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Ostrea (Mu Li)

Salty in flavor, neutral and slightly cold in nature, non-toxic. It primarily treats chills and fever caused by Shanghan (Cold Damage), the shivering chills of Wen Nue (Warm Malaria), fright and anger qi, relieves limb stiffness and spasms as well as Shu Lou (scrofula), treats leukorrhea with red and white discharge in women, clears lingering heat in the joints and Ying-Wei (Defensive and Nutritive Qi), eliminates fluctuating deficiency heat, relieves vexation and fullness, stops sweating, treats heart pain and qi stagnation, generates fluids to stop thirst, removes old blood stasis, astringes the Large and Small Intestines, stops diarrhea and urinary incontinence, treats spermatorrhea, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction with cough, and epigastric/hypochondriac stuffiness with heat. Long-term use strengthens bones and joints, expels evil spirits, and prolongs life. Also known as Li Ge or Mu Ge. Grows in ponds and marshes of the East Sea. Can be harvested at any time. (Fritillariae Bulbus [Beimu] acts as its guiding herb; it works well when combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma [Gancao], Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix [Niuxi], Polygalae Radix [Yuanzhi], and Cnidii Fructus [Shechuangzi]; it is incompatible with Ephedrae Herba [Mahuang], Evodiae Fructus [Wuzhuyu], and Magnoliae Flos [Xinyi].)

Tao Hongjing stated: This is transformed from a hundred-year-old eagle. Harvesting in the eleventh month is best. After removing the meat, it takes two hundred days to become powder. Those produced in the East Sea, Yongjia, and Jin'an are currently considered good. Daoist formulas state: The one looking to the left is male, hence named Mu Li (Male Oyster); the one looking to the right is female. They attach to rocks, all with the mouth facing up. When lifted and viewed with the abdomen facing south, most look to the right, but this need not be strictly selected. Alchemical formulas state: For clay pots used to boil salt, the shell edges are removed, taking only the powdery part. Folk usage is similar; coastal people line salt-boiling pots with mud, which withstands fire and water without leaking. According to Chen Cangqi's Materia Medica: Ostrea crushed into powder applied to the body treats spontaneous and night sweats in adults and children; mixed with Ephedrae Radix et Caulis [Mahuanggen], Cnidii Fructus [Shechuangzi], and Zingiberis Rhizoma [Shengjiang] as powder, it removes damp sweat in the genital area. Cooked meat treats deficiency damage, gynecological blood and qi disorders, harmonizes the middle jiao, and resolves Dan Du (carbuncles). Raw meat dipped in ginger and vinegar treats Dan Du, post-drinking vexation and heat, and stops thirst. All things born naturally have male and female aspects. Only Ostrea is formed by saline water condensation, remaining static in blocks. How does the Way of Yin and Yang arise? The Classics say "Mu" refers to the male. Ministers Yuxi et al. cautiously note: The Shu edition states there is also KT (pronounced Chu) Li, which is short in shape and not used medicinally. Tu Jing states: It belongs to the bivalve family in the sea, and the male ones are superior. Currently, many are found in the sea of Changyang County, Laizhou, harvested in February and March. Yao Xing Lun states: Ostrea is the sovereign herb. It treats menorrhagia, stops night sweats, dispels wind-heat, alleviates pain, and treats Warm Malaria. Additionally, taken with Eucommiae Cortex [Duzhong], it stops night sweats. Powdered and honey-pilled, thirty pills per dose make the face radiant and white, preventing seasonal epidemics. It treats nocturnal emissions due to ghost intercourse, and is added for patients with deficiency and excessive heat, along with Rehmanniae Radix [Dihuang] and Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma [Xiaocao]. Meng Shen said: Roast Ostrea on fire until boiling, remove the shell and eat; it is delicious, refines the skin, and beautifies the complexion. Furthermore, pharmacists recently select those looking to the left; if eaten, left or right does not matter. It can be taken long-term. Among marine creatures, this is the most precious. Northerners do not recognize it and cannot appreciate its taste. Duan Chengshi's Youyang Zazu states: "Mu" in Ostrea does not mean male.

