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[Bianqing]
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Neutral. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Ophthalmalgia (eye pain), improving vision, traumatic injuries with fractures and abscesses, non-healing metallic wounds, breaking up accumulations and masses, detoxifying poisonous vapors, benefiting the spirit and mind, expelling wind-cold-damp bi syndrome, and various diseases of the male urethra, tonifying essence. Long-term use makes the body light and delays aging. Habitat: Valleys of Zhuya, Wudu, Zhuti. Harvesting time: No fixed season. Note: Not used in *Xianjing* or secular prescriptions. Zhuya Commandery formerly belonged to Jiaozhou, located in the South China Sea; abolished in the Jin Dynasty. Zhuti Commandery currently belongs to Ningzhou. (Ref: *Xinxiu Bencao* p.10, *Daguan Bencao* Vol.3, *Zhenghe Bencao* p.96)

[Shidan / Copper Sulfate]
Taste: Sour, Pungent. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Toxic. Indications: Improving vision, ophthalmalgia, metallic wounds, various epilepsy spasms, female genital erosion/pain, lithiasis (stone strangury), alternating chills and fever, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, various pathogenic toxic vapors, promoting fertility, dissipating mass formations, treating cough and rebellious qi, and rat-sores/malignant ulcers. After refining and taking as an electuary, it delays aging; long-term use increases longevity and leads to immortality. It can transform iron into copper and generate gold and silver. Aliases: Bishi, Heishi, Qishi, Tongle. Habitat: Qianglijuqingshan Valley in Qiangdao. Harvesting time: Gengzi and Xinchou days in the second lunar month. Interactions: Facilitated by Shuiying; incompatible with Mugui, Jungui, Yuanhua, Xinyi, Baiwei. Note: Mentioned in *Xianjing*, rarely used in secular prescriptions, nearly extinct. Current specimens are greenish-blue, resembling glass with white veins, brittle. Unavailable in Liangzhou and Xindu. Often substituted with green alum stone, which bears no resemblance. *Xianjing* also calls it Lizhishi. (Ref: *Xinxiu Bencao* p.11, *Daguan Bencao* Vol.3, *Zhenghe Bencao* p.89)

[Yunmu / Mica]
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Neutral. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Dead skin/flesh, wind-stroke with chills and fever, motion sickness in vehicles/boats, expelling pathogenic factors, calming the Five Viscera, tonifying essence, improving vision, descending rebellious qi, firming muscles, healing fractures, tonifying the Middle Jiao, treating five labors and seven injuries, deficiency with shortness of breath, stopping dysentery. Long-term use makes the body light, prolongs life, beautifies complexion, resists cold and heat, elevates spiritual aspiration like a deity. Aliases: Yunzhu (mostly red), Yunhua (five colors present), Yunying (mostly green), Yunye (mostly white), Yunsha (green-yellow), Linshi (pure white). Habitat: Valleys of Mount Tai, Mount Lu, and between rocks at Beiding Mountain in Langya. Harvesting time: Second lunar month. Interactions: Facilitated by Zexie; incompatible with certain beetles, contrary to Liushui, adverse to Xuchangqing.
Note from *Xianjing*: There are eight types of Yunmu. Facing the sun, those that are green-white with much black are named Yunmu; those yellow-white with much green are named Yunying. These six types are good for consumption but have specific seasonal timings. Those that are dark pure black with patterns like iron are named Yundan; those mixed black and strong/fat are named Dizhuo. These two types must not be consumed. Refining requires meticulous methods; otherwise, ingestion causes severe harm. Currently, practitioners of deficiency-labor conditions only crush and sieve it for pills and powders, which is inappropriate. Langya is northeast of Pengcheng; Qingzhou also has it. In Jiangdong, only Mount Lu mica is considered superior, cultivated in sand soil over years. Refining with Alum Stone (*Fan Shi*) softens it, demonstrating incompatibility. Dew on hundred herbs surpasses East-flowing Water; May rainwater from thatched roofs is also used. (Ref: *Xinxiu Bencao*)