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Sweet in taste, great in warming qi. Non-toxic. The placenta from a primipara is of good quality; do not disdain the mother for being thin. That from a multipara is inferior; one must select mothers who are plump. For men's diseases, seeking female placentas (placenta) is effective; for women's diseases, seeking male placentas (placenta) yields results. One theory states that there is no need to be rigid; whatever is obtained can be used for tonification. Place it in fast-flowing water, wash clean the fascia and membranes. Alternatively, bake it on new tiles until wrinkled into blocks. (Use two new tiles, place them facing up to hold the material, tie firmly with iron wire, seal tightly with salt mud, place low on the stove, bake with gentle fire, turn occasionally to prevent charring, from Chen hour to Shen hour, it gradually dries and wrinkles into blocks.) Or steam it in a fine-meshed steamer until soft and mushy, then pound into paste. (A small steamer with dense holes, steamed for a full day and night to become mushy, then pounded into paste.) Blocks can be stored for a long time and ground into powder for use; paste must be used immediately, mixed with honey to form pills. Other medicinal ingredients should be added or subtracted according to the syndrome. It treats various deficiencies and hundred damages, tuberculosis and corpse-transmission disease; cures five labors and seven injuries, bone-steaming tidal fever. Hoarse cough, emaciation, and dry hair. Hematemesis and epistaxis can all be controlled. Boiled and eaten in quantity, (cooked and eaten, tasting similar to pig stomach), its nourishing effect is especially excellent. It also benefits women, facilitating conception. Stored in jars and buried underground, after many years it naturally transforms into clear spring water. This is named Heche Water. It drives away delirious speech caused by epidemic pestilence, and removes heat-toxin from infant erysipelas.

(Chen Jiamo) Commentary: Zihewu (Placenta Hominis) is the fetal membrane. The fetus develops within the membrane, the umbilical cord attaches to the membrane, and the membrane attaches to the mother's waist, receiving the mother's protection. Father's essence and mother's blood combine to generate it; it is where true Yuan Qi gathers. However, the reason it is named "Heche" (River Chariot) is likely because before heaven and earth existed, it was the ancestor of Yin and Yang. The bag of Qian and Kun, the casing of Lead and Mercury. When the embryo is about to appear, the number of ninety-nine is complete. The fetus carries and rides upon it, hence the name is derived from imagery. "Zi" (Purple) refers to the color mixed of red and black. Red belongs to Fire and is Yang; Black belongs to Water and is Yin. It is said to possess both Yin and Qi without mixing them. Examining ancient prescriptions, it is also called Hundun Pi (Chaotic Skin) and Hunyuan Dan (Primordial Pill). Does the added character "Hun" (Mixed/Primordial) not share the same meaning as "Zi"? Thus, although Heche has formed the shape of Post-Heaven, it actually inherits the Qi of Pre-Heaven. Entering medicine to save lives, it truly rivals the work of creation. Not only can patients recover, but weak women taking it can easily conceive. This again originates from its source, following similarity, just as using eggs to feed chickens. Current medical formulas name it Dazao Wan (Great Creation Pill), explicitly comparing reproduction to Heaven, profound and beyond comparison.