Library

Rhinoceros Horn (Xijiao)

Taste: bitter, sour, salty. Nature: cold, slightly cold. Toxicity: non-toxic. Indications: Mainly treats various toxins, gu poison (a type of chronic infectious wasting disease), zhu qi (a contagious chronic condition), expels evil ghosts and miasma, kills gouwen (Gelsemium elegans, also known as "death vine"), zhen feather (poisonous bird feathers), snake venom, removes pathogenic factors, prevents confusion and nightmares during sleep, treats headache and chills/fever caused by shanghan (cold damage) and wenyi (epidemic febrile diseases), and various toxic vapors. Long-term use makes the body light and vigorous. Origin: Yongchang valleys and Yizhou. (Pine resin acts as an adjuvant; it is antagonistic to Jun fungus and Polyporus umbellatus.)

Tao Hongjing states: Currently produced in remote mountains of Wuling, Jiaozhou, and Ningzhou. Rhinoceros horns have two, with the frontal horn being superior. There is also a "Tongtian" (Heaven-Penetrating) rhino, which has a white stripe on the horn extending straight to the tip; this is extremely effective. Some say this is water rhino horn, found in water. The "Haiji" (Chicken-Startling) rhino mentioned in the *Book of Han*: when placed in rice, chickens are startled and dare not peck; when placed under eaves, birds dare not perch. Also, the Tongtian rhino horn remains dry even under night dew, which serves as identification. All finished rhino horns are steamed or boiled and are unsuitable for medicinal use; only raw (sheng) rhino horn is excellent. Even sliced rhino horn has been processed by heat; how much more so for rhino horn powder? There is another type of rhino with long horns resembling rhino texture but unsuitable for medicine. The *Tang Bencao* commentary notes: This is the female rhino, with fine texture and distinct white spots, commonly called Banxi (Spotted Rhino). It is best for consumption, but inferior to male rhino horn for medicinal purposes. According to Chen Cangqi's *Bencao*, rhino meat mainly treats various gu poisons, snake bites, and animal bites, but its efficacy is inferior to that of the horn. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* mentions Tongtian rhino; indeed, there is no distinction between aquatic and terrestrial rhinos, only by quality. "Tongtian" refers to the horn on the brain/frontal area; a thousand-year-old horn is long, sharp, and has white star-like spots penetrating through. The tip can emit vapor, connecting to heaven and thus spirit, capable of parting water and startling chickens, hence named Tongtian. *Baopuzi* states: Tongtian rhino with white linear texture, when used to hold rice, startles chickens. The true Tongtian rhino, carved into a fish shape and held in water, parts the water three chi deep. Its nasal horn is also called Nu jiao (Slave Horn) or Shi jiao (Eating Horn). Ministers Yuxi et al., following Chen Cangqi, note: *Erya* states: Si resembles an ox, one horn. Xi resembles a pig, three horns. It also says it resembles an elephant and a pig with three horns. Tao relied on *Erya*, unaware that "three horns" is erroneous. It also states: The female is Si, but the shape differs; whether this is accurate is unknown. *Yaoxing Lun* states: Gu xi jiao (Bull rhino horn) is the sovereign herb, taste sweet, slightly toxic. It expels evil spirits and demons, neutralizes malignant toxic vapors, calms the mind and spirit, resolves severe heat, disperses wind toxicity, treats back carbuncles and abscesses, transforms pus into fluid, treats epidemic fevers like fire, restlessness, toxin entering the heart causing delirium. Ri Huazi states: Rhino horn, taste sweet and pungent. Treats mental restlessness, stops惊悸 (palpitations/fright), calms the five zang organs, tonifies deficiency and fatigue, reduces fever, resolves phlegm, resolves mountain miasma and stream toxins, calms the liver and brightens the eyes, treats stroke-induced aphasia, heat-toxic wind, and epidemic mania.

*Tujing* states: Rhino horn originates from Yongchang valleys and Yizhou; currently, those from Nanhai are best, followed by those from Qian and Shu. The rhino resembles an ox, with a pig-like head, large belly, and short legs (bi jiao), having three hooves. Color black. Prefers eating thorns. Each pore on its skin produces three hairs. One horn on top, some say two, some say three. Following Guo Pu's commentary on *Erya*: Rhino has three horns, one on top, one on forehead, one on nose. The nasal one is the Shi jiao, small and not oval. There are also single-horned ones. *Lingbiao Luyi* states: Rhino has two horns, one on forehead is Si xi, one on nose is Humao xi. Male rhinos also have two horns, both Mao xi, yet people mostly transmit the single-horn theory. These types all have millet-like patterns; value depends on fineness. Precious rhino horns have Tongtian patterns. A rhino with such a horn hates its shadow, often drinking muddy water to avoid reflection. Patterns of supreme quality resemble hundred objects. Some say Tongtian is a disease state, reason unknown. Patterns include inverted insertion, upright insertion, and drum-shaped insertion. Inverted penetrates below half; upright penetrates above half; drum-shaped does not penetrate middle. Many varieties, truly奇异 (strange/wondrous). Persians call ivory "White Dark" and rhino horn "Black Dark," meaning hard to distinguish. The largest is Duoluo xi, weighing seven to eight jin per horn, said to be male frontal horn, pattern like scattered beans; dark color suitable for belt buckles; pale scattered pattern only for vessels. Some say: Si is female rhino, unknown if true. Medicinal rhino comes in black and white types, black is superior, tip is best. Medical texts often mention raw rhino; tradition holds unprocessed by fire/water as raw, but some disagree. Generally, rhino killed for horn is raw; shed horn is retired horn, similar to deer antler usage. Wu Shigao, physician to Tang Chancellor Duan Wenchang, heard in Nanhai about sea people capturing rhinos: planting wooden stakes like pens. Rhino rests leaning on them; rotten wood breaks, rhino falls, cannot rise, then killed for horn. Also, rhinos shed horns and bury them; sea people know locations, replace with wooden boxes, repeating until obtained. If taken directly, rhino hides elsewhere. Uncertain if current methods follow this.

