Library

Zhang Tianshi's Caohuan Dan, also known as Qibao Meiran Dan (Seven-Treasure Beard-Beautifying Pill). If using one's own hair alone is insufficient, then hair from father and son, who share the same Qi (vital energy), is used; if that is still insufficient, hair from healthy children or infants' lanugo (fetal hair) may be used. The hair is washed clean with soap pod water until no oil residue remains. It is placed in a new iron pot, covered with a small lid, and the rim is sealed with salt mud to prevent gas leakage. It is slowly roasted over slow fire fueled by mulberry wood for the duration of three incense sticks. After cooling down, it is taken out and ground into fine powder. Each dose is one or two fen (a traditional unit of weight), taken orally mixed with wine on an empty stomach.

For the formula to brush teeth and turn white hair black: Take one sour pomegranate peel, wrap it in mud, and burn it until it turns completely red. After cooling, remove the mud. Then burn eggplant roots and locust tree branches together until the smoke disappears completely, and quickly cover them with a container. After cooling, use them. For the locust branches, those growing on walls are preferred; they should be harvested without others seeing. Mint (Bohe), gypsum (Shigao), Chinese gall (Wubeizi, which must be roasted熟), and Chuan Shengma (Radix Bupleuri / Cimicifugae Rhizoma depending on context, here likely Cimicifuga) each weigh one liang. Grind them into powder and use for brushing teeth. This not only turns white hair black but also strengthens the teeth, which is very effective. There are also Dongyuan's Qingsan San (Green Silk Powder) and the formula from the West Peak Stone Tablet.

Regarding the good method of plucking white hair to generate black hair: On the 4th day of the first lunar month, the 8th of the second, the 13th of the third, the 16th of the fourth, the 20th of the fifth, the 20th of the sixth, the 28th of the seventh, the 19th of the eighth, the 25th of the ninth, the 1st of the tenth, the 11th of the eleventh, and the 10th of the twelfth, pluck the white hair early in the morning, and they will never turn white again. Additionally, on the 5th and 13th of the first month, the 8th and 18th of the second, the 3rd of the third, the 13th and 25th of the fourth, the 5th and 15th of the fifth, the 14th and 24th of the sixth, the 18th and 28th of the seventh, the 9th and 10th of the eighth, the 8th and 18th of the ninth, the 13th and 23rd of the tenth, the 10th of the eleventh, and the 16th of the twelfth, on all these dates, pluck the hair before noon (Wu hour). Whenever plucking, first grind tincture of cloves (Dingxiang) with water on a stone. After plucking, immediately apply the juice to the hair follicles with your hand, and black hair will grow.

Li Qing's Hair-Replacement Formula states: Scrape one large sheng (a traditional volume unit) of old ginger skin into a pan. Boil it using alternating mild and strong heat, ensuring it does not boil excessively. The pan should preferably be one that has been used for oily foods many times, requiring no further cleaning or scraping. Place the ginger skin directly into the pan, seal it tightly to prevent air entry, and have a meticulous person guard it. Start boiling when the sky is just beginning to lighten (before dawn breaks). Heat it slowly, avoiding intense fire. If the guardian becomes slightly tired, replace them. After one "fu" period (approx. 2 hours), it is ready. Put it in a porcelain mortar and grind it extremely finely. Although Li's formula specifies one fu period, if the heat is even, the medicine will be ready by sunset. To use, dip the end of a small hairpin into the powder, taking an amount the size of a sesame seed. Apply this drop to the base of the white hair, then pluck it. Repeat applying and plucking, rubbing gently with fingers to let the medicine penetrate the skin. By the fourth day, black hair should grow, showing miraculous effects.