumage, head and eyes like a cat, and two ear tufts of feathers. It hides by day and emerges by night. When calling, males and females call to each other; the sound resembles that of an old person, initially sounding like a call and later like laughter. Its arrival is often considered inauspicious. *Zhuangzi* states: "The Chixiu catches fleas at night, seeing even the finest hairs, but when it comes out by day, it cannot see hills and mountains." He Chengtian’s *Zuanwen* states: "Chixiu cannot see people during the day but can catch fleas and lice at night." Folklore erroneously changed "fleas" to "human nails," which is absurd. The other type is called "Xiu [ ]", size comparable to a thrush, plumage color like a harrier, head and eyes also like a cat. When calling, its vent resonates, producing a continuous, turning sound like "Xiu Liu Xiu Liu," hence the name Xiu [ ]. In Jiangdong, it is called Che Zai Ban; in Chu, Kuai Kang Niao; in Shu, Chun Ge Er. All say its cry portends death, and testing confirms this. *Shuowen Jiezi* calls it [Jue], indicating its small size. What Chen Cangqi called "Xunhu" is actually [Jue]; what he called "Xiu [ ]" is actually the smaller version of Chixiu. Both were mistaken. *Rites of Zhou* mentions that Cu Shi was in charge of covering nests of unnatural-death birds, writing numbers of ten days, twelve earthly branches, twelve months, twelve years, and twenty-eight mansions on square tablets, hanging them on the nest to drive the birds away. *Xu Bowuzhi* states: Xiu [ ], Stork, and Magpie are noisy while incubating eggs.

**Meat**

**Flavor and Properties:** Not recorded.

**Indications:** Malaria. Take one bird, remove feathers and viscera, deep-fry and eat (Li Shizhen. From *Yin Xianfu Fang*).

**Attached Prescriptions:** New prescription 1.

Wind-deficiency dizziness: Take a large-headed eagle, kill it, remove feathers, boil and eat; burn the bones until carbonized (preserving nature), and take with wine (from *Bianmin Shiliao*).

**Liver**

**Indications:** Used by practitioners of magical arts (Li Shizhen).