Tu Jing says: Ostrea grows in ponds and marshes of the East Sea; now it is found along all coasts, especially abundant in the South Sea, Minzhong, and Tongtai areas. This creature attaches to stones, growing in clusters like houses, hence called Li Fang (read as Apang). Also known as Hao Shan. People in Jin'an call it Hao Pu. Initially growing by the sea like fist-sized stones, rugged like mountains. Each house contains a piece of oyster meat, size varying with the house. Large ones are like horse hooves, small ones like human fingertips. When tides come, all houses open, allowing small insects to enter, then close to feed. Coastal people harvest them by chiseling the houses and using fierce fire to force them open, picking out the meat. Shells looking left are male, those looking right are female. Some say the pointed end indicates looking left. Generally, larger ones are prized. In the eleventh month, left-looking ones are harvested for medicine. Southerners use the meat as food. The taste is exquisite, beneficial, refines skin, beautifies complexion, and is the most precious of marine products.

Hai Yao Ben Cao states: According to Guangzhou Ji: Produced in the waters of the South Sea. Treats seminal emission in men, deficiency fatigue, tonifies kidney qi, stops night sweats, removes vexation and heat. Used in pills and powders. Lei Gong said: There are Stone Ostrea, Stone Fish Ostrea, and True Sea Ostrea. Stone Ostrea has a large back edge, small shells mixed with sand and stone, truly resembling Ostrea. Test it, it moves easily; confirm authenticity. It is ten-thousand-year amber, named [missing character], excellent for use. For preparation, take twenty first, boil in flowing east water with one liang of salt for one fu period (approx. 2 hours), then roast in fire until red hot, then grind in a mortar into powder. Zhou Hou Fang: After severe illness, slight exertion causes epistaxis. Ostrea 10 parts, Gypsum Fibrosum [Shigao] 5 parts, grind to powder. Take one cun bi with wine, three to four times daily. Can also be honey-pilled like wutong seeds. Jing Yan Fang: Treats all types of thirst. Large Ostrea, unspecified amount, wrapped in yellow mud on the last day of the twelfth lunar month or Dragon Boat Festival, roasted red hot, cooled, ground to powder. Mix with live crucian carp decoction, take one qian bi. Children take half qian bi. Cured in two doses. Another formula: Highly effective for scrofula in men and women. Ostrea roasted red hot in charcoal, placed on wet ground over paper to remove fire toxicity overnight. Take 4 liang, Xuan Shen 3 liang, grind to powder, form pills with wheat paste like wutong seeds. Take 30 pills after morning/evening meals and before bed with wine. As medicine finishes, scrofula roots are eliminated. Another formula: Removes night sweats and genital damp sweat. Grind Ostrea to powder, dust on sweaty areas. Sheng Jin Fang: Treats onychocryptosis with granulation tissue wrapping the nail, purulent bleeding and pain unhealed. Use the thick part of Ostrea head, raw and ground to powder. Take 2 qian, mix with Dianhua wine. If abscess is advanced and ulcerated, apply powder externally, continue internal medicine, three times daily. Chu Yushi treated scrofula on neck and jaw, effective for both ulcerated and non-ulcerated cases. Ostrea 4 liang, Licorice 2 liang, grind to powder. Take one large qian after meals with aged tea, twice daily. Another formula: Treats hydrocele enlarged, moving pain up and down. Ostrea unspecified amount, sealed with salt mud, roasted with 3 jin charcoal until fire extinguishes, cool and take 2 liang, Pao Jiang 1 liang, grind to fine powder. Mix with cold water to appropriate consistency, apply to affected area. Cure when urination increases significantly. Ji Yan Fang: Treats carbuncles, all swellings not yet suppurated, draws out toxin. White Ostrea ground to fine powder, mix with water, apply, reapply when dry. Shang Han Lei Yao: Treats medulla abscess, deep KT, drowsiness. Ostrea and Alismatis Rhizoma [Zexie] treat it.

Yan Yi states: Ostrea must be calcined to powder. Combined with equal parts Ephedrae Radix et Caulis [Mahuanggen], pounded and ground to extremely fine powder, dusted on night sweats and genital damp sweat. Original Formula: Uses raw Ostrea, following the original method. "Looking left," not mentioned in Classics, follows Tao Hongjing. Youyang Zazu already stated: "Mu" in Ostrea does not mean female. Mouth on left is looking left. This creature has no eyes, so how can it look?