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Daoist Erzhu resided as a guest in Meishan in his later years, and thus many people in Shu recorded his deeds. He claimed to have received a prophecy from his master saying, "When you encounter floating white stone in the future, you shall ascend to become an immortal." The stone was crystal clear, free of soil and rock impurities, so it was used solely for alchemy. Several years later, he ultimately attained immortality in Baishi County of Fuzhou, proving that what his master said was not erroneous. I have heard elders recount this story frequently, but regret that their names were not recorded. The *Bencao* states that Cinnabar (Dan Sha) is produced in Fuling Valley. Tao Hongjing noted: "Fuling is Fuzhou; there are no longer any mines operating there." However, I heard those familiar with Fuzhou say that herb gatherers occasionally still find it. It is merely that at that time, Chenjin Cinnabar was highly prized, making this local source unviable for mining. I jotted this down while reading the *Bencao*.

During the Xiangfu era, when the Emperor conducted the Eastern Feng sacrifice, a military soldier accompanying the imperial procession slept during the day under an ancient pine tree at Zhenjun Temple on Mount Tai. He noticed a blockage about one foot above the ground at the pine roots. Accidentally stabbing it with his weapon, the blockage moved, and something resembling flowing fire emerged from beneath it, running far into the earth. The soldier told the temple inhabitants. An old Daoist struck his chest and said, "I hid Cinnabar (Dan Sha) there thirty years ago." Just as they were selecting a date to retrieve it, they dug several feet deep but could not find it again. The Daoist fell ill from frustration and grief and eventually died. The method involves using high-quality Cinnabar (Dan Sha), hollowing out the trunk of a large pine tree, and refining it with the breath of the pine, which naturally transforms it into elixir. I am too old and busy for such tasks. Instead, one should use silver from mountains and marshes to make a lidded cauldron. Select two jin of superior Cinnabar (Dan Sha), suspend it within the vessel using bright joints of pine roots for decoction, place sand bottles nearby, and add water to replenish evaporation. After one hundred days, retrieve the processed Cinnabar (Dan Sha). Grind it with jade for seven days, mix it with cooked honey, store it in an oil-permeable porcelain bottle, and take a small amount daily with a silver utensil. Stir it into warm wine and drink with soup; this should be beneficial.

A few days ago, Ouyang Shubi, Chao Wujiu, and Zhang Wenqian and I were together at Jietan Temple. My eyesight was dim, and I washed my eyes frequently with hot water. Zhang Wenqian's eyes required avoidance of washing or applying drops daily. When the eyes are diseased, they should be kept at rest; when the teeth are diseased, they should be exercised. These two conditions must not be treated similarly. Treating the eyes is like governing the people; treating the teeth is like managing the army. Governing the people should follow Cao Can's governance of Qi, and managing the army should follow Shang Yang's governance of Qin. This reasoning is sound and worth recording.