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The best quality comes from Beitingshan (i.e., Huozhou in the Western Regions today). Hence it is named "Beiting Sha" (Nao Stone from Beitingshan). In Huoyanshan (i.e., Beitingshan), smoke and vapor often rise, but there are no clouds or mist. By evening, the light resembles torches, illuminating birds and mice so that they appear red. Collectors wear wooden clogs to gather the stone; if they wore leather-soled shoes, the soles would burn. (From *Xingcheng Ji* / *Record of Travel*) Lancheng County inLintao has caves producing Sha. (From *Yitong Zhi* / *Comprehensive Gazetteer*) It is also found in the modern Xiliang Xia Kingdom and in bordering prefectures of Hedong and Shaanxi. Sha imported from the Western Barbarians appears as bright lumps; large ones are fist-sized, weighing three to five taels; small ones are finger-nail sized and are most essential for medicinal use. Sha from border areas is mixed and fragmented like hemp seeds or beans, often夹杂着 sand and gravel. It must be processed by "water flying" (trituration with water) and clarified to remove earth and stones; otherwise, its efficacy is weak. Locals call this "Qi Sha" (Vapor Sha). (From Su Song's *Bencao Tujing* / *Illustrated Materia Medica*)

It tastes sour, salty, bitter, and pungent. Its nature is extremely hot, and it possesses great toxicity. It can dissolve the "five metals and eight minerals," corroding human intestines and stomachs. For poisoning, drinking one to two sheng of juice made from raw, ground mung beans can detoxify it. It is incompatible with Jiangshui (fermented grain liquid) and sheep blood. (From Li Xun's *Haiyao Bencao* / *Materia Medica of Foreign Drugs*)

It treats emaciation in men and women, phlegm-qi stagnation, hard accumulations, dysphagia (Ya Ge) and regurgitation, abdominal masses (Zheng Jia), chronic dysentery, and fish bones stuck in the throat. It removes corneal opacities (Mu Yi) and fleshy growths (Rou), and eliminates moles, warts, and skin tags. (From various ancient materia medicas) Dysphagia, regurgitation, and internal masses are mostly caused by emotional disturbances and dietary irregularities. Phlegm and qi stagnate and form tangible obstructions, blocking pathways, leading to vomiting, pain, and distension. Without using Nao Sha to digest these, how could they be removed? Its nature is capable of rotting gold, silver, copper, and tin. When people cook tough meat, adding a small amount makes it tender quickly. The saying that it "transforms the heart into blood" is merely an exaggeration warning against excessive consumption. (From Li Shizhen's *Bencao Gangmu* / *Compendium of Materia Medica*) Nao Sha breaks down hard accumulations and should not be used alone. It must be combined with other herbs in compound prescriptions and used externally as powders. It should also be used together with Realgar (Niuhuang - *Note: Context implies Realgar or similar mineral, though Niuhuang is typically Musk Deer Gallstone, here likely referring to a mineral powder context or specific formulation*), Borneol (Longnao), Lead White (Qianhua), and Ivory Powder. (From Zhang Yuansu [Jiegu] and Miao Xichong [Zhongchun]) Although it can attack and resolve tangible accumulations, excessive intake damages the intestines and stomach. Its strength lies only in removing foul flesh, malignant ulcerations, corneal opacities, and fleshy growths. (From Miao Xiong [Zhongchun]) For eye injury causing stasis and persistent redness, take 100 almonds, steam until cooked, remove skins and tips, grind, filter to obtain pure juice, add one fen of Nao Sha powder, boil in water, and apply to the eyes once or twice daily until the stasis falls off. For nasal polyps, apply Nao Sha combined with Alum (Mingfan), Realgar (Niuhuang - *Note: Likely typo in original for Realgar or another mineral, usually Niuhuang is Musk Deer Gallstone, but in external polyp treatments, minerals are common*), Lead Powder, Pearl (Zhenzhu), and Ivory Powder until they fall off. For facial warts, mix a small amount of Nao Sha with equal parts Borax (Pengsha), Iron Rust (Tiexiu), and Musk (Shexiang), grind, and apply; after three applications, they will fall off. Wash with licorice root decoction when fatigued.

[Discussion] Beiting Sha inherits the qi of yin stones and contains the essence of yang toxicity. (The term "toxic" here refers to yang toxicity.) For conditions of deep cold and accumulated stagnation caused by the failure of yin to transform into pathology, this herb is necessary to penetrate the entrenched yin and induce yang transformation. Li Shizhen stated that this forms from brine condensation, originating from Qinghai, generated by interaction with moonlight, and solidifying with salt. If this were true, it would be the essence of extreme yin, and its toxicity would belong to yin. How then could it treat various deep-cold diseases? I suspect that what Westerners use as salt is the brine they leach and refine, whereas the Nao Sha produced in Beitingshan has a completely different yin-yang nature and therapeutic effect, acting like ice and charcoal in opposition. Since I have not personally visited the region, I await future observations with certainty to verify this.

[Processing] Use cages made of Minium (Huandan) and Calcined Alumen (Duanshi) to heat it until it turns red for use; this renders it non-toxic. (Minium is refined from lead; lead belongs to extreme yin and thus can resolve yang toxicity.) People worry about its flesh-rotting property, yet for knife wounds, applying it causes scabs to form immediately. (From Ri Huaizi) Nao Sha penetrates objects and is also known as "Bone-Penetrating General." Store it in black jars suspended over fire to keep it dry, or store it with dried ginger, which is also effective. If exposed to cold or moisture, it dissolves into water. This illustrates the principle that extreme yang transforms upon encountering yin.