Marine Drugs: Following *Yiwuzhi*: In Shandong seas, a type of cow loves music. People play music, cows come out, captured this way. Has nasal and frontal horns, nasal is superior. Greatly cold, non-toxic. Treats wind-toxicity attacking heart, heat oppression, toxic dysentery, infant fu-dou disease (likely rash/fever), wind-heat惊痫 (convulsions), all suitable. After processing rhino powder, wrap in paper, keep in bosom for a long time, mix with other drugs, easy to grind. Also: Tongtian rhino, fetal stage saw heavenly life passing, manifested on horn, hence Tongtian. To verify, reflect in water basin under moonlight, will know it connects to heaven. *Zhengjing* states: Mountain rhino, rarely water rhino. *Wuxi Ji* states: Mountain rhino eats bamboo/trees, urinates slowly all day, Yi-Liao people hunt with bows/arrows, hence Qian xi. Liu Xiaobiao says: Rhino sheds horn, locals replace with fake, truth unknown. Lei Gong states: Do not use Nu xi, sick water xi, twin xi, lower horn xi, shallow water xi, non-moist xi. Select black, coarse wrinkled, cracked yet glossy as superior. Processing: Grind powder in mortar, fine, then pound in bowl ten thousand times before use. Pregnant women should not take, as it dissipates fetal qi. Processing all horns strictly forbids salt. *Shiliao* only mentions mountain rhino, no record of water rhino horn taking. Both types have same efficacy. Raw horn is cold. Can be burned to ash for dysentery. Powder mixed with water. Also treats sudden evil heart pain, food/drug poisoning, heat toxicity, wind-stroke of sinews/bones, heart wind restlessness, all cured. Water-grinded juice given to children for heat-fright. Nasal horn best. Meat: slightly warm, sweet, non-toxic. Treats miasma hundred toxins, gu/zhu evil ghosts. Eating it prevents getting lost in mountains. Removes exterior heat headache, five hemorrhoids, blood dysentery. Overconsumption causes irritability; take musk with water to disperse. *Shenghui Fang*: Treats pheasant meat poisoning causing vomiting/diarrhea. Use raw rhino horn powder 1 cun-bi, mix with fresh water, cure immediately. *Waitai Miyao*: Overdose or poisoning, restlessness near death. Burn rhino horn powder, take 1 cun-bi with water. *Qianjin Fang*: Contact with Qu-she (earwig) urine causes sores like millet grains, painful clusters, sudden dry pain like thorns, similar to insect stings, clustered like cornel berries. Edges red, center white pus like millet, skin tight, whole body chills/high fever, extreme cases spread to waist/flanks/chest. Treatment: Grind rhino horn initially, apply to stop. *Zhouhou Fang*: Sudden unconsciousness, do not use fire to check or it kills. Bite heel and big toe nail edge, spit on face, revive. Rhino horn pillow is good. Or put Qingmuxiang in pillow and wear. *Guangli Fang*: Treats child惊痫 unconsciousness, confusion, tongue-chewing, eye-rolling. Rhinoceros horn powder 0.5 qian-bi, water 2 da-he, take for immediate effect. Baopuzi Master Zheng says: Practice breath retention to thousand counts, eventually stay in water one day. Get true Tongtian rhino horn over 3 cun, carve into fish, hold in mouth underwater, water parts three chi square, allowing breath. Also, Tongtian rhino has red linear texture from base to tip, holding rice on ground startles chickens, hence Haiji xi in South. In areas with insect toxins, stir food/drink with horn; white foam rising indicates poison, no foam means safe. *Chaoye Qianzai*: Where Zhen bird drinks, rhinos do not wash horns; water creatures drinking die, because Zhen eats snakes. Jin Dynasty Wen Qiao passed Niuzhu Ji, deep water unfathomable, said to have monsters below. Wen broke rhino horn to illuminate, saw aquatic creatures reflecting fire, strange shapes, some riding carriages, wearing red clothes. That night Wen dreamed a person said: You and I are separated by life and death, why illuminate us? He felt uneasy, died within ten days. *Taiping Guangji*: Tongtian xi is Haiji xi. Boiling poison with horn creates white foam, neutralizing toxicity. Li Sizhongyi stated: Shi Fuma Baoji governed Chenzhou, renovated offices, sat downwind when destroying old houses, dust parted naturally, people amazed, due to wearing Dust-Avoiding Xi. *Guitian Lu*: Qi ren Fenxi.

*Yanyi* states: For medicinal use, rhino horn must be black, unboiled/unsoaked, hence called raw xi. Chuan xi and Nan xi have fine patterns; Wu xi has visible patterns; Huang xi has few patterns, all inferior to Xifan (Western Regions) origin, which has high patterns and clear "two feet." "Zhengtou" is yellow image inside, black outside; "Daotou" is black image inside, yellow outside. Black is standard; pattern resembling objects is precious. If called Tongxi, must have clear pattern tips, distinct yellow/black, penetration without breaking, smooth "two feet" as first grade. Deer uses velvet, rhino uses tip; their essence lies here. Tip of rhino horn is best ground and taken; for decoctions/powders, use slices. Xifan origin is best.