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**Ejiao (Donkey-Hide Gelatin):** Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature. It primarily treats internal bleeding of the heart and abdomen, extreme exhaustion from overwork, symptoms resembling malaria with shivering, pain in the waist and abdomen, and soreness and pain in the four limbs. It is used for abnormal uterine bleeding in women and to calm the fetus. Long-term consumption lightens the body and boosts Qi. Also known as Fuzhi Jiao.

Select precious cowhide as raw material; its texture rivals that of rhinoceros horn and wild ox hide. Its inherent nature is yielding and soft (attributed to Kun Earth), and its efficacy tends downward (attributed to Kan Water). Through percolation extraction, the grease coagulates, and solid forms transform into liquid. The color is blackish-yellow and translucent, processed through spring and summer.

Famous physicians record: It originates from Dong'e County, made by boiling cowhide. Fu Xiuyi wrote in his fu: "Selecting the finest among precious hides." *Zuo Zhuan* states: "There are still hides of cattle, and even more of rhinos and wild oxen." Commentary on *Han Shu* mentions: "Chariots and cavalry cannot drive side by side." *I Ching* says: "The Kun trigram symbolizes mother and calf." *Daode Zhi Gui Lun* states: "Returning to gentleness, discarding rigidity." Water flows downward. *I Ching* says: "The Kan trigram symbolizes water." *Shui Jing Zhu* records: "In Dong'e there is a well fed by the Ji River; the water is clear and heavy, its nature tending downward." Sima Xiangru wrote in a letter: "Nourishing fluids, permeating and dripping." *Erya Shu* states: "Coagulated grease is called zhi." Commentary on *Han Shu* says: "Dissolving hardness is faster than soup or snow." *Zhuangzi* says: "When the form transforms, the spirit follows suit." Li Shizhen stated: "For making gelatin, those produced in the twelfth, second, and third lunar months are superior; yellow and transparent like amber, or black like jade, are of good quality. Even in summer, they do not become damp or soft." Ni Zan's poem reads: "Passing through spring and summer, sighing at autumn."

**Dan Xiongji (Male Red Chicken):** Sweet in flavor, slightly warm in nature. It primarily treats metrorrhagia and metrostaxis (profuse or persistent vaginal bleeding) with red and white leukorrhea. It tonifies deficiency, warms the middle jiao, stops bleeding, calms the spirit, detoxifies, and wards off inauspicious influences.

Chicken head: Primarily treats dispelling evil spirits; those from the east gate are particularly effective.
Chicken fat: Primarily treats deafness.
Chicken intestine: Primarily treats urinary incontinence.
Internal organs wrapped in yellow membrane: Primarily treats diarrhea and dysentery.
White chicken droppings: Primarily treats Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome).
Cold damage with alternating chills and fever.
Black female chicken: Primarily treats Bi syndrome caused by wind-cold-dampness, conditions of five slackness and six urgency, and calms the fetus.
Feathers (wing quills): Primarily treats lower body bleeding and amenorrhea.
Chicken egg: Primarily treats clearing heat-fire sores and epilepsy. Can be processed into a divine substance resembling succin (amber).
Chicken oil (white fatty tissue): Grows in plains and marshes.

The chicken corresponds to the Xun trigram and belongs to the Metal livestock category. It roosts on wooden pegs or in wall holes. The male crows in rhythm with the time; the female incubates with maternal affection. Tail coupling leads to reproduction; wings extend the incubation period. It is not heard to pick up mustard seeds; what wonder is there in relying on skill?

*I Ching* says: "The Xun trigram acts to exercise flexibility." *Hanshang Yizhuan* states: "Xun is located at Si, and its royal phase is at You; thus the chicken is also called a Metal livestock." *Shi Jing* says: "The chicken roosts in the wall hole (shi)." And again: "The chicken roosts on the wooden peg (jie)." *Jiuji Yizhuan* states: "Wind changes according to the season; the crows when the time comes." *Huainanzi* states: "The affectionate hen emits warmth to cover and incubate." Liu Zongyuan's stele inscription says: "Unaware of her own affection." *Shu Zhuan* states: "Reproducing tails and emulsifying is called Zi; mating is called Wei." In *Zuo Zhuan*, Zi Xi said: "Better than an egg, I protect it growing like a wing." *Pi Ya* states: "Birds hatching eggs all follow their specific timing." Tao Hongjing said: "When using it, one desires a mixture of yolk and white, boiled to resemble amber closely, except for not picking up mustard seeds." Sima Guang's preface states: "Relying on skill to obtain novelty."