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[Hair]
Taste: bitter; Nature: warm.
Indications: Primarily treats five types of *long* (urinary retention), *guan-ge* (obstruction of upper and lower orifices with inability to urinate or defecate), promoting the free flow of urine through the water passages, with effects of lubrication and unblocking. Treats pediatric epilepsy (*xian*) and adult mania/dementia-like states (*dian*), restoring spiritual clarity. Nourishes the collaterals.

Hair is considered the surplus of blood. The ailments treated in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* primarily involve the function of promoting the free flow of bowel and bladder movements. Why is this? Because the Heart and Small Intestine are interior-exteriorly related. The Heart governs blood. As hair is the surplus of blood, it cannot enter the Heart but can enter the Small Intestine, as the Small Intestine serves as the outlet for the Heart. Furthermore, hair belongs to the category of hair/fur. The Lungs govern skin and hair, and the Lungs are the source of water. Therefore, it can promote diuresis. Is this not a necessary principle? Its treatment of epilepsy and mania stems from its ability to drain phlegm-fluids from the Heart system and nourish/moisten the blood vessels. In the *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet), formulas treating urinary obstruction and strangury use Talcum (*Huashi*) and disordered hair (*Luanfa*). Among physicians who strictly adhere to the principles of the *Bencao Jing* in their medication choices, only Zhang Zhongjing stands alone.

[Dragon Bone]
Taste: salty, sweet; Nature: neutral.
Indications: Primarily treats *gui-zhu* (ghostly affections, a chronic wasting disease attributed to evil spirits) in the heart and abdomen, and afflictions by spirits/monsters. Pure Yang energy can subdue Yin pathogens. Treats cough and rebellious Qi, possessing the functions of consolidating Qi and eliminating phlegm-fluids. Treats dysentery with pus and blood, and uterine bleeding (*lou-xia*), exhibiting astringent properties. Treats hard, knotted masses (*zheng-jia*), where the nature of dragon bone is adept at penetrating inward to break up stagnations. Treats pediatric heat-induced fright epilepsy, with effects of extinguishing fire and calming the spirit.

Teeth: Treats fright epilepsy, manic disorders, and wild running in children and adults. Its efficacy is similar to that of bone, but teeth belong to the Kidney and bones, both governing storage and consolidation. Thus, they have particularly strong effects in calming the spirit and stabilizing willpower. Treats Qi knotting in the epigastrium causing inability to breathe, functioning to descend and consolidate rebellious Qi wandering in the Upper Jiao. Treats various spasmodic conditions caused by Phlegm-fluids in the Heart channel. Kills spirits/monsters. The rationale is also consistent with bone.

Long-term consumption lightens the body, enhances spiritual clarity, and prolongs life. Since dragons can fly and transform and are long-lived, they possess these effects.

Dragon bone is born from the pure Yang Qi of Heaven and Earth. It remains hidden most of the time and appears rarely. Its nature is extremely dynamic yet capable of stillness; therefore, its bone is the most adhesive and astringent, capable of consolidating Zheng Qi (Upright Qi).

It can cure diseases characterized by dissipation of Heart-Shen (Spirit) and slipping/degeneration of the intestines and stomach. Pure Yang is the upright Qi of Heaven and Earth; thus, in the human body, it only consolidates upright Qi and does not consolidate pathogenic Qi. Therefore, Zhang Zhongjing also uses it even when pathogenic Qi from Cold Damage (*Shanghan*) has not been fully expelled. Later physicians have likely not carefully examined this principle. The Shen (Spirit) in the human body belongs to Yang. However, unlike Qi and Blood, Shen does not have tangible substance to be tonified or purged directly; hence, treating Shen is the most difficult. Dragons ride the primal Yang Qi of Heaven and Earth, entering and exiting with unpredictable changes; they are the Spirit of Heaven and Earth. Treating Shen with Shen allows for resonance between similar Qi categories. Assisted by methods of cold, hot, warm, cool, tonification, and purgation, even formless diseases are not difficult to treat.

There are two types of Yang Qi in Heaven and Earth: one is Primal Yang (*Yuan Yang*), and the other is Yin-Yang Yang. Yin-Yang Yang arises when Taiji separates, using the sun and moon for ascending and descending, with Water and Fire as its functions. It stands in opposition to Yin without merging into Yin; this represents the principle of Heaven and Earth standing side by side. Primal Yang exists before Taiji separates, using cold and heat for rising and falling, with thunder and rain as its functions. It attaches to Yin without mixing with it; this represents the principle of Heaven enveloping Earth. Dragons are generated from the Primal Yang Qi of Heaven and Earth, residing in water but never departing from it. Thus, at the Spring Equinox, when Yang Qi ascends, well water becomes cold, dragons become active and can fly; at the Autumn Equinox, when Yang Qi descends, well water becomes warm, dragons retreat and hibernate, capable of diving. The five Zang organs in the human body belong to Yin, and the Kidney is the extreme Yin within Yin. All fluids in the body return to the Kidney; therefore, human Yuan Qi resides there. Thus, the Kidney is both the organ storing Water and the organ storing Fire. Consequently, for conditions where Fire in the Yin aspect moves recklessly and fails to store, Dragon Bone is also used, presumably borrowing its Qi to facilitate storage, ensuring it returns to its proper residence. Only those who investigate things to the utmost limit of reason can participate in understanding this.