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Sangpiaoxiao (Mantis Egg Case)

Salty and sweet, neutral in nature, non-toxic. Primarily treats internal injury (organ damage due to fatigue or emotional factors), hernia and mass formation (abdominal masses accompanied by pain), impotence, benefits essence and promotes fertility, treats amenorrhea and lower back pain in women, unblocks the five types of strangury (stone, qi, turbid, labor, and heat strangury), and facilitates urination. It also treats deficiency and exhaustion in men, weakness of the Qi of the five zang organs, nocturnal emission during dreams, and urinary incontinence. Long-term consumption benefits Qi and nourishes the spirit. Also known as Mao (sound: You), it is the egg case of the mantis produced on mulberry branches. Collected in February and March, steamed, and should be roasted over fire. If not done so, it causes diarrhea. (When combined with Longgu [Fossilized Bones], it treats seminal leakage. It fears Huaxuanfuhua [Inula Flower].)

Tao Hongjing states: Commonly referred to as Shi Lang (sound: Shi), the mantis lays eggs wherever it finds a tree, but those on mulberry trees are considered superior because they absorb the sap and Qi of the mulberry bark. People in the market fear they are not genuine, so they often cut the branch along with the eggs. Fake products are also glued onto mulberry branches. (Chen Yuxi et al., according to *Shu Ben Tu Jing*: This object is mostly found on small mulberry trees, among thickets of thorns, and is also the mantis egg case. In March and April, hundreds of young mantises emerge from one branch. Soak it in hot water for a day, dry it by baking, and roast it in willow wood ash until yellow for use. *Yao Xing Lun* states: Sangpiaoxiao is a minister herb, adverse to Daishen. It primarily treats male kidney decline, seminal leakage, and spontaneous ejaculation. It can stop these symptoms in patients with deficiency-cold and frequent urination. Roast it over fire until hot and consume it on an empty stomach. Add this herb for deficiency with frequent urination. *Tu Jing* states that Sangpiaoxiao is the mantis egg. *Ben Jing* does not record its place of origin; it is now available everywhere. The mantis lays eggs on any tree, with one case producing hundreds of eggs, mostly in small woody thorns. Those on mulberry trees absorb the mulberry sap and Qi, hence considered best. However, those sold in the market are often fake. One must verify by breaking the branch. Yet fakes can also be glued onto mulberry branches and are unsuitable for medicinal use. Collect in March and April. Steam before storage, or roast over fire; otherwise, it causes diarrhea. Another method: After collection, soak in hot water for a day, bake dry, then roast in willow wood ash until yellow for use. *Erya* states: Mohe (pronunciation: hu ge), tanglang mou. Guo Pu states: Tanglang is a "axe insect," called Shilang in Jiangdong. It also states: Buguo, (pronunciation: ding lang) (pronunciation: xi xiang). These are aliases for the mantis. Its offspring, Pishao (pronunciation: pi) Xiaoshao (pronunciation: xiao), is also known as (pronunciation: pu mo) Jiaojiao (pronunciation: jiao), meaning egg. Ancient and modern formulas: It is frequently used in formulas for seminal leakage and wind-dispelling herbs.)

Lei Gong states: When using, do not use those grown on miscellaneous trees; Luoluo is not used in medicine. When collecting, one must seek branches on the eastern side of the mulberry tree. Take twelve mantis egg cases, remove the inner contents, crush into powder, divide into two doses, and take with rice water. *Yang Shi Chan Ru* agrees. Another formula: Treats urinary obstruction and cystoproctosis. Crush Sangpiaoxiao into powder, take one square-inch spoonful with rice water, three times daily.

*Yanyi* states: Sangpiaoxiao collected personally is genuine; those sold in the market may not all be from mulberry trees. The soaking and roasting method in *Shu Ben Tu Jing* is inferior to slight steaming. A neighbor had a man who urinated dozens of times a day, with urine resembling thick rice washings, white in color, accompanied by mental confusion, emaciation, and loss of appetite, caused by sexual exhaustion. He took this Sangpiaoxiao San and recovered before finishing one dose. It calms the spirit, stabilizes the heart, treats forgetfulness, frequent urination, and tonifies Heart Qi. Ingredients: Sangpiaoxiao, Yuanzhi [Polygalae Radix], Changpu [Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma], Longgu [Fossilized Bones], Renshen [Ginseng Radix], Fushen [Poria with Hostwood], Danggui [Angelicae Sinensis Radix], Guijia [Testudinis et Carapax] roasted with vinegar. Each ingredient above is one liang, ground into powder. At night, mix two qian with Ren Shen decoction. If mulberry-based ones are unavailable, use others, but still add Zhi Sangbaipi [Mori Cortex] roasted. Adjust the amount as needed. Since Mori Cortex promotes water metabolism, the intention is to guide Sangpiaoxiao to the Kidney meridian. This is the rationale for using Sangpiaoxiao. However, for treating deficiency and exhaustion in both men and women, benefiting essence, impotence, nocturnal emission, urinary incontinence, hernia and mass formation, cloudy urine, and kidney decline, it is indispensable.