味咸平。主目翳。鬼注虫毒。腹痛下血。五癃利水道。烧用之。生池泽。水陆居分。
阴阳象审。仪锡百朋。货区五品。文莹罗珠。言成织锦。御害灵奇。天然异禀。
尔雅。贝居陆焱。在水 。六书精蕴。背穹而浑以象天之阳。腹平而折以象地之阴。诗
笺。
货贝五贝为朋。锡百朋。得禄多也。汉书志。王莽为货贝五品。南州异物志。文若罗珠。不
磨而莹。诗。成是贝锦。相贝经。径尺之贝。灵奇之秘宝。其次则御害一也。陈琳笺。此
乃天然异禀。
味咸寒。主五癃。破石淋。堕胎。内解结气。利水道除热。一名沙虱。生池泽。
蚕形石化。亦育中阿。候无眠起。乐在风波。身环泥茧。羽化灰蛾。云师雨虎。相荡相
摩。
马志曰。石蚕生海岸石旁。状如蚕。其实石也。李时珍曰。与此不同。诗。在彼中阿。
韩保
升曰。此虫所在。水石间有之。埤雅。蚕三眠三起。张志和词。乐在风波不用仙。寇宗 曰
。作丝茧长寸许。以蔽其身。其色如泥。陈藏器曰。春夏羽化。作小蛾水上飞。李时珍曰。
霍山有云师。状如蚕。长六寸。雨虎。状如蚕。长七八寸。皆石蚕之类。易。刚柔相摩。八
卦相荡。
味甘平。主小儿惊痫。寒热结气。蛊毒鬼注。一名躁舍。
五色 。白涎凝冻。蛹闭专房。蛾穿破瓮。附爱榴甘。坠添棘重。同寄桑蛸。风摇日
弄。
名医曰。一名 房。八月采。陈藏器曰。背有五色斑毛。能螫人。欲老者。口中吐白
汁。
凝聚渐坚。正如雀卵。其虫以瓮为茧。在中成蛹。夏月羽化而出。作蛾放子。曹邺诗。专房
莫相妒。元稹诗。破瓮嫌防路。李时珍曰。此虫处处有之。惟取石榴树上。及棘枝上。房内
有蛹者。正如螵蛸。取桑上者耳。万楚诗。日弄长飞鸟。风摇不卷花。
[Bei Zi (Concha Arcae)]
Taste: Salty. Nature: Neutral. Indications: Pterygium (corneal opacity), Gu Zhu (a type of contagious malignant disease), insect poisoning, abdominal pain with bloody stool, five types of strangury (Lin syndrome) with promotion of water passage. Preparation: Calcined before use. Habitat: Ponds and marshes.
Regarding its yin-yang characteristics: It is bestowed with abundant wealth (anciently used as currency), classified among the five categories of money, with patterns lustrous like pearls woven in gauze. Its description is as ornate as brocade, possessing miraculous efficacy in warding off harm, endowed with natural unique attributes.
The *Erya* records that some shells inhabit land, while others live in water. The *Liushu Jingyun* explains: The convex, rounded back symbolizes the Yang of Heaven; the flat, folded belly symbolizes the Yin of Earth. The commentary on the *Classic of Poetry* states: Five shells constitute one "peng" (unit). "Bestowed with a hundred pengs" signifies receiving substantial salary. The *Book of Han: Treatise on Food and Money* records that Wang Mang established five categories of currency. The *Nanzhou Yiwu Zhi* describes its pattern as resembling woven pearls, naturally lustrous without polishing. The *Classic of Poetry* says: "Making this shell brocade." The *Xiang Bei Jing* (Manual for Appraising Shells) notes: A shell with a diameter of one chi is a mysterious treasure of spiritual wonder; its secondary function is to ward off disaster. Chen Lin stated in his memorial: This is a natural, unique endowment.
[Shi Can (Lithophaga / Stone Silkworm)]
Taste: Salty. Nature: Cold. Indications: Five types of strangury, breaking stone strangury (urinary calculi), inducing abortion, resolving internal qi stagnation, promoting water passage and clearing heat. Alias: Sha Shi (Sand Louse). Habitat: Ponds and marshes.
Shi Can resembles a silkworm but is formed from stone, also nurturing within mountain hollows. Observing it, there is no concept of sleep or waking; it finds joy in wind and waves. Its body is encased in a mud cocoon, transforming into a grey moth upon metamorphosis. Yun Shi (Cloud Master) and Yu Hu (Rain Tiger) interact through mutual friction.
Ma Zhi stated: Shi Can grows beside stones on the coast, shaped like a silkworm, yet essentially stone. Li Shizhen noted: This differs from the above description. The *Classic of Poetry* says: "In that mountain hollow." Han Baosheng stated: This creature is found between water and stones. The *Piya* records: Silkworms undergo three periods of dormancy and awakening. Zhang Zhihe's lyric says: "Finding joy in wind and waves, no need for immortality." Kou Zongshi stated: It spins silk to form a cocoon about one cun long to cover its body, colored like mud. Chen Cangqi stated: In spring and summer, it metamorphoses, becoming a small moth flying over water. Li Shizhen stated: In Huoshan, there is something called "Yun Shi," shaped like a silkworm, six cun long; another called "Yu Hu," shaped like a silkworm, seven to eight cun long; both are types of Shi Can. The *I Ching* states: Hardness and softness mutually rub; the Eight Trigrams mutually oscillate.
[Que Weng (Cocoon of the Butterfly on Pomegranate/Thorn)]
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Neutral. Indications: Infantile convulsions and epilepsy, cold-heat qi stagnation, gu poison, Gu Zhu. Alias: Zao She.
Five-colored patterns. White saliva condenses and freezes; the pupa closes in a specialized chamber; the moth breaks through the urn-like casing. It attaches to and loves the sweetness of pomegranate; its fall adds weight to thorny branches. It shares habitat with Sang Piaoxiao (Mantis Egg Case); swaying in the wind, playing in the sun.
The *Mingyi Bielu* records: Also known as Fang. Harvested in the eighth month. Chen Cangqi stated: The back has five-colored spotted hairs and can sting humans. When nearing old age, it exudes white juice from its mouth, which condenses and hardens, resembling a sparrow egg. This insect uses an urn-like structure as a cocoon, pupating inside, emerging by metamorphosis in summer to become moths that lay eggs. Cao Ye's poem says: "Do not envy the exclusive chamber." Yuan Zhen's poem says: "Breaking the urn, suspecting blocked paths." Li Shizhen stated: This insect is ubiquitous, but only those taken from pomegranate trees and thorny branches, containing pupae in their chambers, are used. They are similar to Sang Piaoxiao, except sourced from mulberry trees. Wan Chu's poem says: "Playing daily with long-flying birds, swaying in the wind without curling flowers."