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[Cinnabar]
Sweet in taste. Slightly cold in nature. Non-toxic. Generated by the fire qi of Earth number two, and completed by the qi of Heaven number seven. Descending in action. Yin within Yang. Averse to Magnetitum (Cishi). Feared by saline water. Taboo against all blood-related substances.

[Indications] Primarily treats diseases of the five Zang organs and various ailments throughout the body. Nourishes the spirit, calms the soul and魄 (Po), benefits Qi, brightens the eyes, and kills spirits, demons, and evil ghosts. Long-term use promotes spiritual clarity.

[Meridian Tropism] Enters the Heart Meridian. It is a substance for calming the mind and stabilizing the soul. (Also serves as the principal drug for clearing heat from the Blood aspect of the Heart Meridian.)

[Preliminary Discussions] Li Dongyuan stated: Cinnabar is purely Yin; it anchors floating fire and calms the mind and spirit. For cases of Heart Heat, nothing else can eliminate it but this herb. Zhang Yuansu (Haizang) stated: When used with herbs like Pinelliae Rhizoma Preparatum (Nanxing) and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Chuanwu) to dispel wind, it can brighten the eyes, calm the fetus, detoxify, and induce sweating. Its efficacy varies according to its role as an assistant or guide herb.

[Contraindications] Kou Zongshi stated: Cinnabar should only be used raw. Calcination makes it toxic. If ingested, it often causes death.

[Realgar]
Bitter and pungent in taste. Warm in nature. Slightly toxic. Possesses the nature of Fire and Metal, formed by the pure Yang Qi. Ascending in action. Yang in nature.

[Indications] Primarily treats chills and fever, scrofula, malignant sores, carbuncles, hemorrhoids, necrotic tissue, killing spirits, demons, evil qi, and venom of hundred insects. (From *Shennong Bencao Jing*) Treats sores caused by scabies mites. (From *Bencao Jingji Zhu*) Malaria with chills and fever. Primarily treats malignant sores, kills parasites, treats cough, blood stasis, and parasitic accumulation.

[Meridian Tropism] Enters the Liver and Stomach meridians. It is a substance for detoxification and killing parasites. (A Qi-aspect drug of the Liver Meridian that can transform blood into fluid.)

[Preliminary Discussions] Miao Xiyong (Baosheng) stated: In treating diseases, the merits of Realgar and Orpiment are somewhat similar. The main point is to utilize their ability to warm the middle, search out the Liver, kill parasites, detoxify, and dispel evil. Orpiment follows Earth, hence its yellow color and association with the Spleen.

[Contraindications] Miao Xiyong (Jingshu) stated: Realgar is hot in nature and toxic. External use yields quick results, but internal use inevitably causes harm. Whenever taken, stop once the disease is cured; do not overdose.

[Gypsum Fibrosum]
Sweet and pungent in taste. Cold in nature. Non-toxic. Possesses the correct nature of Metal and Water, generated by the clearest and coldest Qi of Heaven and Earth. Can ascend and descend. Yang within Yin. Egg white is used as a guiding vehicle. Averse to Croton Seed (Badou). Feared by Iron.

[Indications] Primarily treats wind-stroke with chills and fever, rebellious Qi under the heart causing palpitations and panting, dry mouth and scorched tongue preventing breathing, hardness and pain in the abdomen, expelling evil spirits, postpartum difficulties, traumatic injuries, abdominal distension, mania due to heat, headache and vertigo due to wind, promoting lactation, and strengthening teeth by rubbing. (From *Tang Bencao*) Clears residual heat in the Stomach, stops headaches in the Yangming Meridian, treats fever with aversion to cold, afternoon tidal fever, and excessive thirst with desire to drink.

[Meridian Tropism] Enters the Stomach Meridian, and concurrently enters the Lung and Sanjiao meridians. It is a substance for purging heat and resolving the muscle layer. (Qi-aspect drugs of these three meridians.)

[Preliminary Discussions] Liu Wansu (Hejian) stated: Gypsum Fibrosum can induce sweating and also stop sweating. Zhang Yuansu (Jiegu) stated: This is a great cold drug of the Yangming Meridian, excellent for treating headaches and toothaches of this meridian, summerheat stroke with tidal fever, and wasting-thirst. However, it can chill the Stomach and make one feel cold; it should not be used lightly unless there is extreme heat in the abdomen. There are also symptoms of fever due to Blood deficiency. Li Dongyuan stated: This is a drug for the Foot-Yangming Meridian. Zhang Zhongjing treated Yangming syndrome of cold damage with body heat, painful eyes, dry nose, and insomnia. The front of the body is the pathway of the Stomach meridian, and the chest is the chamber of the Lung. When pathogenic factors are in the Yangming, the Lung is constrained by fire, so acrid-cold herbs are used to clear Lung Qi, hence the name Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction). It also treats severe heat on the skin of the Sanjiao, entering the Hand-Shaoyang Meridian. It is suitable for cases where the pulse remains rapid. It should not be used by those with weak Stomachs. Cheng Wuji stated: The Stomach governs muscles, and the Lung governs skin and hair. Gypsum Fibrosum enters these two meridians and is a key substance for inducing macules and papules. Macules are red like brocade patterns; papules are faint red spots. Macules are severe, papules are mild, both resulting from Stomach heat. However, they are divided into Yin and Yang syndromes. Yang syndromes should use Gypsum Fibrosum. If Yin syndromes from internal injury present with macules and papules, which are faint red and sparse, this indicates extreme deficiency of Stomach Qi, forcing rootless fire to wander outward. One should tonify Qi and Blood to establish a center, so Qi does not wander outward and Blood does not scatter. If treated as heat and Gypsum Fibrosum is used, life and death hang in the balance. Wang Haogu (Wuji) stated: Wind is a Yang pathogen, preferring to injure Yang; Cold is a Yin pathogen, preferring to injure Ying and Wei. When Ying and Wei, Yin and Yang are injured by wind and cold, light agents cannot disperse them; heavy agents must be used exclusively to disperse them, so that both Yin and Yang pathogens are removed and Ying and Wei Qi are harmonized. Therefore, Da Qinglong Tang uses Gypsum Fibrosum as a guide. Gypsum Fibrosum is a heavy agent that specifically reaches the muscle surface. Furthermore, when heat dominates, it is assisted by bitter and sweet herbs. The bitterness and sweetness of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu) and Gypsum Fibrosum can dissipate heat. Luo Tianyi stated: Cold damage has two difficult-to-distinguish syndromes: Yin excess repelling Yang, and Yang excess repelling Yin. When Yin excess is extreme, it repels Yang outward, causing external heat but internal cold. When Yang excess is extreme, it repels Yin outward, causing external cold but internal heat. As the Classics state: Extreme Yin becomes Yang, extreme Yang becomes Yin, extreme cold becomes heat, extreme heat becomes cold. Differentiate by urination. Clear urine indicates external dryness/heat but internal actual cold. Red urine indicates external cold limbs but internal actual heat. Also observe moisture in the mouth and depth of tongue coating. Yellow or black coating indicates heat, suitable for Baihu Tang. However, some black coatings belong to cold, with no prickles on the tongue and saliva in the mouth. Urgently warm the interior. Misusing cold agents will cause immediate death.

[Contraindications] Miao Xiyong (Jingshu) stated: In cold damage or wind-strike, if the Taiyang syndrome has not transmitted to the Yangming, or after seven to eight days where pathogenic factors are bound internally with dry feces, alternating chills and fever, or aversion...